Investigating the clinic again

Xu Da returned riding a yellow horse.

He looked thoroughly pleased with himself, his face full of rakish swagger.

Heidou hid by the doorway and peeked outside, then turned back to make sure his mother was not in the courtyard. Then he straddled a broom and closed his eyes-

The winds of the battlefield were still howling!

Wang Qilin toyed with the demon saber and asked, "Why did you ride the horse back here? Didn't you return it to the general's residence on your way?"

Xu Da replied with perfect confidence, "It wasn't on my way. Besides, didn't the old general say he'd reward you with a horse and a thousand gold zhu once the job was done?"

"Don't bring up the reward again. I'll tell you why later." Wang Qilin shook his head. "Anyway, you should have returned the horse."

Xu Da reasoned, "Even if we don't want the reward, look, we did the general's residence a huge favor, right? If I returned the horse and then came back to Crouching Dragon Township, they couldn't make me walk back, could they? They'd have me ride a horse back. So once I rode back to the township, I'd have to return it again, then ride back again..."

At this point, he clapped his hands. "An infinite loop!"

Seeing that Wang Qilin was about to speak again, he quickly changed the subject. "Also, when I went to the county town this time, I asked a friend to look into Foolhardy. There's no news of him. Where do you think he went?"

Wang Qilin found it strange too and could only shake his head.

He asked, "I told you to investigate his personal connections. Did you arrange for anyone to do it?"

He had learned this approach on Earth.

Xu Da said with a troubled expression, "We did, but Foolhardy didn't have any strange connections. He just hung around those cowards, occasionally went to the Gathering Fragrance Restaurant to scrounge leftovers, and sneaked peeks outside widows' doors. Oh, Jun-ge said he'd been going to the clinic from time to time lately."

"The clinic?"

"Right!"

There were still sesame cakes on the table that Heidou had been reluctant to eat. Xu Da had a keen nose; once he smelled them, he fished them out and began munching.

Heidou had keen ears. Hearing the crunching, he hurried back in alarm.

Xu Da looked utterly innocent. "I wasn't going to eat them, but these cakes smelled too good."

Heidou put on the forced smile of the weak. "I don't like them. You eat them, Uncle."

A few casual words cleared up my doubts...

A flash of inspiration struck Wang Qilin, and he suddenly thought of the qi-eating ghost in the clinic...

Qi-eating ghosts could sniff out demons and ghosts, and served specifically as gatekeepers for King Yama in the underworld. They came to the living world for all sorts of reasons, but one was that the underworld had discovered evil ghosts causing trouble and sent qi-eating ghosts to find them.

Then what if that qi-eating ghost had come to the clinic for something other than simply sucking away patients' yang qi to cultivate?

Or perhaps it had made the same mistake any qi-eating ghost in the world might make: it had not originally intended to suck away people's yang qi to cultivate, but had encountered a group of gravely ill people and could not resist taking their last breath of yang qi...

Wang Qilin abruptly stood up. "There may be something wrong with the clinic. I need to investigate again!"

He waited until after sunset to set out, then scaled the wall on the side facing the clinic's bedrooms and jumped inside.

Tonight, he was an investigator.

Dressed in a tight black outfit.

And his fate was just like an investigator's-

After Wang Qilin landed, the bedrooms stood directly ahead. He cautiously took a few steps forward. A lantern swayed by a doorway, and a voice suddenly rang out from one of the rooms. "Who's there?"

He had been discovered!

A figure gracefully braced a hand against the window and vaulted out. The night wind stirred the hair at his temples, and the brilliant moonlight shone on his white robe. He truly was a handsome, elegant young gentleman.

But his features drooped lifelessly, making him look devoid of vitality. That cost him quite a few points.

Zhang Yuning!

Something stirred in Wang Qilin's mind as he recalled being tricked before.

Back then, he had suspected something was wrong with Zhang Yuning, suspected that he had deliberately lied about not knowing that healthy people had died after the qi-eating ghost sucked away their yang qi.

But later, the pain and grief he showed upon learning of his younger brother's death had not seemed feigned, so Wang Qilin had stopped suspecting him.

It took longer to describe than to happen. The memory flashed through his mind in an instant, and then he rushed toward Zhang Yuning, brandishing his saber like a thug and slashing at him.

Zhang Yuning sneered. His feet moved as though on rollers, and a sway of his body carried him clear of the slash. His white robe fluttered in the night, giving him a dashing air.

The two passed each other at close quarters and got a clear look at each other's faces.

The features on Zhang Yuning's pretty face twisted strangely for a moment. Then he retreated several steps and said calmly, "Ah, Lord Wang? I thought some petty thief had come in to steal."

Wang Qilin did not pursue him. He smiled. "Young Master Zhang, you're quite skilled."

Zhang Yuning said, "Skilled? You mean how I dodged just now? Oh, this humble commoner has practiced the Five Animal Frolics with my grandfather and father since childhood. I'm reasonably agile."

That move had been more than mere agility. Wang Qilin was now certain there was something wrong with this puppy-like pretty boy.

But he did not say so. He merely nodded. "All the better. Your clinic hasn't been peaceful lately. While patrolling the streets just now, I saw someone acting suspiciously atop the wall, so I climbed over to take a look."

Zhang Yuning twitched his eyebrows at him. "Did you?"

"Would I lie to you?" Wang Qilin said displeasedly. "And why are you twitching your eyebrows at me?"

Trying to seduce me?

That was rather disrespectful. Did he, Wang Qilin, look like someone who fancied men?

Zhang Yuning hurriedly cupped his hands. "Please calm down, Lord Wang. I wasn't questioning you. It's just... it's just too frightening."

Wang Qilin said, "There's nothing much to fear. It's dark now, so my eyes might have played tricks on me. Still, be careful tonight. Try not to stay at the clinic. I'll bring some men to search it tomorrow and see whether any criminals are hiding here."

Zhang Yuning cupped his hands again. "Thank you, Lord Wang. You fulfill your duties faithfully and aspire to bring order to the land. Having you oversee Crouching Dragon Township is truly a blessing for its people!"

Wang Qilin waved a hand, looking pleased. "It's only my duty. Also, I've suffered some bruises and injuries lately. Do you have any medicine for that?"

Zhang Yuning said, "Of course. Bruise liniment, Seven-Li Powder, bone-setting lotion..."

Wang Qilin shook his head. "I can't tolerate alcohol, and I don't want powdered medicine. Do you have pills?"

Zhang Yuning smiled. "Of course. Hundred-Treasure Pills and Tendon-Relaxing Pills."

Wang Qilin shook his head again. "I know those. They work too slowly. Anything faster?"

Zhang Yuning said, "My family also has a miraculous ancestral medicine, the Nine-Herb Great Replenishing Pill..."

"Then that'll do. Get me a few," Wang Qilin said.

Zhang Yuning silently cursed the corrupt official, but kept a smile on his face as he went to fetch the medicine.

Yet as soon as he smiled, his brows and the corners of his eyes drooped.

Wang Qilin pointed at his face in surprise.

He hurriedly covered his eyes and said dejectedly, "Sorry, Lord Wang. The spring winds have been chilly lately, and the head of my bed is by the window. The wind blew on me a few nights, and I seem to have developed facial paralysis."

Wang Qilin advised him, "Then make sure you get it treated. Also, bring a few more replenishing pills. Lord Xu has been suffering from kidney deficiency lately. I'll take a couple back for him while I'm here."

He was certain now. This puppy-like pretty boy Zhang Yuning had definitely tricked him last time.

So this time, he would trick him back.

I, Wang Qilin, am an upright and honorable official, but I can't let someone trick me for nothing!

Zhang Yuning brought out five replenishing pills. Wang Qilin looked disappointed. "That's all? Lord Xu's kidneys are quite deficient."

"This is all the stock I have on hand," Zhang Yuning said expressionlessly.

Wang Qilin accepted the medicine box with a smile. "All right, then. I'll be off."

He left the clinic, found Xie Hama and Xu Da, and whispered, "There's definitely something haunting that place..."

"Ghosts again? Is this a clinic or a graveyard?" Xu Da was dumbfounded.

Wang Qilin corrected himself. "I mean there's something wrong in there. Old Xu, get a few people to stir up trouble and draw everyone outside. We'll take the opportunity to get onto the roof and see what's going on!"