Chapter 2721: The Capital (Part 77)

He didn't go to the west wing first. The main target had been captured and wasn't going anywhere. What mattered now was the interrogation that would follow.

An old Jianghu hand like Liu Sha, who had spent years in the Brocade Guard, wouldn't crack from a few words or a few blows. If Jianghu folk possessed any talents at all, they were these: first, an extraordinary tolerance for suffering, and second, a mastery of telling people exactly what they wanted to hear. Even under severe torture, such men wove truth and lies together so seamlessly that separating them became nearly impossible.

To question him effectively, they first needed to understand his background. At the very least, they had to grasp his current situation before knowing where to strike.

Judging from his precautions, Liu Sha had clearly been on guard—though that wariness wasn't necessarily directed at them.

Entering the main building, Min Zhanlian found the central room unremarkable save for a charcoal brazier on the floor with a clay pot simmering atop it. The pungent scent of medicine saturated the air.

The medicinal smell was sharp and distinctive. Min Zhanlian had traveled the Jianghu long enough to know something about remedies. One sniff told him this wasn't a wound medicine formulation. Could Zhou Ruolan's assessment have been wrong?

His subordinate was already waiting at the door to the east room. Seeing him approach, the man lifted the curtain and said in a low voice, "There's a dead man inside!"

Min Zhanlian nodded slightly and stepped through. Inside, an Australian oil lamp had been lit, its glow illuminating everything. The furniture stood in disarray, clearly rearranged in haste. Several pieces showed obvious damage; the alcove bed in particular had broken carvings and shattered moldings. Several panels of the bed curtains that hung from the frame were missing entirely.

On the walls, shockingly large splatters of blood caught the light. Though someone had wiped down the bed and changed the bedding, stains still clung to the frame.

Scattered ashes on the floor suggested that a great deal of blood had splattered there as well.

On the table, incense burned in a censer. The mingled scents of medicine and incense were overwhelming, yet they still couldn't mask the iron smell of blood that hung in the room.

"Where's the body?"

"In the chest." A subordinate opened a large official trunk. Inside, a man's torso lay twisted at an awkward angle, covered with ashes.

"This is the person who came yesterday," the subordinate said quietly.

Why had this man come, and why had he been killed? They knew nothing. To pry open Liu Sha's mouth, they needed to unravel the mystery. Min Zhanlian said immediately, "Get him out."

By now, the body had stiffened. It took several men considerable effort to lift the awkwardly positioned corpse from the chest and lay it on the ground. Zhou Ruolan entered and examined it carefully by lamplight, then spoke in a low voice: "Two wounds—one in the lower back, one in the neck. The neck wound was fatal. The carotid artery was severed."

"No wonder so much blood sprayed everywhere."

She examined the skin on the hands, feet, and around the wounds more closely. "The original intent was likely a kidney stab from behind—meant for a quick kill. But the thrust went off-mark and failed to be fatal. The victim fought desperately. There are defensive wounds on his hands and arms."

The clothes were soaked with blood. From the dead man's attire and appearance, he was clearly a retainer or attendant from a wealthy household.

A quick search of the body turned up nothing. Liu Sha had obviously already been through his belongings.

"Squad Leader, look at this." A team member searching the room pulled out the mostly-burned remains of a document case from the brazier on the floor.

A document case was standard equipment for retainers, used to carry the master's visiting cards or important documents. Each household's case was distinctive. Liu Sha's urgency to destroy this one suggested he wanted to conceal the dead man's identity.

"What can you tell from this?" He handed the charred remains to Little Five.

Little Five turned it over several times. "Used by wealthy households in the capital. Specifically families of high officials. The case is made from quality materials, but the design is deliberately understated." He extracted a few half-burned scraps of plum-red paper from inside. "This visiting card paper is refined as well. The pattern is clearly from the Songyun Pavilion Southern Paper Shop here in the capital. Only families of officials and nobility use their goods." He studied the fragments a while longer and sighed. "Unfortunately, only scraps remain. Not a single legible character."

This person had walked in openly, which meant Liu Sha knew him. His visit obviously carried an important purpose. The two had discussed something secret in this room. For some reason, conflict arose, and Liu Sha decided to kill him—but failed to finish the job with a single blow.

Now the man was dead and Liu Sha was injured. The lime purchase was for the cleanup. It all connected. They simply didn't know who this person was, but judging by his status, he was likely a liaison between Liu Sha and someone higher up.

Unfortunately, his identity remained unknowable, or it would have been an important lead. However, Liu Sha was still alive.

Entering the west wing, Min Zhanlian saw a middle-aged man reclining on a couch. The blanket had been pulled aside, his upper body bare. Bandages wrapped his shoulder and chest, with faint bloodstains seeping through. His complexion was pallid, and his hands and feet were firmly bound.

Beside the bed sat a seductive woman, hands tied and eyes blindfolded. On the table lay medicine bottles and boxes scattered in disarray.

"The wound isn't serious," a subordinate reported. "Just muscle damage. He can't move his arm right now."

Min Zhanlian nodded and signaled for his subordinates to take the woman out.

"Liu Sha?" he asked.

"That's me," Liu Sha said, alarm flickering in his voice. Yesterday's affair wasn't yet settled, and today disaster had struck from nowhere. Several days ago, he had noticed what seemed like surveillance around him. For safety's sake, he had been preparing to return to the capital and lie low. He hadn't expected something this catastrophic.

The other side had come prepared. Playing dumb wouldn't work.

Min Zhanlian sat down. Zhou Ruolan immediately slid a stool beneath him. The two moved with the fluidity of long practice. Liu Sha groaned inwardly.

Looking at this young man's bearing, his origins were clearly significant. He was definitely not an ordinary Jianghu wanderer.

"I don't know what guidance the hero has for this visit," Liu Sha said, forcing himself to steady his nerves. "If you're short of travel expenses, I've been in the Jianghu for years, reading winds and telling fortunes. I've made some money. Take it all."

Min Zhanlian smiled. "How much silver do you have? Tell me."

"Well..." Liu Sha's mind raced. "I have over four hundred taels of silver here, plus some jewelry worth about a hundred taels. The hero can take it all."

"Not enough." Min Zhanlian shook his head. "Far too little."

"Well..." Liu Sha's face cycled between shades of pale. He still hadn't figured out the visitor's true purpose. If it was money, he had plenty—banknotes plus cash totaling over ten thousand. But most of that was "official funds," and it wasn't with him anyway.

"I'm just a fortune-teller. No matter how good business is, this is all the money I have. Please show mercy."

"What about the corpse hidden in your trunk?" Min Zhanlian's voice turned cold. "That body alone is worth several hundred taels, isn't it?"

Liu Sha started again. He knew these visitors meant trouble. He said in a low voice, "Since the hero has already seen, let's speak plainly. We're all people who make our living in the Jianghu. No need to fight over a bit of money. Give me a way out, and I'll see if I can take it. As long as it's not a dead end, consider us friends."

"Good. Straightforward." Min Zhanlian smiled. "The silver I want isn't much—one hundred thousand taels."

Everyone in the squad caught Liu Sha's momentary shock and the flash of terror in his eyes.

Got him. It's him.

"That... that..." Liu Sha lowered his head in panic. "Don't joke, hero. Who am I to have one hundred thousand taels of silver..."

"You don't have it, but the 'God of Wealth' you invited does," Min Zhanlian said coldly.

Liu Sha's expression became even more panicked. He managed to stammer, "I haven't invited any God of Wealth. Even worshiping gods and Buddhas wouldn't earn me one hundred thousand. This... this is too absurd..."

"Liu Sha, stop pretending." Min Zhanlian's voice hardened. "Tell me—where is this Manager Leng, the Cold God of Wealth?"

"I don't know any Manager Leng..."

"Hmm? Did I mention that the Cold God of Wealth was a manager?" Min Zhanlian smiled.

Liu Sha sweated profusely, his wound throbbing with pain. He managed to say, "I wasn't the one who invited the God of Wealth. I don't know where he is."

"I think you'd better know. Otherwise, don't blame me for not following Jianghu rules."

"Heh, boy." Liu Sha's tone shifted. "I don't know who you are, but I've been in the Jianghu for years. I used to serve in the Brocade Guard. The suffering I've endured would fill more cups than water you've drunk. You think you can threaten me?" Playing the hapless victim clearly wasn't working, so he changed his approach.

"I know you're an elder," Min Zhanlian said, unhurried. "Not afraid of torture. Probably not afraid of losing your life either. But shouldn't you think about this woman?" His tone turned chilling. "The women with me are most skilled at 'women's punishments.' Rest assured—as long as you talk, they won't take her life."

Liu Sha's heart churned. The person before him was obviously a Jianghu expert hired by the Kun from elsewhere. Judging by their methods, they had to be major bandits. Today, whether he talked or not, he was a dead man. He sneered, "She's just a whore. You think you can use her to control me? Dream on. Do as you please with her—rape her, kill her."

Little Five called out loudly, "Did everyone outside hear that?"

From outside came a piercing scream, then a woman's sobbing: "You heartless man! I've served you all this time, and you say such cold-hearted words..."

Min Zhanlian made a slight gesture, and the noise outside stopped. Liu Sha raged, "You dogs who don't follow Jianghu rules..."

"You just gave us permission to do whatever we want with your woman, and you're lecturing us about Jianghu rules?" Min Zhanlian mocked. "I hope she doesn't know too much about your affairs."

Liu Sha knew further pretense was useless. "Who are you?"

"We work for the Australians." Min Zhanlian revealed his identity. "Since we've both come clean, no need to hide. Tell me where Manager Leng is, and I guarantee your life."

"You're just a pawn of the Kun. Why should I believe you?"

"Believe it or not—it doesn't matter. Just as you said, I'm giving you a path. It's not a dead end. Will you take it, or won't you?"

Liu Sha gritted his teeth and fell silent. By now, his mind was in turmoil. Since the Kun had captured him, they would never let him go easily. Whether he could survive was still far from certain...

(End of Chapter)