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Early the next morning, as the sky began to lighten and a thin layer of morning mist lingered on the streets, Chen Jiu'an arrived punctually at the entrance of the inn where Lin Mingchang and Shen Tong were staying.
"Let's go," Chen Jiu'an said with a smile, beckoning the two to get into the car. "We're heading to Rui He Xiang Silk Factory."
The car sped along the suburban roads, flanked by rolling farmland and scattered mulberry trees, with the Canal winding in the distance. Throughout the journey, Chen Jiu'an provided a brief introduction to the silk factory that had recently suffered a devastating blow: "Rui He Xiang Silk Factory is probably the oldest and most prestigious silk enterprise in Yangzhou. Established during the Late Qing Dynasty, it is considered the elder brother of Yangzhou's silk industry."
The gatekeeper at Rui He Xiang Silk Factory recognized Chen Jiu'an and greeted him before allowing the car to enter the premises.
The vehicle came to a stop in what resembled a charred wasteland where the main factory area had been reduced to ruins by a fire four days prior. Standing before the devastated remains of the factory, Lin Mingchang turned to Chen Jiu'an and asked, "How did the Yangzhou Police Station determine that these three incidents were all acts of arson?"
Chen Jiu'an squatted down, grinding a piece of charcoal into dust with his hand as he replied, "At each of these fire scenes, the police found traces of very concealed accelerants. They consulted experts who confirmed it was kerosene. Moreover, all these incidents targeted local silk enterprises in Yangzhou, and the methods used were highly consistent. The Yangzhou Police Station therefore concluded that it was likely the work of the same individual or group."
Lin Mingchang nodded and approached the factory door, which had been blackened and warped by flames. He crouched down to examine the warehouse lock closely.
"Jiu'an!" he called out, waving for Chen Jiu'an to come over. "Look at this lock; there are clear signs of professional lock-picking here—clean and precise. You wouldn't notice it unless you looked closely. This isn't typical thief behavior."
At that moment, Shen Tong also stepped closer. She had been squinting her eyes earlier, silently absorbing the atmosphere of the scene.
"There is not only a heavy presence of Death Qi here," she said to Lin Mingchang and Chen Jiu'an, "but also an aura of killing intent. I believe that Manager Wang Derun did not die in the fire; he was murdered before it started."
Lin Mingchang had no doubt about Shen Tong's assessment. He turned to Chen Jiu'an and noticed that his companion looked utterly astonished, clearly struggling to believe Shen Tong's statement.
Lin Mingchang immediately realized that Chen Jiu'an must have never encountered someone like Shen Tong before—a remarkable Wang Qi Master. He quickly explained, "Jiu'an, Shen Tong comes from a renowned Wang Qi Master family. Her Right Eye can perceive various energies that ordinary people cannot detect. It is thanks to her assistance that I've been able to solve many bizarre cases in Spring City."
Chen Jiu'an was visibly shocked as he scrutinized Shen Tong. "Is there really such miraculous ability in this world? So you can see that Wang Derun was killed before the fire was set?"
Shen Tong calmly nodded her head, causing Chen Jiu'an's mouth to drop even wider in disbelief.
Lin Mingchang laughed heartily and patted Chen Jiu'an on the back, urging him to start searching the scene. He recalled how he must have looked just as astonished when he first met Shen Tong.
The Yangzhou Police Station had already conducted a thorough search of this area beforehand; logically speaking, they should have collected most of the evidence available. However, for Lin Mingchang, having Shen Tong with him elevated their investigation to an entirely different level.
He confidently entrusted the interior of the factory to Shen Tong and Chen Jiu'an while he conducted a perimeter search around the building. Shen Tong's eyes were fixed on the ground, quickly honing in on a large pile of charred ashes. With a small stick, she began to carefully sift through them. Suddenly, she crouched down and pulled out a nearly burnt piece of paper from the bottom of the pile.
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