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墨書 Inktalez
Back at the Inn, we gathered in Luo Dachun's room to talk.
Luo Dachun's room was not as cramped as those of our attendants; it had a dedicated parlor for meetings. Once we settled down, Nie Qiuyuan personally went to boil water and brew tea.
Originally, I was brought along to help with their "daily affairs," but all this time, they hadn’t asked me to do anything. Instead, they took me along when investigating cases, which made me feel quite embarrassed. After all, I was just a useless person! But if they asked me to make tea now, my skills would be far inferior to those of the handsome man, so it was better not to humiliate myself.
Especially since there was an annoying female demon sitting next to us!
The female demon looked at Luo Dachun and began by praising my handsome companion's tea-making skills, earning a calm smile from Nie Qiuyuan. I sipped my tea quietly while mentally slapping her twice.
" Chanjuan believes that the most suspicious aspect of this case lies in the motive. Just think, if someone committed this crime, why go through such elaborate means to create such an incredible scene? If we can unravel this mystery, I believe the case will make significant progress." The female demon spoke with a slightly magnetic voice, exuding a sensual aura that made her seem like a femme fatale.
I secretly spat in disdain but had to admit that her reasoning was quite sound.
"Miss Chanjuan makes a very valid point. May I ask if you have made any progress on your end?" Nie Qiuyuan's pleasant voice rang out.
He did not refer to her as "Chief Hunter" but instead called her "Miss Chanjuan," clearly indicating a closer rapport. Hearing him say "Miss Chanjuan " made me feel uncomfortable, almost wanting to jump up. However, being cultured, I forced myself to hold back.
As expected, Miss Chanjuan broke into a radiant smile.
"The first group with a conflict of interest with White Horse Temple are the other three major temples in Luoyang City. With the ancient White Horse Temple around, the incense offerings of the other temples have all been overshadowed. Although monks are supposed to be compassionate, if any of their leaders have not cultivated their hearts properly and stray from the path, they might resort to such actions."
"The second suspect is the Mountain Bandits on Azure Wind Mountain outside Luoyang City. A year ago, the Mountain Bandits were robbing travelers when they encountered a group of monks from White Horse Temple who were out begging for alms. Most of these monks were righteous and fought back against the Mountain Bandits, forcing them to flee. Since then, a grudge has formed between Azure Wind Mountain and White Horse Temple."
At this point, Ruo Chanjuan paused for a moment.
"The third suspect is somewhat sensitive and should only be known to Lord Nie and your group. It concerns Teng Xi, the Governor of Luozhou. Six months ago, his beloved son fell gravely ill and sought treatment at White Horse Temple. Unfortunately, an accident occurred, and his son died within the temple. Lord Teng was heartbroken and has not set foot in White Horse Temple since; his resentment is immense. If it weren't for this incident, he probably wouldn't want to hear the name 'White Horse Temple' ever again."
"So you believe we should start with these individuals?" Nie Qiuyuan raised an eyebrow and asked.
"Isn't it much better than searching aimlessly?" Ruo Chanjuan gazed at him quietly.
The handsome man suddenly smiled at her. "Miss Chanjuan makes a very good point. I believe Lord Nie thinks so too. Without further ado, let’s discuss how we can investigate this matter."
Investigating someone's social connections is quite a complex task. Who knows how much time it would take to uncover the details of these three factions? Sigh, what a tedious job.
After all, I was just an assistant. Although I was very interested in the case, when I returned to my room, my thoughts were mostly occupied by Ruo Chanjuan's attitude towards Nie Qiuyuan. What was she trying to achieve by being so close? Even if he was handsome, as a woman, she shouldn't be so forward! I wasn't even that forward!
Just when I was restless and decided to take a stroll in the garden to clear my mind, I happened to see that woman standing at Nie Qiuyuan's door.
I quickly ducked into the corner of the wall and began my sneaky observation.
Ruo Chanjuan stood gracefully at the entrance, and when Nie Qiuyuan opened the door, they exchanged quiet glances and spoke softly. Since I was a bit far away, I couldn't see Nie Qiuyuan's expression clearly; their silhouettes gave off a vague yet beautiful impression. Before long, Nie Qiuyuan gently opened the door wider and stepped aside, allowing Ruo Chanjuan in, her red dress fluttering like a delicate butterfly as she entered his room.
She actually went into his room!
Suddenly, my heart felt like it was being sliced open; I was overwhelmed with jealousy. Of course, I would care—he was my crush. But now, my crush was alone in a room with another woman, and that woman was such a stunning beauty!
Beautiful and intelligent, mature and graceful—she surpassed me in every way. The flames of jealousy burned fiercely in my heart, mixed with an icy fear.
What if my Autumn developed feelings for her? What would I do then?
All those resolute declarations and fierce ambitions crumbled under the weight of reality. Suddenly, I felt scared. What if he introduced me to her as "sister," saying gently, "Liuying, this is your sister-in-law"? At that moment, could I still pursue my dreams without hesitation?
Compelled by some unseen force, I moved closer to his door to listen to what they were saying inside. Just then, a voice called out from behind me.
"Liuying, what are you doing?"
It was Luo Dachun; I hadn’t noticed when he had come up behind me.
I felt a fire burning inside me, but I couldn't show it in front of him. I could only take a deep breath and softly say, "It's nothing, just feeling a bit stuffy. I thought I'd take a stroll in the garden."
"I'll accompany you," he said, taking a couple of steps closer to me, his face wearing an unusually calm expression.
The torment of my thoughts was unbearable, and the walk in the garden nearly drove me to madness. I had to make an excuse about having a headache and locked myself back in my room.
That night, I couldn't sleep at all, tossing and turning. When Night Phantom entered silently, I was still lying in bed, so I clearly saw him float in through the window.
"What's wrong with you?" Jin Yi Phantom Thief noticed that I, who usually slept soundly, was now wide awake and seemed a bit surprised.
"I didn't call for you tonight!" I snapped hoarsely, "Don't bother me!"
Having a man you like who is too outstanding isn't good at all; it means you'll have a lot of rivals. There was already Han Meilan at home, and now there was Ruo Chanjuan. Even between Night Phantom and my idol, there seemed to be some kind of chemistry. So naturally, I took my frustration out on him.
"What happened? Come out; let me give you some advice!" Butterfly said cheerfully as he sat down beside my bed, looking down at me with the full demeanor of a "male best friend," which only reinforced my suspicions about his orientation.
"Your autumn is going to be taken away by a demoness!" I replied sarcastically.
He looked taken aback for a moment before suddenly laughing lightly. "Ha, is it that female Chief Hunter you're talking about? Hmm? Zhenzhen, why do I feel a bit sour?"
I silently sat up in bed and shot him an annoyed glance without saying anything.
Night Phantom suddenly acted strangely, raising his hand to smooth my hair in an unexpectedly flirtatious manner, startling me. His deep voice somehow sounded particularly gentle, sending shivers down my spine.
"Zhenzhen, his closeness to that woman named Ruo Chanjuan is due to something suspicious about her; it's not what you're thinking. What's the big deal? Just a sleepless night?"
"Mind your own business!" For some reason, I felt lighter inside all of a sudden, but I couldn't let it show on my face.
Night smiled slightly. "Alright, enough foolishness. Let's get to business. I'm here to discuss the case with you!"
***Tang Chang'an Evening News Casual Interview***
Reporter Fungus: Recently, Author has been quite busy with work. Even during the holidays, there's no rest; the backlog still needs to be tackled, right? So, she hasn't had the time to contribute to Evening News. I noticed Author just got off work, so let's do a quick interview to keep Evening News alive. Hello, Author.
Author: Oh, hello! Long time no see. I've been a bit busy lately; I'm sorry about that.
Reporter Fungus: No problem, this is just a casual interview. How have you been?
Author: Sigh, as a working person, I have to write and also craft suspenseful mystery stories. Oh my gosh, it's utterly exhausting! I'm begging for sympathy! I need clicks!
Reporter Fungus: Alright, enough complaining; it affects the readers' mood. Is there anything else you need?
Author: Oh right! I've noticed many readers speculating: "Autumn and Night must be the same person!" Sigh, I've already clarified this before—Autumn and Night are indeed one and the same, 100% confirmed. It's just that Ye Liuhui is too foolish to realize it. But everyone keeps saying, "We can't trust Author!" I'm crying in a dark room; am I really that shameless?
Reporter Fungus: As for Author's integrity, all I can do is chuckle. So, are they really the same person?
Author: (Crying~!) Let me reiterate: they are truly one person! Please believe me...
Reporter Fungus: Alright, alright. Let's not do these casual interviews anymore; we wouldn't want Author to lose her mind too. Well then, wishing everyone a good mood. Author, your mom is calling you home for dinner.
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