When speaking inside the room just now, Cheng Shi noticed that the wounds on the killed Dwarves were somewhat peculiar.
They didn't look like sharp weapons commonly used by Assassins, such as daggers, but rather like blunt-edged blades.
For example...
Cheng Shi glanced around for a moment, then kicked out a blood-stained knife from under a bed.
Looking at the length and size of this knife, it resembled the Dwarves' own weapons.
A Dwarf war knife.
But perhaps someone was certain that no one would stay here for long, so the scene was handled quite casually, not even worthy of being called handled.
He simply didn't pay attention to these details.
"A little interesting..."
Cheng Shi recalled his conversation with A Ming, constantly observing the dead Dwarf bodies.
It didn't take long for him to spot some clues.
Looking at the positions of these six Dwarves and the traces of struggle at the scene, it indeed seemed like they had attacked the same target.
Perhaps Fang Shiqing pulled Cheng Shi away in time, making the closely following A Ming the scapegoat.
But what made Cheng Shi even more confused was that the force of the wounds on the six people was not the same.
It didn't look like one person had harvested them, but rather that six different people had killed the Dwarves.
Coincidentally, the killers and the dead were both six.
"Mutual slaughter?"
Cheng Shi furrowed his brows, starting to consider whether Assassins had this kind of talent for controlling people. At least for Order, this kind of talent was not common.
"The scene is truly chaotic, but, it's not without Gains (harvest)."
Cheng Shi picked up a ring he had taken from a certain Dwarf corpse, squinting at it in the sunlight streaming through the window.
As he looked, he clicked his tongue and said:
"The workmanship is truly exquisite. I don't know what kind of craftsmanship can forge such a fine ring. Unfortunately, it belongs to me now."
He smiled, tucked the ring into his pocket, and then slowly walked out of the servant's room.
As soon as he stepped out, he bumped into Bailing, who had a smile on her face and seemed to be waiting for him.
Cheng Shi's face darkened, and he cursed with a smile:
"Sticking to me?"
Bailing had somehow gotten another dress. She curtsied gracefully like a noble Duke's Wife, and said with a soft laugh:
"Hugging a Da Lao's leg, do you mind?"
"You can hug, but don't touch randomly."
"Da Lao, don't worry, I'm very obedient. I'll only touch where you let me."
"..."
Cheng Shi was too lazy to waste words with her and walked past her.
"Just right, this outfit of mine can be your attendant. Any discoveries?"
"Where is there an attendant who runs ahead of the person?"
Bailing quickly followed, replying in a low voice:
"The manor is very large, and there are many guests. I just knocked out a Duke's Wife and got some information from her husband. Duke Brooks seems to have not shown his face yet, and there is only half an hour left until the Time he announced his appearance."
Cheng Shi raised his eyebrows, thinking to himself that a woman who didn't follow rules was indeed quick at gathering information.
He followed Bailing quickly into the central hall of the manor, weaving among the many nobles. Before long, he saw the figures of the others.
Everyone had changed into new clothes and were searching separately.
Cheng Shi briefly glanced at the hall and decisively chose to leave with Bailing.
"Da Lao?"
"The answer is not here."
"Oh."
Bailing softly responded, following Cheng Shi's direction to go elsewhere.
Cheng Shi watched her walk silently ahead and suddenly felt something was missing, so he said:
"Aren't you going to ask me why?"
"It's enough for me to be obedient, I don't need to know why. Of course, if Da Lao needs someone to play along, I can act very convincingly."
"..."
What kind of person is this? So boring.
Not to mention Song Yawen from the previous round, she couldn't even compare to Chen Chong. At least he could make himself feel a sense of accomplishment.
But some words, it's uncomfortable to keep them in your heart and not say them.
"The Dwarf's ring is very exquisite."
"And then?"
"The noble Lords won't care about a Dwarf's ring."
"Oh, so?"
"So the target is not here."
"So that's how it is, Da Lao is amazing."
"...You should just shut your Mouth."
"Oh."
Bailing smiled like a Bailing, drawing the attention of the surrounding guests, "Then Da Lao, where are we going now?"
This is a good question.
Actually, Cheng Shi's initial target was the lower-class people who often dealt with these Dwarf refugees, but he suddenly felt that since the Dwarves coming here was related to the Duke, perhaps meeting this Duke would be a good choice.
So he pointed towards the stairs, indicating for Bailing to go up.
Bailing's face changed, and she gasped in a low voice:
"There are guards, we'll be stopped if we walk up openly."
Cheng Shi's eyes darted, and he said slyly:
"Use your advantage."
Bailing was stunned for a moment, then understood.
She lifted her skirt and walked quickly towards the stairs. As expected, as soon as she reached the bottom of the stairs, she was stopped by guards in iron armor.
Seeing this, Bailing quickly lowered her head and whispered close:
"The Duke needs me."
The guards' heads were covered by helmets, making it impossible to see their expressions, but the way they tightened their grip on their long spears revealed their inner shock.
Perhaps they were pondering the meaning of the word "needs."
Seeing that the two had no reaction, Bailing extended her hand and made a gesture in front of her, interlocking her index fingers.
This was a vulgar gesture popular in the pleasure quarters of Hope Continent, signifying humble ingratiation, and no lady of any standing would make this gesture.
Or rather, only people of certain special professions would make this gesture to indicate their price.
The two guards were clearly even more shocked.
They looked at Bailing's beautiful face, slender figure, and elegant demeanor, and could not associate her with this gesture.
"You..."
"I said, the Duke needs me."
"But the Duke didn't inform..."
"Do you mean that when the Duke has a need, he must inform you?"
"?"
The guard was momentarily stunned by this question.
That's right, why should the Duke inform me?
Besides, what's wrong with letting a woman in? Doesn't the Duke's Wife also often bring men back?
The two guards exchanged glances, both convinced by their own reasoning, and stepped back.
Bailing was delighted and winked at Cheng Shi.
Cheng Shi chuckled inwardly, but on the surface, he followed cautiously.
The two guards wanted to stop them again, but Bailing's face turned cold and she said:
"Stupid, don't you know to avoid suspicion? What about the Duke's reputation if I go up alone?"
You're already going up, does the Duke Lord still have a reputation?
The guards' brains were slightly overloaded for a moment, and then they resignedly let this little follower pass as well.
Of course, it wasn't because they considered the Duke's reputation.
But because they found that the servant behind them was too handsome, not at all like a follower.
More like a pet raised by noble ladies...
Looking at it this way, did the Duke need her, or did the Duke's Wife need him?
Forget it, maybe they both need them.
I'm just a guard, why think so much?
Seeing the two guards let them pass, Bailing happily led Cheng Shi up the stairs.
Just as they disappeared on the second floor, Fang Shiqing and Xu Lu quietly walked over.
"Hello, we would like to request an audience with the Duke Lord."
Fang Shiqing spoke gently and politely, so polite that she didn't seem like a noble from Brooks Town.
Request an audience with the Duke Lord?
The Duke Lord is probably busy.
The guards refused them without hesitation, their cold attitude making it hard to accept.
Fang Shiqing's face changed, and she frowned, wondering how Cheng Shi and the others had gotten up.
Xu Lu was even more exasperated and shouted:
"Why won't you let us up? How did those two just now get up?"
The guard heard this and raised his spear:
"No shouting. No one can go upstairs to disturb the Duke. No one went up just now either. Please leave."
At this moment, they finally remembered to protect the Duke Lord's reputation.
If the Duke still had a reputation.
"You..."
"Let's go, it's enough for them to be upstairs."
"But that Shi fellow is a scoundrel."
Fang Shiqing felt quite relieved upon hearing this, but she still silently complained in her heart:
"How do you have the face to say such things with such righteousness? Can he be as much of a scoundrel as you?"
She considered Xu Lu's feelings and didn't say it out loud, just silently walked away.
Seeing that the Da Lao had left, Xu Lu naturally hurried to follow.
While Xu Lu was being snubbed, Cheng Shi had already arrived in the Duke Lord's room on the second floor.
But when he pushed open the door and saw the scene inside the room, his face immediately sank.
In the large room, a middle-aged man in luxurious clothes was lying on the bed with his chest covered in blood, having already lost his breath.
Bailing's eyes widened, and she gasped in surprise, covering her Mouth: "He is!"
"Shh! Someone's coming!"
Cheng Shi quickly pulled Bailing into the room, lightly closed the door, and dragged her to hide in the wardrobe opposite the bed.
The wardrobe was small, filled with all sorts of clothes.
Cheng Shi had no choice and immediately squeezed in.
But the standing space was limited, and after Cheng Shi occupied most of the space, Bailing had to squat at his feet, barely managing to cover herself with the hem of the clothes.
To close the wardrobe door, she had to tightly hold onto some supports.
"Big sister, be gentle."
"Don't worry, I won't touch randomly."
"..."
Now, it was truly hugging a Da Lao's leg.
"Click."
The lock turned, and footsteps followed immediately.
Before Cheng Shi could even carefully identify who had entered, an angry female voice rang out.
"I only told you to knock him out, not kill him! Do you know the consequences of doing this!?"
Responding to her was a low male voice.
"Di Lieer, you have to believe me, I didn't kill him!"
Cheng Shi raised his eyebrows, recalling the owner of this name.
Di Lieer, Duke Brooks's Wife, the first noblewoman in the Town whose butt was touched by a guard.
Then who was this man?
...