Hou Sheng looked into the cave and listened closely for a moment. Then he pulled a rope from his sleeve, looped it around Liu Xiaolou's waist, secured the knot, and wrapped the other end around his wrist.
"You go first," he said.
Liu Xiaolou could feel a faint pulse of spiritual energy coming from the rope. He frowned.
"Inspector Hou, things have gotten this far and you still don't trust me?"
Hou Sheng's expression didn't change. "What if you're working with that couple, and this cave is an ambush? I have to be cautious. If that's the case, you'll be the first to die."
Liu Xiaolou let out a sigh and shook his head. Then he began climbing down the cliff face.
Hou Sheng followed, holding the rope in one hand. With two fingers hooked into the rock, he kept pace just to Liu Xiaolou's right.
The cave opening was an irregular strip, really more of a crack in the cliff face. There were a lot of crevices like this around Tiger's Maw, most of them near the waterline, likely carved out by the river over time.
"Go in," Hou Sheng said, giving the rope a tug, like he was leading a dog.
Liu Xiaolou crouched and entered. Inside, the space opened up slightly and split into two sections. The outer area wasn't more than ten feet deep, and in one corner sat a pile of burned-out firewood. Off to the side, the cave bent at an angle into an inner chamber, which was also less than ten feet deep. Against the rock wall was a simple bed made of dry straw. Aside from that, the place was empty.
The cave was well-sealed. The wind off the river couldn't get in, making it perfect for using Bewildering Fragrance. A few cracks that might have let air through had been stuffed with loose stones; most likely Wei Hongqing's handiwork.
Hou Sheng stood at the mouth of the cave and flicked a talisman inside. It burned to ash as soon as it entered. He waited a moment, then carefully stepped in.
He walked over to the firepit, reached into the embers, and muttered, "Yesterday."
"You can really tell that just by looking?" Liu Xiaolou asked with curiosity.
Hou Sheng didn't respond. He gave the rope another tug, signaling Liu Xiaolou to head into the inner chamber.
They entered one after the other. Hou Sheng gave a command. "Lift the straw bedding."
Liu Xiaolou did as told. Hou Sheng bent down to inspect it, then said, "Freshly made."
He glanced around the room, scanning every corner, then spoke again. "Let's begin. What token are you leaving behind?"
Liu Xiaolou gave him a look. "I thought you didn't trust me and the couple were in on it together?"
"Hurry up," Hou Sheng pressed.
Liu Xiaolou reached out his hand. "Then give me the formation disk."
"Leave the token first, and you'll get it."
Liu Xiaolou had already compromised more than once. This time, he wouldn't budge. "Inspector Hou, if you won't give it back, I'm not leaving anything."
"To be honest, at this point it doesn't really matter whether you do or not," Hou Sheng said flatly. "If you refuse, I'll just kill you and wait for them here."
Liu Xiaolou stared at him for a long moment. "So you never planned to let me leave alive, did you? If that's the case, go ahead. Do it."
Hou Sheng rubbed his nose. "What I'm planning is none of your concern. Your life or death is mine to decide, but I'll give you a chance. You can bet on whether I'll spare you; and maybe even reward you. Of course, you can also choose not to. I'll count to three. If you haven't left something by then, you can go feed the fish. Three… two…"
"I'll do it… I'll do it…" Liu Xiaolou took a deep breath, drew the Sanxuan Sword, and began carving into the cave wall.
Hou Sheng didn't react to him drawing the sword. A low-tier rogue cultivator at the third-layer Qi refinement stage was hardly a threat. He simply watched as Liu Xiaolou carved the characters "Tenth Month, Fifth Day" into the stone. Chips of rock scattered across the ground.
"Tenth Month, Fifth Day? Today? That's the signal you agreed on? You're meeting here?"
"Of course not," Liu Xiaolou replied. "Inspector Hou, the date I carved is just the day I left the message, not the meeting date. And we're not meeting here. As for when and where… return the formation disk to me and I'll leave a message on the willow tree above. You'll know then. Also, I need you to wait an hour before leaving the cave."
"The firepit and the straw bedding…"
"They weren't theirs. I built the fire myself. Before I went to Lotus Pavilion That Touches the Sky to leave the note for you, I came here first. Spent a night. Never saw Lord Xingde or Lady Zhou Qiniang."
Hou Sheng suddenly laughed. "Looks like you weren't willing to bet; or maybe you already lost. Once you're dead, I'll stay here for three days. If Lord Xingde doesn't show up, then fine, you fooled me. I'll take the loss. But you're not the only lead I've got. Worst case, I'll start over."
He glanced at the words carved into the cave wall.
"Your body will stay right here. This cave will be your grave, and those words you etched can be your tombstone..."
Before he could finish, Liu Xiaolou cut in. "Inspector Hou, why are you investigating on your own? Why haven't you reported this to the Qingyu Sect? What is it you're trying to get from Lord Xingde?"
Hou Sheng paused for a moment, then smiled. "Sharp mind, as expected. A shame…"
The rope tied around Liu Xiaolou's waist suddenly flared with spiritual energy. It tightened, squeezing him harder and harder until he couldn't breathe. No matter how he tried to push back with his own true qi, it was useless.
Hou Sheng spoke slowly. "You're asking because I didn't call for backup, right? Let me give you a piece of advice before you go. Some things, you're better off not digging into. Even if you figure them out, keep your mouth shut. Otherwise, people die."
Liu Xiaolou's eyes bulged from the pressure. He gasped, "I'll talk… I'll talk… cough cough…"
The rope suddenly loosened. He collapsed to the ground, wheezing and coughing uncontrollably.
"Go on," Hou Sheng said, sitting down on the straw bed, staring at him. "This is your last chance."
Liu Xiaolou's voice was hoarse. "Seven… seven days… every seven days… they come to check once…"
Hou Sheng smiled. The rope tightened again; this time with no restraint. It squeezed Liu Xiaolou so hard it felt like his organs were about to spill out. Foam frothed at the corners of his mouth.
Still coughing violently, Liu Xiaolou began crawling toward the cave entrance.
Hou Sheng didn't stop him. He watched with amusement and said mockingly, "Didn't you keep asking how I dared come alone to deal with Lord Xingde and his wife? Well, I'll tell you. It's because of this rope. This Groundbinding Spirit-Scattering Cord. It's a fine treasure. If you die to it today, you're in good company. Same way I took down all those bandits and thugs."
Liu Xiaolou kept crawling, dragging himself into the outer chamber. Clawing at the edge of the cave entrance, he tried to throw himself into the river below.
For some reason, Hou Sheng felt a thrill run through him. He couldn't help talking more. "Your cultivation may be shallow, but your foundation's solid... still, this rope clings like a leech. You really think it's that easy to get free?"
Seeing Liu Xiaolou nearly at the edge, Hou Sheng chuckled again. "Don't waste your strength. You won't get away. I'll hang you here like a fly in a web..."
He was flushed with excitement now, mouth dry, heart pounding. He licked his lips unconsciously. In his mind, an image rose: a woman in gauzy silk, cradling a pipa, bound by the Groundbinding Spirit-Scattering Cord into the shape of a spider lily, hanging from the cliff wall. The thought made his mouth go dry. His body swayed slightly, and he sank back onto the straw mat.
At that moment, Liu Xiaolou, tongue lolling out and nearly strangled, finally managed to tumble out of the cave and into the river below.
...
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