Sixty-one people dead, bodies shattered, the scene brutal, with the Evil Chasing Disc detecting traces of Evil Qi—yet the oddest thing was that the blood present was far less than what you'd expect from "sixty-one lives".
"Killing, dismemberment, mutilating corpses—these are certainly things Evil likes. But collecting human blood isn't."
"Xiaoqi sees through everything; I am truly impressed! So it seems the sixty-one deaths in the Qi Family were not caused by the Evil, but by someone else?"
"Heh, Wang Xiaoling, I never said their deaths had nothing to do with Evil. And it's still too early to draw conclusions. Have the brothers get on with the process quickly—be meticulous, miss nothing, inside and out. Also, keep strict watch over the crime scene in the Qi Mansion. No one but our Xuanqing Guard is allowed inside without my permission. And quietly look into the Qi Family's background."
"Investigate the Qi Family's background? Why?" Wang Xiaoling was a bit unsure of Shen Hao's intent.
"A family running a large clothing business should have frequent financial flows. Isn't it safer and more convenient to store their silver in a Money Shop? Is it really necessary to keep a million taels at home? This Qi Family is likely not simple."
"Xiaoqi is thorough. I am not nearly as careful."
"Alright, enough flattery. Get moving, I'll head back first—such a big case, I need to report to the General Flag."
...
Leaving the Qi Mansion, Shen Hao did not linger in Five Rams City. He went directly back to Li City via the Teleportation Array in the city.
Unlike Five Rams City, Li City was considered one of the major cities in the western Jingjiu Dynasty—and only in big cities would the Xuanqing Guard Station be garrisoned.
Shen Hao served as a Junior Seventh-Grade Flag Officer in the Station, the lowest official rank with a formal grade in the Xuanqing Guard, but he was responsible for a considerable number of men.
Ten Xuanqing Guard Warriors, plus two School Commanders, and fifty soldiers—this made up a Little Banner Battalion. Shen Hao was the Flag Officer.
Above the Flag Officer is the Senior Seventh-Grade General Flag Officer. Typically, each General Flag Officer commands three to four Little Banner Battalions.
Above General Flag is the Junior Sixth-Grade Trial Hundred Households, overseeing three General Flag Officer establishments. And the Senior Sixth-Grade Hundred Households Officer is in charge of two Trial Hundred Households formations.
The Li City Xuanqing Guard Station is a full-strength Senior Sixth-Grade Hundred Households Officer establishment, responsible for special matters in seventeen cities across a radius of three thousand li.
...
Compared to the city's County Government, the Public Office of Li City Xuanqing Guard Station appeared quite shabby—even its courtyard gate lacked a pair of Guardian Stone Beasts.
"General Flag Chen, I have a matter to report."
"Come in."
Shen Hao pushed open the door. In the not-so-large Public Office, a short, round, middle-aged man was seated at his desk, writing quickly. This was Chen Tianwen, General Flag Officer, Shen Hao's immediate superior.
"General Flag Chen, I went to the scene of the case that Five Rams City reported this morning."
"Speak. What happened?"
"A wealthy Qi family in Five Rams City, elderly and young, including servants, sixty-one people in total—all perished, bodies smashed to bits. The Evil Chasing Disc detected lingering, faint Evil Qi at the scene, showing it's Third-Grade Evil."
Upon hearing "Third-Grade Evil", Chen Tianwen, still at his desk, finally looked up at Shen Hao, but didn't cut him off.
Shen Hao continued: "However, though the Evil Chasing Disc sensed Third-Grade Evil Qi, apart from the Qi Mansion, no one else was harmed that night in Five Rams City, and records from the past three months show no reports of Evil appearing around Five Rams City. Also, sixty-one people were torn apart, yet only a small amount of blood was found at the scene. I feel this is no ordinary case."
"The blood doesn't match the bodies? Are you sure the Evil Chasing Disc sensed Third-Grade Evil?"
"I am sure."
"This isn't Third-Grade Evil's style. Either the Evil Chasing Disc's perception was wrong, or the Evil's attack range was limited. Shen Hao, what's your opinion?"
Shen Hao considered his words before replying: "General Flag, I believe the extermination of the Qi Family's sixty-one members may very well be connected to that group."
"That group?" Chen Tianwen paused, then quickly realized something, leaned forward, face growing more serious, voice pressed low and urgent: "Did you discover anything?"
"I found this in the Qi Mansion." Shen Hao said, taking out the scrap of paper he'd found in the Qi Family's kitchen and placing it before Chen Tianwen.
Chen Tianwen did not touch it with his hand; instead he leaned in for a closer look, frowning. "A fragment of talisman paper?"
"Yes. If I'm not mistaken, it's a remnant of an Evil Sect Yin Talisman."
"Oh?" Chen Tianwen nodded with a calm expression, then swept his palm over it. The talisman paper on the desk burst into flames, and a faint ripple of mana flickered briefly from the fragment. Though fleeting, Chen Tianwen clearly sensed this mana carried a chilling aura.
"It really is an Evil Sect Yin Talisman! Shen Hao, you've got sharp eyes!"
To identify the type of talisman from a mere scrap, barely the size of a fingernail, just by sight—this is no ordinary skill.
"General Flag flatters me, I am only familiar with them."
"No need for modesty." Chen Tianwen stood up, walked to the window, and closed the only open window, then turned back. "Who else knows about this besides us?"
"Rest assured, General Flag. I discovered the scrap alone and reported it directly to you; not a soul besides you knows."
"Good!"
Chen Tianwen patted Shen Hao's shoulder approvingly, paced within the cramped office, then sat again in silence, seeming to contemplate something.
"Here's what we'll do: Take my signet, go to the Arsenal and collect three Third-Grade Thunder Charms as a precaution. Then, use 'thorough investigation of the Third-Grade Evil' as cover to seal off Five Rams City's surroundings. I'll separate this case from others so no one interferes. But you must promise me solid results by the sixth of next month, understood?"
The sixth of next month? Ten days left.
With a little thought, Shen Hao understood why Chen Tianwen set the deadline—it's because the seventh is the routine major case assembly in the Station.
"Rest assured, General Flag. I will not let your important matters be delayed."
Chen Tianwen nodded, picked up his pen, and casually waved Shen Hao off.
But Shen Hao bowed and said, "General Flag, I have another thing to report."
"Speak."
"During the Qi Family extermination investigation, I found a batch of unidentified silver coins—many suspicious points. I'm stretched too thin to handle both, so I ask for your assistance."
"Heh, really? How much?"
"Seven hundred fifty thousand taels."
"...Alright, tomorrow I'll send someone to take charge of the silver. You focus on the extermination investigation; no distractions."
"Thank you, General Flag, for your consideration. My report is done, I'll take my leave."
"Mm, go on, be careful. Also, you seem pale. After you visit the Arsenal, go to the Alchemy Room, use my name to get a Small Nourishing Pill. Don't wear yourself out—I need you to keep things under control for me."
"Yes, thank you for your kindness, General Flag."
...
Coming out of the Public Office, Shen Hao's face instantly wore a smile.