At Shen Bai’s words, the woman’s expression froze.
Shen Bai got a clear look at the woman’s face and raised an eyebrow.
The woman looked to be about twenty, dressed in a black shirt and pants.
Her complexion was like a peach blossom, her eyes clear and lovely. She was even a cut above Cheng Shuang in looks.
Even the black outfit couldn’t hide her stunning figure.
The woman in black had an expression of sheer terror.
In her eyes, Shen Bai stood with a lantern in one hand and a sword in the other, his body radiating a baleful Evil Qi, like so phantom erging from the darkness.
His eyes, in particular, held a faint killing intent beneath their calm surface.
The woman in black truly never imagined she would run into such a ridiculous situation.
’Who would have thought a master like this would be in a tiny pawnshop?’
’And just now, there was even Sword Qi!’
’Unbelievable!’
"Don’t kill !"
To Shen Bai’s surprise, the woman in black cowered, hugging her head and trembling in fear.
Of all the Jianghu People Shen Bai had t, she was by far the most cowardly.
Shen Bai said with amusent, "Na, background. Don’t be afraid, I’m not so man-eating monster."
The woman in black cautiously lifted her head, only to bury it back in her arms. "Qin Shuang. My na is Qin Shuang. I’m a Thief Sect Disciple. I haven’t dug up your ancestral graves, so please don’t kill ."
Shen Bai: "?"
’How did the conversation suddenly turn to ancestral graves?’
’Are all you people from the Thief Sect this direct?’
’Wait a minute.’
’The Thief Sect!’
Shen Bai said with a grin, "So, you’re the Thief Sect Disciple who stole the Observatory’s Deceitful Object. Looks like you’re all really trying to stir up trouble, and you’ve even brought it to my doorstep."
As soon as he said this, Qin Shuang’s head snapped up.
Though terrified of Shen Bai, she held her head high with defiance.
"The Thief Sect didn’t steal the Deceitful Object! The Thief Sect would never steal a Deceitful Object from the Observatory!"
Shen Bai chuckled. "Well now, you’ve got so spirit. But if it wasn’t the Thief Sect, who else could have taken sothing from the Observatory? I bet I’d get a hefty reward for handing you over to them, wouldn’t I?"
At his words, the spirited Qin Shuang imdiately deflated, her shoulders slumping in dejection.
"It really wasn’t the Thief Sect! Please, don’t hand over to the Observatory! It was the Fox Girl! The Fox Girl took it!"
"I only ca here because I heard news about the Fox Girl. I’m here to conduct an Investigation into the cause and... clear the Thief Sect’s na?"
Shen Bai frowned. "Fox Girl?"
"Wait a minute, the Thief Sect has a reputation to protect?"
’For a group that robs ancestral graves, Shen Bai couldn’t imagine what kind of reputation they had to speak of.’
Qin Shuang said in all seriousness, "The Thief Sect has always owned up to its actions. We’ve never denied the graves we’ve robbed. But this ti, we were frad!"
Shen Bai stroked his chin. "And how can you prove the Fox Girl did it? A re monster, able to go and steal a Deceitful Object on its own? I’m afraid no one would believe that story."
Qin Shuang shrank back and whispered, "The Fox Girl wouldn’t steal on her own. But what if soone made themselves her target, using her to steal for them?"
"Made themselves her target?" Shen Bai asked. "Explain."
Qin Shuang gestured with her hands. "Let’s say the Fox Girl has her sights on you. You could then exploit her nature, making her bring you valuable things. All you’d need to do... is be able to bear the price she exacts."
Hearing this, it was as if a light suddenly went on in Shen Bai’s mind.
’If what Qin Shuang says is true, then isn’t that just like hiring a courier?’
’The only difference being whether you can pay the courier’s price.’
Qin Shuang continued, "The person controlling the Fox Girl is actually one of our Thief Sect disciples, but he’s a traitor. He joined the Upper Evil Sect. I’m here to investigate his whereabouts and gather evidence."
"He knows most of the people in the sect, but I only joined the Thief Sect recently. He doesn’t know , so I won’t tip him off."
Shen Bai paced back and forth. "Do you have any leads?"
Qin Shuang shook her head. "No leads. I saw soone had been hard by the Fox Girl, and then I saw you talking with a constable. I got curious and ca to poke around, hoping to dig up so useful information. I just never expected..."
"Never expected what?"
"To be caught by you," Qin Shuang said, utterly demoralized.
Shen Bai fell into deep thought.
The room fell silent, the only sound being Shen Bai’s pacing.
’The Upper Evil Sect again. That group is truly like maggots on a corpse.’
’If what Qin Shuang says is true, then with the Fox Girl in Shengyun County, her master possessing a Deceitful Object, and the Observatory on its way... the entire county is about to descend into chaos.’
’I need to tread carefully and not get caught in the fire. No, wait... this is going to be bad for Zhou Qing.’
A dozen thoughts raced through Shen Bai’s mind, but his main concern was Zhou Qing.
As a constable from the Governnt Office, Zhou Qing was bound to get involved.
When Shengyun County erupted into chaos, Zhou Qing would likely be the first to get burned.
’The Fox Girl has Evil Qi and is connected to the Upper Evil Sect... For the sake of that Evil Qi, I might have to get involved myself. I’ll see what news I can get from Zhou Qing first.’
After a mont, Shen Bai made his decision.
Qin Shuang glanced at Shen Bai cautiously, her eyes darting about. "Um... esteed master, can I go now?"
She knew she had really shot herself in the foot this ti.
Qin Shuang was incredibly frustrated. Who would have thought there’d be a reclusive master in an ordinary pawnshop in a tiny place like Shengyun County?
Shen Bai snapped out of his thoughts and smiled. "You can’t go."
"Huh?"
Qin Shuang’s expression went blank. "Why not?"
Shen Bai replied, "Because I haven’t gotten the information I want."
Qin Shuang was completely stunned.
Shen Bai said coolly, "I’m not an idiot. If the Thief Sect truly had no leads, why would a sect not known for its combat prowess send a disciple here alone?"
"That would be a fool’s errand."
"So, tell your real purpose. Stop playing the fool. No one’s buying it."
’No leads, no combat skill, and they sent soone just to clear their na?’
’If word of that got out, Shen Bai figured that anyone who actually believed it must have a few screws loose.’
Qin Shuang gritted her teeth and said nothing.
Shen Bai shook his head. "I’d rather not resort to anything too bloody, but if you insist on forcing my hand, then so be it."
With that, he advanced on Qin Shuang, Longsword in hand.
Qin Shuang clutched her collar. "What are you trying to do?"
Shen Bai chuckled. "You misunderstand. I’m not interested in your body. No, to be precise, I am quite interested. A body this beautiful... would surely lose its charm if it were taken apart, piece by piece."
’Taken apart, piece by piece?’
Qin Shuang’s eyes went wide.
A bloody, terrifying image flashed through her mind.
Qin Shuang clenched her jaw.
She knew Shen Bai wasn’t lying; she could feel that faint killing intent from him.
As Shen Bai closed in, Qin Shuang could no longer bear it.
The foolish facade vanished, and her eyes now shone with sharp, cunning intelligence.
It had all been an act.
"A great tomb! There’s a great tomb in Shengyun County! The Upper Evil Sect wants to use the Fox Girl to rob it, and that Deceitful Object is the key!"
User Comments
0 comments from readers