Chарtеr 237: Simа Вiqiu
Nоt fаr awaу, Zhu Yаn, still shаkеn bу what had just haррened, quiеtly movеd tо stаnd bеsidе Jing Lin, оbserving the situаtion from the side.
Seeing thаt thе Hаlf-Faсеd Ghоst wаs graduаllу lоsing grоund аnd struggling to hоld on, Shen Du and Раn Chi еxchangеd a glanсe. Thеу sрlit uр tо flаnk him, dеtermined tо сaрturе him оn the sрot.
Suddеnlу, the Hаlf-Fаcеd Ghost pulled оut a round, blaсk оbjеct аnd swiftly threw it betwееn Shеn Du and Раn Сhi. А thiсk smоke billоwеd up, аcсompаnied bу а рungent оdоr. Тhе two covеred their faces аnd quickly steрped bаck аs thе cоurtyard grew even more shrouded in smoke.
By the time the smoke cleared, there was no trace of the Half-Faced Ghost.
"He actually managed to escape!" Shen Du gritted his teeth.
Pan Chi frowned slightly and turned to walk toward Zhu Yan.
"Are you alright?" Pan Chi asked, still remembering Zhu Yan’s pale face earlier. Even now, her complexion didn’t look much better.
Zhu Yan snapped out of her daze and shook her head slightly to hide her embarrassment. "I’m fine."
Looking up, she noticed Shen Du staring intently at her, his eyes filled with unspoken meaning…
Recalling their conversation from the previous night, Zhu Yan felt even more uneasy. She took a few more steps back and forced a smile. "It’s nothing. Thank you for your concern, Young Master Pan."
So now it was "Young Master Pan."
Pan Chi took a step forward, about to say more:
"Zhu Yan…"
Shen Du couldn’t stand this. He quickly strode over, pulling Zhu Yan into his arms, then turned to Pan Chi with a hint of provocation in his eyes. "Thank you, Young Master Pan, for rescuing my wife earlier." He emphasized the word "wife."
Pan Chi narrowed his eyes. He understood the implication perfectly. The corners of his eyes lifted with an ambiguous smile. "There are no wives in official matters. Is the Great Pavilion Commander also mixing personal affairs with public duties?"
Pan Chi pretended not to notice Zhu Yan’s frantic, almost desperate glances. He intended to take Shen Du down a peg—not everything could be claimed just because he wanted it.
"Even if she is Lord Zhu, she is still my wife."
Before Shen Du could finish speaking, a scream erupted from Mo Qianzhi’s room. Their expressions changed, and they rushed toward the eastern side.
There, Sima Biqiu (an official title) lay on the ground, covered in blood. His eyes were wide open, pupils dilated, and his entire body convulsed weakly. The sight was unbearable, and his breathing was faint.
Zhu Yan rolled up her sleeves and walked over. She lifted his eyelids to examine them, then checked his wounds, her eyes filled with pity. She turned back to Shen Du and the others, shaking her head.
He wouldn’t survive.
"The tendons in his limbs have been severed. No, that’s not right." Zhu Yan crouched down again, examining the wounds on Sima Biqiu’s wrists. Perhaps fearing she couldn’t see clearly, she took out a copper tweezer to inspect the torn flesh. The smell of blood was overwhelming. Mo Qianzhi frowned, glancing at Zhu Yan a few more times.
Zhu Yan stood up again, this time certain. "The tendons in his hands and feet have been extracted. Besides that…"
She paused, her brow furrowing. She couldn’t bring herself to say it.
Pan Chi spoke for her. "He’s been skinned. His entire body has been stripped of its skin. To accomplish this in such a short time, the murderer must be a habitual offender."
"What?" Mo Qianzhi’s anger was unmistakable. He stepped forward for a closer look and realized that the reason Sima Biqiu’s body was a bloody mess was that his skin had been completely removed, leaving the flesh exposed. From this close, they could even see the muscles in his chest pulsing with his heartbeat, and the intricate network of tendons and blood vessels was clearly visible, dense and horrifying. The overwhelming stench of blood made anyone who saw or smelled it nauseous.The murderer was truly too cruel. Skinning someone alive—this was meant to cause Sima Biqiu excruciating pain until death. If not driven by deep-seated hatred, then the perpetrator must possess a level of cruelty and ruthlessness far beyond that of ordinary people.
"Tearing tendons and flaying skin..." Mo Qianzhi spoke, tears falling as he did.
Zhu Yan crouched down to continue the examination, fearing she might have missed something.
Shen Du was somewhat displeased with Pan Chi's leisurely posture, arms crossed. "Why aren't you examining the body? Instead, you leave it to a woman."
Pan Chi wore an expression of utter composure. "I am a master detective, not a coroner."
That face of his was always so radiantly handsome, no matter the occasion. Shen Du couldn't help but feel indignant. "A pretty face with nothing inside."
"Aren't you the same?" Pan Chi chuckled. "If you're not, then why don't you examine it yourself?"
"Quiet!" Zhu Yan, with her back turned to them, suddenly spoke up.
Pan Chi crouched down as if he really intended to examine the body. Shen Du, as the Great Pavilion Commander, could not bring himself to stoop so low. He glared at the two of them a few times. Seeing that Zhu Yan was focused on the examination and paying no attention to Pan Chi, he didn't dwell on it further, instead fixing his gaze on Sima Biqiu as if struck by a thought.
"Lord Mo, why not..." give him a swift end.
Mo Qianzhi seemed not to hear, wiping his tears and pounding his chest in anguish. "This Half-Faced Ghost wreaks havoc among the people—I wish I could kill him without a second thought! Why must he do this to my subordinate?"
"Why not just kill me instead?"
"Lord Mo, please calm down first," Shen Du urged.
At that moment, the figure on the ground—no, it could no longer be called a person—a bloody, human-shaped form let out another heart-wrenching wail, convulsing violently. Suddenly, it reached out and grabbed Zhu Yan's hand, its pupils focusing on her. "Please, I beg you, give me a swift end!"
Blood immediately spread from where she was gripped, dripping fresh and vivid. Even with her extensive experience in handling cases, Zhu Yan couldn't bear to look. She turned her head toward Shen Du, her eyes filled with inquiry.
Shen Du also looked over, meeting her gaze. Understanding her intention, he placed his hand on the hilt of his sword and, with a sharp sound, drew it, thrusting it straight into Biqiu's heart.
"Wait!" Mo Qianzhi's expression changed upon seeing this, and he tried to stop it, but the sword's momentum was already unstoppable.
"Thud!" The sound of the sword piercing flesh had never been so clear as at this moment.
Mo Qianzhi's feet, which had rushed forward, froze in place. Pain, self-blame, guilt, sorrow—all these emotions surged within him at once, yet he could not bring himself to blame Shen Du even a little.
Zhu Yan wiped the blood splattered on her face, also filled with deep reluctance. This was the first time she had examined a living person, and the first time she had witnessed a living person killed by one of their own right before her eyes.
"Thank you!" Biqiu didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Without skin, his face showed no expression even if he smiled.
"I was in too much pain. Thank you!"
Repeating these words a few times, Biqiu looked at Mo Qianzhi, released his grip on Zhu Yan's hand, and reached out toward Mo Qianzhi.
Mo Qianzhi took a swift half-kneeling step forward, gently and carefully grasping Biqiu's bloody hand.
"Biqiu, speak. Whatever you say, I will do it for you."
Biqiu's breath was already very weak, faint as a wisp, yet he still mustered his last ounce of strength. "My wife and child..."
"Rest assured, rest assured. I will treat your family as my own."
Mo Qianzhi waited for a long moment but received no response. Lowering his head to look, he saw Biqiu's eyes wide open, his pupils already nearly dispersed.
"He's dead," Zhu Yan said softly, rising to her feet and walking over to Shen Du, her head bowed the entire time.
Shen Du sighed, gently pressing down on Zhu Yan's dark hair. "Don't blame yourself. Evil people in this world have never been fully eradicated."
Zhu Yan nodded, sniffling slightly. "I understand that, it's just...""Even seeing it with your own eyes, you still can't bear to watch?"
Zhu Yan didn't speak, pursing her lips, but that was exactly what she meant.
Shen Du paused, then turned Zhu Yan's shoulders toward him, shielding her from the monk and Mo Qianzhi, and said gently, "Then don't look."
Zhu Yan frowned. When had this man learned the "ostrich burying its head in the sand" trick? But thinking that he was doing this out of concern for her, she felt a warmth in her heart.
Pan Chi had been watching them all along, but in this situation, he couldn't muster the heart to tease them.
"I will give him a proper burial," Mo Qianzhi said, closing the monk's eyes. He sighed, stood up, and ordered his servants to carry the monk away.
"What are your plans next, Lord Mo?" Shen Du asked first after everyone had tidied up the room.
Mo Qianzhi regained his usual composure and let out another long sigh.
The group stood in the room, waiting for Mo Qianzhi to speak.
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