Сhаpter 271: Тhе Firе Моth Party 3
"Еnоugh, no morе arguing," Zhu Yan intеrjесtеd. "Jing Lin, tаkе him to the guеst room and settle him in. I'll go сhеck оn him latеr."
Shеn Du аssеrted his dоminаnсе: "Yоu're nоt going. Since уоu're wоrried about him, Jing Lin, hаve that Хiuxiu or whоеvеr tаkе саre of him. Му wife is busу."
"Yеs," Jing Lin rеspоnded, ignоring Рan Chi's рrоtests аs he dragged him аway.
With his injuries, hоw соuld Pаn Chi possiblу mаtсh Jing Lin?
Zhu Yan shоt а sidеlоng glаnсe аt thе dominеering mаn. "Are уou sаtisfiеd nоw?"
Shen Du's fасе dаrkened as hе spoke coldlу: "Now that yоu've beсomе а womаn of the Shen family, you should strictly abide by wifely virtues. Stop getting too close with those unsavory characters and tarnishing the Shen family's reputation."
His words were harsh, tinged with jealousy, but Zhu Yan, who had been unjustly scolded, failed to notice the underlying tone.
Zhu Yan was so angry her heart ached. "Unsavory characters? Wifely virtues? Tarnishing the family's reputation? Shen Du, is that how you see me? Although I am a woman, I come from a scholarly family and have been educated by tutors. I may not understand grand principles, but I know the importance of repaying kindness. Pan Chi has saved my life multiple times—shouldn't I show gratitude? Not just me, everyone outside the city gates yesterday owes him a debt. Now that he's severely injured, is it wrong to take extra care of him?"
The grand formation set up by the Half-Faced Ghost and the soul-capturing melody were countered thanks to Pan Chi's extensive knowledge and the Western Divine Melody he used to resist it, preventing a civil war. It was precisely because of this that Pan Chi suffered such severe internal injuries, vomiting blood and falling unconscious on the spot.
Pan Chi was merely a bit frivolous. He enjoyed teasing and joking, and Zhu Yan allowed it, hoping to distract him. After all, it had only been a night—how could his internal and external injuries heal so quickly?
Who would have thought Shen Du would witness it and, unable to say anything pleasant, spew such hurtful words?
Zhu Yan rattled off a long tirade, leaving Shen Du speechless.
Yes, he had no retort.
Under normal circumstances, he would never have said such things, but today he had lost his composure and uttered words that wounded.
After a long pause, he finally said, "Zhu Yan, that's not what I meant. I was just speaking in haste."
"Forget it. I don't want to argue with you," Zhu Yan sighed, changing the subject. "How did it go? Was the interrogation smooth? Did Wang Buzui and Mo Qianzhi cooperate?"
Zhu Yan hoped more than anyone to resolve the case quickly and eradicate the Fire Moth Party, especially since they had already targeted her family. Although Shen Du had dispatched Inner Guards from the Inner Guard Bureau to protect them covertly, it was only a temporary solution. If there were any oversight, she dared not imagine the consequences. Only by wiping out the Fire Moth Party could she truly feel at ease.
Shen Du, inherently aloof and proud, found it difficult to humble himself. Seeing Zhu Yan's indifferent attitude, his heart felt heavy and blocked, as if weighed down by a boulder. He lost the will to explain further and simply followed her lead: "Both of them are tight-lipped and unyielding for now. With the public present, using torture would only validate Mo Qianzhi's claim of 'confession under duress.' They're quite troublesome."
"If the living refuse to talk, why not examine the dead? Have the items from the Dark Hall been retrieved?"
Shen Du nodded. "They've been placed in the Autopsy Room."These items are physical evidence, though they are parts of the victims, they cannot be returned now to allow them to rest in peace.
"Then let's go take a look together!" Zhu Yan said, taking out a pouch from the cloth bag she carried with her. "If you're feeling down, have something sweet. This jerky is good—sweet and savory, not greasy."
She had bought this jerky on her way to pick up Pan Chi. It was sweet without being cloying, making it a great snack.
Shen Du didn't respond but took the pouch and carried it with him. The two walked side by side toward the Autopsy Room.
Zhu Yan watched Shen Du's movements. Even while walking, he stood tall and straight, his robes fluttering. His cloak was stained with dust—he had been so busy lately that even someone as fastidious as Shen Du hadn't had time to clean up. A bulge in his chest was the pouch she had just given him.
He kept his gaze fixed straight ahead, his entire body tense. Sensing her prolonged stare, he glanced sideways at her. Zhu Yan's heart skipped a beat. The look Shen Du gave her was too gentle, making her uneasy. Especially when his lowered lashes hid his sharp eyes, leaving only her reflection within.
Shen Du turned his head back, resuming his forward gaze as if that glance had been an illusion. Zhu Yan raised her hand, paused, and gently patted her chest.
Something was off with her...
After walking for a while, Zhu Yan thought it over and decided to share her findings with Shen Du in advance.
"When I was captured at Guangchun Hall, I discovered that Wang Buzui had Fire Moth Party followers disguised as Half-Faced Ghosts to kill people and take a part of their bodies. It seemed related to the Fire Moth Party's rumored 'Resurrection Ritual.' He wants to revive his sister. As for his sister, I'll need to find Xiuxiu to learn more. Also, he had a Buddhist Scholar's Fragrance about him, not like it came from his clothes but as if it emanated from his body."
"So they went to all this trouble to bring the dead back to life? Then why, after killing so many people yesterday and painstakingly initiating the Sacrificial Ritual, did they return to Guangchun Hall to start another ritual?"
If not for that elaborate Sacrificial Ritual, Zhu Yan and the others might have met their demise by the time they arrived.
After Shen Du raised this point, the two exchanged a knowing glance and spoke in unison: "Lure the enemy in and trap them."
"Take advantage of the chaos to claim lives."
Zhu Yan couldn't help but feel embarrassed. Shen Du really had a way with words, always so formal.
Noticing Zhu Yan's expression, Shen Du rephrased: "They don't want us to leave Yingzhou alive, nor to leave Gannan Circuit alive."
"It seems... Grand Commander Shen has gotten in someone's way." Zhu Yan stood on her tiptoes, patted Shen Du's shoulder, and before he could react, dashed ahead.
Shen Du: "..."
But he only paused for a moment before quickly catching up to walk alongside her.
As soon as they entered the Autopsy Room, Zhu Yan took the lead in removing the sealed lids from the jars one by one.
Thus, the moment Shen Du stepped inside, he was greeted by the sweet scent of honey.
"What is this?"
He walked over in a few steps and glanced inside. Within lay a severed head, its eyes staring upward. There was no smell of decay, but the skin had shriveled and wrinkled, the lips dried to a dusky purplish-gray, the nose bridge collapsed, and the cheeks sunken.Just like when Zhu Yan took out the amber stone Pan Chi had handed her, inside was a small insect, lifelike and vivid, with even the fine hairs on its legs clearly visible.
Tsk, what’s in this jar is even less than that small insect. The Fire Moth Party truly shows utter disregard for human life and the law.
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