Сhаpter 332: Тhе Firе Моth Party 64
Раn Chi held thе amber stоnе, fееling its hеаt in his hand, and sighеd helplessly:
“You guessеd right—it’s thе Fire Wоrship Сult.”
“Тhе Firе Worshiр Сult?”
Раn Сhi noddеd, a tracе оf bitternеss curling at the сorner оf his mouth:
“This fаith rеgаrds firе аs а sуmbol of gооdness аnd light, wоrshiрping it with рartiсulаr reverеnсe. Тhey havе specifiс rituаls dеdicаted to saсrеd flаmes. Еvеrу fоllоwеr of thе Firе Worshiр Cult must аdhere tо threе соre рrinсiрlеs: good thoughts, gоod words, and good dеeds. Theу firmly beliеve thаt оnly bу following these principles can they overcome evil and darkness. For these believers, fire is undoubtedly the most sacred thing, symbolizing the birth of life and the emergence of light.”
Pan Chi had almost guessed Zhu Yan’s thoughts: “You suspect the Fire Moth Party is related to the Fire Worship Cult?”
Zhu Yan’s brows furrowed tightly, her expression confirming his assumption.
Without hesitation, Pan Chi shook his head in denial: “During my travels in the Western Regions, I never heard of the Fire Moth Party, nor did I encounter anyone worshipping fire moths.”
He glanced at Zhu Yan: “Didn’t we already investigate? The Fire Moth Party has always operated in the Central Plains. Apart from their tools, they have no connection to the Western Regions.”
But tools could be obtained anywhere—there was nothing particularly distinctive about them.
“But what if…?”
“There’s no ‘what if.’ Their worshipped totems are completely different. The Fire Worship Cult reveres pure fire, while the Fire Moth Party worships moths.” As he spoke, Pan Chi’s expression grew solemn. “There’s simply no connection.”
As for their beliefs, they were even more dissimilar.
“The Fire Moth Party believes in death and rebirth, while the Fire Worship Cult upholds light and justice.”
This was compelling evidence, leaving Zhu Yan at a loss for a rebuttal. Moreover, she had been present during the initial information gathering.
Their thoughts scattered, and the three people in the room momentarily lost direction.
The Fire Moth Party had remained hidden for years. Even during the previous cases—the Buddha Swallowing Sins and Chen Huo’e—they had not been exposed. If not for Mo Qianzhi’s accidental report of the “Half-Faced Ghost” case and Shen Du taking the lead in its investigation, they would likely still be lurking in the shadows, causing chaos.
“The masses laugh at moths flying into flames, unaware that mayflies live and die in a day, never entering the cycle of rebirth, while moths endure fire, die not, and are reborn in the cycle.”
Zhu Yan silently recited these words one by one. After pondering for a moment, she found no solution. For now, the only course of action was to wait.
Pan Chi dared not be careless either. After careful consideration, he still shook his head:
“I never heard Su Guang mention it.”
Zhu Yan fixed her clear, bright eyes on him. Pan Chi broke into a sweat at his temples: “Wh-what’s wrong?”
She shook her head, and Jing Lin beside her clapped his hands: “Right! Young Master Pan has a close relationship with the Holy Maiden. I saw it myself. Since the Holy Maiden never mentioned it, it must be true.”
Pan Chi’s lips twitched, wishing he could strangle Jing Lin. What did he mean by “close relationship”?
“What did you see? There’s no relationship between me and the Holy Maiden. Don’t make wild guesses.”
Zhu Yan agreed on this point: “The Holy Maiden looked at you with more disgust than fondness. Taking you along was likely out of necessity.”
Pan Chi burst into laughter, taking a few steps toward Zhu Yan. Jing Lin drew his sword, forcing him to retreat. Pan Chi made exaggerated facial expressions:
“Zhu Yan, you’re so eager to explain for me. Have you discovered my good qualities and fallen in love with me again?”
His words shocked the other two in the room.
Jing Lin pressed the hilt of his sword against Pan Chi’s neck, his expression dark.
Pan Chi remained oblivious, staring intently at Zhu Yan: “Just divorce Shen Du. Look at me—I’ve nearly lost half my life for the people of Yingzhou.”"What does this have to do with me?" Zhu Yan massaged her temples, unsure of what to say. "Go seek an explanation from the people of Yingzhou or Shen Du."
As she spoke, she pointed at the amber stone, not giving Pan Chi a chance to speak first:
"This amber stone wasn't something I willingly accepted in the first place, and now I've returned it to you. You should give it to the person who deserves it."
Pan Chi was about to say more, but Zhu Yan's dark eyes grew serious, and she said in a low voice, "Don't joke around. Find an opportunity to ask Su Guang and see if there's any progress."
Cut off, Pan Chi felt a knot in his chest, extremely displeased. He slapped Jing Lin's sword hilt away, crossed his arms, and sulked:
"I won't go."
Zhu Yan coaxed patiently, "If you don't go, I'll hand you over to Su Guang to take away."
This...
Pan Chi clenched his fists, gritted his teeth, and reluctantly said, "Fine, I'll go!"
Seeing that the matter was settled, Zhu Yan bid farewell. Jing Lin glanced at him and followed her out.
Once alone, Pan Chi's previously cheerful expression instantly turned desolate. He unfolded the amber stone in his palm and smiled bitterly.
That day, he had given it in haste, and now it was returned just as hastily—much like the affection he had developed for her, which came and went in a rush.
——
Inside the room, Shen Du sat at the table, his expression somewhat gloomy.
When Zhu Yan entered and saw him, she greeted him briefly before heading into the inner study to search through ancient texts. She was determined to unravel this mystery.
Shen Du, feeling ignored: ...
In the end, Shen Du resigned himself and walked over to stand behind her, peering over her shoulder. Seeing that she was reading books about temples and Buddhist scriptures, he was about to ask when he heard Zhu Yan sighing softly, her face troubled as if something was bothering her.
"Why are you looking through these? Did the autopsy yield any results?"
Only then did Zhu Yan realize how close she was to him. Suppressing her fluttering heart, she tried to move away but was pinned in place by Shen Du's gaze.
Enduring her embarrassment and the warmth spreading through her, she briefly explained the autopsy results and recounted her argument with Pan Chi, which matched what she had told Jing Lin.
The only thing she omitted was the matter of the amber stone.
Shen Du felt slightly reassured and chided her, "If you had told me earlier, I could have helped you search through these."
Zhu Yan shook her head. "You haven't fully recovered yet. I didn't want you to overexert yourself."
This was like searching for a needle in a haystack—a slim hope at best.
Warmth flooded Shen Du's heart. Unable to resist, he wrapped his long arms around Zhu Yan's slender waist, resting his chin against the top of her head.
"I am your husband. It's only right that I share your burdens. Are you treating me like an outsider?"
Zhu Yan wouldn't dare. Hurriedly, she invited him, "Then, accompany me to visit the nearby temples. We might find some clues."
The process of solving a case often involved painstakingly piecing together minute details—a long and arduous journey.
Shen Du was more than willing to accompany her and certainly wouldn't let her go alone. However, he was preoccupied with another matter. Turning Zhu Yan to face him, he set aside the ancient texts, cupped her face, and gazed intently at her.
"I saw you go to Pan Chi's place. What was that about?"
"It was because..."
Zhu Yan paused mid-sentence, suddenly realizing that Jing Lin had likely already reported everything. She couldn't help but laugh softly, rising on her tiptoes to plant a few light kisses on Shen Du's cheek. Then, she reached out to smooth the furrow between his brows.
"Are you jealous?"
"Hmph!" Shen Du was pleased, showing no trace of anger. "From now on, you're not allowed to casually accept gifts from other men."
Zhu Yan wrapped her arms around his narrow waist, her cheeks flushed pink but her expression resolute. "You too."
This little woman was actually setting conditions.Pulling Zhu Yan into his embrace, Shen Du felt both at peace and content, wishing only for a lifetime of tranquility and endless horizons.
Zhu Yan shared the same sentiment, hoping for enduring companionship and a love that would stand the test of time.
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