Chapter 45: Noble Lady of the Capital, Shall We Visit the Entertainment District?

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The muffled thuds echoed through the street.

"Twenty, nineteen…"

Lin Jingzhu's black staff descended like a thousand catties of weight, howling as it struck; the giant's clothing tore apart, his flesh and blood mangled, blood splattering across her fair cheeks, giving her a sickly, exquisite beauty.

The giant had fallen completely still.

He realized the more he cursed, the harder she struck—even deliberately miscounting to make him endure extra blows—so he fell silent, feigning death.

Chen Mo watched this scene with keen interest.

This woman's strikes looked brutal, but her force was perfectly controlled; not a single inch of the man's waist, back, hips, or thighs remained unharmed—pain seared to the bone, yet never life-threatening. Whenever he tried to channel Qi in resistance, the staff precisely severed his meridians, forcing him to lie helplessly on the ground and take the beating.

"Tsk. That's what you call professionalism."

"My lord Chen."

At that moment, a voice called from beside him.

Chen Mo turned to see a man waving from the second-floor window of the nearby tavern—it was Shangguan Yunfei, whom he'd met once before.

"My lord Chen, if you would be so kind as to come up, I have matters to discuss with you," Shangguan Yunfei said, bowing from afar.

Chen Mo stepped into Zuiyue Tower and ascended to the second-floor private room; Shangguan Yunfei rose and apologized: "My lord, please don't take offense—under these circumstances, I simply cannot show my face."

He'd long grown accustomed to such things; stopping it was futile, but not stopping it was dereliction of duty—so he chose not to show his face at all.

"My lord Chen was originally a hundred-household commander; if I showed any disrespect before, I humbly beg your forgiveness."

Shangguan Yunfei had no knowledge of the Tianlin Guard's internal structure, but after returning and inquiring, he learned that although Chen Mo held the rank of Flag Commander, he received the salary of a Hundred-Household Commander—a Rank 6 (Official), one full rank higher than himself, the Investigator.

"Just an honorary title, nothing worth mentioning."

Chen Mo waved his hand, his gaze drifting toward the window. "Is that man one of your Liùshànmén?"

Shangguan Yunfei nodded. "Actually, my lord Chen, you know her—she's the Investigator of the government office, Lin Jingzhu."

Chen Mo understood.

The Four Great Captains' names were known to every soul in Ducheng.

But Lin Jingzhu had another identity: her mother, Lady Jinyun, was the cousin of the current Empress, making her true imperial kin—a noble lady of the capital.

"This Investigator Lin is truly… hmm, unconventional," Chen Mo said, tone laced with amusement.

Shangguan Yunfei gave a helpless smile.

Riding through the marketplace wasn't a major offense—urgent duties sometimes required it, hardly warranting such severity.

But this man had lashed out at a child, with no restraint whatsoever—clearly malicious in intent. No wonder Lin Jingzhu had lost her temper.

…

Boom!

Boom!

The "corporal punishment" was nearing its end.

"…Three, two, one."

Done.

Lin Jingzhu flicked the blood from her black staff, wrist flicking—accompanied by the metallic "click-clack" of gears turning—the ends rapidly retracted inward, shrinking the five-foot-long staff to the size of a palm, where it hung from her leather belt.

Looking at the battered giant on the ground, she said coolly: "You should be grateful your whip didn't land—otherwise, fifty strokes wouldn't have been the end of it."

"…"

The giant trembled violently, forcing himself up through the pain, his eyes glinting with malice as he fixed them on Lin Jingzhu: "I'm a Captain of the Imperial Guard! To assault an officer of the military is a capital crime!"

"You little bitch, you've stirred up a massive trouble!"

To be beaten so publicly and not retaliate? He'd never survive in Ducheng again!

This woman wore tight-fitting gear, reeking of alcohol—clearly a martial artist, relying on her minor cultivation to meddle. Just wait—I'll make you regret this!

"What did you call me?" Lin Jingzhu's eyes narrowed slightly.

"Hmph, you'll regret this, you little—!"

Knowing he was no match, the giant avoided further confrontation. He turned to mount his horse—then remembered his buttocks were shredded, too raw to endure the ride. He limped away, leading the reins.

Lin Jingzhu looked at the crushed sugar figurine on the ground, walked to a nearby stall, tossed down a silver fragment, plucked a fresh sugar figurine from the straw target, and approached the mother and daughter.

"Here."

Lin Jingzhu knelt down and handed the sugar figurine to the little girl.

"Thank you, sister."

The girl's eyes sparkled.

Seeing the blood on Lin Jingzhu's face, she pulled out a small handkerchief from her sleeve and carefully wiped it clean.

Lin Jingzhu smiled, reached out, and ruffled the girl's twin buns, then rose and said to the woman: "Hurry along—he might come back. Don't invite trouble."

"Th-thank you, Miss."

The woman's face was pale; she dared not linger, snatched up her daughter, and hurried away.

Boom—

Thunder rumbled overhead, crushing moisture from the clouds; heavy raindrops pelted down, washing away the bloodstains on the street bricks.

Lin Jingzhu leapt through the window into the second-floor private room.

"Worked out the stiffness—felt good. Guess my salary's going to be docked till next year… Huh? You?"

Lin Jingzhu froze—she saw the man who'd intervened earlier seated at the table.

Shangguan Yunfei introduced: "This is Chen Mo, Hundred-Household Commander of the Tianlin Guard."

"You're Chen Mo?"

Lin Jingzhu's expression turned stunned—she'd just been thinking of him, and now, by sheer chance, she'd run into him here.

Studying him closely, she saw that he had a clear spirit and elegant bones, unmatched in beauty, like flawless jade. Shangguan Yunfei's appearance was decent enough, but compared to him, they were not even from the same world—she had never seen a man so handsome before.

At the same time, Chen Mo was also studying her.

【Heavenly Capital Noble Lady · Ice as Flesh, Jade as Bone · Lin Jingzhu】

【Realm: Sixth-Rank Martialist】

【Cultivation Technique: Ninefold Ice Soul Art】

【Martial Art: Azure Sky Force, Flying Phoenix Feather, Spirit Void Wind Riding Step】

【Affinity: 0/100 (Locked)】

Dressed in a plain white martial robe, cinched at the waist with a leather belt that accentuated her slender waist, her black hair simply tied with a red cord, her skin was Bai Xi as porcelain, her eye sockets deep, her eyes clear as autumn water, her nose high and straight, her jawline sharp and smooth.

Beauty lies in the bone, not the skin—Lin Jingzhu was a classic "bone-phase beauty."

Though of noble status, she carried not a trace of aristocratic bearing; her every gesture and movement exuded the unrestrained spirit of a martial world youth.

"Lin Captain has trained under Xue Wukui for many years; it's natural she's picked up some martial world habits," Shangguan Yunfei whispered.

Lin Jingzhu shot him a glare. "Can you stop whispering right in front of me? I'm not deaf."

"..."

Shangguan Yunfei cleared his throat and spoke seriously: "Since Lord Chen has arrived, let's discuss the matter at hand. This demon clan murder case has had an extremely grave impact—the higher-ups have issued a direct order: it must be solved within half a month!"

"Lord Chen, you're the lead investigator—where do you suggest we go next?"

Shangguan Yunfei looked at Chen Mo with eager anticipation.

From the Barbarian Slave Case, the Heavenly Demon Case, to this demon clan murder case, it was clear Chen Mo was meticulous, perceptive, and an exceptional investigator!

Added to his extremely acute sensitivity to demonic energy...

Whether this case is solved hinges entirely on Lord Chen!

Lin Jingzhu's expression turned curious; she wanted to know how he would proceed.

Chen Mo paused, then said: "I suggest we go to the Entertainment Bureau."

Shangguan Yunfei's expression brightened. "You mean the demon clan might be hiding in the Entertainment Bureau? That makes sense! The Entertainment Bureau is a mix of good and bad, full of filth and concealment—the perfect place to hide!"

"And the clientele have complex identities, making it easier to select prey..."

The more he analyzed, the more right he felt—he couldn't help but admire: no wonder he was Lord Chen, a true guiding light!

Chen Mo shook his head. "I mean, drinking alone is boring—we might as well go to the Entertainment Bureau for some fun."

Shangguan Yunfei: "..."