Chapter 55: Solving Cases Like a God! What Should Be Done Next? (Seeking Monthly Votes)

"My Lord, the County Government reports that three women went missing in the city last night, and it has been confirmed that it was the work of a Martial Artist."

After entering the room, Song Youcai did not even glance at Ye Hanshuang or Zhao Zhilan, reporting directly to Pei Shaoqing.

"How was it confirmed?" Pei Shaoqing raised an eyebrow.

Song Youcai replied respectfully: "The constables from the County Government have already been to the scene to inspect it; there were footprints on the courtyard walls and windows of one of the households."

"And since the courtyard walls of this family are extremely high, it would be difficult for an ordinary person to climb over, let alone carry someone out without making a sound, so Wang Xianling judged that it must undoubtedly be a Martial Artist."

"This is truly outrageous! This official will surely grind those villains to dust!" Pei Shaoqing said in a sinister tone; he had never hated criminals so much before.

If not for this kidnapping case interrupting, he would have already had Ye Hanshuang and Zhao Zhilan proceeding side-by-side just now.

Song Youcai did not understand the reason behind this, so he offered a compliment: "My Lord's hatred of evil is a blessing for the common people."

Just at this moment, another burst of footsteps sounded.

Head Constable Chen of the County Government ran in hurriedly.

"Greetings, Lord Pei; greetings, Small Flag Song."

"What is the matter?" Pei Shaoqing asked casually.

Head Constable Chen wiped the sweat from his forehead, glanced at Song Youcai first, and then spoke: "Reporting to Lord Pei, the three missing women have just returned."

"Returned?" Pei Shaoqing frowned.

"Yes, they have returned." Head Constable Chen nodded and continued: "They are waiting outside; would my Lord like to summon them in to understand the situation?"

"Summon them." Pei Shaoqing immediately issued the order.

Head Constable Chen turned and walked out, returning a moment later with three timid young maidens.

Evidently, Head Constable Chen had given them instructions beforehand, for as soon as they entered the room, the three women knelt down in unison to pay their respects: "Greetings, my Lord."

"Rise." Pei Shaoqing raised his hand to signal that Head Constable Chen could leave, and only after he had departed did he look at the three maidens and say: "Tell me about being kidnapped."

"Yes, my Lord."

The three women took turns recounting the process of their abduction.

After listening, Pei Shaoqing tried to analyze the kidnappers' motives and asked: "Did the villains violate you?"

The three women all blushed at once and shook their heads repeatedly.

"No, no."

"My Lord, this humble girl is still a maiden."

"Me too, this humble one's purity is still intact."

Pei Shaoqing observed their expressions, and seeing that they did not seem to be lying, he asked again: "Then how did you return, and where did the villains who kidnapped you go?"

"My Lord, the villains are already dead."

"Dead?" Pei Shaoqing's tone rose slightly.

Song Youcai also raised an eyebrow.

One of the three women, who was slightly bolder, took the initiative to explain: "When we woke up, their heads were already placed on the offering table of a dilapidated temple. There was also a very beautiful woman in the temple; it must have been her who saved us. After seeing us wake up, she left first."

"A woman?" Pei Shaoqing pondered for a moment before asking a follow-up question: "What kind of woman was she?"

"Very beautiful!"

"Very fair!"

"Very tall!"

The three said different words simultaneously.

Pei Shaoqing tapped the tabletop: "Features!"

The three women looked at each other, appearing completely bewildered.

"Ah! I remember!" one of them suddenly exclaimed, saying: "She wasn't wearing any shoes!"

"No shoes?" Pei Shaoqing's heart jolted.

After learning from Wang Xianling that the Saintess of Yaoguang was coming to kill him, he had inquired for information from Liu Yuheng. In Liu Yuheng's description, this Saintess of Yaoguang had appeared in the pugilistic world a few times, and each time she was barefoot.

The woman who spoke nodded repeatedly, her tone firm and decisive: "Yes, no shoes. She had a bell tied to each ankle with a red string, and her personality was somewhat cold; she had no expression and didn't say a single word."

Pei Shaoqing slowly exhaled; he was even more certain that the woman was the Saintess of Yaoguang. According to the timeline, she should already be in Tongzhou City by now.

"You may return as well. Since this concerns your purity, do not spread it around; act as if this never happened."

The Saintess of Yaoguang was like a guillotine blade already hanging over his head, not knowing when it would fall; he was in no mood to investigate the reasons for their kidnapping now.

In any case, the kidnappers were already dead.

The case file could simply state that their Jing'an Guard solved the case like a god, having successfully cracked it and beheaded the culprits.

Well, if he isn't a master detective, who is?

"Yes, this subordinate takes their leave."

"Thank you, my Lord, this commoner takes her leave."

After bowing, the three of them left one by one.

Pei Shaoqing sat where he was, silent for a long time, his face turning pale and then flushed. His fingers tapped the tabletop unconsciously as he pondered how to deal with the Saintess of Yaoguang.

Meanwhile, Song Youcai, Ye Hanshuang, and Zhao Zhilan did not dare to make a sound to disturb him.

The room was so quiet that only the thumping sound of Pei Shaoqing tapping the table remained, his brain spinning rapidly.

Unless there was no other way, he would never sit and wait for death. Compared to passive defense, he preferred to take the initiative; even if he were to die, he would rather seek death on his own terms.

Two years ago, the Saintess of Yaoguang had already entered the Roaming Dragon Realm at the age of twenty. Given her shocking talent, it was highly likely she had advanced even further in the two years since.

Therefore, relying on force to deal with her would not work.

And relying on authority would not work either.

The death of the Saint of Kaiyang was too great a blow to the Xuanhuang Sect; even the Saintess of Yaoguang had come in person, and she would not care about the Weiyuan Marquis Mansion or the Great Zhou imperial court behind him.

So, that only left winning through intelligence.

Pei Shaoqing already had a rough plan.

"Jingle-ling~ jingle-ling~"

A crisp, melodious sound of bells interrupted his train of thought, and he instinctively looked up in the direction of the sound.

Upon seeing the source of the sound, his expression changed abruptly.

A woman with ribbons trailing to the floor, flowing wide sleeves, a tall figure, and a beauty so exquisite she looked like an immortal from a painting, walked in with a pair of flawless, snow-white bare feet.

She was wrapped up tightly, not a sliver of skin exposed, yet the graceful curves of her chest and hips could not be hidden—round, full, and undulating with charm.

The bells on her ankles rang incessantly with every step she took, and her eyes, calm as water, looked down on everything.

Damn! Damn! Damn!

Pei Shaoqing's face had returned to calm, but his heart was anything but; he had not expected the Yaoguang Saintess to come knocking so quickly, and no matter how clever his plan was, it was nothing but empty talk in the face of absolute strength.

Plans cannot keep up with changes!

He swore that if he didn't die this time, then apart from rising in rank, getting rich, and sleeping with women, he would definitely seek out more spirit pills and work hard to pop pills to improve his Martial Arts Grandmaster cultivation.

As long as it could make him a Martial Arts Grandmaster, he would even be willing to eat delicacies from the mountains and seas every single day!

"Audacious! Who are you! How dare you trespass into the restricted office area of my Jing'an Guard!" Seeing that the Yaoguang Saintess had come with ill intent, Song Youcai immediately stepped forward and sternly rebuked her.

Zhao Zhilan and Ye Hanshuang walked in unison in front of Pei Shaoqing, staring at the Yaoguang Saintess with faces full of vigilance.

The Yaoguang Saintess merely swept a contemptuous glance over the three of them and opened her right hand, revealing a soft sword.

The pupils of Song Youcai and the others dilated in shock simultaneously.

A Storage Magic Treasure!

The scent of gunpowder vaguely permeated the air.

A battle seemed on the verge of breaking out.

"Wait!" Pei Shaoqing shouted, pretending to be calm as he said, "All three of you, get out first."

If they really fought, it would just mean a few more people dying; sending them away would at least allow them to go fetch reinforcements.

"Big Brother!" Ye Hanshuang refused to leave; the woman opposite had already drawn her weapon, clearly an enemy, not a friend.

"My Lord! This subordinate will not leave!" Although Song Youcai was already drenched in sweat, he bit the bullet and stayed.

Zhao Zhilan did not want to risk her life for Pei Shaoqing, but Pei Shaoqing's fate was closely tied to the Iron Sword Sect, so she did not leave either, "Young Master, Lan'er will stay to accompany you."

Regardless of their reasons, Pei Shaoqing was moved that they were willing to live and die with him at this moment, so he repeated with a heavier tone, "All of you, get out!"

Only then did the three of them turn and leave, albeit reluctantly.

"Close the door," Pei Shaoqing added.

As the door closed, the light in the room suddenly dimmed, and Pei Shaoqing stood behind the table, calmly staring across at the Yaoguang Saintess, who held her sword in one hand.

On the surface, he was as still as an ancient well.

In reality, he was panicking like crazy inside.

What should he do next?

Waiting online, it's quite urgent!!!

(End of chapter)