Chapter 2578

Jin Chen walked out of the courthouse police station, slightly narrowed his eyes, and raised a hand to block the sunlight.

Ling Gun Gun chattered, 【Host, if what Qiao Shuya said is true, then the killer might have someone else!】

It thought, tapped Jin Chen's forehead, 【Ah, could it be that Zhu Lian!】

【If Wensente dies, he can be recalled to inherit the title!】

Jin Chen walked down the bustling street, hearing that, the corner of his mouth curled slightly.

He extended his index finger and lightly flicked its forehead, 【Our views are roughly the same.】

Before Zhu Lian was taken back by the Count to Zhuang Yuan, he still needed to cooperate with the steward, secretly selling Zhuang Yuan's famous wine to cover expenses and maintain connections.

This shows his financial straits, let alone the connection with Ailinuo.

He had motive and opportunity.

However, there are more important matters that need to be handled immediately.

Jin Chen opened his palm, the griffin medal he had received from Qiao Shuya.

——

Bei ya er Black Market, Griffin Gang Castle, a castle standing amidst darkness and sin.

With Qiao Shuya's prior arrangements, Jin Chen changed into a pure black cloak, covered his face with a mask, and was led into the castle's main hall.

Tobacco, alcohol, leather, and the indescribable violence, bloodshed, and desire constituted the sin here.

"I'm quite surprised," Meierjie sized up Jin Chen, "Qiao Shuya actually broke protocol to recommend…… an outsider to join. Mr. Xilir, right? As far as I know, you seem to be Detective Aieruike's partner? Are you really just an ordinary detective?"

Jin Chen swiftly flicked the black orchid medal toward Meierjie.

Meierjie instinctively caught the medal, verified its authenticity, and his doubts deepened.

At the moment he lifted his head, a black shadow flashed before his eyes.

He didn't even see how Jin Chen moved, only feeling a lightness at his waist—the dagger tucked at his back had changed hands.

The next second, the blade tip pressed against the underside of his Adam's apple.

At the same time, the lounging gang members around the hall, whether sitting or standing, closed in.

Their numbers were not few, forming a threatening encirclement.

This was both a show of force and a brutal initiation test.

And Jin Chen's strength far exceeded their expectations—black cloak, black mask, even his true face indiscernible, yet dangerously compelling enough to make one want to kneel and submit.

Those who came to surround and attack couldn't even get near him; a chill at his neck, an extremely fine line of blood seeped out—just a nick—but it left everyone frozen, cold sweat pouring.

If he wished, he could slit their throats in an instant!

Everyone's eyes shifted from fierce contempt to deep wariness.

Merelje, with the dagger pressed to his vital spot, was forced to tilt his head back, his Adam's apple rolling violently, feeling an icy chill that made his scalp tingle.

He had no doubt that even the slightest move would have the dagger pierce his neck.

Jin Chen flicked his wrist and pulled back the dagger.

"Did you pass the test?" his voice came through the mask, lazy and casual.

Merelje: "……"

He clutched his throat, gulped several breaths, and his look at Jin Chen turned extremely complex.

What a bizarre, eerie guy!

But he's really strong!

……Yes.

Merelje replied in a hoarse voice, his attitude far more polite than before.

He waved at the scarred subordinate beside him, "Take this… our powerful new member to the back to get the marking."

Jin Chen had seen that marking before; it was a black orchid tattoo.

He cooperatively followed the scar-faced subordinate through several dark corridors to a small room reeking of cheap alcohol and blood.

The scar-faced man produced the tattoo needle and dye, gesturing for Jin Chen to take off his cloak and upper garment.

Jin Chen raised his hand and snapped his fingers in front of the scar-faced man.

The scar-faced man's eyes went vacant and dazed, his head tilted slightly as he slipped into a fantasy, frozen motionless.

【Zero Egg,】 Jin Chen commanded in his mind, 【Exchange for the highest-fidelity temporary tattoo sticker, pattern according to their ugly black orchid.】

【All right~】 Ling Gun Gun cheerfully searched the system store, 【Found it! Ultra-high-fidelity skin-texture sticker, waterproof and wear-resistant, lasts 72 hours, honest deal, only 25 points~】

Jin Chen deftly paid the points, and a tattoo sticker as thin as a cicada's wing, printed with a vivid black orchid, appeared in his hand.

He skillfully applied it beneath his collarbone, smoothed it with a light press, then disparagingly glanced at the twisted, ferocious orchid pattern and clicked his tongue.

"What awful taste."

Not as good as what he could draw.

Jin Chen casually stuck a mini version onto Ling Gun Gun's dazed forehead.

Ling Gun Gun, forehead covered in blackish orchids: 【……Ah ah ah ah ah! Host!】

It zipped about angrily in the air.

Jin Chen ignored it, quickly swept the room, shamelessly pocketing a bunch of griffin medals and stuffing them into his cloak's inner pocket.

Then he snapped his fingers again.

The scar-faced man's subordinate suddenly came to, blinked, and his gaze regained focus.

He still held the tattoo needle, blankly glancing at Jin Chen's tattoo beneath the collarbone, then at the tools in his hand.

"Done," Jin Chen straightened his clothes, re-donned his cloak, and said flatly, "Let's go."

With Merelje's tacit approval, Jin Chen could consult part of the Griffin Gang's internal transaction records.

In a room like the castle's side-wing accounts office, they quickly found the poison purchase records dated before April 10.

The records show that Qiao Shuya purchased that specially cultivated black orchid venom several times through Mei Erjie's channel, but each amount was small, and the last batch was bought just a few days before the incident.

Even if all the dosages recorded are added together, the total indeed falls far short of the standard needed to quickly kill a healthy adult male, as Qiao Shuya said; at most it can only cause severe poisoning, leaving a person weak and foolish.

On this point, Qiao Shuya seems to have no need to lie.

What he wants is Wensente, who can no longer fulfill the duties of the count's heir.

Jin Chen's fingers lightly tapped the rough paper record as he pondered where else he could uncover useful information, when suddenly hurried footsteps came from outside.

Mei Erjie burst in through the door with an anxious expression, his voice urgent, "Chen!"

"There's an urgent task that you need to handle right now!"

"The Scarlet Gentleman led a group to ambush our old textile mill outpost, where many important ledgers and goods are stored! We must not let them fall into his hands!"

He fixed his gaze on Jin Chen, "If you can lead the men to drive them off this time, and preferably … kill that damned Scarlet Gentleman!"

"I will personally recommend you to Duke Wilika! You will directly gain his favor!"

Jin Chen's eyebrow twitched beneath his mask.

Off to see my wife.

"Alright. It's an honor to serve Your Grace, the Duke."