Chapter 271: There Is Only One Truth!

According to Tang Yuhan's investigation, plus the intelligence provided by the Wei-Suo.

Some rather interesting phenomena were discovered: within this past year, the people who went missing from the Wei-Suo, for a period of time before their disappearance, all seemed to exhibit some strange behaviors.

Some wore faces full of smiles, displaying an "I love training, training at the Wei-Suo makes me happy" demeanor; others were dazed and trance-like, feeling as if they were in a dream and had not truly woken up.

Beyond that, there were no further discoveries.

These missing persons also shared no more commonalities — there were new recruits, and there were veteran old hands.

It was true they all came from the same prefecture, but that hardly counts as a commonality; it was due to the principle of recruiting locally.

In the entire Wei-Suo, soldiers who had left their native homes to come here were few and far between.

"I suspect some demon, monster, ghost, or freak is hiding in the Wei-Suo eating people," Tang Yuhan said.

"Then let Gouzi go sniff; if he smells it, that's enough," Tang Luo said. "Are there any locations where incidents occurred?"

"I asked that Baihu for a map." Tang Yuhan took out a flat overhead map of the Wei-Suo and pointed out quite a few places. "These locations are all spots where trouble easily occurs."

Originally this map should not have been given, but Baihu Xue was also under immense pressure.

He gave it; if they could find some clues and resolve the matter, he still had a sliver of hope to survive.

If he didn't give it, and people kept disappearing, Baihu Xue would literally lose his head.

"Then let's go search those places," Tang Luo said.

Gouzi came over, looked at the places Tang Yuhan pointed out, and walked straight out the door; Tang Yuhan and Jingang followed close behind.

Tang Luo closed his eyes again and continued cultivating to heal his injuries.

This trip out took longer than the last one; nearly an hour passed before Tang Yuhan, Jingang, and the others returned.

Trailing behind them was a gloomy-faced Baihu Xue.

"How did it go?" Tang Luo opened his eyes and asked.

"We made some discoveries," Jingang said, "but Baihu Xue wouldn't let us continue investigating."

"It's not that I won't let you; those places are the residences of us few Baihu," Baihu Xue said, "and also Lord Shi's residence — not somewhere just anyone can enter."

"We just went to the armory, yet this place we can't enter," Jingang said.

No wonder this broken Wei-Suo is having trouble.

"Gouzi 'said' he smelled some residual demonic qi; those places aren't necessarily the source, but the demonic qi is just a tiny bit heavier there," Tang Yuhan said.

"Baihu Xue," Tang Luo looked at that Baihu and said, "If you're unwilling to let this poor monk and the others enter to investigate, that's fine too."

"Oh?" Baihu Xue's eyes lit up — a compromise.

"This poor monk will leave now; Baihu, you can find another expert," Tang Luo said. "Besides, we only came to resolve the Wei-Suo's trouble; we have no interest in your secrets. As long as it's not colluding with the enemy, this poor monk definitely won't interfere. Could it be, Baihu Xue, that you are colluding with the enemy?"

"This... Master, what are you saying?" Baihu Xue's forehead was covered in sweat.

"Baihu Xue, you choose," Tang Luo said with perfect composure. "Do you hope we leave, or continue investigating?"

"Master, are you certain you can resolve this matter?" Baihu Xue asked.

"As long as you Baihu don't obstruct us," Tang Luo said.

"Fine." Baihu Xue gritted his teeth. "However... Master must absolutely not tell Lord Shi about this, and also must not be seen by outsiders."

"Oh?" Tang Luo revealed an intrigued expression. "Agreed."

Three people and one cat, led by Baihu Xue, went to the other side of the Wei-Suo.

This was the residence of the Wei-Suo's three Baihu, as well as Shi Zhenhai — of course, none of them lived here regularly.

The three Baihu took turns on duty, ensuring at least one Baihu was always at the Wei-Suo; Shi Zhenhai came and went as he pleased.

These people's residences should originally have been separate, but were connected together, forming a structure similar to a garden compound.

It was somewhat out of place with the Wei-Suo's overall function.

The three Baihu's residences were in front, separated from Shi Zhenhai's residence by a high wall in the middle, with only a single not-too-large door for entry and exit.

One man's residence matched the three men's combined.

Upon entering here, Xiaotianquan jumped to the ground and walked around sniffing everywhere.

"Before us, has anyone come to investigate here?" Tang Luo asked.

"Yes, the Wang family's guest elder, Master Jinkong, came," Baihu Xue answered truthfully.

"The one who later went missing?" Jingang asked.

Baihu Xue nodded.

"Then you still concealed such an important matter and didn't tell us?" Jingang stared wide-eyed.

Baihu Xue was helpless: "Originally it wasn't anything important either; the few 'immortal masters' invited before didn't come here, and two went missing as well."

"Just what is so special about this place that you won't let us in?" Tang Yuhan asked.

Baihu Xue instinctively glanced around, then lowered his voice: "Actually, Lord Shi keeps a concubine here."

He was going all in; if he couldn't resolve this, he really would have to flee to have any chance of survival.

Moreover, he had also revealed this matter to the previous Master Jinkong.

"Didn't you suspect that so-called concubine did it?" Jingang asked.

"How could it be?" Baihu Xue said. "She moved in half a year ago; Lord Shi took her away two months ago — she only stayed four months total. People disappeared before and after just the same, and Master Jinkong went missing a month ago; what does that have to do with the concubine?"

"Besides, Lord Shi is a court-appointed fourth-rank official; immortal masters all say court officials have Xuanqi protecting their bodies. How could demons and monsters possibly appear around him?"

"Unable to harm Shi Zhenhai doesn't mean they can't stay by his side," Tang Yuhan said.

As they spoke, Xiaotianquan, who had run off somewhere unknown, returned again, jumped onto Tang Luo's shoulder, and rubbed his head against him twice.

Only to directly stuff everything he had "sniffed" into Tang Luo in one go.

"Heh." Tang Luo chuckled, looked at Baihu Xue, and said, "So right now there's no one at Lord Shi's place?"

"Just two old women who clean daily," Baihu Xue said. "They usually stay in the side rooms and don't come out to see people."

"Since there are no idle people, let's go take a look there," Tang Luo said.

Xue Baihu felt a sudden toothache; even that Master Jingkong had merely wandered around here once and never entered Shi Zhenhai's residence.

Shi Zhenhai was the Wang family's son-in-law, with a fierce wife at home, which was why he could only keep his concubine here.

Otherwise, if his own wife made a scene, it would be truly unsightly.

Moreover, the Wang family certainly would not want Shi Zhenhai to take a concubine and father a son — even a bastard son would not count as good news for the Wang family.

That Master Jingkong was quite understanding; he knew that if he went in to look, he might get entangled in the affair between Shi Zhenhai and the Wang family, so he chose to avoid it, pretending to know nothing.

As a result, these few people really were heedless, insisting on going in to look.

The key to the lock on that tightly shut door, Xue Baihu still had it; after Shi Zhenhai took the concubine away, he gave it to Xue Baihu.

After all, two old nannies still lived inside, and Shi Zhenhai himself would occasionally come stay a few days, though the time and frequency were naturally greatly reduced.

Tang Luo waited quietly for Xue Baihu's answer.

If possible, he naturally couldn't be bothered to convert and persuade the other party.

"Fine, but it must be quick, and nothing must be touched; at most one stick of incense's time, and we have to come out," Xue Baihu said.

"Good," Tang Luo smiled.

Opening the door, Xue Baihu led Tang Luo and the other two inside, and before long they had toured the entire compound — not very large, yet full of winding paths and quite a few rooms.

They even entered the rooms of Shi Zhenhai and the others.

But they did not disturb the two old women sunning themselves in the small side courtyard.

"Master, is this enough?" Xue Baihu said.

He also didn't know what use it was for these people to insist on coming in and taking a cursory glance like sightseers.

As immortals, they should at least cast a spell.

Unlike those Youyi Tiqi, who with eyes one meter keen could discover clues ordinary people cannot.

Xue Baihu's confidence in Tang Luo and the others had already hit rock bottom; he even suspected these people weren't here to handle the missing persons case at the garrison at all.

Maybe they were specially invited by the Wang family to verify Shi Zhenhai's concubine situation.

Xue Baihu felt utter despair inside; why not flee tonight?

"Xue Baihu, you're quite familiar with this place."

Walking out of the compound, back to the residence of the three Baihu and the others, Tang Luo suddenly said.

Xue Baihu's body inexplicably trembled, and he immediately said: "Of course I'm familiar; this is the garrison — what place here am I not familiar with?"

"Is that so?" Tang Luo said with a smile, "Familiar enough to know the furnishings in your superior Shi Zhenhai's bedroom inside out?"

"What are you talking about?" Xue Baihu frowned, his tone suddenly turning displeased.

"Let me put it this way," Tang Luo said, holding Xiao Tianquan and rubbing her head, "The three places where my dog just smelled the strongest demonic qi are: one, your superior Shi Zhenhai's bedroom — that is, the concubine's residence. Two, the second floor of this small building — your residence, Xue Baihu. The third is another Baihu's residence."

"Besides here, there are also some secluded spots few people pass through that have it, though very faint..."

The "strong" and "faint" Tang Luo spoke of were naturally relative to Xiao Tianquan.

Even the so-called "strong" was only relative to "faint."

"It seems Lord Shi's official hat can be swapped for a green one," Tang Luo said.

Great You also has a saying similar to "green hat."

"..." Xue Baihu's face looked ugly; "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Doesn't matter," Tang Luo said, "Actually it's not just you, Xue Baihu. I suspect those missing people, before they vanished, all cuckolded Lord Shi. Only the price was their lives."

"You mean that woman really is some demon or monster?" Xue Baihu's face turned somewhat ferocious.

Investigated and investigated, and the result turns out to be this? How can he accept it? If he had known, he definitely wouldn't have let these three in.

Even if he had to force it, he would have forced them back out.

"Xue Baihu surely hopes she is one right now," Tang Luo did not answer directly.

But the truth obviously has only one answer: that concubine of Shi Zhenhai's is some demon, stirring up trouble inside the garrison.

While giving Shi Zhenhai countless green hats, she also satisfies her own appetite — double joy.

As for why, being a demon, she could still approach Shi Zhenhai.

Just as Tang Yuhan said: merely being unable to harm to a certain degree does not mean she cannot approach.