Chapter 33: The Traitor Who Snatched the Pill and Fled, a Child Carrying an Adult
Chapter 33: Chapter 33: The Traitor Who Snatched the Pill and Fled, a Child Carrying an Adult
Shopkeeper Ma had arranged for the Kaiyang Saint Heir to stay in a private courtyard behind the Juyuan Inn. The moment County Magistrate Wang reached the courtyard gate, he heard the playful laughter of women from inside.
"Hee hee, come and catch me, Young Master!"
"My beauty, where are you, my beauty?"
County Magistrate Wang’s expression instantly darkened.
’He didn’t need to guess; they were definitely playing a game of blind man’s bluff inside. And once he caught his prize, he could have his way with her.’
"He insisted. I had no choice but to arrange for someone from Qunfang Garden," Shopkeeper Ma explained.
Qunfang Garden was the finest brothel in Tongzhou.
They not only offered "dine-in" services but also "takeout." For an extra fee, you could even have them "to-go."
County Magistrate Wang took a deep breath and waved his hand.
Shopkeeper Ma immediately knocked on the door. "Young Master, the Chief Shopkeeper has come to pay his respects. Is it a convenient time to enter?"
"He doesn’t show up when he’s supposed to, and now he shows up when he’s not wanted. Tell him to wait." The Kaiyang Saint Heir, who had been chasing a beautiful woman blindfolded in the courtyard, ripped the silk scarf from his eyes and replied coldly. He then beckoned to the woman, "What are you waiting for? Come and serve me."
The woman was sultry, and he liked that very much.
This way, he wouldn’t miss out on a prime catch.
It was also a way to put County Magistrate Wang in his place.
"This..." Shopkeeper Ma turned to County Magistrate Wang, his face a mixture of anger and embarrassment. "Squad Leader..."
At that moment, decadent sounds began to drift from the courtyard.
Evidently, the Kaiyang Saint Heir was already getting down to business.
"I was the one who was rude by not greeting him upon his arrival. It’s understandable that he’s upset. We’ll wait," County Magistrate Wang said, raising a hand to cut off Shopkeeper Ma, his expression unreadable.
Shopkeeper Ma could only say, "Then let’s wait in the inn. It doesn’t seem like they’ll be finished here anytime soon."
County Magistrate Wang nodded.
The two of them had barely walked a few steps when they heard a door open behind them. They subconsciously turned to look.
A colorfully dressed woman emerged, shielding her face with her hand, and hurried away in the opposite direction.
Watching the woman’s retreating figure, County Magistrate Wang and Shopkeeper Ma stood stunned for a long moment before looking at each other in bewilderment.
’Wait... that’s it?’
County Magistrate Wang had been rather annoyed by the Kaiyang Saint Heir’s debauchery, but at this moment, he suddenly felt a sense of relief.
He even felt a faint sense of sympathy and pity.
’At the same time, he also felt reassured about the Kaiyang Saint Heir. A man who finished that quickly... even if he was a lecher, how much harm could he really do to a woman? A few surface scrapes at most.’
’Besides, he felt he had probably misunderstood the Saint Heir. The man only made him wait a moment. There was no real intention of making things difficult for him at all!’
"Ahem, Squad Leader?" Shopkeeper Ma called out to him.
County Magistrate Wang snapped back to his senses and turned back toward the small courtyard.
As soon as he entered, he saw the Kaiyang Saint Heir sitting at the stone table in the courtyard, drinking alone with a rather content expression.
"Greetings, Saint Heir!" County Magistrate Wang bowed first.
Shopkeeper Ma, who entered after him, closed the courtyard gate.
SLAM! The Kaiyang Saint Heir slammed his wine cup onto the stone table, splashing some of the alcohol. He shot a sidelong glance at County Magistrate Wang and said drily, "Captain Wang is truly occupied with a myriad of state affairs. Have you finally finished your business, that you can now spare a moment to see this Saint Heir?"
"Please understand, Saint Heir. I truly could not get away; there was absolutely no intention of disrespect," County Magistrate Wang apologized sincerely before explaining the reason. "A murder occurred in a village outside the city. An entire family of seven was found drained into dried corpses. A handkerchief embroidered with our Holy Sect’s totem was left at the scene. I had no choice but to rush over there first."
"What?" The Kaiyang Saint Heir’s expression changed, and he shot to his feet. "It must be the work of that traitor!"
"I have already learned of your purpose here from Captain Ma. Would you be so kind, Saint Heir, as to tell me in detail about this traitor, Zhou Shunqing?" County Magistrate Wang immediately asked.
"Of course." Speaking of serious matters, the Kaiyang Saint Heir could no longer be bothered with County Magistrate Wang’s perceived rudeness. His face darkened as he slowly began to explain, "Zhou Shunqing is a member of the Flame Hall’s Celestial Hall. At the beginning of the month, under the Hall Master’s orders, he and I were to escort a Spirit Pill to the Wei Kingdom."
"But who would have thought that man would develop malicious intentions and try to take the Spirit Pill for himself? While I was away, he poisoned several of our fellow disciples and fled with the Spirit Pill."
"I caught up to him and injured him along the way. During our fight, I discovered he was practicing an Evil Skill that could drain a person’s vital essence and blood. Those dried corpses must be the result of him feeding to heal his injuries."
In addition to its main and branch headquarters scattered throughout the world, the Profound Yellow Sect also had the Yanhuang Two Halls and the four halls—Celestial, Earthly, Profound, and Yellow—which were directly under the central headquarters’ command.
"To think our Holy Sect has such scum!" County Magistrate Wang was furious after hearing the story. He then added, "But since he has the Spirit Pill, why not just consume it? Why go to the trouble of killing people and sucking their blood to heal and increase his strength to escape pursuit?"
"That Spirit Pill is a relic of an Ancient Cultivator. Although much of its Spiritual Power has dissipated due to poor preservation, a mortal body like ours, even as Martial Artists, would still need a very long time to refine and absorb it. Otherwise, one’s soul might well be scattered to the winds."
"With me chasing him from behind, how would he dare stop to take the Pill?" the Kaiyang Saint Heir said with a cold snort.
Shopkeeper Ma took the opportunity to ask a question that was on his mind. "Saint Heir, did you know in advance that he would come to our Tongzhou?"
"I was originally going to pass through Tongzhou while escorting the Pill. When you received the letter, the theft had not yet occurred," the Kaiyang Saint Heir replied calmly, shaking his head.
Shopkeeper Ma finally understood. ’So that’s how it is.’
County Magistrate Wang frowned. "Saint Heir, shouldn’t we send word to all the branch headquarters to join forces and hunt down this traitor?"
"No need. I will deal with this traitor and retrieve the Spirit Pill myself," the Kaiyang Saint Heir rejected his suggestion.
Hearing this, County Magistrate Wang immediately understood. The Kaiyang Saint Heir wanted to resolve this matter before the higher-ups in the sect found out.
That way, it wouldn’t count as a dereliction of his duty.
The Kaiyang Saint Heir looked at County Magistrate Wang. "Zhou Shunqing is injured and has been on the run for days. His essence, energy, and spirit are all depleted, and he is nearing exhaustion. The Tongzhou Branch must mobilize all its forces to search for this traitor’s whereabouts. Report to me immediately once you find anything."
"As you command!" County Magistrate Wang replied solemnly.
On top of the courtyard wall, a calico cat was lazing about, sunbathing, its tail swaying back and forth.
.........
「Jing’an Guard, Tongzhou Hundred Households.」
Song Youcai returned from Wang Family Bay to report on his work.
"Sir, we didn’t find any more evidence or traces at the crime scene. The villagers from Wang Family Bay also said they didn’t hear any commotion or see any strangers."
"Mobilize all our brothers, both our overt and covert agents, and have them turn Tongzhou upside down for me. Don’t limit the investigation to the city. I want every new face that has appeared in the last half-month thoroughly investigated," Pei Shaoqing said without looking up, his head still bowed over the documents he was reviewing.
Song Youcai immediately responded, "As you command!"
Only after hearing the retreating footsteps did he put down his pen, lift his head, and stretch his stiff shoulders.
The next moment, he suddenly felt two large hands on his shoulders. Looking up, his view was blocked by two towering peaks. Between the sways of the heavy, bountiful fruits, he could occasionally catch a glimpse of Ye Hanshuang’s cold, beautiful face.
"Big Brother, is this pressure alright?" Ye Hanshuang asked while kneading his shoulders. She lowered her head to ask for Pei Shaoqing’s opinion, only to realize she couldn’t see his eyes.
Pei Shaoqing closed his eyes in relaxation and said sincerely, "It’s very comfortable. Thank you, Hanshuang."
’Ye Hanshuang’s hands were large; it would be a waste of her talent if she didn’t become a masseuse. She just couldn’t be the kind that offered "extra" services.’
’Because when she... held things for people... they would look very small.’
’It would be a serious blow to the customer’s pride.’
’But Pei Shaoqing wasn’t worried about that. He was a big, burly man with an extraordinary... instrument. A woman of ordinary size would have trouble handling it, but Ye Hanshuang’s hands were probably just right.’
"Big Brother, how come you’ve been so polite with me these past six months?" Ye Hanshuang’s tone was faint with a hint of dissatisfaction.
Pei Shaoqing’s heart tightened upon hearing this, but he maintained a calm exterior. He grabbed one of her small... large hands and said softly, "Because men and women should keep their distance. Hanshuang, you’re a grown woman now. Big Brother has to be mindful of appearances."
"I still prefer the old Big Brother. He made me feel at ease," Ye Hanshuang said, being unusually talkative today.
Pei Shaoqing, afraid of revealing that he had a different soul if the conversation went too deep, joked, "Alright, then I’ll just keep treating you like a kid. Come on, let your big brother give you a hug."
Ye Hanshuang’s body stiffened. A blush of shyness appeared on her cold face. She bit her red lip, hesitating for a moment, then walked around to Pei Shaoqing’s side, stuck out her plump, full bottom, and sat in his lap. With her head bowed, she didn’t dare to look him in the eye and timidly called out, "Big Brother."
Pei Shaoqing hadn’t expected her to actually do it. He instantly realized that Ye Hanshuang’s feelings for him were not purely those of a sister for her brother.
’This was a pleasant surprise for him, as he had a thing for tall, statuesque women.’
However, he wasn’t desperate. He didn’t take advantage of Ye Hanshuang’s affection to rush things and devour her right away.
Because in this world, Ye Hanshuang was the only person who would die for him. She wasn’t a toy or a tool like Zhao Zilan, so she naturally deserved his full respect.
"In the blink of an eye, you’ve gotten so big. Big Brother can barely hold you anymore," Pei Shaoqing said with a gentle smile, stroking her head and tucking a stray strand of black hair behind her ear.
Ye Hanshuang pressed her lips together, revealing a sweet smile.
She gave a coquettish squirm in his lap.
Her peachy, millstone-like bottom was soft yet firm under her skirt. That one wriggle as she shifted her body nearly sent Pei Shaoqing to his grave. ’A natural-born succubus!’
Inside the office, the tall, voluptuous Ye Hanshuang sat in Pei Shaoqing’s lap. From a distance, it looked like a child holding an adult.