Chapter 26 Wangchun Tower
Within a few days, two murders occurred. All four victims had their hearts removed, including a child who was only a few years old.
The Demon Suppression Division conducted a detailed analysis of this matter.
Wang Laosi is a fisherman who lives alone in a shack near the riverbank.
Liu San and his family of three lived on the outskirts of the village.
One was a lone fisherman, the other an ordinary farming family. The killer did not choose his targets regularly, but he was swift and decisive in his attacks, leaving no survivors.
From killing a single person to wiping out an entire family, the murderer's actions became increasingly rampant.
The two murders occurred less than ten miles apart, separated by mountains and fields, with several abandoned mines and hunters' cabins in between.
Zhao Shan sent Chen Biao and others to search these places.
Make sure the killer isn't hiding among them.
Meanwhile, Shen Lian, Li Hu, and others, disguised as ordinary wealthy young men, strolled around the most bustling area of Dongshi in Qinghe County.
The group stopped in front of a building, looked up, and saw the words "Wangchun Tower" written on the plaque above.
"This is... a brothel?"
Wang Lin and Li Hu looked at Shen Lian at the same time. They were investigating the flower thief, but they didn't expect Shen Lian to bring them here directly.
Wangchunlou was the most bustling den of extravagance in Qinghe County, a gathering place for all sorts of people.
Wang Lin was completely baffled, wondering what Shen Lian was up to.
Li Hu swallowed hard and asked, "Brother Lian, what are we doing here?"
Shen Lian laughed and said, "Of course it's for investigating the case."
Are you here to investigate a case at a brothel?
Wang Lin and Li Hu stared intently at Shen Lian, their expressions saying, "Are you serious?" What kind of good person would come to a brothel to investigate a case?
Wang Lin couldn't help but ask, "Are you really serious?"
Shen Lian said in a low voice, "Of course I'm serious. Don't forget, we're tracking down a womanizer. Where do you think he might be hiding?"
Upon hearing Shen Lian's words, the two finally understood.
The womanizer had previously assaulted several women, and now that he was being watched by the Demon Suppression Division, he naturally dared not commit crimes openly.
To satisfy physiological needs, the Wangchun Pavilion is naturally the best choice.
Li Hu gave Shen Lian a thumbs up, looking on with admiration.
"Young master, are you coming in to have some fun?"
Laughter and merriment echoed from Wangchun Tower as several beautiful women approached the three men.
The three men straightened their robes and stepped into Wangchun Tower.
In the center of the hall, a group of women dressed in sheer gauze danced gracefully, their figures curvaceous and their poses seductive.
Many scholars and literati sat around, drinking and appreciating the scenery, with women accompanying them.
Seeing that the three men were well-dressed, the madam greeted them with a beaming smile: "You three gentlemen look unfamiliar. Is this your first time here? What kind of girl are you looking for? We are the most famous in Qinghe County..."
Shen Lian casually tossed out a silver ingot: "Arrange a private room, and bring a few jugs of good wine. My brothers and I will listen to some music first..."
"Alright, young master, this way please..."
The madam took the silver and readily agreed, leading the three to a private room on the second floor. The room had a wide view, overlooking most of the hall.
Before long, wine, fruit, and snacks were brought into the private room, and a courtesan holding a pipa was also summoned.
Li Hu was somewhat uneasy; he had never been to such a place in his life.
Wang Lin sat there, also somewhat reserved.
In contrast, Shen Lian's expression was calm, as if he had come specifically to seek pleasure.
The courtesan bowed to the three men, then plucked the strings of her zither, and a gentle, melodious tune from Jiangnan flowed through the private room.
"Young lady, your musical skills are quite good. How long have you been at Wangchun Tower?"
Shen Lian drank wine while chatting with the courtesan.
"Reporting to you, young master, I have been here for two years."
"Oh? Then you're quite an old hand. Have any new musicians or servants come to this place recently? Or... are there any special people among the regulars?" Shen Lian asked the courtesan in a relaxed tone.
The courtesan's eyes flickered slightly as she looked at Shen Lian with some confusion.
"There are a few newcomers, all unfortunate souls, doing menial jobs. As for regulars... there are too many coming and going, I can't remember them all. Are you looking for someone, young master?" the courtesan explained.
"Just asking." Shen Lian smiled and tossed out a small piece of silver. "This piece is nice. Play 'Spring River Flower Moon Night' again."
Shen Lian peered through the carved window lattice of the private room at the people in the hall downstairs.
The [Combat Power Detection] has been quietly launched.
In the lobby on the first floor, most people's combat power was between 0 and 5. There were a few guards dressed as guards, whose combat power was around 8 to 15. There was no one particularly special.
His gaze slowly moved, sweeping over the drunken guests, the attentive madam, and the maids coming and going...
When the pipa music stopped, the courtesan rose, bowed, and withdrew, still holding the pipa.
After the courtesan left, Li Hu whispered, "Brother Lian, did you find anything?"
Shen Lian shook his head slightly: "The people in the hall are all ordinary people. That flower thief is quite strong and good at disguise. He is very likely to be mixed in with the guests."
Wang Lin frowned and said, "Wangchun Tower is bustling with people every day. Even if he were here, how would we recognize him?"
Shen Lian smiled and said, "As long as he appears, I have my own ways of identifying him."
Wang Lin and Li Hu glanced at Shen Lian, nodded emphatically, and chose to trust each other.
In the hall below, several drunken rich young men surrounded a woman in green, pulling and taunting her. The woman retreated repeatedly, her face full of panic.
The madam, smiling obsequiously, stepped forward to mediate, but was shoved aside by one of the young men in fine clothes.
"Brother Lian, should we do something about it?" Li Hu asked, clenching his fist.
Shen Lian shook his head slightly. He looked at the troublemakers, whose fighting level was between 6 and 12, and they were not the people they were looking for.
Just then, he caught a glimpse of a man standing behind a pillar on the second floor.
The man was about thirty years old, with an ordinary appearance, wearing inconspicuous dark clothes, and toying with an empty wine glass in his hand.
[Combat Strength]: 22~32
Shen Lian checked the opponent's combat strength data.
Its combat strength data is exactly the same as that of the flower thief who escaped earlier.
"The target has been spotted," Shen Lian said in a low voice. "The man is standing behind a pillar on the second floor, dressed in dark clothes, and holding a wine glass in his hand."
Wang Lin and Li Hu immediately looked over and indeed saw the man. The man's aura was restrained, and if Shen Lian hadn't specifically pointed it out, they would have just regarded him as an ordinary onlooker.
"Is it him?" Li Hu asked hesitantly.
Shen Lian nodded.
The farce downstairs continued, with the woman in green cornered against the wall and the young man in brocade reaching out to touch her face.
The man suddenly moved.
He turned and walked toward the stairs, as if he had lost interest in the farce.
Shen Lian noticed that his pace was very steady, and each step landed on the sturdiest part of the stair plank without making a sound.
"He's leaving." Shen Lian stood up. "Wang Lin, you go around through the back door and block the alley on the west side of Wangchun Tower. That's the shortest escape route. Hu Zi, you follow me from the front, but keep your distance."
"good!"
The three acted swiftly.
Wang Lin left the private room and went downstairs through a small door in the side corridor.
Shen Lian and Li Hu walked down the stairs at a leisurely pace and blended into the crowd in the lobby.
As the man walked to the entrance of Wangchun Tower, he brushed past the madam, casually tossed a small piece of silver, and then lifted the curtain to go outside.
Shen Lian and Li Hu followed them out.