Chapter 466: Surface Truce

He Lingchuan cleared his throat. "This is General Ling, the Vanguard of Flying Fields from Chiyan Nation."

"General Ling?" Zhongsun Mou's eyes narrowed slightly. "Military orders have been issued; you should be on your way to the front lines by now. Why are you still in Zhitian Township?"

"That's none of your..." General Ling was about to snap at him but suddenly remembered Zhongsun Mou's authority and abruptly changed his tone. "I'll arrive within the deadline, there's still plenty of time!" Zhongsun Mou couldn't directly arrest him, but a complaint sent to the Chiyan capital would still be quite troublesome. So he quickly changed the subject. "The victim was also a soldier from my Flying Field Army. I demand an explanation! Where is the culprit, what's their identity, and how will they be dealt with, huh?"

"The case isn't closed yet, and confidential information cannot be leaked. Those are the rules," Zhongsun Mou said calmly. "General Ling, go and focus on the war. When Spirit Void City notifies Chiyan Nation, you will have your answers."

How could General Ling agree to leave? By the time he returned from the front lines, it would be months later, and the matter would be long over. He distrusted this "Inspector" from the bottom of his heart.

He Lingchuan stepped in to help him out. "Before I came, the Crown Prince instructed me to investigate thoroughly and ensure the final results – not just this," he pointed to the golden scroll in the guard's hand, "– reach him directly. If you have any questions, take them up with the Crown Prince. I cannot halt my investigation midway."

Zhongsun Mou was annoyed and about to retort when suddenly, someone walked in through the courtyard gate and exclaimed "Oh dear" upon seeing the scene.

It was an old man in his fifties, with half-white hair and beard, carrying two oil-paper packages. Seeing the menacing figures in the courtyard, he turned and tried to slip away. But how could they let him go? Zhongsun Mou's guards rushed out, grabbed him by the shoulder, and dragged him back. A quick probe with their inner force confirmed he was just an ordinary person. Without needing harsh interrogation, the old man confessed.

It turned out he was the caretaker of the place. His employer, Mr. Mai, only visited three or four times a year, staying no more than ten days each time before leaving, after which the courtyard would become completely quiet. He usually spent his days sweeping, tending to flowers, and preparing small dishes to go with his wine, leading a quite pleasant life.

When asked what Mr. Mai did, the old man said he wasn't very clear but thought he was a merchant. Because whenever Mr. Mai arrived, visitors would come every few days, sometimes several groups in a single day. These people would sit in the study, and Mr. Mai would close the door, making it impossible for any sounds to be heard outside.

General Ling asked him, "Didn't you ever think of eavesdropping?" Even though these people were involved in shady dealings, they likely set up a barrier during their discussions.

"No. Mr. Mai even praised me, saying my greatest virtue was not being curious."

Zhongsun Mou also spoke, "Do you know Mr. Mai's full name?"

"I don't know, he never mentioned it."

"What did he do here?"

"Uh, mostly he read books and drank tea in the study. Occasionally he would go out, but I wouldn't know where to."

He Lingchuan asked him, "How many days did Mr. Mai stay this time?"

"Five days... no, six days."

"So, where is he now?"

"I don't know," the old man said, looking bewildered. "By rights, he should be at home; Mr. Mai likes to take naps."

However, when He Lingchuan arrived, the courtyard was already empty. Did Mr. Mai sense danger and escape beforehand? But He Lingchuan's interrogation of Squire Wan was very brief, and then he rushed immediately to Shuanglu Town, with only about two quarters of an hour separating the events. How could Mr. Mai have known in advance? Who leaked the information, and when?

Zhongsun Mou asked a few more questions, and seeing that the old man couldn't provide any useful information, he waved for someone to take him away to give a verbal description for a portrait. The old man's unexpected appearance gave both parties present a moment to ease the tension.

Zhongsun Mou looked at He Lingchuan, about to speak, but Fierce Tiger Jiao Yu spoke first. "Lord Zhongsun, I suggest we investigate this case together. That way, we can combine our strengths."

He Lingchuan smiled, "Either we investigate until the truth is fully revealed, or you send a letter to the Chiyan King right now and ask the Crown Prince to recall me."

General Ling said loudly, "Exactly! You are standing on Chiyan's soil. You want to forcefully expel the Crown Prince's special envoy? You'll have to ask if we agree first!"

He Lingchuan glanced at him. This General Ling, though seemingly blunt, was actually a very cooperative partner. General Ling's implication was that even if Zhongsun Mou disagreed, it wouldn't matter. The token might scare others, but he'd still beat him out. A wise person fears someone who has nothing to lose or doesn't care about consequences.

At this moment, Zhongsun Mou was also quickly calculating in his mind. He had a deep-seated grievance with Fu Shanyue and naturally wouldn't be polite to his subordinates. Zhongsun Mou found it amusing that this so-called Crown Prince's special envoy stubbornly refused to yield. It was like walking into a trap willingly. There would be plenty of opportunities later; if he couldn't get rid of him, he'd just make him take the blame.

So he pondered for a moment, and his expression softened. "It's good to exchange information; that way, we'll both have an explanation for our superiors. What clues have you found?"

Zhongsun Mou's sudden change in attitude made He Lingchuan even more wary. When He Lingchuan himself intended to play dirty, he also liked to start with restraint before making his move. But outwardly, he still had to go with the flow and soften his stance. "I've uncovered several cases of missing demons here, including General Ling's junior. In the past six months, dozens of demons have disappeared from central and northern Chiyan, similar to the Spirit Void City courier case."

"Are you saying a killer is extensively hunting down demons, and the Spirit Void City courier was just accidentally killed?"

"Hunting secretly," He Lingchuan corrected him. "Squire Wan of Zhitian Township has already confessed that he and his nephew conspired to kill demons for their pearls."

"For pearls?" Zhongsun Mou frowned. "What kind of pearls?"

He Lingchuan stopped talking. "Lord Zhongsun, it's your turn."

Zhongsun Mou let out a long breath. "What I've investigated from the north, not limited to Chiyan territory, is that several bird demons personally saw the White-Shouldered Eagle fly under a cliff to shelter from the rain, but it seemed not to have come out after dawn. I questioned them repeatedly, but they weren't sure. Later, I collected evidence beneath the cliff, and the evidence ultimately pointed to Shuanglu Town in Zhitian Township, which is... right here!"

General Ling interjected, "So this Mr. Mai got wind of it and fled beforehand."

Zhongsun Mou was annoyed. "General Ling, mind your words."

"I just want to know what we do now?" General Ling was a pragmatist. "He's already run away, so how can we investigate this case further?"

"We'll issue a wanted bounty for this Mr. Mai," Zhongsun Mou said. "A portrait will be available soon, and it will be posted in all nearby towns and villages. With so many eyes watching him, both above and below, it will be hard for him to escape." This was a demon nation, and not only humans but also various types of demons would be watching for the bounty. Whether you were eating or relieving yourself, you wouldn't know which corner might have a pair of non-human eyes silently observing you, making it impossible to guard against.

He calmly walked outside, taking only one guard with him, and said to He Lingchuan, "I have more information. Follow me."

There was a large hole in the study door, so it was obviously unsuitable for confidential discussions. He Lingchuan and Jiao Yu exchanged glances and followed him to the main house. General Ling naturally followed as well. He was about to instruct the two Wind-Drilling Beasts to guard the study, but before he could speak, He Lingchuan, as if knowing beforehand, patted his long neck and whispered, "Don't bother with anything." General Ling really did swallow his words and silently followed him into the main house.

Zhongsun Mou personally closed the door and even set up a barrier. Only then did he say in a low voice, "This case must be handled to the Emperor's satisfaction." The Emperor was the ruler of Spirit Void City, the Demon Emperor who governed the entire Beijia Empire. Thus, the weight of his words was significant.

He Lingchuan heard the hidden meaning in his words. "So, how would the Emperor be satisfied?"

"The timing of this case is strange, and the Emperor believes it was the work of foreign spies," Zhongsun Mou said, looking at He Lingchuan. "However, your analysis clearly concludes that it's unrelated to that."

"The Spirit Void City courier was killed because someone was secretly hunting down isolated small demons? Hmph, how can such a conclusion be credible to the Emperor?" If the Emperor didn't believe it was an accident, then they, as his subordinates, would suffer.

He Lingchuan humbly asked, "Then, Lord Zhongsun, how do you think this matter should be handled?"

"We still need to investigate deeply in that direction," Zhongsun Mou said seriously. "If, as you say, the White-Shouldered Eagle was merely involved in an accident, then the mastermind, knowing they had mistakenly killed a Spirit Void City courier, should have ceased operations and hidden themselves, at least until the commotion passed. Why would they continue to commit crimes repeatedly, becoming more conspicuous with each act, allowing you to find clues?"

This fellow had a sharp tongue, speaking as if the clues they found were simply handed to them by the mastermind. General Ling's mouth twitched, but he ultimately bit back his retort.

He Lingchuan, however, felt a stir in his heart. What Zhongsun Mou said wasn't without reason, but He Lingchuan still replied, "Perhaps there's a disconnect between different levels, and Wan Song didn't fully grasp the mastermind's intentions; or perhaps the tasks assigned from above were too heavy, and they hoped for luck." For an organization to communicate from top to bottom and execute orders effectively is actually very difficult. Confusion, entanglement, and disorder are perfectly normal occurrences, not to mention personal motives at different levels and conflicting interests. The larger the organization, the greater the deviations. The upper echelons might feel they have everything under control, believing their words are law, but the low-level subordinates, when executing, can completely botch and ruin things for you. Good intentions often lead to bad outcomes, often for this very reason.

General Ling glared, "Lord Zhongsun, if you insist this was done by spies, then only people from Spirit Void City knew the White-Shouldered Eagle's flight path! What's the point of lingering in Chiyan Nation if you're not going back to Spirit Void City to investigate thoroughly?"

"There are already specialists investigating in Spirit Void City," Zhongsun Mou quickly replied. "After all, the White-Shouldered Eagle disappeared in Chiyan. Even if its itinerary was leaked in Spirit Void City, the downing occurred within Chiyan territory. Find the culprit, and the mystery will solve itself." He asked He Lingchuan, "You said Squire Wan's nephew, Wan Song, is the culprit. Where is this person now?"

"I don't know," He Lingchuan replied promptly. "Since you were able to find Water Buffalo Alley, I was hoping you could also find the culprit's whereabouts."

"Whether it's the White-Shouldered Eagle or General Ling's junior, they all disappeared near Zhitian Township," Zhongsun Mou said, raising his chin. "The culprit seems to frequent this area. Why don't we use Squire Wan as bait to lure him out?"

"I had the same idea," He Lingchuan replied with a smile. "Then why don't you hurry back to Youtian Town, Lord Zhongsun? The news that Squire Wan is under our control must not get out, or Wan Song won't fall for it."