Chapter 1583: Forensic Examiner

Normally, this would be impossible. Even a Grandmaster couldn't travel such a long distance and return within a single night.

But Zu An was different. With the help of his Fire-Wind Wheels, it was like having a private jet in his previous life, ready to depart at any moment – no, the Fire-Wind Wheels were much faster than a private jet.

Zu An settled military matters and instructed everyone not to disturb him that night.

Due to his performance in the daytime battle, his prestige in the army was now at its peak. The soldiers instinctively admired him, thinking, "No wonder General Zu is so formidable; he even trains diligently at night." They naturally promised not to disturb him.

To be safe, he specially left Daji wearing his clothes to impersonate him. He then quietly slipped away, found a secluded spot, and soared into the sky. Once far from the military camp, he took out his Fire-Wind Wheels and sped towards Yi County.

Yi County was nearly ten thousand kilometers away. Zu An dared not waste a single moment, maximizing the speed of his Fire-Wind Wheels. He streaked across the sky like a meteor, and after breaking the sound barrier, the surrounding air became as viscous as water. Only his current physical strength could withstand the powerful winds generated by such speed; an ordinary cultivator's body would likely melt away.

He traveled at lightning speed and finally reached Yi County city in the middle of the night. Even with Zu An's current cultivation, he was somewhat breathless from the exertion.

He found an opportunity to secretly land within the city. Large cities often had defensive formations, but these had limited effect on cultivators above the Grandmaster level. Of course, unless there was a large-scale enemy infiltration, a few Grandmasters posed little threat to such a city.

He had passed through Yi County once before on his way to Yunzhong Commandery, so this time, he was somewhat familiar with the route.

After circling the city for a while, he finally found the secret signal Xiao Jianren had left. Fortunately, it was late and quiet, saving him a lot of trouble.

Following the signal, he eventually arrived at a secluded courtyard. Zu An used his divine sense to check for anything unusual, and finding none, he quietly climbed over the wall.

From a distance, he saw candlelight in the main house and what looked like flickering shadows. Zu An paused, surprised. They weren't asleep yet, even at this late hour?

He immediately felt a sense of relief. Xiao Jianren was indeed reliable; he must still be investigating the case. Zu An decided to write a report recommending him for a promotion and a raise upon his return.

Just as he was about to walk in and praise them, he suddenly heard Xiao Jianren's voice: "Miss Zhang, next time you're in the capital, I'll take you to Tianqiao. It's the liveliest and most prosperous place in the entire capital, with customs and scenery very different from Yi County."

"Lord Xiao, you're mistaken," another somewhat mischievous voice spoke up; it was Old Seven Dai. "Since we're in the capital, we must try its delicacies! The roast duck there, wrapped in a pancake and drizzled with special sauce, is truly authentic."

"Roast duck is just for tricking outsiders," came Old Eight Chen's voice. "If you really want to talk about capital delicacies, it has to be the charcoal-fired copper pot, especially for thinly sliced mutton boiled in a hotpot on a freezing day. That's the most enjoyable thing."

Zu An listened, puzzled. Who was this "Miss Zhang" they were talking about?

And why did their tone sound so excessively fawning?

He peeked inside and saw the three men fawning over a tall woman. She wore her hair in a high ponytail and was dressed in a close-fitting outfit, giving her a clean, sharp, and spirited look.

Her long, well-proportioned legs, especially noticeable beneath her leather armor, made one feel that being caught between them would be a fate worse than death.

The woman was already quite beautiful, and combined with her eye-catching long legs and the valiant aura about her, she was even more captivating. No wonder the grown men were so smitten.

But he had sent them to investigate a case, and here they were, trying to charm a woman?

The woman with the high ponytail seemed somewhat indifferent to their flattery. "I came here to discuss Lord Seven's case with you."

Xiao Jianren laughed heartily. "Work-life balance is important, Miss Zhang. You're just too tense. A little relaxation might even spark new insights."

Zu An chuckled inwardly. He thought about how the usually dull Xiao Jianren was so talkative now, and it surprised him that this was his type.

The high-ponytail woman frowned, about to speak, when she suddenly sensed something. She sharply turned her head, staring at the doorway. "Who's there?"

Xiao Jianren and the others were startled and turned to look. Upon seeing Zu An, their expressions changed dramatically, and they immediately dropped their jovial demeanor, bowing respectfully. "Greetings, Lord Eleven!"

Zu An said coldly, "You all must be working very hard, investigating a case so late at night."

Xiao Jianren and the others couldn't possibly miss the sarcasm in his tone, but feeling guilty, they dared not retort.

The high-ponytail woman, hearing that this was the Golden Medallion Eleven, also eyed him with curiosity.

It was well known that for a long time, there had only been ten Golden Medallion Embroidered Uniform Guards in the empire. Each one was a pivotal figure, guarding a region.

In recent years, an eleventh Golden Medallion had suddenly appeared. Various rumors made this person exceptionally mysterious, and speculations about his cultivation varied widely.

However, in her opinion, anyone who could achieve the esteemed rank of Golden Medallion, on par with her godfather, should not be weak.

Yet, upon seeing him now, two words popped into her mind: "That's it?"

Although he looked somewhat sturdy, there were no signs of energy fluctuations around him, and he seemed subtly out of breath. He looked like an ordinary person. Was he a connected individual promoted by the Emperor? Or was he a strategist, relying on intellect?

Since the other party was a Golden Medallion Embroidered Uniform Guard, he must possess some unknown abilities, so she dared not underestimate him. She also bowed and said, "Silver Medallion Zhang Zitong, subordinate of Golden Medallion Seven, greets Lord Eleven!"

Zu An was surprised. This woman was actually a subordinate of Golden Medallion Seven, and clearly a capable one.

Yet, while he himself had subordinates like the perpetually grim Xiao Jianren, Golden Medallion Seven had hired a long-legged woman. Was he hiring a subordinate or a secretary?

In his previous life, he had heard too many stories about "secretaries doing all the work, and doing nothing at all..." He instinctively wondered about the woman's relationship with Golden Medallion Seven, even considering if she was involved in Golden Medallion Seven's death.

Zhang Zitong had grown accustomed to such gazes over the years, but she still felt a surge of anger. This man had immediately fixated on her legs at first glance, and now his eyes clearly held lewd thoughts. No wonder Xiao Jianren and the others were behaving that way; if the top beam isn't straight, the bottom ones will be crooked.

Anger points from Zhang Zitong: 250, 250, 250...

Zu An paused, noticing the anger points in the system. However, he generally guessed the reason for her anger and paid it no mind, simply nodding at her.

He then turned to Xiao Jianren: "I sent you here to investigate in advance. Have you found any useful information?"

"Yes, yes..." Xiao Jianren, feeling a bit guilty, handed him a booklet containing a summary of recently uncovered intelligence.

Zu An quickly scanned it, his expression darkening. "There's basically no new progress. Is this all you've found after being here for so long?"

Xiao Jianren looked ashamed. "Lord Eleven is right to reprimand us, but no matter how much we've investigated, this case appears to be a simple accident. We can't find any flaws."

Zu An frowned. "Summon the coroner who performed Lord Seven's autopsy. I want to question him personally."

At this point, Zhang Zitong interjected, "I was the one who performed Lord Seven's autopsy."

"You?" Zu An was stunned. Although the young woman was valiant and spirited, he never would have imagined she was also a forensic examiner.

"Can't a forensic examiner be a woman?" Zhang Zitong looked directly at him, chin raised. "I swear on my reputation and my life that my autopsy report contains no falsehoods. Although Lord Seven was my superior, his kindness to me was as vast as a mountain. He adopted me when I was a child, wandering the streets, and I have long considered him a father. I wish to find the killer more than anyone else here!"