Do You Like Me That Much? Miss Villainess

With someone dying at the full-month celebration, the nature of the gathering immediately changed from an ordinary gathering to an assassination case that would soon shock the capital.

The banquet guests were in an uproar.

The Jiang family members looked grim but forcibly suppressed their shock and anger, coming out to maintain order.

The main hall's door was slammed shut, windows were closed one by one, and guards stood in groups of two or three in the corners, ensuring that the assassin wouldn't escape by mixing with the guests.

The guests became noisy, clearly not wanting to be locked in this enclosed hall with an assassin.

As for finding the assassin—was that more important than their lives?

Bang!!

Amidst the chaos, a deep, muffled sound suddenly exploded.

The guests were briefly startled, then realized that the sound came from a tall woman in casual clothes, with a high ponytail tied behind her. Now, she was slowly retracting her scabbard that she had tapped on the ground, looking around, her voice resonant:

"Quiet! Six Bureaus on duty. Cooperate with the investigation!"

At the name of Six Bureaus, the guests instantly quieted down.

The name carries weight, like the shadow of a tree. As a transcendent enforcement agency that had stood in Great Xia for a hundred years, in Heyang City, the name of Six Bureaus could even stop children from crying.

Sealing the scene, separating people, counting heads, requesting support.

With these combined actions, the scene quickly became more orderly.

Mu Qinglan sat in her seat, not far from the deceased. She could clearly see the appearance of the deceased lying on the ground, with no external injuries, only wide-open eyes and blood at the corners of his mouth.

She quietly looked over there.

In her mind, she went through possible causes of death, finally leaving two guesses: poisoning or internal injury?

She turned slightly to look at the masked girl behind her. Sensing her intention, Zhu Yan also appropriately withdrew her gaze, bent down to her ear, and whispered:

"Ninety percent chance it's internal force."

Mu Qinglan nodded slightly. As they say, people in the same trade are rivals. She quite agreed with the judgment of the experienced assassin Miss Zhu Yan.

"Princess Mu, you weren't frightened, were you?"

At this moment, Madam Jiang finally came to her senses and asked with a pale face.

Such a major incident had occurred at her daughter's full-month celebration. In the future, whenever someone mentioned her daughter, they would definitely mention this incident. The Jiang family had also lost face for nothing, truly an undeserved disaster!

"It's fine. The assassin didn't come for me." Mu Qinglan shook her head.

"Servants have already gone to call the Six Bureaus. In a while, constables from nearby will arrive. Their headquarters isn't far from here either, so they should be here in less than half an hour."

"Then who is this?"

Mu Qinglan glanced at the serious-faced tall woman.

"She's Jiang Ling, also a distant relative of our family, a Six Bureaus constable who came to attend the family's full-month celebration." As if wanting to reassure the pale white-haired girl beside her, Madam Jiang added:

"Fifth rank."

Mu Qinglan glanced at her, guessing her intention—simply wanting to reassure her not to leave hastily, which would make things difficult.

"I'll stay right here. Let's wait until the assassin is found."

She said calmly.

Hearing this, Madam Jiang secretly sighed in relief.

To her knowledge, among the guests attending today, Mu Qinglan had the highest status. Although her title of Princess wasn't the grandest, the power behind her was undoubtedly the most formidable to offend.

Madam Jiang didn't want her to leave not because she suspected her, but because she feared that if she left, other guests would also want to leave, causing chaos.

A few minutes later.

Accompanied by a series of hurried footsteps, the main hall's door was forcefully pushed open. Along with the whistling cold wind, dozens of solemn-faced Six Bureaus constables filed in.

After entering, they closed the main door again.

Then, they uniformly stood in various corners of the main hall, one hand resting on their sword hilts, standing upright.

"Support from headquarters will arrive in less than half an hour. Please be patient and wait a little longer."

The constable named Jiang Ling said calmly.

"Once the support from headquarters arrives, we'll begin screening and clear everyone's suspicion, then you can go home."

"But before that, can anyone tell me who the deceased is?"

The guests looked at each other.

After a few seconds, someone from the Jiang family cautiously said:

"It seems to be Wang Song, Lord Wang?"

"Who is that?"

"The warden of the prison in the west of the city. He has good connections and gets along with everyone."

Upon hearing the word "warden," everyone turned their gaze toward him, their expressions subtle. Well, with that identity, the entanglements are significant.

In Heyang, a warden was a profession that could skim a lot of benefits.

Many family scions, being young and reckless, would commit offenses and be sent to prison. Their families, unwilling to let them suffer, would tip the warden. Although this wouldn't reduce the sentence, it could make the child's time inside more comfortable. Fınd the newest release on noⅴelfire.net

Such a person's network of connections would definitely be complex.

Jiang Ling also had a headache.

With such connections, it was impossible to determine the assassin's purpose, and whether they were really targeting him.

After all, at this banquet, there was also a big figure who was officially attending a public occasion for the first time in several years!

Thinking this, she glanced at the wheelchair-bound girl not far away.

Mu Qinglan had never officially attended a public occasion in the previous few years, and shortly after she entered the Jiang family home, a death occurred here.

It was really hard not to think more.

A coincidence?

Or was someone trying to target this noble princess, killing one person first in an attempt to achieve their goal by fishing in troubled waters?

Thinking this, the ponytailed constable walked to Mu Qinglan's side and asked in a low voice:

"Does the Princess have any clues?"

"I don't know him." Mu Qinglan shook her head.

"Could it be possible that they were coming for you?" The ponytailed woman didn't relax her vigilance.

"My shadow servant is standing by, and the maid behind me is not to be underestimated. Don't worry about me," Mu Qinglan didn't deny this conjecture, but instead asked: "Do you know the cause of death?"

"Internal force pierced his internal organs at close range, causing him to die from bleeding."

The ponytailed constable answered truthfully.

Although she didn't know this princess, she had heard her name before. Gossip within the bureau spread widely, saying she was the secret girlfriend of that ice-cold Constable Shen.

To be honest, the ponytailed woman felt it was unlikely.

After all, that person was recognized as a cold iceberg. How could she easily be moved? However, since such news could spread, their relationship must not be bad.

She couldn't afford to offend her.

Mu Qinglan nodded slightly. This cause of death was indeed consistent with Zhu Yan's deduction.

After a brief chat with Mu Qinglan, the ponytailed constable stood in place and began issuing commands:

"Has the headcount been completed?"

Before the support from Six Bureaus headquarters arrived, she needed to show some results. If she could independently resolve this matter, it would be a significant achievement for her.

The sword-carrying constable answered:

"We've compared it with the collected invitations. The numbers match. I just asked most people and confirmed that there are no strangers present."

"Has the assassin already hidden?"

The ponytailed woman frowned, not expecting the assassin to act so quickly.

She had another guess in her mind: perhaps the assassin had already escaped during the initial chaos when she was stretched thin.

But she couldn't mention this point, only commanding sternly:

"Guard the doors and windows. Bring those who were more familiar with the deceased to one side. I'll question them personally!"

"Wait a moment."

At this point, Mu Qinglan, who had been calmly watching everything from the beginning, softly interrupted.

"Please speak."

The ponytailed woman dared not underestimate her.

Thanks to Bai Yuyu, everyone now knew that she had an extremely intelligent friend, who had even turned the tide and defeated Constable Sun, who was always skilled in solving cases, in a battle of wits.

This, ah, this was an outside assist from little Miss Bai.

"Regarding the assassin's location, I have a guess."

Mu Qinglan rested her chin on her hand, lowering her eyes and saying: "That person might not be hiding, but might have mixed in with the guests. As the host, if the Jiang family saw a stranger, they would definitely come and ask. But from beginning to end, no one discovered such an 'assassin' mixing in..."

"I'm wondering, could she be hiding among all of you?"

Seeing this, the Jiang family head's eyes lit up, finding an excuse to reduce guilt, and guaranteed loudly:

"I can testify that I know everyone present! If a stranger came, I would definitely remember!"

Other Jiang family members also chimed in.

"Yes, if a stranger came in, we would definitely ask. Plus, there was invitation checking at the front. Surely we're not all blind."

As the words fell, the crowd became slightly chaotic.

It made sense.

After all, the assassin could be anyone, making it truly difficult to trust those around. Even familiar friends now seemed strange in the eyes of the guests present.

Looking at people with colored glasses, everything seemed off somehow.

Seeing this scene, Mu Qinglan's blood-colored eyes lowered slightly, and she softly clicked her tongue.

In fact, although the result of her "deduction" was true, its basis was completely fabricated by her.

Joking aside.

If an assassin had really infiltrated, could ordinary family servants really check their invitation?

Are you a family servant or a photographer racing Usain Bolt with a camera?

An assassin in action wouldn't make a fuss. They would definitely be as quiet as a virgin and as swift as a fleeing rabbit, striking with thunderous force. How could ordinary guests see their shadow?

So why could she deduce this result?

There was only one truth.

She was cheating.

After hearing the identity of the deceased and understanding his cause of death, Mu Qinglan finally connected this person with the storyline that should have occurred in the future in her mind.

Yes, this Warden Wang was exactly the deceased that players would encounter in the Six Bureaus profession side quest.

The same public occasion.

The same method of death.

Perhaps due to budget constraints, the male character illustrations in "Destiny" were generally perfunctory, the kind that would be impossible to find in a sea of people.

So Mu Qinglan really didn't recognize him at first.

In the game, this Warden Wang was the typical smooth operator, relying on his profession and connections to interact with many important figures in Heyang City, seeking benefits through these interactions.

In fact, his attendance at this banquet indicated that he was also part of Prince Qi's faction.

But secretly, he had already harbored treasonous thoughts.

For no other reason than Prince Li offering too much to buy him off in order to seize control of a city prison.

Testing cadres with this? Who could resist?

At first, it was just small cooperation, passing along one or two pieces of intelligence. But as the cooperation deepened and Prince Li's payments increased, Warden Wang became arrogant, holding out for higher prices, unwilling to easily submit.

This angered the other side.

"You've taken so much from me and still won't obey? Think I'm a pushover!"

"Die!"

Before long, he met a sudden death.

Now, only the timing had somehow been advanced. Since the situation, cause of death, and deceased all matched the storyline without any differences, the assassin and the mastermind behind should also be consistent.

Being able to foresee the assassin's identity based on this information gap was undoubtedly a good thing.

But how to reasonably reveal it was another issue.

'Need to make her reveal herself…'

Mu Qinglan's eyes flickered, already planning how to operate.

'Shen Yao will most likely come. She would definitely listen to me. But if we wait for her to arrive and then deal with the assassin, there wouldn't be much meaning.'

'The newly formed alliance should also be given a confidence boost, to strengthen their faith.'

Thinking this, Mu Qinglan tapped her finger on the wheelchair armrest.

So, the only problem now was how to find that assassin lady.

Yes, assassin lady.

Since she knew this storyline, then according to the game's style, players would definitely identify the culprit's identity in the end.

In fact, that assassin was deeply hidden and proficient in disguise. If not for a coincidence arranged by the dog company, players, with the information at hand, couldn't really pull her out of her disguise.

'I remember she used a human skin mask that time?'

'The person she was impersonating was also someone she had communicated with in advance, who had already been secretly bought off.'

Thinking of this, Mu Qinglan caught Zhu Yan's small hand and asked:

"Do you know how to disguise yourself?"

Zhu Yan was stunned for a moment. Her pretty face, hidden behind the cat-faced mask, showed no expression as she nodded: "A little. Before becoming transcendent, I practiced this diligently."

"Then I might need your help later."

"Okay." Zhu Yan agreed decisively.

Hearing the whispers of the two beside her, the ponytailed constable gave an inquiring look, asking: "Does Princess Mu have any thoughts?"

"I have a guess."

Mu Qinglan nodded slightly, saying unhurriedly: "I'm thinking, everyone here is a person of status, certainly not one to do such a thing. So the assassin most likely replaced someone's identity to enter."

"I would ask Constable Jiang to pay attention to whether anyone's face shows signs of disguise, or... is wearing a human skin mask."

Hearing this, the ponytailed constable's face turned solemn.

A human skin mask?

Indeed, it was a breakthrough guess. Had Mu Qinglan not mentioned it, in a short time, she might not have thought of these possibilities.

"I'll check each one personally!"

The ponytailed constable held her sword hilt, her expression grave.

She waved her hand, and immediately several constables came forward, communicating as they brought the banquet guests one by one to the side, for her to personally verify their identities.

Although the guests had some objections, not wanting to be easily manipulated, under the intimidation of a fifth-rank constable, these objections were quickly suppressed.

They weren't high officials and had no right to object.

On this side, the Six Bureaus constables were verifying the guests' identities with great enthusiasm. On the other side, Yun Juan, quietly leaning against a pillar in the main hall with her arms crossed, darkened her eyes.

This Lady Yun Juan had an attractive figure, making a memorable impression at a glance.

But for some unknown reason, all the people around her seemed to be acting like gentlemen, not one willing to place their gaze on her for a moment.

As if there was no such person here.

"Human skin mask, disguise... with so many possibilities, how could she specifically name this possibility? Coincidence? Or..."

Yun Juan thought.

As an assassin, she could think of no less than ten perfect ways to assassinate someone and then disappear without a trace.

But she hadn't even had the chance to disrupt the vision before seemingly being checkmated in one move.

How?

Yun Juan darkened her face, frowning, feeling that there were many coincidences in this matter.

If not for this uncooperative warden being too arrogant, even fantasizing about trying to reverse-grip the leverage on Prince Li's faction, the higher-ups wouldn't have sent her over to publicly silence him in front of everyone as a warning.

And if her sister hadn't died in the secret realm a few days ago, causing her to train desperately, even breaking through the Earth Gate and reaching the sixth rank two days ago, this task wouldn't have fallen on her.

Prince Li's mansion needed to make an example.

She needed to transfer her grief and vent her anger.

Accomplishing this task required a sixth-rank elite assassin to ensure absolute success.

Therefore, after she completed her mission, returned to Prince Li's mansion, and broke through the Earth Gate, the superiors gave her this task.

Everything was going smoothly.

No one would guess that a guest at the banquet had been replaced, because the invitations corresponded one-to-one and were difficult to forge in a short time. Even if stolen, it would make the original family alert and notify others in advance—unless that person was an insider.

Normally, these guests were all people of status, and the Six Bureaus wouldn't use this face-pinching method to confirm whether they were the real persons.

But now,

Under Mu Qinglan's genius logic kidnapping, everything had changed.

It was clearly absurd reasoning, but the ponytailed constable, under Bai Yuyu's machine-gun-like brainwashing, was willing to believe in Mu Qinglan's deductive abilities, not hesitating to offend people by personally pinching faces one by one.

This truly caught her Achilles' heel.

After all, although her disguise skills were exquisite—even able to reduce her presence in front of ordinary people—could she use such tricks on a fifth-rank expert?

She'd have to consider how many sword strikes she could withstand.

Yun Juan's face darkened, wanting to curse.

What kind of dog-shit logic? Do you understand the difficulty of perfectly replacing someone? Just barking nonsense?

Without prior communication with someone, spending several days thoroughly memorizing their life history, even knowing certain secrets and emulating their thinking patterns, could you pass scrutiny when cross-examined?

Her disguise was perfect; none of her girlfriends noticed.

But the old master fell to wild punches.

Mu Qinglan's series of wonderful guesses completely reduced her days of hard work to ashes, even turning them into a noose tied around her neck.

But she really couldn't refute it.

Because Yun Juan really was the kind of idiot who used bone shrinking, disguise, and a human skin mask to replace someone.

She predicted my prediction?

Is she godlike?

And what depressed Yun Juan's mood most wasn't these things, but that the moment Mu Qinglan spoke up, she recognized her identity—

Wasn't she just the cannon fodder who was last surrounded by her death warriors in the secret realm?

At that time, she didn't think much of it.

But looking at it now, it seemed the other party was confident? Otherwise, how could someone with her seventh-rank strength be chased miserably by specters, even losing her sister tragically, while the other party emerged without a scratch!!

She saw very clearly that this wealthy young lady didn't flee immediately at that time!

She must have known about that incident in advance!!

Thinking of this, Yun Juan's chest heaved violently twice, anger burning in her eyes. Damn it!

Theoretically, life and death in a secret realm was perfectly normal, but when a cold tragedy happens to oneself, it's often very difficult to accept.

Of course, she knew.

Even she had survived by luck, so naturally, there were survivors from the secret realm.

In fact, at the final moment, after persisting for half an hour and finally shaking off the pursuing specter, Yun Juan had pretty much realized that as long as one didn't look at those three ghosts, nothing would happen.

She and her sister had been hunted continuously because her sister was constantly using formations to monitor the other side and report positions.

But by the time she realized it, it was too late.

Her sister had already become a cold corpse, and even more heartbreaking, she couldn't even retrieve her sister's body!!

And after the secret realm completely disappeared.

Yun Juan transferred her anger to the people who had escaped from the secret realm by luck.

Why is it that my sister died, but you're still alive!!!

Especially someone like Mu Qinglan with mobility difficulties.

It was truly heartbreaking.

At this moment, even the disparity in their status and her identity as Prince Li's death warrior couldn't suppress the terrifying killing intent surging from the depths of her heart.

She could only lower her head, clench her teeth, and grip her hands tightly, her nails almost digging into her flesh.

Now was not the time to act.

With a fifth-rank nearby and the other's noble status, someone was definitely watching in the shadows.

If she acted, she would definitely be intercepted by highly vigilant guards, then incur the rage of the Six Bureaus constable, alerting everyone—a loss not worth the gain.

After taking a deep breath, Yun Juan decided to proceed slowly.

Better to conceal herself first.

As for whether to kill Mu Qinglan and how to do it, those could be planned carefully after returning.

After all, now that she had reached the sixth rank, if she was determined to kill someone, as long as the other's strength wasn't higher than hers, there would always be an opportunity.

Prince Li's mansion would probably be pleased to see it happen.

After all, as a veteran death warrior of Prince Li's mansion, she knew well that the mansion's current main objective was to stir up internal chaos within the Great Xia Dynasty, preferably stimulating Great Xia to go to war with external races.

All the plans within the mansion during this period, apart from those for Prince Li himself, were for this purpose.

Then, I can also try to render merit.

Thinking this, Yun Juan slowly stood upright, adjusting her sweat-dampened sideburns.

She couldn't wait any longer. Although, as a death warrior proficient in shadow and wind powers, Yun Juan was exceptionally skilled in escape, it was still better not to expose herself in front of the other party, to avoid being beaten.

Not being a masochist, who likes being beaten?

Her gloomy gaze passed over the white-haired girl.

Without a moment's pause.

Temporarily yielding, avoiding the edge.

After this matter concluded, she would find another opportunity to settle the score.

Muttering silently, before the Six Bureaus constables brought people over for inspection one by one, she activated her martial arts, took a step back, as if diving into a black curtain, and quietly merged into the shadow under the pillar.

This was the blue destiny trait she had finally obtained after breaking through the Earth Gate with great difficulty—

[Shadow Affinity]

It could enhance her shadow affinity and evolve her ability system, making it more suitable for assassination.

It also allowed her to hide more safely within shadows.

Without being discovered.

Even the fifth-rank from the Six Bureaus might not be able to discover her hiding place.

It was just a pity that her shadow destiny trait was only blue.

If it were purple, it would have been more secure.

But at the very moment Yun Juan shrank into the shadow, in the main hall, a certain Miss Mu Qinglan, whose shadow affinity far surpassed hers, slightly sniffed her nose.

Silently looking over.

Hmm?