Chapter 64: A Dead Agent
The quiet street outside Lin Laifu’s estate seemed peaceful enough, but the moment Lu Feng, Han Lin, and Ye Chenxue crossed the high threshold of the guest villa, the oppressive atmosphere hit them like a physical wall.
The courtyard was deathly still. The soft rustle of bamboo leaves in the morning breeze was the only sound accompanying their footsteps against the stone path. Ye Chenxue, who had felt the anomaly moments before they entered, kept her hand resting lightly on the hilt of her newly acquired sword, her eyes darting across the shadows beneath the roof eaves.
They pushed open the heavy double doors leading into the main reception hall.
The metallic smell of copper and stale blood immediately filled their nostrils.
Lying face down across the polished wooden floorboards was the body of a middle-aged man dressed in the crisp, embroidered robes of a licensed property broker. His limbs were sprawled unnaturally, and a dark, congealed pool of blood had spread beneath his chest, soaking into the expensive woven carpet.
Han Lin gasped softly, her hand flying to her mouth as she instinctively took a step back. She stepped closer, her slate-blue eyes wide with recognition as she scanned the man’s features and the copper emblem pinned to his collar.
"This... this is Agent Zhou," Han Lin said, her voice dropping into an urgent, breathless whisper. "He was my designated contact. He was supposed to be the one showing us the secondary properties this evening!"
She turned to Lu Feng, her knuckles turning white as she grabbed his sleeve. "Lu Feng, we need to leave. Right now. If anyone finds us standing over his corpse in Lin Laifu’s guest quarters, we will be framed for his murder before the sun sets. We cannot stay here!"
Ye Chenxue’s face remained as cold as ice, but her body shifted into a low combat stance, her ears twitching as she listened for any lingering presence in the surrounding rooms. "The body is already cold, Young Master. He was killed at least two hours ago—right around the time we were having breakfast with Ma Guiren at the pavilion."
Lu Feng stood over the corpse, his mismatched eyes scanning the scene with analytical calm. He noticed the clean, single puncture mark near the back of the man’s neck—a silent, professional strike designed to kill instantly without a struggle.
"Running now will only make us look guilty," Lu Feng said calmly, gently patting Han Lin’s hand to reassure her. "If someone went through the trouble of killing a licensed broker inside our assigned villa, fleeing the scene turns us into fugitives across the entire city. We report this directly to the City Guards."
Han Lin hesitated, but seeing the absolute certainty in Lu Feng’s eyes, she slowly let go of his sleeve and nodded.
Half an hour later, the trio stood inside the stone-walled courtyard of the Eastern District Guard Post. Heavy iron spears clattered against the stone floor as a squad of armored men moved about, while the scent of burning incense attempted to cover the stale odor of wine and iron lingering in the air.
Sitting behind a heavy oak desk was the Guard Captain—a wide-shouldered man named Captain Zhao, whose face was scarred across the left cheek and whose eyes carried the lazy, bored look of a veteran bureaucrat.
He listened as Lu Feng calmly explained how they had returned from breakfast at the Grand Crimson Pavilion to find Agent Zhou’s corpse in their guest parlor.
When Lu Feng mentioned Zhou’s name, Captain Zhao didn’t even pause his drinking. He took a slow, deliberate gulp of tea, set the heavy clay cup down with a dull thump, and let out a dry, raspy laugh.
"Agent Zhou, you say?" Captain Zhao grunted, leaning back in his reinforced chair until the wood groaned under his weight. "You folks must be newcomers to Crimson Vale if you’re worked up over that snake dying."
Captain Zhao picked up a wooden toothpick, casually digging at his teeth as he spoke with utter indifference. "Zhou was no innocent broker. Before he bought himself a clean license three years ago, he was a key figure in a local human trafficking ring operating out of the border districts. He sold off debt-ridden cultivators and unregistered refugees to mining syndicates down south. Looks like his past finally caught up to him. Someone probably came to settle an old score."
As the Captain spoke, Lu Feng’s gaze drifted slightly to the two senior guards standing flanking the desk.
The moment Captain Zhao uttered the words ’human trafficking,’ the guard on the left subtly shifted his grip on his spear, casting a rapid, fleeting glance toward his partner on the right. The second guard offered an almost imperceptible nod in return, his fingers tightening against the leather strap of his chest plate.
It was a fraction of a second—a silent, practiced exchange of signals that an ordinary civilian would have completely missed. But to Lu Feng, whose perception was sharp and refined, the interaction stood out like a beacon in the night.
*They aren’t surprised at all,* Lu Feng thought, his mind working rapidly behind his calm expression. *They already knew Zhou was dead before we even walked through these doors. In fact... they might have been the ones who cleared the way for his killers.*
Captain Zhao waved his hand dismissively, breaking the silence. "Don’t worry yourselves about it, Young Master Lu. My men will head over to Lin Laifu’s villa shortly to haul the body away and sweep the area. We’ll track down whatever rogue scum did this. You three are clear to go about your business. Just don’t leave the city limits for the next couple of days."
Lu Feng knew the guards were lying through their teeth. The calm, dismissive explanation was far too convenient, and the way the squad leader’s hand lingered near his blade suggested they were gauging whether Lu Feng’s group suspected anything.
If Lu Feng pushed the issue now, demanding a real investigation or questioning their knowledge of Zhou’s past, he would force their hands right here in the guard station. He had no interest in starting an open feud with the City Guard before even securing a roof over his head.
Smoothing his expression into one of mild relief, Lu Feng cupped his hands and bowed politely.
"We appreciate your swift assistance, Captain Zhao," Lu Feng said, his voice smooth and entirely devoid of suspicion. "We are merely travelers looking for a quiet residence, so we will leave the justice in your capable hands."
Captain Zhao smiled, though the warmth never reached his eyes. "Smart man. Enjoy your day in Crimson Vale."
Without another word, Lu Feng turned and led Han Lin and Ye Chenxue out of the guard post, stepping back into the warm afternoon sunlight of the main avenue.
Once they were several streets away, hidden among the bustling crowds of the market square, Han Lin leaned in close, her voice tense. "Lu Feng... back there, the way that Captain spoke—"
"I know," Lu Feng interrupted softly, keeping his eyes straight ahead as they walked. "The guards are involved. They knew Zhou was dead, and they know exactly who killed him."
Ye Chenxue’s hand subtly rested against her sword hilt once more. "Should we prepare for an ambush, Young Master?"
"Not yet," Lu Feng replied, a faint, calculating smile touching his lips. "They think we’re clueless tourists who bought their story. We let them think that for now. We have a second agent to meet, and securing our own estate comes first. Let the shadows play their games—we’ll deal with them once we have our own ground to stand on."