The overall atmosphere in the Great Zhou Kingdom was somewhat more liberal than in its neighboring countries.
Women here could read, conduct business, and even show their faces in public to a certain degree—unlike the merchant wives and children from the west, who had to veil themselves behind thick white cloths.
Huai City was no small settlement. Its location might not match the strategic importance of Nine Li City, the largest in East County, but the volume of commercial traffic flowing through was substantial.
On any normal day, the streets teemed with lithe, lovely young women.
But not today…
Yin Luan, walking beside Du Xuan, drew eyes wherever she went, turning heads in droves.
Her beauty was breathtaking; every gesture and glance was a seductive sway that made her a “head-turning magnet” in any crowd. With not a single young woman in sight on these streets, she stood out all the more.
Du Xuan wasn’t one to squirm under a few stares, but the weight of an entire street’s attention gave even her pause.
“Enough fussing. I’ll find you a place to stay first.”
After several days traveling together, she and Little Snake had grown thoroughly acquainted. Du Xuan understood that, wild as the girl was (considering her “male” guise), she was still reasonably compliant.
“No way,” Little Snake said warily. “Are you planning to ditch me? You ungrateful tease—after toying with me, you’re just going to abandon me like this? Waaah…”
Yin Luan made no effort to lower her voice around the passersby, and every eye in the street locked onto Du Xuan.
The pressure on the Demon Subduing Division Lord intensified.
“Didn’t we agree…”
“We agreed I could follow you all the way to Huai City,” Little Snake cut in. “And we’re still in Huai City, aren’t we? You’ve got a case to handle here—so I stay with you!”
“You…!”
Du Xuan seethed with frustration.
How was this girl so brazen, always pushing for more? Wasn’t she afraid Du Xuan might snap in humiliated fury and ruin her reputation on a whim?
With a body as wanton as hers, any man with even a shred less self-control would have cracked long ago.
“Fine, fine—you can stick by my side,” Du Xuan said through gritted teeth. “The city’s case isn’t closed yet, and I don’t trust you running around alone. But this is the absolute last time. Clear?”
“Heehee, you’re the best, my lord!”
Yin Luan’s face lit up with delight as she threw her arms around the Demon Subduing Division Lord’s arm.
One look at that beaming smile, and Du Xuan’s irritation melted away by half.
She was too good at this…
If Du Xuan really were a man, she’d be putty in her hands inside three days.
~~~
Once inside the city, the pair made straight for the government office.
Du Xuan had arrived with only scant intelligence; the full details would require her own investigation.
The string of murders had the populace in a panic, so the guards at the City Lord’s Mansion outnumbered the usual by several fold, their faces etched with tension.
If Evil Spirits were truly behind the killings, the government offices—being the greatest threat—might be next on their list.
“I am Du Xuan of the Demon Subduing Division’s Secret Investigation Hall, here on official business.”
She flashed her token, and moments later, a portly middle-aged man emerged at a jog, trailed by attendants, his expression that of a man spotting salvation.
“Du—Du Xuan, my lord! Thank heavens you’ve come,” Fang Qian mopped the sweat from his brow and mustered a smile. “I am Fang Qian; I’ve been awaiting you anxiously!”
“No need for that,” Du Xuan replied evenly. “You outrank me. You’ll need to take charge.”
The Demon Subduing Division reported directly to the Imperial Court and held special authority for extraordinary cases, but it could not be invoked lightly without confirmed evidence of “demons, devils, ghosts, or monsters.”
In practice, of course, adherence varied by the officer.
“I wouldn’t dream of it! You’re the savior we’ve prayed for night and day!”
Fang Qian had clawed his way through officialdom for decades. His talents were modest at best, but he could read people well enough to see she was the upright, no-nonsense sort—not here for leisure or graft.
That said, he couldn’t help his bewilderment… like why someone so incorruptible had such a ravishing beauty in tow—one unmatched anywhere in Huai City.
Was it some tired old tale of “you saved my life, so I offer myself in return”? Did those even happen anymore?
“It’s getting late. Please, both of you, rest at my residence,” Fang Qian offered. “I’ve had all the relevant files gathered for your review.”
“Very well,” Du Xuan said, eyeing the fading light. She nodded. “We’ll impose on you, then.”
~~~
The magistrate proved most accommodating, with a carriage already waiting to whisk them to his estate.
The mansion covered a considerable area and was decorated with impressive grandeur, far surpassing the homes of ordinary wealthy families.
“Quite wealthy…”
Yin Luan commented offhandedly.
“Er, it’s the old family estate, passed down from my ancestors. I only made some minor repairs…”
Fang Qian laughed it off while subtly glancing toward the Demon Subduing Division Lord.
“No need to worry,” Du Xuan said, sitting bolt upright in sharp contrast to the slouching, utterly undisciplined woman beside her. “The Demon Subduing Division only concerns itself with demons, devils, and ghosts. We won’t interfere in anything else.”
The magistrate let out a visible sigh of relief and turned to Yin Luan.
“This… Lady Du?”
“Ahem!”
At those words, the normally composed Du Xuan nearly leaped to her feet, coughing hurriedly.
“Her name is Yin Luan. We met on the road. There’s no special relationship!”
“Er, yes, I understand!”
A mistress? Totally understandable! Even those hardcases from the Demon Subduing Division have needs, right?
“Lady Yin Luan, have you heard the rumors circulating in the city lately?”
“I’ve heard them. Can’t go out on the streets, right?”
The Little Snake Demon lazily propped her head up with one hand, only to get nudged sharply in the ribs by the Demon Subduing Division Lord beside her, who couldn’t bear to watch.
“Yes,” Fang Qian nodded. “We can’t verify if the rumors are true, but for your safety, if you need to go out, please let us know. I’ll dispatch men to protect you.”
“How many victims?”
Du Xuan asked gravely.
“Six,” Fang Qian replied. “All beautiful young women. The first three died in their own homes, and the last three died under our protection.”
“No traces of the killer whatsoever?”
“None,” he said, shaking his head with a sigh. “It’s embarrassing to admit, but we haven’t even caught a glimpse of the bastard. My constables may not measure up to the Demon Subduing Division Lord, but they’re not all dead weight. If we so much as crossed paths with him, we could at least trade a blow or two.”
He came without a trace and vanished without one, his methods utterly ruthless.
Catching a “killer” like that wouldn’t be easy.
“What about the other young women in the city? Guarding them all would stretch your manpower too thin, wouldn’t it?”
Du Xuan asked.
“Exactly,” Fang Qian answered. “That’s why I ordered my men to bring the women most likely to be targeted here to the mansion for centralized protection. We’re doing everything we can to keep them safe.”
As they spoke, the carriage came to a gentle stop at the mansion’s main gate, and the group stepped down.
“Ladies, the wine and dishes are ready. Please come inside and join me.”
