Zu An stared blankly for a moment, then said, “Sure. Should we start now?” He began to remove his clothes as he spoke.
Sure enough, Tang Tian’er couldn't take it. She harrumphed and jumped aside, staying away from him as she remarked, “Hmph, what a scoundrel…” Zu An laughed at the sight. Tang Tian’er couldn't help but pout playfully with her red lips, saying, “Why are you so shameless~”
“I wasn’t expecting little sister Tian’er to just be joking around,” Zu An said. Of course, he hadn’t really intended to take off all of his clothes. It was just to test her. They were both old foxes, so what was the point of playing these kinds of games?
Tang Tian’er harrumphed and changed the topic. “Right, it’s been a long time since we’ve met. I heard that you went to the Fiend races’ territory?”
“Little sister Tian’er really is in the know,” Zu An said in surprise.
“But of course. Don’t you see what kind of field I work in?” Tang Tian’er remarked proudly. Then, she asked him several things about the Fiend races’ territory.
Zu An shared what he had seen and experienced on that side. Even though he hid the more sensitive details, it was enough to shock Tang Tian’er.
“Sigh, I really want to go with big brother Zu and tour the Fiend races’ territory! I’ve always been interested in that side, but I would never dare to go by myself. I’ve heard that the Fiend races really will eat people…” Tang Tian’er said, looking like a weak little white rabbit.
Zu An completely ignored her act, retorting, “You frequently do business with the Fox Merchant Group, and yet you’ve never been to the Fiend side? Who are you trying to fool?”
“Ah, big brother Zu caught me,” Tang Tian’er said, although she didn’t seem embarrassed at all. Zu An knew that this was just her nature, and it was also the nature of her occupation, so he didn’t take it to heart.
The two chatted for a while longer. However, Zu An hadn’t forgotten the purpose of his visit. He said with feigned nonchalance, “You’re always at the Hub of Freedom. Do you know a Golden Token Seven from Yi Commandery?”
A look of surprise flickered through Tang Tian’er’s eyes. Then, she said with a smile, “How heartbreaking! I thought you came here to spend some time with me, but it was actually because you wanted to get some information.”
Zu An had a wronged expression as he said, “If you don’t believe me, you can go and look around. I just arrived in Yi Commandery today, and yet I came straight here to talk to you. Otherwise, would I have been in such a rush to see you? That young lady from your Hub of Freedom was trying to flirt with me, but I didn’t even pay her any attention. Isn’t that proof that I just wanted to see you?”
“Looks like you still have a bit of a conscience,” Tang Tian’er said. She asked, “Why do you have a relationship with Golden Token Seven?”
Zu An replied, “We’re both officials from the court, so we have some connection that way.”
Tang Tian’er then said, “I do know Golden Token Seven. The Hub of Freedom operates in a legal gray area, and Golden Token Seven is the leader of Yi Commandery’s intelligence, so we naturally had some dealings with each other. Of course, a social butterfly like me was sent over to persuade him. However, Golden Token Seven was always immovable. He’s never had a lustful side, and he doesn’t care about riches either. He really was quite the headache to deal with.”
“Lustful?” Zu An repeated with a frown. He couldn't help but give Tang Tian’er another look. He had to admit that her appearance was exceptional, and she was exceptionally sweet. It made others unable to help but want to get closer to her.
“Ah, are you getting jealous right now?” Tang Tian’er replied as she moved closer. “Don’t worry. Haven’t you seen what I’m capable of? I have a kind of drug that can confuse others. Who can really take advantage of this girl?”
Zu An still couldn't help but remind her, “It’s impossible to keep your feet dry if you keep walking by the riverbank. Things won’t end well if you run into someone truly strong.”
“After all these years, you’re the only one I’ve lost to.” Tang Tian’er harrumphed. “I’ve already learned from that experience and changed the drug’s formulation. Next time, even a great dragon will still be done in.”
Zu An was speechless. This woman really was quite good at creating such drugs.
“But I’m still really happy that you care so much about me,” Tang Tian’er added, smiling brilliantly.
Zu An became a bit absent-minded when he saw her sweet smile, which carried more sincerity than her usual courteous demeanor. However, this woman was really good at acting, and what she said was usually half truth and half lie. It was quite hard to tell whether anything she said was real or fake.
“Did you meet with Golden Token Seven around the sixth of last month?” Zu An took the chance to ask.
“Can you not ask about another man when we’re together? The mood is all spoiled now…” Tang Tian’er grumbled, but she still replied, “I did meet with him that day. It was the day the Hub of Freedom offered a monetary token of appreciation to him. He could choose not to take it, but we had to offer it.” Afterward, she looked at him nervously and said, “You are a court official too. You're not here to arrest me because of our bribes, right?”
Zu An was speechless. He replied, “Look at how your legs are still dangling back and forth. I don’t even see a trace of nervousness.”
“Ah, you’ve seen through me. It seems my acting skills have worsened recently,” Tang Tian’er said, sounding a bit distressed.
Zu An continued, “Did you visit Blackwater Pool after?”
“Blackwater Pool?” Tang Tian’er replied, stunned. “That place is haunted; why would I go there?”
“You didn’t go there?” Zu An asked in surprise. What was going on then?
“I’m just too busy everyday; where would I have the time to go to such desolate outskirts?” Tang Tian’er asked, looking at him in confusion. “I’m confused as to why you asked me about that.”
Zu An stared straight into her eyes, but he couldn't tell whether she was telling the truth or not. After some time, he said, “I heard someone say that the day Golden Token Seven died, you appeared at Blackwater Pool, and that it was you who threw his corpse into the water.”
Tang Tian’er’s expression changed. She replied, “You suspect me?”
Zu An didn’t say anything. He quickly thought about many things. Just what was going on? The turtle spirit had said that a woman tossed the corpse into the water, and then said ‘The earlier you’re found, the better’. Later, Xiao Jianren’s investigation found Tang Tian’er to be the last woman Golden Token Seven had met before he passed away. However, why was she saying she had never been to Blackwater Pool? Was she saying so just to get away with a crime?
Seeing that Zu An had fallen silent, Tang Tian’er put away her smile. Her expression also became ice-cold as she said, “If you believe that I was the one who harmed Golden Token Seven, you can just arrest me and bring me to justice.”
Zu An shook his head and said, “I believe you, of course. Forget about the fact that I don’t think you’re the killer, even if you were, with our level of friendship, there’s no way I would arrest you.”
He wasn’t like Detective Conan, who was hell-bent on punishing injustice, or anything. No matter how helpless the killer was, and even if they had no choice, that guy would still punish them according to the law.
Tang Tian’er’s expression turned from grief to happiness as she said, “Big brother Zu is the best. I didn’t misjudge you after all.”
Zu An got up and said, “I need to go and confirm some things, so I’ll have to excuse myself first.”
“You’re leaving so soon?” Tang Tian’er asked, sounding reluctant.
“Are you going to be in Yi Commandery this whole time?” Zu An asked.
“Not for certain. Sometimes, I visit the Hub of Freedom; other times, I return to deal with some affairs of the Zhenyuan Merchant Group,” Tang Tian’er said. She then changed the topic, adding, “But big brother Zu, seeing as you’re in Yi Commandery, I won’t return to Cloudcenter Commandery for a while. You can come and see me whenever you want. I’ll always keep my door open for you.”
Zu An ignored her last sentence. She wasn’t even that old, and yet she acted as if she had a lot of experience. No wonder she was the most famous social butterfly in a chaotic place such as the Hub of Freedom.
After she saw him leave, Tang Tian’er’s smile gradually disappeared. As the candle’s flame flickered, her body was eventually completely shrouded in darkness.
…
When Zu An left the Hub of Freedom, he rushed toward Blackwater Pool in the city outskirts. At night, its water was like ink, looking sinister and eerie.
Zu An called out with a cold snort, “Come out!” However, even after he shouted a few times, there wasn’t any activity.
Zu An’s expression changed. He jumped into the pool, but as he went deeper, he discovered that the cave at the bottom of the pool was already completely deserted. There wasn’t any trace of the turtle monster left! He searched all around the cave, but he couldn’t find any clues.
Eventually, however, he found a row of crooked words carved on a stone: ‘Bastard Sun, this turtle will leave then!’
Zu An’s expression immediately changed drastically. Previously, the turtle monster had spoken with a deadly earnest expression, saying that it had taken hundreds of years to gradually gather some faith offerings, and that it wouldn’t easily abandon all of its work. That was why he had trusted it. He hadn’t expected to have really been fooled by the monster!
Suddenly, he realized something. When he was investigating Blackwater Pool, the greenish-gray arms that had reached toward him hadn’t carried a trace of divinity, and had the aura of malicious spirits with endless resentment. The turtle was so good with words that he had actually been fooled!
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