Chapter 35: Lies (Testing the waters, please keep reading and vote!)

Zheng Shiyong's voice rang out from behind Chen Pingan. Without a moment's pause, Chen Pingan walked straight toward the Head Constable's office.

Under normal circumstances, Chen Pingan would have given Zheng Shiyong some face and turned around to exchange a few pleasantries. But right now, the matter at hand was of utmost importance!

As for Zheng Shiyong's claim that the Head Constable was away? He was half-doubting.

Normally, there would always be a constable stationed within the Zhenfu Division. The possibility of him being absent was extremely slim.

Even if we took a step back and assumed the Head Constable truly was away, Chen Pingan would still need to verify it with his own eyes.

The Head Constable's office was slightly larger than the duty room. While the duty room was a shared workspace for several on-duty constables, the Head Constable's office was for the Head Constable alone.

The comparison alone was enough to demonstrate the Head Constable's authority and status.

"Truly not here?"

Chen Pingan frowned slightly as he looked at the pitch-black Head Constable's office before him.

If the Head Constable really wasn't there, tonight was going to be troublesome!

He had to report the death of Zamaoyu as soon as possible; he couldn't wait. Zamaoyu's corpse was still in that courtyard. If he waited until tomorrow, who knew if someone else would discover it and reap the rewards.

Therefore, the report had to be finalized tonight.

The most secure method would have been to find the Head Constable and report to him directly, but since the Head Constable was absent...

Chen Pingan stood in place, lost in thought.

"I told you the Head Constable wasn't here, and yet you still came! You, how can you be so utterly unyielding to advice?"

A voice rang out from behind Chen Pingan, interrupting his contemplation.

Chen Pingan turned around to see Zheng Shiyong, who was looking at him with an expression of inexplicable meaning.

"As the night shift officer on duty, any matters you have to report to me will yield the same result."

Ignoring the subtle mockery in Zheng Shiyong's words, Chen Pingan offered him a slight smile.

"My apologies, Constable Zheng. I was just being a bit too impatient."

With that, Chen Pingan began walking toward the duty room.

The matter of Zamaoyu could not be delayed! It had to be resolved tonight! Since the Head Constable was away, he would go find the officer on duty for the night.

"Where do you think you're going? Didn't I say finding me is the same?"

Seeing Chen Pingan about to leave, Zheng Shiyong stepped forward quickly, his expression displeased as he attempted to block him.

*Where does this guy get so much curiosity!?* Chen Pingan grumbled inwardly.

As the night shift officer of the Zhenfu Division, Zheng Shiyong naturally had the right to be informed of special matters.

However, to be safe, Chen Pingan did not want to tell Zheng Shiyong about Zamaoyu. That was why he had intentionally ignored Zheng Shiyong's previous remark.

"Constable Zheng, this is my private business. Whom I seek should not interfere with you."

He had intended to maintain a superficial harmony, but Zheng Shiyong gave him no chance. Stepping past Zheng Shiyong, Chen Pingan strode forward.

"You little brat!"

Zheng Shiyong watched Chen Pingan's retreating back, his face darkening.

Chen Pingan arrived at the duty room. Seeing a lamp lit in one of the rooms, he knocked on the door.

"Come in!"

A steady voice drifted from inside the duty room.

Chen Pingan pushed open the door and walked in with a slight smile.

Sitting inside the duty room was a middle-aged man with a sturdy build, exuding a sense of strength.

Tan Huacong, an official constable of the Nanquan Alley Zhenfu Division.

Tan Huacong looked toward the door and saw that it was Chen Pingan entering. Seeing that the man's hair was damp with sweat and his clothes were stained with perspiration, he felt a sense of curiosity.

"Head Tan," Chen Pingan stepped forward. "I have an important matter to report."

"What is it?" Tan Huacong asked in a formal, upright manner.

"Not long ago, I encountered Zamaoyu."

"Zamaoyu!" Tan Huacong's expression froze.

"The remnant of the Green Fish Gang, Zamaoyu."

"Precisely," Chen Pingan nodded.

"Where is he now? Did he escape?" Tan Huacong grew agitated. For the Nanquan Alley Zhenfu Division, the matter of the Green Fish Gang remnants was a top priority.

"I killed him," Chen Pingan said calmly.

"What!?" Tan Huacong's face filled with shock, and he bolted upright from his chair.

***

Inside a courtyard in Nanquan Alley.

Looking at the corpse in the yard, Tan Huacong couldn't help but glance at Chen Pingan beside him.

"So, you're saying you really killed him?"

According to intelligence, Zamaoyu of the Green Fish Gang was a skilled fighter with Second-Level Qi and Blood! Even Tan Huacong might not have had a guaranteed victory against him. For Chen Pingan, a mere temporary constable who hadn't even entered the martial path, to kill Zamaoyu was simply unbelievable.

"Yes, Head Tan. I suppose I was just lucky. I didn't expect that Zamaoyu of the Green Fish Gang would be injured to such an extent!" As he spoke, a trace of relief flashed across Chen Pingan's face. "Tonight, I was originally sleeping at home. In a daze, I heard some movement in the kitchen next door. Just as I was about to get up, I saw a dark shadow emerging from the kitchen. I was startled out of my wits at the time. However, having served as a Zhenfu Division constable for so long, my courage has been somewhat tempered. I forced myself to stay quiet and secretly observed the shadow. The shadow tried to climb over the courtyard wall, but it took several attempts before he finally made it over."

"It took several attempts just to climb over a wall? How high is your courtyard wall?" Tan Huacong asked.

A Second-Level Qi and Blood practitioner should find climbing a wall trivial; they wouldn't need multiple attempts to succeed.

"It's about the same height as this courtyard wall. From what I observed, he seemed to have some injuries; every movement appeared to be a great struggle. That's why it took him several tries to get over."

"Mhm, continue," Tan Huacong nodded.

"After he climbed over the wall, I originally thought about letting it go. But then I thought, as a constable of the Zhenfu Division, I couldn't just sit by and watch a thief in my own home. The more I thought about it, the angrier I got. Realizing he struggled so much just to climb my wall, I figured he couldn't be anyone formidable. So, I followed him secretly. I followed him all the way to this courtyard."

"Wait!" Tan Huacong interrupted. "Are you saying you followed him the whole way without him noticing!?"

"I thought he hadn't noticed at the time. But thinking back, he probably realized I was there halfway through."

"Why do you say that?"

"When he entered this courtyard, I thought he was still looking to steal something. So, I climbed over the wall directly." At this point, as if fearing Tan Huacong's suspicion, Chen Pingan held out his arm, which looked somewhat slender. "Head Tan, don't let my thinness fool you. I actually exercise regularly. Climbing a wall of this height isn't much of a problem."

"I see," Tan Huacong nodded. The wall of this courtyard was indeed not high, only slightly taller than an average person. With certain techniques—or even without them—climbing over wasn't particularly difficult.

"Who would have known? Just as I climbed over the wall, that dark shadow lunged straight at me from right there. It gave me quite a fright."

Chen Pingan pointed to a nearby pile of firewood, speaking with lingering trepidation.