"This matter, I entrust it entirely to you, my teacher."

He put on a very humble posture, filled with trust and reliance on the teacher,

"I have one more request: no matter what, do not harm Kuangyan’s life. He is, after all, my only brother."

The elder in the black robe saluted him as well and said in a deep voice:

"Rest assured, Young Master, this old man understands and will handle it properly, without making it difficult for you."

In fact, the elder in the black robe never intended to harm Song Kuangyan’s life, but the young master’s words served as a stern reminder to him.

The elder in the black robe bowed and took his leave, exiting the room with a murderous aura in his eyes.

"As long as the second young master lives, the young master’s position will never be truly secure. The young master may consider brotherhood, but the second young master, by nature cruel and cunning, certainly won’t."

Outside the corridor, the shadows of trees swayed, casting the elder’s face in an unpredictable light:

"Some things the young master is unwilling to do, but as his teacher, how can I not eradicate potential threats for him?"

The elder in the black robe had already made a decision, but he still needed to carefully plot how to act, ensuring not only success in his goal but also that no one could trace it back to him afterward.

This was not for his own sake, but because he absolutely could not implicate the young master due to his own mistakes.

He pondered a moment and his gaze fell on the maid standing under the corridor not far away.

The maid was holding a jade bowl, savoring a few slices of orange inside, her cheeks still flushed with the satisfaction of receiving the young master’s reward.

Seeing the elder approach, she hurriedly bowed her head in greeting.

The elder in the black robe, expressionless, reached out his hand and directly picked the largest and juiciest slice of orange from the jade bowl she held.

Under the startled gaze of the maid, the elder in the black robe leisurely placed the orange slice into his mouth, chewing it slowly.

The elder in the black robe squinted his eyes and said meaningfully, "Indeed, very sweet..."

However, when the maid met that smile, she inexplicably felt a chill, causing her to shiver involuntarily.

He glanced towards the deepest part of the courtyard, in the direction of the main family’s lineage, then looked back at the maid, speaking softly:

"How does the young master usually treat you?"

"The young master has treated me with an immense grace," the maid hurriedly replied, her voice trembling unconsciously.

The elder in the black robe nodded in satisfaction, suddenly leaning in closer, letting her catch a faint herbal scent mixed with a barely perceptible bloodiness.

"Then..."

Lowering his voice, each word slithered into the maid’s ear like a snake,

"If there’s a small task to do for the young master... would you be willing?"

The maid’s pupils suddenly contracted, and the jade bowl in her hand dropped to the ground with a crash, scattering orange slices everywhere.

Inside the study.

The heavy rosewood door completely isolated outside noises, not even the wind could seep in.

Song Kuangyi resumed his seat, reached out, and picked up the ancient book he had just set aside on the table.

His slender fingers turned to the page where he had interrupted earlier.

The yellowed rice paper bore archaic ink marks.

At the top of the page, a four-character title caught his eye – "The Sound of Axes and Candlelight"!!!

......

Lower City District 9, 798 Block, "Blood Rose" nightclub.

The air was so thick it seemed as if it could be wrung out, mixing cheap perfume, strong alcohol, tobacco tar, and an indescribable scent of hormones into a unique "fragrance" that was both intoxicating and irritating.

The deafening bass roared, making one’s heart throb and numb.

In a specific private room deep within the nightclub, soundproofing materials muffled the outside clamor.

Under dim lights, Li Shang reclined in the depths of the sofa, a cigarette between his fingers curling up into a slender blue smoke.

"Buzz..."

The phone on the table corner suddenly lit up, emitting a subdued vibration.

Li Shang glanced over indifferently but upon seeing the sender’s name, his pupils contracted slightly — Feng Ju.

He extinguished the cigarette, picked up his phone, unlocked the screen, and a brief message leapt to his eyes:

Congratulations to Captain Li on your upcoming promotion to Chief of Patrol Office, are you free for a late-night snack tonight, my treat!

Although just a short line, Li Shang read it over three times.

There was no joy on his face; instead, his thick brows furrowed tighter, almost knitting together.

He silently turned the phone screen towards Chang Erbing who sat on the sofa opposite him.

Chang Erbing was stuffing a handful of "Sugar Beans" into his mouth, his cheeks bulging as he chewed. Seeing this, he craned his neck and leaned over to take a look.

Sugar Beans were a special supply from "Blood Rose," a new type of solid Awakening Liquid, milder in effect than the traditional liquid form and less addictive. It was quite popular in certain circles of the Lower City.

Upon seeing the text message, Chang Erbing’s eyes lit up, and he exclaimed unclearly:

"Hey, we got it right; giving the Sheepskin Scroll to the special agent was the right move. If I’m not mistaken, Feng Ju is admitting defeat in advance and wants to use this late-night meal to apologize and show his submission."

Chang Erbing snorted a couple of times, adding:

"If Feng Ju is smart, then, considering Feng Mu’s face, when you get promoted, Captain Li, you might as well let Feng Ju continue being his captain, and that would also serve the special agent well."

Li Shang didn’t respond, only retrieving his phone.

Chang Erbing’s words buzzed in his ear like noise, yet they did nothing to dispel the heavy unease weighing on his mind.

Feng Ju? Admit defeat? Back down?

Li Shang instinctively felt something was wrong.

He didn’t know Feng Ju particularly well, but he knew his good friend, Feng Mu, was a dangerously insane person.

As the father of a lunatic, Feng Ju, even if not as extreme as his son, wouldn’t just concede halfway through, right?

Moreover, from a detective’s perspective, if Feng Ju were truly sincere in submitting, he should be addressing him as Director Li in the text message by now.

Most importantly, the feeling the special agent gave him made him vaguely uneasy.

But he didn’t tell Chang Erbing, as it would be of no benefit, and he wasn’t sure if his suspicions were just paranoia.

Li Shang turned to Ma Bin, showing him the message as well, and asked:

"What do you think?"

Yes, he didn’t share his suspicions about the special agent with Chang Erbing, but he did with Ma Bin.

After prolonged contact, Li Shang was increasingly aware of Ma Bin’s sharp mind, keen sense of danger, and survival wisdom that always found a way out of desperate situations, precisely what he needed at the moment.

The two exchanged a brief glance, no words needed; Ma Bin knew what Li Shang was concerned about.

After pondering for a moment, he said:

"Whether this dinner is Feng Ju’s idea or at the special agent’s behest, you must go. If there’s truly danger, not going would be even more dangerous."

Li Shang agreed in a deep voice: "That’s exactly it."

Chang Erbing: "..." felt like the two were speaking in riddles; he couldn’t understand a thing.

He cast a slightly resentful glance at Li Shang, remaining silent.

Ma Bin continued:

"However, we host the meal, and we’ll set the time and place. At that time, Captain Li, you can....."

The night was already deep.

A rather secluded private restaurant, with a worn-out sign, an unremarkable façade, and the dining hall long emptied of other patrons, leaving only the occasional dull clash of pots and utensils from the back kitchen.

In the private room, the chandelier cast mottled shadows, making the wooden round table gleam with an oily sheen.

"Creak——"

The door was pushed open.

Feng Ju’s figure appeared at the entrance.

He wore a semi-worn black trench coat, its collar turned up, covering half of his face.

He didn’t come in immediately, his gaze sweeping across the small private room.

His eyes paused briefly on Li Shang and Chang Erbing’s faces, then turned to the partition walls covered with cheap wallpaper on both sides of the room.

His resurrected enhanced senses, like a precision radar, instantly activated.

Thud... thud... thud....

From both sides of the partition walls, closely pressed against them, came the clear sound of at least a dozen strong and suppressed heartbeats.

No sound of clinking dishes, chewing, or swallowing, and certainly no chatter.

Clearly not patrons, but people deliberately lying in ambush.

An imperceptible, cold arc tugged at the corner of Feng Ju’s mouth.

"Li Shang is indeed cautious; it seems he has smelled the scent of danger... well, that makes this easier."

He stepped into the private room, closing the door behind him and pulling out a chair to sit opposite Li Shang.

The polite words he had prepared turned on his tongue, but now they seemed like a waste of time.

His fingers tapped on the table edge, his nails having an unhealthy bluish-gray tinge. He cut straight to the point:

"Congratulations, Captain Li. The special agent says the position of Chief could be yours, but the question is, will you be alive to take it?"