Ever since their first meeting, Wan Mingyue never ceased to amaze him in his own rotten way. Now that he was telling him about how he witnessed a murder that went by unnoticed for nearly a month without informing the authority with such a straight face, he wasn't surprised at himself for not reacting in the way a General Gu would, dragging on the Wan Mingyue's neck to the court. Instead, he watched the dark brown color of his tea somehow feeling influenced by the aloofness of this man that never seemed to ripple except that one instance when he mocked him to his face in the very same spot.

"Take me there," he found himself speaking slowly.

"Why?" Wan Mingyue gazed at him.

"Wan Mingyue, I know where your red nose friend lives."

The man's jaw moved a little as if to smile but he was only sighing, "His safety, it's not a matter to me. But, General Gu, I was only asking why because you seemed to have forgotten that you could check the promising family book at the court. There is no need for, I, to rush my feet and sweat my rope."

Gu Changming was already aware but he had no patience to travel the short distance and tired his eyes searching for those tiny letters when this man, in his whole being, was already in front of him conveniently. Moreover, from how he mentioned the family book, the victim must have died in his home as a family book only jotted down the home address.

It was a clear choice.

"Wan Mingyue, take me there."

Tan Xue's house was not as worst off as a castaway servant's house would be. It was made of earthen clay painted white with a tiny room bumping out of the square home. There was no window and the door was slightly ajar. This resembled more of an animal shed rather than a home of a sick woman and her child. Gu Changming took a full breath of the rotten stench by accident when he stepped into the threshold.

It was dark and dusty, the light from the door only provided for as far as it could stretch which barely covered half the room. There were an oblong bamboo table and a chair with broken legs cast aside on the earthen ground collecting dust. A black and white painting of a child was smiling at them eerily welcoming them to the crime scene. General Gu didn't waste time pushing into another door to the small room with the sole of his sword hilt.

The first thing they saw was not the rotten body lying on its bed, it was a pair of hands that were severed. And, on both of their palms were a single magnolia flower almost darkening completely from its long wait.

General Gu turned his head to the bed. There was indeed a tall body laid down for the world to see. The smell almost twisted his brain and wrenched it to pain. Yet, he didn't grimace nor grabbed his nose. Gu Changming, instead, shoved a hand into his breast pocket and retrieved a hardwood tablet with a small inscription that was written, 'Bureau of Investigation, Group one'.

"You are going to call your people?"

Gu Changming ignored him, transferring some spiritual energy into the rectangular wooden plate, and then came a golden inscription, another one on a prior empty spot below the first one. It was written, 'Meijing.'

Wan Mingyue left the house without another word. However, as long as he was in General Gu's sight, there was no way the man would let him off his grip. Sensing such danger, the lime green sword that had always been too flashy was finally unsheathed from its scabbard.

He spoke in the chilliest voice, of any other days they had met, "You are truly relentless."

"It's my job." Gu Changming has not drawn his weapon because, for the first time, he felt that this was too important to mess up. He felt that if he was even a bit careless, surely, he would fail. Something about this guy spoke to him that this was, indeed, a very worthy opponent. Even though, it wasn't in his nature to trust his emotions over his rationals or sometimes ego. However, once a man can predict his demise, he shall not ignore it.

"I may have overestimated you, Wan Mingyue. You have expected me to walk out free and untouched leading me here. You are a soft-hearted person, while I am not."

Being called a soft person seemed to do quite a mountain on his temper. Wan Mingyue must have wanted to show him how wrong he was. It was surprising for this fact to be such a touchy subject to this kind of person. The man seemed not hesitated to wield his sword in the broad daylight where the ghosts of the mother and son might have been watching from below the brown earthen dirt.

Gu Changming had dodged in time, he always had, but he was very closed to missing an ear. His hands slammed hard on the ground while his feet kicked upward like a pair of best-quality chopsticks. There was only dirt masking the space between them when he was standing as he did a few seconds ago. It all happened in a flash like a shadow. Wan Mingyue had also dodged.

Perfectly.

There was one thing that he had not expected, however. It was the dust that was settling between them. Gu Changming suddenly felt dizzy and as if the brain was shutting it own self down, his limps lost control.

The bastard.

This was his only thought before he lost consciousness.

-
February 21

"How much longer are you planning to stall?" Caption Shao was speaking into the tiny room illuminated in the depressing orange glow of oil lamps. He had seen that they had finished the corpse preservation ritual but he hardened his heart as he was given multiple downcast eyes and a series of apologies.

The only thing that could make him so restless was none other than the body that was resting under a tree outside. The sleeping face defeated the beauty of early dawn but most importantly, he was perched by the hard trunk breathing under the dusty and cool wind.

They had no choice but to move his body there. The cottage was too smelly and dirty so it was out of the question. The investigation group came not with a carriage but a band of handsome horses. Lest they moved him there, the horses would shake him off like a flea.

At the moment, he was only protected by a black thick coat and his lips were pale, fingers ice-cold and eyebrows scrunching hard. Many believed he might be battling with a nightmare all on his own. But, a whistle of a tree awoke him suddenly. He seemed to be struggling to open his eyes against the strong sunlight leaking behind his perching self.

Caption Shao was inspecting the house as the General waltzed in, his sunlit eyes sunken a multitude. He didn't say a word as his subordinate searched for one in the midst of his astonishment.

"W-We're are done cleaning up, General. I'm just doing a small sweep around." Shao Weimin rested his gaze on the on clueless investigators watching outside and his forehead started to urge him to sweat.

Gu Changming went to check the small room then came back and went outside. "Return to the capital first. I shall come half a day after."

"Yes, General. We will get the investigation running as soon as we arrive." Captain Shao continued, "General...May I inquire as to what has happened? We found General unconscious all by yourself. Has somebody dared to cause you harm?" However, in his heart, he was more curious as to who could actually cause this guy harm at all.

Gu Changming only stared at him and for a brief moment, he was scared that he might have offended the Great General. But, his gaze turned cold, "Very well...There is a guy named, 'Wan Mingyue'. Report to me all his status and identity. He's currently a suspect for this murder and as an assassin."

"Suspect?"

"He led me to this crime scene albeit having been aware of the murder that took place since last month. He could only have had two motives. Either to hide the body he murdered or to help the culprit."

"If that is the case, why would he lead General here? Even if both motives apply, he has absolutely no reason to bite his own tail."

"He sneaked in a paralysis powder while we crossed swords as I attempted to capture him. Whatever motives he possesses, he surely has something guilty to hide. Abide by my words and relay this to Chief Commander Yang."

Shao Weimin bowed in submission but with a strange feeling in his heart that he could not place into words.