Nine Chapters of Strange Cases

Chapter 265 The unexpected person
Su Changying moved lightly, instantly disappearing into the rain-soaked alley.

The red worm entwined around his fingertips writhed, stretching its head desperately in one direction like a compass.

The sky over Chang'an City looked as if it had been torn open, and torrential rain poured down.

As Su Changying walked, some familiar scenes suddenly surfaced in her mind.

It seemed to be a rainy day when he remembered following his godfather, probably before the latter went to Tianying City. He followed him very closely that time, and when they reached the entrance of an alley, the person in front of him suddenly disappeared into the misty rain as if flying through the air.

In that instant of surprise, a long sword pierced through his chest from behind.

When he woke up, he was locked in that dark and sunless dungeon again. Half-new, half-old blood was seeping into his nose, and he could hear the clear yet eerie sound of a flute. He pressed himself against the corner of the wall, stroking the name Zhou Zhao that he had carved there.

He couldn't remember what was engraved there, but he knew that it contained the most important thing he could never forget.

He also saw Silver Ring for the first time in the cell next to him. Silver Ring was sitting against the wall, holding a hairpin in his hand, stabbing his thigh with an empty expression, again and again, like a puppet that was being manipulated and never stopped.

Blood soaked through his trouser leg, but he seemed completely oblivious to the pain.

The scene stopped abruptly.

Following the guidance of the Gu worm, Su Changying circled around the city several times. Perhaps because the rain concealed her aura, and because her adoptive father was highly skilled in lightness skills, she almost lost him several times.

The red worm, unable to find anyone, waved its body aimlessly. When it sensed the scent again, it immediately straightened up, like an arrow eager to be released from a bow.

The further I walked, the more familiar the scenes on both sides of the street became.

The alley was dilapidated on both sides, the weeds on the rooftops turned yellow in autumn and winter, and the fallen leaves on the ground were piled up in layers. In the corner of the wall not far away, there was a snake's newly shed skin lying there.

Su Changying looked toward the center of the alley, where the old locust tree, half-struck by lightning, stood silently, as if waiting for the return of the departed souls.

For some reason, the red worms on his fingertips stopped moving. They obediently wrapped around Su Changying's fingers, as if they were putting a red ring on his finger.

This is the ghost alley where Shanming Villa is located.

It was here that my adoptive father killed Princess Changyang and then kidnapped her.

Su Changying placed her hand on the hilt of her sword and stepped onto the fallen leaves, heading deeper into the alley.

The boots trod on the grass, making no sound at all. Suddenly, a dark shadow flashed by, and Su Changying drew her longsword and slashed directly at the shadow. The shadow fell to the ground with a thud, and a pool of blood flowed out.

Su Changying stared intently; it was a crow that had just flown by.

He pursed his lips and walked straight into the depths of the alley, but the red worms remained motionless.

Why is that?
He lost track of the person because the distance was too great, so the Gu worms could no longer sense him.

Or did his godfather discover that the token was problematic, deliberately lure him here, and then deal with the token?

As Su Changying pondered this, he became extremely vigilant and walked until he reached the gate of Shanming Villa.

The door wasn't closed tightly, leaving a gap about half a person's width wide. Su Changying flicked his longsword, directly opening the door. He stepped across the threshold, when suddenly a longsword shot out diagonally from behind the door. The sword was fast and swift, leaving afterimages as it vibrated, and it pierced directly towards his chest.

Su Changying was prepared for this, and he suddenly struck the door with his palm.

The door, made of hardwood and as solid as black iron, shattered instantly. Su Changying's longsword met the tip of the incoming sword with unstoppable force. With a flick of his wrist, he unleashed his inner strength, causing the incoming sword to vibrate and hum.

Wood chips flew everywhere, blinding the person opposite them.

If Zhou Zhao were here, she would find that Su Changying was much more restrained and gentle in front of her.

Now, his eyes were filled with murderous intent, so dark they seemed to drip blood. He looked like a demon crawling out of hell, his whole body radiating murderous aura. The long sword was one with him, unstoppable.

With a thud, the longsword pierced the man's heart.

The man's breastplate was pierced, and blood flowed out.

"Brother Changying, don't kill our own people! It's me! It's me! I'm Li Shen, Fan Li Shen! Please let go of my father!"

Su Changying did not withdraw his longsword. He stood there coldly, the cold wind blowing through his hair, making him even more icy.

He looked toward the person behind the door.

The man before me was a handsome man of about forty years old. He had delicate features and exceptionally fair skin. Although he was dressed as a military general, he had an air of scholarly refinement that was hard to fathom.

Seeing that Su Changying's longsword had pierced his breastplate, he was not angry, but instead sheathed the sword.

Then, looking at him with a hint of admiration in his eyes, he said, "Young Marquis Lu's martial arts have improved a lot compared to before."

Su Changying glanced at him, then looked at the flea-like boy behind him. He had big cat eyes and looked very spirited.

Before Su Changying could speak, the boy rushed over, his face flushed and his eyes filled with tears.

Just as Su Changying was about to slap him on the head, the cat-eyed boy suddenly bowed deeply. "Brother Changying, I'm sorry, it's all my fault! If I hadn't brought you guys to secretly come and read books back then, you wouldn't have come at all! If I hadn't brought snacks and forgotten to take them out, you and Brother Zhou Yan wouldn't have turned back!"

It's all my fault! If it weren't for me, you and A-Zhao would have been married long ago, and maybe even have children!

I had no face to return to Chang'an, but upon hearing of your return, I knew I had to come back. I wanted to apologize to you; it's all my fault!

Su Changying looked at the father and son in front of her.

He had heard Zhou Zhao mention that Fan Lishen was the son of Princess Changyang and had once been one of the Six Talented Men of Chang'an. After the Shanming Changyang case, he buried his mother and then left Chang'an with his father to become a tomb raider.

So the person who attacked him just now must be Prince Consort Fan.

Su Changying felt the movement of the red worms in her hand; the worms seemed dead, showing no reaction whatsoever.

“My father and I just returned to Chang’an this morning. We went to the palace to see His Majesty first. We originally planned to come here to pay our respects to my mother before going to find you to repent. I never expected to run into you here! I heard that A-Zhao has become an official in the Court of Justice and A-Huang has become a coroner. That’s wonderful!”

"Brother Changying, could you please pull the sword off my father's body first?"