I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

A moment later, Xun Sanlang felt a surge of emotions welling up in his chest and mind.

Feeling wronged, resentful, angry...

Why... did you reject me? Why... can't you accept me?

When Xun Sanlang knocked on A Ping's door, he was already mentally prepared to be rejected by A Ping again.

Even though he had mentally prepared himself, for some reason, after hearing Ah Ping's rejection once again, he couldn't suppress the negative emotions in his heart.

I felt like I had lost control of my body.

Anger, resentment... these negative emotions, like a pack of out-of-control beasts, devoured Xun Sanlang.

Just as these negative emotions reached their peak—he pulled out the pocket sword he always carried for self-defense…

After that, Xun Sanlang couldn't quite remember what happened next.

As if he had lost his memory, Xun Sanlang couldn't recall what happened after he took out his hidden sword.

All he remembered was... when he came to his senses, he was already lying on top of Ah Ping.

He clutched a sword in his hand, which was stained red, just like his palms.

Ah Ping beneath him... was no longer alive.

His lifeless eyes met Xun Sanlang's eyes, which were filled with terror.

how so……?

Normally, I don't even have the courage to argue with someone on the street.

Why did I suddenly kill Ah Ping as if I were possessed by a ghost?

After the initial shock, fear quickly welled up in A-Ping's cheeks.

I killed someone...

I don't want to be arrested by those "three-time" people...!

We must escape... We can't let the "three-times" people catch us!

His pity for his own life outweighed his remorse and guilt for killing A-Ping.

Although Shinzaburo's mind was filled with fear at that time, he had not completely lost his mind.

In order to buy himself time to escape overnight, when fleeing from Granny Ping's house, Shunzaburo deliberately blew out the candle that was still burning, creating the illusion that Granny Ping was already asleep, thus delaying the time it would take for Granny Ping's body to be discovered.

After stumbling back home and preparing to pack his bags to escape Edo under the cover of night... he regretted it.

Edo was his hometown.

Once he leaves Edo... where else can he go?

There's nowhere to go.

A sense of wishful thinking arose at that moment and quickly took over his mind.

Given the inefficient and luck-dependent methods of the Magistrate's Office in solving cases... there's a high chance that the Magistrate's Office's "three times" will never catch me!

As long as I stay at home and eat and drink as I please, it won't be long before my life gets back on track!

Driven by this侥幸心理 (a sense of wishful thinking), Xun Sanlang abandoned his plan to flee overnight and stayed at home.

He, who usually falls asleep the moment his head hits the pillow, spent the first sleepless night ever...

Ultimately, Xun Sanlang's mental fortitude wasn't that strong.

Despite the fact that the person who kept telling him "three times" was unlikely to catch him, he was still keeping an eye on news about Ah Ping. After learning that Ah Ping's body had been discovered, he was extremely uneasy and unable to remain calm.

Ah... while the "Three Times" detective team's crime-solving efficiency is low, they're not helpless against every case...

Such thoughts kept swirling in Xun Sanlang's mind.

Hesitant and unable to overcome his anxiety and fear, he finally made up his mind just now—to run away!

Escape from Edo, go wherever you want, and never return to Edo!

Money, clothes... all the necessities have been brought...

After checking his luggage, Xun Sanlang realized he had forgotten something very important—

"Medicine...medicine..."

Xun Sanlang rushed to the cabinet next to him and found a bottle filled with small purple and red pills.

Perhaps because he worked too hard when he was young, as he got older, Shunzaburo felt severe pain in his waist, shoulders and other areas.

About a year ago, on someone's recommendation, Jinzaburo bought these strangely colored pills that were said to have pain-relieving effects.

After taking it once, Xun Sanlang felt that the effect was surprisingly good. Just one pill was enough to reduce the pain in various parts of his body.

From then on, this not-so-expensive medicine became a necessity in Xun Sanlang's life. Whenever any part of his body ached, he would take one pill.

Clutching the medicine bottle in his pocket, Xun Sanlang slung his luggage over his shoulder and hurriedly fled outside.

wow...

After opening the wooden door, the bright sunlight did not shine on Xun Sanlang.

Because a tall figure stood in front of his door, blocking out the sunlight.

Stunned, Jinzaburo raised his gaze—the person in front of him was backlit, and the reflection of the sunlight prevented Jinzaburo from seeing the person's face clearly. Jinzaburo only saw a kind smile on the person's face.

"Oh...you must be Mr. Kenzaburo?"

"I didn't expect you to come out by yourself... Well, that's good, it saves me the trouble of pulling the door open to look for you."

"Greetings, I am Tachibana Aoto, from Kitaban-sho-cho. I have many questions I would like to ask you."

"First, the first question—where are you planning to go with that luggage on your back?"

Xun Sanlang saw that kind smile slowly turn into a cold expression.

*******

*******

There are 3 updates today!

This is incredibly generous! (Like a leopard crying.jpg) Please vote for this book with your monthly tickets and recommendation votes, considering how generous the author is!

In case any readers who don't understand anything start spouting nonsense, the author would like to preface this by saying:

This case is based on a real-life event.

【!!! It has a real-life counterpart!!!】

【!!! It has a real-life counterpart!!!】

【!!! It has a real-life counterpart!!!】

The author adapted this case based on a real-life case.

The case that served as the prototype was even more outrageous. The perpetrator, who was over 90 years old, waited for more than 70 years until the victim's husband died and he became single again. He then professed his love to the victim, who was over 90 years old, and was rejected. Enraged, he killed her.

The author will reveal the specific case later.

Chapter 34: Acquired the talent: [Sleep God]!

After urging Haidarou to gather all of Ping Po's neighbors and relatives, Qing Deng successfully identified a suspect whose characteristics matched his deductions: Ping Po's childhood friend, Xun Sanlang.

Fortunately, a few people knew where this Xun Sanlang lived.

After asking the few people who knew Xun Sanlang's address to take him to this person's residence, before he could even reach out to open the door, Qing Deng saw an old man with a hurried expression, carrying a large cloth bag, rushing out of the door.

Upon seeing the large cloth bag carried on the old man's back, and the obvious scratches on the back of the old man's left hand, Qing Deng's gaze instantly turned serious.

While introducing yourself to the elderly person, lower your center of gravity slightly and raise your right arm slightly, ready to deal with any unexpected situation.

The neighbors and relatives of Granny Ping, who knew where Shinzaburo lived and who had helped Shinzaburo find his way, who were standing behind Aoto, as well as Gray Dalang who was standing to the side and behind Aoto, were all dumbfounded when they saw Shinzaburo looking like he was on the run.

Just now, when he heard Qingdeng mention something about a crime of passion, Grey Wolf's first reaction was to scoff.

A crime of passion? What a joke! How old is Grandma Ping? She's not some young girl in the prime of her youth!

At that moment, Gray Wolf thought that Da Tou Deng was indeed Da Tou Deng, always saying such nonsensical things!

Even though he thought Qing Deng was talking nonsense, for some reason... after hearing Qing Deng's confident tone and his self-assured expression, Hai Da Lang inexplicably had a strange thought: he wanted to go with Qing Deng to visit that Xun San Lang and see for himself whether what Qing Deng said was true or false.

By then, the bustling crowd surrounding Granny Ping's house had calmed down a bit, and the various disturbances had lessened considerably. So, Gray Wolf simply handed over the task of maintaining order to one of his capable assistants, and then went alone with Qing Deng to Xun Sanlang's house.

Although he went with Aoto to visit Shinzaburo, Haidairou still felt that Aoto's previous deductions about the culprit were complete nonsense.

But at this moment... upon seeing Jinzaburo who seemed to be in a hurry to escape, Haidairou felt as if he had been hit hard on the head with a big stick, and his mind was buzzing.

Immediately afterwards, he subconsciously turned his head and looked at Qingdeng with a shocked expression...

Looking at Aoto, who was dressed in the same style as the leader of the Communist Party, with jittes tucked into his waistband and the insignia of the Magistrate's Office tied around his waist, Jinzaburo's expression changed rapidly and drastically.

He was stunned at first.

Then... it was like a taut string suddenly snapping.

The pressure that had been building up since last night was released all at once.

In an astonishingly fast motion, the blank expression on Shinzaburo's face transformed into fear and panic.

His face drained of color, and his expression changed drastically.

He flung his hand away and forcefully flung the large cloth bag he was carrying behind him toward Qingdeng.

Because Qing Deng was on guard against any possible attack from Xun Sanlang, he was prepared and dodged the cloth bag that Xun Sanlang threw by dodging in time.

As the cloth bag passed Qingdeng, the cloth unfurled, scattering the money, clothes, and other valuables inside onto the ground.

After throwing the luggage at Qingdeng, Xun Sanlang quickly took half a step back, then reached into his pocket and pulled out a hidden sword.

He drew his sword and pointed the sharp tip at Qing Deng and the others.

"Get out of the way! All of you, get out of the way! Let me leave!!"

The sudden outburst of Xun Sanlang startled Hai Dalang and the others.

"Put...put down the sword!" Gray Brother stammered, trembling, but nimbly and deftly hid behind Qing Deng...

Compared to the loud and boisterous Gray Brother, Qing Deng was much calmer—when he saw Xun Sanlang take out his weapon, his expression only darkened slightly, and then he raised his hand and drew the Jitsu from his right waist.