Steampunk Era: Mad Abield
Chapter 1193: Section 729: Facing (Part 3)_2

Chapter 1193: Section 729: Facing (Part 3)_2

The Renxia Guild is an assassin’s guild run by the people from the Four Islands, which sounds sinister but unfortunately, it’s more about money than people. This one claims that although their mission failed, they will not disclose any information.

Director Zhang laughed heartily, suggesting that once inside the patrol office, big talk would end. Especially since a new top expert has joined, guaranteed to make these stubborn little angels obedient and well-behaved.

The bald man laughed back, saying that the so-called interrogation experts at the patrol office are no more than toddlers learning to walk in the eyes of their guild.

With both sides harboring their own intentions, it ended with Director Zhang leading his men back.

The Sage Qian warned the house owner, and as they left, Malin glanced back at the five-story building. Salis, in the sky, had already shared everything he saw with Malin—including the view of the square from the rooftop of the official’s building.

Darn, there’s still a problem.

Malin stopped Sage Qian and pointed out his discovery, so they all turned back. The Zhao family patriarch was scolding someone, and upon realizing they had returned, he had to gather the servants again. They found that the two maids who were there earlier had disappeared—one joined half a year ago, and the other five years ago.

The latter should be a deep mole, targeting the Zhao family’s modest high-rise from the beginning. And upon inspecting the private room of the maid from five years ago (she was the steward), they found a disassembled rifle with an 8x scope. On further inspection, they discovered it was a bolt-action rifle from Malin’s workshop.

The reason they could confirm this was because of the early secret marks on the barrel from Malin’s workshop, deliberately left to prevent the dog tags from being erased. So, Malin could recognize this gun’s origin at a glance. How exactly it traveled across the sea to Eastern Land remains a mystery, but Malin confirmed that from the rooftop, one could clearly see the third-floor balcony of the official building where the City Lord would speak during the Harvest Festival.

Their intentions were now blatantly clear.

Once informed of the situation, the Zhao family, the City Lord’s eldest son, and Sage Qian turned pale. If the City Lord were assassinated during the Harvest Festival, it would be added glory to Chaos’s actions. Therefore, regardless of whether these assassins and Chaos had a connection, they were doomed.

The Sages would not allow such a small organization to continue existing.

Moreover, before dying, any secrets these assassins held would no longer be secrets.

Upon leaving the Zhao family, Sage Qian instructed Director Zhang to return and conduct interrogations. Malin informed Ails to go assist, indicating that if he got itchy hands, he should peel them, as such petty criminals required swift and harsh measures.

And then they continued to the next household.

Malin was familiar with this place; it was none other than the Meng family, so there was no need to act. He led the team into the Meng residence, explained the reason to Madame Meng, who immediately gathered everyone to follow Malin for identification. They ultimately discovered that a steward had a slight Chaos contamination—not an issue of his own, but likely traces left after contact with someone.

It should have been contracted a week ago, but it’s been some time, so exact timing couldn’t be determined. The steward thought hard, but several possibilities he mentioned were cleared as false.

Finally, he couldn’t recall anymore, but another steward suggested a possibility—he had a lover in the city’s west district and visited her eight days ago, staying overnight alone.

Malin left this steward to Madame Meng’s discretion and then led the team straight to the lover’s place.

Turns out she was a charming woman, relatively young compared to the steward who looked fifty or sixty, but she didn’t have her own house, living instead in an apartment building.

Wasting no time, Malin found the location and had Salis fly over to confirm the coordinates. Then, with Madame Meng, Sage Qian, and Old Man Li, they dashed to the apartment—the City Lord’s eldest son had to make his way over on foot.

Exiting the teleportation tunnel, Malin led the charge up to the fourth floor, pulling two shotguns from his space. Sage Qian took one, and with Old Man Li wielding the other, they positioned themselves on either side of the apartment door.

Malin knocked on the apartment door, saying, "Upstairs! Your place is leaking!"

A woman’s puzzled voice answered from inside, "Why is my place leaking? Hang on, child."

Madame Meng acted quickly, her voice taking on that of an elderly woman, "Miss, your bathroom is leaking, open the door."

Hearing there were both elderly and young outside the door, the woman’s guard dropped, and she said she’d come right away, while Malin heard footsteps approaching. Malin put his left hand, holding the revolver, behind him, and as she opened the door, he smiled and used spiritual energy to seize control of her mind, pulling her away from the doorway and tossing her to Madame Meng. From the doorway, two men could be seen sitting at the table drinking, uncertain of who they were, but judging from their similar faces... it was hard to distinguish.

Old Man Li and Sage Qian entered the room with guns raised, so the two men immediately surrendered.

Good, they surrendered, indicating ordinary terrorists.

If they resisted, they would be very dangerous terrorists.

......

The City Lord’s eldest son, unfortunately, had transition channel allergies; otherwise, he could have come directly. Despite his age, he had a military background, and after retiring, he served many years in the City Lord’s guard, well-trained, and being a Transcendent, ran up the stairs without panting.

However, he was still late. Regarding the three individuals, Malin first asked Sage Qian and Old Man Li to confirm their identities, discovering they were Northerners. Malin then used a soul-searching spell on the old steward’s lover, finding out she was involved with not just the twins, but even sought affairs when her old lover wasn’t around.

Malin cast a detection spell and found Chaos contamination on her as well.

Interrogating the twins revealed they were ordinary citizens. There was a stronger Chaos contamination on them, showing only a day or two’s difference in time.

"Such a wanton woman," Madame Meng snorted, clearly disgusted with the old steward’s lover.

"This woman has others outside; I even pity that old steward. The world isn’t worth it," Old Man Li remarked sarcastically.

"She got it from others. It’s urgent, so I must forcibly soul-search to see how many other ’good brothers’ she has," Malin said, looking at the City Lord’s eldest son, who nodded without hesitation, "No time to waste, Lord Malin."

Thus, Malin placed a hand on the woman’s head to perform a soul search, confirming there were two other men—one a merchant, who spent half the year in New Hangzhou and the other half in the North, last leaving three months ago, likely not involved.

The other was met in a teahouse, clearly of Westland descent—with blond hair.

Malin frowned and verified his address—it was also in the city’s west, three streets away from here, rumored to be a core member of a local small gang. Sage Qian checked his file, which showed he had a reputation for being eager to help others.

"Hmm, easing the young steward’s troubles is also a form of being eager to help," Old Man Li chuckled.

This left Malin quite vexed—the elder’s sarcasm was unmatched.

"Enough with the sarcasm, old man. Malin, let’s quickly find that man."

"Let’s go," Malin said. After knocking out the twins with spiritual energy, he opened a teleportation tunnel. Madame Meng and Old Man Li went in first, followed by Sage Qian. Then Malin entered and emerged to find the apartment building already cordoned off by police, with a patrol detective approaching, "It’s Sage Qian! What brings you here?"

"We’re here to arrest someone, what’s happened?"

"There’s been a death."

The exchange ended there, and Malin already had a bad premonition.

It seemed the blond guy might have met a grim fate.