Early in the morning, Lian Yue and Xingtian began their investigation. They questioned townsfolk about the murders, slowly piecing together fragments of information. The victims were always young, beautiful women—killed once every seven days. The last murder had occurred two days before their arrival, giving them only four or five days to stop the next tragedy.
"Do you notice anything strange about the patterns?" Lian Yue asked as they walked through narrow streets.
Xingtian nodded. "Most of the victims came from wealthy families. And the murders always happen in the northeast part of town. The killer is deliberate—choosing secluded alleys or homes where no one can hear the screams."
Lian Yue's grip on her sword tightened. "So, this isn't random. The murderer knows the town well… and its people."
Each night, they patrolled the streets, searching for clues. Occasionally, Xingtian slipped away under the cover of darkness to meet with his Shadow Guard, Li Xi.
One such evening, Li Xi bowed respectfully and reported, "Your Majesty, the demons using your name to commit these crimes have been identified. One of them is called the Skinner."
Xingtian's expression darkened. His voice turned sharp. "And the others?"
"They're scattered across different regions, but our forces are closing in."
Li Xi hesitated. "Shall I eliminate the Skinner, my lord?"
Xingtian shook his head. "No. I'll handle him myself. You focus on the others."
"Understood," Li Xi replied, vanishing into the shadows.
On the fifth day, while patrolling the northeast district, Lian Yue raised a concern. "This town isn't large, but even so, it's impossible for just the two of us to monitor every corner."
Xingtian's gaze swept over the quiet streets. His tone was calm but resolute. "We don't need to. There aren't many young women here, and the victims are mostly from wealthy households. If we focus on key areas, we'll be able to stop him."
Lian Yue gave him a curious glance, her eyes narrowing. "You seem to know this city quite well, Mr. Xing. Almost… too well."
Xingtian paused, a flicker of emotion passing across his face. Memories surfaced—of a barefoot boy shivering in the snow, and a small girl tugging at her shizun's robes, begging him to help.
He quickly masked the thought and replied lightly, "Didn't you say I know everything, Lady Lian?"
She gave him a faint, amused smile. "Then surely you know who the murderer's next target is?"
"Not for certain," he replied, voice steady. "But if we stay vigilant, we'll find him before it's too late."
That evening, they agreed to split up to cover more ground. Lian Yue insisted it would be more efficient. Though Xingtian agreed, unease lingered in his eyes.
Alone, Lian Yue moved swiftly through shadowed alleys. Then she spotted movement—a girl, no older than ten, crying softly beneath a flickering lantern.
"Miss, what's wrong?" Lian Yue asked gently as she approached.
The girl looked up, her cheeks wet with tears. "My mother… she's hurt. She won't wake up!"
Without hesitation, Lian Yue followed the child to a nearby alley, where a woman lay motionless. Kneeling beside her, Lian Yue reached to check her pulse—but found none.
Her instincts screamed a warning.
She gripped the hilt of her sword. "Little one, where's your—"
A sudden gust of air cut her off.
She spun, blade flashing from its sheath—just as a heavy strike came crashing toward her.