The guards gulped for a moment before responding.
"He was discovered hiding within the Town Head's bedroom, unconscious. The supervisor has ordered for us to take him to the healers so that he can be checked and treated for any injuries." One of the Guards respectfully spoke.
"You won't be doing that. He doesn't have any injuries." Hei Wan spoke.
The guards felt stressed upon hearing Hei Wan's words. They could not decide whose ordures to listen to the Supervisors or high official Hei Wan's.
"But… But madam, we have been ordered." The second guard spoke after gathering a little bit of courage.
Hei Wan's presence turned grim as she spoke again.
"You dare defy my orders? Just do as I say. I'll question this boy myself later." Hei Wan ordered.
"Yes, Madam." The Guards responded with fear in their voice.
The guards then put Lin Mu down on the side of a wall and guided Hei Wan inside the office. Lin Mu let out a sigh as he propped himself against the wall in a more comfortable manner.
'Seems like it's going according to the plan. Now I just have to wait.' Lin Mu thought.
"But what is Hei Wan's actual identity, such that she's actually able to exert her influence and command the guards." Lin Mu muttered to himself.
Inside the town head's office, Hei Wan was looking at the corpses that were lying on the ground. Although she had already seen them before, seeing them again was nothing less than impactful.
'Lin Mu must've been really enraged to crush the Town Head's skull like that. We need to investigate this in depth.' Hei Wan thought.
"So this is the town head and the Vice captain Han Lei." Hei Wan spoke.
"Yes, madam." The Guard replied.
Hei Wan nodded and gestured for them to continue. The guard then brought her to the bedroom where the supervisor Li Peng and a few more guards were waiting for her. Li Peng looked at the face of Hei Wan that was hidden behind a veil and showed a mild smile.
"Greetings, madam Hei Wan." Li Peng greeted respectfully while cupping his hands.
"Greetings. So what is this that I'm witnessing the first day I enter the Northern town." Hei Wan spoke in a cold tone.
Sweat appeared on Li Pen's forehead upon hearing Hei Wan's words, and he seemed to have become a little alarmed. He took a deep breath before speaking.
"This was very unfortunate, but we don't know why it happened." Li Peng spoke.
"Hmm, is that all you have to say? You don't have any potential suspects?" Hei Wan questioned.
"No, madam. We still have to investigate to get an idea." Li Peng answered nervously.
~harrumph~
"Have you become dull after coming to the Northern Town, Li Peng? Do you even know why I'm here?" Hei Wan questioned further, with a harrumph.
"No… no. I thought you were just passing by." Li Peng spoke hurriedly.
A sharp expression appeared in Hei Wan's face that was hidden by the veil, yet it could still be felt by Li Peng.
"If I was passing through, where would I be going to from here? TO THE FOREST?" Hei Wan chided.
"I'm here to investigate the reports of the disappearances and other incidents that have recently happened, You buffoon." Hei Wan declared.
"Ah yes, madam. This servant's mind has become muddled with age and could not think properly." Li Peng hurriedly apologized while bowing.
~Hmmphm~
"Can't you tell, the person who did this is most likely the same person who is responsible for the disappearances." Hei Wan spoke.
"They are?" Li Peng asked, with a dumbfounded expression.
Li Peng honestly had little idea of what had happened in the town these days. While he had known about the incidents and had asked the town head about it, the answer that he got from him was completely different.
The Town head had replied to him that the incident was a mere hoax and that the mercenaries were instead faking it, just so that they could get compensation. That they were just trying to scam out some benefits from the town while they were here. As for the disappearances of the previous vice captain, he just attributed it to a Spirit Beast attack.
Li Peng himself was busy with tallying up the accounts and the ledgers of the spirit apple harvest. He had been spending the time after the harvest ended, cooped up in his office working on it. The mayor of Wu Lim city has been stressing on him more than usual this time and it made him feel likely the mayor was perhaps desperate for money. Though he could not find a reason for that.
"You idiot, my subordinate Hei Bao chased after him and saw his appearance. Other people outside along with the guards saw it too. And by just asking a few questions to the mercenaries, I found out that some of them had seen a similar person in the camp before." Hei Wan Answered.
The last part of Hei Wan asking the mercenaries was a lie, but Hei Wan knew that Li Peng would not even dare to think about questioning her words. While Hei Wan did have the power to suppress the town head and the guards on her own, she could not do so without any valid reason.
If the Mayor decided to look into her actions, she may end up in trouble, which would furtherer harm her lord's plans. But now that she had an excuse to act, she could do whatever she wanted with the excused for investigation.
"So the reports about the mercenaries' disappearances are true?" Li Peng asked with genuine concern.
Seeing the change in Li Peng's tone, Hei Wan knew that she had managed to convince the man and that he was now up for it.
"Of course it was, I don't know what the captain, vice captain, and the town head have been doing these days, but it's certain that they have been slacking off." Hei Wan answered.
"Look around the office, you can clearly tell that the murderer was originally here to steal something. He probably had to kill the vice captain and town head because they probably discovered him, or that they had the item he wanted." Hei Wan explained.
After hearing Hei Wan's words, realization dawned in Li Peng's mind. He took another look around the bedroom and the office and indeed found that certain things seemed to be missing, while others seemed to have been moved around.
"Check the office and the bedroom. Find out what's missing and make a list." Li Peng ordered to the guards.
"YES, SIR!" The guards responded in unison before scurrying to carry out Li Peng's orders.
Hei Wan nodded in acknowledgment and allowed the guards to do their work. She then turned to Li Peng and looked at him.
"What do we know about the boy?" Hei Wan questioned.
"We found him unconscious and hiding in a corner of the bedroom. He was part of a night vigil that was organized by the residents of the eastern district. They were asked to come report to the town head." Li Peng answered.
"Anything else, I should know?" Hei Wan reiterated.
Li Peng gulped and took a deep breath, showing his hesitation. Hei Wan noticed this and wondered what it was about.
"Go on, you can speak freely." Hei Wan spoke.
"Forgive this servant for his insolence." Li Peng apologized in anticipation.
"I know the boy. He's named Lin Mu, and I've met him before once." Li Peng spoke.
Hei Wan narrowed her eyes upon hearing Li Peng's words.
'Li Peng has met Lin Mu before? But how? Lin Mu didn't tell us about that.' Hei Wan wondered.
"So where and how did you meet Lin Mu?" Hei Wan asked.
"This servant met the boy, Lin Mu, a little over two months ago. He was punished for causing losses in the orchard, and his property was seized in compensation. Later on, he had a conflict with a man named Yuan Tu, and I resolved the conflict." Li Peng answered.
This information was completely new to Hei Wan and made her wonder what other things about Lin Mu were hidden.
"Explain to me in detail." Hei Wan ordered.
Following Hei Wan's orders, Li Peng began to explain the string of events from the very start. How Lin Mu worked in the orchards, the accident, the conflict, him being kicked out of the town; him returning and getting in conflict with Yuan Tu, and finally Yuan Tu being punished.
While Hei Wan showed nothing on her face, currently she was feeling very shocked internally. She had not expected for Lin Mu to be a normal commoner just two months ago.
"How did he become such a strong cultivator in a short span of time?" Hei Wan muttered.
'If this is true then, his background must be nothing to scoff at. Anyone that can allow a commoner like him to progress so fast must be an incredible master. Just the resources required must be immense.' Hei Wan tough.
Li Peng then gulped and spoke.
"Does mistress also think that this boy, Lin Mu, is suspicious?" Li Peng asked.
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