The new moon climbed above the attic as the fire crackled.
Gu Wangchen, leading a group of Jingting Guard tiqui he had just recruited from the Demon Suppression Bureau, arrived quickly at the soup kitchen in the southern district of Sheng’an.
As they approached, thick black smoke swirled and spiraled, obscuring the clouds and the moon. The air was heavy with the stench of kerosene and charred remains.
Screams, heavy footsteps, shouted commands, and heated arguments echoed incessantly.
“Why hasn’t the fire been extinguished yet?” Gu Wangchen asked, frowning as he looked at the wooden houses burning around the congee stall.
Seeing Gu Wangchen arrive with a large group of Jingting Guards, a security captain commanding the rescue efforts trotted over to him. He bowed deeply and reported, “My Lord, the fire is too fierce. Moreover, it seems it cannot be put out!”
“Wasn’t it a black oil explosion? Why are you using water? Where is the sand? Where is the soil?” Gu Wangchen pulled out a silk handkerchief to cover his nose and mouth, coughing twice with a look of disgust.
“My Lord, we know soil works best, but where can we find any in this part of the city…?” The captain, who had a cleft lip, spread his hands in frustration.
Gu Wangchen scanned the surroundings. Aside from the slanted wooden buildings, even the roads were paved with stone.
*Hah, the perfection of Sheng’an’s urban construction has actually become an obstacle to firefighting.*
Without wasting time, he ordered, “First, tear down the surrounding wooden houses to prevent the fire from spreading.”
He then stomped on the stone-paved road. “And dig up the road! Use the soil beneath it to fight the fire!”
“But My Lord, those houses are occupied, and if we dig up the road, the Ministry of Works…”
“Dammit, do you know who I am?” Gu Wangchen interrupted sharply, pointing to the Empress Dowager’s gold medallion at his waist. “See this? With me here, it is as if the Empress Dowager herself is present. I will take responsibility for any trouble. Tear them down!”
He turned to the Jingting Guard tiqui behind him. “You lot, get to work too! What are you standing around for? If this fire gets out of control, no one is getting away!”
The tiqui looked at each other, glanced at the gold medallion on Gu Wangchen’s waist, and responded, “Understood, My Lord.”
“Find the people in the surrounding houses first and register them before you start tearing things down!” Gu Wangchen added.
*Rumble —*
*Crash…*
As the wooden buildings near the soup kitchen were completely demolished, a firebreak was quickly established. Using tools to pry up the stone slabs, the men worked together to dig up the soil, carrying it in wooden buckets to throw onto the flames.
*Sizzle.*
Within eight minutes, the fire, which had been growing more ferocious, was completely extinguished.
Gu Wangchen stepped into the messy scene, his gaze sweeping over the charred corpses on the ground.
“Tsk…” He furrowed his brows in silence. ‘These scrawny corpses are likely the poor who couldn’t put food on the table and had to come for the congee.’
“Lord Gu, where should we begin our investigation?” A cold, commanding voice reached Gu Wangchen’s ears.
A tall female Jingting Guard with a smooth, high ponytail walked up to him. She wore a black, waist-cinching Flying Fish Robe, the golden pattern of a Bi’an’s head stretched across her chest. She spoke in a loud, clear voice.
Gu Wangchen turned to look at her. This strikingly heroic Thousand-man Commander, Nie Ling, stood with her arms crossed. Her narrow, beautiful eyes flashed with a sharp intensity. Although she was trying her best to hide it, Gu Wangchen could see the distrust on her face.
It made sense. His reputation as the number one dandy in Sheng’an was known to everyone. To suddenly have him as her superior, it was only natural for her to be disgruntled.
Gu Wangchen stepped in front of her. Looking at this tall woman in heeled boots who was nearly his own height, he responded calmly, “Commander Nie Ling, you’re asking me about something like this? Aren’t you a veteran of the Demon Suppression Bureau? Just follow the standard procedure.”
Nie Ling hesitated for a moment, her gaze sweeping over him, and replied coldly, “Lord Gu, you are in full charge of this case. It would be inappropriate for me to overstep my bounds.”
“Heh,” Gu Wangchen sneered. He walked casually into the ruins of the congee stall, his nose twitching as he sniffed the air. He ordered, “First, find some survivors who can still talk and get the details.”
“Yes, I will see to it immediately.”
Watching Nie Ling move with efficient strides to begin the investigation, Gu Wangchen shook his head helplessly.
According to Xiao Wan, this woman was his capable assistant and liaison officer. But why did he feel like she was here to constrain and monitor him?
He wondered if she was acting on Xiao Wan’s orders or if she simply disliked him.
If it was just her personal dislike, that was fine. But if it was on Xiao Wan’s orders…
‘It would certainly fit Xiao Wan’s suspicious nature.’
However, Xiao Wan likely wouldn’t send someone just to annoy him. It was more probable that Nie Ling was there to help and cover for him, while the personal coldness was Nie Ling’s own choice.
‘It seems I need to be a bit more serious. I can’t overdo the “dandy” act, or it might backfire.’
Thinking of this, Gu Wangchen pulled out the Twin Vibration Stone used for contacting An Li from his Sumeru Ring and pressed it firmly.
The twenty-four-hour time limit was a bit tight; he needed An Li to lead the Shadow-Hiding Pavilion in a secret investigation.
After making the arrangements, he carefully examined the wreckage within the stall.
“I already told you, it wasn’t me! I saw the real culprits! You have to believe me!”
A familiar voice reached his ears, and Gu Wangchen looked toward the sound.
“Hoh, I actually ran into her here?”
Gu Wangchen raised an eyebrow and walked toward the familiar figure.
“Sikong Yue, Heroine Sikong, how is it that I see you everywhere?” Gu Wangchen teased.
At this moment, Sikong Yue was a complete mess. Her dusty crimson swordsman attire was covered in mud, and there was even a hole burned into her trouser leg.
Her pretty face was smudged with soot, her hair tie had snapped, and her messy ponytail had fallen loose. Even the white highlights at her forehead had somehow been smeared gray.
“You, named Gu? What are you doing here?” Sikong Yue turned to look at Gu Wangchen, her face flushing with anger.
“Hey, hey, don’t take your anger out on me. I didn’t do anything to you.” He glanced at the several Jingting Guards surrounding Sikong Yue and asked, “What’s going on?”
“Reporting to Lord Gu, this person was acting suspiciously just now, snooping around. We suspect she is an accomplice of the attackers and were preparing to take her into custody,” a Jingting Guard officer replied with a cupped-fist salute.
Gu Wangchen smiled helplessly and asked Sikong Yue, “Heroine Sikong, is that true?”
“Nonsense! I am innocent! I am not an accomplice to those attackers!”
“How do you prove it?” Gu Wangchen asked calmly, looking at the indignant Sikong Yue.
“Prove… I, I just came here for the congee! My reactions are fast, so I escaped the center of the explosion. I even saw the attacker and his accomplices; they ran toward the west!” Sikong Yue pointed her finger westward.
“Yes, handsome older brother, Sister Sikong is not a bad person!”
Just then, a scrawny little girl in hemp clothes, also covered in soot, ran up to Gu Wangchen. She fell to her knees with a *thud* and pleaded with him.
Gu Wangchen pulled the little girl up and turned to ask, “What’s the situation?”
“Handsome older brother, the big sister just saved me. Otherwise… otherwise…” The little girl grabbed his pant leg and shook it. “Please, older brother, believe the big sister!”
Looking at the little girl’s flickering eyes, Gu Wangchen’s heart softened. He sighed lightly, patted her head, and ordered the three Jingting Guards, “Go and assist Commander Nie Ling. I will handle things here.”
“Yes, My Lord!”
After the three had left, Gu Wangchen looked at Sikong Yue and said, “Heroine Sikong, I truly admire your spirit of self-sacrifice to save others…”
“I would have done it even without your admiration!” Sikong Yue interrupted him with a huff, turning her head away.
“…Tsk.” Gu Wangchen’s brow twitched. ‘I tried to give you some face, but you just had to give me the cold shoulder.’
With that thought, he spoke up. “But Heroine Sikong, how did you end up reduced to eating at a soup kitchen? You were so high-spirited when you entered the capital the other day, even using your ‘Light Body’ technique to help me catch fish!”
“You, named Gu, you have the nerve to bring that up!”
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