Chapter 35: Lies

Zheng Shiyong’s voice rang out from behind Chen Ping’an. His pace didn’t falter in the slightest as he walked straight toward the Constable’s office.

’Normally, I’d give Constable Zheng some face and turn back to exchange a few pleasantries. But right now, this is too important!’

’As for what Constable Zheng said about the Constable not being here? I’m only half-convinced.’

Under normal circumstances, a Constable was always on duty in the Garrison Commandant’s Office. The chance of one being absent was extremely slim.

Besides, even if the Constable really wasn’t there, he had to see it for himself to be sure.

The Constable’s office was even larger than the Task Room. The Task Room was a shared workspace for several on-duty constables, whereas the Constable’s office was for the Constable alone.

The comparison was enough to demonstrate the Constable’s power and status.

’He’s really not here?’

Chen Ping’an frowned slightly as he stared at the pitch-black Head of the Office before him.

’If the Constable is really gone, then tonight is going to be a problem!’

He had to report Hairy Fish’s death as soon as possible; it couldn’t wait. Hairy Fish’s body was still in that courtyard. If he waited until morning, who knew if someone else might discover it and steal the credit.

Therefore, he had to get the report filed tonight.

The safest method would have been to find the Constable and report directly to him, but now... the Constable was gone.

Chen Ping’an stood rooted to the spot, lost in thought.

"I told you the Constable wasn’t here, but you came anyway! Why are you so stubborn?"

A voice from behind Chen Ping’an interrupted his thoughts.

Chen Ping’an turned to see it was Zheng Shiyong, who was staring at him with a strange expression.

"I’m on night duty. Whatever you have to report, you can tell me. It’s all the same."

Ignoring the faint mockery in Zheng Shiyong’s tone, Chen Ping’an looked at him and forced a smile.

"My apologies, Constable Zheng. I was just in too much of a hurry."

With that, Chen Ping’an turned and headed for the Task Room.

’The matter with Hairy Fish can’t be delayed! It must be resolved tonight! Since the Constable is out, I’ll find whoever is on duty tonight.’

"Where are you going? Didn’t I just say you can tell me?"

Seeing Chen Ping’an about to leave, Zheng Shiyong quickened his pace to block his path, his expression displeased.

’This guy, why is he so damned nosy!?’

As the constable on night duty for the Garrison Commandant’s Office, Zheng Shiyong naturally had the right to be informed of special circumstances.

However, to be on the safe side, Chen Ping’an still didn’t want to tell Zheng Shiyong about Hairy Fish. That was why he had deliberately ignored Zheng Shiyong’s question earlier.

"Constable Zheng, this is my private business. Who I choose to see shouldn’t concern you, should it?"

He had intended to keep things civil, but Zheng Shiyong wasn’t giving him the chance. Stepping past Zheng Shiyong, Chen Ping’an strode forward.

"You’ve got some nerve, kid!"

Zheng Shiyong’s face darkened as he watched Chen Ping’an’s retreating back.

...

Chen Ping’an walked to the Task Room. Seeing a light on in one of the offices, he knocked on the door.

"Come in!"

A steady voice called out from within the Task Room.

Chen Ping’an pushed the door open and walked in with a slight smile.

Inside the Task Room sat a middle-aged man with a sturdy, powerful-looking build.

Tan Huacong, an official constable of the Nanquan Alley Town Patrol Office.

Tan Huacong looked at the door and saw it was Chen Ping’an. He found it a bit strange; the young man’s hair was plastered to his scalp with sweat, and his clothes were dark with perspiration.

"Mr. Tan," Chen Ping’an said, stepping forward. "I have something important to report."

"What is it?"

Tan Huacong asked in a formal, by-the-book manner, looking thoroughly righteous.

"A short while ago, I ran into Hairy Fish."

"Hairy Fish!"

Tan Huacong’s expression froze.

"Hairy Fish, the remnant of the Cyan Fish Gang."

"That’s him," Chen Ping’an confirmed with a nod.

"Where is he now? Did he get away?" Tan Huacong shot up, agitated. For the Nanquan Alley Town Patrol Office, the matter of the Cyan Fish Gang remnant was a top priority.

"I killed him," Chen Ping’an said calmly.

"What!?" Tan Huacong’s face was a mask of shock as he shot up from his chair.

...

「In a courtyard in Nanquan Lane.」

Tan Huacong stared at the corpse in the courtyard, then couldn’t help but glance at Chen Ping’an beside him.

"So you’re saying you really killed him?"

According to their intelligence, Hairy Fish of the Cyan Fish Gang was a Qi Blood Second Layer expert. Even Tan Huacong himself wasn’t certain of victory against him. For Chen Ping’an, a mere temporary constable who hadn’t even entered the Martial Dao, to have killed Hairy Fish... it was simply unbelievable.

"Yes, Mr. Tan. I have to say, I was just lucky. I never expected that Hairy Fish of the Cyan Fish Gang would be so grievously injured!" As he spoke, a look of relief flashed across Chen Ping’an’s face. "Tonight, I was sleeping at home. Half-asleep, I heard a noise from the kitchen next door. Just as I was about to get up, I saw a dark figure emerge from the kitchen. A shiver went down my spine. But thankfully, after serving as a constable for the Garrison Commandant’s Office for so long, my nerves have been tempered. I forced myself to stay silent and secretly watched the figure. He wanted to climb out of the yard, but it took him several tries before he finally made it over."

"It took him several tries just to climb a wall? How high is the wall around your yard?" Tan Huacong asked.

For a Qi Blood Second Layer expert, scaling a wall should have been trivially easy; it wouldn’t have taken several attempts.

"About as high as the one in this yard. From what I saw, he seemed to have some kind of injury. Every movement appeared to be a huge effort for him, which is why it took him several tries to get over."

"Mm, go on," Tan Huacong said with a nod.

"After he climbed out, I was planning to just let it go. But then I remembered I’m a constable for the Garrison Commandant’s Office, and I had just watched a thief break into my home. The more I thought about it, the angrier I got. Since he had so much trouble climbing my wall, I figured he couldn’t be a major threat. So, I secretly followed him all the way to this courtyard."

"Wait!" Tan Huacong interrupted. "You’re saying you followed him all this way, and he didn’t notice you?"

"At the time, I thought he hadn’t. But looking back, he must have noticed me at some point."

"What makes you say that?"

"He entered this courtyard, and I assumed he was going to steal something again, so I just climbed over the wall after him." At this point, as if worried Tan Huacong might be skeptical, Chen Ping’an held out his thin-looking arm. "Mr. Tan, don’t be fooled by my slender build. I actually work out regularly. Climbing a wall this high isn’t a big deal for me."

"Mm," Tan Huacong nodded. The wall of this courtyard wasn’t particularly high, just a little taller than an average person. With a bit of skill—or even without it—getting over wasn’t especially difficult.

"Who would’ve known that as soon as I got over the wall, the dark figure would lunge out from right here. It scared the hell out of me at the time."

Chen Ping’an pointed to a nearby woodpile, his voice laced with lingering fear.