The kitchen knife could belong to anyone in the village, but its unique design gave away its origin - the village's inn. As the sole inn in the area, it remained a gathering place despite the scarce number of visitors. I decided to pay a visit, initially as a regular customer.
A friendly waitress approached, placing a plate with a perfectly cooked steak in front of me. "Here's your steak," she said with a warm smile.
"Thanks," I replied, appreciating her attentive service.
The interior of the inn was modest, adorned with simple wooden tables. Seeking solitude, I chose a corner table, discreetly observing the staff, particularly those working in the kitchen. While enjoying my meal, my gaze swept across the room, carefully noting any peculiarities in their behavior.
Although it was impossible to openly investigate for clues, observing their demeanor could reveal signs of guilt. The steak was delicious, and as the hour and a half passed, I discreetly sipped on a few beers to blend in. However, nothing out of the ordinary occurred.
There was no cook appearing suspicious or exhibiting unusual behavior. The only noteworthy incident I witnessed was a drunken brawl between two patrons. However, I remained undeterred. Deep down, I knew this approach wouldn't yield results. To uncover the truth behind the recent murder, I would need to adopt a more clandestine role—a spy.
With determination, I left the tavern, retreating to a discreet location outside and patiently awaited nightfall. Although the inn itself remained open, the kitchen staff departed to their respective homes as the restaurant closed. I observed five individuals leaving. The perpetrator I sought had to be among them, but how could I discern their identity? A wrong accusation could result in further harm, something I desperately wished to avoid.
But remaining stationary wouldn't improve the situation. I had to make a choice, even if it meant taking a risk. Fortunately, someone did stand out from the rest, acting differently.
It was a woman with fiery red hair. Clutching a leather bag, she displayed an unease despite being in the familiar surroundings of the village. She repeatedly glanced over her shoulder, as if expecting someone to follow her. While the others seemed unaffected by the darkness of the night, her behavior caught my attention. This was the person I decided to track. While the others headed towards their homes within the village, she ventured outside.
Living on a farm outside the village myself, my presence in the open countryside wasn't cause for suspicion. However, she deviated from the usual path and headed towards the woods. That alone raised my suspicions. To add to it, the location she was headed to was exactly where I had discovered the bloodstained knife.
From behind the trees, I discreetly observed her every move. She searched frantically, as if trying to locate the knife, yet there was nothing there. Of course, I had the knife in my possession. I could have confronted her then and there, but I needed more evidence to confirm her as the murderer and uncover her motive.
So I continued trailing her, maintaining a safe distance, until we reached a small cabin. She entered the cabin and drew the curtains, concealing her actions from prying eyes.
I wasn't so rash as to kick down her front door and accuse her of being a murderer. Such an action would be both dangerous and unwise. Instead, I decided that the best course of action was to retreat to my farm and await any new information from Kang Duyi the following day.
And indeed, he had news for me.
Unlike the previous day when Kang Duyi roused me at the break of dawn, this time he arrived a bit later.
"Please tell me it's good news," I pleaded.
Kang Duyi's demeanor wasn't as devastated as the previous day when the village discovered a lifeless body, and that gave me a glimmer of hope that it wasn't a new victim.
"Perhaps. While examining the corpse, I noticed several missing organs!"
"How can that possibly be good?" I questioned, feeling a mix of curiosity and concern.
"Well, it gives us a lead. Whoever took those organs must have a motive: either to sell them or to practice forbidden cultivation techniques. Given the remoteness of this place, it's highly unlikely that someone would be buying organs here..."
I remained silent, urging Kang Duyi to reveal the rest of his findings.
"So, it seems more likely that the culprit is involved in dark arts and devilish practices," he concluded, his voice tinged with a sense of foreboding.
I won't lie. Devilish cultivation techniques seemed tempting. Based on the novels I read, they were often described as powerful. The main character in those stories refrained from pursuing them because they were a hero who protected everyone.
But I'm different. While I care about Big T, Big F, and Wan Yu, it doesn't mean I'm opposed to doing wrong. Power is important in the cultivation world, and unlike the naive cultivators, I've read extensively and know how things work.
"Okay. Keep looking for clues. I'll go back to the woods and search too," I said.
Kang Duyi didn't find anything strange about my plan and left. I would indeed search for clues, but my main focus was the lady's cabin.
That's what I did first when I woke up. I waited for her to leave for work, then used my basic lock-picking skills to open the door.
It wasn't because I was skilled at it, but because the door was poorly made. Inside, I found a plain cabin with only essential items and nothing more.
There were no organs or blood, making me think it was just a regular cabin. Maybe I was mistaken in my suspicions.
No, I wasn't mistaken. Every time someone was involved in wrongdoing, they had secret hiding places in their houses, and that's where the real evidence would be.
"Maybe under the bed?" I thought to myself.
It was a cliché hiding spot, but I couldn't ignore the possibility. And just as I suspected, there it was—a trapdoor concealed beneath the bed. I opened it cautiously, revealing a ladder leading down into a dark room.