"Did you kill them?" Old Fulin was startled.
"You should know that my relations with Linda weren't well... " Dudian lightly chuckled: "Consortium wouldn't notice a junior hunter like me in the investigation. But if you go an investigate the matter you should detect that I was temporarily transferred out with Glenn to hunt the black weaver. After the mission I didn't come back and Linda's squad was implementing the task at that time."
Old patriarch listened to Dudian. The moment Dudian referred to Glenn and black weaver, old Fulin immediately remembered the events of that year. The all coincided with each other.
"You... You weren't even a junior hunter back then. You should be considered as a trainee hunter. How could you kill Linda? She was an intermediate level hunter. Ah!" Old Fulin still couldn't believe Dudian.
Dudian glanced at his desk. "If you have read the latest newspaper then you are aware of the deacon Huey's death."
Old patriarch was aghast as he looked at Dudian.
"Yes, I killed him too." Dudian nodded.
Patriarch couldn't help but said: "He was a deacon. A high ranking judge in the magistrate. Why did you kill him?"
"He was the guy who made the judgement on my case." Dudian smiled and said: "I've told you these two things because I wanted to tell you. You should be aware that if I want, there won't a Ryan family by tomorrow. Please believe in me!"
Cold sweat flowed down old patriarch's face. He was no longer able to cover his fear and his body slightly trembled. He sat back in his chair: "So, I have no choice?"
Dudian touched his chin for a moment, then shook his head: "Hm... It seems... There is no choice...Unless... Unless you will choose the maintain noble character of an aristocratic lineage and insist against the criminal. The genocide that will follow it will be the glory of the declining Ryan family. Maybe... Maybe in future, the history books will write about the glorious record of Ryan family... Maybe not... The question is how are you going to face your ancestors?"
Old patriarch replied: "I know that you are not a simple youth because you were able to break out from Thorn Flower Prison. Maybe you have really killed Linda's squad too. Anyway, at the moment you have the strength to kill me. At least to save my life, I will promise you that I will write a mail to bail you out. But if you really have killed the deacon Huey then the magistrate will trace you out. Even if I put out a bail for you. But you will be imprisoned again and executed."
Dudian told: "You don't have to worry about that. I have done it my way."
Old patriach was hesitant but spoke his mind. : "Since you have your own plan, I'm not going to go into details. But the mine isn't in good condition. Even if I try to sell it out, it wont go for a high price."
Dudian answered: "Mine and people are similar in a sense. Dress them up a little and the original ugly look is gone. I believe I don't have to elaborate..."
Old patriarch deeply looked at him: "I know."
Dudian slowly walked to the desk: "It 's getting late so you should write down the letter and send it with a servant to the magistrate."
Old Fulin carefully stared at the boy and whispered.: "They probably really died in his hands..." Then he took out a letter from the drawer. He filled the quill with ink and began to write.
Dudian quietly watched. Ryan family's badge was stamped onto envelope after the letter was finished.
"Tomorrow I will find a way to sell the mine and raise money to help you out." Old patriarch had the envelope ready.
Dudian nodded and patted his shoulder: "Do not worry too much! I will send you a gift after you do me the favor."
Old Fulin bitterly smiled but didn't say anything.
Dudian hid in the dark corner while old patriarch called the housekeeper. He handed the envelope and told them to send it to magistrate.
Dudian carefully observed the old man so that he didn't secretly changed the envelope. He sensed the old man's scent on envelope as the housekeeper took it away. Later on, the same scent was transferred to another person and the man ride the horse and left the castle.
Dudian came out from the darkness and said to old Fulin. : "I should go back an sleep first. I wish you can have a good dream. But I gotta tell you, it is a wonderful start of our cooperation!"
Old patriach bitterly smiled. He would be doomed if he could sleep tonight.
...
...
The day after Huey's corpse was found.
Warden's office. Thorn Flower Prison.
A youth in black armor pushed the door open in haste. He saw the warden Jones sitting by the desk. : "Warden, I heard you have news about the criminal!"
"Yes," Jones said as he pointed to the envelope on the desk. " The magistrate has exposed his trace. The little devil is in commercial district."
The youth quickly opened the envelope and took out the letter.: "He has killed deacon Huey? Wasn't he in the slums? How could he have gone to commercial district?"
"Initially, he had gone to the slums..." Jones said, "It was a deliberate move by him to make sure that you focus on slums and ignore the other areas."
The youth felt as if he was slapped in the face. Anger gushed out as he spoke: "Do you mean we were played around by him?"
Jones was indifferent as he replied: " The moment he escaped from the prison was virtually same as playing around with us. Now, you transfer all the manpower to commercial district to search for his traces. I believe that with you sense of smell you can cover entire commercial district and dig the rat out from his hole!"
The youth's face was gloomy as he checked the letter: " The only thing that refers to him are two steel spikes. It is not exclusive to Thorn Flower Prison! Many blacksmiths forge it out. Isn't it just a coincidence? If I were him I wouldn't do such a thing and expose my whereabouts. Wouldn't the plan of escaping be in vain in this case?"
Jones looked at him: "Even if he is not in the commercial district you still have to go. You have been searching the slums for so many days and haven't found his shadow. Sooner or later you will have to move to other district. Maybe he wants to know the location of our search team. Maybe something else..."
Youth asked: "Why should I go since you know this?"
Jones sighed: "It is just a prediction. The point is we have to jump in now. After all, a deacon of magistrate has been murdered and the biggest suspect is the kid who have escaped from our prison. If we don't do something, how the nobles and magistrate trust us?"
The youth replied: "I'll be leading the team that will check the commercial district while I will send some staff to look for in residential district. "
Jones nodded: "Good. But you have to lead the investigation in commercial district. You must find something, otherwise we won't have something to give to magistrate."
"I know." Youth nodded slightly.
"Damned little devil... I don't know in which corner you are hiding but there is not much time before you will be poked out from it..." Jones slightly pinched his finger: "After I catch the little devil, I will peel off his skin and douse him in water full of pepper! He will beg me to kill him!"