",,,"
No one knows where these rumors came from.
But never mind.
Since Qu Yinghua didn’t want to, Ye Liuyun wasn’t about to push him.
"Since that’s the case, we’ll part ways again here. If anything comes up, you can find me in Nanmu City."
"Alright!"
Seeing Ye Liuyun say this, Qu Yinghua put on a serious face and cupped his hands in salute.
And then, he solemnly spoke.
"Same goes for you. If you have any problems, you can always come find me — the Little Tyrant of the Divine Spear! Like I always say, wherever injustice crops up, that’s where you’ll find me! I’ll be off!"
After finishing his last sentence—
Qu Yinghua slung his spear over his back and strode away.
Looks like Qu Yinghua planned to handle things his own way, investigating and rescuing those abducted girls.
"Are all the heroes out there like this nowadays?"
Watching Qu Yinghua’s departing figure, Shi Sheng couldn’t help saying.
"What, you tempted?"
Si Nan, who’d come up alongside, teased in a playful tone.
"If you want to give the hero life a shot, it’s not too late."
Honestly, if Shi Sheng really did head out wandering Jianghu, that’d leave Ye Liuyun’s most capable subordinate as just himself.
At first—
Si Nan used to think Shi Sheng, this blockhead, couldn’t flatter people worth a damn.
At most, his cultivation was higher than Si Nan’s, but he’d never have a shot with him.
But after spending enough time together, he realized — huh, not much of a blockhead at all; sometimes his bootlicking skills are even quicker than Si Nan’s. Ridiculous.
"I think I’ll pass!"
Shi Sheng had no clue what Si Nan was plotting, just shook his head honestly.
He’d thought about it before—if he couldn’t make it in the Embroidered Uniform Guard, he’d just leave Great Qian and become a wandering hero, helping out where needed.
But looking at Qu Yinghua, whose brain was maybe missing a few screws—
Shi Sheng felt the Embroidered Uniform Guard gig was actually pretty decent.
"Tsk!"
Pity.
Seeing Shi Sheng didn’t have the guts, Si Nan clicked his tongue.
He caught up with Ye Liuyun’s pace, heading onward toward Nanmu City.
,,,
Being second only to the Imperial City within the borders of the Great Qian Dynasty—
Nanmu City had no nighttime curfew, so once evening came, it was even livelier than the Imperial City.
The streets were full of hawkers shouting, and plenty of people out for a stroll. The whole area glowed with neon and nightlife.
"I knew it, doesn’t matter the era, there are always night owls."
All a bunch who live for the night scene.
"Boss, I think that restaurant looks good. How ’bout we spend the night there?"
Just then, it was as if Si Nan had stumbled on something amazing.
He suddenly pointed to a restaurant not far off and spoke to Ye Liuyun.
Everyone looked over in that direction.
Only to see, on the second floor of the restaurant, quite a few scantily clad ladies trying to pull customers in.
Ye Liuyun hadn’t said anything yet, but Shi Sheng just gave Si Nan a blank stare first.
"Isn’t that a brothel?"
Fits Si Nan’s style, all right.
"What do you know!"
Si Nan fired back instantly.
"So what if it’s a brothel? Brothels have rooms, too. We’re just staying for a night — room’s a room, isn’t it?"
When he said this, Si Nan looked dead serious, like he actually meant it.
Shi Sheng just stared at him speechlessly for a bit, then couldn’t be bothered to argue.
Didn’t matter where they rested; to Shi Sheng, it was all the same.
"Heh, Boss, what do you think?"
Si Nan turned and grinned fawningly at Ye Liuyun.
This sort of call, gotta let Ye Liuyun make the final call.
Ye Liuyun glanced over only to notice—it wasn’t just Si Nan; a bunch of Embroidered Uniform Guards behind them were all wide-eyed.
Knew it.
Not many men out there who can resist a place like that.
"Let’s go, then!"
Didn’t refuse, after all—it was just a place to sleep.
"But don’t forget, we’re here to work on the case. Fun and games can wait till we’re done!"
"Got it!"
With Ye Liuyun’s green light,
everyone’s spirits instantly perked up.
The moment talk turned to the case, every face grew serious; everyone was pumped.
,,,
The brothels in Nanmu City were definitely no match for the Imperial Music Bureau in the Imperial City.
But price-wise, they were way more reasonable than the Music Bureau.
"Boss, how about we try it out for a night first?"
Once inside, Si Nan was almost dazzled; all those beauties in gauzy clothes left him overwhelmed.
Ye Liuyun was unsurprised.
Expect a guy who haunts brothels daily to behave himself in a brothel?
That’s bullshit.
So Ye Liuyun just turned to Shi Sheng and said—
"You keep an eye on him. Until we crack the case, don’t give him any chance!"
This order made Shi Sheng freeze, then gladly accept.
"Yes, Boss!"
That handled, Ye Liuyun left.
Shi Sheng turned, looking at Si Nan with a gaze that grew full-on menacing.
"Uh!"
Si Nan was starting to sweat.
"Don’t forget, I’ve bought you drinks plenty of times!"
"Bro, just let it go. You know the Boss — you want to make things tough for me?"
",,,"
If it were someone else, fine.
But Shi Sheng... Si Nan knew, this brute would actually throw hands.
Damn it.
If I’d known, I wouldn’t have suggested coming to a brothel. Should’ve just gone to a regular restaurant—you can look but not touch, what kind of top-shelf torture is this?