The Elixir is for You, The Poison is for Me

#457 - Absent

"Why is it impossible?" Wen Liran asked, puzzled.

"Because there's a lock on this chest."

Seeing that Wen Liran seemed about to argue, suggesting that as long as one climbed into the chest without locking it, they could complete the sneak attack, Lu Jing patiently explained.

"According to what that maid said earlier, Jiang Lei is very particular about this chest and doesn't let anyone get close to it. Do you think he wouldn't check the chest first when he returns from outside, and wouldn't he notice whether it's locked or not?"

Wen Liran was speechless.

Indeed, given how much Jiang Lei valued this chest, how could he miss such an obvious change? That meant her previous guess about someone hiding in the chest to ambush Jiang Lei was impossible.

And that also meant that Li Bufan's earlier deduction was the only possible explanation—the person who killed Jiang Lei must be an absolute master!

Thinking of this, Wen Liran couldn't help but worry about her companions and clansmen who were responsible for the search in the manor.

Although it was unlikely that the other party could escape from the manor at this point, if truly driven into a corner, they might very well go on a killing spree.

While this group of armored soldiers from the Wen family had been strictly trained by Wen Da Niang and were disciplined, they could only deal with ordinary bandits or ordinary Jianghu figures. Once they encountered a true master, they would be completely outmatched.

Therefore, Wen Liran quickly turned her expectant gaze to Lu Jing, but before she could speak, she heard Lu Jing say.

"I wonder if I could trouble Miss Liran to inform the brothers in charge of the search and let me join them. If we can catch the murderer sooner, then I might be able to find the mastermind and the internal accomplice in the manor one step ahead of others, so we don't have to rack our brains here."

Wen Liran was grateful, knowing that Lu Jing was taking the initiative to help them deal with the troublesome murderer who had likely already reached the first-rate level, and had deliberately found an excuse to save their face.

However, Wen Liran was not good with words and didn't know how to thank Lu Jing, so she simply clasped her fist at Lu Jing.

When they found the person in charge of the search, they learned that Li Bufan and Lu Qinghou had also made similar suggestions one after another. After the three parties discussed it, they simply divided the team into three, each leading one branch, and chose a direction to start searching each room carefully.

After half an hour, Yu Wenyu also joined in, so the speed of the search became faster. By dusk, Lu Jing and the others had searched the entire Wen Family Manor.

But the result surprised everyone.

They didn't find any suspicious people in the Wen Family Manor, let alone a suspicious person at the first-rate level.

In the end, Lu Jing and the others, empty-handed, had no choice but to return to the colored shed.

There, Jin Duoduo was sitting at the table leisurely drinking tea.

Only when Lu Jing and the others came before him did Jin Duoduo put down the teacup in his hand and slowly say, "It seems you've all had a busy day for nothing."

"Boss Jin is leisurely. You wouldn't have stayed here the whole time, would you? Sitting here from the time of the incident until now?" Although Lu Qinghou asked Jin Duoduo, his gaze was directed at the team of guards behind Jin Duoduo.

The leading Wen family disciple saw Lu Qinghou looking over and nodded slightly, proving that Jin Duoduo had indeed not left.

"If you were as rich as I am, you would become lazy too," Jin Duoduo said unhurriedly, as if he hadn't seen Lu Qinghou's little action.

However, Lu Jing noticed that Jin Duoduo hadn't been as relaxed as he seemed on the surface during this time. On the table leg to his right, there were several more scratches than when Lu Jing had left.

It seemed that Jin Duoduo had just scratched them, and he was obviously quite irritable.

"Wen Da Niang handled it properly and closed the manor at the first moment, so it can be confirmed that the murderer is still in the manor. Since no suspicious outsiders have been found, everyone in the manor is naturally a suspect," Li Bufan continued, ignoring Jin Duoduo's sarcasm.

"To be honest, I've already been to Jiang Tangzhu's residence and can basically confirm that the murderer used a very thin short knife. He was very skilled and acted very quickly, so there were no signs of fighting in the room at all, and Jiang Tangzhu's two 'Buddha's Wrath' were still there."

"That is to say, the murderer killed Jiang Tangzhu before he could react, so that Jiang Tangzhu didn't even have a chance to perish together with the enemy. And you and I both know that there are not many people in this world who can do this."

Lu Qinghou took over Li Bufan's words and continued, "If I remember correctly, Boss Jin seems to use a knife. Your 'Wealthy Saber Technique' is famous in the Jianghu. Although you have hardly fought anyone in recent years, the latest edition of the Tianji Ranking still places you at thirty-seventh, even before He Buyu, the 'Clumsy Sword' of the Washing Sword Pavilion, the thirteenth sword."

"Leader Li is also ranked seventh on the Tianji Ranking. Why don't you suspect him first?" Jin Duoduo shook his head, "And aren't Great Hero Yu and Manor Lord Lu also ahead of me?"

"Boss Jin couldn't have become so wealthy if he were a fool, so why pretend to be confused?" Yu Wenyu also spoke at this time, his expression serious.

"Before Jiang Tangzhu was murdered, I was with Leader Li and Great Hero Lu, and even met Jiang Tangzhu. After that, the three of us followed the maid here. During this period, the three of us never separated and can vouch for each other, so naturally there was no chance to commit the crime."

Lu Qinghou then said, "I arrived the earliest, half an hour before the birthday banquet started. I was listening to music nearby at the time, and many people saw me. I didn't go anywhere else along the way until the maid came to call me, and I followed her to the banquet."

The Duke of Ying and everyone else finished speaking, coughed dryly, and said somewhat awkwardly.

"I arrived a little later than Manor Lord Lu, but a little earlier than Leader Li and the other two. Well, I also met a lot of people along the way, who should all be able to vouch for me. Of course, the most important thing is that I am… my martial arts are really too poor. After practicing until now, I'm only at the third-rate level. Don't even mention silently killing Jiang Tangzhu with the 'Buddha's Wrath'. Even if ten of me went together, I probably wouldn't be a match for Leader Jiang."

"So now Boss Jin should know why we suspect you, right?" Li Bufan sighed, "The incident happened suddenly, I hope Boss Jin can understand. As long as you can provide evidence to prove that you were not in Jiang Tangzhu's room during the time he was murdered, then Li will immediately apologize to Boss Jin without saying a word."