Chapter 54: Shan ShuQin

Chapter 54: Chapter 54: Shan ShuQin

Yizhou took the file from Sui Sui’s hand and examined the birth chart once more. His gaze moved carefully across the four pillars, checking the year, month, day, and hour one by one.

Sui Sui leaned closer as well, unwilling to accept that they might have overlooked something. They went through the chart again, then once more, but no matter how carefully they checked it, the result remained the same.

There really was not a single Yin alignment.

Previously, when they had gone through the records of the victims, they had noticed a similarity in their birth charts. Although the exact combinations were different, all of the victims had some degree of Yin alignment in their year, month, day, or hour.

At first, it had only been a suspicion.

However, as they continued checking the records and found the same characteristic appearing again and again, it became difficult for them to believe that it was merely a coincidence. That was why they had begun to suspect that the culprit was selecting people based on their birth charts, particularly those with strong Yin characteristics.

But now there was an exception.

And that exception was Shan Shuqin.

Unlike the other victims, whose birth charts all showed at least some degree of Yin alignment, hers had none at all. Not in the year, not in the month, not in the day, nor in the hour.

Sui Sui placed his hand against his chin and stared at the other files spread across the table. His mind began going through everything they had discovered from the beginning, comparing the victims one by one. The more he thought about it, the more uncertain he became.

"Could it be that we were wrong?" His voice was quiet, and there was a trace of uncertainty in it.

Yizhou looked at him but did not answer immediately.

Sui Sui continued thinking. "We only assumed that the Yin birth charts were related because the victims shared that characteristic. But if Shan Shuqin doesn’t have any Yin alignment at all, then perhaps that wasn’t actually the reason they were chosen."

He paused, then glanced toward the records. "Maybe we just happened to notice a pattern that wasn’t important?"

There was some logic to that possibility.

"This is possible, but I am more inclined to think that there must be something about her that makes her an exception," Yizhou said. His gaze remained on Shan Shuqin’s record as he slowly considered the information they had gathered.

"After all, she is quite different from the other victims. She is the only survivor among them, and ever since the attempt to take her failed, the attacks across the city also stopped. This suggests that she may be a vital part of whatever the culprit is planning."

Sui Sui’s fingers paused against the edge of the table as he listened to Yizhou’s words. He had been thinking along the same lines, but hearing Yizhou put it into words made the matter seem even more suspicious.

"If that’s the case, then the reason she was targeted does not have anything to do with her birth chart," Sui Sui said. "The Yin alignment could still be related to the other victims, but Shan Shuqin may have something else that the culprit needs. But what could it be?"

He looked down at the file again, his expression thoughtful. There were still too many things they did not know, and trying to guess from the records alone would only lead them in circles.

"This is something we need to find out. Let’s finish here quickly. We need to go and meet Shan Shuqin," Yizhou said, his gaze settling on the file. After a brief pause, he added, "I’m having a bad feeling about this."

Sui Sui looked at him for a moment before nodding. He also felt that there was something unusual about this matter.

Since they had already decided on their next lead, there was no reason to continue sitting there and speculating.

The two of them quickly finished their meal, then prepared to leave the restaurant and head toward Shan Shuqin’s residence.

—

When they arrived at the Shan residence, they immediately noticed the large number of cultivators stationed around the mansion. Some stood near the gates, while others patrolled the courtyard and guarded the various entrances, making it clear that the City Lord had arranged heavy protection around the Shan family residence.

At the gates, Sui Sui and Yizhou presented the authorization token from the City Lord’s Manor. Unlike at the Government Registry Bureau, however, they were not immediately allowed inside. The guards exchanged a few words before informing them that they would need to wait while they sought their young lady’s permission.

The two could only wait outside for the time being.

After a short while, the guards returned and finally allowed them to enter.

After the guards allowed them inside, a young maid in light green robes was already waiting for them. She stepped forward and gave them a respectful bow before introducing herself.

"Greetings, I am Shi Yan, Lady Shan’s personal maid. Please follow me. I will take you to my mistress." She then turned and led them into the mansion. After they had walked for a short while, she glanced back at the two cultivators, her curiosity getting the better of her.

"Are you the cultivators who came to investigate the attack on our young miss?"

"Yes," Sui Sui replied politely. "There are a few things we need to clarify, so we came here personally to speak with her."

"Oh, I see. It is truly a relief that you cultivators came. Everyone has been working hard to investigate the attack, and our young miss is very grateful that people are still trying to find the culprit." Shi Yan’s expression softened with relief, immediately morphed into worry "Ever since the attack, our young miss has been extremely frightened. She has become more paranoid of her surroundings and rarely leaves her room. Her health has also worsened considerably, which has the City Lord very worried. He has already sent several physicians to examine her."

"Oh? Is that so?" Yizhou spoke up this time, his tone carrying a hint of interest. "Was her health always this poor, or did it only worsen after the attack?"

"It was only after the attack." Shi Yan’s expression turned concerned as she lowered her voice. "She was probably too frightened by what happened. I hope you can be a little gentler when questioning her later. I am worried that recalling the incident might upset her."

There was genuine concern in her voice as she spoke of her mistress.

After a while, Shi Yan finally led them to a quiet room deeper inside the mansion.

A young lady was already waiting inside. She wore a light pink robe and sat quietly while three maids tended to her. Two cultivators stood guard outside the door, their attention fixed on the surroundings.

This should be the young lady, Shan Shuqin

Shan Shuqin was fairly pretty, though her complexion was pale enough to give her a somewhat sickly appearance. There were faint shadows beneath her eyes, and her gaze looked hazy, as though she had not been getting enough rest since the attack.

When Shan Shuqin noticed them, she still managed to offer a polite smile, carrying herself with the composure of a well-bred young lady despite her pale complexion.

"Greetings, esteemed cultivators. How may I help you?"

Sui Sui and Yizhou took their seats across from her.

"Greetings, Lady Shan. We would like to ask you a few questions about the incident, if that is all right," Sui Sui said politely.

"Of course. Please ask whatever you need."

Sui Sui hesitated briefly before asking, "Then could you tell us exactly what happened on the day you were attacked?"

He was somewhat concerned that recalling the incident might frighten her again, especially after hearing how badly she had been affected. However, contrary to his expectations, Shan Shuqin remained surprisingly calmer than expected as she began to recount what had happened.

"It was like this..." Shan Shuqin began, her voice remaining calm. "That day, I was supposed to meet Matchmaker Qi at our residence to discuss the wedding arrangements. However, she suddenly sent word that she was unable to come." She paused briefly, her fingers resting lightly against the fabric of her robe.

"So I thought it would be better if I went to the Matchmaker Association instead. I brought Shi Yan with me, and when we arrived, an attendant led us to a private room." She lowered her gaze as she recalled the details. "We waited there for quite some time, but Matchmaker Qi never came. I assumed she was probably busy with something else."

For a moment, Shan Shuqin fell silent, her expression, which had remained composed until then, gradually changed. A faint uneasiness appeared in her eyes as though she had reached the part of her memory she would rather not revisit.

"Then... I suddenly heard the sound of a bell." She paused again, and the room seemed to grow quieter.

"At first, nothing happened. But the bell continued to ring." Her fingers tightened slightly against her robe. "Not long after, I suddenly felt light-headed. My vision began to spin, and I could barely keep myself conscious." She took a slow breath before continuing.

"I don’t remember much after that. But before I completely lost consciousness, I managed to activate a life-saving artifact my parents had given me." Her voice became softer. "I also used a communication talisman to call for help, After that, I passed out."

"When I woke up, I was told that when they found me, there was no one else in the room besides me and my maid, Shi Yan." Shan Shuqin’s fingers curled slightly against her robe as she recalled the scene. Even though her voice remained calm, there was a faint uneasiness in her expression.

"After that, as everyone knows, an investigation was launched. At first, no one connected my attack to the recent deaths. There was no reason to think they were related." She paused, her gaze lowering as she gathered her thoughts.

"However, a few of the victims’ family members eventually came forward. They said that before their family member died, they had complained about hearing the sound of a bell." At the mention of the bell, Shan Shuqin’s expression became slightly tense. Sui Sui noticed the change but did not interrupt her.

"After that, the City Lord ordered a city-wide investigation. The cultivators in the city were summoned to examine the victims’ bodies and look for anything unusual. That was when they discovered that each of the victims’ souls had suffered some form of damage before they died."

She fell silent for a moment, her expression turning solemn. "Only then did everyone realize that these deaths were not natural. Someone had deliberately caused them."

After Shan Shuqin finished speaking, Sui Sui and Yizhou fell silent, quietly digesting everything they had just learned.

Her account matched the information recorded in the documents almost exactly. There were no obvious discrepancies, and nothing in her story seemed out of place.

But there was one detail they had not expected.

The attack had happened at the Matchmaker Association.

Sui Sui’s gaze shifted slightly as he thought about it. One of the three places they had already identified as a possible source of the victims’ birth information was the Matchmaker Association itself.

Now, Shan Shuqin had unknowingly placed the attack directly at the same location.

The coincidence was too convenient to ignore.

They would definitely have to investigate the Matchmaker Association.