Chapter 2747: Following the Heart

Without exposing the other party, Xu Huo accepted all his implications without questions. Until the conclusion, he rose to see the scholar off.

After closing the door this time, no one knocked again. Xu Huo sat alone on the balcony for a while before someone quietly emerged from a room in the manor, heading towards the nearby Rose Studio.

The botanist first searched the garden for a while, and upon finding nothing, entered the conservatory, only to be flung out moments later. From the shadow of the conservatory emerged a formidable figure; Mrs. Ti Hui, who seemed hunched during the day, now stood tall, towering at an unexpected two meters. Looking down at the botanist kneeling nearby, she fired her gun continuously—its specially-modified mechanism allowed for high lethality without excessive noise, filling the garden with the sound of flowers collapsing everywhere.

While Mrs. Ti Hui was engaged, the other inhabitants of the manor were not idle. The photographer, having long awaited the botanist’s departure, now made his move, entering Mrs. Ti Hui’s room.

Most rooms in the manor were built using ordinary materials without special reinforcement, thus even from outside Xu Huo knew their contents. However, both Mrs. Ti Hui’s and the butler’s rooms, along with the area on the third floor where Wen Xian resided, had been altered. Mere spatial awareness could not discern the happenings within; the third-floor room was equipped with some detecting devices, probing with spiritual power might leave marks, so he temporarily refrained from doing so.

Still, as long as the photographer opened Mrs. Ti Hui’s room, he could conveniently enter as well.

Mrs. Ti Hui’s room was large, but aside from basic furniture like the bed, chairs, and table, hooks adorned nearly every surface. Birdcages hung everywhere, both in the room and on the enclosed balcony outside.

A variety of birds curled within the cages. Even upon noticing someone entering, they did not chirp, only fluttered inside the cages.

The photographer quickly scanned the room before heading straight for the birdcage by the bed, which housed a hummingbird with a red feathered head.

Clearly, this was the hummingbird he sought, yet he did not merely take it and leave. Instead, he replaced it with another red-feathered hummingbird.

When he completed this series of actions, having detected the disturbance, Mrs. Ti Hui had already returned.

The photographer waved his hand, cutting apart all the birdcages in the room. Birds took flight in a rush, both obscuring view and providing his cover.

Mrs. Ti Hui skillfully avoided the flying birds, instantly moved to the door, blocking the exit before the photographer could get out. Her right hand descended, a powerful oppressive force came down from above, pressing the photographer onto the floor!

But when Mrs. Ti Hui stepped forward, the photographer’s body slid along the floor, quickly moving to the balcony, crashing through the glass and flipping himself out.

Once he was outside, he disappeared from view. Mrs. Ti Hui reached the window, glanced outside before returning to the room, her stature gradually shrinking, soon she started to clean up the place.

On the other side, the disguised photographer returned to his room, immediately taking out the hummingbird and administered a needle into its abdomen.

"Why use the antitoxin?" Xu Huo’s voice suddenly rang out in the room.

The photographer reflexively used a defense prop, the defensive barrier pushed aside all the decor within the room. His intention was to create distance, yet the barrier broke and vanished before reaching Xu Huo, not even lifting his garment hem...

Seeing the man, half nonchalantly leaning on the armrest of the sofa, the photographer’s nerves were stretched to the limit.

Yet Xu Huo merely raised a hand, tracing an arc with a black glove in the air before saying, "Didn’t intend to kill you, relax. Answer my previous question."

The photographer dared not relax, grasping a handful of props behind his back, though he also dared not act impulsively, vigilantly watching Xu Huo, slowly saying, "Mrs. Ti Hui’s birds are all poisoned; if taken out, won’t survive three days before dying. This bird plays an important role after two scenic spots, can’t afford to die."

"I see," Xu Huo turned to him, "Seems this isn’t your first time getting such a hummingbird."

"The one you put in the cage was fake?"

The photographer’s gaze slightly sunk, "Yes, the red feathers on that bird’s head were dyed."

Xu Huo raised his hand, signaling him to release the bird.

The photographer hesitated for a couple of seconds but eventually let go, yet the hummingbird that had just been lively remained unmoving in his hand.

"What’s going on..." He was about to inspect it, when suddenly the feathers atop the hummingbird’s head fell off, followed by blood seeping from its eyes, rigidly turned over.

Xu Huo glanced at him again, "Are you sure you’ve injected the antitoxin?"

The photographer wanted to retort, but the sight of his gaze made him swallow his words, immediately proceeding to check the hummingbird’s condition; yet the results were both surprising and unsurprising. The hummingbird’s poison was indeed neutralized, yet like the one he previously caught, it died, even living shorter than the other.

"Could it be that this type of hummingbird is inherently toxic?" In an instant, he considered another plausible explanation; otherwise, it wouldn’t explain why the detoxified hummingbird died more easily than the one poisoned.

"Detect what kind of poison it is." Xu Huo stated.

The photographer immediately took blood from the hummingbird’s eyes, but ultimately could only confirm it was toxic, not identify what poison.

"After all this trouble, the problem lies here..."

The photographer remained silent for several seconds before continuing, "Are you here for the red feathered hummingbird as well?"

Xu Huo didn’t deny but also didn’t respond directly, instead saying, "You’ve had dealings with Mrs. Ti Hui, what kind of person is she?"

"Old hag that’s resistant to reason." The photographer felt intensely negative towards her, "No one can get close to her, anyone who approaches the conservatory unwelcome, she might even complain to the manor’s owner, expelling the disguised players."

"Have you seen this type of red-feathered hummingbird elsewhere in the manor?"

"There are many hummingbirds, but only one with red feathers raised in Mrs. Ti Hui’s room, and if it’s gone, she’ll quickly raise a new one." The photographer’s brows furrowed, "Probably the bird’s poison is something she carries with her."

Earlier when Mrs. Ti Hui dealt with the player she used devices, it’s uncertain whether she disabled the player’s panel. If not, finding it will be challenging.

"Does anyone know why Mrs. Ti Hui raises red-feathered hummingbirds?" Xu Huo asked again.

Clearly, the photographer had considered this, "The only servant in the manor familiar with Mrs. Ti Hui is the butler, if you can get him to talk, you may inquire."

Xu Huo cast a light glance at him, the photographer’s previously outward emotions immediately pulled back, he then said, "I told you, it’ll be hard for you to obtain the memorabilia alone. Let’s cooperate, after all, once the bird is gone she’ll quickly raise another, just take turns—you first, I later."