Chapter 138: You Are the Murderer

Right as Liu was halfway through his sentence, Xu Lu impatiently cut him off.

"Stop, stop, stop! What kind of nonsense are you spouting? Anyone with eyes can see that, okay? No wonder you’re just a lowly constable. This is all you’ll ever amount to in your life."

His words were incredibly harsh, completely humiliating Liu in public.

Pushed past the limit of his patience, Liu slammed the files in his hands right into Xu Lu’s face. "Since you’re so capable, Detective Xu, we’ll leave this case to you!" he said furiously. "Lowly constables like us will only get in your way here. Let’s go, brothers!"

At his call, the other officers dropped what they were doing and walked out of the Yangs’ home.

Xu Lu stomped his feet in fury, his face contorting as he roared at the Director. "These are the people working under you? No wonder Jianghai City’s crime-solving efficiency is so abysmal that you haven’t produced a single senior detective in a decade!"

The Director’s expression froze for a split second, a ruthless glint flashing through his eyes. However, he was a city-level director who had seen his fair share of the world. Gritting his teeth, he swallowed his anger.

"They are indeed useless. In that case, I’ll have to trouble you with this case, Detective Xu. I just remembered I still have some matters to attend to at the station. I’ll take my leave first."

Without waiting for Xu Lu to respond, the Director turned on his heel and headed downstairs.

It was currently 4:30 in the morning—what on earth could possibly need his attention at the station? Xu Lu knew perfectly well it was just an excuse.

"Fuck! A bunch of useless trash! I’m so pissed off!" His face twisted in rage as he kicked the wall, spitting out a furious curse.

Ye Xuan watched his tantrum from the doorway, a flash of disdain in his eyes. He thought, "Not much skill, but what a temper." Keeping this silent judgment to himself, he prepared to leave.

Now that he knew Night Rose had killed Yang Zhennan, there was no point in investigating this case any further. The police couldn’t lay a finger on her. On a grander scale, the people on the Celestial Ranking weren’t afraid of the police at all. Five years ago, they had publicly opposed the Four Palaces, causing heavy casualties among the Hall Chiefs and severely crippling their strength. Today, five years later, their arrogance had only grown.

"Halt! Who are you? Show me your ID! You look highly suspicious!"

Just as Ye Xuan turned around, Xu Lu suddenly called out to him. The accusatory tone made Ye Xuan frown. He wondered how this Xu Lu ever became a senior detective. Ignoring him, Ye Xuan started walking toward Yang Bingyu’s room.

But immediately after, rapid footsteps—TAP TAP TAP—echoed behind him, followed by a hand clamping down on his shoulder.

Xu Lu gripped Ye Xuan, trying to forcefully wrench him around. However, even after using every ounce of his strength, Ye Xuan’s body remained completely unmoved.

"Damn it, who the hell are you? What are you doing sneaking around the door? I bet you’re the murderer who killed Elder Yang!" Flying into a shameful rage, Xu Lu slapped the label of a murderer right onto Ye Xuan.

Ye Xuan couldn’t help but roll his eyes. How was he sneaking around? He had been standing at the door openly and transparently. Xu Lu was obviously just picking a fight over nothing, venting the frustration he got from those lowly constables onto him.

"I’m Ye Xuan, Yang Bingyu’s fiancé." Not wanting to tangle with this idiot, Ye Xuan calmly stated his identity and moved to leave.

"Ye Xuan? Never heard of you! You still look suspicious to me. Come on, you’re coming back to the station with me for investigation!"

Xu Lu had only been transferred from headquarters to Jianghai City a few days ago, so he didn’t know much about Ye Xuan’s identity. Seeing the man’s ordinary attire, he mistook Ye Xuan for a servant of the Yang family and thought he could use him to salvage some pride.

"Report this case to Jingcheng. It’s beyond your jurisdiction now," Ye Xuan advised kindly, glancing at him.

But those words ruthlessly struck a nerve. Xu Lu’s last case had been taken over by his superiors right when he was halfway through the investigation. If he had solved that case, he would have been promoted. Instead, the higher-ups stole the credit, leaving him harboring a deep resentment toward them ever since.

"Cut the bullshit! Come back to the station with me. If you dare resist, I’ll arrest you for obstructing official business!" Xu Lu gave Ye Xuan a hard shove, intending to take him in.

Right at that moment, Ye Xuan inadvertently glanced downstairs, and a figure caught his eye. It was someone wearing a cleaner’s uniform and a baseball cap pulled low, obscuring most of her face. Ye Xuan stared at her profile for a long time, finding her more and more familiar.

"Night Rose!"

The woman’s face flashed through his mind. Realizing that this person was most likely her, Ye Xuan didn’t hesitate for a second. He vaulted over the second-floor banister and leaped down.

Behind him, Xu Lu turned pale with shock. The drop from the second floor to the first was at least three meters, yet this guy had jumped without a second thought. Was he tired of living?

He fully expected Ye Xuan to break his legs, but to his disbelief, the man executed a perfect tuck-and-roll upon landing and stood up steadily. While amazed by his agility, Xu Lu became even more convinced that Ye Xuan was a major suspect. Taking the stairs two at a time, he rushed down to arrest him.

"Who are you?!" Ye Xuan strode up to the cleaning lady and snatched the baseball cap off her head.

He thought he would see a familiar face, but what met his eyes was the visage of an exceedingly ordinary middle-aged woman. The cleaning lady clutched her mop with trembling hands, looking at him in panic.

"S-Sir, is t-there something you need?" she stammered.

Ye Xuan stared at her for a long time, trying to find even the slightest flaw in her disguise.

"What are you doing? Getting a guilty conscience and trying to run? Let me warn you, fleeing to avoid punishment is a serious crime!" At this moment, Xu Lu came over to interfere once again. He grabbed Ye Xuan’s arm, attempting to forcefully restrain him.

"Is there something fucking wrong with your brain?!" Harassed endlessly by him, Ye Xuan finally lost his temper. He shoved Xu Lu hard, cursing sharply.

Xu Lu stumbled and landed hard on his rear, baring his teeth in pain. "Assaulting a police officer! You actually dared to assault an officer! You’re finished! Just wait until you’re locked up in jail!"

Too lazy to bother with such an idiot, Ye Xuan turned back to take another look at the cleaning lady, only to find that she had vanished.

His heart skipped a beat as an ominous premonition washed over him. That was definitely Night Rose! What was she doing at the Yangs’ home?

Yang Bingyu!

As the horrific realization flashed through his mind, Ye Xuan’s pupils violently contracted. He broke into a dead sprint toward Yang Bingyu’s room at top speed.

"Stop!"

The moment he threw open her bedroom door, he saw the cleaning lady clutching a sharp dagger, driving it straight toward Yang Bingyu’s heart. Ye Xuan felt his blood freeze in an instant, his eyes nearly popping out of their sockets.

Night Rose glanced back at him with a wicked, charming smile, and her hand plunged downwards.

"No! Don’t!" Ye Xuan roared, lunging fiercely at Night Rose.

But her movements were incredibly swift and agile. Just as Ye Xuan’s fingers were about to grasp her, she materialized by the window the very next second.

"Tomorrow afternoon at three o’clock, the corridor in Antler Park. Don’t keep me waiting."