Chapter 272: The Code (1/2)

By about 9 am, Dali’s stomach was rumbling with hunger. ”All we’ve had since yesterday was a bowl of congee. Aren't you hungry?” he asked. “Dude, where’s the chocolate Bingxin-meimei gave you yesterday? Take it out, I’m starving!”

”I left it in the dormitory,” I said. “How could I eat it all at once?”

I didn’t mean to imply anything, but Bingxin seemed to have caught on to some nonexistent allusion and blushed shyly.

”How much longer do we have to wait?” Dali cried dejectedly.

”You’ll have to be patient. I’m guessing the abbot will only return when he’s handled the matter.”

Capturing our suspects alive was trickier than killing them. In fact, all I had to do was whistle for Song Xingchen to jump off the roof and kill Scarface. But therein lay the rub; how would we explain all the dead bodies to the police when they arrived at the scene? If the matter wasn’t well handled, we might all end up in jail.

Right now, impatience was written all over Scarface’s face. He glanced over towards our room several times as if he were hesitant about something. It was only half an hour later when he suddenly stood up and stomped out of the yard.

”I'm going out for a bit but I’ll be right back!” I said.

Before leaving, I left the knife with Dali so he could protect themselves.

I slipped out of the room and kept my movements furtive as I sneaked over to the side hall. The rhythmic sound of hacking came from the inner courtyard, and there stood Two-Face in the middle of felling a small tree. Startled by my presence, he looked up, wary.

”I need to speak to you!” I said, making sure to keep my voice low.

Two-Face looked me up and down as if sizing me up, his tone unfriendly and gruff, ”What’s there to talk about? Go back to your room now. If my disciple brother discovers you missing, he’ll kill you!”

I kept a fixed gaze on him, my eyes communicating that I had seen through it all. ”I already know your identities. In the spirit of fair exchange, I’ll tell you mine. I’m a policeman.”

Two-Face arched an eyebrow as he shot an accusatory glance in my direction. ”You’re lying!”

Since I handed my consultant identification to Zhu Xiaohao, I had nothing left to prove my identity so I solemnly repeated, ”I’m a policeman. My badge number is 024415. You can check and see if I’m telling the truth or not.”

Of course, the badge number was fabricated but my words seemed to convince Two-Face, the doubt and wariness in his eyes fading slightly. ”What do you know?” he asked.

”You’re all fugitives from the 116 case from over ten years ago!” I announced. “And you’re hiding here to find the historical relics that disappeared at the time.”

Two-Face looked at me, appalled and stunned speechless. Some time later, he managed to collect himself and asked, ”Who told you all that?”

”Do you think finding that information would pose a challenge for an officer of the law?” I scoffed.

”So, are you undercover?” Two-Face gulped, his expression marked with nervousness. “Are you going to arrest them all?”

I noticed the peculiarity of his wording, using “them” instead of “us” which suggested he might not be part of their gang. I felt as if my dangling heart had found solid ground.

”Yes,” I admitted. “But you must keep it under wraps.”

”Why are you telling me this?” asked Two-Face. “Aren’t you afraid I might divulge your secret?”

”I can tell you’re different and you might be on my side,” I chuckled.