Shen Du and Zhu Yan were still some distance apart, but Zhu Yan had already entered the alley.
If she took a few more steps, Zhu Yan would disappear from his sight.
He felt panic in his heart, but despite calling out several times, Zhu Yan showed no reaction.
Zhu Yan hadn’t heard the calls behind her at all; she was completely entranced by a peculiar fragrance.
Now she seemed to be in a trance, with flower petals filling the air and emitting waves of strange perfume, making one want to remain immersed in it, unwilling to leave.
“Could there be such a beautiful place in this world?” Zhu Yan marveled as she stepped forward.
What she didn’t know was that waiting for her at the other end of the alley was not a beautiful sea of flowers, but a figure draped in a black cloak.
This person held a special incense burner, from which wisps of smoke drifted out. It was this scent that had drawn Zhu Yan.
Seeing that Zhu Yan had taken the bait, a strange smile curved the lips beneath the hood.
Closer, even closer…
Zhu Yan had reached the cloaked figure’s side. The black-clad person raised a hand to gently stroke Zhu Yan’s cheek, nodding with satisfaction.
“Stop!”
Just as the cloaked figure was about to make another move, a cold rebuke halted them.
The black-clad person turned. Under the black cloak, a black veil covered the face, revealing only a pair of eyes, making it impossible to discern their true appearance.
“Release her, and I’ll leave your corpse intact,” Shen Du commanded coldly, his eyes darting between the cloaked figure and Zhu Yan.
Was she harmed? This was Shen Du’s greatest concern.
The cloaked figure remained silent, eyes narrowing with a hint of smugness.
“Lord Shen.”
Xu Xiangren, the Local Constable Shuai, quickly arrived at Shen Du’s side, fixing his gloomy, murderous gaze on the cloaked figure.
Outnumbered, the cloaked figure’s eyes were as deep as a starry sea.
“You can’t escape. Don’t harm the hostage, and I’ll give you a quick death,” Xu Xiangren said.
Unmoved, the cloaked figure snorted coldly, then spun around, wrapping Zhu Yan in their black robe. With a “bang,” the entire alley filled with smoke.
“Not good!” Shen Du cursed inwardly as he rushed into the smoke, but by then, the pair had vanished.
Xu Xiangren looked up towards the end of the alley. On the eaves, about a person’s height up, there were fresh footprints.
A cold smile curved his lips. “Such a trivial trick, yet they think to escape the law.” He then gave chase.
Shen Du, though anxious, understood the situation and followed without hesitation.
When Zhu Yan regained her senses, she found herself in an abandoned temple.
It was dark and damp, covered in dust, forgotten for who knows how long. Even the central Buddha statue was missing its head.
“Where is this?” Zhu Yan felt unwell, though she couldn’t pinpoint exactly how.
“You don’t need to know,” a low, hollow voice replied, sending chills down Zhu Yan’s spine.
Looking up, she saw a black figure not far away, holding a cold, gleaming dagger, observing it.
Or rather, admiring it.
The cloaked figure’s eyes held a strange look, and the dagger in hand was no ordinary weapon. It resembled a curved knife, but thinner.
More remarkably, this dagger was extremely small, and the cloaked figure toyed with it as if handling a precious treasure.
This person must be the murderer who kills and removes hearts!
Zhu Yan was certain of the figure’s identity, but she wasn’t as afraid now.
Shen Du would surely come to rescue her; all she needed to do was buy time.
“Why did you kill so many people?” Zhu Yan asked, her tone unusually serious.
“You don’t need to know so much.”
The cloaked figure spoke without urgency as if waiting for something.
This puzzled Zhu Yan. She tried to sit up but found her lower body immobilized.
“What’s happening?” Zhu Yan was shocked, looking accusingly at the cloaked figure, who only now showed a slight reaction.
“Why do you talk so much, woman?”
The cloaked figure approached Zhu Yan. Though the voice was hollow and gender indistinguishable, Zhu Yan noticed the figure’s feet were quite small, likely a woman.
“Playing tricks,” Zhu Yan glared fiercely at the cloaked figure. “It seems I can’t escape your grasp today. Why not remove your veil and let me see your true face?”
“You think I’m a fool?” The cloaked figure crouched before Zhu Yan. “Everyone knows Zhu Liunniang is clever. If you see my face, even if you die and become a ghost to dream-tell your husband, what would I do then?”
“A murderer like you fears ghosts?” Zhu Yan retorted without mercy. “You’ve killed so many; their resentment must have turned into vengeful spirits surrounding you. Don’t you see them day and night?”
“What are they worth?” The cloaked figure’s tone suddenly turned fierce, tinged with hatred. “They all deserved to die. Even as ghosts, they wouldn’t dare appear before me. If they did, I’d make them die again.”
Hearing this, Zhu Yan was thoroughly shocked.
She swallowed hard. Survival was key now; she couldn’t afford to anger this person.
“Am I… also meant to die?” Zhu Yan asked. “You say all those people shared traits and deserved death. In your eyes, do I deserve to die too?”
“Deserving death or not, you sought it yourself,” the cloaked figure tapped Zhu Yan’s cheek lightly with the dagger, chilling her. “Isn’t this what you wanted? Using yourself as bait to lure me out. Since you dared to do it, you should face the consequences.”
“I…” Zhu Yan was speechless. The cloaked figure’s words seemed off somehow, but she couldn’t pinpoint why.
“Then I suppose I am meant to die.”
The cloaked figure felt Zhu Yan’s carotid artery, then withdrew their hand, adding, “We need to wait a bit longer.”
Confused, Zhu Yan asked, “What are you waiting for?”
The cloaked figure toyed with the dagger with interest. “Waiting for the blood in your body to coagulate. Then, when I remove your heart, it won’t bleed, keeping my hands clean.”
These words sent a complete chill through Zhu Yan. Only now did she realize her upper body was also immobilized; she could barely even clench her fist.
“You!” Zhu Yan’s eyes widened, glaring hatefully at the cloaked figure. “I am the wife of a high-ranking official. If you dare kill me, when Shen Du catches you, he’ll surely flay you alive and extract your tendons.”
“Heh…” The cloaked figure chuckled lightly, disregarding Zhu Yan’s words. “Lady Shen, you’re mistaken. Even if I don’t kill you, Shen Du won’t spare me once he catches me. If death awaits either way, why not take you with me as company?”
“Don’t… don’t be rash,” Zhu Yan seemed to think of something. “I can plead with him to leave your corpse intact. Our relationship is well-known throughout Chang’an. He’ll listen to me. Please… don’t kill me.”
Zhu Yan thought these words might move the cloaked figure, but unexpectedly, upon hearing them, the figure’s gaze turned utterly vicious.
It was as if Zhu Yan had lit the final fuse, or perhaps her words had touched the cloaked figure’s bottom line.
“Silence!” The cloaked figure, enraged and humiliated, stuffed a cloth into Zhu Yan’s mouth.
Unable to speak, Zhu Yan’s entire body was rigid.
She could only watch helplessly as the cloaked figure raised the dagger towards her heart.
It’s over!