12 – I’ve bееn invеstigаting him fоr а lоng time
Sheng Сhuуаng sооn arrived at hеr dеstination.
Тhe hotеl whеrе Оld Маster Jiаng wаs hоlding his birthdаy banquеt.
A murder had oссurred аt thе bаnquеt, аnd the hоtеl wаs now cоmрletеly sealеd off.
Тhe oncе-gloriоus hotеl building stоod without а single light, apреаring dеsolatе undеr thе night skу.
Befоre lеaving eаrlier, she hаd deliberаtely familiаrizеd hеrself with thе hоtel’s layоut, intending tо rеturn and investigаte the sсenе lаtе at night whеn no onе was arоund.
Shе hаd to determine whether tonight’s murder wаs thе work of a vamрirе.
Soon, she fоund thе banquet hall where the murder had taken place.
The scene was well-preserved, still cordoned off with police tape and marked with body outline indicators.
Sheng Chuyang crouched down and began examining the area carefully.
Still no scent of blood.
It was clear the body had been meticulously cleaned before being brought here.
To hang the body from a chandelier twenty meters above the floor without anyone noticing was something no ordinary human could accomplish.
All the known information pointed to a vampire as the culprit.
She needed to see the body to make further judgments.
Just as Sheng Chuyang was about to stand up, she suddenly froze.
There was someone else in the banquet hall.
She focused, straining her ears, but heard no human breathing.
Yet there had definitely been a sound.
She couldn’t have misheard.
At that moment, the sound of a sharp object cutting through the air came from behind her.
Sheng Chuyang swiftly dodged to the side, reaching out to catch the flying object.
Upon closer inspection, it was an exquisitely crafted wooden scabbard, roughly the length of a palm.
“Since you’re already here, why hide like a coward?” The other party was skilled but held no ill intent—otherwise, it wouldn’t have been a scabbard thrown at her, but a dagger.
The other person seemed equally surprised that Sheng Chuyang had caught the scabbard.
After a brief silence, faint rustling sounds began to emerge.
Sheng Chuyang turned around, following the noise.
She had barely caught a glimpse of the man’s face when he teleported directly in front of her.
He knelt on one knee, bowing respectfully to Sheng Chuyang. “Your Highness.”
His voice was filled with reverence.
Hearing the familiar voice, Sheng Chuyang slowly uttered, “Xingmu?”
The Blood Clan royal family held supreme status. From birth, each royal member would select the most talented individual from the younger generation of the Blood Clan to sign a Guardian Contract.
Once the contract took effect, the guardian would remain loyal for life, until death.
Sheng Chuyang’s guardian, Xi Xingmu, had been personally chosen by her father.
As Sheng Chuyang had become independent at a young age, her father had assigned Xi Xingmu to the human world.
The last time she had seen him was ten years ago.
Xi Xingmu remained kneeling, looking up with delight in his refined eyes. “I knew Your Highness would be safe and sound.”
Sheng Chuyang extended her hand to him. “Rise.”
Only then did Xi Xingmu stand up.
Sheng Chuyang immediately asked him, “Why was the passage to the City of Eternal Night closed? What happened?”
At the mention of the City of Eternal Night, Xi Xingmu’s expression turned serious.
“On Your Highness’s birthday, I received news that you and Lord Bai An had been cornered on the city walls by rebel forces. Just as I was preparing to return, I suddenly lost consciousness and fell into a deep sleep. At that moment, I knew something had happened to you. When I woke up, the passage was closed, and I had completely lost contact with the City of Eternal Night.”
The so-called Guardian Contract meant that if the master died, the guardian would perish as well.Xi Xingmu’s sudden loss of consciousness and deep slumber was likely due to Sheng Chuyang digging out her own heart on the city wall.
Later, when she revived, Xi Xingmu also came back to life.
Sheng Chuyang fell silent for a moment. “This matter requires careful planning.”
Neither of them knew the exact situation in the City of Eternal Night, so they could only take their time to figure things out.
Xi Xingmu nodded. “Mm.”
Then, he looked at Sheng Chuyang with some confusion. “Princess, why can’t I sense the aura of our kind on you?”
If it weren’t for Sheng Chuyang wearing the Crimson Moon Necklace and her familiar appearance, he wouldn’t have dared to recognize her.
Sheng Chuyang explained in a simple and direct manner. “This is a human body.”
Xi Xingmu’s confusion deepened.
Suddenly, his expression tightened. “Someone’s coming.”
Sheng Chuyang exchanged a glance with him and hid behind the nearest pillar.
Someone with a flashlight walked over from the entrance of the banquet hall.
For vampires, night was no different from day.
Sheng Chuyang peeked out from behind the pillar and narrowed her eyes slightly.
Xi Xingmu whispered beside her, “Why is he here again?”
“You know Bo Chenjing?” Sheng Chuyang turned back to ask Xi Xingmu.
Xi Xingmu replied, “A descendant of the Rong family. I’ve been investigating him for a long time. Does the princess know him too?”
Sheng Chuyang said lazily, “More than just knowing.”
Bo Chenjing had come with Song Wu.
As they walked, Bo Chenjing suddenly stopped.
Song Wu was puzzled. “Sixth Master, what’s wrong?”
Bo Chenjing raised his head and looked toward Sheng Chuyang’s direction.
But Sheng Chuyang reacted faster than him, ducking back behind the pillar the moment he looked over.
Sheng Chuyang silently mouthed to Xi Xingmu, “He’s spotted us.”
A flicker of shock passed through Xi Xingmu’s eyes, as if he couldn’t believe Bo Chenjing was so perceptive.
Following Bo Chenjing’s gaze, Song Wu shone his flashlight toward the pillar. “Sixth Master, there’s no one there.”
Bo Chenjing withdrew his gaze and continued walking toward the scene of the murder.
Behind the pillar, Sheng Chuyang pointed to a distant window.
Xi Xingmu understood.
The two of them teleported to the window in perfect sync and leaped down together.
In an instant, they vanished into the night.
Bo Chenjing seemed to sense something and quickly walked over.
However, outside the window, the night was thick, and the wind whispered faintly.
Not a trace of anyone could be seen.
Having been by Bo Chenjing’s side for many years, Song Wu knew that Bo Chenjing must have sensed something to come and check.
With that thought, even the wind outside the window felt eerie to Song Wu.
“Sixth Master, is there something else in this room?”
Bo Chenjing rested his hands on the windowsill, lost in thought.
After a moment, Bo Chenjing turned and walked out. “Let’s go home.”
…
Sheng Chuyang and Xi Xingmu landed lightly.
As soon as they landed, she asked Xi Xingmu, “Do you know where the body from today’s birthday banquet is?”
Xi Xingmu had been in the human world for a long time and surely knew more than she did.
“At the Criminal Investigation Bureau.”
Xi Xingmu could tell Sheng Chuyang wanted to examine the body. “But we can’t go tonight. The Jiang family is a prominent and influential clan. After something like this happens, they’ll definitely pressure the police to solve the case quickly. The entire Criminal Investigation Bureau is working overtime tonight. Too many eyes, too much risk.”
Sheng Chuyang recalled what Bo Chenjing and Chief Deng had said during her statement.
“Then we won’t go to the Criminal Investigation Bureau. We’ll go somewhere else.”
“Where?”
“To Bo Chenjing’s home.”Five or six hours had passed since the incident—the autopsy report must have been completed by now.
Bo Chenjing had personally given the order, so Chief Deng would undoubtedly deliver the autopsy results to him as soon as possible.
Since the Criminal Investigation Bureau was too crowded and exposed to risk, the only option was to sneak into Bo Chenjing’s home and steal the autopsy report.