Universe Infinite Canteen

Manager Zhou and others wanted to persuade her further, but Madame Xu had already adopted the air of the mistress of the house. She had someone prepare the carriage, and seeing her mind made up, some hurriedly went to the tea house opposite to send a message.

Earlier, Tan Mazi had already taken a group of people to search for Xu Erlang, but this time, it was the Tea Scholar himself who led the remaining people to protect Madame Xu.

A grand procession set out towards Yicui Tower.

Gu Qingyi also planned to follow and watch the excitement, as this would give her a chance to interrogate Young Master Xu after his release.

However, Ma Lu pulled her back, "Wait."

"What's wrong?"

"Something doesn't feel right. We just discovered that Xu Deputy had a hidden illness and needed medication, and now the most suspicious person, Young Master Xu, has been taken down by the Beggars' Sect. They insist on Madame Xu apologizing in person."

Gu Qingyi's expression changed, "Could it be that the real culprit is Madame Xu and she is using this opportunity to escape?"

Ma Lu shook his head, "It doesn't seem like it. After Xu Deputy's death, she is a key protection target for the Heavenly Dragon Sect. Haven't you seen how many experts the Heavenly Dragon Sect has stationed outside Xu Mansion? Wherever she goes, those experts follow. Even if she leaves Xu Mansion, it would be very difficult for her to escape."

As he spoke, Ma Lu suddenly paused, then muttered, "Fragrance Master Tan previously went to find Young Master Xu and took away many people, and now the rest are following Madame Xu, which means..."

"The target is actually Xu Mansion?" continued Gu Qingyi, following Ma Lu's train of thought.

"But Xu Deputy is already dead, what else in Xu Mansion could attract such attention? Could it be that the Beggars' Sect's Lotus Bowl is hidden there?"

Gu Qingyi let her imagination run wild.

But Ma Lu said, "No, that's not it... They're not eyeing something in Xu Mansion. The reason they want to divert the guards outside is that someone is afraid and plans to flee. He knows that if we talk to Young Master Xu, his story won't hold up any longer."

"Who are you talking about?" Gu Qingyi asked, curious.

"I can't be absolutely certain yet, but I know a way to unmask him," said Ma Lu, touching his nose.

"Let's go. We'll follow Madame Xu."

"Follow Madame Xu? But didn't you say the murderer is still in Xu Mansion?"

"Yes, but if we don't leave, he won't let his guard down. We can follow Madame Xu first, then secretly double back."

Ma Lu looked up at the sky; the sun had completely set by now, and it would be utterly dark soon. The cover of night suited those with nefarious intentions perfectly.

This also indirectly confirmed Ma Lu's earlier speculation; the beggar's timing had clearly been carefully chosen.

However, the onset of darkness also facilitated Ma Lu and Gu Qingyi in deceiving the murderer. Pretending to follow Madame Xu, they walked a distance before circling around and returning to their starting point.

They found a large tree beside Xu Mansion. Ma Lu and Gu Qingyi, using Qinggong, climbed up into it.

After waiting less than a quarter of an hour, as expected, the gate of Xu Mansion opened again. Manager Zhou peeked out, looking around sneakily.

Then, with a cloth bag in hand, he darted out from behind the gate and hurried into the night.

Gu Qingyi looked at Ma Lu beside her and whispered, "Shall we chase him?"

Ma Lu hesitated, "Wait a little longer."

"He's about to get away and you still want to wait?" Gu Qing was growing anxious.

Ma Lu had previously said the murderer was hiding in Xu Mansion, which she had doubted to some extent. But now that the murderer had really shown himself, Ma Lu did nothing, just watching as the figure disappeared into the night.

"If you want to chase him, you can." Ma Lu thought it over; he indeed couldn't guarantee that Manager Zhou was definitely the culprit or an accomplice.

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It just so happened that he and Gu Qingyi were two people, so they could split up and take two different routes.

"And you?" Gu Qingyi inquired.

"I'll wait a bit longer," said Ma Lu, crouching down and doing his best to hide his body behind the tree canopy.

Thus, without further hesitation, Gu Qingyi lightly pressed off with her left foot, somersaulted off the tree, and landed on the ground to chase after Manager Zhou.

After she left, Ma Lu held his breath and concentrated, continuing to wait patiently.

He wasn't in a hurry. The person inside the mansion should be the anxious one, for although Ma Lu had sent away all the hands from the Heavenly Dragon Sect outside the Xu Mansion and had even deceived Gu Qingyi,

he knew the time available to him wouldn't be long. Once either of the two parties realized they'd been duped and came back, he would have no escape.

So he had to act quickly too.

Ma Lu's guess wasn't wrong. In less than half the time it takes an incense stick to burn, another shadow cloaked in Night Travel Clothes leapt over the wall of the Xu Mansion.

His face was covered with a black cloth, leaving only a pair of gleaming, alert eyes exposed.

His movements were agile, landing without a sound. After exiting the courtyard wall, he didn't look left or right but simply bolted straight ahead.

His Qinggong was also quite good. Even if it wasn't the very best, it was definitely not something average Jianghu people could match.

Quick as a fleeing rabbit, he darted several meters in the blink of an eye. Unfortunately for him, he had met his match that day.

The Delicate Cloud Chasing Moon Skill, which Ma Lu had acquired from the late Xu Deputy, was one of the finest Qinggong techniques in the world, and the Xu Deputy had mastered it to the level of Great Perfection.

Ma Lu had picked it up fully mastered, so he effortlessly drifted down from the tree, enveloping the fleeing figure as lightly as a cloud.

At that point, the figure realized he was being tracked and hurriedly quickened his pace, pushing his Qinggong to the limit. But no matter how fast he ran, he couldn't shake off his pursuer.@@novelbin@@

The pursuer was like a full moon, perpetually hanging above his head, offering no chance for him to slip away.

Eventually realizing he couldn't outrun the other, he was forced to stop and called out pleadingly.

"Young Master Ma, what do you want before you'll let me go?"

"Cai Die... why did you want to kill Xu Deputy?"

Cai Die didn't answer but countered, "Why do you say I am the murderer who killed Xu Deputy?"

"Because when Divine Detective Gu noticed that prescription of herbal medicine, you visibly panicked and threw Young Master Xu's name out to distract everyone. But by doing that, you also made yourself a suspect,"

Ma Lu explained calmly, "According to your own story, there were actually three people who could have had access to that medicine. Apart from Madame Xu and Young Master Xu, you, who was picking vegetables at the back door all along, could have also slipped into the kitchen when Madame Xu wasn't there.

"Of course, you must be well aware of this. That's why you tried to seduce me intentionally, hoping I wouldn't suspect you."

"But it seems my actions have had the opposite effect. Do you think I lack appeal, Young Master Ma?" Cai Die said, biting her lip.

"Indeed."

Ma Lu's life had never lacked beautiful women. Whether he was out buying ingredients or in his original universe—Boggy, his Witch squad, Zhen Ye, Angie, He Xiaoqian, Wandering Sorcerer...

They were all very beautiful, each with their own attributes, so Ma Lu had no interest in Cai Die, a girl who clearly hadn't quite blossomed.

But the truth always hurts, and at this moment, Cai Die was very much hurt.