I Can Devour Spirits

”Yes, County Magistrate. Based on my experience in handling cases, first, both cases involved needle-like hidden weapons where the injuries were inflicted on the eyes! Second, both cases involve individuals skilled in using poison. Furthermore, there may be connections between the two cases, as Chief Constable Jie likely fell into danger while tracking the killer related to the Jie Lei case! Hence, I boldly believe that these two cases are the work of the same killer!”

Shen Yanliu smiled slightly, stood up, paced a few steps in the flower hall, and then looked at Zhu Guibao, saying, ”I’ve noticed that your approach to handling these cases seems a bit too erratic!”

Zhu Guibao’s heart skipped a beat, and he immediately bowed and stood aside, as Shen Yanliu’s words clearly indicated disagreement with his viewpoint.

Shen Yanliu said, ”Chief Constable Jie is a True Qi Realm expert. Those who can kill Chief Constable Jie must also be True Qi Realm experts. In the cases involving Jie Lei and Xu Ruhu, Jie Lei was merely at the Second Level of Inner Breath Realm, and Xu Ruhu was a worthless individual with his Dantian destroyed. If the same person committed both crimes, do you think a True Qi Realm expert would need to use hidden weapons and poison to kill these two? Isn’t that just a face-to-face matter!”

Shen Yanliu insisted that only a True Qi Realm expert could have killed Jie Daohan, knowing the vast gap between major realms, which meant that only another True Qi Realm expert could rely on the assistance of hidden weapons and poison, making it possible to kill Jie Daohan!

Zhu Guibao was drenched in cold sweat from Shen Yanliu’s reasoning, having to admit that Shen Yanliu’s analysis was indeed logical.

Suddenly, Shen Yanliu shook the brief post-mortem report in his hand and said, ”A few days ago, I received an order of promotion, being reassigned to Ruyang Prefecture as Inspector General. Once the announcement is complete and Mizhi leaves, I will depart from Xianggu County to Ruyang Prefecture! Strictly speaking, I am no longer the County Magistrate here and have no authority to handle this case. In a few days, a new County Magistrate will assume office! Once the new County Magistrate arrives, you can report this case to him for handling.”

As Shen Yanliu spoke, he handed the post-mortem report back to Zhu Guibao.

Zhu Guibao’s heart skipped another beat, as he finally understood why the courtyard was filled with luggage. Not only is Miss Shen heading to Taiyi Sect, but it turns out that the County Magistrate’s family will also be leaving Xianggu County.

Zhu Guibao immediately accepted the post-mortem report and respectfully said, ”Congratulations on your promotion, sir. I apologize for my presumptuous interruption!”

Having spoken, Zhu Guibao bowed and retreated.

With the murder of a County Constable, it’s naturally a major case. However, when Jie Daohan was killed, the promotion order had already arrived several days prior, thus legally making this case unrelated to him.

Even if he solved the case, the credit wouldn’t be his; it would merely benefit the newly appointed County Magistrate.

As for why he refuted Zhu Guibao’s view that the killer in this case and the cases involving Jie Lei and Xu Ruhu were the same person.

The cases involving Jie Lei and Xu Ruhu were concluded during his tenure.

According to Zhu Guibao’s view, wouldn’t that mean overturning his original case report? He didn’t spare any effort to settle that case back then.

Watching Zhu Guibao leave, Shen Yanliu sauntered over to the tea table and took another sip of tea.

Despite preparing to leave, he couldn’t help lamenting how Xianggu County, though small and plagued by wicked winds, was indeed a place where anomalies thrived!

Not only had there been a horrific major case, but even a County Constable responsible for the law had been murdered.

Jie Daohan was a True Qi Realm expert!

Shen Yanliu’s fingers caressed the rim of the tea cup, though intentionally misleading Zhu Guibao to prevent him from overturning his original case report.

Upon further reflection, Zhu Guibao’s subsequent analysis based on the post-mortem report was not without merit.

However, the analysis he provided to Zhu Guibao was likewise well-founded. The killer of Jie Daohan must be a True Qi Realm expert. The two cases occurred less than a year apart. For a True Qi Realm expert to kill Jie Lei and Xu Ruhu, it would be merely a matter of face-to-face and raising a hand; why bother with poisons and hidden weapons?

”Unless...”

Suddenly, Shen Yanliu thought of a possibility that could reconcile both Zhu Guibao’s and his analyses.

That is, when this person committed the Jie Lei and Xu Ruhu cases, he was only an Inner Breath Realm Second Level Martial Artist, thus needing to utilize hidden weapons and poisons.

However, by the time he killed Jie Daohan, he had already broken through to the True Qi Realm, becoming a True Qi Realm expert like Jie Daohan.

Only this answer could reconcile both Zhu Guibao’s and his analyses, uniting them!

However, upon considering this answer, Shen Yanliu couldn’t help but chuckle.

The time gap between the two cases is just over half a year.

What kind of person could have such a cultivation speed to break through from Inner Breath Realm Second Level to True Qi Realm within half a year?

Absolutely impossible!

Even within Taiyi Sect, those lofty core disciples couldn’t possibly have such a cultivation speed back then!

Shen Yanliu set down the tea cup, feeling that his thoughts were somewhat absurd.

Though Xianggu County is small and beset by wicked winds, legally speaking, it is no longer under his jurisdiction, so even if a major case like the murder of a County Constable occurs, how is it related to him as Inspector General of Ruyang Prefecture?

With hands behind his back, Shen Yanliu left the flower hall, strolling toward Shen Mizi’s small courtyard. Regarding the sect’s registered disciple matters, he had many things yet to explain to Shen Mizi.

Zhu Guibao returned to the Arresting Officer’s Room, where Yang Zhen was still staring dazedly at Jie Daohan’s corpse, seemingly lost in thought.

As soon as Zhu Guibao returned to the room, the forensic doctor Liu Kui, who was busily writing at the table, looked up and said, ”I’ll try to get the detailed and complete post-mortem report done today!”