Although he didn’t know who this Demon Exterminator standing before him was,

just seeing the man there gave Li Dahe a feeling of heart-pounding panic.

It was as if this man could casually crush him to death.

"Y-yes, yes."

Li Dahe nodded hurriedly, terrified of angering the Demon Exterminator before him.

He thought for a moment, then said softly, "That Qiu Wan... he was one of my men. The day before yesterday, he died a strange death at home."

"I went to take a look at the time. The state of the body was just too bizarre, so I left in a hurry."

"You know how it is, Sir. We common folk wouldn’t dare provoke Evil Spirits."

Han Yuan looked at Li Dahe. "And Huang He? Do you know him?"

"Huang He... I do remember him."

"The guy was a gambling addict. He owed us a debt of twenty taels of silver."

"But I wasn’t the one who killed him."

Li Dahe said defensively.

"Is that all?"

Han Yuan’s eyes narrowed.

"That’s really all... How would I dare lie to you, Sir?"

Han Yuan’s expression scared Li Dahe so much he was drenched in sweat. 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

"You might not be lying."

"But I get the feeling you’re hiding something from me."

"I’ll count to three... If you don’t start talking by then..."

"I’ll send you to feed the fish."

Han Yuan cracked his neck.

Of course, his words were just a bluff to scare Li Dahe.

These old gang dogs seemed to spill everything they knew,

but they were probably still hiding something.

You couldn’t get the truth out of them without a good scare.

Lü San chimed in from the side, "Li Dahe, this is the Overseas Dragon, Lord Han Yuan."

"Even in Ferry Town, you must have heard of his reputation."

Upon hearing the name Han Yuan, Li Dahe’s knees instantly went weak.

Even though he wasn’t in the County Town, he had certainly heard the moniker "Overseas Dragon."

Just thinking about the stories—of him kicking a man’s head clean off, spine and all—made Li Dahe shudder.

"Three... two..."

Han Yuan didn’t give Li Dahe time to think, starting the countdown immediately.

"Sir!"

"I’ll talk!"

"That day, I sent Qiu Wan to collect the debt Huang He owed!"

Li Dahe, having lost all composure in his terror, blurted everything out.

"Which day?" A glint flashed in Han Yuan’s eyes.

"The very night Huang He died."

"But I never expected Huang He to turn up dead the next day."

"Naturally, the money couldn’t be collected... Then, to my surprise, Qiu Wan died the very next day as well."

Li Dahe said hurriedly.

"You idiot, why didn’t you say so earlier?!"

Lü San said coldly.

"I... I was afraid you’d think I had something to do with Huang He’s death."

Li Dahe explained in a low voice.

Han Yuan thought for a moment, then asked, "Did Qiu Wan go to Huang He’s house?"

"Probably not. Who would dare go to that guy’s house?"

Li Dahe said.

"What about Tang Shanbao? Do you know him?"

Han Yuan’s gaze grew colder.

Li Dahe was so frightened his face instantly turned pale. "Of course I know him... Ferry Town is only so big... But I really haven’t had any contact with him recently!"

Seeing that his expression didn’t seem like a lie, Han Yuan left with Lü San and the other Government Officials.

"Lord Han... where to next?"

Lü San asked.

"Back to Huang He’s house."

Decisive as ever, Han Yuan quickly returned to Huang He’s home.

After entering, he went straight for the window.

"I noticed scuff marks on this windowsill back then."

"It means someone came in."

Han Yuan said softly, pointing at the window.

"So you’re saying someone climbed in through the window?"

Lü San looked surprised and doubtful.

When they had come before, the sight of Huang He’s terrifying death had convinced them it was the work of Evil Spirits, so they hadn’t searched the scene thoroughly at all.

"Mhm... that’s what I thought at the time."

"Combined with what Li Dahe just said, I think the first person to discover Huang He’s body was probably Qiu Wan."

"He probably intended to climb in and force Huang He to pay up, but instead he found Huang He’s corpse."

"But Qiu Wan must have been bold. He didn’t leave immediately. Instead, he looted something from Huang He’s house before taking off."

"And that something... was probably very valuable."

Han Yuan said softly.

Upon hearing this, Lü San exclaimed in shock, "Then I understand!"

"Qiu Wan lied to Li Dahe afterward and secretly sold the item to Tang Shanbao, who deals in black-market goods!"

"And Tang Shanbao was killed because he took that item!"

Han Yuan nodded. "Tang Shanbao was a black-market merchant. He likely had some hidden compartments with mechanisms in his house for storing things."

Lü San said with admiration, "Master Han, I’m starting to think you’d be better suited as a Chief Constable."

Han Yuan glanced at him but ultimately said nothing.

The group quickly returned to Tang Shanbao’s residence and began searching, focusing on the study.

Lü San, that old fox, soon felt something was off about a painting. After taking it down, he knocked on the wall behind it. "Lord Han, it’s hollow!"

Han Yuan’s expression shifted. "There must be a mechanism controlling it... Everyone, search for it."

The study wasn’t large and didn’t contain many things, so someone quickly found the opening mechanism.

It was a vase that could be rotated. When turned gently to the right, a hidden compartment popped out from the wall.

Han Yuan walked over and saw a wooden box inside.

"Looks like this Tang Shanbao was quite cautious."

"I bet even his wife didn’t know about this spot."

Lü San chuckled.

If Tang Shanbao’s wife had known about this, she would have taken everything at the first opportunity. There would be nothing left.

Just as Han Yuan was about to reach for the wooden box, he noticed that Lü San and the other Government Officials had already backed far away.

"Are you all really that scared?"

Han Yuan asked, speechless.

"Master Han... a man of your stature naturally has nothing to fear."

"But us small fries... we can’t afford to mess with those things."

Lü San said with an awkward laugh.

"Fine... You can all leave first."

Han Yuan didn’t force them.

’Even at the County Government Office, these Government Officials only earn a few taels of silver a month. I really can’t ask them to risk their lives alongside me.’

"In that case, Master Han, we’ll wait for you outside."

After speaking, Lü San hurriedly ran out of the study.

The other Government Officials also fled in a panic, afraid they might get tainted by something.

Only after they were gone did Han Yuan reach out and pick up the wooden box.

The wooden box was of a moderate size, carved with exquisite patterns.

Han Yuan gently opened the box.

Inside were many silver notes, as well as some gold, silver, and jewelry.

Han Yuan deftly collected the silver notes before looking at the gold, silver, and jewelry.

Soon.

His gaze fell upon a small Golden Bracelet.

The bracelet appeared to be a Peace Bracelet meant for a child to wear. The moment Han Yuan first saw it, he felt a sense of unease.

"Is it you?"

Han Yuan didn’t pick up the bracelet. Instead, he carried the entire wooden box outside.

When Lü San and the others saw Han Yuan emerge carrying the wooden box, they hastily moved even farther away.

"I’ll keep watch here tonight."

"You all wait at the outer gate."

Han Yuan said softly.

"Don’t you worry, Master Han."

"I’ll make sure the outside is well-guarded for you."

"Men, with me!"

Lü San immediately led his men out of the courtyard.