“You?” Professor Yuan seemed surprised.
He let out a laugh. “Alright, I will meet you soon then! It just so happens that the expedition is a little complicated. You learnt from me for two years but never got the chance to apply yourself. How about you treat this as a practical session? If you do well, I might grant you the status of a supernumerary student. Although there are many rules at the academy and it might be hard to accomplish, if you perform well, I can still let you graduate!”
“You should know already that if you have a graduation certificate, you can advance two levels from where you are now at the Inspection Office. You will be a Level 1 Patrol Officer! Bright future ahead, kiddo.”
Li Hao smiled. “Professor, let’s talk about it when we meet again. I am going to go into Zhang Yuan’s house and see if there are any more clues. If I manage to get to the bottom of this, I will find a way to return to the academy and make you proud.”
“Alright!” said Professor Yuan. “If you need anything, call me anytime. There is nothing in this world that can’t be solved. If the Inspection Office and the academy ignore it, your old professor still has some influence. You just make me proud, alright? I will go all out if you need my help. I still know many experts who can help with the case.”
Li Hao felt touched by professor Yuan’s words. He knew what his professor meant. He would always be there if needed. Li Hao Had never talked so much with his professor in the past. He had kept his distance because he didn’t want anyone to blow up another rumor and trouble his old professor.
To hear his professor believe him when he said Zhang Yuan’s death might not be an accident gave Li Hao hope and strength to continue with his own investigation.
Li Hao couldn’t call Professor Yuan every time for help. The old professor did have experience and influence but he has a high status. He couldn’t be seen getting involved with Li Hao’s case. What Li Hao had started wasn’t official, after all. It was a private matter and he didn’t want to put anyone else in danger.
“I will remember that, Professor. Thank you!” Li Hao cut the communication. He tore off the seal and pushed the door open to the house that had been closed for a year.
…
When Li Hao entered the old, dusty house with Black Panther, the silence was deafening.
In the darkness of the street, a hidden pair of blue eyes looked back.
Under the sky, a black figure blended with night. The figure was shrouded in black except the cold, blue eyes. The person wore a ghost-like mask that covered the whole face. It was unknown whether they were a man or a woman.
‘Li Hao, Zhang Yuan’s classmate and best friend. A second-grade student of the Silver City Ancient Academy. After Zhang Yuan’s death last year, he dropped out of school and joined the Inspection Office. Today, he reported to Wang Jie about the six immolation cases. They wanted to deal with it together.’ Li Hao’s information flashed through the black figure’s mind.
When Li Hao had dropped out of the Silver City Ancient Academy and joined the Inspection Office, he was already being watched.
That wasn’t all. Li Hao might be the key figure in these cases. However, this matter wasn’t under the black shadow’s jurisdiction. The black shadow had been informed that Li Hao shouldn’t be touched for now and that he could be useful.
‘Was Li Hao just talking to Yuan Shuo?’ thought the black shadow.
Yuan Shuo, patriarch of the Silver City Ancient Academy and the Head of the Department of Ancient Civilization. He worked with the Night Patrollers and was a bigshot in the entire Silver City. The only one who could contact the Night Patrollers as he pleased.
‘Even if no one had informed me, Li Hao couldn’t be touched with a person like that backing him,’ thought the black shadow and approached the Zhang family’s old house. The black shadow wanted to find out why Li Hao had visited the place.
‘For clues? Zhang Yuan had self-immolated and died in the academy. What clues could there be at home? Or was he looking for something else?’
The black shadow didn’t know. But it had been tasked with keeping an eye on anyone who approached the Zhang family residence.
…
Black Panther made low guttural noises in its throat. It bit Li Hao’s trousers again.
It looked anxious. It seemed to be saying something. Li Hao remained calm but he was on high alert.
‘Was someone approaching?’ wondered Li Hao. He wondered if his conversation with Professor Yuan would be enough to discourage people from harming him.
Li Hao gently patted Black Panther’s head. He then looked at the interior of the Zhang family’s house. Li Hao was in the small courtyard right inside the gate. He proceeded inside.
There were two bedrooms on either side. One used to be Zhang Yuan’s. There was the kitchen. Li Hao was very familiar with the place. He had frequently visited his friend when they were both children. After Li Hao’s parents passed away, he had spent his time here more often.
This time, he was here to look at the Zhang family’s stone table. He glanced around the house. No one seemed to have entered the house, at least at a glance. The things were all where they used to be. But Li Hao knew instinctively that they had been touched.
Other than Zhang Yuan himself, Li Hao was probably the most familiar with this house. The old tree in the courtyard had been tampered with. Somebody had done a good job of making it look like it used to be but Li Hao could see that the area around the base had been dug up and put together.
‘If the saber is still here, it is definitely not in the main room or the second bedroom,’ Li Hao ascertained.
Li Hao was sure of it because he and Zhang Yuan had ransacked those rooms many times. He had never seen the stone there. He knew the Zhang family house like the back of his hands.
‘The last time I saw the saber-shaped stone was when Uncle Zhang hit Zhang Yuan. I remember that he threw it on the ground very casually after that. I don’t know if he picked it up again.’
Li Hao tried to recall the past. He vaguely remembered that Zhang Yuan had taken the stone out of some obscure corner in the house to begin with.