Chapter 16: Take the Challenge!

Cheng Chumo’s scream nearly pierced Liu Shuyi’s eardrums.

Ignoring the sharp sting in his ears, Liu Shuyi’s eyes locked tightly onto the head cradled awkwardly in Cheng Chumo’s arms—not quite held properly, nor discarded.

It was the head of a woman of exquisite beauty, around thirty years old, with fair skin.

Her eyes were wide open, the whites rolled back, her gaze frozen and fixed on him. Her expression was twisted with rage, helplessness, and despair.

The blood around her neck had frozen into shards of ice, and with Cheng Chumo’s trembling, crimson icicles continued to fall.

Thanks to the bitter cold, the expression she wore in death was perfectly preserved.

To Liu Shuyi, it was as if she had just died before him—angry, powerless, and utterly hopeless.

Those unwilling eyes seemed to plead silently for rescue. But alas, perhaps her husband had died before her, and no one would come to save her.

“Is she really Zhao Chengyi’s wife? You’re not mistaken?” Liu Shuyi spoke directly, cutting through Cheng Chumo’s nearly terrified scream.

“I have seen her! There’s no mistake,” Cheng Chumo hurriedly replied.

Liu Shuyi’s brow furrowed deeply, his heart sinking once again.

Zhao Chengyi had been murdered, and his wife’s head had been severed.

Then what about his son?

Liu Shuyi abruptly lifted his head, looking toward another eagle circling in the sky.

Seeing the eagle continue its flight, he immediately ordered, “Chase it!”

Hearing Liu Shuyi’s command, Cheng Chumo finally snapped out of his daze.

“Go! Hurry and pursue it!”

With that, he bit his lip, clutching the unyielding head, and hurried after it with his men.

“Young master, your clothes have already been chosen. Look...” Wan’er came out of the tailor’s shop, cheerful and bright.

Liu Shuyi cut her off bluntly, “Wan’er, something urgent has come up. I need to handle it immediately. I won’t be able to stay with you.”

“Pick whatever clothes you want, buy what you like. I’m leaving some money for you. After you finish, come back early—don’t wait until dark. It won’t be safe.”

He took Wan’er’s soft hand, pulled the purse from his waist, and placed it in her palm.

Seeing the confusion on her face, unaware of what had just happened, he apologized, “Sorry, I’ll spend more time with you next time.”

Without another word, he rushed off with the Golden Guards.

Watching Liu Shuyi’s retreating figure, Wan’er finally understood.

Yet, she showed no sign of displeasure.

Instead, she lowered her gaze to the hand Liu Shuyi had just taken, her expression unreadable, then suddenly smiled.

Raising her head, she looked toward the eagle growing smaller in the sky, her bright eyes narrowing slightly.

---

“Turkic... a falcon?”

...

“It’s over!”

Cheng Chumo watched as the eagle released its grip, and the equally round object dropped. His face turned paler than before.

Not only him—Liu Shuyi’s expression shifted as well.

They realized the eagle’s destination was... the palace.

The object had fallen inside the palace gates.

Hearing the shouts from within, Cheng Chumo swallowed nervously and glared at Liu Shuyi, almost on the verge of tears, “Director Liu, am I going to be executed by His Majesty?”

If the eagle had indeed delivered the head of Zhao Chengyi’s son, Cheng Chumo would undoubtedly bear the blame.

This was no longer a matter of failing to find Zhao Chengyi’s wife and child; the mission was a complete disaster.

At first, it seemed like Cheng Chumo was just unlucky.

Now, they realized they had been far too optimistic—it was as if misfortune itself had flung open the gates of doom.

Liu Shuyi looked at Cheng Chumo with sympathy and said, “Why don’t you quickly send a message to your father, ask him to hurry and... have another child?”

Cheng Chumo swayed, nearly collapsing in despair.

“Is there really no hope?”

Seeing Cheng Chumo on the verge of tears, Liu Shuyi raised an eyebrow and suddenly changed his tone.

“Not necessarily.”

“How do you save me?” Cheng Chumo’s eyes instantly filled with hope.

“You can make amends.”

“How?”

“Zhao Chengyi’s wife and child disappeared, then were murdered, and finally their heads were delivered to the palace by an eagle. It’s natural for His Majesty to be furious, but His Majesty’s anger is directed at the brazen murderer who committed these crimes—not at you.”

“So...”

Liu Shuyi looked at Cheng Chumo seriously. “As long as we find the killer, His Majesty will be greatly pleased. Then, not only will you avoid punishment, you might even be rewarded.”

Hearing this, Cheng Chumo’s eyes lit up. “Right! How could I forget that?”

He stared at Liu Shuyi with burning intensity. If it weren’t so humiliating, he would have dropped to his knees and clung to Liu Shuyi’s leg.

“Director Liu, please save me! Your investigative skills are so formidable—only you can help me!”

Seeing Cheng Chumo’s pitiful plea, Liu Shuyi hesitated.

“Cheng Zhonglang, it’s not that I don’t want to help you, but I’m just a minor official in the Ministry of Justice. Such a big case isn’t something I can decide on my own, and I can’t just order an investigation on a whim...”

“No problem! I’ll handle it!”

Cheng Chumo hurriedly said, “I’ll plead with my father, have him put his reputation on the line, and get His Majesty to allow you to investigate.”

“As long as you’re willing to help me, we’ll get to the bottom of this!”

Seeing Cheng Chumo’s determination, Liu Shuyi considered for a moment, then bit his lip and said, “Alright! I feel a kinship with you, Cheng Zhonglang, and I can’t just watch you get into trouble. Since you trust me, I’ll give it my all to find the real culprit!”

---

Moved by Liu Shuyi’s loyal words, Cheng Chumo patted his chest.

“Whether or not we find the killer, I’m grateful. From now on, you’re my half-brother! If anyone dares to wrong you, I’ll fight them to the death!”

Without delay, Cheng Chumo said, “I’ll send a message to my father and then go straight to the palace to see His Majesty. Wait for my news.”

Watching Cheng Chumo hurry away, Liu Shuyi’s dark eyes grew even more profound.

He had deliberately guided Cheng Chumo’s thoughts, encouraging him to entrust the case to him—not merely to befriend Cheng Chumo, but because only he could be trusted with this investigation.

Although Zhao Chengyi’s wife’s head was in Cheng Chumo’s arms, Liu Shuyi knew the eagle’s true target was himself.

Cheng Chumo was just an unlucky pawn.

After all, Zhao Chengyi’s exposure was due to Liu Shuyi, and had little to do with Cheng Chumo.

The true mastermind’s vengeance was aimed solely at Liu Shuyi.

Indeed, Liu Shuyi was nearly certain the murderer behind the deaths of Zhao Chengyi and his family was either the power behind Zhao or closely connected to them.

Zhao Chengyi had secretly sent his wife and child away, fearing exposure.

Only the mastermind or a member of the same faction could have accepted them without risking Zhao Chengyi’s secret being revealed.

Eventually, Zhao Chengyi was exposed and imprisoned. Soon after, assassins in the prison silenced him, and shortly thereafter, the wife and child entrusted to the mastermind or associates had their heads severed.

Clearly, the mastermind, seeing Zhao Chengyi as useless, eliminated his entire family to prevent their secrets from ever leaking.

And to make matters worse, they had the eagle deliver the head directly to Liu Shuyi.

What was this?

A provocation.

It was a clear message: “Even if you find Zhao Chengyi, so what? Even if you know I ordered Zhao Chengyi to frame you, I can eliminate them all the moment you get close. You’ll suffer through endless hardships but never catch me…”

“Not only that, I’ll send the head to you so you know I’ve silenced them. So you see, all your efforts have been in vain…”

Was it infuriating?

Absolutely.

Was it maddening?

Of course.

The enemy had flipped him the middle finger.

Moreover, with the entire Zhao Chengyi family dead, the only way to uncover the mastermind’s secret was this path.

So he chose to accept the challenge.