Chapter 97: Something Happened

Zhang Qinglin asked, "If that’s not an option, I’m afraid we’ll neither get word from Master Ma nor discover the whereabouts of the bronze wine vessel."

"If Wu Mingshi truly holds a grudge against the Chen family, he should have acted long ago. Why wait until now? I suspect there is an underlying reason. How about this: let's go again tomorrow. If I can manage to meet Wu Mingshi face-to-face, perhaps we might see a different outcome." Wu Cheng’an paced back and forth, thinking for a moment before speaking.

"You think you can change Wu Mingshi's mind?" Cheng Che asked.

Wanqing’s bright eyes darted around. "As long as it doesn't involve my cousin’s interests, you can do whatever you like. The rest is your own business. I'm leaving."

Cheng Che hurriedly followed her, asking, "Hey, Wanqing, why are you leaving? Don't you have anything else to say?"

Without looking back, Wanqing stepped out the door and strode toward her room.

After Wanqing left, Zhang Qinglin and the other two said nothing more and went to get some rest.

The next day, as soon as Zhang Qinglin opened his eyes, he heard Cheng Che chatting with Wanqing outside. Having barely slept, Zhang Qinglin felt dizzy as he got up. He grabbed his jacket, preparing to go out.

Wu Cheng’an rushed in, looking anxious. "Chi Tan is gone."

Zhang Qinglin froze, his arms half-way through his sleeves, then quickly finished dressing and asked, "The kid doesn't have any money. Where could he have gone?"

"What? Chi Tan is gone?" Cheng Che asked.

Wu Cheng’an handed a piece of hotel registration paper with writing on it to Zhang and the others.

Zhang Qinglin took the paper and read: "I won't be a burden to you anymore. I’m leaving. Bye!"

"This kid—last night you gave him money to leave, and he wouldn't go no matter what. After just one night, he just ran off on his own," Cheng Che said, arms crossed, glancing at the crooked handwriting on the note.

Zhang Qinglin said, "Alright, alright, let’s go find him first."

Just as they were about to head out, Wanqing walked up to them and said, "I’ll go find him. You go find Wu Mingshi."

Leaving the Good Fortune Hotel, Wanqing headed east toward the nearest village, while Zhang Qinglin and the others went straight toward Green Mountain.

The intense sun beat down on Zhang Qinglin’s head. It had been quite cold when they left, but in just over an hour, the temperature had steadily climbed.

He looked up at the peak of Green Mountain, feeling uneasy. He hadn't expected Chi Tan to leave so suddenly; it was completely out of character for him. Given his personality, if he had said he wouldn't return, he would have insisted on staying with them. Why would he leave a note?

The temple appeared before them. Zhang Qinglin slowed his pace, scanning the entrance, and suddenly felt something was amiss.

He vaguely saw a few people pacing inside the doorway, as if searching for something.

Cheng Che and Wu Cheng’an noticed it too. The three exchanged glances and quickened their pace.

Wanqing had told them that because the temple was in such a remote location on the backside of Green Mountain, far from any villages or towns, it rarely saw visitors.

The three hurried into the courtyard and found several uniformed police officers investigating the grounds. Two others were taking photos beneath a stone Buddha.

Zhang Qinglin walked over and saw a pool of blood behind the stone Buddha, with splatters staining the statue itself. He stood to the side, watching nervously.

"Excuse me, officer, what happened here?" Cheng Che asked, walking over.

The officer by the stone Buddha had just straightened up when a plainclothes officer stepped out from inside and called to them, "Hey, who are you? Tourists? Come over here."

The three walked over to see a plainclothes officer with double-lidded, wide eyes and a stubbly beard.

Wu Cheng’an glanced toward the backyard and asked, "Officer, we came to pay our respects to the Buddha. We were wondering what happened here?"

The officer looked the three of them up and down, then said, "Look, you won't be paying any respects today. A homicide occurred here in the middle of the night. Three people are dead, and two others are seriously injured."

"Ah, who could be so ruthless as to kill people in a temple? Have you caught the murderer, officer?" Cheng Che asked impulsively.

The officer cast a wary glance at them. "The perpetrator has not been caught yet. If you have no business here, leave quickly. Do not interfere with our investigation."

Afterward, the three returned to the Good Fortune Hotel.

Shortly after they arrived, Wanqing returned. She said Chi Tan had been taken away by Master Wu.

Zhang Qinglin then told her about the murder at the temple. Wanqing was even more furious upon hearing it, as she had heard about the incident while asking after Chi Tan, but she hadn't expected him to have gone missing.

Zhang Qinglin sat at the table, staring at the water in his glass, and said, "Let’s rescue Chi Tan first, then go find Wu Mingshi."