After the door closed, Lin Zhiyuan's footsteps gradually faded. Yin Wuwang rose from the sofa and walked to Xie Qingyan's side.
"This case more or less matches what we saw on TV," Yin Wuwang said.
"Mm." Xie Qingyan nodded, his gaze falling on the case files on the coffee table. "But there's one difference. On TV, the cause of death kept flickering between 'cyanide,' 'blunt force trauma,' and 'strangulation'—the author couldn't even decide. Now Captain Lin says it was 'first beaten, then strangled.' The world filled in the gaps on its own."
"And Zhang Yunxiang's behavior makes a lot more sense now," Yin Wuwang continued. "In the original, that character was cowering one second and exploding into murder the next—completely illogical. But if he only 'hit someone' rather than 'killed someone'—"
"Then his actions align with the profile of someone who's 'timid but will lash out when pushed too far,'" Xie Qingyan finished.
Yin Wuwang nodded. "The world automatically inserted 'someone who actually did the killing' to make the plot run smoothly."
"So what we need to find," Xie Qingyan picked up the case file and opened to the first page, "is the person who strangled Chen Wan. Find them, uncover the motive, and this world's storyline can reach a logical conclusion."
He paused, then added: "And there's that woman who 'told Zhang Yunxiang his wife was cheating.' Zhang Yunxiang can't explain who she is, and no one at the bar saw her—"
"Either she doesn't exist at all," Yin Wuwang interjected, "or she has some way of making herself 'unnoticed.'"
Xie Qingyan glanced at him, a flicker of approval in his eyes. "Quick thinking."
Xie Qingyan said nothing more, lowering his head to continue reviewing the files. Yin Wuwang watched his focused expression and suddenly thought that Fuguang really did look like a "master detective" at times like this. Though they were here to play roles, Fuguang seemed to genuinely enjoy the process—solving puzzles, analyzing, unraveling threads. This was probably the Sword Sovereign's newfound pleasure: using logic and intellect rather than swordsmanship and spiritual energy to crack a mystery.
After flipping through several pages, Xie Qingyan suddenly spoke: "...Thank you."
Yin Wuwang blinked. "Thank me for what?"
"Thank you for letting me take the lead," Xie Qingyan said. His tone was flat, but there was an almost imperceptible softness in his eyes. "When Captain Lin was asking questions earlier, you could have answered, but you let me handle it."
Yin Wuwang froze. He could have answered—three thousand years as Demon Sovereign, what situation hadn't he seen? Dealing with a mortal police officer would have been effortless. But he had watched Xie Qingyan's brow furrow slightly as he reviewed the files—Fuguang was thinking seriously, a light shining in his eyes. That same light that Yin Wuwang had secretly observed countless times in the cultivation world, hiding in the shadows, watching whenever Xie Qingyan handled sect affairs or laid strategic traps.
"I was just—" He cleared his throat and looked away. "—just too lazy to use my brain. Deduction is more your forte than mine."
Xie Qingyan looked at him without speaking, but something in those cold, clear eyes seemed to soften. He knew Yin Wuwang was lying—this man was never "too lazy to use his brain." Surviving in the demon realm, becoming a generation's Demon Sovereign, manipulating the cultivation world with schemes within schemes—which of those didn't require cunning and strategy? Yet Yin Wuwang chose to step back, chose to let him lead, chose to support him. Xie Qingyan thought to himself: since they'd gone from enemies to partners, this man never said much, but his actions always... surprised him.
"Mm." He withdrew his gaze, his voice mild. "Then we'll go to the scene tomorrow."
"Sure. Wherever you go, I'll follow." The words came out of Yin Wuwang's mouth so fast that even he didn't register what he'd said.
Xie Qingyan raised an eyebrow and glanced at him. The tips of Yin Wuwang's ears felt hot. "...Ahem." He turned and walked toward the window. "I'm going to admire the scenery outside."
Beyond the window lay busy streets—traffic flowing, people coming and going. The lingering glow of sunset spilled across the skyscrapers, dyeing the entire city in shades of gold and crimson. Yin Wuwang stood by the window, backlit, his silhouette edged in gold.
"A mortal case," he said suddenly, his tone light.
"What about it?" Xie Qingyan's voice came from behind him.
"I mean—" He turned around to face Xie Qingyan directly. "A mere mortal case. How hard could it be?"
Xie Qingyan looked up at him. "Mm. Shouldn't be too difficult."
Certainty gleamed in Yin Wuwang's eyes; Xie Qingyan's held their usual calm. They both felt this case should be resolved quickly. After all, one was a three-thousand-year-old Demon Sovereign, the other the Sword Sovereign of the cultivation world. How hard could a mere mortal case possibly be?
What they didn't know was that this "shouldn't be too difficult" case would have them investigating for half a month, would leave Yin Wuwang penniless, and would nearly cost Xie Qingyan his life. But at this moment, the sunset streamed through the window, falling upon them both, bathing the entire room in warm orange. This was their mission in this world, and also the turning point of their fates—they just didn't know it yet.
Night gradually fell, and the city's lights flickered on one by one. The window of Starry Night Detective Agency reflected two silhouettes standing side by side. After watching for a moment, Xie Qingyan returned to the sofa to continue reviewing the case files. Yin Wuwang leaned against the window, gazing at the night outside. The room was quiet, filled only with the soft rustle of turning pages, but the silence wasn't uncomfortable. Rather, there was a strange harmony to it, as if they had been living this way together for a very, very long time.
Yin Wuwang stole a glance at Xie Qingyan. Xie Qingyan was absorbed in the documents, brow slightly furrowed, expression serious. The lamplight fell from the side, outlining his features with exceptional clarity. Yin Wuwang looked away—solving cases alongside Fuguang, investigating together. Such things he had never dared to dream of before.
"What are you looking at?" Xie Qingyan suddenly asked, his gaze still on the documents.
Yin Wuwang startled. "...Nothing."
"Mm." Xie Qingyan turned a page. "Get some rest. We're going out tomorrow."
Yin Wuwang acknowledged with a sound and walked toward his room. At the doorway, he suddenly stopped and looked back. Xie Qingyan was still sitting on the sofa, the lamplight enveloping him like a tranquil painting.
"Fuguang," he called.
Xie Qingyan looked up. "What is it?"
"You should sleep early too." The words left his mouth, and Yin Wuwang quickly strode into his room, closing the door behind him.
Xie Qingyan stared at the closed door, momentarily stunned. Then he lowered his head and continued reading, the corner of his lips curving upward ever so slightly.
But deep down, he had a faint premonition—this case might not be as simple as they imagined.
[End of V2_Chapter 11]
Next: Time to visit the crime scene. Loss Bar awaits—along with secrets the author never wrote.