The group looked toward the empty lot behind the village, where three figures were revealed under the moonlight.
The man in the lead was tall and slender, with a fair face and a light beard. He wore the white robes of a Scholar and held a folding fan in his hand. The leisurely expression on his face had yet to fade, but his eyes now blazed with shock and rage.
Following behind him were two people, a man and a woman. The man had shifty, rat-like features and carried a trident, while the woman was gaudily made up, her foxy eyes glistening alluringly.
The pair didn't yet know what had happened and were merely surprised that the white-robed Scholar had suddenly stopped. "Second Master?"
But the white-robed Scholar was already looking at the small courtyard not far away. Snapping the folding fan shut in his palm, he regained his composure. "What an exquisite Array. Since you're all so vigilant, I presume my worthless nephew died at your hands?"
