The study of the Six Gates returned to its inherent silence. Tran Kien respectfully accepted the thick stack of case files, then quietly departed under the surveillance of Black Crow.
Upon returning to the inn, he did not light a lamp. He sat in the darkness, analyzing his meeting with Tao Chinh. That old fox cared not who he was, only what he could do. This case was not merely a trial; it was a trap. If he solved it, Tao Chinh would gain a sharp knife to wield. If he failed or perished, it would be no loss to the man whatsoever.
He knew that on this chessboard, he had no path of retreat.
Once his mind was completely tranquil, he finally lit the lamp, unfurled the map of the Thang Long Imperial Capital, and flipped through the pages of the case file.
Seven missing maidens. All were commoners with refined features, born in the seventh lunar month. All vanished in the dead of night without a single trace.
The seventh month, the month of wandering ghosts. Tran Kien slightly furrowed his brows. The culprit targeted victims with specific birthdates and acted according to a fixed temporal pattern: one disappearance every four days. This was no ordinary kidnapping. This was an evil, heretical ritual. And if his deduction was correct, tomorrow night, the culprit would strike again!
He took a writing brush and marked the locations of the seven victims' homes on the map. The seven red dots were scattered, but when he used a red thread to connect them, a horrifying thought flashed through his mind.
He looked at their locations in relation to the spiritual landmarks of the capital: The Temple of Literature, the White Horse Temple, the Tran Quoc Pagoda... These seven points, along with these landmarks, seemed to form the nodes of a colossal array formation! A type of Blood Sacrifice Array used to gather Yin energy and resentful aura, which he had read about in the legacy of the Blood Hand Demon General.
If this is an array formation, then it must have a core. Tran Kien analyzed. The core of this formation would be the exact location where the culprit would conduct the final ritual. And its location, based on the laws of the array...
His finger traced across the map, finally stopping at a single point. The old ferry crossing on the banks of the To Lich River.
He immediately left the inn. He did not go to report to Tao Chinh; the evidence was insufficient, and furthermore, he did not want to beat the grass to scare the snake. He needed to verify it himself.
Approaching the old ferry crossing, he suddenly stopped. He caught a very faint, yet incredibly familiar scent. The scent of "Heavenly Vile Grass," a toxic herb commonly used by the demonic cultivators of the Black Dragon Stronghold to conceal their auras.
It is indeed them.
He did not advance. He silently scaled an ancient banyan tree in the distance, hiding within its dense foliage to observe. The ferry crossing appeared desolate, but under Tran Kien's tempered eyes, he could spot at least five intricately laid traps. In the center of the crossing lay a flat boulder engraved with ancient Shamanic runes, forming a minor array formation designed to absorb Yin energy.
While Tran Kien was observing, two black shadows silently emerged from a patch of reeds. Wearing the garb of the Black Dragon Stronghold, they carefully inspected the traps.
"Is everything ready?" one asked.
"Rest easy," the other sneered. "Tomorrow night, once the eighth prey appears, the grand array will be complete. When the time comes for the Cave Master to use the blood sacrifice to break through, Marquis Vinh An will also get what he desires. This entire Imperial Capital will be ours."
The two conversed for a moment before silently vanishing again.
Tran Kien sat in the tree, his entire body running cold. This case wasn't merely a blood sacrifice ritual. It was part of an even grander conspiracy targeting the entirety of the Thang Long Imperial Capital! The Cave Master of the Black Dragon Stronghold wanted to break through? Marquis Vinh An wanted something?
He knew he had accidentally touched the reverse scale of a colossal python. But he was not afraid. On the contrary, a raging fire ignited within his eyes.
You want to turn the Imperial Capital into a purgatory? he thought inwardly, his hand gripping the hilt of the saber hidden in his bundle. Then you must step over the corpse of I, Ve Nhan, first!
He knew that although Tao Chinh was powerful, he was a politician and would not act without concrete evidence. He had to act alone. He quietly left the ferry crossing area, heading toward a market that sold various array formation materials.
Tomorrow night would not be a siege and capture. It would be a counter-slaughter. He would use the enemy's own trap as their very grave. For his first move on the chessboard of the Imperial Capital, he would make the entire board tremble.