"Within a month, I want you to find out the killer."
"I've heard the words 'spare no effort' too many times."
The emperor rubbed his temples. He was obviously dissatisfied with Song Yan's answer. He slowly got up and walked down from the high platform.
For a moment, the only sound in the air was the rustling of the cloth rubbing against the long steps.
"This matter can't be delayed any longer. I believe that Lord Song will give me a satisfactory answer."
He reached out and patted Song Yan on the shoulder. As he spoke, he exuded the domineering aura unique to the imperial family. At this point, he paused and leaned over to whisper in his ear word by word,
"Within a month, I hope Lord Song can find out the killer and give the common people an explanation. If the Investigation Department can't even solve this case, then it has no reason to exist."
These words were a blatant threat.
Song Yan clenched his fists tightly in his sleeves. He couldn't say a single word in the face of the emperor's obvious threat.
After an unknown period of silence, Song Yan bowed to the emperor. With his head lowered, he said seriously word by word,
"I will surely live up to your majesty's trust."
Emperor Ning watched Song Yan bow his head in response. He didn't say anything else. He just raised his hand and waved. Then Song Yan turned around and left.
Watching the young man's departing back, he just sighed softly. Looking at the vast sky outside the palace, he murmured to himself,
"I wonder when this chaotic drama will finally end."
On his way back to the Investigation Department, Song Yan kept thinking about this matter. The emperor had now clearly ordered him to find out the killer within a month. But although the killer's methods were cruel, there were no clues left at the scene.
If they couldn't find any clues in three months, how could they possibly find them in just one month?
The matter was gradually becoming more and more difficult.
When he returned to the Investigation Department, his expression was extremely solemn. It was obvious at a glance that the result of his audience with the emperor was not very optimistic.
"Sir, what did the emperor say?"
It was still that investigator. He saw Song Yan striding into the gate of the Investigation Department from afar. His curiosity made him ask this question, but he regretted it as soon as he opened his mouth.
Because Song Yan's expression was not very good.
"I think you're quite idle."
After hearing this, Song Yan said with a forced smile in his direction. It sounded as if the words were squeezed out between his teeth.
It was also at this time that the young investigator silently sighed in his heart that sure enough, the master's words were the truth.
If you don't listen to the master, you'll suffer in the end.
Finally, the investigator was assigned by Song Yan to the case - file archive to sort out the case - files that had not been touched for several years. It seemed that it would take him several days to finish.
After several days of investigation, Song Yan also discovered the killer's movement pattern. Recently, a corpse would appear every seven days, and the corpses were respectively distributed on the three streets in the east, south, and west.
Counting the days, six days had passed since the last corpse appeared. If his guess was correct, the next place where the killer would commit a crime should be the North Street.
And the time...
It would be tomorrow!
Although all of this was just his inference, it was the only clue they had found so far. Whether it was as he thought or not, it was definitely right to set up a stake - out and take a look.
After finding out this, Song Yan quickly arranged for the highly - skilled investigators of the Investigation Department to set up stakes at several exits of the North Street. He also arranged for investigators with good eyesight on the high - rise buildings. Once there was an emergency, they would use the whistle as a signal.
The arrangement process went smoothly. Now they just had to wait for the killer to commit another crime the next day.
When night fell the next day, because of that rumor, the surrounding common people immediately closed their doors tightly. For a moment, the street was empty, only the dim light from the lanterns on the street illuminated a little of the sky ahead.
Song Yan used himself as bait. Holding a lantern, he walked slowly on the empty long street. In the dark, countless investigators waiting for the right moment were secretly observing his every move.
But on the silent long street, there was no other sound except the sound of the wind. Song Yan paced back and forth on the street dozens of times. A faint glimmer of dawn gradually appeared in the distance, but there was no sign of anything strange on the North Street.
Was his judgment wrong?
Song Yan rubbed his temples. Being on tenterhooks all night had left him a little listless.
Just then, a long whistle suddenly came from not far away. It was sharp and ear - piercing, cutting through the long night of dawn.
As soon as Song Yan heard the whistle, he immediately quickened his steps and ran in the direction of the whistle. When he rushed to the scene in a hurry, he found that it was a secluded alley.
When he saw the scene clearly, he suddenly felt a dizziness in his head.
Blood flowed along the lines of the steps towards his feet. The unpleasant smell of blood lingered in his nostrils.
Lying in the middle of the alley was a still - warm corpse.
His moon - white long gown was dyed dark red by the blood. His chest had been brutally stabbed and stirred by a dagger. The bloody and mutilated appearance made it impossible to tell what he originally looked like.
Was he still too late after all...
Song Yan clenched his hands tightly. His knuckles were a little faintly white. He didn't want to admit that the plan he had prepared for a whole day had still failed. And this time, another innocent person had lost his life.
Obviously, he didn't have to suffer this unwarranted disaster.
"Report to the sir. I just saw a dark figure running towards the imperial city."
The investigator standing on the high - rise building quickly ran in front of Song Yan. Seeing the corpse in the middle of the alley, he paused for a moment, but still spoke out this sentence.
"Notify the Royal Guards to get ready. Our people should also speed up and catch up. We must catch this killer."
"What about this corpse..."
The investigator looked at the corpse lying in the alley and looked a little embarrassed.
Song Yan looked back. After a moment of silence, he whispered,
"I'll take him to the morgue."
"... Yes."
After the investigator answered, he ran towards the imperial city. After a while, only Song Yan and the still - warm corpse were left.
He took off his outer robe and covered the other person's stabbed chest. Only when Song Yan got closer did he find that there was no trace of pain on the other person's face. His eyes were closed as if he was sleeping.
This corpse was quite different from the previous ones. The eyes of the other corpses were wide - open, as if they had seen something terrifying before they died. But this corpse was different.
It was as if he had not met a merciless killer, but had just fallen asleep on the street.
Although he thought it was a bit strange, after all, this person's death was due to his own mistake. If the corpse was just left in the alley and found by the common people the next day, it would cause quite a stir.
So Song Yan took the corpse to the morgue. After making proper arrangements, he was about to leave.
But just as he took a step towards the door, a rustling sound suddenly came from behind him. He looked back and saw that the corpse that had just been lying in the coffin suddenly sat up.
!!!