Cat 248: Corpse

Chapter 248: Corpse

All at once, a head appeared against Ninth Master’s chest, sending his heart soaring. Yet, even as he floated on air, he was still more concerned about why Yan Jiyun had suddenly sneezed.

“Caught a cold?”

Yan Jiyun kept his head low, forehead pressed to Ninth Master’s chest, and sneezed twice more, voice nasal as he replied, “Not a cold. My nose itches.”

Ninth Master said, “It isn’t April or May, so there’s no willow catkins drifting. What are you allergic to?”

Yan Jiyun answered, “I’m allergic to the scent of lavender.”

“I didn’t use any perfume,” Ninth Master explained, then turned to Liu Rongzhi, who hadn’t spoken a word the entire time. “Did you put on perfume?”

Yan Jiyun hadn’t sneezed outside; it wasn’t a scent on himself or anyone else. It wasn’t until he entered this room that the sneezing began. That meant it came from whoever had previously occupied the room.

The ballroom manager saw Ninth Master’s face darken and knew he’d made a blunder. Quick to react, he said, “Then shall Rongzhi go change clothes before she returns to join Ninth Master?”

Ninth Master pulled Yan Jiyun away from that room. “Move the food next door.”

The ballroom manager replied, “…Yes, sir.”

Liu Rongzhi watched everyone suddenly leave and gnashed her teeth in frustration. “Who is that person, anyway?” Ninth Master was treating him like the apple of his eye. She, after all, was the leading dancer of Jiangnan’s Number One Ballroom. This was her second major setback in two days. Losing to a cat was one thing, but losing to a man was truly stifling. Was she not softer than that skinny man?

The manager had someone prepare the adjoining room, casting a reproachful glance at Liu Rongzhi. “It’s rare for Ninth Master to visit, and you really don’t seize the opportunity.”

Liu Rongzhi said nothing. Was it her fault? It was all an accident!

Yan Jiyun at last enjoyed lunch with Ninth Master, undisturbed by outsiders. The table was laden with his favorite meats, though Ninth Master frowned, unconvinced that a meal was complete without vegetables. He personally served Yan Jiyun, piling his plate with greens.

Ninth Master frowned as he admonished, “Don’t be a picky eater.”

Yan Jiyun scowled and gnawed on the vegetables.

Yang Er, too, furrowed his brow. He suspected his boss had been replaced. Ninth Master hadn’t frowned even when being attacked by a knife; what had become of him? This wasn’t the Ninth Master he knew!

This Yan Jiyun was poison indeed, making Ninth Master utterly giddy and nearly robbing him of his soul.

Yan Jiyun had no idea what was running through NPC Yang Er’s mind. After eating his fill, he got back to work, heading downstairs to supervise.

Teacher Lin handled things with great responsibility, map in hand, instructing Ninth Master’s men on how to dig. Two hours passed, and they were nearing the border with the Liu Family Restaurant.

Yan Jiyun squatted at the edge of the pit. “Still haven’t found anything?”

Teacher Lin replied, “Not yet. Try digging a bit further. The area we circled is quite large.”

Yan Jiyun made a sweeping gesture. “Keep digging.”

Soon, they reached the Liu Family Restaurant, and someone from there quickly came to negotiate.

Yang Er went to confront them directly, insisting they summon the head of the Liu family to resolve the matter. Half an hour later, Yan Jiyun saw Liu Jingxi rush over.

Yan Jiyun thought, This just got easier.

However, Ninth Master simply notified the Liu family that something would be dug up; the digging itself would proceed as planned.

Yan Jiyun whispered to Liu Jingxi with an air of secrecy, “Cousin, Ninth Master got hold of a treasure map, and we’re digging for the treasure.”

“A treasure map?” He’d just received a small fragment of the treasure map from his older brother, yet Ninth Master was already digging—such speed!

Liu Jingxi was no idle wastrel by nature. He spoke directly to Ninth Master. “Ninth Master, since you’re excavating a treasure map and using Liu family property in the process, you provide the map while I provide the land. If there’s truly treasure, I believe I have a right to know.”

Ninth Master looked to Yan Jiyun. “Our Jiyun has the final say; if he agrees, then it’s fine.”

Yan Jiyun had no objection—he suspected what they would unearth was not treasure, but a long-buried corpse.

He said quietly, “If we find something on Cousin’s land, naturally, you’re entitled to a share. But Cousin, do you really think we’ll unearth a treasure?” He asked deliberately, knowing Liu Jingxi had searched for the map before. Perhaps Liu Jingxi already knew the map’s true purpose, though he hadn’t expected Ninth Master to act so quickly.

Liu Jingxi shook his head. “Not necessarily.” He was far more clear-headed than Teacher Lin and showed none of that earnest treasure-seeking enthusiasm. “I just want to know the truth. Remember the photo from last night?” He prompted Yan Jiyun, thinking his cousin dim-witted enough to be tricked by Ninth Master.

Yan Jiyun kept up the act in front of him. “No way! I’m sure there’ll be treasure.”

Liu Jingxi said, “Don’t get your hopes up, little brother. What’s uncovered may be nothing like you imagine.”

Yan Jiyun replied, “Bah! Cousin, say something nice, let me find this treasure. My whole future depends on it—soon, I’ll be living a life of ease and luxury.”

Yang Er, listening nearby, overheard everything and, as a martial artist, his hearing was a little sharper than most. “You’re already living that life.”

Yan Jiyun protested, “I don’t have a little maid to wait on me.”

Yang Er rolled his eyes, defending his boss. “Hasn’t Ninth Master taken care of you at meals? He even served you vegetables at lunch.” He’d served Ninth Master for years and never received such honors—should he be jealous or angry?

Yan Jiyun circled Yang Er. “Are you jealous?”

Yang Er humphed and turned away, so irritated by Yan Jiyun’s smugness that he left. Ninth Master watched from his chair, thoroughly entertained, the smile never leaving his lips—a testament to his good mood.

Seeing that Ninth Master’s men were making progress but slowly, Yan Jiyun joined the “treasure” excavation himself. Soon Liu Jingxi took up a shovel as well—after all, it was his family’s land. Yet Yan Jiyun watched him closely; Liu Jingxi dug methodically, his lips tense, looking far from pleased.

Suddenly, Liu Jingxi turned to Ninth Master’s rough-digging men. “Don’t dig too hard—you’ll damage the restaurant’s foundation. If the building collapses, Ninth Master will have to pay for it.”

Yan Jiyun continued observing, certain something was off about Liu Jingxi’s manner.

He quietly asked Yang Er, who had located the man, “How did you find my cousin?”

Yang Er replied, “We didn’t find him—the manager of the Liu family restaurant called the Liu family, and your cousin came. Your eldest cousin rarely goes out in weather like this, and your third cousin just passed away. Right now, the only one who can handle things for the family is this second young master.”

This gave Yan Jiyun a key detail. The call was made to Liu Jingxi, which meant he was the restaurant’s true overseer—the manager answered to him. Understandable; while the Liu family had waned, a starved camel is still bigger than a horse, and Liu Jingxi would definitely be interested in the inheritance.

Still, something felt odd.

Yan Jiyun examined the restaurant, recalling the subtasks attached to the main quest. He had advanced too quickly, clearly missing many side quests and details. How had the restaurant ended up in Liu Jingxi’s hands?

Was it possible the copy hinted at the restaurant’s unusual nature from the start?

Perhaps the restaurant was a thread leading to the treasure map, nudging players along various clues before piecing the map together—only he had jumped ahead, entering the Liu house and acquiring the map before anyone else.

The logic should have been process, then result, but he’d managed to obtain the result first and only now was retracing his steps.

He realized that he hadn’t missed the details; he had merely bypassed the sections meant to mislead and delay players.

So be it—he hadn’t done it on purpose.

As Yan Jiyun pondered this, digging into the loosened earth, suddenly his shovel struck something. He glanced down, dropped his shovel, and leapt back. “What the—?!”

A white hand bone lay limp against the edge of his shovel!

Yan Jiyun wasn’t surprised to find such a thing—what shocked him was that his shovel was the first to strike it. This kind of luck, he could do without!

His reaction drew everyone’s attention, and they hurried over.

Even Teacher Lin was frightened, his voice stammering. “Th-this isn’t how I pictured a treasure at all!”

One of Ninth Master’s men guessed, “Maybe someone tried to steal the treasure and died here?”

Shaken but composed, Yan Jiyun encouraged, “Keep digging; we’re almost there.”

Ninth Master approached and, seeing Yan Jiyun’s pale, handsome face, pulled him up out of the pit. He instructed Yang Er, “Go fetch the police, and as you dig, see if you can find any evidence linking the remains to the owner.”

He was utterly calm.

With Ninth Master’s hand soothing his back, Yan Jiyun caught his breath and regained composure.

Ninth Master, after issuing his orders, asked Yan Jiyun, “Are you all right?”

Yan Jiyun shook his head. “I’m fine. Do you think this could be Wei Liu’s remains?”

He saw that Liu Jingxi had not stopped digging but continued on, a possibility flashing through his mind—though it seemed unlikely.

With every answer uncovered, new mysteries appeared. This copy was truly a mental challenge.

After a bit more digging, someone exclaimed, “There really is treasure! There’s a valuable bracelet on the corpse’s other wrist!”

Yan Jiyun peered in curiously; the exposed bracelet was obviously valuable, made of glassy jade, and three gemstone rings—red, blue, and green—were still on the finger bones.

It really was a treasure-laden corpse, but this was not the answer Yan Jiyun sought.

Judging by the pelvis, the remains were female, not male; Wei Liu was a man.

Yan Jiyun glanced at Liu Jingxi, who stood motionless before the corpse.

He made a decision. “Yang Er, pull my cousin up.”

Yang Er wasn’t thrilled to follow Yan Jiyun’s command, but since Ninth Master hadn’t objected, he went ahead and hauled Liu Jingxi up, who nearly stumbled.

Yang Er quipped, “Second Young Master Liu, you’ve wasted your strength on debauchery—can’t even stand straight.”

Yan Jiyun stroked his chin. Was there some connection between the female skeleton and Liu Jingxi? With his expression, how could there not be?

As he studied Liu Jingxi, Ninth Master was watching Yan Jiyun, sliding his hand from Yan Jiyun’s back to his slender waist, giving it a gentle squeeze.

Irritated, Yan Jiyun swatted his hand. Not because he was unaccustomed to it, but because it tickled like a cat’s paw, though he did not push Ninth Master’s hand away.

Deep in thought about the copy’s logic, eyes fixed on the corpse, he muttered, “Don’t pinch me.”

Ninth Master’s hand remained, and he mused silently: What a fine waist.