The Return of the God Level Assassin

LUO YAN shared his observations on the team channel. Even as he spoke, his keen eyes remained fixed on the old gentleman, subtly studying his every move. The longer he observed, the more pronounced the furrow in his brow became.

It was because the old man was acting strangely. He was directing questions at Mrs. Thompson, but each time, he used a different voice, as if he were intentionally trying to hide that he was the one asking. At the same time, he kept glancing around, as if searching for something. Everything about his actions felt overly deliberate, almost as if he wanted someone to notice him.

Luo Yan fell into deep thought and sent another message into their team channel.

Noctis: [Forget what I said earlier. I don't think this guy is Sherlock Holmes. He's most likely a member of team Fenghuang trying to pass himself off as Sherlock Holmes.]

If this guy were truly Sherlock Holmes, he wouldn't be so obvious. Luo Yan might not be a fan of the fictional detective and didn't know much about him, but he understood enough to know that a skilled detective blending into a crowd to catch a killer wouldn't act so carelessly. The old man's behavior practically screamed, 'Look at me! I'm acting strange! I'm definitely not your ordinary NPC!' It was too conspicuous to be the work of a real master of disguise.

Given the circumstances, how could Luo Yan possibly continue to believe that this man was Sherlock Holmes?

Since their team had deduced that the two teams likely had opposing main tasks, it was impossible to believe that team Fenghuang hadn't come to the same conclusion. Based on the initial clues, it was clear that team Fenghuang was meant to side with Jack the Ripper, while team Yunyue was supposed to side with Sherlock Holmes. If team Fenghuang wanted to throw team Yunyue off track, the most effective strategy would be to have someone from their team to impersonate Sherlock Holmes. If team Yunyue fell for the act, it would be easy to mislead them. They might not even realize what had happened until the match's time limit ran out.

Thankfully, Luo Yan was particularly observant. Although he initially took the bait dangling in front of him, he quickly realized it was a trap and managed to pull back before any real damage could be done.

White Marsh: [But Xiao Yan, how did you figure out he's not Holmes and is actually a member of team Fenghuang?]Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Luo Yan shared his observations.

YUN: [That makes sense. If it's true, it works in our favor. Knowing the identity of one member of team Fenghuang gives us the chance to observe him and see who he interacts with. That might help us uncover the rest of their team.]

Morganite: [I'm near Luo Yan's train car. I'll try to also watch out for anything suspicious.] Discover hidden stories at empire

AmazingYoungMasterJin: [I think something's definitely going on in the service car. I've already seen three train attendants pass by my cabin with nervous expressions, all of them coming from that direction.]

White Marsh: [Xiao Jin, if another attendant passes by your cabin, why don't you stop them and use your beauty to get some information?]

AmazingYoungMasterJin: […]

White Marsh: [I'm not teasing you, I'm serious.]

Morganite: [You know I hate to agree with Bai Ze, but he's got a point.]

AmazingYoungMasterJin: [...Fine. I'll do it.]

Luo Yan nearly chuckled when he read that. He could vividly imagine his brother's face, full of exasperation, as he sent the message.

Soon, Su Yuqi arrived in the train car. She quickly scanned her surroundings, and the moment she spotted Mrs. Thompson, she headed straight toward her. However, before she could reach her, several passengers stepped into her path, bombarding her with questions.

"Attendant, where's the train manager?" one asked anxiously.

"What's happening? Are we in danger?" another pressed, her voice trembling.

"Is it true there's a killer on board?" a man demanded, his eyes darting nervously around the car.

Su Yuqi paused briefly, her expression calm but firm. She offered a few polite reassurances, deflecting their inquiries without revealing too much, before gently maneuvering past them to reach Mrs. Thompson.

"Madame," Su Yuqi began with a polite smile. "Perhaps you would like to step away for a moment to freshen up? I can escort you to a more private area if you wish."

Mrs. Thompson looked up, her face still pale. "Thank you," she said softly, "But first, can you tell me where my daughter is?"

"Miss Thompson is with another attendant fetching hot water and fresh linen. She'll be back shortly. In the meantime, madame, it might be best if you changed into something more comfortable."

Mrs. Thompson seemed to find the suggestion reasonable and gave a small nod before asking, "Would it be alright if I brought this little girl with me?"

Su Yuqi offered a polite, professional smile. "Of course, madame. Please, allow me to lead the way."

-----

Meanwhile, in Luo Jin's cabin...

Luo Jin sat quietly, his attention focused on the sounds outside his cabin, waiting for another attendant to pass by. The moment one did, he planned to use what Bai Ze had teasingly called his "beauty trap" to gather some useful information. At the very least, he needed to find out what was going on in the service car.

Luo Jin's sharp ears caught the sound of footsteps approaching. He quietly cracked open the door just enough to peek outside, making sure not to draw attention. A quick glance confirmed it was an attendant.

Satisfied, he carefully positioned himself and timed his move. As the attendant walked past his door, he suddenly stepped out and deliberately stumbled forward.

"Oh!" he exclaimed, falling into the startled attendant's arms, his expression carefully crafted to look both surprised and apologetic.

The attendant instinctively reached out to steady him, clearly caught off guard. Luo Jin took the opportunity to flash a charming smile and said, "I'm so sorry, I must have tripped."

And as he did this, he nearly died of embarrassment inside.