Douluo Continent: The Holy Son of the Spirit Hall, who intercepted the immortal herb

Chapter 44 The key hidden in the crack of the door, and indeed a knife at the banquet.

Xiao Wu stood up first.

"It really was her who delivered it."

Shen Zhi had already walked to the door and bent down to pick up the key.

Silver is cold.

There was still a faint soap scent on the thread.

He turned it over and looked at it twice, his face slowly darkening.

"It's not an ordinary key."

Xiao Wu leaned closer.

"Do you recognize him?"

"The side key of the Internal Affairs Department."

Shen Zhi gripped the key and lowered his voice.

"The Soto branch temple has a set of keys, with a main key and a secondary key. The main key is in the string of keys on Xu Tinglan's waist. These small side keys are generally only used to open side doors, hidden cabinets, and temporary tent locks."

Xiao Wu frowned.

"Did she just shove this in because she was afraid she wouldn't have time to tell me later?"

Su Chen sat at the table and tapped the surface lightly with his fingers.

"It's not that I'm afraid it will be too late."

"She no longer has the chance to say it openly."

Shen Zhi's eyes flickered.

"You mean, she's being watched now?"

"She was already being watched from the moment she handed me the letter in front of Han Su."

Su Chen looked at the key.

"The fact that she can still hand over the keys means that tonight's situation is even more urgent than she made it out to be."

Xiao Wu reached out her hand.

"show me."

Shen Zhi handed her the key.

Xiao Wu took it in her hand and weighed it in her hand.

It's very light.

However, the edges and corners are ground very fine, indicating that it is commonly used.

She looked down at the moon-white silk thread, then suddenly looked up.

"Since she said the key would change hands at 3:45 PM tonight, does the early delivery of this key mean..."

"This means she intends for us to bypass that handover and open the door directly."

Su Chen took over the conversation.

"And it's probably not the main entrance that's open."

""

Shen Zhi rearranged the seating chart for the banquet.

"If it's a side door or a hidden cabinet, then it's most likely in this back corridor."

He pressed his finger on the picture.

"It's close to the banquet hall and also close to the secret vault."

"The staff from the Internal Affairs Department usually walk this way the most."

Xiao Wu stared at the picture.

"Then we'll have to part ways tonight?"

"Need not."

Su Chen pulled the image a little closer to himself.

"Let's go into the banquet hall together first."

"You take care of what you need to see."

"Wait until the time comes for the key to be transferred before making any moves."

Xiao Wu nodded.

"The wine jug, the person who delivered the food, the person closest to Xu Tinglan."

"I remember."

Su Chen glanced at her.

"There's one more thing."

"What?"

"No matter who talks to you tonight, don't eat or drink anything."

Xiao Wu snorted.

"Do you really think I'm stupid?"

"I'm not stupid."

She paused, then added.

"But if you hand it to me, I'll drink it."

The room fell silent for a moment.

Shen Zhi silently shifted his gaze away from the two of them, pretending to look out the window.

Su Chen looked at Xiao Wu.

Xiao Wu realized what she had said as soon as she finished speaking, her ears suddenly burning, and she immediately put on a stern face.

"What I mean is, I believe you."

Don't overthink it.

Su Chen hummed in agreement.

"I wasn't thinking anything."

Xiao Wu glared at him.

"What you just said sounds like you're overthinking it."

Shen Zhi coughed lightly and took over the conversation.

"There's another problem."

"You guys put too much pressure on Han Su today, so he probably won't make the first move tonight."

"He will have others test you."

Xiao Wu crossed her arms.

"Then let them try."

"I'd like to see what other tricks Soto City has up its sleeve."

Su Chen stood up.

"Change your clothes first."

"Let's rest for another fifteen minutes, then night will fall."

Night fell quickly.

The lights in the Soto branch temple were all on.

A red carpet was laid out outside the banquet hall, and tall bronze lamps stood on both sides, their flames swaying gently in the wind, casting a warm golden glow on the ground.

There were quite a few people there.

The branch hall stewards, the city's chamber of commerce, several family members who had close ties with the branch hall, and even a few stewards who hadn't shown up in the afternoon all arrived.

When Su Chen and Xiao Wu arrived, there was a lot of noise at the door.

Xiao Wu changed into a light red short skirt today, and still had the same carrot hairpin in her hair. Standing next to Su Chen, she looked more radiant and energetic than during the day.

As soon as she stepped onto the red carpet, she felt a barrage of gazes sweep over her.

To scrutinize, to investigate, with ill intentions.

Xiao Wu spoke in a low voice.

"They're really annoying to watch."

"Let them see."

Su Chen's tone was indifferent.

"After watching it, I realized who I shouldn't mess with."

Han Su was already standing at the entrance of the banquet hall.

His grey and gold robe was perfectly in place, and he even had a slight smile on his face.

If I hadn't seen him during the day, he really would have looked like a respectable deputy hall master.

"His Highness the Holy Son's presence is an honor to our humble abode, the Soto Branch Hall."

Han Su stepped aside to make way.

"please."

Su Chen didn't stop walking.

As he passed by Han Su, he only gave a curt reply.

"I hope tonight won't disappoint me."

Han Su's smile remained unchanged.

The hand inside the sleeve tightened slightly.

As Xiao Wu walked over, she deliberately turned her head to glance at him.

Why are you so quiet today?

"Was it because of that 'I'm sorry' you said during the day that it drained your energy?"

Han Su's smile almost cracked open.

Xiao Wu gave a soft hum and followed Su Chen inside.

The banquet hall was very large.

A long table stands in the center, with secondary seats arranged on both sides. The dishes haven't all been served yet, but the wine has already been laid out.

As soon as Su Chen entered, he glanced at the surroundings.

There are three types of wine jugs.

The main table was glazed with celadon, the second table with white porcelain, and the tables at the back were black with narrow rims.

The maid who served the wine moved very steadily, but the third servant on the left, dressed in gray, had his sleeves pulled down too low, revealing a fresh red mark on his wrist.

It looked like it had just been strangled by some thin rope.

Xu Tinglan stood at the back of the banquet hall, her moon-white dress serene, the string of silver keys still hanging from her waist.

But one is missing.

Xiao Wu only glanced at it, but she remembered it.

She sat down next to Su Chen, her voice very soft.

"One key is missing."

Su Chen hummed in agreement.

"I saw it."

"Where's the wine jug?"

"The main table and the second table are not the same."

"The gray-clad servant who delivered the wine had rope marks on his hands."

Su Chen glanced at her, his eyes flickering slightly.

"good."

Xiao Wu slightly raised her chin.

"Of course."

Shen Zhi sat a little further back, not looking directly in their direction, but instead whispered something while raising his glass.

"There's a new face to Xu Tinglan's left."

"Wearing a blue robe for an accountant, with clean soles on his shoes, he looked like he had just come out of the inner warehouse."

Su Chen glanced at it, following the reflection on the rim of the glass.

Saw.

The man was around thirty years old, with a pale face and heavy eye bags. He didn't have a key on his waist, but he stood not far from Xu Tinglan.

It should be Lu Ming.

The dishes were served one by one.

They started using more polite phrases.

A member of the Chamber of Commerce stood up first to offer a toast, his face beaming, saying that Soto City was fortunate to have the Holy Son's presence.

A branch hall steward echoed this sentiment, saying that Vice Hall Master Han was always thorough in his work.

The words weren't unpleasant to hear.

But every sentence was a test of public opinion.

Xiao Wu didn't drink any alcohol.

She even used her chopsticks to pick up only the vegetables closest to her and took two bites.

Before long, a young gentleman in a brocade robe walked over carrying a wine cup.

He didn't toast Su Chen first, but instead smiled at Xiao Wu first.

"The little girl's performance during the daytime typhoon was truly unforgettable."

"My name is Zhou Huan, Zhou Ling's cousin."

"My brother was reckless during the day. I'm offering this drink as an apology on his behalf."

Xiao Wu looked up at him.

"Your brother apologized and invited you to drink?"

Zhou Huan's smile faltered slightly.

"He's shy and embarrassed."

Xiao Wu leaned back in her chair.

"Then tell him."

"Wait until he's thick-skinned before he talks to me again."

Zhou Huan's face stiffened, but he still forced a smile.

"Little Wu is so joking."

"I'm not joking."

Xiao Wu looked at the wine in his glass.

"And I won't drink this one."

A cold glint flashed in Zhou Huan's eyes.

"She won't even accept an apology drink; isn't that a bit too much, young lady?"

"You have a problem with her not drinking?"

Su Chen finally spoke.

The cup made a soft clinking sound when it was put down.

Zhou Huan was immediately stumped by the second half of his sentence.

He looked at Su Chen, and the corner of his mouth twitched.

"I wouldn't dare."

"Then stand further away."

Su Chen looked up.

"You're blocking my light."

Zhou Huan's face turned completely ugly, but he could only step back with his wine in hand.

Xiao Wu suppressed a laugh and waited until the person was far away before turning her head and speaking in a low voice.

"What you just said was more effective than directly insulting him."

"You should learn from this."

"I'm already very good at it."

"Not enough."

Xiao Wu pouted, but didn't retort.

After a round of drinks, the food delivery person started moving around more frequently.

Xiao Wu quickly realized something was wrong.

The dishes served to their table were all made by the same person.

Moreover, every time that gray-clad servant approached, he would first look at Xu Tinglan.

It's like it's waiting for some signal.

Just as she was about to speak, Xu Tinglan suddenly made a sound.

A silver cup fell to the ground.

It made a crisp, clear sound.

Everyone instinctively looked over.

Xu Tinglan stood still, her expression calm, and only muttered a word of regret.

But Su Chen could see it very clearly.

She did it on purpose.

As the silver cup fell to the ground, she tapped it lightly twice under the edge of the table with her right hand.

It was a reminder that the agreed time had arrived.

The third quarter of the hour of Xu (7:45 PM).

Su Chen picked up his wine glass and, using his sleeve as a cover, slipped the silver key into his palm.

Then he turned his head and whispered to Xiaowu.

"I'm gone."

"Now?"

"Now."

Xiao Wu put down her chopsticks and suddenly raised her hand to press her temple.

The voice also rose a little.

"Su Chen, I feel a little dizzy."

As soon as he said that, people around him immediately looked over.

Han Su sat to the side of the main seat, his smile unchanged.

"If Miss Xiaowu is not a good drinker, why don't you go and rest in the side hall first?"

"OK."

Xiao Wu stood up, holding onto the edge of the table, and deliberately swayed her body.

"Then I'll go and relax for a bit."

Su Chen also stood up.

"I'll stay with her."

Han Su pressed a slight smile to his lips.

"Your Highness, the banquet hasn't started yet."

"I brought her here."

Su Chen glanced at him.

"She wasn't feeling well, so I went out with her. Do you have a problem with that?"

Han Su paused for a moment, then finally smiled.

"Of course not."

Xu Tinglan had already lowered her head and made way for the side corridor.

Su Chen helped Xiao Wu walk outside.

As soon as she turned into the corridor, Xiao Wu, who was still feeling dizzy, immediately stood up straight.

"How was your performance?"

"Not as good as the daytime feints."

Xiao Wu glared at him.

"Can't you just satisfy me this once?"

Su Chen didn't take it, but handed the key to her directly.

"The third door from the left."

"You drive, I'll watch the back."

The corridor was very quiet.

The sounds of the banquet outside were muffled by the wall and had become suffocating by the time they reached here.

Xiao Wu's feet were very light, and she reached the door in three steps.

She gripped the key and pushed it into the lock.

Click.

It's really open.

Behind the door was an even narrower, dark corridor.

The air smelled of old paper and wood wax.

Just as Xiao Wu was about to go in, Su Chen suddenly reached out and gently stopped her from going in.

"Don't rush."

"What's wrong?"

Su Chen didn't say anything, but simply lifted his foot and gently pressed it against the edge of the threshold.

Click.

A thin, shiny steel wire suddenly shot out from above the door crack, grazing the wall.

If someone had gone straight in, this would have cut their throat.

Xiao Wu felt a chill run down her spine.

"There really is a knife."

"I told you, tonight won't just be a meal with drinks."

Su Chen bent down, snapped the steel wire in half, and tossed it aside.

"You can go in now."

At the end of the dark corridor are two small rooms.

One of them is a key room.

The other door was half-open, and a very soft sound of turning pages could be heard from inside.

Xiao Wu leaned over for a quick look, then immediately turned back.

"There's someone there."

"several?"

"two."

"One is rummaging through things, and the other is packing boxes."

Su Chen nodded.

"Go in."

Xiao Wu dodged and cut in first.

She moved so fast that she barely moved.

Before the two people inside could react, she had already kicked over the wooden crate next to the door.

With a crash, the account books scattered all over the floor.

The two people standing inside suddenly looked up.

One of them was Lu Ming.

The other was the steward who followed Han Su during the day.

The two men's expressions changed instantly.

"Who—"

"Your great-aunt."

Xiao Wu stepped forward and punched the steward in the face.

boom.

The person crashed directly into the shelf, and blood immediately started flowing from their nose.

Lu Ming turned around and tried to run away.

Su Chen had already entered through the door and reached out to press his shoulder.