Chapter 141: Tang Yi Suspects Song Mo; Song Mo Deploys the Celestial Rope

In the northern part of the city, amidst the desolate graveyards, stood the Reunion Inn.

Wang Hu was eating raisins, yet his gaze never left the window for even a second.

This was a habit forged from his long years of battlefield experience—a sound habit, much like the strategic location he had chosen, ensuring that at the slightest sign of trouble, he could flip backward out of the window and escape.

Wang Hu was the Vice Commander of the Taiping Army, and he was personally directing this operation in the capital city of Jian'an.

Before long, a figure wearing a bamboo hat strode into the Mule and Horse Inn.

"Is everything taken care of?" Wang Hu asked in a low voice, toying with a blue-and-white porcelain teacup in his hand.

"Rest assured, the woman called Yue Xiuxiu has already been hidden inside the ironmonger's workshop. No one will ever find her," the man in the bamboo hat replied in a gloomy tone.

"Did you leave any traces of yourself while parading around disguised as that person?" Wang Hu asked again.

The man in the bamboo hat stood up and gave his body a slight shudder, instantly shifting into an entirely different figure.

This appearance bore a striking resemblance to someone in particular—precisely Song Mo.

"Good. Such parlor tricks won't fool them for long, so we must pick up the pace," Wang Hu sighed and said.

"Understood, Vice Commander."

Wang Hu waved his hand, and the hat-wearing man hurried away.

"Interesting. Now I'm rather curious to see how you intend to handle this," Wang Hu said softly, setting down the teacup with a chilling glint in his eyes.

...

In the southern part of the city, at the Office of Corpse Examination, Mortuary Room No. 7.

Song Mo pushed open the door, preparing to step outside, when two figures suddenly flashed inward.

Raising his eyes, he saw that they were Tang Yi and Xia Yu from the Six Fan School.

"Why are you two here?" Song Mo asked in surprise.

Tang Yi and Xia Yu exchanged glances, and Tang Yi asked in a deep voice, "Was it you who abducted Yue Xiuxiu?"

"I did no such thing. What does that have to do with me?" Song Mo shook his head and replied.

"Then who is she?" Tang Yi pressed on.

Song Mo replied with a wry smile, "How should I know? Go and ask yourselves. In any case, I had nothing to do with it."

With that, Song Mo turned and began to walk toward the door.

"Wait!" Tang Yi reached out and blocked Song Mo's path.

"Is there something else?" Song Mo asked, turning his head back.

"We suspect you are the criminal who kidnapped Yue Xiuxiu!" Tang Yi declared in a stern voice.

Song Mo was taken aback for a moment, a trace of a mocking smile crossing his face before he reined it in and asked, "On what grounds do you suspect me?"

"Because you have met Yue Xiuxiu before," Tang Yi answered calmly.

"Oh? Have I met her before?" Song Mo was startled, but immediately composed himself and retorted.

"Of course!" "Oh? I've met Yue Xiuxiu before?" Song Mo asked dubiously.

"Yes. You have met!" Tang Yi nodded with certainty.

"I have merely crossed paths with her. We have no other entanglements," Song Mo explained.

"You're lying. I can tell there is something fishy between you two," Tang Yi asserted firmly.

"There really is nothing between us. I advise you two not to pry further," Song Mo shook his head and said.

"Is that so? I don't believe it." Tang Yi sneered.

"If you don't believe it, go ahead and investigate. I just hope you actually find something, otherwise I shall be quite displeased," Song Mo said with a cold laugh.

Tang Yi and Xia Yu exchanged a look upon hearing this, and Xia Yu nodded. "Believe it or not, I am telling the truth. I simply hope you won't disturb me, as I am quite busy right now," Song Mo said impatiently.

"Don't think that just because you wore a bamboo hat no one would recognize you. A worker at the Hundred Flowers Bloom in Rouge Alley identified you. This is the portrait."

As she spoke, Tang Yi tossed a portrait onto the table. When unfolded, the sketch depicted a man in a bamboo hat bearing a ninety-percent resemblance to Song Mo's build.

"Don't think that just because you wore a bamboo hat no one would recognize you. A worker at the Hundred Flowers Bloom in Rouge Alley identified you. This is the portrait."

Repeating her words, Tang Yi threw the portrait onto the table. Both Xia Yu and Song Mo stepped closer to inspect it; when the scroll unfurled, the man in the bamboo hat indeed shared a striking resemblance to Song Mo.

"Believe it or not, someone is deliberately framing me. As for who is plotting against me behind the scenes, I already have an idea," Song Mo scoffed coldly, feeling a pang of hurt that Tang Yi suspected him based solely on a portrait.

"Very well, since that is the case, hand this case over to us at the Six Fan School to investigate. Then we shall see who dares frame you," Tang Yi said softly, glancing at Song Mo. She knew he felt aggrieved; after all, Song Mo was someone who had fought side by side with her, and furthermore, he harbored a secret he had never shared with anyone.

"No need. I don't need you to investigate; I don't have that much time," Song Mo said, looking at Tang Yi. He had a clear conscience, but Jian'an City was now shrouded in the conspiracy of the Taiping Army, and he lacked the luxury of letting the Six Fan School conduct a drawn-out inquiry.

"There's no need to rush. Our Six Fan School will naturally uncover the truth as soon as possible. Rest assured, is there anything you need here? I'll send someone to arrange it for you," Tang Yi comforted him. In truth, she trusted Song Mo deeply, given how long they had endured hardships together in the past.

"I'm sorry, I appreciate your good intentions, but you have no idea what the current situation is," Song Mo said with a darkened expression.

"Oh? You mean you already know who is behind this?" Tang Yi asked in astonishment.

"Indeed, I already know who is stirring up trouble behind the scenes."

Song Mo looked at Tang Yi, his gaze brimming with icy hostility.

"Very well, the Six Fan School will handle it for you, but you must tell us the truth," Tang Yi said.

"No, you simply have no idea how many of their people are hidden throughout the entire capital of Jian'an." Song Mo interrupted Tang Yi bluntly.

Tang Yi's expression shifted. Staring directly into Song Mo's eyes, she demanded, "Are you suspecting the Six Fan School?"

"That's right. The Six Fan School is not monolithic after all, and ever since the establishment of the Demon Suppression Bureau, even more Jianghu figures with hidden backgrounds have infiltrated the ranks. Do you honestly believe that with your capabilities, you can unearth how many Taiping Army soldiers are hiding in Jian'an, or root out their deep-cover agents? What gives you the assurance to guarantee the safety of Jian'an City?" Song Mo retorted without yielding an inch.

"And you suppose *you* can?" Tang Yi matched him blow for blow.

Song Mo nodded with utmost seriousness and said in a deep voice, "Yes, I can."

"Hmph! You'd better not provoke me, or I won't let you off easily!" Tang Yi glared fiercely at Song Mo and stalked out.

"My word," Xia Yu couldn't help muttering, "that young man certainly has quite a temper."

"I agree. A temperament like that isn't suited for the pugilistic world," Song Mo curled his lip and said.

"Come, let's go find the missing Yue Xiuxiu," Xia Yu suggested.

"Alright, let's go," Song Mo nodded.

The two arrived at a secluded alley. Song Mo pulled a rope from his sleeve, tossed it toward the wall, stepped on it with one foot, and slowly rose into the air.

Seeing this, Xia Yu's eyes nearly popped out of his head.

"Brother, what kind of martial arts is this?" Xia Yu asked in utter shock.

"Hehe, this is a secret weapon. You must never tell anyone, or if I'm discovered, I'm a dead man," Song Mo lowered his voice and said.

Seeing Xia Yu's jaw drop wide enough to swallow a steamed bun, Song Mo smiled and explained, "Actually, it's an art of sorcery called the Immortal's Rope."

"What? The Immortal's Rope?"

Xia Yu's expression grew even more animated.

"Stop babbling and hurry up here," Song Mo said impatiently.

"Oh, oh."

Xia Yu acknowledged the call, his bulky frame exhibiting unexpected agility as he shinnied up the rope like a giant ape.

Suddenly, a flash of light burst before the eyes of Song Mo and Xia Yu.

When they opened their eyes again, they had arrived at a two-story teahouse directly opposite the Mule and Horse Inn in the northern part of the city.