CHAPTER 107: CHAPTER 107: APPREHENDING THE MURDERER

This person’s eyes are clear, why such rudeness?

Haven’t you heard not to look at things that are not proper?

Ren Zhong felt unhappy in his heart.

Zhao Ting retracted his gaze and calmly spoke, "Of course I’m willing, but after catching the person, the reward silver must not be less."

Two hundred taels of silver.

In the past, he wouldn’t have cared about it.

Now, after becoming Zhao Ting, he can’t help but pay attention to it.

Ren Zhong agreed readily, "Once we catch the person, I certainly won’t deny the reward silver. However, the Government Officials involved will need some hard-working expenses too."

Zhao Ting was also straightforward, "Naturally, no problem."

"You, sir, are unassuming, but your son is quite handsome." Zhao Ting seemingly casually remarked, "Riding wildly in the city startled your son and wife. Although there were reasons, I also bear some responsibility."

"We’ll discuss this matter later." Ren Zhong felt there was no need to explain to this man; the pressing matter was to hurry and catch the fugitive. Negligence could harm innocent citizens of Huaiyuan County. Moreover, if the fugitive committed a crime here, his performance evaluation this year would be troubled.

Zhao Ting realized Ren Zhong was unwilling to discuss his wife and children.

"That person is cunning, but don’t worry, sir. I have marked him several times." Zhao Ting began to speak about business.

"Marked?" Ren Zhong was a bit puzzled.

"Thousand Miles Scent," Zhao Ting explained, "Though we can’t smell it, Little Dou can."

A small beast resembling a little mouse darted out of Zhao Ting’s sleeve, completely white and very cute.

"This is a Lightning Mink, particularly sensitive to the scent of Thousand Miles." Zhao Ting was slightly proud.

With Little Dou’s help, he had never worried about not catching the fugitive.

Ren Zhong’s eyes slightly narrowed; this man was not simple.

Such beasts with tracking ability were very rare, and the average person could not afford to tame them.

"Are you a man of the Jianghu?" Ren Zhong asked.

"Yes and no," Zhao Ting replied.

He could now be considered a man of the Jianghu, but after resuming his real identity, he wouldn’t be.

"Yes means yes, no means no. What kind of ambiguous answer is that?" Ren Zhong was somewhat displeased.

"Though Little Dou can track the fugitive, I can’t guarantee whether, during this time, the fugitive will continue doing evil. Sir, if you don’t hurry..."

Ren Zhong swung his sleeve and called for the arrest officer, pointing at a few Government Officials, instructing Zhao Ting to lead the way.

Little Dou darted out swiftly, with Zhao Ting following closely. The arrest officer led the Government Officials, sticking closely behind Zhao Ting, while Ren Zhong fell to the rear.

Although he practiced martial arts, it was just for health and fitness.

His physique was slightly better than the average person, but incomparable to the Government Officials, let alone Zhao Ting.

After all, the best arrest officer in the Government Office could just barely catch up to Zhao Ting.

And that was only because Zhao Ting would occasionally slow down for him to catch up.

What was that little wife’s taste? Even someone as weak as Ren Zhong could catch her eye?

After many twists and turns, Zhao Ting stopped at the narrow alley entrance.

"The scent is in the house at the very end of the alley," Zhao Ting said, "Do you know who lives there?"

"It’s an old woman bedridden with her granddaughter," the arrest officer said, looking somewhat uneasy.

This fugitive was fierce, and it was hard to say if he had harmed the grandmother and granddaughter.

"There’s no smell of blood, so at least you can be assured he didn’t use a knife. Of course, if he strangled them, that’s another story." Zhao Ting said.

"Should we break the door?" the arrest officer asked.

"Giving the fugitive time to take hostages?" Zhao Ting gave him a sideways glance, "Do you know the old woman’s surname?"

"Yes, her surname is Wang," the arrest officer replied.

Zhao Ting stepped forward and knocked on the door.

The arrest officer was stunned. How was this different from breaking in?

However, the next moment, he discovered the difference.

A cheerful girl’s voice accompanied the knocking, "Granny Wang, I’ve bought back the rice and flour you asked me to."

A youthful girl’s voice matched with the tall man’s stature.

Inside, a sound quickly followed, "Is that Xiaohua?"

Zhao Ting listened to the trembling voice and didn’t need to think; the fugitive must be standing behind the girl, holding her with a weapon.

"I’m not Xiaohua, I’m Xiaocui," Zhao Ting calmly said.

"Oh, right, right, I got it wrong. Granny asked Xiaocui to buy the rice and flour. I’ll open the door for you right away." The girl’s voice inside sounded again.

What Zhao Ting didn’t say was that his hearing was excellent, and he heard every word the fugitive whispered distinctly.

"Who did you ask to buy things?"

"I don’t know."

"Think about it."

"Usually, it’s Xiaocui helping, and the voice does sound like her."

"Ask if she’s Xiaohua?"

Thus came Zhao Ting’s denial.

One must admit, this criminal was indeed very cunning.

The door bolt moved, and the moment the door was pulled open, Little Dou rushed in, heading straight for the criminal’s face.

It was so fast that it was hard to respond.

The fugitive instinctively used his hand to block, and Zhao Ting immediately grabbed the girl, freeing her from the criminal’s grasp, and then pushed her in front of the arrest officer, "Protect her."

At the same time, he attacked the criminal with Divination Character Spears in both hands.

Zhao Ting had previously fought with him; though his skills weren’t exceptional, he had a fierce edge. Facing him, one couldn’t hesitate or show mercy; otherwise, it was easy to fall into a trap.

The first time, he aimed to capture him alive, but instead got wounded by him, which, although just a scratch, was a disgrace.

The second time, Zhao Ting injured him.

But due to negligence, he managed to escape wounded.

Once bitten twice shy; if he let him escape again this time, he would lose all face.

When Ren Zhong arrived, panting, Zhao Ting had just put away his Divination Character Spears.

"His tendons are severed; you can tie him up now," Zhao Ting said nonchalantly.

"Granny, granny!" The still frightened girl cried, rushing into the house.

Ren Zhong quickly followed, but wasn’t able to avoid a casualty?

Granny Wang lay on the floor, her eyes wide open.

The girl lay on her, crying sorrowfully.

Ren Zhong reached out, and indeed, she had already passed away.

"My condolences," Ren Zhong said sorrowfully, "The criminal has been caught, so we can consider it avenging your granny."

"It was an attack of anger and couldn’t catch her breath, not an external murder," Zhao Ting checked Granny Wang and said.

"Are you a Forensic Doctor?" Ren Zhong asked.

"I know a little," Zhao Ting replied.

"Earlier, earlier, that evil man tried to do something wrong to me, and granny struggled and fell off the bed," the girl said, choking with tears.

Paralyzed for many years, yet the old woman struggled to move when her granddaughter was in danger. Human potential is indeed infinite.

"The old lady had symptoms of angina, so she..." Zhao Ting added.

"Alright, I’ll leave now. Don’t forget to give me the reward silver later. I’m staying at the Fuxiang Inn," Zhao Ting stood up, speaking nonchalantly.