Chapter 740: Chapter 14 Macabre Theatre Troupe Case (Part 1)

Douglas was a Divine Communication Mage of the Void Phase, skilled in crafting Heart Phase Weapons, and had a hobby of researching history. Two months ago, he had joined the Dust Sect and had made many stage props used in dramas.

Gongsun Ce did not fully understand the specific meanings of the specialized terms in these documents; he only knew that Douglas was dead, and his death was tragic. He was about 60 years old, with thick hair, dressed simply, his rigid face frozen with an expression of both shock and anger from before his death. There were no bloodstains visible at the scene, seemingly he had died from blunt force trauma.

Kerky squatted down to examine the body and concluded, “It wasn’t a clean death, he was struck several times, but all blows were to the head.”

“Are you sure that’s the cause of death?” Gongsun asked.

“I didn’t see any other wounds; look at how messy his clothes are, he might have struggled with someone.” Kerky blew a whistle, “Looks like a crime of passion, the weapon is probably that thing by your foot.”

Gongsun stood at the entrance of the tent, a hammer lying by his feet. Logically, bludgeoning someone to death would create quite a noise, yet no one heard any impact or a cry for help.

Screw it, there are plenty of Impermanence Law Enforcers in this cursed place, ways to silence are numerous.

“What was Douglas’s Impermanence Skill?”

“I remember it’s creating lamps…” Kerky recalled for a moment, “Yeah, a wish-granting magical lamp. But he had just mastered Divine Communication, often using a lot of resources for trivial wishes, a fairly ordinary ability.”

“Can it silence?”

“What kind of question is that, who can’t mute?” Kerky Hyde put her hands in her pockets, turning her empty trouser pockets inside out, “The weapon might not necessarily be this. Want to search me? If we search again, we’ll have to undress, and we’ll need to go to the bathroom for that.”

“No need, I’m not so dull that I wouldn’t notice you making a move right in front of me.” Mr. Gongsun shook his head, “I’ll secure the scene here. Please, Miss Kerky, go bring Philis and Mr. Buck, and ask the leader for his opinion—this is his turf.”

Kerky grinned and tugged at her collar, “I guess the leader won’t interfere, he’s just interested in watching the drama… By the way, you sure you won’t search? It’s a good opportunity you’re missing out on~”

Flirting at a murder scene, only a woman from Morton would be crazy enough for that.

Gongsun swept her a glance, thought the woman was tall and had a nice face, but her flat chest definitely wasn’t to his liking. If it were someone like Alandia, he might have actually considered it…

(I should remind you, Mr. Gongsun, I can hear your thoughts now.)

(You could pretend not to hear. I hope you pretend not to hear!)

Mr. Gongsun coughed forcefully: “Cough! I’m a gentleman, please go fetch the witnesses, thank you.”

Kerky walked away whistling, seemingly unfazed by the death, as cold-blooded as those young assassins from the city of the skies. Gongsun used telekinesis to survey the area, conducting his investigation in the tent personally.

(Impermanence Skill usage log.)

(There are two entries within the last half-hour, at 11:18:35 and 11:21:56, both by Mr. Douglas.)

(Looks like he struggled before he died, makes sense… I’ll check the tent.)

Douglas’s private tent wasn’t large, containing only a work desk and a foldable bed. On the desk was a cup of tea still warm to the touch, the rest was a mess, documents and various materials scattered everywhere.

(Please concentrate, Mr. Gongsun. The clues often hide in the details.)

(I know that without you telling me… Ah, this.)

Mr. Gongsun glanced at the left side of the desk, a wooden work table with a slash mark from a sharp weapon. Near the edge of the table, on a shelf, there was an unnatural empty space, appearing as if it were meant to hold a hammer.

(The trace was left not long ago; the mark is narrow and deep, likely from a short blade such as a dagger or foldable knife, wielded by someone young or strong.) Alandia said.

(My eyes still work pretty well, right? Such weaponry typically belongs to petite pickpockets, convenient for slashing open pockets to steal wallets… Do you think that wallet was Douglas’s?)

(No evidence, but I think it’s likely.)

Gongsun remembered Philis’s hidden wallet, surmising: (For some unknown reason—perhaps the fact of theft was discovered—a conflict arose when Philis brought tea, near the work desk. Philis, impulsive and youthful, contemplated using the knife; Douglas dodged the initial strike and retaliated with Impermanence Law but was also dodged, which disheveled the desk. During this, the knife might have slipped from hand. In desperation, Philis grabbed the hammer and killed the old man. A typical crime of passion.)

(That’s a reasonable inference.)

(Of course, I’m an expert in juvenile delinquency, typical crime of passion.)

Dawn Knight shifted the angle: (But you overlooked a crucial factor, so that inference isn’t correct.)

(What what what?) Mr. Gongsun fumed, (What’s wrong… Oh shit, the tea!)

—I just brought him tea, Miss Kerky.

He recalled Philis’s earlier statement and realized the problem. Douglas’s tea cup was still on the table, full and warm, clearly the cup Philis had just delivered. The chaotic desk, with the tea cup still secure, only proved that the strife that caused the disorder occurred before the tea was delivered.