I Have a Dice Left by a God-Chapter 450 - 42: Investigation

Li Xin shrugged indifferently, "I’m just interested, I wasn’t thinking about making any achievements or anything. Besides, I’m part of the Shadow Owl. If I succeed, it’s an accomplishment; if I fail, they won’t fire me, right?"

Jiang Wu smiled, "That’s not going to happen. The cases here have no deadlines unless there’s pressure from above. Your personality is quite unique, so case 785 is yours. You’ll have to figure out your own manpower for the investigation. If you find any suspicious points that need assistance, you can look for other Copper Owls, like for autopsies, tracking, etc. If you can’t find anyone, have Meng Po notify them."

"Got it, Brother Jiang."

"Oh, by the way, did Meng Po tell you she needs two kinds of materials to treat that doll?" Jiang Wu asked while fiddling with the leaves of a datura plant.

"She mentioned it in passing during a chat. I’ve never heard of them, so I can only ask around among friends."

Jiang Wu responded with an "oh" and said no more. Li Xin took his leave, feeling that Jiang Wu had something more to say but held back. Was he trying to remind him?

He probably should look into what those two items cost and what they are used for.

During lunch, a few other Copper Owls arrived as well—Snake Skin, Broken Gong, Old Tuo, Drunkard. Old Tuo left after getting his food, looking pale, with a somewhat stiff complexion. From afar, you could smell a perfume mixed with a fishy stench on him, like a zombie movie without makeup. He merely nodded in greeting upon seeing Li Xin, his cold eyes carrying a touch of indifference, as if uninterested in anything.

The Curse Master, Broken Gong, however, was quite chatty. Actually, in the Shadow Owl, only the captain had direct authority over Broken Gong. With Li Xin’s position and age, it wasn’t easy to command these veterans. Most people here were somewhat aloof, yet they weren’t condescending because Li Xin, being so young, either had great abilities or a powerful background to be a Silver Owl.

When they heard that Li Xin had taken on case 875, the three were surprised. Drunkard instinctively asked, "Did the captain give it to you?"

"No, I got interested when I was going through the files, though the captain advised me to choose another case," Li Xin said, biting into a piece of pig’s trotter.

"Li Yinxiao, cases with many complicated characters are the most troublesome."

"Which case here isn’t complicated? They throw all the unwanted ones here. Our Shadow Owl is becoming a garbage dump."

"Li Yinxiao and Tang Yinxiao are both young and energetic, unlike us old loafers. Li Yinxiao, if you need anything, just let us know. I’m good at interrogation, and if you’re hurt, I’ve got some Magic Potion, cheaper than the black market. I’ll give you a fifty percent discount if you need it," Broken Gong said enthusiastically. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

"Come on, you’re lucky your half-baked potions don’t kill people."

...

In the afternoon, Meng Po came in to find Li Xin, saying his Messenger had arrived.

Justin was sitting at the door, waiting very quietly, behaving like a pet cat, with an incredibly proper attitude.

When he arrived, he gracefully greeted Meng Po at the door, aware of the terror of this place. His previous incompetent owner was most afraid of the people here.

Li Xin handed the letter to Justin, who left without looking back.

Li Xin started his visits alone based on the record, but he would later need Qi Badao’s assistance. Otherwise, the investigation cycle would be very long and people hard to find. Shadow Owl certainly had external manpower, but evidently, these people spoke very politely and didn’t truly help. Li Xin could sense a slight distance despite their cordial enthusiasm, but he didn’t pay it much mind.

The place he visited that afternoon was a carpenter’s workshop in the South Fourth District. The workshop had more than sixty employees, a sizable operation. The deceased was an experienced master at the workshop. The owner reported the incident, claiming he was terrified. He said they were making furniture, and the master suddenly collapsed while working, his body visibly withered. At the time, the witnesses were two apprentices he was training.

The two apprentices looked about fifteen or sixteen, but their hands were already covered with calluses.

"I’ve been with the master for two years."

"I’ve been with him for three years."

Seeing the Night Patrol, the two apprentices were somewhat nervous. In their eyes, the Night Patrol were big shots capable of dealing with mysterious monsters, superior even to their boss.

"In the time leading up to the incident, did you notice any abnormalities in the master, like anger, depression, or conflicts with anyone?" Li Xin asked.

Zhou Sangke, a 55-year-old master, was not young, but in good health, an old bachelor living rather carefree.

The two apprentices looked at each other and shook their heads. "The master was always alone, didn’t talk much, never argued with others, spent most of his time at the workshop. He was a good craftsman, and the boss relied on him heavily."

"Did he have any hobbies?" Li Xin asked, thinking that a solitary old man with good skills should have savings and some interests.

"The master liked to go to Mida Gambling Den to play a few hands during his off time, but he never played big. Most of the time, he just went fishing," one of the apprentices said.

"Not playing big, yet you know so much?"

"The master took us wherever he went."

Li Xin asked some more detailed questions. The old Master Zhou lived a very simple life, focused on his carpentry. When he was fishing, the two little apprentices helped out, a form of self-entertainment. Other than that, there was women and gambling. If there were no issues with women, then it was the gambling den, Mida Gambling Den.

Mida Gambling Den, the largest gambling den in Dragon Capital. If it were a small one, it wouldn’t matter, but such an establishment probably had a powerful entity behind it.

The gambling den was suspicious because a skillful carpenter, without extravagant expenses, should have considerable savings.

Li Xin then asked the boss, a plump man, who, even after half a year, was still upset about Master Zhou’s death, leading to a thirty percent decline in his business.

"Lord Li, you must catch the murderer. I suspect my competitor’s trickery, maybe a spell curse. Otherwise, how could a good person suddenly be gone? Master Zhou was a good person, and now my business is tough."

Li Xin asked a few simple questions. The boss, finding a sympathetic ear, began to vent endlessly until he noticed Li Xin’s expression and finally shut his mouth awkwardly.

"Gambling den? Mida Gambling Den is a legitimate place. I go as well, just to play a little. It’s all about the experience—food, drink, leisure—a full-service, top-notch place." As the boss spoke, his eyes squinted into a line, savoring his memory.

Leaving the carpenter’s workshop, Li Xin cast the dice.

Both the two apprentices and the plump boss were telling the truth. Based on their expression and words, three ordinary people were hard to disguise in the presence of Insightful Vision.

However, Li Xin made a second judgment, ’Is Master Zhou’s death related to Mida Gambling Den?’

The dice provided a valid determination of "six points."

According to his understanding, there was a certain connection, but not a significant one, complicating matters. The murderer may not necessarily be associated with the Mida Gambling Den; it might just be a casual gambler or some other link that led to the determination.

After ruling out the murderer within the carpenter’s workshop, the current suspicion pointed to Mida Gambling Den.