Zhan Zhao chased after the man in black, growing more puzzled the longer he pursued.

Master Zhan was highly skilled in martial arts, especially in light-foot techniques, but the person ahead of him wasn’t weak either…

Zhan Zhao kept up tightly, and the man ahead ran even faster. However, he seemed unfamiliar with the streets, dashing into a dead-end alley and then doubling back while cursing along the way.

Bai Yutang had also arrived and was now chasing alongside Zhan Zhao. Both of them were experts and could tell that this person was no ordinary man. His internal strength and agility were remarkable, and judging by his broad and sturdy figure, he even looked quite handsome. He really didn’t seem like a villain—if anything, he seemed somewhat clueless yet still arrogant while fleeing.

Finally… this man stopped, kicked the wall blocking his way, and cursed, “Damn it, what kind of hellhole is this? It’s like a ghost maze—there’s no way out!”

Zhan Zhao squatted on the wall above and reminded him, “Do you have a problem with your sense of direction? You’ve been running in circles in the same place.”

The man in black stroked his chin. “Really?”

Standing at the alley entrance, Bai Yutang scrutinized him with a slight frown—was this person not from the Central Plains?

From his physique, the man was tall and well-built but not fat. He wore an all-black outfit carelessly, his black hair was of medium length, and his slightly tanned skin suggested frequent sun exposure. His face was obscured by a black cloth, but judging from the outline of his profile, he had a tall and straight nose, a narrow face, and sharp features like a blade—was it common for Central Plains people to have such a look?

He also seemed to be deliberately covering his eyes with his hand, but from his high brow ridge, one could faintly see his sharp, eagle-like eyes. Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang exchanged glances—this man had an imposing and majestic air. Could he be of mixed heritage? He had both the appearance of a Central Plains man and that of an outsider.

The man in black was now trapped against the wall. He took two steps back and then turned to look at Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang.

Upon seeing them clearly for the first time, he blurted out in confusion, “Who the hell are you two?”

Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang glanced at each other—this guy was something else. He had been chased for so long and hadn’t even bothered to see who was after him.

Zhan Zhao pointed at him. “We’re the ones chasing you.”

The man in black looked baffled. “Why are you two chasing me? I don’t like men!”

Zhan Zhao twitched at the corner of his mouth, while Bai Yutang looked away—this guy was on par with Zhan Zhao in martial arts, but his personality was even more ridiculous.

“Lord Bao wants to see you. It won’t take long, just a couple of questions.” Zhan Zhao sensed that this man had an extraordinary presence. Although he was sneaky, he was sneakily flamboyant at the same time. Having caught countless criminals, Zhan Zhao didn’t believe this man was a villain, so he spoke politely.

Hearing this, the man in black quickly shook his head. “No way, I’m not meeting Bao Zheng.”

Zhan Zhao was slightly taken aback—why was he referring to Lord Bao by name so casually?

He thought for a moment. Since this man had been identified by Xiao Si Zi, who himself was often confused, there was a chance they had the wrong person. So, he asked, “I heard you’ve killed people before?”

The man thought for a moment. “Yeah, quite a few.”

Zhan Zhao was startled. “Are you a jianghu warrior?”

The man stroked his chin again and pondered. “Not exactly.”

Zhan Zhao frowned. “Did you kill anyone a month ago?”

The man clicked his tongue and looked up, thinking. “A month ago… maybe.”

Zhan Zhao scrutinized him carefully. Judging by his lightness skill and internal strength, he was undoubtedly a master of inner martial arts. However, there was no one in the jianghu of his age with such skills who also behaved like this. The way he casually admitted to killing people as if it were nothing… could he be a foreign assassin?

“How should I address you?” Zhan Zhao asked, still patient.

The man in black smirked, revealing a set of pristine white teeth. “That… I can’t say. I need to keep a low profile!”

At this point, Zhan Zhao had no way to excuse him anymore. This man refused to meet Lord Bao, wouldn’t reveal his name, and even admitted to killing many people—there was no way such a person could be innocent.

Meanwhile, Bai Yutang stood at the alley entrance. Originally, this matter had nothing to do with him, but he had noticed something different in the way this man in black moved—it didn’t quite match the typical jianghu style. Instead… he seemed more like a soldier.

If he was indeed a battle-hardened military man from the northern frontiers, then it wasn’t surprising that he had killed people. However, the Song military had strict regulations, especially under the command of the Ninth Prince, Zhao Pu. He should have been guarding the northern borders, not appearing in the Central Plains—let alone alone.

Just then, a large group of people arrived.

From his carriage, Grand Tutor Pang saw that the man in black had been cornered by Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang in the alley. He quickly called out, “Guard Zhan, quickly! Stop him!”

The man in black saw Grand Tutor Pang and immediately leaped up, attempting to escape over the wall.

Zhan Zhao shot forward like an arrow, blocking his path.

The man in black turned back and clicked his tongue in frustration.

Zhan Zhao squatted on the wall. In that brief moment earlier… he had caught a glimpse of the man’s face. He really did look like a mixed-blood. And were his eyes… different colors? Or had he seen wrong?

Seeing that the man was trapped, Grand Tutor Pang was overjoyed. “Guard Zhan, quick, seize this murderer!”

Zhan Zhao wanted to confirm one last thing, so he asked the man in black, “Did you kill everyone in Duandao Sect?”

The man in black blinked in confusion. “What’s Duandao Sect?”

Zhan Zhao frowned—his reaction was identical to Bai Yutang’s. This man wasn’t pretending, but why was he hiding his identity and whereabouts?

From his carriage, Grand Tutor Pang grew impatient, seeing that Zhan Zhao hadn’t made a move. “Guard Zhan, don’t waste time talking! Capture him, throw him into a prisoner’s cage, and take him back for interrogation under torture!”

The man in black turned his head, covering half his face with one hand, and looked at Grand Tutor Pang.

Grand Tutor Pang glared at him. “What are you looking at? I am executing justice. If you resist, I will have you executed on the spot.”

The man in black pointed at himself. “Executed?”

“That’s right. What, you’re not convinced?” Grand Tutor Pang puffed up with self-importance. “I am the Grand Tutor! Are you, a mere suspect, not going to surrender?!”

Zhan Zhao saw the man in black take a deep breath and mutter to himself, “I’ll tolerate you for now, you fat bastard. But I’ll beat you up when I have time.”

Zhan Zhao was startled—did this man know Grand Tutor Pang?