Foolish Game of the Gods Chapter 27

Chapter 27: The Honor of the Duke of Brooks

Earlier, while speaking inside the room, Cheng Shi had already noticed that the wounds on the dead dwarves were somewhat unusual.

They didn't look like the work of sharp weapons commonly used by Assassins, such as daggers. Instead, they resembled the cuts of a blunt-edged blade.

For example…

Cheng Shi scanned the area for a moment, then kicked a bloodstained blade out from under one of the beds.

Judging by its length and size, it looked more like the dwarves' own weapon.

A dwarven war blade.

But someone had clearly assumed that nobody would linger here long, so the scene's "cleanup" was exceedingly slipshod, to the point where it couldn't even be called cleanup.

He hadn't paid any attention to these details at all.

"Interesting…"

Cheng Shi recalled his conversation with A Ming as he continuously examined the dead dwarves' bodies.

It didn't take long for him to spot several clues.

Judging by the positions of the six dwarves and the scuffle marks at the scene, it did look like they had all attacked the same target.

Perhaps Fang Shiqing had pulled Cheng Shi away in time, making A Ming, who was right behind them, the scapegoat.

But what puzzled Cheng Shi even more was that the force behind the wounds on each of the six bodies was different.

This didn't look like one person harvesting all six. It looked more like six different people had each killed one dwarf.

What a coincidence. Killers and victims, six each.

"Mutual slaughter?"

Cheng Shi knitted his brow and began considering whether Assassins possessed a talent for mind control. At the very least, within the [Order] faith, such talents were uncommon.

"What a messy scene. But hey, not without its gains."

Cheng Shi picked up a ring he'd palmed off one of the dwarf corpses and squinted at it in the sunlight streaming through the window.

He clicked his tongue admiringly as he examined it:

"Exquisite craftsmanship. I wonder what kind of skill it takes to forge such a fine ring. Too bad. It's mine now."

He smiled, pocketed the ring, and sauntered out of the servants' quarters.

The moment he stepped out the door, he ran into Bailing, who was wearing a smile and seemed to have been waiting for him.

Cheng Shi's face darkened. He laughed and cursed:

"Glued yourself to me?"

Bailing had somehow procured another dress. She imitated a noblewoman's curtsy and giggled:

"Holding onto a big shot's arm. You don't mind, do you?"

"Hold all you want, just don't grope."

"Rest assured, big shot. I'm very obedient. Grope wherever you say."

"…"

Cheng Shi couldn't be bothered to waste words on her. He walked past her and pressed forward.

"Perfect. This outfit lets me be your attendant. Any discoveries?"

"Since when does an attendant walk ahead of their employer?"

Bailing quickened her pace to keep up and replied in a low voice:

"The estate is huge, and there are many guests. I just knocked out a lady and squeezed information out of her husband. The Duke of Brooks apparently hasn't shown his face yet. There's only half an hour left before he's supposed to make his appearance."

Cheng Shi raised an eyebrow, thinking to himself that a woman who played fast and loose with the rules was indeed fast at gathering intelligence.

He followed Bailing into the manor's central hall, weaving through the crowd of nobles, and before long spotted the others.

Everyone had changed into new clothes and was canvassing separately.

Cheng Shi gave the hall a cursory scan and decisively chose to leave with Bailing.

"Big shot?"

"The answer isn't here."

"Oh." Bailing gave a soft acknowledgment and followed Cheng Shi's lead toward a different part of the estate.

Cheng Shi watched her walking quietly ahead and suddenly felt that something was missing, so he prompted:

"You're not going to ask me why?"

"Being obedient is enough. I don't need to know why. Of course, if the big shot needs someone to cheerlead, I can fake that convincingly too."

"…"

What kind of person is this? No fun at all.

Not to mention Song Yawen from last round, even Chen Chong was better. At least he gave you some sense of accomplishment.

But some things, left bottled up, were just too uncomfortable.

"The dwarf ring is exquisite."

"And then?"

"The noblemen wouldn't pay attention to a dwarf's ring."

"Oh, so?"

"So the target isn't here."

"I see. Big shot is amazing."

"…

Just shut up."

"Okay." Bailing smiled like a lark, drawing glances from surrounding guests. "Then, big shot, where are we going now?"

That was a good question.

Actually, Cheng Shi's first target had been the lower-class folk who frequently interacted with these dwarf refugees. But it suddenly occurred to him that since the dwarves' presence here was connected to the Duke, perhaps paying this Duke a visit was a fine alternative.

So he pointed toward the staircase, signaling Bailing to go up.

Bailing's expression changed, and she gasped in a hushed tone:

"There are guards. We'll be stopped if we just march up."

Cheng Shi's eyes darted as he said with wicked glee:

"Use your strengths."

Bailing froze for a beat, then caught his meaning.

She gathered her skirt and strode briskly toward the stairs. Sure enough, the moment she reached the foot of the staircase, she was blocked by armored guards.

Seeing this, Bailing quickly lowered her head, leaned in close, and whispered:

"The Duke needs me."

The guards' faces were enclosed in helmets, making their expressions unreadable, but the way they gripped their spears tighter betrayed their inner shock.

Perhaps they were savoring the meaning of the word "needs."

Seeing no reaction from the two men, Bailing extended her hands and made a gesture: hooking her left and right index fingers together.

This was a lewd gesture popular in the pleasure houses of the Land of Hope, signifying willing submission. No lady of any standing would ever make this gesture.

Or rather, only certain special professionals would make this gesture to advertise their price.

The two guards were clearly even more stunned.

They studied Bailing's lovely face, slender figure, and elegant bearing, utterly unable to reconcile her with that gesture.

"You…"

"I said, the Duke needs me."

"But the Duke didn't notify us…"

"Are you saying that when the Duke has needs, he must notify you?"

"?"

The guards were stumped in that instant.

Right, why would the Duke notify me?

Besides, what's the harm in letting one woman up? Doesn't the Duchess frequently bring men back too?

The two guards exchanged a glance, each convincing themselves, and both took a step back.

Bailing rejoiced inwardly and shot Cheng Shi a look.

Cheng Shi laughed inwardly but maintained a meek expression as he followed behind.

The two guards tried to stop him, but Bailing's face turned cold:

"Fools. Don't you know about avoiding suspicion? If you let me go up alone, what happens to the Duke's reputation?"

After letting you go up, the Duke still has a reputation?

The guards' brains overloaded briefly before they resigned themselves and waved the little attendant through as well.

Of course, it wasn't out of consideration for the Duke's reputation.

It was because they noticed that the servant behind her was far too handsome to be a footman.

He looked more like the kind of… pet… that noblewomen kept…

In which case, was it the Duke who needed her, or the Duchess who needed him?

Forget it. Probably both.

I'm just a guard. Why overthink it?

Seeing the two guards wave them through, Bailing cheerfully led Cheng Shi up the staircase.

Just as they disappeared onto the second floor, Fang Shiqing and Xu Lu quietly approached.

"Hello, we'd like to request an audience with His Grace the Duke."

Fang Shiqing spoke with gentle, impeccable courtesy, polite to a degree that didn't befit Brooks Town nobility.

Request an audience with the Duke?

His Grace was probably busy.

The guards refused them without hesitation, their icy attitude bordering on hostile.

Fang Shiqing's expression shifted as she silently furrowed her brow, puzzling over how Cheng Shi's group had gotten up.

Xu Lu, even more incensed, shouted:

"Why won't you let us up? How come those two just went up?"

The guards raised their spears at this:

"Quiet. No one is permitted upstairs to disturb the Duke. And no one went up just now. Please leave."

At this moment, they had finally remembered to defend the Duke's honor.

If the Duke still had any honor, that is.

"You…"

"Let's go. With them up there, it's enough."

"But that Cheng guy is a freeloader."

Fang Shiqing felt quite vindicated hearing this, but still silently roasted in her mind:

"Where do you get the nerve to say that with a straight face? He's freeloading? What does that make you?"

Mindful of Xu Lu's dignity, she didn't voice it. She simply walked away.

Seeing the carry leave, Xu Lu naturally hurried to follow.

Meanwhile, as Xu Lu was being stonewalled, Cheng Shi had already arrived in the Duke's chambers on the second floor.

But the moment he pushed open the door and saw the scene inside, his face sank completely.

In the enormous room, a middle-aged man dressed in magnificent attire lay flat on the bed, chest soaked in blood, long since devoid of breath.

Bailing's eyes went wide. She clamped her hand over her mouth and gasped: "He's!"

"Shh! Someone's coming!"

Cheng Shi swiftly pulled Bailing into the room, eased the door shut, and dragged her behind the wardrobe opposite the bed.

The wardrobe wasn't large, crammed full of clothes of every variety.

Cheng Shi had no choice and squeezed right in.

But standing room was limited. After Cheng Shi claimed most of the space, Bailing had no option but to crouch at his feet, barely covering herself with the hems of the hanging clothes.

To pull the wardrobe door shut, she had to wrap both arms tightly around something supportive.

"Sister, go easy."

"Relax. I won't grope."

"…"

Now it was literally holding a thigh.

"Click."

The door lock turned, and footsteps immediately followed.

Before Cheng Shi could carefully count how many people had entered, an angry female voice rang out.

"I only told you to knock him out, not kill him! Do you have any idea what the consequences of doing this will be!?"

A low male voice answered her.

"Dilal, you have to believe me. I didn't kill him!"

Cheng Shi's eyebrow rose as he recalled who this name belonged to.