allonlinenovel Chapter 15 There's Something in the Cat's Belly
Chapter 15 There's Something in the Cat's Belly
"I see……"
Upon hearing this, Lin Qi's eyes flashed with sudden realization.
This is why Han Fei did not struggle when he was arrested and willingly allowed himself to be imprisoned in the Heavenly Prison.
That night, Han Fei and Yan Dan did indeed meet.
As for the purpose of their meeting, Lin Qi didn't need to guess much—it was undoubtedly about the Seven Constellations of the Azure Dragon.
Each of the seven star chambers contains a bronze box.
Yan Dan, as one of the Yan clan, may possess one of them.
If not, then they must know something about the secrets hidden in the bronze box and are quietly exploring its mysteries.
Moreover, the royal family of Yan was actually a descendant of the Zhou royal family, and Yan Dan's understanding of the Azure Dragon Seven Mansions may far exceed anyone's imagination.
This might be one of the reasons why Donghuang Taiyi later ordered Yanfei to approach Yandan.
"Commander, what are your instructions?" Lin Qi asked respectfully.
Yao Jia nodded in agreement and replied, "We have only received intelligence and have not yet obtained concrete evidence, so we cannot take action against Yan Dan for the time being."
"
"Since you have nothing to do recently, you might as well go to Yan Dan's residence to find out the truth."
"
"In an emergency, one may forcibly break into Yan Dan's residence to conduct a search."
"
For Yan Dan, who held a lowly position in Qin territory, these were casual remarks that Yao Jia felt he could make without any reservations.
"Understood, I will handle it."
"Lin Qi replied."
However, while outwardly responding, he had his own plans in mind—he did not intend to take any hard measures.
Yan Dan's status as a hostage in Qin was not highly regarded.
Even within Xianyang City, Yan Dan's demonstrated strength was only at the peak of the Innate Realm.
However, Lin Qi knew that this person was not to be underestimated.
His actual strength has probably reached the level of a grandmaster!
At least for now, Lin Qi, who is at the second level of the Grandmaster realm, cannot be easily provoked.
Furthermore, the secret discussions between Han Fei and Yan Dan mostly revolved around the secrets of the Azure Dragon Seven Stars.
Whether Lin Qi knew it or not was not important to him.
Even if the bronze box were handed to him, he would have no interest in examining it.
With his god-level check-in system, he no longer cared about the secrets of the Azure Dragon Seven Stars.
The reason for their curiosity was simply to uncover the unsolved mysteries of the pre-time travel animation.
To satisfy one's inner curiosity.
After leaving Yao Jia's place
Lin Qi returned to the location where he was handling business, tidied up briefly,
He then led several of his men to where Yan Dan was staying.
Due to his status as a hostage, Yan Dan was in a rather lowly position in Qin, so he lived in the outer city of Xianyang.
When the group arrived, it was already noon.
"Find a suitable reason, say that I am here on behalf of the Black Ice Guard and request that you, young master, receive me."
Lin Qi waved his hand lightly, and his subordinates immediately obeyed and moved forward.
"As you command, my lord!"
The subordinate bowed and withdrew.
Soon,
The subordinate reported to Lin Qi, saying, "Sir, the matter has been completed. You may proceed directly to see him."
"Okay!" Lin Qi nodded slightly. "Lead the way!"
Then, led by his men, he entered Yan Dan's residence.
Despite being a hostage, Yan Dan's residence was a rather well-organized mansion.
After passing through several corridors, led by servants, the group arrived at a small courtyard.
"Your Excellency's arrival is an honor. The young master has been waiting for you in the courtyard for quite some time."
The servant leading the way stopped and respectfully made a gesture.
Lin Qi nodded slightly.
He glanced at his men and instructed them, "I will go alone; you may wait here."
"As you command, my lord!"
His subordinates obeyed and stayed behind, and Lin Qi stepped into the courtyard.
Stepping into the courtyard,
The space here is moderate, roughly the size of a small basketball court.
A small table was placed in the courtyard.
Tea sets were placed on the table.
Not far away stood a man, none other than Yan Dan.
As if hearing footsteps, Yan Dan turned around.
Upon seeing the newcomer, his eyes flickered instantly, as if he had been touched.
The man before me was remarkably handsome and had an extraordinary appearance.
He couldn't help but sigh inwardly: What an outstanding person!
But he quickly recovered and turned his gaze to Lin Qi, smiling as he said, "Commander Lin Qi is renowned for his talent and extraordinary demeanor."
"To see it today, it is truly extraordinary!"
Lin Qi approached and replied with a faint smile, "Young Master Yan Dan is also extraordinary, with a unique aura."
“Those eyes were especially deep, as if they held countless stories, drawing people to explore them.”
"Would you have the honor of giving me, Lin, an opportunity for in-depth discussion?"
"Perhaps Young Master Yan Dan would be willing to tell us a little about it?"
Yan Dan immediately understood the implied meaning in Lin Qi's words.
Her gaze shifted, and a harmless smile played on her lips as Yan Dan replied:
"You flatter me, Commander."
"What is there for Yan Dan to talk about? He has only heard that his mother has fallen ill recently, which has made him so worried that he has lost his appetite and is getting more and more haggard."
"Oh? Your mother is ill?"
Lin Qi raised an eyebrow.
"I still have some bird's nest that was a tribute item decades ago that I haven't used. Could you please send someone to deliver it to your mother?"
Yan Dan paused briefly, then smiled and said, "Thank you for your kindness, Commander, but there's no need to send someone to deliver it."
"Yandu is far from here. Even if Lord Lin's rare items could be sent, my mother may have already recovered. Why waste our time?"
After listening, Lin Qi smiled and nodded, not dwelling on the topic any further.
In just a few words, the two had already engaged in a round of verbal sparring.
At first, Lin Qi subtly revealed that he knew Yan Dan's deepest secrets and hidden concerns.
Then, Yan Dan cleverly avoided his questioning by using the excuse that her mother was ill at home.
Taking the opportunity, Lin Qi further expressed his desire to send someone to verify Yan Dan's statement.
Yan Dan replied that the two places were too far apart, and sending someone to find out the truth was completely unnecessary.
In reality, this was sending a message to Lin Qi: even if you investigate, I have already made arrangements in advance.
Lin Qi's silence prompted Yan Dan to sigh softly, and she asked, "What brings you here, Commander?"
Lin Qi no longer concealed his intentions and stated directly: "It is said that Young Master Yan Dan was not at home when Han Fei disappeared that day?"
Yan Dan was prepared for this and replied with a smile: "That's right. I wasn't at home that night, but went to a friend's house to drink and relieve my boredom. I stayed up all night and didn't return until dawn."
"Black Ice Platform must have already grasped such details."
Lin Qi seemed to be thinking about this; these situations were indeed within the intelligence reports.
The mental health examination of Yan Dan's friend also supported Yan Dan's account.
However, since the other party was drunk and asleep at the time, it was impossible to confirm whether Yan Dan left or took any action afterward.
"Does the Commander have any other questions?"
Seeing that Lin Qi remained silent, Yan Dan asked.
Lin Qi scrutinized Yan Dan, then smiled and said, "I have nothing more to say. I apologize for the inconvenience!"
He turned to leave, saying that the visit was merely a formality.
Just as he had started not far,
Yan Dan suddenly spoke up.
"Commander, please wait!"
Lin Qi turned around and asked, "What is it?"
Yan Dan smiled and asked, "I heard that when Han Fei was seriously ill in the imperial prison, the first person he saw was you, Commander?"
After a moment's thought, Lin Qi replied, "You could call it that!"
At that time, he was guarding the Heavenly Prison when he happened to meet Yan Fei, who was on her way there. The Han Fei he saw afterward was almost dead, which could be considered the first time they had met.
A hint of tension flashed in Yan Dan's eyes as she asked urgently, "Did he say anything to you?"
As he spoke, his eyes focused and his body leaned slightly forward, clearly taking Lin Qi's answer very seriously.
Lin Qi shook his head: "He didn't say anything. That was the first time I met him, and we couldn't communicate."
Upon learning the answer, Yan Dan's eyes instantly dimmed.
After regaining his composure, Lin Qi smiled and added, "That's true. In that case, I won't keep Commander Lin any longer. Farewell!"
As Lin Qi's figure receded into the distance, Yan Dan's gaze suddenly sharpened, locking onto Lin Qi as if deep in thought.
After leaving Yan Dan's official residence,
Lin Qi waved his hand gently, his eyes filled with determination: "Go to Han Fei's former residence immediately!"
Yan Dan's meaningful final question stirred Lin Qi's heart, reminding him of the puzzling words Han Fei had left behind when he left the prison that day—
He mentioned his pet cat and asked Lin Qi to take care of it for him.
Lin Qi didn't take it to heart at the time, and simply instructed his subordinates to find the cat and find someone who loved cats to take it away.
It was later learned that the cat had been adopted by a servant, so the matter was put aside.
Only at this moment did these words reveal their extraordinary significance.
"That cat..."
Lin Qi focused his gaze on one point and muttered to himself.
"Perhaps that cat holds a secret..."
Soon after, Lin Qi and his entourage hurriedly arrived at Han Fei's former residence.
He waved his hand and signaled, "Seal off this prefecture and prevent any disturbance."
He then ordered, "Go in and thoroughly search the mansion, look for the servants, and be sure to find the cat that Han Fei mentioned."
Since Han Fei's death, the place has not been cleaned up yet, and several servants are still maintaining it.
Based on the information we had previously gathered, the cat should have been being cared for by one of the servants.
If nothing unexpected happens, it should still be somewhere within the mansion.
After his men began to move, Lin Qi followed them in.
Not long after,
When Lin Qi was inspecting the courtyard of the mansion, his subordinates brought one of the servants and a small cat with ever-changing colors that he was holding.
"Your subordinate greets you, sir. The cat has been brought!" the servant bowed and answered cautiously.
Lin Qi nodded, his gaze fixed on the cat, and asked, "Has anything unusual happened to this kitten lately?"
The servant replied, "Sir, there is nothing else unusual, except that he seems to have a poor appetite recently and also has some constipation."
Upon hearing this, a glint flashed in Lin Qi's eyes.
"Loss of appetite, constipation...it seems there's something inside its body."
Lin Qi then ordered his men, "There's something in the cat's belly. Take it away and deal with it properly."
At this moment, the servant hurriedly spoke up: "Sir, please allow me to participate in handling this as well?" His eyes were pleading, clearly worried that Lin Qi's men would act rashly and harm the kitten.
Lin Qi glanced at the other party, then looked at the kitten, and agreed, "You have half an hour. If you fail to retrieve the item, my men will have to take over."
"Thank you, sir!" the servant said repeatedly before hurrying away.
"Keep a close watch on them and do not be negligent," Lin Qi ordered his subordinates.
"Understood, sir!"
The servant, carrying the kitten, hurried back.
With a smile still on his face, he hurriedly bowed to Lin Qi and reported, "Sir, I have successfully completed my mission and obtained the goods!"
As he spoke, he extended his palm.
On the palm of my hand lies a small, exquisitely packaged bottle, barely reaching the length of my finger.