After a moment of thought, she felt that… it should be fine, right?
If Shen Yan hadn’t sent them to the wrong scenario, even if it was rated as S-level, the actual danger level should be around C+.
Otherwise, what was the point of taking the exam?
They might as well just drop dead on the spot.
Since it was C+, and Shen Yan had specifically reminded her to play her role well, the equipment that came with her position as the Supervisor of Divination should be within a safe range.
Probably.
Without further hesitation, Su Fu picked up the compass, and Shen Yan immediately displayed its description:
[Can track abnormal spiritual energy trails, equipped with a built-in GPS positioning system.]
“Holy crap, it even has GPS?” she couldn’t help but mutter.
“These anomalies are really keeping up with the times.”
She then flipped through the talismans, which were roughly divided into three categories:
The first type was the Spirit Summoning Talisman, its pattern resembling a blue sparrow, used to remotely summon mirror spirits.
The second type was the Soul Suppressing Talisman, specifically designed to subdue ordinary vengeful spirits.
The third type was the Mist Dispelling Talisman, capable of dispersing eerie mists.
AA……
Su Fu suddenly remembered what the old servant had said earlier.
These were the recently repaired compass and freshly drawn talismans?
Then, who had repaired them?
Who had drawn them?
It seemed that only the anomalies remained.
In an S-level scenario, could these anomalies really mimic humans to create talismans?
The compass too, it was completely identical to the real thing, even passing the appraisal of Shen Yan’s AI!
These anomalies…
Su Fu felt a chill run down her spine.
She absolutely could not confront these anomalies head-on.
She summarized the tools she currently had:
A bronze compass, produced by the Imperial Astronomical Bureau, capable of precisely tracking and locking onto evil spirits, used for hunting down culprits.
The talismans could summon spirits, suppress souls, and dispel mists.
These three types were all specifically designed to counter evil spirits, likely meant for direct combat.
There was also the mirror spirit, Blue Sparrow.
She recalled the patterns on the young girl’s dress, which bore a striking resemblance to the star-gazing platform of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau.
Perhaps it was made from materials from the star-gazing platform.
Blue Sparrow could traverse the mirror world as if it were nothing, making it incredibly convenient for gathering information and scouting.
But as Su Fu looked at all these, instead of feeling any joy, her brow furrowed even more.
“Not looking good. Starting off with so many items given for free? It seems the position of the Chief Inspector Official is quite dangerous.
Moreover, according to the invitation from Assistant Minister Li of the Dali Temple, she seems to specialize in assisting the Dali Temple in handling cases involving evil spirits?
In other words, she will frequently deal with ghosts and spirits, and even engage in intense battles?
That’s why the compass is damaged and needs repair, and the talismans need to be prepared again-these are life-saving tools!
…Damn, so this is a high-risk position.
On the other hand, the Chief Inspector Official is an official position in Chang’an, and she seems to have a good relationship with the Dali Temple.
For a mystery-solving scenario, the advantages are quite obvious.
She can openly access various official confidential documents, review related case files, and even rely on the expertise of the Dali Temple’s professionals to conduct investigations, providing legal cover for her own mystery-solving actions.
She can even apply for special investigation permissions it was a huge advantage.
So, it seems the benefits and threats of this position are about equal?
But…others might worry about the difficulty of dealing with ghosts and spirits, finding them exceptionally hard to handle.
But Su Fu has Zhong Kui’s divine skills!
Ghosts and spirits are hard?
She can just summon the Demon-Subduing True Lord, the Judge of the Underworld, Zhong Kui himself!
With her exorcism skills activated, all evil spirits are driven away: the Yin soldiers march out in formation; with a command from the Judge, life and death are decided!
Ahem, in plain terms, all three skills are perfectly suited, a natural counter!
This Chief Inspector Official role is tailor-made for her!
Soon, the old servant prepared the carriage.
As the carriage slowly left the mansion, Su Fu suddenly remembered something, “Oh right, where are my teammates?!”
Night had just fallen, and the carriage rolled over the cobblestone road, heading toward Zhuque Street.
Su Fu lifted the carriage curtain and saw the bustling night scene of Chang’an, with fireworks rising into the sky.
A woman selling almond curd was pounding a snow-white milk jelly with a wooden mallet, the jelly glistening under the lantern light:
Not far away, an old sugar painter scooped up a spoonful of amber-colored syrup, skillfully sketching a lifelike little rabbit on a copper plate.
Several young girls with double buns were laughing and picking out velvet flowers at a stall, their cheerful laughter echoing from time to time.
Lively, bustling, and peaceful.
But Su Fu felt a chill down her spine, because behind all this was abnormal role-playing!
They didn’t show any abnormal characteristics; instead, they perfectly replicated all human habits, as if they were truly living their own lives.
The subtle expressions, natural movements, even the accents when they spoke were indistinguishable from real people.
So many people, such a realistic scene this is…kind of terrifying.
Just then, a caravan of foreign merchants stopped in front of a roadside tavern.
The leading merchant held a gem-encrusted silver jug, shouting in a slightly foreign accent, “Fine grape wine from the Western Regions! Top quality!”
He opened the jug, and a rich aroma of wine instantly filled the air.
Immediately, passing wine enthusiasts eagerly gathered around:
“This wine smells amazing…good stuff! I’ll take a jug!”
“I’ll take one too!”
“Three jugs!”
The tipsy customers surrounded the foreign merchant, clamoring to buy, creating quite a lively scene.
At that moment, the sound of rapid hoofbeats suddenly approached from the distance, the iron hooves striking the cobblestone road as the carriage slowed down.
“Thud!”
The leading general exuded a sharp and imposing aura, his eight-foot-long spear striking the ground with a heavy, dull thud.
“Curfew is approaching, return quickly! Jinwu Guards!”
As the leader’s gaze swept toward the carriage, Su Fu swiftly lowered the curtain, blocking his line of sight.
She couldn’t help but sigh, “This is a high-stakes game.”
Not only had she smoothly begun to play her role and follow the plot, but the other examinees had also started.
The foreign merchant with an exotic accent hawking wine earlier was clearly the chief of Xuandu Province, Elai, who was playing his part so vividly that even the slight upward inflection at the end of his sentences carried an exotic charm.
So convincing, truly convincing!
And in the ranks of the Jinwu Guards, she recognized at least two familiar faces at a glance:
ZongZheng Ye from Tianxuan Province and Su Luan from Cangwu Province.
Everyone was playing their roles, clearly all starting to follow the plot.
The carriage wheels rolled over the last stretch of stone-paved road and finally came to a stop in front of the steps of the Dali Temple.
Su Fu lifted the curtain and looked out.
The tall government office appeared particularly solemn in the night, its vermilion gates half-open, with a golden plaque inscribed with the three characters “Dali Temple.”
From deep within the government office, a familiar voice called out, “Supervisor Su has arrived! Go inform Magistrate Li!”
Su Fu froze for a moment: “???”
Huh?
That voice… Lin Mingxi?!
Sure enough, when the person walked out, Su Fu saw a familiar face.
Lin Mingxi was now dressed in a constable’s uniform, a badge hanging at his waist, looking every bit like a Dali Temple constable.
The moment their eyes met, Lin Mingxi’s eyes lit up!
Boss!
It’s the boss!
He was so excited he almost pounced forward, his eyes filled with, “Boss, you’re finally here! Do you know how tough it’s been for me lately?!”
But fortunately, Lin Mingxi knew he had to maintain his current role, so he forcefully suppressed the impulse, took a deep breath, calmed the excitement in his eyes, and clasped his fists in salute, “Greetings, Supervisor Su.”
But upon closer listening, his voice trembled slightly, “I am Lin Mingxi, ordered to escort you to Magistrate Li.”
Before he could finish speaking, hurried footsteps approached as Magistrate Li rushed out from the depths of the government office.
Seeing Su Fu, a flash of delight crossed his eyes, “Supervisor Su is here! Excellent! You’ve come at just the right time. Follow me to Pingkang Lane!”
“And Constable Lin, you come too!”
On the way to Pingkang Lane, Magistrate Li handed over a scroll of case records, “This is the record of the murder case in Pingkang Lane, Supervisor Su. Please take a look.”
Su Fu took the scroll and glanced at it under the lantern light.
The murder had occurred at the Drunken Moon Pavilion in Pingkang Lane, which was a brothel.
At the second mark of the Xu hour (7:30 PM), the charred corpse of the Drunken Moon Pavilion’s top courtesan, Yu Liuli, was discovered.
However, there had been no fire that day.
Her chest was split open, and her heart was missing.
Heart extraction?
She recalled the old servant’s mention of the human skin lantern and the seven coffins cases, guessing that these were likely the decryption tasks assigned to the examinees.
And her team was responsible for this heart extraction case.
Outside the Drunken Moon Pavilion, though the area was usually bustling, it had now become eerily quiet due to the murder.
The lanterns outside swayed like ghostly flames, burning silently.
They quickly arrived inside, where a charred corpse lay in the center of the courtyard.
Magistrate Li stood beside the body, his expression grave.
“Supervisor Su,” Magistrate Li explained, “This corpse is charred as if struck by lightning, but…”
The weather in Chang’an City had been clear and pleasant for the past three days, with no thunderstorms.
“We will lend a hand.”
This is not a natural lightning strike; it must be the work of dark sorcery.
Su Si Jian, a diviner from the Imperial Astronomical Bureau, please assist us.
At this moment, Su Fu crouched down, carefully examining the charred corpse.
The burn marks on the corpse’s surface were uneven, as if scorched by some high-temperature object, which was consistent with the appearance of a lightning strike.
Even more bizarre was the ghastly wound on the chest, with clean edges, as if precisely cut open by some sharp instrument.
On the charred wrists and ankles, faint marks from dragging chains could still be seen.
There was also a deep strangulation mark on the neck, indicating that the victim had struggled violently before death.
A bit gruesome, one life ended in three different ways?
Magistrate Li noticed the gravity on Su Fu’s face and sighed.
“Supervisor Su, this case is likely far from ordinary. The first to discover the crime was Constable Lin, who was previously ordered to patrol Pingkang Lane. He arrived at the scene immediately after receiving the report.”
“Therefore, being the most familiar with the crime scene, he will assist Su in investigating this case.”
Lin Mingxi seemed accustomed to his role and immediately clasped his fists in acknowledgment.
“Your subordinate obeys.”
“In addition, there is one more person who might be of assistance,” Magistrate Li glanced behind him and whispered, “Bring her here.”
The constable behind him promptly obeyed and left, returning shortly with a woman dressed in the attire of the Music Bureau.
The woman wore plain clothes, her expression cool and composed.
Su Fu couldn’t help but smile, wasn’t this Jiang Qingyu?
“This is Miss Jiang Qingyu, a qin player from the Music Bureau, who was supposed to perform at Zuiyue Pavilion tonight,” Magistrate Li introduced.
“She is close friends with Yu Liuli and might be able to provide some clues.”
Jiang Qingyu nodded slightly, her demeanor calm.
“Everyone,” Magistrate Li suddenly lowered his voice, his expression serious.
“The Emperor has ordered that we must solve this case by tomorrow at midnight! Please give it your all.”
Almost the moment Magistrate Li finished speaking, the prompt from the Shen Yan AI sounded—
[Ding!]
[Main Quest of Volume A begins: Investigate the truth behind the Pingkang Lane murder case]
[Current location: Chang’an City Pingkang Lane Zuiyue Pavilion]
[Quest time limit: Tomorrow at midnight]
[Quest progress: 10%]
Su Fu, Lin Mingxi, and Jiang Qingyu exchanged subtle glances as the main quest had begun!
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