Chapter 41: Tracking the Female Flying Hero (Part 1)

Yun Ji's involvement brought troubles to Chen Tianyu, yet it undoubtedly also presented opportunities. Many matters could now be entrusted to him with nothing more than a few subtle hints. The immediate priority was to concentrate his limited energy on what truly mattered. Chen Tianyu suddenly recalled a key figure: that enigmatic woman who had once stood at the entrance of Nuoqing Bar with Xiao Su—the woman in red, the female knight.

The female knight had forced the ugly young master to leap from the opera stage at Mu Mansion and had maintained some, however distant, acquaintance with Xiao Su. It was clear that, during the period Chen Tianyu had been away from Lijiang, she was most likely the only one who could provide answers. But where exactly could one find this elusive woman who appeared and vanished without trace?

When he voiced the question, Liu Zichen concurred, yet offered no solution. Waiting at the Mu Mansion opera stage for others to reenact another “Chen Shimei” was absurd; such an event could never be repeated. They both turned their thoughts to confronting the victim of the fall. Would the ugly young master still be employed at the theater?

Treating the dead as though they lived, they investigated the contracting company for Mu Mansion performances. This time they revealed their true identities as police. The managers all reported that since the previous incident, the ugly young master had resigned and vanished without a trace.

Liu Zichen felt a trace of regret; he should not have restrained Chen Tianyu from conducting an immediate inquiry. Now that the trail had grown cold, it was already too late. Fortunately, the company still furnished a resume for the two “fake officers,” containing the ugly young master’s name and identification details. Chen Tianyu was overjoyed and urgently contacted Guan Shaoxing, instructing him to locate the man’s whereabouts at once.

Half a day later, the police reply came: the individual had already departed Lijiang.

Difficulties began to surface, and Chen Tianyu fell into deep thought.

On a bullet train bound for Kunming, a short, slender man lounged indifferently in his seat, reclining it to its fullest. Behind him, a young girl wrinkled her nose in disgust, yet when her eyes met his she quickly looked away. This man was utterly vile; she dared not provoke him.

The man seemed unsatisfied. He narrowed his small eyes, scanning the surroundings, then removed his shoe and rested his foul-smelling foot on the tray table ahead.

The train’s second-class seats were cramped, and ordinary passengers would never behave so. Yet his diminutive frame and nimble movements allowed him to curl into a tight ball and shift freely.

The elderly man beside him was clearly suffocated by the stench. He pointed at the short man’s foot, but received no reply.

“Young man, you should at least observe basic public decency,” the old man said, still trying to be polite.

The short man rolled his eyes in irritation and said nothing. From his pocket he produced a blue ticket and held it up.

“Old man, I bought a ticket.”

The old man was momentarily speechless, never having met such a rascal. “Even with a ticket you can’t act this way,” he snapped.

“Huh?!” The short man suddenly lowered his foot and sat up. His height barely reached three feet, his eyes bulging with rage. “You were being courteous, and you still won’t shut up? I can sit wherever I like. Who are you to control me? Did I break the law? Ah, old man!”

The old man’s face flushed with fury; his white hair trembled. “You… you… I’ll fetch the conductor! I refuse to believe no one will punish you…”

He rose unsteadily, about to leave. The girl in the rear seat parted her lips but stayed silent; the others pretended not to notice.

The short man sneered. He lifted his small leg once more.

“Want to go out? Then you’d better ask if I agree, won’t you?” He patted his thinning hair with satisfaction. “I bought this aisle too. Whether I pass through or not is my decision.”

The old man shoved the short man’s leg with all his strength, but the smaller man possessed surprising power and did not budge.

“Conductor! Is there a conductor?” The old man called out weakly.

No one answered. The short man grew angry. He seized his filthy shoe and slammed it against the old man’s shin. “Shout again! Shout again! Want to die, old man?”

The old man cried out in pain, his lips quivering as he stared at the short man. “You… you lawless brute!”

The short man’s eyes darted. He turned and shouted loudly, “Hey, what are you staring at? What are you staring at? This is my damn father; he went mad a few days ago!” As he spoke, he struck the old man again.

Some passengers had been watching earlier, but now they all busied themselves with their phones or iPads.

Minding one’s own business was safest; that was most people’s view. Besides, why should anyone meddle in another’s family affairs?

The old man gazed at the indifferent crowd and fell silent.

A train attendant passed carrying boxed meals and set lunches. Her crisp voice cut through the noise. When she reached their seats she offered only a cursory glance. The old man opened his mouth to call for help, but the short man promptly stuffed his sock into the old man’s mouth.

The attendant’s elegant figure moved on to the next carriage. “Radish and ox tendon rice, seafood noodles—who needs them? Radish and ox tendon rice…”

The old man spat out the filthy object, his face drained of color.

The girl behind him felt a pang of pity. In a tiny voice she whispered, “Grandpa, forget it… Take one step back and there’s a world of space.”

“What?” The old man stammered, unable to speak. Was this his to decide? Yet the girl had been kind. Helplessly he nodded.

Seeing the old man surrender, the short man pressed his advantage. His gaze shifted to other possibilities. The man’s eyes darted once more.

“Sister, you’re very kind-hearted.” He lowered his foot and slipped on his shoe.

The old man, who had seen much, shot the girl a warning glance. She remained oblivious. “Uncle, that old man is pitiful. Please don’t make things difficult for him.”

The short man suddenly grew gentle. He nodded, smiling. “Sister speaks the truth. Uncle was wrong… You’re right to criticize. How about Uncle sits with you?”

The girl in the rear had not yet reacted when the short man slipped into the back seat and was about to sit down. Caught off guard, she quickly slid into the inner seat, which was unoccupied.

The old man exploded. “You filthy beast!”

The short man glared, malice flickering in his small eyes. “Old madman, believe me or not, I’ll kill you?”

The old man dared not speak. He noticed the short man’s hand reaching into his pocket, where something hard and sharp lay.

The short man gave the old man a triumphant glance, then turned toward the frightened girl.

“Sister, sit peacefully. I’m grateful to you. Ignore that old madman.” His smile returned. “I’m a good person.”

The girl nodded blankly, stealing occasional glances at him, her unease growing.

The short man paid no heed. He sat and closed his eyes to rest, no further movement. The old man saw he had calmed, though worry lingered. The girl gradually settled, believing she had done a good deed, and put on her earphones to listen to music.

Soon a hand stole toward a certain place…

“Ah!” The girl cried out softly. She stared in horror at the approaching claw and the short man’s twisted face.

“Shh, if you dare scream, I’ll stab you!” The short man leaned close, voice barely audible, his hand still in his pocket. The girl froze instantly.

“Uncle, no… please…” The girl wept, begging, “You… spare me…”

“Silence!” The short man commanded in a low voice. The girl’s mind went blank. She had never imagined such a violation could occur in public.

…

A tall, well-built man stepped out of the toilet and walked down the carriage. His face was stern, eyes fixed straight ahead as though he wrestled with some difficult matter.

As he passed the rear section, a faint sound broke his concentration.

The tall man frowned. He swept his gaze across the area like a blade. Then he noticed a pair of tear-filled eyes, an unusual disturbance, and an unnatural silence.

The short man was lost in pleasure when a large hand descended from nowhere, seizing his collar and lifting him clear into the air, feet dangling.

The short man struggled instinctively and cursed, yet only a cold snort greeted him. His diminutive body was hurled onto the carriage aisle with brutal force. His bony frame slammed against the hard steel floor, bones seeming to shatter.

The girl’s eyes filled with sudden hope as she gazed at the tall man, full of admiration.

Rage blazed in the tall man’s eyes. He shouted coldly down the walkway, “Get out!”

The short man, reduced to a dwarf-like figure, knew when to yield. He crawled on the floor without a sound.

“Ding!” The tall man’s phone rang. He checked the screen and opened a WeChat message.

The short man, on the walkway, tried to flee when a voice like one from the underworld issued a command—

“Wait.”

Though only three words, the short man’s hair stood on end.