The Return of the God Level Assassin

1185  YUNYUE VS FENGHUANG (XX)

MORGANITE: [I'm about 70% sure he is, but we still need to observe carefully. Ning Feng is perfectly capable of orchestrating something like making two of his teammates act like Sherlock Holmes just to confuse us. It could be a trap, and if we're not careful, we might fall right into it.]

AmazingYoungMasterJin: [Is he really that good?] The message was as plain and emotionless as text could be, but everyone in Team Yunyue could still smell the sour vinegar seeping through the words.

The four had varied reactions. Bai Ze rolled his eyes, thinking Su Yuqi had utterly duped his cousin. Shen Ji Yun didn't really care much. Luo Yan, however, found it amusing—who would have imagined this tsundere would let his true feelings slip so obviously? And Su Yuqi? Well, she looked downright pleased, clearly delighted by Luo Jin's reaction.

Morganite: [Relax, Ah Jin. I've never been into scheming guys like Ning Feng. I'd take an honest guy with a bad temper over that any day.]

AmazingYoungMasterJin: [...]

AmazingYoungMasterJin: [Like me?]

White Marsh: [Ugh! Enough already! I'm getting goosebumps here—stop before I end up puking!]

Luo Yan chuckled and quickly sent a message to steer the conversation in a different direction.

Noctis: [Sister Yuqi, can you give a detailed description of that eccentric old man?]

Morganite: [His back was hunched. He had no beard or mustache, just a clean-shaven face that made the deep lines and wrinkles stand out even more. His hair was thin, white, and a bit messy, sticking up like he'd just rolled out of bed. His nose was long and slightly hooked, and his eyes—pale and sharp, almost too alert for someone who kept fumbling and rambling nervously.]

Su Yuqi paused, her mind drifting back to the eccentric old man as she carefully recalled his appearance.

Morganite: [It was dark, so I couldn't tell if he was wearing makeup or anything to alter his appearance. Before we jump to conclusions and assume he's Sherlock Holmes, we should check for any signs of a disguise first.]

Noctis: [Let me handle it. He'd probably be less guarded around a little girl. I just need to figure out a way to slip away from Mrs. Thompson and Miss Thompson without raising any suspicion.]

YUN: [I can probably help you with that.]

-----

Before breakfast, Luo Yan hinted to Mrs. Thompson that he wanted to visit his 'mother' first. Since he was playing the role of a timid child who didn't want to inconvenience others, he couldn't say it outright. Thankfully, Mrs. Thompson understood his subtle hints and suggested on her own that they stop by his mother's cabin before heading to breakfast. Now, they were walking together toward Mrs. Winslow's cabin. Nôv(el)B\\jnn

The train manager had thoughtfully assigned them a cabin in the same train car as Mrs. Winslow's. Her cabin was located at the far end, ensuring she wouldn't be disturbed and could recover in peace. Aside from them, the doctor who treated Mrs. Winslow was also on the same train car. The five of them were the only ones staying there.

As Luo Yan and the mother-daughter duo approached Mrs. Winslow's cabin, the door to the neighboring cabin suddenly opened, and the doctor stepped out. He appeared momentarily surprised to see them, but quickly recovered, inclining his head in a polite bow befitting a gentleman. "Good morning, madam, miss, and little miss," he greeted.

"Good morning, Dr. Grant," Mrs. Thompson greeted back. "Are you going to check on Mrs. Winslow?"

"Yes, exactly. Since we can't take Mrs. Winslow to a hospital at the moment, I need to monitor her condition regularly to ensure it doesn't worsen."

Mrs. Thompson's expression grew thoughtful, indicating she understood Dr. Grant's explanation. "If you're going to check on Mrs. Winslow, could you take little Mary with you? She's been terribly frightened since last night's events. Please, just let her see her mother for a moment."

How could Dr. Grant refuse after Mrs. Thompson said all that? So, he could only nod and say, "Of course." Then, turning his gaze to Luo Yan, he offered a polite smile. "Shall we, little miss?"

Luo Yan deliberately hesitated, his fingers lightly tugging at the hem of his dress as he glanced nervously at Mrs. Thompson and Miss Thompson. His wide-eyed, uncertain expression was perfectly calculated, as if silently asking them what he should do next.

Miss Thompson offered a gentle smile, leaning down slightly so her eyes met Mary's. "It's alright, Mary. Go ahead. We'll be right here, waiting for you."

"That's right," Mrs. Thompson added warmly. "Go say hello to your mother, and then we'll head off to have breakfast."

Luo Yan acted like he gained strength from what they said. He glanced up at Dr. Grant, took a small breath, and then quietly walked beside him toward his "mother's" cabin.

Dr. Grant opened the cabin door, and the two of them stepped inside. Luo Yan's gaze immediately fell on the woman lying motionless on the bed. Her complexion was ghostly pale. Her lips, dry and cracked, were nearly devoid of color. If not for the faint, rhythmic rise and fall of her chest, she could easily have been mistaken for a corpse.

"Go on," Dr. Grant urged gently. "Talk to her. Even though she's asleep, I'm certain she can still hear your voice."

Luo Yan stepped to the bedside and gently took the woman's hand in his own. His voice trembled as he began to act. "M-Mother, it's me, Mary. Please… please get better. You're all I have. Don't… d-don't leave me," he stammered, letting his voice crack for effect.

As he 'performed' inside with the doctor as his audience, someone else was putting on their own act outside.

Shen Ji Yun burst into the train car, his appearance in complete disarray. His hair was messy, as though he'd run his fingers through it in frustration, and his dress shirt was untucked, its creases suggesting he'd thrown it on in a hurry. His breathing was uneven, and a faint sheen of sweat glistened on his forehead. Eyes wide with panic, he shouted desperately, "Jane! Where is Jane?"