A sycophantic smile spread across Magistrate Ou's face. "Your subordinate believes in the integrity of the young general and the old general. You two can take this record book and return it whenever you like."
"Then we thank Magistrate Ou."
Ge Zian politely expressed his gratitude. Magistrate Ou quickly waved his hand. "No need to be polite, no need to be polite. This is what a humble official should do. If there's anything you need the humble official to do, just give the order, and the humble official will surely do his best!"
"If we need anything, we will surely come to Magistrate Ou. We still have things to attend to, so we'll take our leave first."
"Alright. Let the humble official see you out!"
After leaving the yamen, Wei Shuxuan couldn't help but complain. "Wow, that Magistrate Ou simply regards Zian and godfather as his idols. Whatever the idols say is right, and whatever others say is nonsense. Zian, godfather, I didn't expect you to have such a devoted fan!"
"Shuxuan, stop teasing us. I think someone like Magistrate Tang is a real parent - official. He's very serious about investigating every case."
"I don't think so," a mischievous smile played on Wei Shuxuan's lips. "Although that Magistrate Ou really seems to regard you as his idols, I think he's also a parent - official. It's that Magistrate Luo in Kele Town who's just occupying a position without doing his job, just muddling along."
Wei Shuxuan's words piqued Ge Zian's interest. "Shuxuan, why do you have such an opinion?"
"You can tell from this record book!" Wei Shuxuan took out the record book and flipped through a few pages. "Look, for every missing - person case, Magistrate Ou went to the crime scene in time to investigate. That's why he found traces of the knockout powder or knockout incense at the crime scene. Also, the locations where the flame marks appeared were all recorded in detail. I think he's quite responsible."
"Shuxuan is right. Although Magistrate Ou might seem a bit frivolous from the scene just now, he's a very careful and responsible person. Otherwise, he wouldn't have become a magistrate."
Xin Zizhao also agreed with Wei Shuxuan's opinion. Meanwhile, Wei Wei followed the group absent - mindedly. Xin Shang looked at Wei Wei with concern. "Wei Wei, you've had this expression since morning. Are you okay?"
"Sorry, Xin Shang. I'm fine. I've made you worry."
"I'm okay, but if Miss Shuxuan knows, she'll be worried," Xin Shang looked at Wei Shuxuan who was chatting with Xin Zizhao not far away. "Is it because of Sima Yongheng's matter?"
"… Yes, it is. Although we didn't spend a long time together, he always stayed by my side. I regarded him as my younger brother. I can't say I'm not responsible for his being taken away."
However, Xin Shang glanced at the sad - looking Wei Wei and patted his shoulder. "Don't worry so much. Miss Shuxuan will find him."
"I hope so."
Back at the inn, Wei Shuxuan went back to her room to look at the record book. Actually, she had already flipped through it once at Magistrate Ou's place. The situation was almost the same as those in Kele Town and Leopu Town, with no trace of a flaw.
"Xin Zizhao, I want to go to Yongheng's room and take another look."
"Okay, I'll go with you."
The two of them came to Sima Yongheng's room again. Wei Shuxuan first checked the window sill, while Xin Zizhao looked around the room to see if there were any new discoveries.
There were no traces of the knockout powder on the deep - peach wooden window sill, and there were no traces of the knockout powder or knockout incense around the window sill either. Wei Shuxuan was a bit frustrated. Did those people not use the knockout powder to knock out Sima Yongheng this time? But if they didn't, what method did they use to make the person not make a sound or struggle?
For the first time, Wei Shuxuan felt her heart and mind in a mess. She was confused about the criminals' modus operandi.
Xin Zizhao also didn't find anything else. The surroundings were very clean. The only eyesore was the almost - burned - out candle on the table. The white wax had dripped around it. However, Xin Zizhao felt that there was a very special fragrance in the room. The fragrance was a bit strong, but if you didn't smell it carefully, you couldn't detect it. However, he didn't pay much attention to it.
"Did you find anything, Shuxuan?" Xin Zizhao walked to Wei Shuxuan's side and asked softly.
"No," Wei Shuxuan felt a bit dejected. She was very worried that Sima Yongheng might be in danger. "The method this time seems to be different from the previous ones. I don't know if those people are trying to confuse us or if it's another group of people who took Yongheng away?"
"It's unlikely to be another group of people. That flame mark is obviously so detailed that only insiders could draw it. Don't lose your composure just because Sima Yongheng is missing. How can you find him if you're in such a mess?"
"I know. I just have a bad feeling. If this hadn't happened to someone around me, I might not have been so flustered, but..." When Wei Shuxuan was doing criminal investigation in the modern world, she had never experienced something like this happening to someone close to her. For a moment, she was a bit flustered.
"Don't worry..." Xin Zizhao reached out and pulled Wei Shuxuan into his arms, comforting her softly. "This is the time when Sima Yongheng needs you the most. You can't be in a mess. If you're in a mess, who will help him?"
"Um..." Listening to Xin Zizhao's comforting words, Wei Shuxuan leaned against Xin Zizhao's chest gratefully and responded softly. Her heart seemed to gradually calm down, and her previously muddled mind slowly became clear.
After comforting Wei Shuxuan, Xin Zizhao took her back to the room. He told Wei Wei, Xin Shang and the other secret guards to go to the street and ask if anyone had seen Sima Yongheng. Now they knew nothing and could only search aimlessly. Anyway, so many people had gone missing, so asking around on the street wouldn't arouse others' suspicion.
Wei Wei and Xin Shang sent the other secret guards out with Sima Yongheng's portrait to ask people on the street, and they also split up to ask.
"Excuse me, have you seen this young man?" Wei Wei stopped an old woman and politely asked her.
However, the old woman said, "Sir, has your family member also gone missing? Alas, it's useless to look like this. My son also went missing and hasn't been found yet."