I was reborn after cheating on the aloof and powerful man.

Chapter 14, 3 River Town 2

A large, thick hand slammed onto the table, causing Fei Xi's pen to veer off course, adding a small path to the map. She remained unfazed, pretending not to notice, and continued drawing.

After she finished marking the 19 locations, she looked up at everyone and said:

"The perpetrator may be trying to mislead us into thinking there was more than one perpetrator. You can look at this map based on the time the complainant last saw their family and the location where the complainant lives."

The group crowded around, and there were 19 red circles on the map of Nanxuan City. The 19 red circles were scattered on the north and south sides. At first glance, the red circles were everywhere, and there was nothing strange about them.

"Let's start with the time the girls went missing. Most of them disappeared at night. Their families woke up early in the morning to find their daughters missing. Also, considering the time span, the girls went missing from the tenth day of the twelfth lunar month to the twentieth. In just ten days, 19 girls have gone missing. Different locations at similar times. It might seem like different people committed the crimes at the same time. But I can tell you very clearly, there is only one perpetrator!"

"Miss Fei, what is the basis for your statement?"

Dongfang Rui sensed something was amiss. Why was Miss Fei so fixated on whether the other person was alone or part of a group? With so many of them, would they be afraid of just one person?

He disliked overly intelligent women. He believed that men were born to be superior to women, and women who considered themselves clever always wanted to make the heavens listen to them. In his view, how could a dignified man be controlled by a woman?

But the calm and composed profile before him, every word she spoke was like a small hook, making him unable to resist the curiosity of what she wanted to say.

"On the thirteenth day of the twelfth lunar month, the Li family girl who lived on Mud Street in the south and the Luo family girl who lived on Cat Alley in the north disappeared. Even if the two were exceptionally skilled in martial arts, it would take at least two people to run back and forth like that in one night, avoiding the patrolling guardians while also abducting a woman."

The girl spoke contradictory words, ignoring everyone's reactions, and continued pointing at the map:

"On the 15th day of the twelfth lunar month, the Chen family woman on Lamei Street to the north, and the Zhao family woman on Lulu Street to the south..."

"I understand, they will all pass through Sanhe Town!"

"Brother, what does this mean?"

"I understand now. Rather than describing what happened, it's more accurate to say that the perpetrators were intentionally avoiding a certain place—Sanhe Town!"

"Yes, if you start from Sanhe Town, it only takes about an hour to go round trip, no matter which way you go. Considering the time it takes to take the girl away, it's entirely possible for one person to commit crimes in different places."

"The perpetrators traveled by water. It was dark and windy, and no one would pay attention to whether there was an extra or missing boat on the water."

Amidst a myriad of clues, once the starting point is found, a clever person can naturally follow the threads to find the answer.

When everyone had finished their discussion, Fei Xi slammed her hand on the table.

My palms turned red, but the table didn't budge...

"Senior sister, if there's only one perpetrator, then the missing girls are likely in Sanhe Town. What's our next step in finding them?"

Junior Brother Ji is so considerate… Facing the gazes of everyone, Fei Xi slightly curved the corners of her mouth and said:

"Lead the snake out of its hole!"

*

Sanhe Town is surrounded by clear rivers, crisscrossed by waterways that divide the town into many islands. Houses with white walls and black tiles are scattered along the riverbanks in a pleasing arrangement. Ancient stone bridges span the waterways, connecting the residents on both sides. Along the riverbanks are rows of tree-lined streets, their stone-paved paths winding and leading to secluded alleyways.

At dawn, a thin mist rises from the river, and boatmen row their small boats through the waterways, the sound of their oars echoing through the air. The people here live by the water and use boats as their means of transportation.

A magnificent painted boat sailed along the waterway toward Sanhe Town. The eyes of the people near the river were invariably drawn to a stunningly beautiful young woman wearing a white veil at the bow of the boat.

The girl wore a green dress, like a tender bud in spring, fresh and refined.

Her veil was as thin as a cicada's wing, yet it could not conceal her breathtakingly beautiful face. Through the veil, her face, as delicate as a lotus flower in autumn water, was faintly visible. Her high, straight nose, her lips as tender as flower petals, and her amorous eyes looked at her, making those on the shore feel as if half their bodies were melting.

A pretty and clever maidservant followed closely beside the girl. The maidservant was dressed in simple and elegant clothes and served the girl on both sides.

The maidservant kept a close eye on the surroundings, as if she were protecting the girl's safety.

"Senior Sister, how much longer do I have to stand here? The other party has never committed a crime in Sanhe Town before. Will we really attract them here?"

"Xiao Feng, don't be afraid, your senior sister will always be with you."

"I'm not scared at all! But you really don't need to come with me, Senior Sister."

The maidservant leaned close to the beautiful young woman's ear and whispered something that made her laugh. Her clear, melodious laughter was as captivating as a bewitching bell, making one yearn to hear more of her laughter.

Gu Mingfeng stood on the shore and was immediately captivated.

"Your Highness, we've traced it back to this place."

"You guys continue with the plan, I'm going to meet some friends."

Like a dragon and a phoenix in flight, leaving no trace on the snow, the person who arrived was already standing on the painted boat.

The elegant and refined young nobleman appeared before the stunningly beautiful woman, his usually aloof face now blooming with a warm smile.

"Miss Mu, it's been a long time."

"It's you!"

With a flash, the stunningly beautiful girl's palm strike hurtled towards the newcomer like a whirlwind. Gu Mingfeng reflexively unleashed his killing intent, meeting the palm strike head-on with an extremely domineering fist. The instant fist and palm collided, the beauty was jolted back several steps, a sweet taste rising in her throat.

"Miss Mu, I didn't mean it! Why did you..."

Before he could finish speaking, another palm strike came. Gu Mingfeng channeled his energy into his feet, transforming the force into a gentle one, and his figure brushed past the woman like a spring breeze.

Undeterred by her failure to strike, the beauty continued her pursuit. Her footwork was agile and unpredictable, her palm techniques flowing like clouds and water. Every turn, every strike, contained endless variations.

The beauty refused to stop, and the young nobleman no longer simply dodged. He took the initiative to meet her palm with his own, unleashing a relentless barrage of attacks. Before long, the stunning beauty was beginning to struggle to defend herself.

Once an opening was found, the young nobleman gently pulled the beauty into his arms.

"Let me go! You filthy, shameless scoundrel, release those girls right now!"

With the soft fragrance in his arms, Gu Mingfeng was in a good mood. Hearing the beauty's words, a hint of confusion flashed in his eyes, and he asked directly:

"Miss Mu, what are you talking about? What young girl?"

"Junior Sister, it's not him!"

A heavy breathing sound came from beside them. Gu Mingfeng frowned and looked at the woman who had disturbed him.

Upon seeing her junior sister strike, Fei Xi knew that her little junior sister had misunderstood the Prince Duan and mistook him for the culprit. She shouted loudly to stop, but the two were so engrossed in their exchange that neither paid her any attention.

"Sister?"

"Young Master Gu only arrived in Nanxuan City these past two days, right?"

Disturbed by outsiders, Gu Mingfeng reluctantly released the beauty in his arms, his face showing displeasure:

"Yes, what's going on?"