“...108 stabs?...Seriously Kim? 108 stabs!?”

  “T-Teacher! S-stay on the right side of the road! The right—OOOH!”

  Prof. Stone snapped out of his stupor when he jolted to the flash of a headlight in front of him. One quick flinch at the wheel of his car and they avoided being victims of a night time collision or become stains across the freeway. It was after hearing honking noises in front and behind him, did he realize his foot was stepping all the way to the base of the pedal.

  He quickly loosened the gas, before he accidentally zipped past a patrol car. He can’t afford to waste time in getting pulled over, not right now of all times.

  “Incredible. Just...Are you sure, 108 stabs!? It better not be a lie or a joke, Kim. You know how this detail can change the whole case!”

  “This is a murder and our friend’s life is on the line. I see no reason to amuse you at a time like—Teacher, left, LEFT! AAAH!”

  --- I fear no man or warrior...but these cars, they scare me!!

  Every time the young master gets blinded by the lights of opposing traffic, he could see his entire life flash before his eyes like an elaborate stage play. Over and over, the exact same pictures fluttering across his vision. Why, the vision of his father’s frown was practically burned into his retinas like some sort of ghostly after image...that, or the blood-red tail lights in front of him.

  He struggled to hide his discomfort with strained squeaks and muffled yelps whenever Prof. Stone had trouble focusing on the road. Or at least keep his shaking hands from affecting his steering.

  “108 stabs!” Prof. Stone kept repeating to himself as if he locked in a trance and speeding to his doom, “Th-that’s impossible! The coroner has over 20 years of experience! And they’ve always been right!”

  “Teacher, I do not doubt the prowess of your coroner, however they lack the eyes of a trained warrior. A master of the blade can easily tell at a glance what type of weapon was used, how deep the strikes were, if not how many slashes were delivered. It is these kinds of combat experience one can determine what level of expertise the killer was, or even trace what sword school or martial art sect they hail from.”

  Martial Kim let that sink in before he finished with, “I count 108 strikes, precisely. Wounds so violent and vicious they overlapped one another to be mistaken as 20 strikes, all made by a thicker blade than the originally thought.”

  Prof. Stone had trouble believing that bit of news and keeping his eyes on the road. He even gave a rare curse when he nearly missed a critical turn on the highway. “If you’re right, I take it a Santoku Japanese kitchen knife is off the table.”

  “By my examinations, we are looking for a curved blade.”

  “...C...curved? Like a steak knife?”

  “No. It’s a very specific form of curved weapon. Why, I’ve seen it before in my travels. Unlike a large scimitar, the one I am thinking of is much smaller. About the length of a dagger with an exotic curved tip like the horns of a beast. That was the actual type of weapon what killed the Director............”

  “...What? Why the silence? D-don’t tell me you’re having second thoughts? I-I’m racing to the crime scene just to confirm this hypothesis with you! Hell, I’m this close to getting my first speeding ticket in my life. Don’t back out on me now of all times!”

  Martial Kim shook his head, “It’s nothing just... The curved blade. There is an odd design to it.”

  Prof. Stone rolled his eyes. “Not going to lie, Kim. You don’t see that many type of curved daggers in a murder scene. I would get kitchen and fruit knives, because they’re always readily available in a victim’s house or two.”

  “No. I meant, the shape and width of the blade is...strange. Unfortunately, I can’t tell exactly what is bothering me until I see the murder weapon... Which begs the question, why haven’t your forensic team found the weapon yet? You claim it could be a common household object, so why haven’t it turned up?”

  “Why don’t you go and get the answer straight from the horses mouth?”

  “...Teacher. That’s a manor, not an animal.”

  “Don’t be cheeky, Kim! It’s got a door for a mouth, doesn’t it?”

  Of course the crime scene was well guarded. The incident was still fresh in everyone’s mind and mouths, why they can still taste the smell of iron and corpse rot on their tongue. That’s why the officers on night watch had to rub tiger balm under their nose or spit into the garden every 10 minutes to freshen their taste buds.

  The manor wasn’t kept under lock and key, but virtually it should be impregnable from any curious bystanders or potential thieves.

  So they would think of nothing when a fellow forensic investigator would return to the scene of the crime to look around a bit before going to bed.

  Because of that familiarity, the night watch screwed up.

  “Kim. Promise me, you don’t touch anything. I mean it! Anything that could save Keekee would be ruined if people find out you so much as pointed at it!”

  “I swear, before the divine light, I shan’t complicate matters.”

  “Good. Now wait for me, I’ll open the window for you to climb in! And be quiet about it!”

  There were guards everywhere, all covering as much vantage points and potential blind spots as possible. In saying that, with Martial Kim’s skills combined with the veil of the night, the young master easily entered the Director’s manor as simple as walking through the front door.

  Even when hidden in the dark, Prof. Stone was shaking all over. This was, after all, virtually the first time he’s ever ‘broken’ into a place. Even when he came under good pretense, he felt guilty for breaking the law.

  As for Martial Kim, he lost count how many times he’s crossed swords with Imperial Law. What? Don’t you be judging him. He was, after all, the renowned sleuth of the Martial World. Probably broke into more houses and mansions than a child eating every grain of rice in a single bowl.

  Can’t solve a mystery by following the rules, right?

  “Huh!? K-Kim? H-how did you get in before I could touch a window? B-better question: how did you unlock it from the OUTSIDE!? D-don’t tell me, you’re actually an art thief!”

  “... Who knows.”

  “Kiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiim! Don’t shrug at me at a time like this! H-hey, get back here, I’m talking to you young man!”

  As much as Prof. Stone wanted to lecture his protege, there was simply no time for it. Especially when they were right in the belly of the beast. In this case, the center of the crime scene.

  “Teacher...what happened here. The Director’s manor: it’s a total mess!”

  “Ssssssh! This is why we had trouble finding anything! Why, even Keekee’s stuff was scattered amonst the wreckage, took us hours to figure what was what. Let alone a curved dagger...ugh. Now this is a real needle in a haystack!”

  Flashlights. Such a convenient tool to us. Both of them could have used it to help them navigate in the dark. But of course, we all know it would make them stand out like a lighthouse in a fog. So they had to rely on sheds of moonlight...

  ...Well, Prof. Stone had to follow the string of moon shine. Martial Kim on the other hand had a trick up his sleeve. Rather, within his Inner Energy.

  --- Honestly, who would’ve thought a minor skill like Night Tiger Eyes would be so useful? A touch of spiritual energy, and I can see the truth in the dark as if it was in broad daylight. Sigh, how I used to chase only the more powerful techniques in my youth. My martial arts mentor was right: even the smallest gifts matters in my cultivation. For once, I am glad I listened to him.

  While Prof. Stone was wading in the dark, the young master would quietly help his forensic master like a walking stick to the blind. Why, he was even kind enough to kick away some minor furniture or debris so Prof. Stone wouldn’t slip and fall over ass over elbow.

  “Incredible.” Martial Kim shook his head at his surroundings, “This isn’t even a ransack! This is what happens when rebels storm an Imperial Palace!”

  “Our thoughts exactly—OW!” Prof. Stone muffled his cry when he stubbed his shoe against a drawer, “Along with the myriad of foot prints, our initial assessment was a robbery gone wrong.”

  “In my professional opinion, Teacher, this mess says otherwise. Even the most ravenous of vultures don’t leave this sort of mess.”

  “Well what can we do, Kim? We have to be open to all avenues based on what we’ve seen. You’ve followed me through enough cases to understand how we process our investigation yes?”

  “And you narrow it down to Keekee? Of all people.”

  “N-now, don’t get your hackles up. Okay! Our suspicions are only preliminary!... In fact, if you didn’t know Keekee at all, based on what I’ve told you and what you are seeing, wouldn’t you come to the same conclusion!?”

  This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  The cat caught the young master’s tongue. Worse, it’s claws were dragging through the flesh. Might as well change the subject to avoid more salt to his injury.

  “...Teacher. This victim. Was he rich?”

  “Huh? Oh no. In fact, I’m still curious of where the Director got all his money to support just this house.”

  “Whatever do you mean?”

  “To sum it up: the Director had a high maintenance life, losses money at gambling as a daily pastime, and despite the fact he blows more money he can make – he has yet to be homeless.”

  Martial Kim raised an eyebrow, “How is he making all this money to support his livelihood?”

  Prof. Stone shook his head, “That’s the question, Kim. Detective Fraulein has been pulling at her hair the whole time. No debtors too, he always pays them off the next day.”

  “Teacher. This society still keep their money in a bank? Yes?”

  “Of course! But granted, it’s different from the old days.”

  “How so?”

  Prof. Stone gave a small hum, “Online banking... Well Kim, I would give you a crash course in it, but I think that would make you froth from the mouth from all the science behind it.”

  Martial Kim wasn’t amused by that comment, “Teacher. My intelligence is wounded.”

  “J-just hear me out! Put away those knuckles, please! S-so essentially people these days have two styles of banking. The first is the classic, I put my physical cash in a vault – or technically safety deposit box. The second is...uh..think of it like a magical vault! It exists everywhere and no where at once. Not at all physical, but it’s there... somewhere online. Then you uh...use a web browser, write up some numbers, and uh...transfer uh...”

  “...Write up numbers?...Like a promissory note?”

  “Uh...YES! Kinda—EXACTLY! It’s actually a digital promise of funds!”

  “Why didn’t you say so in the first place, Teacher?”

  “Okay, Kim. Now I feel my intelligence is hurt!”

  Prof. Stone didn’t know if he should slap his protege or slap himself for not thinking of that metaphor sooner.

  Anyways, the forensic chemist tried to carry on, “So, on the line of ‘promissory note’ – the Director had a total of 10 accounts, each a different bank.”

  --- 10 banks? Could it be, some sort of elaborate money laundering schemes? I remember, several members of the Imperial Order have done something similar. Magistrates, county officials, government emissary, even the royal eunuchs. Then again, they control these many ports of finances through their servants, vassals, or unrelated proxies... But one man to 10?...Actually, better question.

  “Teacher. How does one man access all the money from each bank? I doubt all 10 of them happen to be sitting side by side in a single file line for his convenience.”

  “Ah. Well, behold the power of credit cards!”

  “...Forgive me. I fail to see the wonder of this token you produced from your coat. It’s barely the size of a leaf.”

  “This little piece of plastic is a financial marvel. Essentially it’s like a magical key connected to a designated bank account. Every time I swipe this in a machine to buy food, drinks, or whatever, it would conduct an electronic transaction. So I can pay for 1000 dollars worth of product, without stuffing my wallet with that much cash!...C-Cash as in physical money bills.”

  --- Incredible! Are you telling me, this little square token is capable of carrying and spending the wealth of 10 banks? Imagine the convenience the Imperial Order would have if they could store and transport all their city taxes or government funding to and fro the Capital. Why, there would be no need to store so many golden ingots and employ a brigade of armed guards. Even the high moralities from fighting off highway bandits and mountain thieves would drop significantly!...Wait, no, focus! That’s not what I wanted to ask.

  “Teacher.”

  “Yeah Kim?”

  “How would you describe the victim? From what you’ve gathered so far?”

  “Oh petty as hell. Slave driver. Doesn’t trust anyone.”

  Martial Kim nodded to it all, “Which would mean he wouldn’t even trust a godsent of a system like this credit card right? Surely someone can swipe this out of his pocket like a set of keys. And look how flimsy it is. Even a breeze can steal this straight from his palm.”

  Prof. Stone also nodded. “...Good point. But, what are you suggesting?”

  “Someone as selfish as the victim would only trust themselves. Surely, they would keep some portion of their wealth close to home, or within eye sight. Perhaps, hidden in a secret vault behind a painting, or even stuffed inside of an unknowing vase.”

  “Come on, Kim. This isn’t some Scooby Doo cartoon where everything is hidden behind a secret wall or trap bookshelf...In saying that: we did find some house safe that’s been cracked open. Come to think of it, I completely forgot to take a look. Everything was a rush when we had to get the evidence back before the snow hit... Why the long look, Kim?”

  “...What is...Scooby Doo?”

  Should Prof. Stone laugh...or cry?

  Have you ever heard of this saying within the Martial World?

  Three moves to decide victory!

  Sometimes, Martial Kim can resolve the conflict in one step, at most two, rarely three. Any more effort, and he would leave himself open to a deadly counter attack. So he believed speed and efficiency decided the victor.

  However, tonight, he decided to just drag his feet in the mud.

  Of course, the sooner he could find evidence to help Keekee the better!.. But, what if – and only what if – he was about to find evidence that provided Keekee was the opposite... Gods. Even thinking about forcing Keekee to the executioner’s platform with his diligence made him sick to the stomach.

  “You good Kim?”

  “Huh? Uh. Yes, I just... This white tape in the shape of a human. Is this where the victim died?”

  “Ah? Oh yeah, forgot to mention that.”

  The forensic chemist and young master were halfway towards the stairs when they pass by the star attraction of the crime scene. The place where the body was found. Although the corpse was removed and there were some extra foot prints in the blood left by coroner assistants and officer, the site itself was pretty much reserved.

  Prof. Stone solemnly pointed around them, “Over there is where I found Keekee’s hip pouch, under the drawer. Over here close to the stairs is where Officer Roland found the tablet.”

  Martial Kim stared, not sure if he should keep speaking or not, “...Keekee’s phone? I never seen her without it.”

  “Oh that is a totally different story,” Prof. Stone sighed. “Keekee was found with her phone when she got hit by the taxi driver, right? Well Traffic Division are still looking into her case, so they took her phone and clothing as evidence. In fact, Detective Fraulein had been hoping to get shared custody of it all to compare them to this murder. In saying that, we’re still waiting approval from the traffic investigation team.”

  “..........” Although the young master was not present at the time of Keekee’s incident, it was only human to imagine what might have happened. Deer in a headlights, if he knew what that meant. Just imagination alone made his words drown in his throat.

  “Kim. Are you sure you’re okay?” Prof. Stone felt the silence from his protege was completely different from before. So he gave some time before his companion could recover. Must have been a heavy thought, the forensic chemist wondered.

  “Teacher. I pains me to say this but: if...if Keekee truly was involved in this murder, what would drive someone as docile as her to get caught in a fight? Let alone kill her employer, who she has endured for a majority of her life.”

  “Kim. I could give you a thousand reasons, but it all boils down to this – we all hate our bosses at some point. Some even dream about killing their arrogant and useless asses. Of course, common sense and self control keeps our imaginations in check. Now, for Keekee, from what I heard about her career life: she’s always been a bottled kettle. Chose not to explode whenever. So...whatever happened on the night of the Director’s death, might have been the straw that broke the camel’s back.”

  “...What if, it wasn’t exactly murder. Rather, a case of self defence? You mentioned before, Keekee’s hip pouch and table...thing were completely broken. Perhaps, collateral damage while defending herself.”

  “Tablet, Kim, tablet. And let’s assume you’re right, this still begs the question: why would Keekee need to defend herself. Like the Director and herself, the film assistant, aren’t like father and daughter – but they’ve been working for a good number of years now. Given someone as docile as Keekee, she’s be pretty used to the petty man by now, don’t you think?”

  “Didn’t you tell me back in the lab, that the Director was a lecher?”

  “Yeah?”

  “What if, the Director...” Martial Kim felt a lump grow in his throat. He kept talking, even if it started to feel cancerous, “What if the Director was trying to lay his hands on Keekee. Take advantage of her. Like you said, they’ve worked together for quite some times. Perhaps, the Director knew her weakness, how to make her vulnerable, and even when she said no he believed he knew her well enough to convince her yes.”

  “... Kim you’re shaking. I doubt it’s the cold breeze.”

  “I-I’m fine.”

  Prof. Stone sighed and he reached out to loosen up the young master’s fists. Once he massaged the white knuckle out of his protege’s hand, he spoke, “The thought crossed our minds. In fact, Detective Fraulein thought of it ahead of time. But this still doesn’t add up, why escalate to murder? Self-defence or not. And even if it’s not 20 stabs but 108 – that’s still MULTIPLE stabbings. Like, one stab would scare the crap out of a normal person, but 20? That’s serial killer levels. And of course, Keekee isn’t that kind of beautiful sociopath, right?”

  Martial Kim nod, but he added a frown. He didn’t like it when his mentor added beautiful and sociopath together to describe his friend. It...felt wrong...but it made sense...still wrong.

  “Furthermore,” Prof. Stone added, “Why a knife? Or a dagger in this case? Like what would push Keekee to pick up a weapon and just gut the man alive? The first reaction when someone comes onto you like that is, well push them away or kick them in the crotch. At most hit them with an electric taser, or pepper spray. Not prison shank them.”

  The young master nodded, but still frowned. That was when he realized where he was standing and questions filled his mind.

  How far was the body from the door? How far was the body from the stairs? How far did those mosaic of foot prints lead to?

  No matter what, the main commonality seems to circle around the lobby of the manor. Like this was where the main event had been.

  --- If only my senses aren’t this dulled, otherwise I could try to examine the tracks with my knowledge. Then again, what was the intent behind all this running around? Was this before, or after the murder? To think, urging Teacher to bring me to the crime scene could have brought me answers, but I’m only swarmed with more questions... What exactly happened here, Keekee?

  “...Kim? Earth to Kim?”

  “Huh? Y-Yes, Teacher?”

  “Money Safe.” The forensic chemist started to point up, “Upstairs.”

  “Right...Right. Let’s continue, Teacher.”

  No sooner did they steel themselves to scale up the stairs, one of them had a bad fall.

  “WOOOP!”

  “TEACHER!”

  Thank goodness Martial Kim was an expert in flying. With his skills he was able to glide down a few steps to catch his mentor from falling over and breaking a bone (or neck even!).

  “Ow! Ow! Ow! Did Officer Roland curse me or something?”

  “Teacher? Whatever do you mean by that? The officer isn’t here.”

  “Ah, no, it’s the other day Officer Roland slipped down the stairs. I think in the exact same spot. The detective wouldn’t stop laughing about it. She blamed he didn’t wipe his feet from the snow.”

  “...But Teacher. The trail leading to the manor has been well cleared of snow. And it’s not raining.”

  Prof. Stone raised an eyebrow and silently fumbled for his phone. The moment he switched on the light on his device—

  —Disaster showed it’s ugly face.

  Heeeeere’s Trouble!