Chapter 99 Night Visit to the Peony Pavilion

Chen Mu frowned, appearing to be sorting out the threads of the matter.

"It seems now that the Ghostly Creature in the Zhao residence devouring souls might just be one link in the chain, only the method is more direct and brutal."

"And this City God is clearly more Advanced, requiring refined or special offerings."

Qi Huan also recalled Zhao Qinghe's promise, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

"Peony Pavilion..."

Chen Mu immediately interjected.

"We must go. Zhao Qinghe intends to send that top courtesan into the tiger's den tomorrow. If he is truly a living person with a pure Yin horoscope, he will surely be devoured by the evil god, and the consequences will be unimaginable."

"Furthermore, Peony Pavilion is very likely the key location where they screen and control the offerings; there must be more clues inside."

Qi Huan remembered the scene in the hall just now, and then recalled that Peony Pavilion was a male brothel, his expression immediately turning strange, and his tone becoming hesitant.

"Go... naturally we must go, but that place..."

As a dignified Banner Officer of the Prefecture Demon Suppression Division, he had always frequented demon lairs and crime scenes; how had he ever stepped foot in such a place of pleasure? And one specializing in male beauty at that.

Chen Mu saw his expression and, knowing his concerns, said calmly.

"In extraordinary times, take extraordinary measures. Sometimes one must follow the rules, and sometimes one must be flexible. We are going to investigate a case and save people, not to seek pleasure, so there is no need to overthink it."

After thinking for a moment, he added.

"How about this: we split up. You go and deal with the people in the pavilion to gather information, especially regarding the top courtesan, Zhao Qinghe, and the secrets within the pavilion."

"I will find a way to sneak inside, locate that top courtesan, and act according to the situation."

Upon hearing that he was responsible for dealing with those bewitching men to extract information, Qi Huan's face turned green, and his voice involuntarily changed pitch.

"Me? I have to go and extract information from them?"

"Chen Mu, you might as well let me go and fight that City God; that would be more straightforward."

Chen Mu was equally blunt, stabbing directly at his heart.

"You are injured like this; who could you possibly beat?"

"This is the simplest task. You only need to drink, listen to them talk, and ask a question or two occasionally."

"Remember, you are the customer; the one spending money is the boss."

Qi Huan opened his mouth, recalling the frustration of being teased by that mysterious woman at Chen Mu's doorstep earlier, and then looked at Chen Mu's matter-of-fact way of assigning tasks; he suddenly felt his chest hurt even more.

"Fine."

He squeezed this word out through his teeth, his face filled with the tragic resolve of someone facing death.

The two did not delay any further and, taking advantage of the night, sneaked toward Peony Pavilion, the most famous pleasure house in Yunmeng city.

...

Peony Pavilion was located in a bustling area of Yunmeng city. Even though it was late at night, it was still brightly lit, with pleasant music and the faint sounds of singing and laughter audible.

By worldly standards, even among pleasure houses, male brothels were usually kept more discreet than common brothels.

Yet this Peony Pavilion operated without any restraint, open in the most bustling area; one could only wonder what kind of powerful figures stood behind it.

The two tidied themselves up in the shadows, took a deep breath, and tried hard to look less like officers about to hack someone to death, then strode toward Peony Pavilion.

The closer they got, the richer the scent of powder and perfume became.

In front of Peony Pavilion hung colorful, flamboyant lanterns. Several bewitchingly dressed male courtesans were leaning against the door, soliciting customers, their every glance filled with charm.

Qi Huan looked at the scene of debauchery filling the pavilion, his face stiffening, and looked at the calm Chen Mu beside him, his voice dry.

"Chen Mu... is it absolutely necessary to go to this place?"

As a dignified Banner Officer of the Prefecture Demon Suppression Division, although he couldn't say he avoided women entirely, he had always kept himself clean and disciplined, and when handling cases, he especially avoided such places of pleasure.

Yet now, he had to voluntarily step into this male brothel and deal with those men covered in makeup.

Chen Mu's expression remained calm, though a hint of imperceptible helplessness flashed in the depths of his eyes.

He glanced at Qi Huan's expression, as if he were facing a formidable enemy, the corners of his mouth curling slightly as he nodded slowly.

"Chief Qi, the big picture is what matters. Besides, it's just acting; we're just asking some questions."

Upon hearing this, Qi Huan's body stiffened. After struggling for a moment in his eyes, he finally gritted his teeth and braced himself to climb the steps.

Having walked only two steps, a bewitching youth dressed in water-red gauze, with a graceful figure and amorous eyes, came up to meet them, naturally draping his arm over Qi Huan's.

"You two gentlemen look unfamiliar; is this your first time at our Peony Pavilion?"

The youth's voice was cloyingly sweet, his fingers tracing circles on Qi Huan's tense arm intentionally or unintentionally, his peach-blossom eyes darting back and forth between Qi Huan and Chen Mu.

"You two gentlemen have an extraordinary air, but you look a bit pale. Are you tired? Please, come inside."

Qi Huan felt goosebumps rise from the soft touch. He wanted to shake him off, but dared not use too much force for fear of revealing his martial arts, so he could only stand stiffly, as if he couldn't even turn his neck.

He trembled, turning his head bit by bit, and looked at Chen Mu with a pleading gaze.

Chen Mu still maintained that incredibly calm and composed appearance, though his slightly raised lips betrayed his mood at the moment.

He gave a light cough, stepped forward half a pace, and spoke to the bewitching youth with a familiar, slightly roguish tone.

"My brother here has been troubled lately and came specifically to unwind. You must take good care of him, little brother."

As he said this, he reached out to untie Qi Huan's money pouch, fished out a ten-tael silver ingot, and casually shoved it to the youth.

"One isn't enough. You need to find a few more beauties to accompany him. If you can make my brother happy, money is no object."

The youth weighed the heavy silver in his hand, his eyes lighting up. The smile on his face became even more flattering, and he immediately hugged Qi Huan's arm tighter, almost pressing half his body against him.

"Rest assured, sir, leave it to me. I guarantee this gentleman will have all his worries washed away and be so happy he forgets to go home."

After saying this, he almost half-dragged and half-pulled the stiff, uncoordinated Qi Huan into the pavilion, casting a flirtatious glance back at Chen Mu from time to time.

"And you, sir, please come inside as well; there are even better services waiting for you."

Chen Mu shot Qi Huan a look telling him to stay calm, then walked into Peony Pavilion with a composed gait.

Inside the pavilion, warm fragrance wafted over them; the lights were hazy, light veils danced, and handsome men could be seen everywhere.

Qi Huan was surrounded by that male courtesan and two other handsome youths who had come upon hearing the news, and was ushered to a relatively secluded private seat.

The youths poured wine and served dishes, speaking in soft, affectionate tones; one offered wine, another fed him fruit, and one even tried to sit directly on his lap.

Qi Huan's face turned from red to white. He didn't know where to put his hands or feet, so he could only grit his teeth and stiffen his neck, trying his best to keep a straight face.

"Pour... just pour the wine! All of you, sit further away."

Seeing him so awkward, those male courtesans found it amusing instead, giggling as they pressed even closer, a barrage of flirtatious words endless.

Qi Huan felt like he was sitting on pins and needles, every second dragging on like a year. He still had to divide his attention to think about how to extract information from these people regarding the new top courtesan or any abnormal situations within the pavilion; it was truly agonizing.

On the other side, after Chen Mu entered the main hall, he cleverly avoided the crowds, picked up a pot of wine, and feigned a bit of drunkenness, walking unsteadily toward the stairs while observing everything around him and silently noting the layout, distribution, and movement of people within the pavilion.

When encountered by a pimp or guard asking questions, he would shake the wine pot and mumble vaguely about looking for his favorite boy, and with his drunken act and the small pieces of silver he casually handed out, he passed through without hindrance.

The first and second floors were mostly places for ordinary guests to drink and make merry. Although there were guards patrolling, it was not strictly guarded. Under the cover of his drunkenness, Chen Mu quickly figured out the layout.

But when he tried to ascend to the third floor, he found two burly men guarding the staircase.