The Crimson Necromancer's Substitute

13: The Substitute Goes On His First Mission I

Chapter 13: The Substitute Goes On His First Mission I

The sun had already risen a half hour ago, illuminating the clear blue sky splashed with feathery clouds, and casting rays of light onto the scarlet mountains of Angu-An. The summer had come and gone in a blink, and it was finally the beginning of autumn. Fen Lei's long hours of flipping books inside the cave had ended a few days ago, and he had only recently begun his archery training. Needless to say, he was laughably the worst of the worst.

"What!" Fen Lei vociferated, causing a bird resting in a nearby tree to leave its nest abruptly. "You are not serious, are you? Are you sure you want to send me alone?"

"Does my face indicate that I am not serious?" He Jin replied.

"Your face indicates ugliness."

"Shut up, donkey-face!"

"Who are you calling a donkey-face! I do not look like a donkey!" Fen Lei objected, but the young man pretended not to hear him. He Jin simply sat on the long, wooden chair, putting Li Yuan's black, recurved bow on the table.

Fen Lei sat across from He Jin and observed him as he channeled spiritual energy into the bow. "You should come with me. Are you not worried about this body? What if it gets injured? You are well aware of my limitations. Furthermore, I am new to this world and am unfamiliar with the dangers that exist here. I cannot protect this body all the time."

"I would not send you alone either if you were incompetent. Simply consider this a part of your training. It is fine as long as you do not sustain serious injuries," He Jin replied with his eyes closed.

"I suppose it is pointless to try to persuade you any further." Fen Lei emitted a deep breath. "Fine, but do not blame me if everything goes wrong."

"You will be sent to the forest of giant beetles if you mess this up."

Fen Lei's eyes dilated instantly, followed by a scowl. "How heartless can you be! Just send me back to the underworld!"

He Jin opened his eyes and responded angrily, "If it had not been for my master's orders, I would have done it right away! And enough of this babbling! Listen! I am sending you to the village of Kelna today to look into something!"

"And now you are making me a detective!" Fen Lei complained.

He Jin closed his eyes and resumed channeling spiritual energy into the bow. "Several villagers in Kelna have mysteriously gone missing, and this strange incident has been occurring for three nights. No one knows what happened, as the victims are still nowhere to be found. Even the mejinsu sent by the Hashiya Commission to solve this case vanished without a trace."

Fen Lei was intrigued. "Where were these people seen last before they disappeared?"

"The incidents occurred in the dead of night, according to a recent report. The victims were probably sleeping in their own homes before their disappearance," He Jin replied.

"What about those who were with the victims before they disappeared? Perhaps they had noticed something unusual."

"As I said, no one knows what exactly happened. It is best to head to the village and investigate for yourself."

"How can you be so sure that I can solve this case on my own? I am not, nor was I ever, a detective." Although Fen Lei enjoyed detective fiction, was a fan of Sherlock Holmes, William James Moriarty, Kudo Shinichi, and Edogawa Ranpo, and had aspired to study forensic science, he was aware that his ability to handle this matter was below average.

At least, that was how he viewed his ability. In his previous life, he nearly had the opportunity to pursue his desired degree if not for financial constraints.