Chapter Twenty: The Secret of the Iron Shoes

  Outside the courtyard, Hua Man Lou, Jin Jiu Ling, Lu Xiao Feng and Li Yun Fei were chatting. Lu Xiao Feng asked: "Hua Man Lou, have you ever felt that Iron Shoe is among us?"

  Hua Manlou shook his head and said, "I have a strange feeling. Don't you think it's strange? Since Tie Xie Da Zei is a thief, why would he wear a pair of iron shoes? And after stealing the Jade Buddha, why didn't he leave?"

  Lu Xiaofeng said: "I'm indeed very strange, but he might be a ghost, or maybe an unlucky star."

  Li Yunfei looked at Lu Xiaofeng without speaking, but Hua Manlou asked strangely: "Lu Xiaofeng, this doesn't sound like something you'd say!"

  "Although I can't think of it, but I know that now there is someone who is very willing to tell us what the Iron Shoe Thief is all about."

  Jin Jiuling smiled and said: "I've investigated this matter for a very long time, how can I casually say it out?"

  "Alright, alright, stop pretending! Don't forget we have a bet going on!"

  "Alright, for the sake of fairness, I'll tell you, but this story is a long one. Many years ago, in the East Sea's Poisonous Dragon Island, there was a legendary seafood delicacy called 'Beautiful Woman Abalone'. Due to its extremely high price, ordinary people didn't dare ask about it. The fishermen who collected these abalones had to wear iron shoes and walk on the seafloor, with the most skilled divers able to hold their breath for one or two hours."

  Jin Jiulian paused for a moment and continued: "It's just a pity that the master of Du Long Island was too greedy. He treated his subordinates, the Haishang people, with extreme cruelty, causing many deaths and injuries among them. In the end, the Haishang people could not bear their suffering and rose up in resistance, capturing the master of Du Long Island alive."

  "What does this have to do with Iron Shoe Thief?" asked Hua Manlou.

  Li Yunfei said: "I understand a bit now, this Iron Shoe Thief wore iron shoes and could disappear for one or two hours by the Meng River. He must be from Poison Dragon Island."

  Jin Jiuling smiled and said, "Yes, it's a big deal. The iron shoes aren't just for the people of Poison Dragon Island. Back then, when the coastal villagers captured the master of Poison Dragon Island, those angry villagers used an extremely cruel punishment on him. They poured scalding hot iron water onto his feet to cast a pair of iron shoes. Then they threw him back into the sea to feed the sharks."

  "Hua Man Lou sighed and said: 'Terrible, terrible!'"

  "Heavenly retribution can be survived, but self-inflicted retribution cannot! What happened afterwards!"

  Later on, there was no more beautiful woman Bao's business in the market, but a legend of Iron Shoe Thief appeared.

  Lü Xiao Feng asked doubtfully: "Will Iron Shoe Thief be a gang instead of a person?"

  "Corpse mask, iron shoes without a trace. That year, the iron shoes made several big cases in one night. Until now, no one can see through his tricks. However, the modus operandi of each case is identical in every minute detail. This can only be the work of one person."

  Luk Siu-fung said: "Can't this Iron Shoe split into two?"

  Jin Jiulian said: "I don't care about his Split Body Technique. I must catch him. Lu Xiaofeng, Li Yunfei, do you have any leads?"

  Lu Xiaofeng said: "Not yet, but I've already thought of where to start."

  Li Yunfei said: "You've always thought of Tie Xue Dadao as one person, what if it's two people, or three?"

  "Then how could it be a coincidence that the modus operandi is exactly the same in every detail?"

  "It's also possible that they had discussed and agreed on their modus operandi beforehand," said Li Yunfei.

  Lu Xiaofeng said: "I also have some doubts, he made the modus operandi exactly the same, perhaps it's to make people unable to investigate, increasing the mystery."

  Wu Zhangmen's death room, Yuan Daxia sat there guarding the scene of the crime. At this time, Guan Daxia rushed in angrily and shouted at Yuan Daxia: "I won't do it anymore, I'm a great hero on my own, how can I be ordered around by a few young whippersnappers?"

  Yuan Daxia comforted: "This is not an ordinary time, Guan brother is magnanimous, it's better not to mind. It just so happens that we need to change shifts, I'm tired, I'll go back and sleep first, this place will be handed over to you."

  Guan Da Xia watched as Yuan Da Xia walked away, then quickly closed the door and went inside. He leapt up onto a beam, feeling around for something with his hands. At this moment, Guan Da Xia suddenly felt a hand. He lifted his head to look, and was startled to see Lu Xiao Feng on the beam, scaring him so much that he fell down.

  At this time a group of people rushed in and seized Guan Da Xia.

  The sky gradually brightened, and a group of people surrounded Guan Da Xia, interrogating him. Lu Xiao Feng said: "Guan Tai, do you have anything to say?"

  Hua Rulian gazed deeply at Guan Tai and asked: "Guan Xiake, we have been friends for twenty years, how could I have ever thought that you would do such a thing?"

  "No, I didn't do anything."

  Lu Xiaofeng smiled and said: "The murderer who killed Wu Zhangmen is you, the person who killed Huo Daxia is also you, do you still want to deny it?"

  Yuan Dashao asked: "Lu Xiaofeng, how did you know that Guan Tai was the murderer?"

  Lu Xiaofeng looked at Song Shiyu and said: "Song Shiyu, do you still remember what Wupanmen said to you at the banquet?"

  Song Shen said, "He said that Guan Tai has not drunk a drop of wine for many years, but today he drank so much, it's a bit unusual."

  Luk Siu-fung said, "Kwun Tai has not touched a drop of wine for many years. Why did he drink so much today? It's because what he wants to do is uncertain and extremely tense, that's why he acted out of character."

  Kuizhi Dashi said: "Just based on this point alone, it is not enough to prove that Guantai is the murderer."

  Li Yunfei said: "This is natural, listen to Lu Xiaofeng continue to say."

  Lu Xiaofeng smiled and said, "That's right. So Li Yunfei, Jin Duotou and I carefully examined the scene. The floor of this room is covered with shattered flower pot fragments, which seems to indicate that Wu Zhangmen had a fierce battle with the murderer before his death."

  "But when we turned over the body of Wū Zhǎng Mén, we found that his body was spotless. Not even a single shard was on him, but instead, there were shards of the vase on Wū Zhǎng Mén's body. What does this imply?"

  "This shows that the murderer broke the vase and created signs of a struggle after Wu Zhangmen's death."

  Li Yunfei said: "Not bad, actually Wu Zhangmen was killed by a single knife. Clean and neat. Isn't this suspicious?"

  Lu Xiaofeng continued, "We know that with Wu Zhong's skills, it's impossible for an enemy to get close without him noticing. Yet he didn't detect anything. This can only mean that Wu Zhong had no idea that this person, who was more familiar to him than anyone else, had come to kill him."

  Lu Xiaofeng looked at Guan Tai and stopped. Then he said, "You must have entered Wu Zhangmen's room first, and while talking to him, deceived him into looking outside. You then killed him with one knife from behind."

  "Hua Rulan looked puzzled and said, 'If we say that the person was killed by Guan Tai, then there should be bloodstains on his knife, but nobody saw any bloodstains on Guan Tai's knife. How can this be explained?'"

  Li Yunfei said, "That's why we went back to that room for investigation. In such a short time, I think the murderer couldn't have wiped off the bloodstains on the knife in time. But he had planned ahead. After killing the person, he took out the letter from Iron Shoe and hid the murder weapon above the beam. Then, pretending nothing was wrong, he continued to act in that play starring Lu Xiaofeng."

  Lu Xiaofeng said: "That's right, but he didn't think that we would definitely seal off the scene, so Guan Tai didn't have a chance to take away the murder weapon."

  At this time, Lu Xiaofeng took out a bloody knife and continued: "This knife is the murder weapon found on the beam."

  "Can't you see that I'm on duty? I heard a noise from the beam above and went up to take a look, what's wrong with that?"

  Lu Xiaofeng gave Li Yunfei a signal. Li Yunfei then searched Guan Tai's body and found a knife sheath on his back.

  Lu Xiaofeng sheathed his sword with a smooth motion, perfectly in place.

  Lü Xiao Feng laughed and said: "Guan Tai, Guan Da Xia, what else do you have to say? Did you also kill Huo Da Xia?"

  Li Yunfei said: "You are just a small pawn, this is only a trick to help the Iron Shoe Thief win time and steal the Hanhai Jade Buddha."

  Hua Manlou said: "Why are you doing the iron shoes' accomplice and running dog?"

  At this moment, another leaf fell from the seven-leafed Dicliptera.

  "Right, I did kill him, but I was forced to."

  Lu Xiaofeng said, "It's Iron Shoe forcing you! Quickly say who is Iron Shoe." At this time, a hidden projectile flew in from outside the door. Li Yunfei had been paying attention, but he also didn't manage to knock down the projectile. The projectile hit Guan Tai right on the forehead. He only managed to say "Apricot..." before Song Shengyin hastily rushed over and said, "I'll take care of it." Then Guan Tai fell over dead.

  The people in the hall rushed out of the hall and saw those people from Hanhai standing outside. The dancer stood there, seemingly very proud.

  "Hua Rendao said: 'You are not sent by the King of Hanhai, who are you?'"

  "That woman said: 'Of course I am sent by the King of Hanhai, but it's the new king who is about to ascend to the throne. Commoner Hua Rulang, you still don't kneel down in front of me!'"

  "Hua Rulang hummed and said: 'You are the Peacock King's consort.'"

  The peacock queen said: "Of course!"

  Hua Rulang said: "Without the imperial edict and token of the old king of the vast sea country, no one dares to take away the Jade Buddha from Taohuabao."

  The peacock queen made a gesture and six children rushed out from around her. Each of them held a Zhuge crossbow in their hands.

  Lu Xiaofeng smiled and said: "Your Highness Wangfei, are you playing with a child?"

  The Peacock Princess said, "Don't be too proud of yourselves yet. The Four-Browed Lu Xiaofeng." As soon as she finished speaking, the Peacock Princess clapped her hands, and a flute sound was heard. The sound was deafening, making people's heads dizzy. Li Yunfei hurriedly used his internal energy to resist.

  Hua Rulian, Yingyan Laoqi and the others all hugged their heads as if in great pain. Each of them swayed from side to side, as if they were about to fall over at any moment.

  Only Li Yunfei, Lu Xiaofeng, Hua Manlou and Jin Jiuling were fine. However, the sonic attack was still unbearable. Li Yunfei quickly pressed several acupoints on his body, which made him feel a bit better. But looking at the others in the arena, they were severely affected.

  At this moment, the six children simultaneously released their crossbow arrows. Li Yunfei hastily drew out his sword and deflected the arrows that were shot towards himself and Hua Rulian, while Sui Zhi Chan Shi's arrow was knocked down.

  Lu Xiaofeng also flew away and grabbed the crossbow arrows that were shot towards Yingyan Old Seventh and Yuan Daxia.