47. Analyze calmly, abandon overthinking.

That noon, every member of the Daoist sect received a mass message: “The Headsman is here.” The message was abrupt, lacking even punctuation—very likely sent out by a dying disciple in his final moments, mustering the last of his strength.

Upon seeing the message, the senior elders of the Daoist sect turned pale. The sect, already gloom-laden from the internal lockdown of its disciples, now seemed cloaked in a pallid, suffocating cloud.

“How could this happen!” The moment he read the message, Master Jade Talisman slammed his desk in fury, shattering it in two.

He had believed the Midnight Headsman was hiding within the sect. Under mounting pressure from other sects, he had shut down the entire sect during the peak tourist season, confining most of the disciples.

The economic losses from just a few days of closure were nearly enough to give him a heart attack.

Worse yet, many disciples, already chafing under the sudden confinement, had begun protesting in the name of “freedom and human rights.”

If things continued, the Daoist sect would collapse like a sandcastle swept by the tide.

Meanwhile, other sects welcomed throngs of tourists daily, their coffers filling with ticket sales.

And now they told him the Midnight Headsman had struck again—this time on the outskirts of the Kunlun District?

What, then, was the point of the lockdown these past days?

With mounting anxiety, Master Jade Talisman twisted his graying beard and stepped out of his room, visibly troubled.

“Grandfather!” No sooner had he exited than a girl in Daoist robes floated before him on a mechanical flying sword.

“Qiu Xue, what brings you here?” The master recognized his granddaughter at once, frowning.

Qiu Xue beamed. “Brother Xu Qing asked me to bring you a message. He’s narrowed the suspects down to five. In two days, he’ll have the culprit!”

“There’s no need.” Master Jade Talisman shook his head, cutting her off. “Tell Xu Qing to stop for now and come see me.”

“I’ll go right away!” Sensing her grandfather’s worry, Qiu Xue refrained from further questions and sped down the mountain on her sword.

Before long, she had ferried Xu Qing to the master’s presence.

“Grandfather, I’ve brought him—” Qiu Xue announced cheerfully.

“Grandfather Jade Talisman, is there an urgent matter?” Xu Qing, weary from a sleepless night of investigation, could barely keep his eyes open.

The master drew a deep breath, his voice tinged with sorrow. “Just now... the Midnight Headsman killed again.”

“What?!”

With a few words from the master, Xu Qing quickly grasped the situation.

“So you’re saying the Headsman may not be in the sect at all?” Xu Qing asked incredulously.

“Exactly. How else could he have struck so far from here?” Master Jade Talisman retorted.

“Then...” Xu Qing pondered, then ventured, “Could it be a copycat? And are you certain the killer is the Midnight Headsman?”

“My disciple sent that message with his dying breath—how could it be false?” The master’s brow was deeply furrowed, his expression dark.

“In any case, it’s too soon to draw conclusions. I need to investigate the scene myself!” Xu Qing’s frown made it clear he wasn’t about to accept things at face value.

“The site is already being examined; I’ll have the body brought back for inspection,” the master replied.

Hearing this, Xu Qing could only nod. “Very well, let’s do that.”

Immediately, the master took out his communicator and ordered, “Convene a sect council—summon all the elders!”

...

Soon, the elders were gathered in the hall. Xu Qing, accompanied by Qiu Xue, sat quietly in a corner, listening in.

Once all were present, the master spoke without preamble: “Everyone, I have decided to reopen the sect and lift the disciples’ confinement!”

The hall fell utterly silent.

The elders already knew the Headsman had struck again, and several disciples were dead.

Though there was no absolute proof linking this crime to the Midnight Headsman, that hardly mattered.

What mattered was that the sect finally had an excuse to lift the lockdown.

Back in Gusu City, the three great sects had shared responsibility for the massacre. Yet, on the strength of a few uncertain tourist testimonies, the blame had been laid entirely on the Daoist sect, causing it needless loss.

These past days, calls from disciples to end the lockdown had grown ever louder, and the sect’s finances were falling sharply. Meanwhile, the other two sects reaped the benefits of tourist season, watching idly from the sidelines.

The elders found this intolerable.

With no one voicing dissent, Master Jade Talisman smiled and nodded. “So it’s settled!”

“No, you mustn’t!” Xu Qing suddenly leapt from the corner. “Grandfather Jade Talisman, I beg you to keep the lockdown for two more days!”

“Why?” one elder asked, puzzled.

Xu Qing looked anxious. “Just give me one or two more days, and I’ll find the killer.”

In the original flow of events, Xu Qing would indeed have identified the true culprit hiding within the sect two days from now, with the sect’s cooperation in maintaining the lockdown.

But circumstances had changed. Now that the sect had an excuse to reopen, how could they place their trust in Xu Qing again?

As expected, the elders’ faces darkened, and no one spoke.

Master Jade Talisman quickly ordered, “Qiu Xue, take Young Master Xu Qing outside for some fresh air!”

“Let’s go, Brother Xu Qing!” Qiu Xue cheerfully tugged him away, hurrying him out of the council room.

Once Xu Qing had left, the master struck the table, sealing the decision. “It’s settled!”

The elders rose in unison, voicing their approval.

So what if the Headsman was hiding within the sect? His targets were the three great sects and all of Kunlun District—they were all in this together.

If the other sects wanted to keep watching from the sidelines, the Daoist sect would simply drag them down as well—let them all suffer together.

A feverish, triumphant gleam appeared in Master Jade Talisman’s eyes.

Soon, news of the sect’s reopening spread across Kunlun District.

“Outrageous! The Daoist sect would endanger all of Kunlun District!” The Confucian disciples were the first to pound their tables in protest.

“Amitabha, such folly on the Daoist sect’s part.” The Buddhist monks pressed their palms together, shaking their heads in disappointment.

A closer look at the midday tragedy in the cemetery would have revealed it wasn’t the work of the Midnight Headsman at all.

But all the Daoist sect needed was an excuse—something to shift the blame.

Before long, a flood of messages filled the Daoist sect’s inbox, urging them to restore the lockdown. Every demand was met with a firm rebuff.

Witnessing all this, Xu Qing could only lie back on his bed, exhausted and powerless.

...

Two hours after the sect reopened, Chen Shang sat on his hotel bed and received a call.

“Long time no see, Midnight Headsman—” Chen Shang’s voice was calm, perhaps because the effects of his tranquilizers hadn’t worn off.

“With the Daoist sect reopened, I finally have a chance to contact you,” the Headsman said, voice steady. “How did you do it?”

“What did I do?” Chen Shang laughed in return.

Silence from the Headsman; he seemed at a loss for words.

“I did it because I wanted to,” Chen Shang snapped his fingers, offering his enigmatic answer. “Things are often just that simple.”

“What’s the next step?” the Headsman asked.

“I’ll let you know,” Chen Shang replied with a smile.