Chapter 104: The Scripted Murder

All five of them instantly grasped the essence of it.

After about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the five of them slowly emerged. Some were still intoxicated by the storyline of the script.

Previously, when reading these manuscripts, although they were somewhat interested in the little tales within, actually experiencing them brought about a stranger sensation.

“Do you think others would be willing to try this out?” Han Qing asked calmly.

“There will definitely be some,” came the response.

This could then serve as a new project launched by the guesthouse — Scripted Roleplay Murder Mysteries.

“I suppose you’ve been informed that the mining experience program is being discontinued. But having guests come here without any other recreational activities would certainly be our failure,” he explained slowly.

Most of the group understood immediately, and a number of employees were trained to quickly explain the concept to customers, thus encouraging more people to participate in the Scripted Roleplay Murder Mystery industry.

“Oh, why are you still fiddling with that copper piece you dug up last time?”

“You probably don’t realize that not everyone can find one like that.”

“Then maybe I should try tomorrow?”

“No chance.”

The two chatted casually.

Most of these people were children of officials, idle in their daily lives, spending their time drinking and enjoying the flowers. A new form of entertainment was a rare delight, so naturally, they would recommend it to each other.

But just as they were getting interested, the enthusiasm suddenly faded, leaving them clearly unsatisfied.

“I heard there’s a new project called Scripted Roleplay Murder Mystery?”

“What’s that about?”

“It’s where each person plays a character from a manuscript, experiencing their emotions and subsequent events…”

It was hard to explain clearly; one had to experience it firsthand to understand.

These few young noblemen went straight to the guesthouse.

The local manager was especially warm.

“Honored guests have arrived. Here are several new scripts we've just launched. See if any catch your eye?”

They flipped through a few pages.

In the end, they chose one resembling a cultivation story that also traversed the mortal world.

They found it intriguing and were happy to immerse themselves in it.

On just the first day, many guests responded enthusiastically.

Its novelty attracted a lot of attention.

With this wave, the guesthouse business once again soared to new heights.

Not only were other managers confused, even Master Zhu, who had traveled the vast worlds for years, admitted never having seen such a project.

It was uniquely appealing and made people willing to spend their silver.

“Surely no one will continue to develop the Scripted Roleplay Murder Mystery, right?”

“If they want to imitate it, let them. After all, all these manuscripts were written by me. Whether the Nan Zhou family has the capability is another matter.”

He said this casually.

Previously, he had resisted because the mining experience project yielded higher profits.

But some people’s greed had gone too far, making things difficult for others.

Though other merchants envied the Scripted Roleplay Murder Mystery, no one dared to copy it.

They inwardly admired it deeply.

Yet the quiet days did not last long.

News came that the copper mine in Blue City had encountered problems.

A few days ago, the official Wang, who came to take over the copper mine, mysteriously vanished.

This startled Chen Tianwei.

How could a court-appointed official disappear like this?

Was this not pushing them into a dead end?

“I suppose you’ve heard — the inspector Wang went to inspect the copper mine yesterday and didn’t return even by night,” Chen Tianwei said anxiously.

Many people had already been dispatched to search, but to no avail.

They deliberately kept the matter under wraps, not wanting anyone in Luo Capital to know.

If it leaked, the official’s position would surely be lost.

“So what do you want from me?” Han Qing asked suspiciously.

Since the official was already missing, they should just send more people to search. What use was coming to him?

“The issue is, some say the copper mine was taken over by your side, so you might share some responsibility.”

Oh?

It turned out that Old Master Zhou had been feigning indifference while pulling strings behind the scenes.

It was ruthless indeed.

A court official had disappeared without a trace.

If the higher-ups blamed anyone, Han Qing would bear the brunt.

Not to mention, other businesses in Blue City would be implicated.

“You can check all my shops. If you find the person you want here, I will accept it without complaint,” Han Qing said calmly.

He had no desire to wade into this mess; these people clearly had a prepared plan.

If profit was to be made, they would surely try to grab some of it.

The problem was glaringly obvious.

“No, I know the person isn’t with you. I need your help,” Chen Tianwei shook his head.

He wasn’t blindly trusting gossip; the earlier pretense was just an excuse.

His main hope was that Han Qing would lend a hand.

“The person is missing, and I’m not with the police. How do you expect me to find them?” Han Qing shot a cold glance.

Was this man incredibly foolish?

“No, you must have a way.”

Huh?

Being asked to find someone for no reason, Han Qing shook his head.

He absolutely would not accept such a thorny task, especially since it offered him no benefit.

But he hadn’t anticipated how quickly the news spread.

Some common folk didn’t even know who this official was.

But hearing he was connected to the copper mine, rumors began to circulate, growing wilder by the day.

“They say the official sent from Luo Capital disappeared mysteriously, and it’s probably Han Qing’s doing. Their guesthouse business used to be the mining project, and now someone’s stirring things up to cut off their income.”

“I thought it was just hearsay, but now that you put it that way, I’m convinced they did it.”

This crowd indiscriminately threw dirt on them.

Some even went as far as causing trouble at the hotpot restaurant.

As the name implies, they demanded the guesthouse hand over the court official.