Alas, they were both women, and Ling Dang wasn't bad-looking, so why was the feeling they gave off so different?

"Wait for me a moment, I'll go inside and tell them a few things." I left those words behind and turned to go into the shop.

Inside the shop, Ding Kan was already waiting for me. I didn't even need to tell him what had just happened; he had already heard it all.

"Sorry, this young master has something to do and can't watch the place for you." Before I could open my mouth, Ding Kan said it directly.

I rolled my eyes at him and said, "I advise you not to be so presumptuous, alright? Who said I wanted you to watch the place for me? You act like I never left the shop before you came here. The evil spirits in my shop are all masters in their own right and are perfectly capable of protecting themselves, okay?"

Ding Kan lazily snorted and said, "What you say is true, but things are different now. If I, Ding Kan, weren't here to guard the place, you'd probably be afraid to even recognize your own shop when you got back."

"Then tell me, how are things different now? What kind of accident will my shop encounter after I leave today?" Anyway, Shi Tu was already dead. Even if I went quickly, he couldn't be brought back to life, so I wasn't in too much of a hurry. Ding Kan was wasting my time with his nonsense, so I just went along with it.

Ding Kan said, "Are you stupid? Can't you figure it out? Do I have to explain it to you personally?"

"You're the stupid one!"

"Shut up and listen to me first. You're going to investigate Shi Tu's death, right?"

"Right."

"Shi Tu's death isn't simple. Shi Tu's daughter wants to investigate the cause of his death, but it's definitely not just to avenge her father. Her real purpose is to fight for power, right?"

"That's right too. Keep going."

"Power doesn't appear out of thin air. If she wants to fight for power, then someone else is likely to lose it. Do you think the person who loses power will be happy?"

"No." I affirmed Ding Kan's question again.

Ding Kan's train of thought was correct, and I was listening to him seriously now.

"Since the person who might lose power won't be happy, then shouldn't they do something? Shi Tu just died, and if they directly killed Shi Tu's daughter, cutting off his bloodline, it would be too obvious and hard to explain to everyone.

"But they can't just let someone else take the power they have. What do you think they should do?"

I already knew what Ding Kan was going to say, so I continued along with his words, "If they can get ahold of someone Ling Dang cares about and force her to withdraw from this game, that would naturally be the best option. But Ling Dang is a cautious and unfeeling person, and Shi Tu was her last relative. After Shi Tu's death, there's absolutely no one and nothing that can threaten Ling Dang.

"They can't kill Ling Dang, and they can't just leave her alone. In order to protect what they have, those in power can only do everything possible to prevent Ling Dang from investigating Shi Tu's death, thereby blocking her path to seizing power.

"I'm helping Ling Dang investigate the cause of Shi Tu's death. If possible, they would definitely want to kill me directly, but killing me isn't an easy thing to do.

"So, they'll settle for second best, attacking what I must defend, making it impossible for me to continue investigating Shi Tu's death.

"The Corpse Control Sect Leader, who wields great power, will come to attack my shop, but he'll quickly discover that the evil spirits in my shop are not easy to mess with. Dealing with them might even be harder than dealing with me directly. So, they can only choose to give up.

"However, this giving up only applies to attacking the evil spirits in my shop; it doesn't mean giving up on stopping my investigation.

"They'll turn their attention to the other shops on Funeral Street. These old neighbors don't have much skill. With a single order from the Corpse Control Sect Leader, they could flatten this whole street.

"Although the evil spirits in my shop aren't weak, they're subject to all sorts of restrictions. Even if they wanted to help these neighbors, they might not be able to.

"In the end, for the sake of this Funeral Street, I'll have to withdraw from the case I was halfway through investigating."

"That's right. If no one helps protect this street, that's how things will end up. So, what are you going to do?" Ding Kan deliberately threw the question back at me.

I glared at him in frustration. "I'll find someone to watch the place for me, then."

"Who are you going to find?"

"Who would watch my place for free? They're all sharper than anyone when it comes to business. So, tell me what your conditions are. Think carefully before you speak. If you ask for too much, I really won't hire you. I'll just find Hei Ge another dog-keeper."

Ding Kan generously patted me and said, "Look at you, what do you take me for? I, Ding Kan, have always been fair in business. Am I the kind of person who would make outrageous demands? Don't worry, I won't ask for too much. Just give me the eighty thousand that little girl gave you."

I was stunned. "Give you the money?"

"What? Can't I have the money?"

"Are you that short on cash? Didn't you just scam me out of a million?"

"I spent it all."

"Spent it? Spent it all? What did you do with it all? That was a million! You only went out for a day. Did you burn it as spirit money or something?"

"Why do you care so much? Just tell me if you'll give me the eighty thousand or not."

I sighed helplessly and said, "I can't give you all of it. I'll give you forty thousand, take it or leave it. If you don't think it's enough, I'll call Hei Ge right now. Forty thousand can buy a lot of dog meat, you know."

Ding Kan clearly wasn't too happy, but he didn't insist. "Fine, I'm just watching the place anyway. Forty thousand is better than nothing. Now get lost!"

Ding Kan waved his hand at me as if swatting a fly.

I couldn't be bothered to argue with him. I suddenly jumped up, caught him off guard, kicked him, and then quickly slipped out the door and into the car.

"Drive, hurry!"

Ling Dang didn't dare to delay and immediately started the car.

Ding Kan chased after us, patting the dirt off his pants, but how could a person be faster than a car? He could only watch our taillights, hopping and cursing, until even the taillights disappeared. Then, he had no choice but to return to the shop.

Alas, I had taken on a job I didn't want to do. I could only bully Ding Kan to relieve my frustration. 138zw

The car drove towards Corpse Town. On the way, Ling Dang briefly told me about Shi Tu's death.

She had only received the news today. She had instructed the person who discovered the body to guard the scene, not to touch anything, and then, with her head lowered, she had thought for two hours before driving to find me.

"The scene is still preserved as it was. Shopkeeper Wan, you must find out how my father died. I'm begging you."

"Where was the location of death?" I asked.

"In his own room, on the bed. So, they're claiming it was suicide, but I know he wouldn't do something like that. That's why I need you to investigate."