As the sun went down, a scary sight unfolded in the palace yard. There was a raised wooden stage in the middle where some royal guards were tied up tight. They looked really scared. Torches around the stage made weird shadows on the walls. The air smelled like wood burning and something sharp. The guards' faces showed they knew what was coming.
People with serious faces stood nearby, ready to do what the queen ordered. Some guards prayed quietly, asking for help. The scene was sad and scary, a reminder that those in charge can be really harsh.
Inside the dark and gloomy Yu City prison, Fang Duobing couldn't sit still. The air was thick with tension, and the dim light barely reached the corners. They were treated like criminals without a chance to prove their innocence. The thought of facing the queen's harsh orders weighed heavily on Fang Duobing's mind, and he felt restless, his heart pounding with worry for their fate.
"What the hell is going on? Why are we captured?" Fang Duobing's voice echoed through the prison, frustration dripping from every word. But the guards remained stoic, ignoring his protests.
"Stop shouting, don't make noise," Li Lianhua advised, his tone calm in contrast to Fang Duobing's agitation.
Fang Duobing scoffed, "What are we supposed to do then? Wait for death?" He settled back against the cold stone wall with a frustrated sigh.
As the others slept, Fang Duobing overheard the guards whispering about orders from the Queen of Yu City to burn all those who had been responsible for the princess's security. The news jolted him awake, determination flashing in his eyes.
"I won't let this happen," Fang Duobing declared, his voice resolute as he summoned his spiritual powers. With a swift strike, he incapacitated the guards, but the key to their freedom remained just out of reach. In a stroke of luck, a twig passed by his hands, snatching up the key.
Fang Duobing turned around to see who was holding the twig, and to his surprise, it was Li Lianhua. The corners of Lianhua's lips curled into a mischievous smirk as he taunted, "Sometimes you need to use your brain alongside your powers, Detective Duobing."
Fang Duobing shot a glare at Li Lianhua, his frustration simmering just beneath the surface. "I don't need your advice. Just stay put and don't make things worse."
Li Lianhua's lips curled into a knowing smirk. "Ah, but it seems I'm always one step ahead of you, Detective Duobing."
Fang Duobing rolled his eyes and ignored the jibe, focusing on the task at hand. With careful precision, he unlocked the door and slipped out into the corridor, leaving Li Lianhua behind.
Alone in the darkness of his cell, Li Lianhua watched Fang Duobing's retreating figure with a mixture of amusement and intrigue. "Let's see how this unfolds," he muttered to himself, his mind already whirling with plans and possibilities.
Fang Duobing hurried over to where the guards were tied up. With a swift motion, he summoned his magical knives, twelve in all, and they sliced through the ropes holding the guards captive. It was like the knots just untied themselves. The guards, freed from their binds, begged for mercy as the queen stormed out, furious. "Who set them free?" she demanded, her voice echoing through the courtyard.
"I released them." Fang Duobing emerged from the dark, "This is not correct. They are being killed without evidence and as a detective I won't allow it."
"I don't want any introduction. You deserve to die for intervening. Kill him!" she ordered, and the guards lunged at him with their swords.
As the sword fighting intensified and the guards grew frustrated with their inability to defeat Duobing, the Queen threw a poisonous needle aimed directly at Fang Duobing. Unnoticed by Duobing, the needle was about to pierce his skin when suddenly Li Lianhua intervened, using a wooden log to capture it just in time.
"This is not how the royals fight," he taunted, but suddenly a knife pierced him from behind, and as he was under the thread spell the pain shifted to Duobing who fell hard on the ground wincing in pain.
"I told you to stay in the prison," Fang Duobing winced in pain as he held his back.
"I did not know these guards would attack from the back," Lianhua replied, concern evident in his voice.
The guards were about to attack again when Duobing's assistant intervened, attempting to fend them off. However, their efforts were in vain, and soon they were all captured, kneeling in front of the queen.
"Kill all of them," the queen ordered, her voice firm and unwavering. Just then, Duobing's assistants appeared and kneeled before her.
"Madam Yu, this must be the doing of this fake doctor, Li Lianhua," one of the assistants exclaimed, pointing an accusatory finger at Lianhua.
The queen, already eager to find the culprit and deliver justice swiftly, turned her attention to Lianhua and ordered her guards to capture him and bring him to the hall, while the others were to be taken back to the prison.
Worried that the queen might execute Li Lianhua without investigating further, Fang Duobing stepped forward and introduced himself.
"Your Majesty, I am Fang Duobing, a detective from Baichun Academy," he began respectfully. "I request permission to solve this case and capture the real culprit. If I fail to do so within two days, I will offer myself to you and accept whatever punishment you deem fit."
The queen regarded him with a mix of curiosity and skepticism. "And why should I trust you to solve this case?" she inquired, her voice tinged with suspicion.
"Because I am confident in my abilities, Your Majesty," Fang Duobing replied earnestly. "I assure you, I will leave no stone unturned in uncovering the truth."
Meanwhile, Li Lianhua observed the exchange with a mixture of amusement and disbelief. "Such audacity," he muttered under his breath, shaking his head.
The queen, intrigued by Fang Duobing's confidence, considered his proposal for a moment before finally agreeing. "Very well," she said, her tone firm. "You have two days. Fail, and you will face the consequences."
With that, the queen departed, leaving Fang Duobing and Li Lianhua to begin their investigation. As they watched her leave, the gravity of their situation sank in, accompanied by the queen's chilling warning: "I won't spare just one of you. I'll burn you both alive."
As they both started the investigation Fang Duobing's gaze fell on Lianhua's injury and he ordered his assistants to dress his wound but then realized they were not around.
"There is no need." Li Lianhua insisted but as Duobing was kind hearted he kept a stern expression on his face and asked the guards if there was any physician around to which they guided them to a room.
In a moment of urgency, Fang Duobing turned to Li Lianhua, noticing the absence of the physician. "Looks like I'll have to take matters into our own hands. Lianhua, I need you to remove your robe," he said, his tone brisk and businesslike.
Lianhua raised an eyebrow incredulously. "What are you thinking?" he asked, a hint of amusement coloring his voice.
Duobing rolled his eyes, exasperated. "Shut up and stop your wild thinking," he retorted. "You being injured will only slow me down. Hurry up!"
With a resigned sigh, Lianhua complied, albeit with a playful grin. As Duobing busied himself with tending to the wound, carefully tended to Li Lianhua's wound, he couldn't help but notice the other man's slight frame. "You're so thin," he remarked, unable to suppress a chuckle.
Lianhua shot him a playful glare, though there was a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Hey, I'll have you know that I'm perfectly healthy," he protested, though his tone was tinged with laughter.
Duobing grinned mischievously, his fingers still working deftly as he replied, "Healthy, maybe. But if a gust of wind comes along, I'm afraid you might blow away."
Lianhua rolled his eyes, though a fond smile played on his lips. "Thanks for the vote of confidence," he quipped, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
Li Lianhua sat perched on a wooden stool, his face contorted in discomfort as Fang Duobing carefully tended to a wound on his arm.
"Ouch, Damn this spell!!" Duobing winced as he dabbed at the injury with a strip of cloth soaked in antiseptic.
Li Lianhua chuckled softly, his fingers moving with practiced precision. "You're such a baby when it comes to pain," he teased, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
Their banter filled the air, punctuated by the occasional hiss of pain from Li Lianhua as Fang Duobing applied a bit too much pressure. But despite the discomfort, there was an undeniable warmth between them, a bond forged through shared trials and triumphs.
As Duobing finished dressing the wound, he leaned back with a satisfied smile. "There, all done," he declared, admiring his handiwork.
"Thanks," he said, his voice soft with gratitude.
Their eyes met in a moment of unspoken understanding, a silent acknowledgment of the trust and affection that had grown between them. Fang Duobing felt a flutter in his chest, his heart skipping a beat as he gazed into Li Lianhua's eyes.
However, he quickly composed himself, his usual stern expression returning to his face as he spoke. "Let's solve this case fast," he said, his tone firm and resolute, concealing the unexpected stirrings in his heart.
To be continued...