The Return Of The God Level Assassin

1196  YUNYUE VS FENGHUANG (XXXI)

SHEN JI YUN couldnʼt help but agree. They had all been given only a basic background for their roles, leaving plenty of gaps to fill. Just look at him—he hadnʼt even known his character was having an affair with Mrs. Winslow.

He didnʼt respond to what Luo Jin said and simply sent a message on their team channel.

YUN: [Did Holmes share any plans with you, Yan Yan?]

Noctis: [He found the situation intriguing. I told him that Jack the Ripper is our prime suspect, and he agreed. Apparently, the main reason heʼs on the Orient Express is that he was following a lead—one that suggested the Ripper had boarded the train. He didnʼt share many details yet, but itʼs clear heʼs been investigating this long before we got involved. That means he might already have crucial information we donʼt.] Noctis: [Even though weʼve pretty much established that heʼs Holmes, I still want to be completely certain. Itʼs better to be safe than to blindly walk into a potential trap set by team Fenghuang. So, Brother Ji Yun, can you come to the observation deck and, I donʼt know, test him? Ask him about his life—see if he slips up or if anything feels off.]

Shen Ji Yun read the message and responded without hesitation. Yun: [On my way.]

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Reading Shen Ji Yunʼs message, Luo Yan felt a slight sense of relief. While all signs pointed to them having found the real Sherlock Holmes, a lingering doubt remained. Just as he had mentioned in the team channel, there was always the possibility that this was another elaborate trap set by team Fenghuang. He had already revealed too much—probably too late to second-guess himself now—yet a sliver of doubt still lingered in his mind.

If only the game had displayed a prompt confirming that they had found Holmes—then he wouldnʼt be second-guessing himself right now. But what if the reason there was no prompt was that this man wasnʼt Holmes at all? Then again, the game had only shown a prompt when they first arrived here. After that, there had been nothing—not even a notification when someone was killed.

This was different from the first two matches. Back then, notifications only appeared when a team member died—so maybe that was the reason? Besides, this match was more focused on role-playing and mystery solving, making it completely different from the previous ones.

Luo Yan glanced at Holmes, who appeared to be deep in thought. His sharp eyes were slightly narrowed, and his fingers tapped idly against the armrest of his chair, as if piecing together a puzzle only he could see. The brief amusement from earlier had faded, replaced by a look of deep concentration, as if he were carefully piecing together a complex puzzle.

”Have you discovered something, Mr. Holmes?”

Holmes cast a keen glance at him. ”Quite possibly.” Then, without warning, he rose to his feet. ”I believe it is time I took my leave.”

”Please wait, sir,” Luo Yan said, rising to his feet in an attempt to stop him. ”Would you mind staying a little longer for my guardian? Heʼll be here shortly. In fact, he was the one who orchestrated our meeting today and the first to suspect that you might be the legendary detective. I believe speaking with him could provide you with valuable information.”

Sherlock Holmes arched a brow. ”Surely, you donʼt mean the train attendant?”

Before Luo Yan could respond, the door to the observation deck swung open and Shen Ji Yun stepped inside. His gaze swept over the room before settling on Holmes. ”I assure you, dear sir, I am not a train attendant,” he said smoothly, his tone carrying just the right mix of politeness and confidence.

He walked forward with measured strides, stopping directly in front of Holmes. Then he executed a gentlemanly bow, the kind befitting the era they were playing in.

”It is a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance, Mr. Holmes.”

Interest flashed in Holmesʼ eyes as he observed Shen Ji Yun. His gaze lingered for a moment, as if quietly sizing him up, before settling into a look of mild curiosity.

Then, with a slight tilt of his head and a hint of dry amusement in his voice, he said, ”Surely, the pleasure should be all mine, Your Grace.”

Luo Yan wasnʼt the least bit surprised that Holmes knew who Shen Ji Yun was. If he truly was Sherlock Holmes, it was only natural that he would be aware of all the important figures aboard the train. What concerned Luo Yan, however, was how he would react.

”I must thank you for taking the time to speak with my daughter, Mr. Holmes,” Shen Ji Yun said. ”It seems she has already shared quite a bit with you.”

”Thereʼs no need for thanks, Your Grace,” Holmes said, glancing at him with mild amusement. ”Though I must admit, I am quite curious—how is it that you seem so aware of our conversation? Surely, you donʼt possess some sort of telepathic bond? Or perhaps Your Grace was standing behind the door, listening in?”

Shen Ji Yun let out a laugh. To Luo Yan, it sounded fake, but to anyone else, it would easily pass as the kind of laugh one gives when genuinely amused.

”Iʼm afraid I must disappoint you, Mr. Holmes—we donʼt possess the ability to communicate through our minds,” Shen Ji Yun said with a wry smile. ”However, I must apologize for eavesdropping. Hardly befitting of a noble such as myself, I know, but I couldnʼt leave my daughter alone here when we had yet to confirm your identity.”

Of course, that wasnʼt entirely true. In reality, it was Su Yuqi who was nearby, keeping watch to ensure no other passengers accidentally wandered into the observation deck.

Shen Ji Yun gestured to the table beside them and said, ”Shall we sit and continue this conversation?”

Holmes studied Shen Ji Yun for a moment, then let out a quiet hum. He moved to take a seat with an air of casual ease, as if indulging a minor curiosity. ”Very well.”