Gao Wu: My setting is above yours.

Chapter 24: Criminal Investigation Team Investigates, Competition Suspended!

Stepping inside Zuixiao Tower, one can finally glimpse its true interior, a scene of ancient elegance and grandeur, far more luxurious and refined than it appears from the outside.

The carved beams and painted rafters are supposed to be elegant and ancient, but the people inside have ruined this beautiful scene.

There was not a trace of elegance or leisure; instead, a crude and violent atmosphere permeated the air.

It's a chaotic place, rife with hostility, a veritable gray area hidden within a magnificent building.

The further Xia Ming went in, the more certain he became.

If you arrest anyone, they'll probably all have a criminal record.

But we can't afford to waste time today, so let's get down to business first.

After all, news of his intrusion into Zuixiao Tower should spread very quickly.

The first floor here is mostly for show, a place to drink and have tea, surrounded by beautiful women.

The main scenes are all on the second floor and above.

However, Xia Ming did not intend to go upstairs; he decided to go down to the basement.

An underground fighting gym.

It can be considered a comprehensive casino.

The main activities are boxing and gambling.

It is divided into two areas.

One area consists of traditional gambling activities.

Playing cards, dice, and the like.

However, there weren't many people.

There is no other reason.

As the number of martial artists has increased, some people's cheating methods have become increasingly difficult to guard against.

Without even needing to cheat, one can accurately discern the number on the dice simply by listening to them.

This is just the basics for everyone.

So it's basically people who know each other who get together to play.

On the other side, in a bustling area, is the fight gym.

The boxers in the arena were fighting bloody inside the bulletproof glass enclosure, which resembled an octagonal cage, while people outside watched and placed bets.

Compared to traditional gambling areas, boxing is relatively fairer.

Moreover, this is also the hallmark of Zuixiaolou, and so far there has been no news of match-fixing.

The appearance of Xia Ming and his group made passersby rub their eyes in surprise.

"What's going on? Why are the police here?"

"Yeah, I've been here for six months and haven't seen a single police officer. What's going on here? Is this some kind of role-playing game?"

Xia Ming ignored the surrounding noise and activated [True Sight].

His gaze pierced through all obstructions, ignoring all illusions.

Fifth-tier martial artist, ninth-tier martial artist, early Yellow tier...

"But he has no hidden weapons or throwing knives on him, and his qi and blood are weak; it's unlikely anyone could deliver a fatal blow from forty meters away."

Xia Ming quickly searched the surrounding area.

He simply kept a silent memory of some of the contraband that were commonplace in casinos.

There's no rush to deal with it now.

Just then, Xiao Chi leaned closer and whispered, "Be careful, I've already spotted at least six wanted criminals. Take it slow."

Xia Ming nodded in response.

Then he looked at the wanted criminals that Xiao Chi had mentioned.

At first glance, they don't look very alike.

Some people look extremely honest, while others look like school teachers.

Under the observation of the [Eye of True Sight], one's cultivation level is completely revealed.

They were all martial artists of the seventh rank or above.

They've already mastered the ability to project their internal energy outwards; they're considered experts.

Just as Xia Ming was secretly observing the movements of these wanted criminals, the boxing ring in the center of Zuixiao Tower suddenly lit up with blinding lights, illuminating the entire surface as if it were daytime. The originally noisy casino was instantly silenced by a rough, piercing shout:

"Bosses, the wait is over! The new round of the competition is now underway!"

The speaker was the host next to the boxing ring, dressed in a floral outfit, with a fawning yet fierce smile on his face, holding a tin microphone in his hand, his voice echoing throughout every corner of the gym.

He jumped onto the stage using the steps at the edge of the platform, patted the solid wood boxing ring beneath him, and the wooden planks made a dull "thump-thump" sound, making the atmosphere even more restless.

"The first one to appear is none other than our Zuixiaolou's veteran ruthless character—Iron Palm Zhou Hu!"

The host deliberately dragged out his words, pointing to the passageway to the left of the boxing ring, "A ninth-level martial artist, his Iron Sand Palm technique is honed to perfection. He once shattered a third-level refined iron shield, and in the last match, he even crippled his opponent's dantian with a single move! Let's welcome Zhou Hu with applause!"

As soon as he finished speaking, heavy footsteps echoed through the passage, and a burly man with a bare upper body slowly walked out.

He was a burly man with grotesque knife scars on his arms and a black tiger tattoo on his chest. With each step he took, the ground seemed to tremble slightly.

With his hands clenched into fists, his knuckles turning bluish-purple, he walked to the center of the boxing ring, exuding a rough and aggressive aura.

Then he suddenly punched the prepared stone bricks on the side, and with a "bang", the stone bricks were cut in half, and the crowd below the stage immediately erupted in cheers.

"Come on, keep going and crush them!"

"Zhou Hu!"

"I'll bet on Zhou Hu and take down my opponent in one minute!"

"Be careful, your opponent seems to be at a higher level than Zhou Hu."

"It's alright, that slight difference in cultivation level is nothing compared to the advantage in physique."

After the cheers subsided slightly, the host shouted again at the top of his lungs:

"Next up is our new king of the field—Shadow Blade Lin Feng!"

Despite his young age, he is a genuine early-stage Yellow Rank martial artist, possessing lightning-fast punches and a knack for surprise attacks. He once single-handedly took down three eighth-rank martial artists!

Before the words were finished, a slender young man emerged from the passage on the right. He was dressed in a black outfit, had a cold and stern face, and wisps of hair on his forehead covered half of his eyes.

He moved with light steps, leaping onto the stage in a few strides. Without any extra movements, he simply stood quietly on the other side of the boxing ring, staring coldly at Zhou Hu opposite him, exuding a sense of aloofness that kept strangers at bay.

The reactions from the audience instantly polarized. Some mocked the newcomer for being arrogant and ignorant, while others were attracted by Lin Feng's aura and significantly increased their bets on him.

Seeing this, the host laughed even harder: "One is a seasoned veteran, the other a rising challenger! A duel between martial artists of different levels, every punch landing hard, a fight to the death! Now, the betting pool opens, place your bets!"

As he shouted, the commotion below the stage reached its peak once again, and the gamblers' roars pushed the violence and chaos of Zuixiaolou to a climax.

Meanwhile, at the entrance passage on the basement level, Xia Ming stared intently at the young man named Lin Feng.

"It's him!"

Within the vision of the [Eye of True Sight], Lin Feng's cultivation level was laid bare.

You can also view the attributes and characteristics of its true energy.

Xia Ming took out the transparent sealed bag containing the murder weapon again.

That wisp of true energy was even thinner, but it was still detected by the Eye of True Sight.

"That's right, the color, the texture, and every tiny energy point are all the same."

"They're from the same person!"

In the past few hours, Xia Ming has used the Eye of True Sight to see quite a few people.

The amount of energy in each person's body is different.

This also convinced Xia Ming that everyone's true qi, internal strength, and so on are unique.

Now, Xia Ming has finally found the murderer.

Although there is no evidence yet.

But Xia Ming doesn't need evidence now; he only wants results.

As for the process, there are plenty of ways to bring it back.

He kicked off and leaped several meters, landing on the sound control panel!

The pause button has been pressed!

The audience members in the audience didn't realize it at first, since the loudest noise came from themselves.

Ignoring the stunned expressions of the staff around him, Xia Ming grabbed a microphone and said:

"Detective team is on duty. Boxing match is suspended. Everyone, please remain quiet!"

As soon as he said this, everyone's eyes were on Xia Ming.

Although he had already revealed his identity, everyone seemed to be forced to stop.

His expression was displeased and he was extremely dissatisfied.

Sharp, vulgar insults followed.

"Bang!"

A bullet was aimed at Xia Ming's head.