Simon Moore said, “I know exactly who the important figures are in every sect and faction. Anyone making a living in the French Concession has to greet me first and show me some respect. Are you two just ignorant and fearless? Or are you simply unloved, wandering souls with no one to care for you?”

Logan Reed said, “Third Master, to be honest, we have no ties to any faction.”

“So that means I don’t need to show respect to anyone!” Simon Moore’s voice suddenly turned harsh.

Logan Reed said, “In the French Concession, and even throughout all of Huangpu, Third Master truly doesn’t need to show respect to anyone.”

Simon Moore’s expression suddenly softened again. He handed the spiral tower-shaped pendant to Logan Reed: “Kid, tell me where this came from. Maybe I’ll let you two off the hook!”

Logan Reed already knew that if he didn’t show some real skill tonight, it would be hard to get past Simon Moore. Simon Moore probably wasn’t here just to get his item back; with his status, there was no need for him to come in person for revenge. At this point, he had no choice but to take a gamble. Logan Reed said, “If I’m not mistaken, this thing should be a key. There are some inscriptions along the spiral, which I checked with a magnifying glass—they’re in Manchu. The content engraved is a passage from the ‘Dao De Jing.’”

Simon Moore’s gaze had lost its earlier murderous edge. The young man before him not only had first-rate throwing knife skills, but also keen observation, broad knowledge, and, most impressively, a composure and calmness beyond his years, along with an exceptionally sharp mind.

At this moment, Grace Young quietly approached them. Simon Moore said, “Since you know how important this thing is, and that the owner has some connection to me, why did you dare to take it?” But this question wasn’t directed at Logan Reed.

Blind Jack didn’t dare play dumb. He sighed and said, “Third Master, I was blind and foolish. I thought that chubby guy was an easy mark, but who knew he had you as his powerful backer? If I’d known, I wouldn’t have dared even if I’d been given the courage.”

Grace Young added at just the right moment, “It’s not like you don’t have a chance to make amends.”

Blind Jack said, “We wanted to make it right. We went to the Blue Mill tonight to find a chance to return the item to you, but we didn’t expect to get caught up in the assassination of the military governor.” He lied with a straight face.

But Logan Reed said, “No matter what we say now, Third Master won’t believe us. Fortunately, the item is still here, so we can return it to its rightful owner.”

Simon Moore laughed and said, “Good, I’ll give you a chance. As long as either of you can tell me the origin of this item, I’ll pretend this never happened.”

Logan Reed was moved, but didn’t respond immediately. He knew Simon Moore must have another motive for saying this. He had deliberately avoided mentioning the seal of Prince Rui Yixun just now, worried that revealing too much would make the other side think they knew more than they should. Given Simon Moore’s ruthless methods, it wasn’t impossible he’d kill to keep a secret.

Blind Jack, having been strung up for so long, was eager to escape his predicament. He blurted out, “This thing should be a relic of Prince Rui Yixun. I heard that back in the day, Prince Rui took advantage of the Empress Dowager’s trust to embezzle a lot of silver from the Qing court and hid it away. No one’s ever found it, and this is most likely the key to the treasure vault.”

Logan Reed secretly thought this was bad. Although he had been cautious, he couldn’t control Blind Jack’s mouth. The more he said, the more trouble they might be in. What Blind Jack said was all just their previous speculation; aside from the seal of Prince Rui Yixun, they had no solid evidence. But if by chance they guessed right, it could bring them enormous trouble.

Grace Young frowned, but Simon Moore burst out laughing, his laughter echoing through the church for a long time before finally subsiding.

Blind Jack, probably dizzy from being hung up so long, thought Simon Moore was mocking him and shouted, “I’m just guessing!”

Simon Moore said, “Why do you say that?” He got up and walked toward Blind Jack, blocking Logan Reed’s view and conveniently cutting off any signals Logan Reed might give Blind Jack.

Blind Jack said, “I may not be a disciple of the Golden Point Sect, but I do know a bit about physiognomy. That man was chubby and beardless, didn’t even have an Adam’s apple, spoke in a shrill voice, and acted very effeminately. He was either a eunuch from the palace or a natural-born eunuch.”

Logan Reed quickly coughed twice, trying to warn Blind Jack not to say too much and avoid unnecessary trouble, but Blind Jack completely ignored him and continued, “Clouds follow the dragon, wind follows the tiger—every trade has its own traits. If you pay attention, you can spot the signs. I deliberately brought up the rise and fall of the Qing court to catch his interest, and sure enough, he took the bait and came over to ask about the future of the Manchu dynasty. I seized the chance to take his purse.”

Grace Young couldn’t help but say, “Take? You mean steal!”

Blind Jack replied with an awkward smile, “Maybe that’s how others see it, but for me, it’s a skill passed down from my ancestors, a craft I’ve honed for years.” His thick skin was truly remarkable.

Simon Moore said, “And how did you know this thing was a key, and that it was connected to Prince Rui’s secret treasure vault?”