Ling Feng spoke, her voice steady yet heavy with the weight of the past months.
"Three months ago, my mother was poisoned. It was not an accident. My father's first wife, driven by envy and ambition, orchestrated it. She had always resented my mother's influence, the respect she commanded, and my own place as her daughter. Even as a child, I remember glimpses of whispered arguments, subtle manipulations, and the replacement of loyal servants with her own spies. My mother tried to shield me, but the forces against us were cunning and relentless."
She paused, her gaze distant for a moment, then continued, "The poison was rare, almost undetectable. My mother fell ill suddenly, and even the most skilled physicians could not save her. Every step of her final days was shadowed by deceit—disguised medicines, altered instructions, and false reassurances. By the time the truth dawned on me, it was too late. The house was filled with spies loyal to my stepmother, and no one trusted me, the third wife's daughter. Only a few attendants remained faithful, but even they could not prevent the inevitable."
As she spoke, Ye Tian remained calm, listening intently. A system window appeared before him:
[System Activated]
Subject: Ling Feng
Potential: Excellent
Intellect: High
Loyalty Alignment: Neutral
Affection Potential: High
Family Influence: Considerable
Ye Tian's eyes narrowed, processing the information. "And how did she manage to hide her tracks so effectively within her own household?" he asked, his tone calm yet probing.
Ling Feng replied, "She had long prepared. Key servants were loyal only to her. She created diversions, planted false evidence, and ensured my mother's warnings were ignored. I… I could do nothing but watch, gathering fragments in secret."
Another system notification appeared:
[Observation Activated]
Emotional State: Focused/Determined
Trust Level: Medium
Combat Potential: Untapped
Ye Tian nodded once. "Did anyone else in the household suspect her? Any allies at all?"
"Very few," Ling Feng admitted. "Those I could rely on were silenced or threatened. My mother's friends were dismissed, and anyone loyal to her stepmother controlled what information reached my father. It was… meticulously executed."
The system chimed again:
[Analysis Activated]
Situation Complexity: High
Probability of Resolution by Ye Tian: Excellent
Action Recommendation: Investigate and Neutralize
Ye Tian's gaze sharpened. "Do you know her current whereabouts? Are there others who aided her in this?"
Ling Feng met his eyes without flinching. "I have my suspicions. Certain servants and distant relatives were complicit, but I have no confirmation. I need someone who can see the entire network, someone with the vision to connect all the threads. That is why I came to you."
Ye Tian leaned back slightly, letting the weight of her story sink in. "I understand. You've given me everything you know. I will uncover the truth. Justice will be served."
Ling Feng allowed herself a faint sigh of relief. Around them, the tavern continued quietly, oblivious to the storm of secrets and schemes being unraveled in this small corner.