**Translation:**
---
"Manager Su, I heard that near my foster father's body, some sort of item was found. Was that item left behind by the perpetrator?"
"Yes. It was a carving of a swallow. A swallow made of iron."
"Bring it here, I want to see it."
"Taiya has already kept it. He instructed me not to tell anyone else."
"Thiat-yan... Thiat-yan! There's no mistake, the one who harmed my foster father is Thiat-yan. Manager Su, it must be that woman. You mustn't feel guilty. The perpetrator wouldn't carve the words 'I am the perpetrator' on their forehead, but I want to ask something of you. For a few days, don't leave the house. It doesn't matter where you go, you must be accompanied by several guards. You've seen Thiat-yan with your own eyes; she will likely kill you to silence you."
"Really?" Manager Su jumped in shock.
"Manager Su, remember. You must stay alive as a witness to the crime."
0-0-0
Shocked by the age of Cu Siau-thian, which was roughly the same as Leng Souw-hiang's. Moreover, Cu Siau-thian was someone who mastered martial arts; even though he was old, he still looked mighty and vigorous. At a glance, people would definitely mistake him for being young.
His hands were busy playing with an ivory cigar holder while listening to Tu Liong's story. He said nothing, just sat still like a piece of stone. He seemed calm, and his face looked very serene, even though Tu Liong was narrating a heart-pounding incident.
"Cu Taiya! I haven't seen the people we usually know well. Even the residents of this house are all tight-lipped, as if they don't want to talk about it. Don't you think that's very strange?"
"There's an old saying that disaster arises from the mouth. They are all protecting their own lives; they don't want to spread the news, because if it's spread, they'll get into trouble. This is also a selfish trait that humans possess...." said Cu Siau-thian while holding his cigar and bringing it to his mouth. The sound of a deeply inhaled cigar could be heard. After that, he continued his words: "Tu Liong, this time it seems you've gone in vain."
"I'm not in vain; you could say I went and returned with the most important information. The perpetrator is a woman; she is a very young lady."
"Are you sure?" His thick eyebrows slightly lifted.
"There's no mistake," Tu Liong's voice sounded very confident. "Cu Taiya, I want to ask something."
"About what?"
"According to Leng Taiya, you are the fifth target the perpetrator will visit...."
"Tu Liong," Cu Siau-thian raised his head; now his long-gone authority had disappeared, "no matter what, I still feel happy; I have no descendants, and you are an orphan. Although we have never been really close, I have considered you my own child...."
"Cu Taiya! I am very touched."
"In your presence, I have no secrets; I don't want to keep any secrets.... I, Leng Souw-hiang, Hui Ci-hong, Tan Po-hai, and there's also Oey Souw, the five of us once worked together to harm someone. Now the time for revenge has arrived."
"Cu Taiya! You....?"
"Listen to my words. People in the martial world are all fierce and cruel. This is a difficult situation to avoid. However, I, Cu Siau-thian, have a little...?", I don't want to use my authority as an official to face that person...." Now I also feel that at that time I really went too far. Huh! If I regret it now, is there any use?"
"Cu Taiya, you must be guessing too much. Maybe...."
"I, Cu Siau-thian, have wandered the martial world for decades, and now I've become someone. I must be brave to admit the mistakes I've made. At that time, Tiat Liong-san..."
"Who is Tiat Liong-san?"
"Tiat Liong-san was a young man from the Han tribe,..." at that time, I was also a reckless young man. He always didn't get along with me, eventually, he moved away to the city. Then I collaborated with Leng Souw-hiang to harm him."
"Why didn't you uproot the problem at that time?"
"It's not that I didn't want to; I just didn't expect Tiat Liong-san had arranged everything from the beginning. It seems he knew that he didn't...., then he sought me and people from his past..." since then, I have been waiting every day. Waiting for Tiat Liong-san's descendants to come to take revenge. Hmm! It seems the awaited time has finally arrived."
"How can you be so sure about this?"
"Look! What is this?" Cu Siau-thian took a black item from his pocket, "this is a Swallow made of iron. Thiat-yan, a young woman. The four incidents that happened today, the perpetrator of all these must be Tiat Liong-san's daughter."
"Where did you get this item?"
"I found it earlier when I was lying down relaxing. Besides, there was also a letter."
"A letter?" Cu Siau-thian handed the letter he found to Tu Liong and told him to read it. On the letter, only the writing was visible...
"Waiting ten years, today will be accounted for... only then... kill... suspect."
Tu Liong said nothing; he also didn't feel the need to say anything. What Cu Taiya said was not wrong. Now the time for revenge has arrived.
Cu Siau-thian sat there silently; from his facial expression, it was clear that he felt hopeless. He had roamed the martial world for decades. He had encountered many brutal murder events and met not a few criminals. In his memory, he had never met anyone who could match the cruelty carried out by Thiat-yan.
Murders usually occur due to uncontrolled emotional outbursts. However, this young lady would kill to take revenge; she was very aware and with a cold head. If her heart wasn't as cold as iron, her movements couldn't be that cruel. With this consideration, doesn't this already make Miss Thiat-yan a terrifying murderer?
To face such an enemy, what strategy will Cu Siau-thian make?
"Cu Taiya!" after being silent for a long time, Tu Liong finally asked him, "can she come and go so easily with such tight security? Are we unable to stop her?"
"Tu Liong, she has already given a warning. Not just anyone can easily penetrate the security and deliver such a warning..."
"She could leave the warning letter beside your pillow when you were sleeping. Why didn't she take advantage of the opportunity and kill you immediately? What else is she waiting for?"
"Maybe she wants me to feel how scary it is to be a murder target."
"I have a different view."
"Oh really?" Cu Siau-thian's spirit slightly increased.
"Maybe Thiat-yan has already used someone inside the house. The purpose of leaving this letter is to break your spirit. When you are defenseless against her, she will easily kill you."
At first, Cu Siau-thian's eyes shone very brightly. He hoped to hear a plausible possibility. However, hearing this theory, his eyes dimmed again. Finally, he shook his head wholeheartedly and said, "Impossible."
"Don't be too confident!"
"The people who serve me are warriors who have fought alongside me for years. They are all willing to die for me. How could there be a traitor among them?"
"Don't forget that in this world there are still many more attractive things. When these things appear before your eyes, loyalty and good reputation can be forgotten."
"What are those things?"
"Wealth and beauty."
"Wealth and beauty?"
"Perhaps you were once influenced by these two things."
Cu Siau-thian said nothing.
"Cu Taiya! I have a request!"
"Say it."
"From now on, I want to ask you not to go outside my surveillance. First, I must immediately find this traitor. I will eliminate them. Then I will take action to select some people to form very strong security. Once I no longer have any worries, I will go out. I will find Thiat-yan and bring her to justice."
Cu Siau-thian laughed. Although his laughter seemed forced, laughter is a difficult thing to achieve.
"Do you think I am unable to do it?"
"I laughed because I'm happy to have someone so loyal by my side and trying to calm me down. At the same time, I'm also laughing at you for being foolish because all your guesses and theories are wrong."
"Wrong?"
"Exactly, all wrong. Wealth and beauty can indeed make someone infatuated. But those things can't possibly make the people around me lose their minds. Thiat-yan's ornament, that letter, they were all placed by my pillow by Thiat-yan. She indeed had the opportunity to kill me directly, but she deliberately didn't use that opportunity."
"Why?"
"Because she is still looking for something."
Now the topic of conversation shifted. Tu Liong then began listing the warriors tasked with guarding the house. Cu Siau-thian listened carefully. In fact, he didn't fully trust them either. Even now, when talking to Tu Liong whom he trusted, he didn't want to reveal all the information he knew.
---
**
Glossary:**
- **Taiya**: A title of respect for an elder or superior.
- **Thiat-yan**: A character's name, possibly with significance in the storyline.
- **Tiat Liong-san**: A character's name, possibly a historical or significant figure in the story.
- **Persilatan**: Referring to the martial world or the realm of martial arts practitioners.