第173章 "Truth's Heavy Burden"

**173. The weight of Truth**

The tavern's patrons held their collective breath as Lin Chao's words hung in the air, his gaze piercing through the haze of smoke and laughter. Old Ghost's eyes seemed to bore into his soul, as if searching for any glimmer of doubt.

"I'm not lying," Lin Chao reiterated, his voice unwavering. "I didn't kill the guild master."

The tavern erupted into chaos, patrons shouting and laughing as they placed bets on whether Lin Chao was telling the truth or not. Old Ghost's face turned crimson with rage, his fist clenched as if he was about to strike.

"You're just trying to deceive us again!" he bellowed, his voice echoing off the stone walls.

Lin Chao remained calm, his eyes never leaving Old Ghost's face. "I'm not deceiving you. I'm telling the truth. And I have proof."

He reached into his pocket and produced a small, intricately carved box. The box itself was ornate, but it was the symbol etched onto its lid that caught everyone's attention. The symbol of the Red Vipers, the guild that Lin Chao had once been a part of.

"This was given to me by the guild master himself," Lin Chao said, his voice low and even. "It's a token of his trust, and it proves that I didn't kill him."

Old Ghost's expression faltered, his eyes darting back and forth as he tried to process the new information. The tavern's patrons, however, were not so easily convinced. They began to murmur among themselves, their voices growing louder as they debated whether Lin Chao was telling the truth or not.

Just as it seemed like the tension was about to boil over, the tavern doors burst open and a figure strode in. It was a woman, her long black hair tied back in a ponytail, her eyes flashing with a fierce intensity.

"Wait, wait, wait," she said, her voice cutting through the noise. "Let's not jump to conclusions just yet. We need to investigate further before we accuse anyone of anything."

The tavern's patrons turned to face her, their faces a mixture of curiosity and skepticism. Lin Chao's eyes narrowed, his mind racing as he wondered who this woman was and what she wanted.

"Who are you?" Old Ghost demanded, his voice cold and hostile.

"My name is Zhang Ling," the woman replied, her eyes never leaving Lin Chao's face. "And I'm the one who's been investigating the guild master's murder. I think I can shed some light on what really happened."

As Zhang Ling spoke, her words dripped with an air of authority, her eyes seeming to bore into Lin Chao's very soul. Lin Chao felt a shiver run down his spine as he realized that Zhang Ling was not just anyone. She was a skilled investigator, and she was about to blow the whole investigation wide open.

And as the tension in the tavern reached a fever pitch, Lin Chao couldn't help but wonder what Zhang Ling had discovered, and what she was going to reveal next.