chapter 41

After reading all the case files.

Many of the speculations that Seventh Master and I had before now need to be overturned.

For example, Lv Zhengxian and Li Xiumei’s initial crime was done for money-they were hired by someone, and this person who hired them was actually the first perpetrator of the ‘Seven Deaths for Life Exchange’ case.

Lv Zhengxian and Li Xiumei took the job for the sake of Li Xiumei’s Brother, who was gravely ill and had no money for treatment.

This was the first Seven Deaths for Life Exchange. In the end, it’s unclear who benefited-perhaps the first perpetrator, or someone close to him.

Later, Lv Zhengxian and Li Xiumei fled to Lanjiang City. That same year, another Seven Deaths for Life Exchange case occurred in Lanjiang City, and from then on, Lv Zhengxian became Du Ruhai, establishing himself as a dominant figure in Lanjiang City.

This suggests that the second Seven Deaths for Life Exchange was very likely carried out by Lv Zhengxian as well, for the purpose of Soul Seizure-taking over the real Du Ruhai.

But the Seven Deaths for Life Exchange is an evil art that very few people know about, and it’s extremely difficult to perform.

The first perpetrator may have mastered this art, but he couldn’t kill people himself, so he hired Lv Zhengxian.

But if Lv Zhengxian was just a hired killer, merely a tool for murder, how could he know the specific process and operation of the Seven Deaths for Life Exchange, and then go on to perform a second one in Lanjiang City, successfully carrying out Soul Seizure on Du Ruhai?

I’m thinking, unless the first perpetrator taught the entire evil art to Lv Zhengxian.

So the relationship between the first perpetrator and Lv Zhengxian might not be so simple.

This just happens to reveal another person’s identity.

It’s the person who came to sabotage our Soul Summoning that night.

At the time, I thought that person was sent by Lv Zhengxian to prevent Li Xiumei’s Ghost from leaking secrets.

But Seventh Master said that person might not have been sent by Lv Zhengxian, but he had some connection to Lv Zhengxian and Li Xiumei-perhaps he was implicated in the case.

Back then, we didn’t know so much, and could only speculate.

But now, that person’s identity can already overlap with the first perpetrator.

So another question arises.

Since that person that night was the first perpetrator of the Seven Deaths for Life Exchange fifteen years ago, why did he help me escape from the villa last night?

Does he not want me to be caught? Has something happened between him and Lv Zhengxian?

If he hadn’t helped me last night, I would definitely have been caught by those security guards.

“I think I might need to go to the hometown of Li Xiumei and Lv Zhengxian.”

I shared my thoughts with Song Xiaotian, seeking his opinion.

Song Xiaotian looked at me, “You want to go to their hometown to find out who hired Lv Zhengxian and Li Xiumei back then?”

I nodded, “At the very least, Li Xiumei’s family might have met the employer. It was the employer who gave Li Xiumei’s family ninety thousand yuan, so Li Xiumei’s Brother could get treatment.”

Song Xiaotian tapped the table and laughed, “If you could find out who the employer was just by doing that, the investigators back then would have already figured it out. Do you see anything about that in the files?”

I was stunned for a moment-of course, it’s not in the files…

Damn, how did I suddenly get so foolish.

Back then, with such a major case, the investigators were all criminal investigation experts, far more professional than me.

If they couldn’t find out, how could I?

And the employer wouldn’t be so stupid as to meet Li Xiumei’s family-that would only bring trouble upon himself.

Song Xiaotian really is a former police officer-he immediately put me in my place.

“But I still want to go.”

I said, “Even though Lv Zhengxian became Du Ruhai, I think no matter how bad a person is, there’s always a trace of softness in their heart for their family. He must have returned to his hometown over the years. Maybe if I go, I can still find some clues.”
Song Xiaotian nodded. “Maybe, but on this trip, there’s no guarantee that nothing unexpected will happen. If Lv Zhengxian really did return to his hometown, it means he’s still concerned about his family. If you go to his hometown and he finds out, you might be in trouble.”

I said there was no other way. Meng Yifan is my sworn brother, and Seventh Master is someone who helped me-he’s even more innocent. No matter what, I have to make this trip.

“You’re really loyal.”

Song Xiaotian shook his head. “In this line of work, loyalty is everything. I admire you. I’ll go with you this time. If anything happens to you, I wouldn’t know how to explain it to Xiaoman.”

Having someone to go with me was exactly what I wanted.

But I felt a bit embarrassed about always troubling him.

I forced a few thousand yuan into Song Xiaotian’s hands. After all, he’d already been dismissed from the Police Force and had no income.

Loyalty is one thing, but I can’t just take advantage of him because of it.

After discussing it with Song Xiaotian, we immediately bought plane tickets to Qindao.

The Massacre Case fifteen years ago happened in Qindao, and both Lv Zhengxian and Li Xiumei’s hometowns are also in Qindao.

I first rode my bike back to my rented apartment to pack a few things, then went to the airport with Song Xiaotian.

The flight was quick-just two hours.

But after landing, we still had to take a coach, because both Li Xiumei and Lv Zhengxian’s hometowns were in rural areas, and poor ones at that. Only the coach could get us there.

The bumpy ride took several more hours, and by the time we arrived, it was already dark.

Li Xiumei and Lv Zhengxian’s hometowns were in the same township, but not the same village.

The two villages were close to each other-one was Lijia Village, the other was Lvjiagou. According to the records, it took less than forty minutes to travel between them.

After discussing with Song Xiaotian, we decided to go to Lijia Village first, which was where Li Xiumei’s family lived.

To be honest, the mountain roads were really hard to travel. Although many rural areas now have paved roads, there are still some places that remain poor.

Lijia Village was still impoverished, so one could imagine how destitute it must have been more than a decade ago.

It took us nearly another hour to reach the village. Looking ahead, we saw that the village was actually quite large, with many houses built.

But most of the houses were dilapidated, and less than half had their lights on.

Overall, the village felt deserted. The young people had probably all gone out to work.

I planned to find a household to ask for directions to Li Xiumei’s home, and also see if we could find a place to stay for the night.

At that moment, we happened to pass by an abandoned two-story flat building.

The building clearly hadn’t been lived in for many years. Moss covered the walls, making it look eerie.

Suddenly, Song Xiaotian grabbed me and stopped me from going forward.

I asked him what was wrong. He replied, his voice trembling, “Do you think anyone still lives in that house?”

I was stunned for a moment and said, with it in such ruins, of course no one lives there.

“Then why is there someone over there…” Song Xiaotian pointed in a direction.

He was pointing to the area outside the main entrance on the first floor.

I looked closely and was startled-there really did seem to be someone lying there, and it looked like an Old Man.

But the Old Man was pinned under a collapsed door panel.

I was startled again, because if that Old Man was alive… why wasn’t he calling for help?