"What? The Tang Sect's Leader, Tang Dingbo, died in Jiangbei? And the killer was Lin Tang? That's impossible!"
Yue Songhe was dumbfounded and imdiately shook his head repeatedly. On one hand, he couldn't believe that soone as young as Lin Tang could be stronger than a mid-stage Master. On the other, he had seen Lin Tang in action and knew he relied solely on that divine sword. His actual strength was diocre at best.
Zheng Hongsheng, whose injuries had stabilized after a period of rest, also found the news hard to believe. He ordered Yue Songhe to investigate thoroughly, and Yue Songhe soon returned with detailed intelligence.
"Hallucinations from the poison? So people saw a flying immortal coming to the rescue, while others saw a man-eating monster? Only a very small number of them actually saw Lin Tang himself?" Zheng Hongsheng's brow furrowed.
Yue Songhe stated with conviction, "The ones who claid to have seen Lin Tang must have been hallucinating as well. The person who really killed Tang Dingbo had to be a late-stage Master, or maybe even a Grandmaster! He was most likely after the divine sword, and when he happened upon the arrogant Tang Dingbo, he just casually crushed him."
"Hmm, that makes sense," Zheng Hongsheng nodded, his expression turning solemn. If a more powerful expert has arrived, I'll have to give up. A wise man knows when to retreat, and not even a divine sword was worth more than his own life. He imdiately instructed Yue Songhe to recall all his n and cease all operations. They would lie low and observe the situation.
Yue Songhe himself had been recovering from his injuries for the past few days and hadn't been letting his n cause any trouble. Therefore, since their rescue, there was no one left to stop Dong Mingfeng and Shen Xin, who promptly resud selling dicine with their employees. With Lin Tang already dead, they had no more concerns.
Shen Jiayue and Lu Zizheng, however, were in a miserable state. The Tang Sect had taught them a lesson, leaving their faces ruined. Although the poison had been neutralized, the wounds wouldn't heal so quickly. They could only wrap their faces like mummies and hide at ho, too afraid to go out.
「Elsewhere」
Since hearing from Zhu Yingning herself that Lin Tang was dead, Mo Pinglan had tried calling him several tis. At the ti, however, Lin Tang was still in the wilderness with a dead phone and no signal, so she couldn't get through. Mo Pinglan thus concluded that he really was dead and gave up. She neither handed Shen Youling over to Zhu Yingning nor bothered with her anymore, leaving the girl to fend for herself.
Shen Youling, too, gave in to despair. After returning to her cheap rental unit, she locked the door and simply stared into space. She only ate when extre hunger forced her to, and she stopped bathing or brushing her teeth. Her eyes were red and swollen, her face a bloodless white, and her hair a tangled ss.
She languished like this for several days. Then, one morning, she awoke to the sight of the rising sun and suddenly pulled herself together.
"I have to build a grave and erect a headstone for my husband! I can't let him be without a final resting place! I have to hold a vigil and burn paper offerings for him so he won't suffer in the afterlife... This is my responsibility and my duty as his wife!"
She began to ticulously wash up and change into dark clothes before stepping outside. She was penniless and couldn't even afford a taxi, so she had to walk, step-by-step, back to the Shen residence. She hoped to borrow money from Shen Qiushi for the funeral arrangents. She also wondered if anyone was still at Villa One. She wanted to go there to collect so of Lin Tang's clothes; without a body, a cenotaph was the only option.
When she reached the Shen family ho, neither Shen Xin, Dong Mingfeng, nor Shen Qiushi were there.
Seeing Shen Jiayue and Lu Zizheng with their faces wrapped up like mummies, Shen Youling was astonished. "Jiayue, Brother-in-law, what happened to you?"
"You have the nerve to show your face?" Shen Jiayue flew into a hysterical rage. "This is all your fault! You and that worthless husband you married! That trash Lin Tang brought this misery upon all of us! We were all captured that day, but you escaped. It's so damn unfair! You're the one who should have died with him!"
After her tirade, she finally noticed the black mark on Shen Youling's face. She froze for a mont before bursting into wild laughter.
"Hahaha! So you were disfigured too! It's divine retribution! You deserve it!"
Though his face still ached, Lu Zizheng's lust was undiminished. He felt a pang of distress. I haven't even gotten a chance to have my way with my pretty sister-in-law yet. Why did she have to get disfigured? Fortunately, it's just one black mark, and it isn't very wide. I can make do with that.
He pretended to be magnanimous. "That's enough. Youling didn't do it on purpose. Who knew that jinx Lin Tang liked offending powerful people so much? Besides, he's dead now. No one will co looking for trouble with us anymore. Just let it go."
"Go to hell! Why are you playing the good guy?" Shen Jiayue shrieked, a powder keg ready to explode. "You're just a fat pig, so it doesn't matter if your face is ruined! But ? Why was I so unlucky?"
Shen Youling listened in silence, the situation becoming clearer. It seed the enemies who killed Lin Tang had also gone after her sister and brother-in-law, ruining their faces with poison as well.
"I'm sorry," Shen Youling said in a low voice. "Are Grandpa, Mom, and Dad okay?"
"That's none of your business! Now get out!" Shen Jiayue pointed at the door.
"I... I want to borrow so money... to build a grave for Lin Tang..."
"Pfft! A scoundrel like him deserves to have his corpse rot in the wild for dogs to feast on! I'd rather burn the money than lend you a single cent to build him a grave! Get out! Get out! Get out!"
Seeing Shen Youling hesitate, Shen Jiayue flew into a rage, shoving and kicking her like a madwoman. Shen Youling staggered back a few steps before being forced outside. Dejected, she turned to leave.
Lu Zizheng's eyes darted about before he hurried after her, catching up to say, "Youling, it's not easy for a woman on her own. Let cover the cost. I can help you with the arrangents."
Shen Youling was surprised. "Thank you!" she said sincerely.
"Hey, don't be a stranger. After all, I'm your brother-in-law." Lu Zizheng casually reached out to put an arm around her shoulder, but she sidestepped him.
He sullenly withdrew his hand. A widow, and still playing the innocent maiden? Hmph, I'll get my chance to deal with you later...
「...」
Although the vast majority of people didn't believe Lin Tang had killed Tang Dingbo and rescued everyone, even the few who were lucid and had seen him with their own eyes began to doubt themselves. Was I really clear-headed then? Did I see it wrong?
But Li Weihai's family mbers were firmly convinced that it was indeed Lin Tang who had saved them.
Therefore, just as they were quietly mourning after hearing over the phone that Lin Tang was dead, they received news the very next morning that he was alive again.
"This..."
Upon hearing the news, Lee Encai's sorrow turned to joy, and she laughed through her tears. "Please, can you guys stop spreading false rumors?" she complained.
Then, she gleefully waited for Lin Tang to co and pick her up. But after several days, there was still no sign of him, and his phone remained off. What is he doing?
Sitting alone on a large rock atop a mountain peak, Lee Encai hugged her knees, feeling deeply desolate. A subtle emotion, one that had only existed since she t Lin Tang, resurfaced in her heart. Alas, in his heart, I'm still not important enough. It's only Shen Youling he's truly worried about. For her, he would give up his very life...
"Lee Encai, my future wife. I've finally found you."
A strangely accented voice suddenly broke the silence.
A chill shot down Lee Encai's spine, and she jumped to her feet as if struck by lightning. She spun around.
"Yan Luoyang! How did you know I was here? Oh god, your eyes are terrifying! Are you even human?! I'm dood, I'm dood..."
She imdiately turned and fled, the wind howling in her ears as her heart pounded in her chest. She was terrified—terrified of being sward by insects and eaten alive.
"Heh—"
Watching her run, Yan Luoyang only scoffed, not even bothering to give chase. Even if she were Sun Wukong, how could she escape the Buddha's palm?
"Your destiny and mine are already intertwined. The world is vast, but where can you possibly run? Hee hee hee—" he cackled, his laugh sharp and bizarre.
An hour later, he found Lee Encai again.
Seeing his dark, claw-like hand reaching for her, she made a resolute decision. "I'd rather die with my honor intact than suffer humiliation!"
Just as she was about to take her own life, Yan Luoyang spoke. "Relax. You haven't fully ripened yet, so I have no interest in plucking your fruit... provided you behave. Otherwise... heh heh heh..."
"Fine, fine, I'll behave! As long as you don't hurt , I'll do whatever you say," Lee Encai replied, knowing how to adapt to the situation.
Hmph! Lin Tang isn't dead. He'll definitely co to rescue . Then you'll be sorry!
Yan Luoyang seed to see through her thoughts. Far from being angry, he looked forward to it. He was hoping this big fish, Lin Tang, would take the bait.
"Let's go."
"Where are you taking ?"
"To Jiangbei."
"Eh?"
Lee Encai was secretly delighted. If he took sowhere else to hide for eight or ten years, Lin Tang would have to go through hell just to find . By then, the opportunity would be long gone! But taking directly to Jiangbei? This is perfect!
When they reached a roadside, a beat-up van pulled over. The driver appeared to be a local farr, but his face was frozen in a strange, stiff smile.
Lee Encai didn't notice it at first. It wasn't until the van had entered Jiangbei's territory and stopped that she realized sothing was wrong. As Yan Luoyang got out of the van, she finally saw that the driver's face was off.
"He..."
Before Lee Encai could finish, Yan Luoyang snapped his fingers.
The next mont, the driver slumped over as if all his strength had been drained away. His face rapidly caved in, revealing the features of a desiccated corpse that had been dead for so ti.
"AHH!!" Lee Encai let out a scream of pure terror.
It was too horrifying. Too cruel.
"What grudge did you have with him?"
"None."
"Then why did you kill him?"
"I didn't have money for the fare."
"You... You're a devil!!"
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