The old man nodded, turned around, and went upstairs. After a short while, he ca back down with a dicine box in his hand.
"All my dicines are here. You can find what you need. There’s also so at and vegetables in the kitchen. If you’re hungry, you can make sothing to eat, but please don’t ss up the kitchen. I don’t like that," the old man instructed with his hands behind his back.
"We got it, thank you." Lin ngyao stayed to take care of Ariel, while Xu Ke turned around and walked into the kitchen. Using the vegetables and a little bit of at left by the old man, he quickly tossed together a salad.
"Thank you for your hospitality tonight. We won’t trouble you. We’ll leave at dawn, and I’m sorry for intruding today," Xu Ke said to the old man.
"It’s nothing, just a small matter. However, I usually don’t have many visitors here, so there are no guest rooms. If you would like to stay the night, you’ll have to make do with the living room."
"No problem, we’re already grateful for you taking us in. As for where we sleep, we don’t mind at all," Lin ngyao said with a slight smile at the corner of her mouth.
"Alright, then. I’m going to rest upstairs. Make yourselves at ho," the old man said, turned around, and left, leaving the living room to the three of them.
After drinking so hot water and eating a bit, Lin ngyao sighed comfortably, feeling like she was finally coming back to life. However, the only troubling thing was that Ariel still hadn’t woken up and hadn’t eaten a bite, which worried Lin ngyao.
"After taking the dicine, once the fever goes down a bit and she wakes up, she’ll be able to eat. Rushing now is pointless; we can’t force-feed her. Alright, don’t think too much and get so rest. Tomorrow, when we wake up, we’ll ask the old man if we can use the phone to have soone pick us up," Xu Ke said, patting Lin ngyao’s head.
Lin ngyao found his words reasonable and didn’t oppose them. She sat on a chair, resting her head on the table, planning to make do for the night.
But before Xu Ke went to sleep, he glanced upstairs, a cryptic light flickering in his eyes.
The lights went out.
The night engulfed the small building, the clock ticking in the silence, accompanied by the light breathing of those asleep, truly peaceful and serene.
A dark figure slowly descended the stairs, stealthily approaching the three sleeping individuals.
The previously ordinary-looking old man with white hair now had eyes filled with a ferocity comparable to a wild beast in the forest. His right hand clutched a Swiss Army Knife, its sharp blade reflecting a silvery light in the darkness, which crossed his aged yet fierce eyes.
His mouth slowly twisted into a grin, showing uneven teeth. Just as he raised his right hand to strike Xu Ke, the person originally asleep at the table suddenly turned, kicking him in the chest, causing him to stumble back several steps.
"Why aren’t you unconscious? Didn’t you eat the stuff?" The old man’s face showed surprise, the confusion in his eyes even overshadowing the murderous intent.
"Drugs like that never work on , so you wasted your effort," Xu Ke said loudly, stretching his body that was slightly stiff from maintaining one position for too long.
Xu Ke had undergone specialized drug training, making him immune to most drugs. However, to the old man, these words held a different implication.
"How did you notice sothing was wrong with ?" The old man changed the grip of the knife in his hand, but the point remained directed at Xu Ke.
"Everything seed off, especially the kitchen. Although you cleaned the bloodstains off the floor and table, you forgot the vegetable basket beside the cutting board. The bloodstains in there were still there. I also checked your kitchen and found no fresh at, only frozen ones. You don’t have any wounds, so where did the bloodstains co from?" Xu Ke retorted.
"Moreover, although this small house is in a rather remote area, its decor shows that the owner loves receiving guests. The number of slippers in the shoe cabinet indicates they’re hospitable. A hospitable person’s ho wouldn’t lack tidy guest rooms. Conversely, a ho without guest rooms for visitors wouldn’t have several pairs of slippers in different sizes, would it?"
"So, the only logical explanation is that the owner of this house might have already been hard." As Xu Ke spoke, he glanced upstairs, his expression extrely calm.
"So, I’m right, aren’t I?" Xu Ke turned his gaze back to the old man, questioning in the sa calm tone.
"You spoke well and guessed accurately, but you and your companions are destined to die here today. I won’t let anyone who knows about my killings leave alive," the old man said, then leaped towards Xu Ke like a small cannonball, moving with surprising speed for soone of his age.
Xu Ke quickly engaged with him. Xu Ke’s moves were fierce and rapid, while the old man focused more on technique. The Swiss Army Knife in his hand moved with alarming speed; even a slight inattention might result in being slashed. Thus, Xu Ke fought him with utmost caution.
The two exchanged nearly a hundred moves before separating, looking at each other with full vigilance in their eyes.
"You’re exceptional. Few people have been able to last this long against ," the old man said, extending a tongue as rough as moss to lick the sharp blade.
"You’re quite remarkable too. At an age where you’re practically in the grave, having such stamina and skill is truly impressive. However, I’m really curious, what did this family do to offend you enough to make you personally eliminate them?" Xu Ke relaxed his shoulders and asked.
"They didn’t offend . I just couldn’t stand their happy deanor. What’s good in this world? What’s worth praising? This world is dark, filthy, despicable, making one eager to eliminate it at once, making one nauseous just to sll. I hate hearing people falsely proclaiming ’there’s love in the human world’ in my ears. Love doesn’t exist in this world, only exploitation, betrayal, and interests. That’s all there is!"
The old man’s expression was mocking, his tone light, yet his eyes bore a desperate madness that was terrifying.
"It’s no wonder no one loves you in your lifeti," Xu Ke said, his mouth forming a thin line after speaking, his eyes filled with disgust.
"What nonsense are you spouting? Do I need the love of ants? They don’t even deserve to polish my shoes. They are as laughable as pigs waiting to be slaughtered. Do I need their love? Ha, it’s utterly ridiculous." The old man’s expression turned exceptionally unpleasant, showing a clear disdain or even disgust for the concept of love.
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