Chapter 547: Don't blink!

The last bandit trembled, wanting to flee.

But Lin Yuan would not let him escape so easily.

Lin Yuan took a single step, instantly appearing before the last surviving bandit.

The bandit's pupils suddenly contracted, and before he could utter a cry……

Lin Yuan ruthlessly stepped on his body with one foot.

"Crack!" Several crisp sounds rang out, and several of the bandit's ribs broke on the spot!

The bandit spat out a large mouthful of fresh blood, his body curled up on the ground, unable to move.

"Speak, where are you from? What is your identity?" Lin Yuan stared at him coldly, his voice ice-cold and piercing, without a shred of feeling.

The bandit's whole body twitched from pain, his face ashen as paper.

At first he refused to confess, but under Lin Yuan's violent interrogation, the bandit finally broke down.

The bandit's teeth chattered as he spoke: "I... we are members of the Thunder Tiger Sect of Gan Province..."

"Thunder Tiger Sect?" Lin Yuan's gaze sank, his tone still icy: "What is your purpose in seeking me?"

The bandit dared not conceal anything, hurriedly saying: "It... it's for your Silver Needle Hidden Weapon Secret Technique! The sect leader said... as long as we obtain your Silver Needle secret technique, we can use it in our dealings to make a fortune... so we came to capture you..."

Hearing this, Lin Yuan narrowed his eyes.

Sure enough, they came for his Silver Needle Hidden Weapon?

"Thunder Tiger Sect, what kind of organization is it?" Lin Yuan continued his interrogation.

The bandit trembled as he confessed: "Our Thunder Tiger Sect... specifically takes in brothers who have committed crimes in the martial world, and we all engage in quick-money schemes... This time luring you here was entirely the sect leader Lei Xiaotian's idea! He... he is a supreme martial arts master, you cannot afford to provoke him! Please spare my life!"

Lin Yuan asked coldly: "Quick-money schemes? What exactly does your Thunder Tiger Sect do? Explain in detail."

Under Lin Yuan's interrogation, the bandit dared not conceal anything, only able to tremble as he confessed: "Our Thunder Tiger Sect... makes a living through illegal activities in the martial world... we mainly do... robbery, robbing jewelry stores, hiring assassins to kill, etc."

Lin Yuan's eyes narrowed.

This Thunder Tiger Sect actually is a martial world sect dedicated to illegal crime?

This caught Lin Yuan off guard.

If a martial world ancient martial artist commits crime, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Because martial world ancient martial artists possess absolutely terrifying martial arts skills.

If they commit crimes, the law and police find it hard to punish them!

Just like tonight, this group of bandits escaped by scaling walls and leaping across rooftops.

Mu Lingxue's police team basically cannot catch them.

Even having firearms is useless.

Because these martial world masters are so terrifyingly skilled, they can even dodge bullet attacks.

Lin Yuan's gaze grew colder: "You have committed such great sins, surely you have many lives on your hands? Aren't you afraid of being punished?"

"I... I was forced!" the bandit exclaimed, his soul fleeing in terror, desperately shaking his head, struggling to kneel and kowtow, but with his ribs broken and piercing pain, he could only barely bend his body.

Bent over, the bandit pleaded: "Please spare my life! I'm just a low-level member of the Thunder Tiger Sect; everything I did was forced by the sect leader! If I didn't obey, he would kill me! Please show mercy and give me a way to live!"

While wailing and begging for mercy, the bandit furtively reached his hand toward his waist……

Lin Yuan's gaze turned sharp, having already noticed the bandit's small movement.

At that moment, the bandit suddenly pulled out a black round ball and slammed it hard onto the ground!

"Boom!"

With a muffled bang, the round ball instantly exploded, dense white smoke bursting forth!

This is a smoke bomb?!

In the blink of an eye... thick smoke instantly rolled around Lin Yuan!

The white thick smoke enveloped the entire area, reducing visibility to less than half a meter.

At that moment, the bandit, enduring intense pain, took advantage of the white mist and got up to run!

"You want to run?" Lin Yuan snorted coldly, although he could no longer see the surroundings.

But his hearing... was completely unaffected by the smoke.

In the smoke, the sound of the bandit's stumbling footsteps fleeing could be heard.

Lin Yuan hesitated not, raising his hand and shooting forth the sole remaining silver needle from his fingertip!

The silver needle flashed like a bolt of silver lightning!

"Pfft!"

The silver needle, with unerring accuracy, pierced from behind the bandit... through his neck!

The silver needle shot straight through the bandit's trachea.

The bandit let out a muffled groan, his hands clamped tightly over his neck, fresh blood spurting wildly from between his fingers!

The bandit's body staggered a few times, then he collapsed heavily to the ground, completely dead!

This bandit couldn't even let out a final wail.

Lin Yuan slowly walked out of the smoke, looking at the bandit's corpse on the ground.

There was not the slightest ripple in Lin Yuan's eyes.

He did this to conceal his identity as the heir of the Ghost Doctor Sect, and to protect the secret of his family's lineage.

This time, Lin Yuan could only resort to lethal means, with no way out.

This was also Lin Yuan's first killing, and he eliminated eighteen people at once.

Lin Yuan lowered his gaze to his blood-stained hands, his grandfather's admonition echoing once more in his mind.

After glancing at the corpses littering the ground, Lin Yuan softly sighed: "Sorry, it's only because you knew too many of my secrets. Moreover, you have committed grave sins, and you deserved to die."

Having said that, Lin Yuan turned and walked toward the depths of the factory, inspecting each of the eighteen bandits' corpses on the scene one by one.

After confirming that none of the 18 people survived, Lin Yuan bent over… and carefully collected all 108 Silver Needles scattered on the ground.

He wiped the Silver Needles clean and then kept them close to his body.

Afterwards, Lin Yuan began to stage the scene in an orderly manner, each action precise and careful.

All 18 bandits were dead.

Lin Yuan had to clear himself of the suspicion of murder.

Because he had killed 18 people in one breath, if the police found out, Lin Yuan feared he wouldn't be able to get away with it.

So, he needed to stage the scene.

Then he first picked up the knives, longswords, long staffs, etc., scattered everywhere.

He used the corner of his clothing to wipe away his own fingerprints left on them.

Then Lin Yuan placed these weapons respectively beside each corpse's hand.

He wanted to ensure that the weapons' grips naturally fit the corpses' fingers, as if they had gripped them tightly just before death.

Next, Lin Yuan adjusted each corpse's posture one by one.

He gently lifted the corpses that had fallen to the ground, letting them either lean against the wall or sit half-up on the ground.

The wounds on the bandits' necks pierced by the Silver Needles were re-cut by Lin Yuan with a knife, made to look like blade wounds.

Then Lin Yuan also used stones and dust on the ground to lightly cover some of the splattered blood, leaving only a small amount consistent with a 'suicide' scene.

For the few corpses continuously pierced by the Overbearing Dragon Piercing Heavens Needle, he deliberately positioned their bodies close to each other.

He was staging the scene.

He staged the scene of the bandits killing each other.

Lin Yuan staged the appearance of 'internal conflict among accomplices due to exposed crimes, ultimately leading to collective suicide out of fear of punishment.'

Afterwards, Lin Yuan carefully inspected the entire workshop.

He even staged a few vague, disordered traces in the workshop corner, as if left by the bandits' struggle.

Finally, Lin Yuan used the bandits' knives to cut several wounds on his own body.

To make himself look miserable.

Just as Lin Yuan had just walked to the workshop door…

A sharp siren sounded from far to near, soon stopping outside the workshop.

Mu Lingxue led a team of officers and rushed in quickly.

Mu Lingxue eventually found this place.

When the officers rushed into the scene and saw the eighteen corpses lying haphazardly inside the workshop…

All the officers gasped in shock!

The officers stood there, faces full of shock.

Mu Lingxue's beautiful eyes narrowed, her gaze sweeping over the corpses and blood on the ground…

She then fixed her gaze on Lin Yuan.

Mu Lingxue quickly stepped forward, her tone urgent as she asked: 'Lin Yuan! What on earth happened?!'

Lin Yuan had already adjusted his expression, his face showing just the right amount of fatigue and luck.

Lin Yuan slowly explained: 'I had previously pursued four martial-arts bandits to this place, but I didn't expect to be suddenly intercepted by another group of martial-arts bandits. Judging by their appearance, the two groups seemed to have a deep grudge, and they quickly started fighting, ultimately killing each other!'

'I hid aside, not daring to act rashly, fortunately surviving; I waited until they had no movement before daring to come out.'

'Mutual slaughter?' Mu Lingxue's face full of shock, clearly finding it hard to believe: 'This gang of bandits actually killed each other to death?'

She immediately waved at the officers: 'Quick! Examine the scene carefully!'

The officers quickly began the investigation!

The officers carefully examined each corpse's wounds, the placement of weapons at the scene, and the distribution of traces.

Not long after, the officer in charge of the investigation reported to Mu Lingxue:

'Captain Mu, the preliminary investigation shows no signs of third-party involvement; all fatal wounds match close-range weapon damage, and the weapons bear only the deceased's fingerprints. Combined with scene traces and corpse postures, it can basically be determined as internal conflict leading to collective suicide out of fear of punishment.'

Mu Lingxue frowned slightly upon hearing that.

Although she still had some doubts, the scene investigation results were before her eyes.

She could not refute it for the time being.

Mu Lingxue looked at Lin Yuan's pale face and the bloodstains on his body.

Mu Lingxue's tone softened a bit: 'Leave this to you all; carefully examine the scene, don't miss any clues.'

Afterwards, Mu Lingxue turned to Lin Yuan and said: 'Lin Yuan, come back with me; your wounds need treatment… and… I'll give you some psychological counseling…'

Lin Yuan today, having just witnessed eighteen corpses, his psyche would surely be impacted.

Therefore, he needs to undergo psychological counseling.

…

After returning to the police station, Mu Lingxue first let Lin Yuan treat his wounds himself in the restroom.

She also specially brought disinfectant and bandages.

After Lin Yuan simply bandaged up,

Mu Lingxue then sat opposite Lin Yuan and began psychological counseling: 'Seeing so many corpses at once, you must feel terrible inside, right? Don't force yourself; any emotion you can express is normal—any ordinary person couldn't withstand such a scene.'

But to Mu Lingxue's surprise, Lin Yuan's face showed no trace of fear or discomfort.

Instead, he was unusually calm, responding in a flat tone: 'I'm fine, just a bit tired.'

Lin Yuan's gaze was clear and tranquil, completely devoid of any fear of the corpses.

This… caused a hint of surprise to arise in Mu Lingxue's heart.

Even officers who frequently deal with cases would inevitably feel uneasy when faced with such a gruesome corpse scene.

But Lin Yuan, he actually remained so calm?

This made Mu Lingxue feel quite surprised.

Lin Yuan's calmness was really too abnormal.

This surprise…… made Mu Lingxue rekindle her doubts about the scene.

Mu Lingxue had Lin Yuan first return to the Criminal Police Office to rest a bit.

Immediately afterward, Mu Ling called the bureau's autopsy expert, Forensic Examiner Yin Yirou.

Yin Yirou went to the Forensic Medicine Department.

She wanted Forensic Examiner Yin Yirou to conduct a meticulous examination of the eighteen corpses at the scene again.

……

At this moment, inside the Forensic Medicine Department.

Mu Lingxue said with a solemn gaze, "Yirou, you must carefully examine every wound on these eighteen corpses and the traces at the scene; I always feel things aren't that simple."

Yin Yirou nodded and performed a precise autopsy on each corpse.

She also reorganized the distribution of traces at the scene.

A few hours later, Yin Yirou brought the autopsy report to find Mu Lingxue.

Yin Yirou said solemnly, "Lingxue, my examination results are out; the eighteen corpses at the scene are definitely not mutual killing or suicide out of fear of punishment. I suspect…… they were all killed by the same person!"

Swish! Mu Lingxue's heart jolted!

Mu Lingxue hurriedly asked, "Are you sure? Who is the killer?"

Yin Yirou nodded, pointing to the key data on the report:

"I'm sure. Although the fatal wounds on all the corpses look chaotic, they actually share a uniform force trajectory and precision!"

"Especially the penetrating wounds to the neck—angle and depth are completely identical, which could not be formed by chaotic fighting or suicide. Combined with the special force traces left at the scene, only Lin Yuan could have caused such wounds."

"The hidden silver needle weapon he previously displayed matches the characteristics of these penetrating wounds perfectly."

Mu Lingxue held the autopsy report, her fingertips slightly chilled.

She finally confirmed that Lin Yuan's earlier explanation was false—he had lied!

At that moment, Lin Yuan happened to arrive at the Forensic Examination Center. He was thinking about the identity information of the Thunder Tiger Sect bandits, wanting to ask Yin Yirou whether the DNA test results for those corpses had come out.

As a result, just as Lin Yuan pushed open the door of the Forensic Examination Center, he froze?

He saw Mu Lingxue standing beside the autopsy table.

Meanwhile, the female forensic examiner Yin Yirou wore a forensic uniform, holding autopsy tools; on the autopsy table before them lay one of the bandits' corpses, obviously undergoing a re-examination.

Lin Yuan frowned slightly, stepped forward and asked, "What are you doing?"

Yin Yirou set down her tools, turned to look at Lin Yuan, her eyes solemn.

Mu Lingxue stepped forward, her tone blunt: "We are re-examining these corpses. Lin Yuan, you lied, right?"