Chapter 388: Hooked (Requesting Monthly Votes)

Guimen Village continuously lures outsiders to enter.

In fact, “Guimen Village” is like a single, unified evil entity.

Deceiving someone into entering is equivalent to swallowing them whole.

Thus, Lu Renxing and Jia Luojing, though outside the village, could see and hear everything within.

After gathering all the villagers, the old village head raised his voice and shouted again; Jia Luojing heard it clearly, and he felt triumphant once more: Isn’t this just searching for the young man’s home?

That’s exactly the investigative lead I just provided.

Jia Luojing loudly told Lu Renxing: “This Xu Yuan puts on the airs of a master, lecturing me at length—yet in the end, he still ends up using my suggestion, hmph.”

Lu Renxing nodded: “From my perspective, this man talks big but can’t deliver—classic case of overestimating one’s abilities…”

Zhu Zhanlei couldn’t bear to listen any longer; she wheeled her horse and prepared to leave with her two subordinates.

Jia Luojing immediately asked: “Where are you going, Patrol Inspector Zhu?”

Zhu Zhanlei replied coolly: “Xu Yuan is working hard inside the village searching for clues—should we just stand here doing nothing? I’ll ride around the village; who knows what I might find?”

Zhu Zhanlei’s words were soft but sharp.

Are you just going to sit quietly outside while Xu Yuan solves the case?

Shouldn’t you do something useful?

Lu Renxing remained oblivious: As for the mystery case, I’m not skilled in such matters.

But Jia Luojing’s face flushed; he felt a flicker of resentment toward Zhu Zhanlei and secretly fumed: Those two must be having an affair!

I merely offered Xu Yuan a mild rebuke, and this woman comes at me like a viper—trying every trick to help him!

How could the Shanhe Bureau have such a traitor?

If Miao Yu hadn’t been absent—if Miao my lord were here—he’d show Jia Luojing what true betrayal really looks like.

…

After posting the reward, Xu Yuan waited a while longer, but no one stepped forward; he told the old village head: “That’s enough. Dismiss them.”

The old village head said: “Your Excellency, wait a little longer…”

Xu Yuan waved his hand: “No need.”

Then Xu Yuan rose and returned to the ancestral hall.

The old village head reluctantly ordered the villagers to disperse, muttering constantly: “Your Excellency gave you all a chance—think carefully! I’m old, my memory’s gone, or I’d have claimed that five hundred taels myself!”

The villagers’ faces also showed regret.

Once everyone had left, the old village head returned to the ancestral hall.

But Xu Yuan told him: “Old man, do me a favor—wait outside the hall. Soon, a villager will come ask you whether the five hundred taels reward still stands. Tell him I keep my word—never break a promise.”

The old village head frowned: “Someone will come?”

Then he suddenly understood, slapping his forehead: “Only Your Excellency could foresee this! Got it—I’ll go wait outside right away.”

He waited inside the hall for half an hour before a villager, around thirty, crept up cautiously.

He kept glancing around, as if afraid of being seen by other villagers.

The old village head spoke with him briefly, then led him inside.

He secretly gave the lord a thumbs-up: Astounding foresight.

Xu Yuan said nothing; he simply placed five hundred taels in silver notes on the table: “Speak.”

The villager greedily glanced at the notes, then said: “That family used to live right above the dry well on the east side of the village.”

Xu Yuan pushed the notes toward him, then stood: “Let’s go see it.”

The villager stuffed the notes into his robe and hurried off.

As if someone might steal his silver.

Xu Yuan led the group out of the ancestral hall, then turned his head and whispered to Lang XiaoBa: “Switch places with me.”

“Yes.”

The captains swiftly interchanged positions, forming a circle around them to block outside view.

When they parted again, Xu Yuan now wore the plain uniform of a captain, hat brim lowered, head bowed, slipping away from the group.

Lang XiaoBa had taken on Xu Yuan’s appearance and led the team toward the well.

…

Xu Yuan knew Lang XiaoBa would likely uncover something.

Yet Xu Yuan still felt the true evil of “Guimen Village” might not be the young man’s family.

Jia Luojing assumed Xu Yuan was following his own line of thought—but he was wrong.

Xu Yuan deliberately sought the former residence of that family to give the hidden evil a chance to act.

Even the old village head couldn’t recall where exactly that family lived; it was unlikely anyone else knew the precise location.

The only ones who knew were likely the evil itself!

The evil would gladly offer this clue to mislead the Quhui Bureau.

After leaving the group, Xu Yuan found a secluded spot, exhaled a puff of “Dragon Spits Mist,” and merged seamlessly with the surroundings.

Then he moved silently, trailing the villager.

The villager kept his head down, hurrying home, locking the gate, then pulling out the silver notes—beaming with delight.

He rushed inside, embracing his wife eagerly: “Hehe, that official actually kept his word—gave me five hundred taels!”

He kissed his wife several times, then asked: “You’re not from this village—how did you know about that well?”

Since childhood, the villager had known there was a dry well in the village.

He never knew it had once been the home of the massacre victims.

His wife, dazed, replied: “I can’t explain it… but I just… knew.”

The five hundred taels filled them with joy; they couldn’t resist embracing each other in broad daylight, and soft moans soon filled the room.

Xu Yuan frowned and moved farther away.

Less than the time of one incense stick, the room fell silent again; Xu Yuan quietly slipped into the courtyard and used “Gazing at Fate” to examine the wife once more.

Like the other villagers, her life thread was wrapped in a strand of yin energy.

When he had gathered all the villagers earlier, Xu Yuan had already used “Gazing at Fate” once.

Seeing nothing new this time, he wasn’t surprised.

If not them, then… perhaps something else in this courtyard.

Xu Yuan examined each object one by one.

His eyes ached from staring, yet he found nothing unusual.

Xu Yuan thought for a moment, then stepped inside the room.

Hidden by “Dragon Spits Mist,” the couple remained oblivious.

Xu Yuan scrutinized every item within.

The family was poor; the room held few possessions.

Soon he had checked everything—still no clue.

“Strange…” Xu Yuan murmured inwardly, scanning the room again—then suddenly remembered something and looked up:

Above them was the ceiling beam.

Farm households often hung things from the beams.

But this room was a bedroom.

Nothing hung from the beam—yet directly above the couple’s bed, a rope was coiled.

The rope was old, covered in dust. No one knew how long it had been there.

Probably even the owner had forgotten it.

Yet precisely this rope was suspicious.

Xu Yuan slipped out silently.

The villager and his wife lay side by side on the bed—the rope now hung directly above her head.

To implant knowledge into her mind, this position was perfect for “Dream Intrusion.”

(End of Chapter)