Free Web NovelChapter 288: Chapter 126: Strange Insect Trap
Yang Jing, the Jiang Family Third Elder, and Li Tieyun passed through several courtyards and arrived at the main hall of the River Gang Stronghold.
The hall was brightly lit. Beside a large, square table stood several Grandmaster’s Chairs. The air was filled with the faint, bitter aroma of tea, but it couldn’t suppress the palpable tension.
They took their seats, and Li Tieyun personally poured hot tea for Yang Jing and the Third Elder.
The Jiang Family Third Elder picked up his teacup but didn’t drink, his brow tightly furrowed. "To be frank, Young Hero Yang, of the men my Jiang Family sent, two have already fallen to that culprit. Fortunately, three others managed to escape when I arrived just in time. They even traded blows with him."
This caught Yang Jing’s attention, and he quickly pressed, "Oh? Did they get a clear look at his face? What about his strength?"
’This is the most crucial information right now.’
The Jiang Family Third Elder shook his head and set down his teacup. "The culprit wore a black cloth over his face, so they couldn’t see his features. However, based on his height and build, he somewhat resembles the second-in-command of the Flying Horse Thieves that Gang Leader Li’s men looked into."
He paused, recalling the description from the younger members of his family. "Those nephews of mine are often guided by Huajin elders, so they are quite sensitive to the Martial Dao realms. They said that when they fought the culprit, although the difference in strength was obvious, they could vaguely sense that the circulation of his Inner Strength was similar to that of a Huajin practitioner. It was far beyond the Peak of Dark Energy, but much weaker than me. He must be a Huajin Martial Artist who only recently broke through."
"It must be him!" Li Tieyun slammed his hand on the table, his expression ugly. "Besides the Flying Horse Thieves’ second-in-command, the River Gang has no other enemies who would pursue us to the death like this. It must be him! He must have gotten lucky and broken through to the Huajin realm, and now he’s back for revenge!"
Yang Jing nodded slightly. This matched his earlier suspicions perfectly. fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm
It seemed the missing second-in-command of the Flying Horse Thieves was indeed the killer hiding in the shadows.
Just then, a frantic shout, mingled with a blood-curdling scream, suddenly came from outside the hall, shattering the brief peace within.
"Something’s happened!"
The Jiang Family Third Elder and Li Tieyun shot to their feet at the same time, their expressions changing drastically.
Yang Jing also rose in an instant. The three exchanged a look, saw the gravity in each other’s eyes, and then rushed out of the main hall, dashing toward the source of the sounds.
As they rushed along the path, they saw gang members running about in a panic, their faces filled with terror.
Soon, they arrived at a wide, open area. A crowd had already gathered, its members shrinking back with pale faces, their gazes toward the center filled with terror.
"Gang Leader!"
"Third Elder!"
"Young Hero Yang!"
When the crowd saw them arrive, it was as if they had seen their saviors, and they quickly cleared a path.
The three men passed through the crowd and looked toward the center of the clearing. Six bodies lay scattered on the ground, all of them River Gang members. Four had a thin, bloody line across their necks, clearly killed instantly by having their throats slit with a sharp weapon. They had died with their eyes open. The other two had a narrow, bloody hole in their chests—also a single, fatal strike.
Blood stained the ground, glistening eerily under the torchlight.
The thick stench of blood filled the air, so heavy it was almost hard to breathe.
The culprit had struck again in the short time they were talking.
Looking at the six bodies on the ground, their eyes wide in death, the faces of Yang Jing, the Jiang Family Third Elder, and Li Tieyun turned impossibly grim.
The smell of blood in the air, mixed with the crowd’s panic, made the night feel even more oppressive.
"What happened?" Li Tieyun suppressed his rage and turned to a nearby gang member who was trembling in fear. He was the one who had first discovered the scene.
The gang member stammered, "R-Reporting to the Gang Leader... A few of us were on patrol and came here, and... and we just saw them lying on the ground. We didn’t hear a thing. They were already gone."
The Jiang Family Third Elder crouched down, his fingers gently brushing over the bloody line on one of the corpse’s necks. His fingertips came away stained with dark red blood.
He stood up and said in a low voice, "The wounds are clean. The killer is fast and precise—clearly an expert with a blade. Moreover, he is extremely cunning. He fled immediately after the murders, not leaving behind the slightest trace of his presence. We don’t even have a direction to pursue."
Yang Jing’s brow furrowed. ’This culprit is proving to be a real problem.’
’Not only is he powerful, but his methods are ruthless and decisive. He specifically targets weak points in the defense, and after succeeding, he vanishes without a trace. He’s like a sickness that clings to the bone, impossible to guard against.’
’If they don’t find him soon, not only will the entire River Gang be in a state of panic, but I won’t be able to rest easy either.’
’After all, the culprit is most likely the second-in-command of the Flying Horse Thieves. He’ll never let me go, since I helped wipe out his gang.’
"Take our brothers’ bodies away and give them a proper burial."
Li Tieyun took a deep breath and ordered the gang members beside him.
Once the gang members had carried the bodies away, Li Tieyun looked at Yang Jing and the Jiang Family Third Elder and said in a low voice, "In my opinion, the culprit might still be hiding here in the stronghold. Why don’t we split up and patrol with more men? We might find something."
But the Jiang Family Third Elder frowned. His gaze swept over the panicked faces of the surrounding gang members, then glanced at the swaying tree shadows in the darkness. He shook his head. "I have an idea."
Yang Jing and Li Tieyun were both taken aback for a moment, then they turned to look at him.
The Jiang Family Third Elder was a Huajin Powerhouse who had been famous in Yuhe County for many years. He was experienced and knowledgeable; his idea might just be what they needed to break the stalemate.
"There are too many people and prying eyes here," the Jiang Family Third Elder lowered his voice. "The culprit could be watching us from the shadows right now. This isn’t the place to talk. Let’s go back to the main hall."
Yang Jing and Li Tieyun exchanged a look, both understanding his meaning.
