Free Web NovelChapter 52: Chapter 52: A Room Full of Incriminating Evidence
The group instantly became alert.
"Master Cao’s full name is Cao Tianwang. He’s forty-two this year and is a famous master in this area. People hire him for everything from funerals to weddings.
According to our investigation, Cao Tianwang has been here for almost ten years. The place he lives in now was built with money pooled by his followers."
Huo Qing furrowed his brow. ’It sounds like this Cao Tianwang holds an extraordinary amount of sway over these people—they send him their children, build him a house.’
’In their eyes, Cao Tianwang is practically a god.’
"It seems like exposing him in person tomorrow is the best option. Otherwise, even if we arrest him, it will cause public outrage."
Huo Qing sighed. "Looks like tomorrow will be a tough battle."
After speaking, Huo Qing looked at Lu Xingye and Jiang Li. "You two go get some rest. We’ll reconvene this afternoon."
Even a body of iron can’t withstand burning the candle at both ends every day.
Lu Xingye nodded and took Jiang Li to get rooms at the hotel next to the hospital.
"Jiang Li, call me if you need anything." After saying this, Lu Xingye turned and went back to his own room.
After entering her room, Jiang Li set down her bag and sat dazedly on the bed. She only lay down and went to sleep when drowsiness finally overcame her.
As Jiang Li slept, a familiar voice calling her name reached her ears.
A single tear fell from the corner of Jiang Li’s eye. She turned over and continued to sleep.
When she woke up the next day, Huo Qing and Lu Xingye had already finished most of their discussion in the next room.
"I’ll have the bureau send people over. You go notify the local police station and have them cooperate."
"Okay." Lu Xingye stood up. ’I wonder if Jiang Li is awake yet.’
Just as Jiang Li came out, Lu Xingye was leaving. Huo Qing had left someone waiting for her in the lobby. Seeing her come downstairs, the officer hurried over.
"Miss Jiang, Captain Huo and Xingye have already gone to the local police station. They told me to wait here for you."
"Okay, thank you for the trouble." Jiang Li smiled.
The two of them headed to the police station together.
"Jiang Li! What a coincidence!"
Seeing Jiang Li appear, Wu Ming ran over excitedly.
Cao Kun glanced at Jiang Li. ’It’s this girl again.’
"Wu Ming, what are you doing here?" Jiang Li asked, looking at Wu Ming in confusion, her gaze flicking to Cao Kun not far away.
"My master brought me. He said he has news of my martial uncle and brought me here to find him."
Jiang Li looked at her. "The martial uncle you’re talking about... it couldn’t be Cao Tianwang, could it?"
"Mhm, how did you know?" Wu Ming looked at her with admiration. ’Wow, Jiang Li, you’re like a psychic.’
Jiang Li rubbed the tip of her nose. "Did you know your martial uncle has been doing bad things?"
Hearing this, Wu Ming turned her head to look at Cao Kun. "Master..."
Cao Kun stepped forward and smiled at Jiang Li. "I came today for this very matter."
Lu Xingye came out, preparing to take Cao Kun to give a statement. He glanced at Jiang Li. "Jiang Li, have you eaten?"
"I’ve eaten. You can get back to work, Officer Lu."
Lu Xingye looked at Cao Kun. "This way, please."
Jiang Li and Wu Ming sat down to the side.
"Wu Ming, do you have any impression of this martial uncle?"
Wu Ming shook her head. "No, I only learned about him from Master this time. He said he’s been looking for this martial uncle of mine for over a decade and only just recently got a lead on him."
Jiang Li nodded and didn’t ask any more questions. She got up and walked inside.
"Cao Tianwang and I came from the same school, but we specialized in different things. After we finished our apprenticeships, he took on several ritual services for some families and became famous."
Cao Kun’s face was full of sorrow. "Our line of work involves revealing the secrets of heaven, which never ends well. After our master found out, he told him to stop, but he refused.
In less than three years, he made a fortune. But then, all sorts of problems started cropping up, and he began to believe our master’s words.
So he forced me to perform a divination for him. Our master thought this would make him stop in time, but after learning his fate, not only did he not stop, he actually doubled down.
After that, he disappeared for two years. I only found out later that he went to the Southern Ocean to learn some evil magic from those on the demon path, even learning how to raise ’little ghosts’.
Later, he was expelled from our school. It wasn’t until recently that I heard some families talking about their missing children, so I tracked the trail here."
After speaking, Cao Kun looked at Jiang Li. "That talisman of yours was made by Cao Tianwang. It’s an object of great evil."
He hadn’t gotten a clear look that day. It was only after the ritual was over that he heard from Wu Ming that she was the talisman’s owner. He had intended to find her the next day, but was delayed.
But it seemed it wasn’t too late now.
Jiang Li pulled out the red cord from around her neck. There was nothing on it—just the red cord itself.
Cao Kun was taken aback for a moment, then burst out laughing. "HAHAHA, what a clever girl."
"But did you bring the object itself? If you did, just give it to me. I’ll take care of it."
Jiang Li scratched her head. "Wu Ming told me it was a bad thing, so I threw it into the sea."
"Is that so."
Cao Kun didn’t press the issue and went on to tell Huo Qing and the others the information he had gathered.
After coming out, Jiang Li sat down next to Wu Ming and took a few sips of water from the glass on the table.
After a while, the others came out from the room. They had decided to arrest Cao Tianwang at his ritual service tomorrow.
Jiang Li stood up and looked at Huo Qing and Lu Xingye. "I have something to do. I need to go back for a bit. I’ll find you all again tomorrow."
"Hey!" Lu Xingye wanted to offer her a ride, but Jiang Li turned and left without a second glance. By the time he chased after her, she was no longer at the entrance.
"Hiss... that’s weird. Did she fly away or something?" Lu Xingye could only turn around and go back inside.
Jiang Li emerged from a corner, glanced back, then turned and hailed a taxi back to the city.
’Chen Xiufang is attending the ritual, so she definitely won’t be home. Qiao Siyuan and Wu Xueyan are both still in the hospital.’
Jiang Li looked at the door in front of her, unlocked it with a CLICK, and went inside, once again arriving at the door to that room.
She opened the door, took in the entire scene within, and walked inside.
The walls of the room were densely covered with photographs of all kinds.
Jiang Li’s brows were furrowed the entire time. Suppressing her discomfort, she walked further in, looking at this unknown side of Qiao Siyuan.
She took out her phone and started taking pictures. She noticed a photo in the corner. In it, a girl lay unconscious, hooked up to all sorts of medical instruments.
Jiang Li tore the photo from the wall.
She turned, left the house, and went to the hospital.
Qiao Siyuan panicked for a moment when he saw Jiang Li appear. "Jiang Li, what are you doing here?"
’Thank goodness Wu Xueyan’s family took her home this morning,’ he thought with a wave of relief. ’Otherwise, if Jiang Li had seen her, it would have been impossible to explain.’
"I heard you were hospitalized, so I came to see you."
Jiang Li sat down beside him and picked up an apple from the table, beginning to peel it.
Seeing Jiang Li peel an apple for him, Qiao Siyuan felt a pang of emotion. It had been a long time since he had experienced Jiang Li’s meticulous care.
The apple peel in Jiang Li’s hand fell away in a single, unbroken piece. A faint smile appeared on her face. ’The knives in this hospital really are pretty good.’
Qiao Siyuan looked at the apple in her hand and reached out to take it. The next second, Jiang Li brought it to her own lips and took a bite.
Qiao Siyuan’s pale face froze. Suddenly, a cold glint of light flashed before his eyes.
