Book 5: Chapter 52: The second acquaintance

Book 5: Chapter 52: The second acquaintance

Guan Zheng!

The mastermind, Ah Ya, the Divine Child with heavenly gifts, the Daoist Lord with incomparably profound witchcraft and sorcery, the almost seventy-year old who harmed countless people, Huang Shi Tou, was actually Guan Zheng! The Guan Zheng who had died!

The moment Wan Li saw the photo, the memory that had been out of reach due to his injuries immediately recovered due to the stimulus. The malicious face that appeared outside the wooden buildings window the night he lost consciousness immediately surfaced in his mind. It was the face of the person in the photo: Guan Zheng!

Didnthe die? Xiao Xia asked in shock. He was autopsied by the forensic investigators, and then cremated! I personally arranged his memorial service!

His powers are so great, its completely possible for him to keep things hidden from the police and use an illusion to trick the investigators into thinking he had been autopsied. Huang Bo Heng was a millionaire, and was also the donor behind the non-profit law firm. The funeral was arranged with their money and manpower. You only arranged the gathering. There were too many opportunities for them to falsify things with money! Ruan Zhan explained.

But what made you think it was him? Wan Li asked. I have to say, Im unwillingly impressed by you.

It wasnt any exact analysis. It was just a sort of feeling. Ruan Zhan said honestly. I sorted out all the people involved in this matter. I assumed each one was the mastermind as long as they were just slightly involved before using the process of elimination. In the end, Guan Zheng was the only murky trail. Therefore, I showed you his photo. Luckily, Xiao Xia had taken a picture of him.

Who would have thought she could conjure up clues by messing around. Wan Li patted her head. Have you noticed? Although she messes up a ton, shes super lucky. Thats why Gu Long1 said it best: Those naturally beautiful or intelligent cannot compare to those naturally lucky. Our Xiao Xia is such an example.

Stop joking around. Xiao Xia still found it hard to believe. But how did you come to suspect him? She asked Ruan Zhan.

Because he died! Because he seemed to be uninvolved on the surface, yet is intricately linked to this matter. Think about it. Who approached you and got you involved? Who lured you to these mountains? Who encountered those elder-bullying cases? Who was closely connected to Huang Bo Heng? As Sherlock Holmes once said: When you have eliminated all which is impossible, then whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.

But what is his goal?

Well let him tell us once we find him. Or perhaps we can have this incredible psychiatrist of ours do some analysis.

Better to let him tell us. Wan Li shrugged. Im more worried about how to lure him out, and then how to beat him.

No need to lure him out. He will come find us. Ruan Zhan smiled coldly. What we need to do is once again win from a position of weakness. Weve done it many time before. We can definitely do it again.

Then lets go back and wait for opportunity to knock! No, more like wait for the opportunity to knock him dead! Wan Li stood up and pulled Xiao Xia up.

You guys go back first. Im going to make a trip to the village chief and show him Guan Zhengs photo. I want to be absolutely certain Ah Ya is Guan Zheng!

Alright, Ill go back and put on that wedding dress. Xiao Xia suddenly said. I want to see if Witch Doctor Ah Bai will contact me via visions again and tell me more. Perhaps itll be of help to us.Updated from novelbIn.(c)om

***

Witch Doctor Ah Bai sat cross-legged on the altar. She wore a long red robe embroidered with strange symbols. There was a feathered crest decorated with red and white beads. Both hands were elegantly clasped as they formed seals and she was lightly chanting something.

Some special objects were placed around her. They seemed to be bones of various animals, but they were decorated with fresh flowers. Perhaps it was due to her gentle features but the scene wasnt weird or sinister. Instead, it gave Xiao Xia a feeling of holiness.

The chanting grew louder and louder, and became a sort of humming in the end. It sounded like the chirping of cicadas on a summer afternoon. It was clamorous yet also tranquil, making one feel drowsy.

At this moment, the scene before Xiao Xias eyes swayed and the ground also started trembling underfoot like there was an earthquake. After several seconds, things became calm again. Witch Doctor Ah Bai stood up and lifted the bamboo mat in front of her. Beneath it was an enormous copper basin over two meters in diameter.

The basin was filled with water. When the bamboo mat was lifted, the water started sloshing fiercely. The strange thing was that despite the fullness of the basin and the violent shaking, not a single drop spilled out.

Ah Bai slowly knelt in front of the basin and used her slender, fair finger to stir the water inside. The surface immediately became calm without the slightest ripple. Then, a silver luster spread and the surface became a mirror. Xiao Xia felt this mirror of water was similar to the water basin the raincoat ghost used the day of the forced marriage. However, Ah Bis mirror of water was very pure, without any hints of fiendish aura.

Before he left, the chief had said, He hasnt changed. His expression is still the same as that night.

This meant that while Xiao Xia was messing around with her phone back then, he had already planned on killing people! As for the motive, Ruan Zhan believed there had to be some underlying reason. However, he didnt need to think about that at the moment. There was no difference between Guan Zheng and those types of twisted people anymore.

He didnt set up any protective measures for the village. He believed Guan Zhengs attention would be completely focused on them. He had already retaliated against the villagers before! Now, his goal was to have the three outsiders understand everything before burying them forever with his secrets in the forest. Then, he would steal Xiao Xia from his and Wan Lis hands and make her his slave forever!

Since they were his goal, they just needed to keep away from the village to prevent others from coming to harm.

He didnt use the space-warping technique because the Gu was becoming restless. If he overused his powers, he would no longer be able to suppress it. He didnt have the chance to rest. This matter was about to conclude after all.

He walked slowly, pondering his next move. However, he suddenly felt something move up ahead. He didnt raise his head but immediately judged that it was the weirdo in the forest, Ah Wu.

Wait up, Im not going to try and catch you. I also wont ask you anything. I just want to tell you a few things.

The bushes around rustled as his voice fell. Ah Wu was clearly running away. However, Ruan Zhan stood still. He knew she would return. She must have appeared because she had followed him to the chiefs house. She understood that the mystery was about to be unraveled. As part of the secret, she must also be uneasy.

As expected, the human aura within the bushes slowly approached.

I already know everything was done by Huang Shi Tou, which is to say Ah Ya. The name he used in the city is Guan Zheng. Ruan Zhan looked towards the stars and not at the bushes. I dont know why, but he was the one who killed Ah Wang and his brothers. The murders in the city were also caused by him. The tragic case many years ago in the mountain villages was also his doing. He was the one who cast the Death Gu on my friend, and wants to cast a Ghost Gu on my other friend. However, theres no way Ill allow it.

He paused, sensing Ah Wu was still there. I also know you and he are both Witch Doctor Ah Bais apprentices. I know she had a ghost husband, I know about the matter with the tribal bride and groom. Ultimately, I know all the details and Im not afraid. You may leave now, because theres nothing I really need your help with. However, you must hide far away. By no means should you come out!

He walked off after speaking. There was a strange noise behind him, as if Ah Wu wanted him to stay but hesitated.

Did you need help with anything? Sensing Ah Wus fear, Ruan Zhan let out a silent sigh.

Heisvery powerful. Ah Wu finally spoke in a trembling, incomparably quiet voice. He might be watching you behind one of these branches!

I will let him know that I, too, am very powerful! Ruan Zhan said arrogantly in a cold voice.

He had never spoken this way before, but he was exceptionally furious this time. Guan Zheng had harmed Wan Li, and even wanted to steal Xiao Xia away!

He truly ended up going to the city. My masters husband was extremely fond of him, and said he would take him out of this mountain to a bigger place. Ah Wu said abruptly.

Masters husband? Witch Doctor Ah Bais lover? The ghost husband?

The spell where you draw a circle in the air and disappear after taking a step, my masters husband knows it too.

Ruan Zhans heart trembled. He finally knew who Si Ma Nan was!

There couldnt be a second person who could use such a spell. Even if there was, that person couldnt be so intricately involved in this affair. There couldnt be such a coincidence in this world!

Si Ma Nan was actually Yang Mu You! Or rather, the true identity of their old enemy was Si Ma Nan!

It wasnt clear where he was from and how he was related to himself. Furthermore, Ruan Zhan didnt know if his fathers death had anything to do with him, or why he would become Ah Bais ghost husband. Yet he finally knew his opponents real name.

Help me! A hand stretched out from the bushes and grabbed Ruan Zhans arm. Ive made a huge mistake! All of this is my fault!

A famous novelist.