Volume 1, Chapter 5: Encountering the Madwoman Again!!

Potter's Field!

Half an hour after Su Ming departed, the scene had already been cordoned off by the police. Several senior criminal investigators were meticulously gathering evidence, while a rookie officer who had just joined the force was crouched on the ground, retching. The scene was bathed in the flickering glare of police lights.

A motorcycle sped toward the scene and screeched to a halt at the edge of the police line. A woman in a leather jacket hopped off. She possessed a graceful figure and an extraordinary air; as she removed her helmet, she revealed a cold, striking face. Her long hair cascaded down like a black waterfall to her waist, accompanied by a faint, lingering fragrance. Her brow was etched with a cold, haughty pride, and her almond-shaped eyes sparkled with intelligence.

"Sister Yan, you've finally arrived. This looks like the work of the 'Blade Demon.' The scene is gruesome; thirty-seven people are dead, and not a single body is intact." A plainclothes investigator walked over to greet her.

"So many dead? It looks like a clash between underworld factions that ended in mutual destruction!" The woman frowned, glanced at the vomiting rookie, and cursed under her breath. She then ducked under the police tape, intent on entering the site.

"Sister, you really shouldn't look. I'm afraid that you..." one of the officers warned out of concern.

"Hmm? Are you questioning the 'Queen of the West Ring'?" She shot back. "Do you think I, Yan Rou, am some greenhorn fresh out of the academy? What kind of scene haven't I seen?"

Yan Rou retorted sharply, gave a cold snort, and marched inside. A few seconds later, she was doubled over, retching.

"Sister, have some water," an officer said, struggling to suppress a smirk.

"Damn it! This pervert—killing is one thing, but to be this cruel? I will catch him and bring him to justice!" Yan Rou took a long gulp of water after coldly glaring at the officer.

"Sister Yan, we have a new lead. There’s footage from a dashcam nearby. There was a confrontation here half an hour ago, and there’s a suspicious figure..."

At the call, everyone gathered around. Due to the angle of the dashcam, only the audio could be heard. Once the screams and pleas for mercy died down, a figure resembling a lone ghost, draped in mourning clothes, appeared before the camera, gradually fading into the dusk.

At that moment, a collective gasp rippled through the air.

"It was... just one person? They killed thirty-seven people!"

"How... how is that possible?"

"Is he a monster?"

Including Yan Rou, all the officers were stunned, staring in disbelief as if they had seen a ghost.

***

Longzhou, Qingshan Hospital!

Su Ming stepped out of his car and headed straight for the emergency room. The corridor was packed; many patients, lacking beds, were forced to lie on the floor. A draft blew through, carrying a slight chill. Su Ming hurried to the ward where he had admitted his younger sister, only to find her sitting in a wheelchair, huddled against the wall.

She was holding an IV bag with one hand and had a needle in the other, trying to stay out of the way of passersby. She looked timid, not wanting to cause trouble for anyone, but her arm was trembling violently from the prolonged exertion of holding the IV bag.

Seeing this, Su Ming’s eyes reddened. Over the last three years in prison, he had suffered countless hardships and endured endless misery, but he had never shed a single tear. Yet, this iron-willed man felt tears welling up in his eyes now.

*If Mom and Dad knew about this from the afterlife, they would be heartbroken.*

*What kind of useless brother am I, letting my sister suffer like this?* Su Ming growled internally.

He walked over with heavy steps and reached out to take the IV bag from her. Sensing someone, his sister, Yingying, turned her head abruptly. When she saw Su Ming, a smile bloomed on her tense, pretty face.

"Brother, you're back! You must be tired. Why don't we go sit on the chairs outside for a while?" Her maturity was heartbreaking for an eighteen-year-old.

"It’s my incompetence that has made you suffer," Su Ming said, crouching down and gently brushing her nose. "I’ll go find you a proper ward right now so you can lie down and rest."

"No need, Brother. Wards are expensive—two hundred yuan a night! It’s fine here." She shook her head. "Besides, I’m feeling much better. Can we be discharged? I want to go home..."

"I..." Su Ming choked up, unable to speak.

Yingying suddenly grabbed his wrist, blinking her bright eyes as she pleaded, "Brother, take me home, please!"

How could Su Ming refuse? He nodded, forced a smile, and said, "Alright, Brother will take you home."

After finishing the paperwork and reaching the hospital entrance, the sky had already darkened. Just as he was about to hail a taxi, a red BMW X5 sped up and stopped in front of them. The window rolled down to reveal an exquisite face—it was Ye Bing, the woman who had made a bet with him earlier that day. She was truly wealthy, having already switched to another luxury car.

"Finally found you. What, did you lose your nerve? I waited at the hotel for you all day, but you didn't dare show up!" Ye Bing leaned out, flipped her hair, and provoked him triumphantly.

"I don't have time for you. Don't provoke me!" Su Ming, unwilling to engage, turned to push his sister away.

"Brother, who is that pretty sister? Do you know her?" Su Yingying looked back curiously, like a wide-eyed child, until Su Ming pressed a hand on her shoulder, causing her to stick out her tongue playfully.

"Don't worry about grown-up business," Su Ming said, his voice feigning severity though his eyes were full of doting affection.

Just then, the car pulled alongside them, maintaining their pace at a slow crawl. Ye Bing leaned out again and waved. "Hey, little virgin, get in. I’ll give you a ride. It’s hard to find a taxi on this road, and it's not convenient for you to walk like this! Is this your sister? You’re suffering, but do you really want her to suffer with you?"

Ye Bing was sharp and emotionally intelligent; she had found Su Ming’s soft spot. With those few words, Su Ming stopped walking. He scooped up Yingying and headed toward the car as Ye Bing opened the door.

Half an hour later, the car navigated through a dozen alleys to the shantytown and stopped at Su Ming’s doorstep. Su Ming helped his sister inside and then stepped back out.

"Get in. There’s something I need to discuss with you." Ye Bing unlocked the door, and after a moment of hesitation, Su Ming climbed in.

"If you're here for the Dragon Pendant, you can leave now," Su Ming said flatly.

"It seems you are determined to oppose me. Su Ming, do you even know the deep significance of this pendant?" Ye Bing lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, and set aside her fiery temper to speak with a grave tone.

"Significance? Of course it has meaning. It’s a keepsake from my master! If you want to take it, you’ll have to kill me first!" A cold glint flashed in Su Ming’s eyes; his tone was resolute.

"It seems I misunderstood. You have no idea what this jade represents. Your master truly is capable, managing to make you the prospective son-in-law of the Lin family! If he hadn't saved the Lin family patriarch back then, the Dragon Pendant of the Dragon and Phoenix set would never have ended up in your hands. To be honest, even if you don't hand over the pendant, don't dream of becoming the Lin family's son-in-law! Lin Ruoxue is the heir to the Lin family, the president of the publicly listed 'Jun Tianxia' conglomerate, a true daughter of heaven. You are not worthy!"

Ye Bing took a final, hard drag of her cigarette, tossed it away, and looked back at him.