Chapter 29

That person was Qin Wu, wearing a suit of armor. Hongjun immediately went to call for help. Qin Wu fell to the ground, sobbing uncontrollably. While twitching, he raised his head to look at the Immovable Wisdom King, who was enshrined in the front hall. The Immovable Wisdom King glared at him under the moonlight. His six arms were raised high, showing his majesty.

Footsteps sounded. Hongjun hurried out with Li Jinglong. Li Jinglong only took a glance and said, "Has the blood outside been washed clean?"

Atay, Mo Rigen, and Qiu Yongsi also woke up. Atay poked his head out of the door, then quickly walked out in his pajamas. The ring on his hand released water vapor, sweeping the entire street like a whirlwind, washing away the bloodstains left by Qin Wu. Then, he left the alley and went to the main street to clean up.

"Get water to wash his whole body." Li Jinglong said, "Hongjun, go prepare the Sedative Incense, quick!"

Qin Wu's armor was removed. He lay in the courtyard, his lips trembling uncontrollably, and his whole body reeked of blood. Mo Rigen said in a low voice, "Let me do it."

Just like that night when he drove away Hongjun's nightmare, Mo Rigen pressed his hand on Qin Wu's forehead, calming him down slightly.

"I … killed them." Qin Wu said with a trembling voice.

"How many people did you kill?" Li Jinglong answered, "You'll turn yourself in tomorrow morning. Little Wu, pay with your life for murder! Pay your debts! You're a real man, why don't you dare to admit what you've done! "

Qin Wu's face was distorted, and he said with a sobbing voice, "I went to the Zheng family to seek revenge. Zheng Wenbin was with my concubine … I killed him, his whole family … and my concubine …"

Li Jinglong: "His whole family?! Qin Wu! You're crazy! "

"Save me, save me …" Qin Wu choked with sobs as he grabbed Li Jinglong's hand without letting go. Hong Jun was already stunned. However, when he thought back to when he saw Qin Wu during the day, he felt the heavy atmosphere and the action of wiping his sword. It was as if everything had been foreshadowed.

"Someone is holding my hand." Qin Wu was in great pain. He grabbed Li Jinglong as if he was holding on to a life-saving straw and said, "I don't want to kill that child, I don't want to kill. I just want my concubine and Zheng Wenbin …"

Li Jinglong, and walked to the side, and gasped. Hongjun looked up and Li of Li Jinglong, and saw tears tears in his eyes.

Ah Tai came back after cleaning up the traces outside and replied, "Clean the house too."

Then Atay waved his fan, and a mist of water burst out, making everyone's faces wet. Li Jinglong shouted angrily, "Don't make trouble!"

Atay was inexplicably shouted at, and could only say, "Good intentions will be struck by lightning. If you don't want to wash, then don't wash. Why are you so fierce?"

"You must turn yourself in tomorrow morning. If you don't go, I'll take you there." Li Jinglong said to Qin Wu, "You guys take turns watching him. Hongjun, give him some sedative powder. Don't overdose." After that, he went into the room and slammed the door, making a loud noise.

"Who is this person?" Qiu Yongsi still didn't know Qin Wu's identity, but Hongjun felt a little strange. Qin Wu seemed to be very important to Li Jinglong.

"I don't know him." Hongjun replied listlessly. Mo Rigen let everyone go back to their rooms to sleep, and he was responsible for keeping watch.

"Chief." Hongjun went to knock on Li Jinglong's door. But he didn't get an answer, so he could only give up.

The next morning, when everyone came out, Li Jinglong's expression had returned to normal. Qin Wu had disappeared from the courtyard.

"He left." Mo Rigen said, "I followed him to the Supreme Court and didn't come out."

Li Jinglong closed his eyes and sighed. He replied, "Many things are predestined. Just do what you have to do."

After breakfast, Li Jinglong was about to assign tasks to his subordinates, but Lian Hao came back with the case files. Li Jinglong could only let Mo Rigen rest. Atay, Qiu Yongsi, and Hongjun went out to investigate. Just as he stepped out of the Exorcism Department, Hongjun followed him out.

"Let's go back." Li Jinglong turned around and said.

"They told me to accompany you." Hongjun insisted.

Li Jinglong stopped and didn't say anything. He turned around and continued walking. Hongjun followed behind him. Last night, it was the first time he saw a mortal with such a strong evil aura. When Qin Wu rushed in with a body full of blood, Hongjun only felt that he was like a demon who had killed countless people.

Li Jinglong sighed and said, "We have to buy a few horses. Otherwise, it will be inconvenient to go out."

The two of them walked one after the other. Hongjun felt that Qin Wu was quite pitiful, but seeing how much Li Jinglong cared about him, he felt very uncomfortable. He had clearly treated Li Jinglong so badly, but Li Jinglong was very sad because of him. For a moment, Hongjun felt as if there were two Carp Demons quarreling in his heart. One angrily said, "He's obviously my Changshi, but he actually had such a past and made him so sad!"

The other Carp Demon scolded, "Qin Wu is already so miserable, and you still hate him?"

The first Carp Demon began to make a big fuss, "Why?! Why do you say?! What does it have to do with me? If Chong Ming picks up another child one day, won't he also steal my father?! "

Thus, Hongjun followed Li Jinglong all the way through a small alley. Li Jinglong asked, "Do you want to eat noodles?"

"Yes." Hongjun laughed again.

Li Jinglong's mood improved and said, "Smile, everything is good. Why are you so unhappy?"

"You're sad." Hongjun said truthfully, "I can't be happy either."

Li Jinglong asked Hongjun to sit down and ordered the noodles. Now that he had money, he could eat as much as he wanted. However, he still couldn't raise his spirits and said, "I also wanted to persuade him yesterday, but for these things, others can't persuade him. He can only rely on himself."

"He killed someone." Hongjun said, "The first person he thought of was you. This proves … um …"

He observed Li Jinglong's expression and gradually learned to speak according to his expression. He ate the second half of his sentence so as not to make him sad again.

When Li Jinglong heard this, he seemed to feel something. He glanced at Hongjun and his frown eased a little.

Hongjun: "?"

Li Jinglong: "Nothing."

The two of them ate breakfast in this strange atmosphere. Li Jinglong said, "Don't eat too much. You can only eat one bowl today."

Hongjun insisted. In the end, Li Jinglong couldn't persuade him and could only let him eat two bowls. Hongjun said, "I'll pay for it myself."

"It's not a matter of money." Li Jinglong said, "I have plenty of money now. It's enough to invite the boss home to make ramen for you every day. I'm just afraid that you …"

"Afraid of what?" Hongjun said, "Don't underestimate me."

"Okay, okay, okay." Li Jinglong said, "Eat as much as you want."

This noodle stall was a famous 50-year-old shop in Chang 'an. It specialized in making braised goose noodles. The wide noodles were cooked in large bowls. They specially picked young geese that were raised for 56 days and braised them in the stove. Only ten geese were produced a day.

The braising sauce was changed once a year. Usually, only stock was added. The goose meat was very fragrant and tender. The goose meat was cut with a sharp knife and half a goose wing was added. The fragrance assailed the nose. The wide noodles were snow-white and the goose meat was golden yellow and tender. Hongjun ate two big bowls in a row.

Two hours later, the two of them just entered the underground morgue behind the Supreme Court. Before they could take five steps, Hongjun vomited.

Li Jinglong asked with concern, "Are you okay?"

Hongjun: "…"

Li Jinglong asked the coroner to quickly fetch water for Hongjun to rinse his mouth. Hongjun faced a jar and vomited until the sky turned dark. Li Jinglong said, "I told you not to eat too much, but you didn't listen. I told you not to follow us in, but you didn't listen. See?"

Hongjun hurriedly waved his hand. Li Jinglong pushed him out to wait. Hongjun said, "I'll vomit a little more. I'll be fine after vomiting for a while."

Li Jinglong supported him with one hand and held a piece of spice in the other. He covered Hongjun's nose with it and led him forward.

As soon as Hongjun saw the scene in the morgue, he was shocked to the core. Last night, Mo Rigen went to investigate the headless corpses, as well as the patients who had died from bleeding to death by the doctors. Those who had died from unnatural causes were all sent here. After the coroner verified the cause of death, the family members could take them home.

Li Jinglong asked Hongjun to stand up straight. He wanted to cover his eyes, but Hongjun waved his hand to indicate that he didn't need to. Li Jinglong then wrapped his left hand around Hongjun's neck and used the spice to cover his mouth and nose. With his other hand, he lifted the bloodstained sackcloth to reveal the corpses.

The Hu corpses were chopped into a mess, their blood had long been drained dry.

"They were injured by a sharp weapon." Li Jinglong said.

Hongjun: "Oh."

Hongjun was slightly better. On his way to Chang 'an, it wasn't that he hadn't seen dead people before, it was that he had vomited because of the smell of corpses. He immediately indicated that he could do it.

Li Jinglong lifted the sackcloth one by one and looked at the corpses one by one. He said, "They were all chopped to death by a weapon. They weren't demons."

Hongjun frowned and looked for a while. Li Jinglong looked at one of the corpses and said, "This one committed suicide. The wound is smooth and the angle is tricky. It went straight to the heart …" As he said this, he grabbed the corpse's hand and twisted it. It happened to be the movement of stabbing oneself in the heart.

"It's not a demon." Li Jinglong said and went to check the next one.

Hongjun looked at the corpse and studied his expression. He seemed to have sensed something.

"Don't touch it." Li Jinglong said, "You're not wearing gloves."

Hongjun leaned closer and looked carefully. Li Jinglong asked, "What do you want to do?" As he said this, he took off his gloves and handed one to Hongjun. The silk gloves still had the warmth of his palm.

Hongjun put it on and lowered his head to stroke the corpse's cheek. After being dead for a day and a night, the corpse had become very stiff. Hongjun said, "Take a look?"

He moved the corpse's head closer and opened the corpse's eyelids. Li Jinglong saw a face with wide eyes and extreme fear.

Hongjun had just seen this expression last night. It was Qin Wu's twisted and ferocious facial features when he rushed into the Exorcism Department.

Li Jinglong frowned deeply. He muttered to himself for a moment and said, "He saw something very terrifying."

Hongjun said, "The reason I chased the Flying Mastiff into Chang 'an was because I heard a scream when I was sleeping outside the city. When I chased after it, I saw a corpse that had been bitten to death …"

"The expression is the same?" Li Jinglong said.

If Hongjun hadn't said this, Li Jinglong would have missed it. He turned back and looked at the corpse's face with Hongjun. However, when mortals were about to die, regardless of whether they passed away peacefully or unwillingly, their expressions would more or less freeze on their faces the moment before death. Although Li Jinglong understood this principle, it was extremely rare to see a person bitten to death by a demon, so he walked past him.

"Since he committed suicide," Hongjun said, "he shouldn't be so frightened before death."

"He should be frightened, but it should be a different kind of fear." Li Jinglong said, "Let's continue watching."

Hong Jun closed the man's eyelids and recited in a low voice, "Go to paradise, don't fall into hell." He turned around and followed Li Jinglong. After examining all the corpses, they left the Supreme Court.

"Let's go to the scene." Li Jinglong began to think. He borrowed a horse from the Supreme Court. When he went out, he happened to see Hu Sheng talking with Huang Yong. Seeing him lead the horse over, Hu Sheng took a deep breath and said to Li Jinglong, "Qin Wu, do you remember?"

"I already know." Li Jinglong said with a normal expression.

Huang Yong said in shock, "How did you know?"

"The Immovable Wisdom King told me." Li Jinglong politely nodded and answered.

Hu Sheng said, "Jinglong, do you think you can plead for mercy in front of His Majesty and Prime Minister Yang?"

Li Jinglong mounted the horse in front of the two people and said, "A single thought, in the end, has to be borne by one's self. Hongjun, let's go. "

Hongjun mounted and still rode behind Li Jinglong. Li Jinglong shook the reins and galloped away from the Supreme Court.

Hongjun didn't dare to say much on the way. When they arrived outside the Zheng family's door, Li Jinglong thought for a moment and still dismounted and walked in. Yang Guozhong's housekeeper, the Long Wu Army's deputy commander, Wen Xiao, the Supreme Court's officials, and the Ministry of Justice's officials were all present. When they saw Li Jinglong come, they knew that he was the Emperor's favorite person and nodded to him.

The scene was extremely tragic. The hall was full of blood and there were traces of blood that were dragged out of the door. One could see the despair and pain of the dying people as they fled.

"This trace of blood belongs to Zheng Wenbin's mother." Wen Xiao said, "She's almost seventy years old. Xiao Wu first stabbed her in the front, then chased after her from behind and killed her."

Li Jinglong said, "I'm afraid that the brothers in the army don't know the inside story and can't help but redress Xiao Wu's injustice."

Wen Xiao sighed and sent Li Jinglong out. After such a thing happened, the Long Wu Army, from Hu Sheng down, would all be held accountable. No one would have an easy time.

"The Yang Family's accumulated resentment has reached its peak." Wen Xiao said, "The Shenwu Army and the Yulin Army have both offended them. Those who should be beaten have been beaten and those who should be punished have been punished. The hearts of the six armies are unstable. In addition to the embezzlement of soldiers' pay, they have long been dissatisfied. I'm afraid that someone will use this as a pretext to make a fuss."

Li Jinglong was about to speak when he suddenly felt that Hongjun was still standing in the hall. He said, "Hongjun?!"

Hongjun stood quietly. He felt the resentment of the old and young in the hall before they died last night. He murmured a few sentences of the expiation incantation, but it was useless. Suddenly, a hand reached out from behind. It was Li Jinglong who grabbed his wrist and took him away, telling him not to look anymore.

"There's a strong resentment in this blood." Hongjun said.

Li Jinglong rode on the horse and led Hongjun around the street. He turned his head and said, "Hongjun, you have to promise me."

"What?"

"No matter when or where, no matter what happens, when you can't control your anger, you have to think of me first." Li Jinglong said word by word, "A single mistake led to such a tragedy. You're not the only one who will suffer."

"No." Hongjun replied, "I'm not him."

"You're a good child." Li Jinglong said casually, "But the power of an exorcist is far beyond that of ordinary people. Killing demons and eliminating demons is often not understood by ordinary people."

Hongjun thought that was true, but no matter what, he would not be like Qin Wu, who lost his mind and did something like slaughtering the whole family.

The third place was the scene of the murder of the wife. Similarly, blood splashed all over the walls. The scene was simply too horrible to look at. In particular, the bed was soaked in blood and the walls were covered with bloody handprints. Hongjun felt more resentment today than any other day in the past. It made his heart heavy and very uncomfortable.

Li Jinglong asked him to go out and carefully check the room. Hongjun noticed something in the corner and asked, "What's this?"

It was a black half-moon shaped iron plate.

Li Jinglong replied, "It's in the blacksmith's house. It must be some kind of armor."

Hongjun held the iron plate and stroked the sharp edge with his fingers. Li Jinglong asked, "What's wrong? Do you think there's something wrong with this thing? "

Hongjun narrowed his eyes and held the iron plate to scrutinize it under the sunlight.

"Put it away." Li Jinglong said, "Go back and look at it carefully."

The next place was out of the city and towards Pinghe Liang. Pinghe Liang was a large grassland. It was almost dusk when they arrived. Hongjun stretched and walked across the grassland's official road with Li Jinglong to inspect the scene.

"They're camping here." Li Jinglong found the embers of the bonfire and said, "They're preparing to rush into Chang 'an the next day."

"Are the goods all here?" Hongjun asked.

Li Jinglong's eyes were smiling. He glanced at Hongjun and said, "They're all here. They're not murdering for money. You're becoming more and more like an exorcist. "

Hongjun said, "I just want to ask if there are any goods left and find some dry food …"

Li Jinglong: "…"

"That person stabbed one to death first." Li Jinglong pointed to a bloodstain and said, "The deceased is here. He slit another person's throat and died … here." He turned to another spot.

"This person is very strong." Hongjun said, "The corpse is almost as tall as Qiu Yongsi."

"Oh." Li Jinglong said, "He should be the caravan's bodyguard. So the people he stabbed to death first were also two bodyguards. Then, he killed the unarmed merchants like he was slaughtering lambs."

"Where did he die?" Hongjun asked.

The scene had been destroyed. Li Jinglong couldn't make a judgment based on the bloodstains. Hongjun walked around a few times and suddenly said, "Elder Shi, come and see!"

Hongjun stood behind a large rock with bloodstains and said, "There's a person hiding here."

Li Jinglong pondered for a moment and said, "But there's no blood nearby. It doesn't look like a survivor. Look, the grass hasn't fallen and there are no footprints nearby. It doesn't look like a trace of escape."

The two of them looked at each other. Hongjun understood Li Jinglong's deduction. If it was a merchant hiding, he would have been dragged out of the rock and killed on the spot after being discovered. There would definitely be traces left behind. In other words …

"The one hiding behind the rock is the executioner who suddenly killed the bodyguard who finally committed suicide." Li Jinglong put his arm around Hongjun's shoulder and squatted behind the rock with him. They looked at the crime scene and said, "What is he looking at?"

Hongjun quickly got up and ran to the bonfire stained with purplish black blood. He turned his head and looked around.

Li Jinglong frowned and thought. He walked over slowly. Hongjun turned and looked at Li Jinglong first, then at the ground. The two of them looked at the same time and saw a very inconspicuous path on the meadow.

Li Jinglong took a deep breath and followed the path to the edge of the meadow. There was a forest there and there were broken branches on the ground. The two of them looked up at the same time. Li Jinglong said, "Whether it's a person or a monster, it hid in the tree that night and observed them."

There were no traces of it leaving. There were only very faint traces of it reaching the bonfire from the tree.

"Did it fly here?" Li Jinglong said.

Hongjun replied, "It's possible."

Li Jinglong: "What kind of monster can fly?"

Hongjun: "Many monsters can fly. I can't finish counting until tomorrow morning."

Li Jinglong could only give up.