Chapter 37
Death
In front, Liu Xu brought Xiao Yue along this remote alley until they reached the end. After finding a simple house, the two of them entered.
Most of the houses in this alley were simple and crude. Most of the people living here were poor.
Liu Xu and Xiao Yue entered the house and came out after a while.
From Xu Bai’s point of view, Xiao Yue’s expression was much more relaxed.
“It’s alright, Xiao Yue. I’ve already cured your illness,” Liu Xu said with a smile.
The innocent smile returned to Xiao Yue’s face as she nodded vigorously, “Thank you, Sister Liu.”
“It’s fine. I’ll bring you back.” Liu Xu kept smiling.
“Mm.” Xiao Yue nodded obediently.
The two of them chatted for a while more before leaving the street.
Xu Bai didn’t leave with them. He stared at the simple house, deep in thought.
After going in and coming out once, the problem was resolved?
There was something strange about this, especially in this house.
He thought about it and waited until he was sure the street was empty before approaching the house.
There was a lock on the door. It was a common padlock. With his hand on the door, he could push the door open a crack.
Xu Bai did not use his hands. Instead, he pulled out the Ghost Head Saber and used the hilt to push the door.
After the door was pushed open, sunlight shone into the house through the crack.
The furnishings inside were simple, but they were quite complete.
When Xu Bai saw what was inside, his eyes widened.
In the dim sunlight, a few shadows swayed. As the sunlight shone, these shadows appeared and disappeared.
There were three people hanging from the beam.
——The middle-aged couple and Xiao Yue.
The three of them hung from the rafters, ropes around their necks, hands dangling.
The three pairs of eyes widened, and their tongues came out of their mouths. They were no longer alive.
There were large patches of livor mortis on their skin, proving that they had been dead for a long time.
“They’re dead?” Xu Bai was stunned. He thought of Xiao Yue, whom he had met earlier.
But why was he still able to see her?
Had she turned into a strange creature?
Wasn’t it said that they were strange and irrational and only knew how to kill crazily? But why were they still setting up stalls on the streets like living people?
Xu Bai couldn’t understand. After all, he hadn’t been in this industry for long.
Although his hands were already stained with the blood of so many people in this short period of time, he was actually still a newbie and did not know many theoretical things.
Therefore, when he saw this scene now, he could not understand the reason.
But one thing was certain… Xiao Yue and her parents were dead.
Xu Bai looked at her protruding eyes and thought of Xiao Yue’s usual obedient appearance. He gripped the Ghost Head Saber tightly.
How did he feel?
He couldn’t explain it clearly.
Usually, Xiao Yue was naive and innocent. She was curious about everything around her.
The current Xiao Yue was completely different. Her livor mortis-covered face was terrifying.
Anyone who saw this would sense a huge difference.
She was only a seven or eight-year-old girl, but she had already reached the end of her life.
Xu Bai thought that he was a ruthless person, but when he saw this scene, he still felt uncomfortable.
After coming to this world, from the Raging Tiger Bandits all the way to Sheng County, he had experienced many battles. Every time, he killed his enemies, and his hands were stained with a lot of blood.
Only in front of the stall, eating the buns and porridge, did he feel happy.
In the darkness, one yearned for the light even more.
“Who is it?” Xu Bai took a deep breath.
The family of three committed suicide for no reason. This was very strange.
Everyone wanted to live. If nothing happened, who would commit suicide?
Xu Bai pondered as he stood on the spot.
At this moment, the sound of footsteps interrupted Xu Bai’s train of thought.
Xu Bai looked at a nearby house. The door was tightly shut.
Genuine Inner Force circulated in his body as he leaped high into the air and landed on the roof, using it to hide his figure.
A large group of people rushed in from the alley, wearing the uniform of the government office.
The leader was the county magistrate and Liu Xu. Xiao Yue, who had been led out by Liu Xu, had disappeared.
“Miss Liu, is this the house?” Magistrate Zhang asked.
Liu Xu nodded.
The bailiff rushed in and opened the door. Then, he carried out three corpses with a stretcher covered with a white cloth.
Soon, the bailiffs carried the corpse away, leaving only Liu Xu and Magistrate Zhang in the alley.
“County Magistrate, I hope that this matter will be carried out impartially,” Liu Xu said.
“Of course. I will use the best method,” Magistrate Zhang replied casually.
“The best method?” Liu Xu frowned. Even with the white veil, it was obvious that she was unhappy.
“Most of the people in the academy have to take the imperial examination. After you take the imperial examination, you will understand everything,” Magistrate Zhang added.
In the Great Chu, even women could obtain scholarly honors.
The meaning of the Emperor of the Great Chu Country was that regardless of gender, only merits mattered.
Most of the people who studied in the Academy were also trying to get scholarly honors. Only a few would stay in the Academy.
“But…” Liu Xu still wanted to say something.
“I know that the Qingyun Academy values you. Although I’m not from the Qingyun Academy, I also graduated from an academy. You can write a letter to your teacher about this. He will tell you everything.” Magistrate Zhang interrupted Liu Xu, not wanting to say anything else.
When Liu Xu saw this situation, she sighed.
She planned to go back first and write a letter to her teacher to see what was going on.
“Leave first. Anyway, in two days, I will announce this matter, including the cause and effect and the corresponding punishment,” Magistrate Zhang added.
At this point, Liu Xu had been thinking about Magistrate Zhang’s words.
The corpse had already been carried away. Magistrate Zhang and Liu Xu had also left the alley.
At this moment, Xu Bai jumped down from the roof and looked at the empty house with a gloomy gaze.
He had heard it clearly from the roof just now.
From their conversation, he could tell that there was more to Xiao Yue’s death.
Putting aside how Xiao Yue ended up in such a strange state, the truth behind this was worth investigating.
“In two days…” Xu Bai stroked his chin.
He planned to wait another three days to see what they would announce.
Thinking of this, Xu Bai did not stay in the alley and left.
…
Liu Residence.
After Liu Xu returned home, she was in a bad mood. The first thing she did was to return to her room and take off her veil.
She sat in the chair, her chin propped on her white palm, her elbows on the table, as if she were thinking about something. Her eyes were glazed.
It took her a moment to collect herself. She took a piece of paper from a drawer, dipped a brush in ink, and wrote a letter.
After she finished writing, she took out an iron cage from another cabinet. There was a messenger pigeon in the iron cage.
This messenger pigeon belonged to the Qingyun Academy. If there was any urgency, she could contact the academy through this method.
The letter was short. Liu Xu folded the letter, tied it to the pigeon’s leg, and walked out the door.
“Flaps…”
With a flapping sound, the messenger pigeon flapped its wings and flew far away.
Liu Xu looked straight in the direction where the messenger pigeon flew off, her fists clenched tightly.
After a while, she unclenched her fists and returned to the room.
Looking at the green smoke rising from the incense burner in the room, she took out a book from her sleeve and flipped to a certain page.
A white light flashed from the book, and then three lights landed on the ground.