Urban Martial Saint

Ye Qing was asking whether the police had investigated how the rumor started, but the policeman misunderstood and thought Ye Qing wanted him to verify the rumor’s authenticity, so his response didn’t quite match the question. However, from his answer, Ye Qing could tell that these policemen were inclined to believe it was indeed a haunting.

That’s no surprise, after all, the killer couldn’t be killed with bullets. Even after being shot, he quickly returned to normal. Anyone would think this is a ghostly affair.

But in a bright and clear world, how could such haunting events occur? Naturally, Ye Qing didn’t believe in the haunting, and Liu Changping definitely didn’t believe it either. However, Ye Qing had a different perspective from Liu Changping; he firmly believed that peculiar occurrences must have a deeper issue. Since there’s talk of a haunting, there must be something amiss.

According to the policeman, Ding San’s wife was indeed dead. This ruled out the possibility that she was the perpetrator. Thus, the problem stood out clearly. Since the killer wasn’t Ding San’s wife, why did the eyewitness insist that she was the assailant? Was the eyewitness lying, or was there an underlying reason?

Thinking of this, Ye Qing looked up at the policeman and asked, ”Where is the eyewitness now? Can I meet him?”

The policeman nodded and said, ”No problem, Mr. Ye, when would you like to see him?”

Ye Qing: ”As soon as possible!”

”Then let’s go now.” The policeman stood up, accompanied Ye Qing and two others out, and drove three police cars straight to the eyewitness’s home.

Normally, just a few people would suffice for such matters, but after more than thirty policemen died in Tianhui City, even these cops felt uneasy. Even to find an eyewitness, they sent three cars and more than ten policemen, mainly fearing an ambush by the killer.

The eyewitness lived in a small town around Tianhui City, the same town where Ding San previously resided. No wonder the eyewitness identified the killer as Ding San’s wife—they were neighbors in the same town!

At around six o’clock in the evening, while it was still bright, the small town’s streets were mostly deserted. The shops on the street had mostly closed early. When Ye Qing and the others arrived, the streets were desolate. The occasional passerby was in a hurry, appearing anxious.

”Since this murder case, the town has been spreading ghost stories, and the people are all on edge, living in constant fear. That’s why most shops close early before dark, and no one walks outside at night.” The accompanying policeman explained to Ye Qing, finding time on the way to introduce himself. His name was Quan Zhengye, an old policeman familiar with the situation in Tianhui City.

The Provincial Bureau was handling the case in Tianhui City, but the local police were still playing a leading role. After all, the officers from the Provincial Bureau and those from nearby cities were unfamiliar with Tianhui’s situation, and local police leadership was crucial. Quan Zhengye was the person in charge of the case. Liu Changping’s arrangement for him to accompany Ye Qing effectively meant handing the case over to Ye Qing, showing Liu Changping’s high hopes for Ye Qing.

”Are there many deaths in this town?” Ye Qing asked.

Quan Zhengye shook his head and replied, ”Not the most, but the murder cases initially began here in this town.”

Ye Qing slowly nodded, realizing that the case indeed had an inseparable connection with this town. The rumor of haunting started from here, and the murder cases also began here. This town was key to solving the case!

Quan Zhengye had visited this town before to find the eyewitness and knew the way to the eyewitness’s home. He led Ye Qing and the others straight to the house. They arrived to find the door already closed. Quan Zhengye called to them for quite a while before someone inside finally opened it.

Realizing it was indeed the police, the family breathed a sigh of relief. After all, the murder case had kept everyone in Tianhui City on edge.

The eyewitness was a man in his forties named Deng Xueyi. Upon seeing Quan Zhengye, he said helplessly, ”Officer, you’re here again? I’ve already told you everything clearly before. If you ask anything else, I truly don’t know!”

”This time, it’s not that I have questions for you—Mr. Ye here has a few questions.” Quan Zhengye pointed to Ye Qing beside him. ”Mr. Ye is a special agent from the Provincial Bureau responsible for the Tianhui City murder case.”

”Oh?” Deng Xueyi glanced at Ye Qing, slightly surprised. To him, Ye Qing seemed quite young for his position to look even higher than Quan Zhengye’s.

”Mr. Ye, what would you like to ask?” Deng Xueyi said, ”I’ve told Officer Quan everything already!”

Ye Qing looked at Deng Xueyi and softly said, ”What about the things you shouldn’t have said?”

Deng Xueyi was taken aback, then said, ”No... Nothing that shouldn’t have been said.”

”Is that so?” Ye Qing smiled slightly and entered the room first. Inside, Deng Xueyi’s family sat, visibly tense upon seeing so many policemen enter. Understandably, anyone would be anxious with so many officers suddenly coming into their home.

Deng Xueyi followed Ye Qing, feeling uneasy because he could tell that Ye Qing and Quan Zhengye were entirely different types. Ye Qing appeared to be even more assertive than Quan Zhengye.

Ye Qing’s gaze swept over the room as he stepped inside. It was just an ordinary house, but one room had smoke lingering. The air held the scent of burnt incense, indicating that incense had previously been burned. From Ye Qing’s angle, it was obvious that the room’s floor had traces of ashes from burnt paper money.

”Mr. Ye, I’ve really told Officer Quan everything already!” Deng Xueyi said as he followed Ye Qing, ”I truly don’t know anything else. Officer Quan has asked me over ten times. Even if I were bold as a bear or leopard, I wouldn’t dare to hide anything!”

Quan Zhengye followed Ye Qing and, seeing Deng Xueyi’s manner, said quietly, ”Mr. Ye, Deng Xueyi is telling the truth. I’ve asked him many times, and he wasn’t lying at all!”

”He indeed didn’t lie, but has he told you everything?” Ye Qing turned to Deng Xueyi, his tone unusually calm, ”Deng Xueyi, have you told Officer Quan that you actually have some grudges with Ding San’s family?”

”Ah?” Quan Zhengye was stunned and looked at Deng Xueyi with surprise. This was something Deng Xueyi hadn’t mentioned.

Hearing Ye Qing’s words, Deng Xueyi was clearly flustered, not expecting Ye Qing to suddenly say such a thing. However, he was steady and composed. After a moment’s panic, he regained composure and said, ”Mr. Ye, what are you talking about?”

”Mr. Deng, you don’t need to pretend anymore,” Ye Qing smiled. ”If I’m not mistaken, you actually feel guilty about Ding San’s family.”

”I... I don’t...” Deng Xueyi’s voice noticeably trembled, which made those nearby start to doubt him.

Quan Zhengye frowned at Deng Xueyi, realizing he was indeed lying. This meant what Ye Qing said was likely true.

”Deng Xueyi, you should know that lying and disrupting an investigation is a crime too!” Quan Zhengye said sternly, ”Deng Xueyi, you don’t wish to be in jail for a while, do you?”

Deng Xueyi gritted his teeth and said, ”I didn’t lie. I... I have no grudge against Ding San’s family!”

”Is that so?” Ye Qing smiled slightly and said, ”If you have no grudge against Ding San’s family, then why do you have their spirit positions in your home, burning incense offerings? If you don’t feel guilty, if you have no hidden fears, why are you frightened?”

Deng Xueyi’s face changed, shocked, and blurted out, ”How... how do you know...”

Upon realizing his slip, Deng Xueyi immediately shut his mouth, knowing he’d inadvertently disclosed something.

Ye Qing smiled, ”Mr. Deng, when I first arrived here, I saw the couplets at your door, which should be issued by the church. If I’m not mistaken, there must be someone in your family who follows the religion!”

Deng Xueyi said, ”My... my wife follows the religion...”

”If someone in your family is religious, logically, you wouldn’t have icons or spirit positions, nor offer incense or burn paper money.” Ye Qing paused, ”But when I walked inside, there was a strong fragrance of incense. Also, there were traces of burnt paper money in that room, with prayer mats on the ground. Mr. Deng, having so many things all together means you were certainly worshipping the dead. But who were you worshipping? The saying goes, ’A clear conscience has nothing to fear.’ Your wife is religious, so she shouldn’t worship the dead either. But at a time when this entire town is rumor-ridden with ghosts, you were worshipping the dead inside your home. It’s clear you were worshipping Ding San’s family. In other words, you do have grudges with Ding San’s family, and due to your guilty conscience, you wish to pass this calamity peacefully!”

Deng Xueyi was immediately dumbfounded, not expecting Ye Qing’s observation and analytical skills to be so incredible, comprehending so much from just one glance into the room.