Yang Family Villa District.
In the Yang Family Villa District, at Yang Yaotian's home.
White candles flickered, and the air carried a faint scent of incense ash. Yang Li looked at the black-and-white photo of her brother, Yang Yuntao, her face turning pale with fear. She knew who the murderer was, and she knew who had harmed her brother.
But she didn't dare to speak. Her father doted on her brother to the extreme; she had known this since childhood. If Yang Yaotian found out that her brother's death was related to her, she wouldn't survive without shedding a layer of skin.
No, this secret must stay buried within her, never to be spoken.
The door opened, and as Yang Yaotian and Chen Xiangmei returned, she quickly suppressed her panic, putting on a sorrowful expression.
"Dad, Mom, the Rose Hotel... what did they say? Did they find any evidence? Who exactly killed my brother!"
She cried her heart out, making it impossible to tell if she was sincere or not, while Yang Yaotian slammed the solid wood table, shattering it into pieces.
"The surveillance was deleted. All we know is there was a man and a woman inside. The man was injured, but we don't know about the woman. The Sun Family's bunch of useless fools couldn't even identify what those two looked like! Hmph, that Sun Xiaotian promised seven days; let's see if he can solve this!"
Yang Yaotian's words sent waves of shock and fear through Yang Li's heart.
Lin Ye and Lin Xi, were they really just newly awakened 1st-Rank Martial Artists? Were they really only eighteen? Why were they so experienced? Why was it like this!
Just thinking about it sent chills down her spine, and when she looked at her parents, she suddenly realized that those two had fooled everyone, except for her, the one involved.
What to do? What should she do next! Yes, kill them, they must be killed to eliminate future troubles! No, Third Uncle still needs Lin Xi to continue the family line! What to do? What to do?
"Lili, you look so pale, are you thinking about your brother?"
Chen Xiangmei noticed Yang Li's odd expression and instinctively asked, to which Yang Li immediately replied.
"Mom, I'm fine, it's just my state today, I can't go to school to work. I'll take a leave from Third Uncle, and then... clear my mind, visit the places my brother used to frequent."
"Yes, you and your brother were close, his death must be hard on you too. Go ahead! It's good to get out."
As soon as Yang Li stepped out the door, her expression instantly vanished, replaced by a ruthless look.
She had to kill those two to prevent future troubles, but she couldn't do it openly, otherwise, Third Uncle wouldn't approve, so she had to resort to assassination.
Two young people dying in the chaotic Slum District would be quite normal, wouldn't it?
"The Slum District, is it? I don't believe I can't find out where you live!"
...
Beast Hunter Association.
Early in the morning, Lin Ye and Lin Xi arrived at the Beast Hunter Association in Yuncheng East District and quickly completed their registration, becoming Bronze-rank Beast Hunters.
In the Beast Hunter Association, ninety-five percent of the people were ordinary citizens. They didn't want to be the dogs of noble families, but cultivation required resources and a lot of money, so the profession of Beast Hunter suited them well. Follow the newest chapters on novelping.com.
However, the mortality rate for Beast Hunters was also high. For newcomers on their first hunt outside the city, the death rate exceeded fifty percent.
Lin Ye and Lin Xi had just finished registering and looked around the association, where many people were eagerly looking for temporary teammates.
Most were 1st-Rank and 2nd-Rank Martial Artists, with a few 3rd-Rank, but their numbers were pitifully small.
"Hey, kid, you just graduated from high school, right? It's about time for a new batch to come out. But how's your cultivation? I'm looking for people, and once we have ten, we'll set off, we're just two short."
Lin Ye turned to look. It was a middle-aged man, appearing to be in his forties. Following his gaze, he saw that the team was mostly young people in their twenties, with only this middle-aged man among them.
The man smiled and said, "Don't worry, I'm a Peak Stage 2nd-Rank Martial Artist. Our route this time doesn't have any Tier 2 Aberrant Beasts, mostly Tier 1 Aberrant Beasts. In this team, including me, there are already three 2nd-Rank Martial Artists. Kid, are you in?"
Seeing someone initiate a conversation, Lin Ye also smiled, "Sure! I'm Lin Li, twenty years old, a Mid-Stage 1st-Rank Martial Artist, and this is my sister, Lin Shui, same age and cultivation as me."
Lin Xi glanced at Lin Ye, said nothing, and slowly introduced herself.
"I'm Lin Shui."
Then she fell silent, and the man, upon seeing Lin Xi, brightened up, "Wow, this little girl is really good-looking! But kid, you're bringing your sister to hunt beasts? It's dangerous!"
"You said it was safe, right? Don't worry, we have some skills. We were lucky enough to learn the Yellow-rank Mid-grade Martial Skill, Rock-Shattering Fist, so there won't be any mishaps."
Hearing this, the man nodded, "I'm Li Dashan, just call me Uncle Dashan. I'll introduce you to our members later."
Then, Li Dashan introduced the other six people to Lin Ye, including four men and two women. Among them, two men were Initial-stage 2nd-Rank Martial Artists, while the others were Late-stage 1st-Rank Martial Artists, aged between 25 and 30.
They were the youngest in the group, and one man, upon seeing Lin Ye join the action, clearly didn't have a good attitude.
"Brother Dashan, since when did we start recruiting guys in their early twenties? Don't let them hold us back."
"Liu Lei, this kid has good talent, a Mid-Stage 1st-Rank Martial Artist at twenty, that's already strong."
Liu Lei pursed his lips at this, "Still the lowest cultivation, but fine, we're only here because of you, a Peak Stage 2nd-Rank Martial Artist. As long as you're here, it's fine."
"Alright, we're all set. Let's pack up and head out!"
"Okay!"
The group boarded the association's exclusive transport vehicle, leaving Yuncheng's urban area, heading towards the danger zone outside the city.
The vehicle reached the end of the border road, where it could no longer proceed. Everyone disembarked and ventured on foot into the desolate and perilous wilderness.
"We'll only operate within about twenty kilometers of Yuncheng. I've been a Beast Hunter for over twenty years; it's all Tier 1 Aberrant Beasts here. Don't worry, it's not dangerous."
Li Dashan spoke as he walked, wearing a somewhat honest smile. This chapter was taken from g.com without permission.
Lin Ye deliberately walked at the back of the group, observing these people: one Peak Stage 2nd-Rank Martial Artist, two Initial-stage 2nd-Rank Martial Artists, five Late-stage 1st-Rank Martial Artists, and the two of them, Mid-Stage 1st-Rank Martial Artists.
In the Demon Hunter Association, this team's strength was just right, capable of easily handling any Tier 1 Aberrant Beast.
At that moment, Lin Xi whispered.
"Lin Ye, do you think there's something off about these people? And what's with the names Lin Li and Lin Shui?"
"I don't know, but when you're out, your identity is what you make it. Being cautious never hurts."
Just then, a man approached. His name was Wang Yidao, a rather skinny fellow whose eyes lingered on Lin Xi with a sleazy expression, making him quite unpleasant.
"Sister Lin Shui, you're out earning money at such a young age! You're really capable, a real homemaker. By the way, what kind of guys do you like?"
Lin Xi smiled sweetly, her face innocent, "Brother, I like guys who don't breathe! It's super thrilling!"
Wang Yidao's face stiffened, a hint of coldness flashing in his eyes, but he quickly smiled.
"Sister Lin Shui, you're quite humorous, hahaha!"
As he turned away, Lin Ye discreetly jabbed a needle into his own foot, and the next moment, Wang Yidao's foot throbbed with pain.
"Ah, damn, I stepped on a nail, damn it, it hurts like hell."
"A nail? Where would there be nails in the danger zone?"
"But my foot..."
Wang Yidao took off his shoe to check, finding no wound, yet the pain was intense.
"Alright, stop fooling around, there's nothing there. Let's go, or you'll be left behind and not know how you died."
Wang Yidao gritted his teeth, forced to endure the needle-like pain in his foot, limping along.
Lin Xi came to Lin Ye's side and said, "You're quite the rascal! But are you standing up for your sister? After all these years, you finally act like a brother."
"I just found him annoying, nothing to do with you."
"Heh, stubborn."
At that moment, a faint growl of an aberrant beast came from the distant underbrush, and a bloody scent wafted over with the wind. Li Dashan instantly placed his hand on the short knife at his waist, his expression suddenly tense.
"Everyone, be alert, something's coming up ahead, full alert!"