“Old man, this day has finally come.”
After the intense battle, Old Lady Qiu’s lips curved into a cold smile.
Old Doctor Qiu nodded.
“Good. Heaven has been merciful to us. It didn’t let us stain our hands with more blood, and it didn’t implicate others.”
Old Lady Qiu murmured, “Old man, let’s go home. Turn on the lights, brew the medicine, and wait for them to come.”
Old Man Qiu nodded.
The elderly couple held each other’s hands and walked back slowly yet firmly.
That night, after the barking of dogs stopped, Lin Yunchu heard gunshots, fighting sounds, and heavy explosions.
She also heard painful screams coming from above.
“Doctor Qiu, it hurts!”
“Doctor Qiu, I think my leg is broken!”
“Doctor Qiu, my ribs seem broken!”
“Doctor Qiu, help!”
These people had already come to Doctor Qiu for treatment, which meant the fight was over.
It should be that the people of Qiu Jiawan had won.
Lin Yunchu finally felt relieved.
They had won, but they were injured.
This meant they were temporarily safe.
The man beside her was sleeping deeply, still leaning on her shoulder.
Lin Yunchu didn’t dare move. Forget it—if it was convenient for him to lean, then let him.
He had been injured for the sake of the country and the people. Letting him lean for a while was her honor.
She felt extremely morally upright.
Later, when she woke again, she saw a beam of light shining into the cellar.
It turned out the cellar was not completely sealed.
Then she heard a sharp, continuous “woo-woo-woo…” of police sirens—loud and nonstop.
Pei Huaiyuan immediately opened his eyes upon hearing it.
“Something big seems to have happened above,” Lin Yunchu said, turning to him.
Pei Huaiyuan paused slightly, his gaze falling on her face.
He had met her twice before, but he had never seen her under the morning sunlight.
Her features were delicate, her skin as smooth and white as porcelain eggs. Stray hair strands fluttered in the light, making her look lively and striking.
Especially her eyes—just one glance, and they seemed to sink into his heart.
“What is it?” Lin Yunchu frowned.
Pei Huaiyuan reached out and removed a piece of straw from her hair.
“There’s a bit of straw on your head.”
“It’s nothing.”
Lin Yunchu stood up casually, brushed herself off, then suddenly reacted to the meaning of the police arrival. She grabbed his hand excitedly.
“The police are here! We’re finally safe!”
“Mm.” Pei Huaiyuan nodded.
The cellar lid wasn’t tightly sealed, so Lin Yunchu easily pushed it open.
“Can you climb up?”
“Yes.”
Pei Huaiyuan slowly climbed up the ladder out of the cellar.
Lin Yunchu looked down and saw that his clothes were once again soaked in fresh blood.
Because he had exerted himself while climbing, his wounds had reopened.
“I should’ve had you stay down there and get someone to carry you out,” she said.
“It’s fine.”
He replied calmly and lightly.
“Don’t move! Put your hands up!”
Several police officers suddenly rushed into the backyard woodshed.
Seeing that they were on her side, Lin Yunchu immediately raised her hands and reported proactively:
“We came here to see a doctor at Old Doctor Qiu’s place. Last night we heard dogs barking, and Old Lady Qiu said it wasn’t safe outside, so she told us to hide in her cellar. You can ask her and Old Doctor Qiu if you don’t believe me.”
“Old Lady Qiu is dead.”
“…!”
The impact of the words hit her hard.
Lin Yunchu was stunned. “How… how could that be? How could Old Lady Qiu be dead?”
“Come out first!”
The police escorted Lin Yunchu and Pei Huaiyuan outside.
When they entered the main hall of the clinic, Lin Yunchu was completely shocked.
Bodies lay everywhere—some with dark, bluish-black faces, some sitting stiffly like corpses with foam at their mouths, and some were already dead. Some bodies were pitch black, others covered in dark blood.
The scene was so horrifying that Lin Yunchu felt nothing but dread.
What exactly happened last night?
Outside the hall stood many women and children.
The women stood motionless, most of them expressionless.
The children, however, were filled with fear.
Seeing so many corpses—people who had been alive just yesterday and were now lying lifeless on the ground—was too much for their young minds.
While passing the women and children, Lin Yunchu suddenly spotted a familiar face.
“Officer, I actually have another identity. I’m a freelance reporter. Before coming here, I found out this village is not normal—many women and children here were kidnapped or trafficked. I came alone to investigate.”
“Can I take some photos? I need them for my report.”
The police looked at her suspiciously.
They had not received any notice from any media outlet about sending a reporter in advance.
“Our department hasn’t received any reporters. How can we confirm you’re really one?”
“I can take the photos first. You can use them directly. They’ll be helpful for your investigation too.”
After thinking for a moment, the police agreed.
“This case is beyond expectations. We only brought three police vehicles, but it has turned into a major homicide case.”
They had already sent people to nearby communes to request reinforcements.
Lin Yunchu took the camera and snapped photos quickly, focusing especially on the children in the village.
Among them was a child whose features she was very familiar with. To avoid mistakes, she took several more photos of him.
From the situation, she roughly pieced together what had happened last night.
The village men had come to commit wrongdoing at Doctor Qiu’s house. A dog barked, someone intruded into the village, and a violent fight broke out.
Both sides suffered heavy losses—some attackers died, others escaped.
The village men, injured, came to Doctor Qiu’s house for medicine.
After taking the medicine, they all died.
Looking at Old Lady Qiu lying peacefully among the bodies, Lin Yunchu finally understood the killing intent she had once seen in her eyes.
She had truly intended to kill.
Just not them—but the men of the village.
After finishing the photos, Lin Yunchu said to the police:
“Officer, where can I make a phone call? I need to contact my superior. Whether this should be reported or temporarily held back requires instructions.”
“There’s a communication device in the police vehicle. You can call from there.”
“Then… can I bring him with me?” she said, referring to Pei Huaiyuan.
“Yes.”
Lin Yunchu led Pei Huaiyuan into the first police car and immediately dialed Old Master Si’s home number.