Li Zhou reacted with lightning speed, pulling his father back and shielding him: “Dad, get behind me! You’ve got old bones—what if he charges?! Holy sh*t, who is this guy? Killing people right here?! Does he have a death wish?!”
Just as Bo Nan had overheard earlier, the Qian family was notorious for being ruthless. Aside from their business cronies who were currently busy cursing the killer’s ancestors, everyone else was more focused on who this man was, why he did it, and whether he was killing indiscriminately or only targeting the Qians.
Most guessed it was the latter, which was why many remained relatively calm.
The Qian family had made life-and-death enemies more than once or twice. Someone coming for revenge was practically expected.
Just a few months ago, a young girl had been driven to jump off a building by Qian Cheng—the one currently lying in the coffin. Her father tried to report it, but he was abducted before he even reached the police station. The matter was silenced. Such stories were endless; anyone with a shred of conscience found the family revolting.
To put it bluntly, everyone is human, and humans make mistakes. But most people seek to make amends rather than taking lives at every turn. In a society ruled by law, no one wants to deal with a family that carries the stench of lawless thuggery. It’s the modern era; if you want to act like a bandit, go be a gang leader!
Many people couldn’t stand them, but for some reason, the Qians had been incredibly lucky lately. Their business grew larger, and with a direct family member entering politics, they were set to become an untouchable titan. Since they shared the same social circles and couldn’t easily destroy them, everyone just held their breath and maintained a polite facade.
Li He was in no mood to scold his son for the sudden profanity. If not for Bo Nan’s presence, he would have cursed out loud himself.
Coming to a funeral and witnessing a triple homicide? Talk about rotten luck!
He blamed the Qians for being so unrefined.
However, Li He knew this was the end of any association with the Qian family. Their relationship was already thin, and with those three dead—on top of the two in the coffins—the Qian family was finished. It wasn’t that their branch families couldn’t take over, but no one would give them the time to stabilize.
He looked at Bo Nan. The young man’s behavior was too strange—as if he knew someone was coming and intentionally pulled them onto the balcony to avoid the crossfire. Recalling the Bo family’s recent aggressive moves, he felt a chill.
How did I never realize Bo Nan was such a ruthless character?
Bo Nan’s gaze swept over the Li father and son. He said with a smile, “He probably never planned on staying alive.”
Sure enough, the man inside used his suit to wipe the blade, placed it neatly within reach, and sat down directly on one of the corpses. He didn’t look monstrous; in fact, he looked quite scholarly. He appeared to be in his forties, radiating a refined, intellectual aura.
If he weren’t sitting on a dead body, his posture would make one think he was attending a rigorous academic conference.
“Everyone, please don’t be afraid. Today’s events may have caused some psychological distress, and for that, I am deeply sorry,” the man spoke. “If there are children present, I suggest taking them away first. I still have things to do—I only have a grudge against these few.”
He rubbed his brow, a look of relief and quiet joy on his face. Killing these three had clearly lifted a massive burden. “Also, I ask the security guards not to approach. I don’t want to hurt innocent people.”
The crowd looked at each other in confusion. Just as someone was about to speak, the man took out his phone and made a call: “Hello, 110? Yes, it’s me. I want to turn myself in. The location is the Changhe Hall on Jiulin Road… Yes, I’ve killed three people, they died instantly. Could you please come pick me up?… No, I’m not lying. I take full responsibility for my words. My name is Jiang Dongliu, ID number 320… I was formerly a history professor at S University, currently unemployed… Alright, thank you.”
A lady in the crowd looked on with a trace of pity: “You’re a university professor. Why couldn’t you find another way? Why ruin your life by killing?”
Jiang Dongliu shook his head with a smile. “I’m here precisely because my life couldn’t go on.”
“I had twins, a boy and a girl, thirteen years old. They disappeared on their way to school half a year ago. When I found them, they were corpses. According to the forensic report, my children were gang-raped and tortured before they died… They were even turned into ‘human swine’ (limbs removed). My wife tried to seek justice, and she died too. Only I am left.”
“The location of the bodies was sent to me via message as a warning not to call the police.”
“I know the killer was Qian Cheng because he told me so himself. He told me I couldn’t do anything about it and told me to be ‘quiet and obedient’ since my wife ‘served him well’ before she died…” He paused. “You don’t have to believe me, but I have videos of their faces. I will hand them to the police later… Unfortunately, I was too late. That animal Qian Cheng is already dead. What a pity.”
The hall erupted in an uproar. The guests turned to the remaining Qian branch family members with pale, disgusted faces.
Is this how normal people play? This is psychopathic!
The Qian branch members looked just as pale, waving their hands frantically: “We didn’t do any of this! We really didn’t know!”
Jiang Dongliu nodded. “It has nothing to do with you. You don’t need to be afraid, as long as you don’t stop me from waiting for the police… I killed these three mainly because they appeared in those videos.”
It wasn’t that he hadn’t thought of reporting it. But in reality, it was impossible. Phone lines would be cut, mobiles monitored, and his parents and students used as leverage. He hadn’t believed anyone could be so lawless until his father’s legs were intentionally crushed by a car while he was out buying groceries.
He couldn’t endure the pain of losing any more loved ones. He realized the root of the evil was the family itself. They were rich, they were entrenched… as long as they existed, he would eventually die silently like his wife and children.
So, he chose to kill.
Regardless of status, everyone has only one life.
He knew what he did today was wrong, but his conscience was clear.
“I don’t know if others were involved yet, but the police will take over. I should live long enough to hear the news, and that’s enough,” he said gently. “With these few dead, things should be much easier. I believe in the national justice system.”
He added: “I’m sorry you had to see this.”
The lady from before frowned and said, “Why don’t you just leave right now? Those animals deserved to die anyway.”
“I killed so that I could face the law,” Jiang Dongliu smiled. “Don’t try to persuade me. Thank you.”
Bo Nan let go of the balcony door. Hearing the distant sirens, he reminded Li He: “Uncle, you should wait here. There might be more coming.”
Li He nodded instinctively, then looked at Bo Nan with a probing gaze. Bo Nan ignored it, gave a nod of acknowledgment, and walked inside.
He didn’t strictly need to go in, but he wanted to speak with Jiang Dongliu before the police arrived.
Strictly speaking, the “arrow through the heart” of the Qian patriarch was the result Bo Nan had engineered, but the cause came from the Qians themselves. Bo Nan set the trap because the Qians tried to kill his family; Jiang Dongliu killed the Qians because they had destroyed his.
A perfect coincidence.
In the quiet hall, Bo Nan’s footsteps were prominent. The crowd turned to see the handsome young man walk through the room and stand a comfortable distance from Jiang Dongliu, looking as relaxed as if the bodies weren’t there.
Bo Nan bowed slightly: “Hello, Professor Jiang.”
He had remembered who the man was.
Bo Nan couldn’t help but sigh internally.
As a fellow member of S University, Jiang Dongliu wasn’t the most famous professor, but he was known for having the best temperament. Bo Nan had attended a few of his lectures. In his previous life’s memory, this professor had suddenly vanished and was never heard from again.
He hadn’t heard about the family tragedy or the reason for the resignation back then—Bo Nan hadn’t been paying attention to such things.
In his previous life, Professor Jiang likely died silently at the hands of the Qian family. If Bo Nan had recognized him earlier, he might have tried to stop him from throwing his life away like this.
“You…?” Jiang Dongliu quickly realized Bo Nan was a student of S University. He lowered his head, feeling ashamed. “I’m not fit for you to call me ‘Teacher’.”
Bo Nan shook his head with a slight smile. “Normally, if people see a killer who can move freely, their first reaction is to run, not stay and watch.”
At these words, a chorus of coughing broke out in the hall.
Many were cursing in their heads: Whose brat is this! Why is he so blunt! And look where he’s saying it! Five people in this family are dead, at least give them some face!
But they had to admit, the truth was refreshing to hear.
Jiang Dongliu couldn’t help but laugh. He looked around at the crowd. “True enough.”
Bo Nan said, “The police will be here soon. Is there anything you want to entrust to me? I… well, my family is quite rich. We’re not afraid of the Qians. If you say it, I’ll do my best for you.”
Jiang Dongliu hesitated for only a second. “Thank you, but it’s not necessary. I’ll hand all the evidence to the police. I sent my parents abroad, using multiple flights and buses; the Qians shouldn’t be able to catch them. There’s nothing else.”
Bo Nan thought for a moment. “Don’t be too polite. Think about it—using media platforms to pressure the Qians, reporting them for tax evasion… or if there are other victims with evidence, you can tell me. I can fund their lawsuits.”
The crowd: “…?” Jiang Dongliu: “…?”
“My surname is Bo, Bo Nan. My family doesn’t get along with theirs,” Bo Nan said with a most refined and elegant smile. “Most people here can testify to that.”
The coughing in the room started again, and people nodded vaguely as Jiang Dongliu looked over.
The Qian branch members were turning black with rage—the Bo family’s recent moves had made it clear to everyone: “I am going to destroy the Qians.” While the Qians were in chaos, the Bo family had already torn away a huge piece of them.
If this isn’t Bo Yizhen, it must be the second Young Master Bo! He actually dared to come here!
The gossip was getting intense.
Jiang Dongliu studied Bo Nan, his gaze lingering on that strikingly handsome face. He said with some difficulty, “…Have the Qians reached the point of targeting even you…?”
In Jiang Dongliu’s eyes, the Qians were perverted sex-maniac killers. Though he didn’t know Bo Nan, he could tell he was a wealthy young master. Looking at his face, he assumed the Qians had tried some “indecent” moves on him too.
“Not quite,” Bo Nan said. “I’ve been beating Qian Cheng up since we were kids. He’s never won.”
“I beat him into the hospital the day before he died. I hope that ‘minor concussion’ didn’t make him lose his balance,” Bo Nan added with zero sincerity.
Everyone: “…?!”
Is it really okay to say that at a funeral?
If you describe it as a minor incident, it’s one thing, but you’re practically admitting to contributing to his death! No wonder the Bo family kept the second son hidden; with a mouth like that, who could handle him?
Jiang Dongliu laughed until crinkles appeared at the corners of his eyes.
A Qian branch elder finally stepped out, his face livid. “Young Master Bo, if you didn’t come here to genuinely pay your respects, you can leave now. We won’t settle the score regarding Qian Cheng right now, but please respect the dead. This is the Qian family’s memorial service, not the Bo family’s.”
Bo Nan’s eyes turned cold as frost. “The Bo family? Quite a big tone you have. Personally, I think your own memorial service might come sooner.”
Just as the elder was about to retort, a colorful, rod-like object fell from the ceiling, piercing through his back and pinning him directly to the floor!
The yellow, white, and black silk flowers collapsed over the elder’s back as blood flowed down the iron rod, quickly staining the ground.
Perhaps because they had already seen three deaths, no one screamed this time. There was only a heavy silence as everyone looked up at the ceiling—it was a steel support used to hang the silk decorations.
These steel bars were light; hitting someone usually just caused a bump or maybe a few stitches. Where did the force to skewer a man through the chest come from?
The human back is protected by ribs. Did the bar just happen to strike perfectly between two ribs by some incredible stroke of luck?
“This…” Everyone instinctively looked at Bo Nan.
This Second Young Master Bo has some serious “jinxing” power.
Great, make that six.
Is the Qian family just having a run of bad luck, or what?
The Qians finally reacted. Two young men rushed over to check on the elder, but he was already dead. One of them pointed at Bo Nan and screamed, “Was it you?! Did you do this?!”
Bo Nan let out a derisive snort. “Watch your words. Doesn’t your family own this hall?”
“A Qian died at a Qian property. What does that have to do with someone named Bo?”
The crowd: Damn, that’s logically sound.
The man glared at Bo Nan, fists clenched, eyes bloodshot. Bo Nan, unbothered, sat down nearby and poured himself a cup of tea. “Why look at me? Am I wrong?”
Everyone realized Bo Nan was intentionally provoking him. In this setting, unless you were someone like Jiang Dongliu who had nothing left to lose, the first person to get physical would lose. Even if they fought dirty in business, they had to maintain the mask of “civilized people” in public.
Today, Bo Nan represented the Bo family. If this Qian youth hit him, it wouldn’t be seen as a “scuffle between youngsters”; it would be “a Qian relative attacking a Bo representative.”
The rules of the circle dictated that even if the Qians were losing everything, their juniors still had to call Bo Nan’s father “Uncle Bo” politely.
Jiang Dongliu smiled bitterly. He remembered correctly: Bo Nan was a famous troublemaker.
The young man’s jaw muscles twitched as he ground his teeth.
Bo Nan took a sip of tea and looked at him nonchalantly. The man seemed to be reaching his breaking point, his face contorting. “Could you please get the hell out of our memorial service?”
“No…” Before Bo Nan could finish his sentence, the man let out a roar and charged. They were only five paces apart; an adult male could bridge that gap in a second!
Bo Nan’s pupils contracted. In a flash, a familiar scene replayed. The young man collapsed silently, but his body was held upright by a steel bar. The silk flowers fell over his face, obscuring his head.
From a distance, it looked like he was kneeling before Bo Nan.
The atmosphere was eerie. No one screamed. They just shifted their eyes between the ceiling, Bo Nan, and the kneeling corpse. It happened so fast. Everyone saw that Bo Nan hadn’t moved an inch when the bar fell and pierced the man’s heart.
You couldn’t say Bo Nan was a martial arts master who jumped to the ceiling at speeds the human eye couldn’t track, broke the bar, killed the man, and returned to his seat. No one would believe that!
It was more likely that the Bo family had sabotaged the building’s structure! But how could they ensure he would stand exactly there, and that the bar would kill him instantly?
Bo Nan held his tea cup and squinted, as if there weren’t a dead man kneeling in front of him. “Why so excited… there were four dead here, oh wait, now it’s six. The police are almost here. We’re all witnesses to a crime scene; I can’t just leave. What if the police suspect me if I go?”
Buddy, is THAT the issue right now?
Bo Nan added lazily, “Though, this hall of yours… the quality is a bit poor.”
Everyone looked at the ceiling and nodded helplessly, wanting to cry. Two bars missing, two more bodies on the floor. This wasn’t just “poor quality”—it was “lethal quality.” If you ever had an enemy, just bring them here for dinner.
“So what do we do now?” someone asked with a trembling gesture, trying to show Bo Nan they weren’t accusing him. What did the Bo family mean by letting this “touch-and-you-die” guy out? “What if more bars fall?”
Bo Nan looked up too. “Must be an accident. Everyone just try to stand or sit where there are no bars above you.”
When the word “accident” came from Bo Nan’s mouth, everyone felt a strange sense of relief.
Only the Qians were ghostly pale.
Suddenly, the wail of sirens reached them. A dozen armed police with shields and batons burst in, only to find a room full of people looking at them with teary eyes, as if their saviors had arrived.
The lead officer looked at Bo Nan, who had a corpse kneeling before him, then at Jiang Dongliu, who was sitting on a corpse. For a moment, he couldn’t tell who the killer was—or if they both were.
Jiang Dongliu stood up, dropped the knife, held his hands over his head, and then kicked the knife toward the police. “Hello, I called you. I am the killer. I killed these three. I have evidence of their crimes to submit. I will cooperate fully. What should I do next?”
He even reached into his suit pocket and pulled out his ID card and a folded household register, handing them to the officer.
The captain, seeing the surrender and knowing Jiang Dongliu’s background (which they had checked on the way), had an idea of what was happening. He asked, “Who killed the other two? Where is the accomplice?”
His eyes were locked onto Bo Nan. His experience with death-row inmates told him this beautiful young man was anything but simple.
An officer moved to arrest Bo Nan, but Bo Nan said, “Those two deaths were accidents. I’m just here for the funeral; it has nothing to do with me! Everyone here can testify, and there’s surveillance footage!”
Bo Nan pulled out a small device a miniature camera.
The captain looked around. Everyone was nodding in unison. Half his mind was at ease, but the other half was on high alert—who brings a camera to a memorial service? This preparation was almost too perfect, as if he were emphasizing his innocence.
Bo Nan moved to stand, but an officer barked, “Everyone sit down and cooperate with the questioning!”
Bo Nan sat back down.
There were about a hundred people. Fortunately, surveillance was thorough and others had filmed the incident too. Within half an hour, everyone’s information was registered. After reviewing the footage and reminding everyone not to leave Suzhou and to cooperate with further summons, they were allowed to leave.
Bo Nan was among them. Innocent until proven guilty.
Bo Nan stood up slowly and poured the remaining half-cup of cold tea toward the coffin.
“The tea is cold and the guests are gone.” It was the Qian family’s turn.
But it wasn’t over yet.