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Chapter 460 A Life of Romantic Encounters, The Spellcaster's Trail
A night of chaos.

The matriarch of the Chen family was rushed to the best private hospital in Cuicheng and admitted to a top-tier VIP ward that is not open to the public.

Fine beads of blood seeped from under her skin, as if countless invisible steel needles had pierced through her from the inside out.

His whole body convulsed in excruciating pain, screaming and enduring unimaginable torment.

The hospital mobilized its top medical team, but could not find any pathological cause.

Ultimately, only by injecting a large dose of sedatives could she be forced into a deep sleep.

As those involved in the mission, Fang Cheng, Lin Chuqiao, and Bai Ling naturally did not stand idly by.

With composure, Fang Cheng assisted in directing the flustered servants and handling the aftermath.

Lin Chuqiao used her mental abilities to comfort the nearly collapsed Chen Lishi, alleviate her pain, and accompanied her all the way to the emergency room.

After all this commotion, the sky was already beginning to lighten with the first hint of dawn.

The VIP lounge area on the top floor of the hospital.

Chen Xu'an hadn't slept all night; his eyes were sunken, and his handsome face was filled with exhaustion and suppressed anger.

He held a steaming cup of coffee in his hand, the heat rising, but it seemed unable to dispel the coldness in his eyes.

"Mr. Bai, Miss Chu, thank you so much this time."

He expressed his gratitude in a slightly hoarse voice.

"Young Master Chen, don't worry too much. The most important thing now is to stabilize the situation. The Chen family cannot continue to be in chaos."

Lin Chuqiao sat in the chair opposite him and comforted him gently.

Chen Xu'an nodded slightly, his expression still heavy, as if he was thinking about something.

Suddenly, he abruptly raised his head, his eyes fixed intently on Fang Cheng:
"Mr. Bai, do you think your team's reinforcements will arrive in Cuicheng tomorrow?"

Fang Cheng, Lin Chuqiao, and Bai Ling sat side by side and nodded upon hearing this:

"If everything goes smoothly, they will be able to move into your residence tomorrow morning, at which point we can officially begin operations."

"it is good!"

Chen Xu'an frowned deeply, as if he had made up his mind, and said in a low voice:

“Our Chen family also has many experts. When the time comes, I will have them return from the secret realm to fully cooperate and follow Mr. Bai’s command.”

"I only ask that this scoundrel be brought to justice as soon as possible, so that my Chen family can have peace again."

His tone was very earnest, clearly indicating that he had been pushed to his limit by a series of unforeseen events.

Fang Cheng and Lin Chuqiao exchanged a glance, but neither of them spoke.

A silence spread among them.

Outside the window, the sky had fully brightened, and the rising sun pierced through the clouds, turning the entire city golden.

Just then, a series of hurried footsteps came from the end of the corridor.

"Xu'an, how is he? What did the doctor say?"

An anxious voice rang out; it was Chen Xu'an's aunt and uncle, along with several other relatives, who rushed over.

Their faces were filled with worry. As soon as they saw Chen Xu'an, they immediately surrounded him and asked him about the old lady's condition.

Chen Xu'an immediately mustered his spirits, stood up and went forward to greet his relatives, giving them a brief explanation in a tone that conveyed the composure and responsibility expected of a family leader.

Fang Cheng, Lin Chuqiao, and Bai Ling stood quietly to the side, watching them talk.

Over the next hour or so, Chen's immediate and extended family members arrived at the hospital one after another.

Some people who were originally taking refuge in their family's secret realm couldn't help but come out to visit after hearing the news.

I heard that even the old lady was attacked and hospitalized. Everyone looked sad, some were shedding tears of grief, some were filled with righteous indignation, and some were cursing under their breath.

The previously quiet atmosphere of the VIP lounge was suddenly disrupted by this noise.

Among them was a young man in his early twenties who stood out conspicuously among the group of elders.

He was dressed in well-tailored designer casual wear, handsome, with a flippant smile that seemed out of place with the somber atmosphere around him.

I learned from conversations with others that he was another direct core member of the Chen family, Chen Qiming.

Fang Cheng's eyes narrowed slightly as a piece of intelligence data surfaced in his mind.

Chen Qiming is the third of the four grandsons of the Chen family, but he is the least favored by the elders of the family.

He was naturally unruly and acted flamboyantly and unrestrainedly; he was a typical playboy.

His biggest hobbies are racing cars, picking up girls, and having fun in nightclubs.

He even used his family's bloodline and abilities to open a feng shui and metaphysics company, specializing in interpreting the faces and predicting the fortunes of female celebrities.

In reality, they used the opportunity to get close to each other and have fun with each other.

While Fang Cheng was secretly observing, Chen Qiming also turned around and noticed three unfamiliar faces at the edge of the crowd.

When he saw Lin Chuqiao and Bailing, his eyes lit up instantly.

His gaze roamed freely over the two women, lingering for several seconds on Lin Chuqiao's slender curves.

His gaze was extremely aggressive, flashing with a strange light, as if it could penetrate clothing and see inside.

Fang Cheng frowned, and without making a sound, he took half a step forward, blocking Lin Chuqiao's view and shielding her from that arrogant gaze.

"Qiming, weren't you supposed to be in the secret realm? Why did you come out?"

Upon seeing him, Chen Xu'an immediately apologized to his uncle who was speaking and quickly walked towards him.

"Hmph, what's so great about staying in a secret realm? It's so boring."

Chen Qiming curled his lip, his tone tinged with impatience:

“If my uncle hadn’t insisted on locking me up inside, I would have come out long ago. I heard that something had happened to my grandmother, so I took the opportunity to run out and see her.”

Chen Xu'an frowned slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he just sighed.

Then, pulling Chen Qiming along, he walked over to Fang Cheng and the others, introducing them to each other:
“These three are my third brother, Chen Qiming. Don’t let his young age fool you; he’s very talented in feng shui.”

"Qiming, these three are the experts sent by the Bridge of Helplessness to assist us in investigating the case: Mr. Bai, Miss Chu, and Miss Bailing. They are all quite knowledgeable in witchcraft."

"Nice to meet you."

Fang Cheng nodded and gave a brief response.

"hehe."

Chen Qiming chuckled softly, but his gaze skipped over Fang Cheng and fell directly on Lin Chuqiao, who stood gracefully behind him.

"I didn't expect there to be such a beautiful young lady among the experts. I thought they would be like the previous groups, all old men and roughnecks..."

As he spoke, he reached out his hand, wanting to shake hands with Lin Chuqiao.

His gaze, however, remained fixed on that bright and beautiful face, revealing undisguised covetousness.

Lin Chuqiao ignored this uninvited gesture of goodwill, her brows furrowing almost imperceptibly.

Chen Qiming was not annoyed to see that she remained unmoved.

He then withdrew his hand, a flirtatious smile playing on his lips:

"I heard from my second brother that you are quite knowledgeable about witchcraft and sorcery. I wonder if Miss Chu is interested in feng shui and physiognomy?"

"How about we go for a drink later? We can have a good chat. Maybe I can read your face and predict your fortune in Cuicheng—whether it's good or bad, it'll be clear at a glance." Lin Chuqiao smiled slightly, looking at him with a cool gaze, and declined.
"Thank you for your kind offer, Young Master Chen, but unfortunately we are here to resolve the Chen family's troubles, not for a vacation."

She paused, then changed the subject slightly, her tone becoming more sarcastic:

"As for feng shui and metaphysics, I do have some knowledge of it. Forgive my bluntness, but Young Master Chen is surrounded by romantic entanglements, and I'm afraid he will soon face a romantic calamity. I hope you will be careful."

Bai Ling listened from the side and chuckled to herself, her eyes filled with disgust as she looked at Chen Qiming.

Upon hearing this, Chen Qiming's frivolous smile froze slightly, and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.

He seemed surprised that this woman dared to talk back to him, and that her words carried an ominous prophecy.

Seeing that the atmosphere had become somewhat tense, Chen Xu'an immediately used the excuse of discussing family matters to pull Chen Qiming into a nearby lounge without further ado.

The door closed with a soft "click".

In the corridor, besides the Chen family relatives who came to visit, there were three somewhat out-of-place outsiders standing there.

Lin Chuqiao turned her head and looked at Fang Cheng.

He was staring at the closed door of the lounge, his broad shoulders slightly leaning forward, as if he were deliberately blocking someone's view.

Lin Chuqiao wasn't angry about what happened before; instead, a beautiful smile appeared on her lips.

The curve was shallow, yet it exuded a touch of gentleness and playfulness.

There was still a glimmer of starlight hidden in her eyes, like a little girl secretly gloating after a successful prank.

"What? Are you worried I'll be seen naked?"

She winked mischievously, her voice soft and playful.

Fang Cheng turned around upon hearing this, and his gaze met those smiling eyes.

A faint smile couldn't help but appear deep in his eyes, his eyebrows slightly raised, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

Lin Chuqiao raised her hand and took out the Qilin wooden talisman she wore close to her body from her collar, her fingertips gently tracing the carved patterns on it.

"Don't worry, I've been prepared."

"Although the Chen family's 'Spiritual Eye' sounds impressive, it is essentially a kind of mental power application, just a small trick for beginners."

Lin Chuqiao spoke calmly and softly:

"This amulet is no ordinary craft; it can disrupt mental fluctuations, like an invisible fog that obscures the wearer's mind and body."

"Chen Qiming just used his 'Spiritual Eye' to probe, and he probably only saw a blinding, blurry burst of spiritual light. He couldn't detect anything else."

"Besides, since absorbing the Blood Rain, my spiritual energy has reached the A-level. I don't even need to worry about a mere spoiled brat..."

Lin Chuqiao chuckled again, her words brimming with confidence.

Fang Cheng listened to her explanation but did not respond.

After all, this kind of topic is too private and seems a bit inappropriate.

The relationship between the two doesn't seem to be close enough for them to talk about these things casually.

Lin Chuqiao seemed to see through his thoughts and couldn't help but purse her lips.

As her gaze shifted, her eyes briefly met Fang Cheng's, and it felt as if an invisible current passed through the air.

A faint blush rose to her cheeks, a touch of softness appeared at the corners of her eyes, and her long eyelashes trembled gently.

An ambiguous atmosphere quietly grew and spread between them.

Just then, Bai Ling, who had been quietly listening to the conversation between the two, curiously peeked over, her eyes shifting between Fang Cheng and Lin Chuqiao.

"Sister Xiao Chu, what are you talking about? What mist, what spiritual light?"

Bai Ling's clear voice, carrying the innocence unique to young girls, instantly shattered the subtle and romantic atmosphere between the two.

"Also, that Third Young Master Chen is so annoying! He has such venomous eyes, always staring at people!"

Upon hearing this, Lin Chuqiao couldn't help but chuckle softly.

The ambiguous atmosphere from just now was instantly dispelled by Bailing's straightforwardness.

She shook her head helplessly and reached out to ruffle Bailing's hair:
"He didn't say anything complicated; he was just talking about the intricacies of the Chen family's 'Spiritual Eye'."

Fang Cheng composed himself, bringing his thoughts back to the matter at hand. He turned to Bai Ling and asked:

"By the way, what exactly happened after you fell asleep last night? I was so busy before that I didn't have time to ask you about the details."

Upon hearing this, Bai Ling's curiosity was immediately replaced by recollection, and her brows furrowed slightly:

"I can't explain the specifics. I was sleeping soundly when I suddenly heard a loud noise upstairs. It sounded like someone was throwing things and someone was shouting 'Help!'"

"When my sister Xiao Chu and I ran up there, we saw... Old Madam Chen lying on the ground, covered in blood."

"It felt like being pricked all over with sewing needles, with beads of blood gushing out, while I was yelling, 'Stop pricking me! Stop pricking me!' The sight was terrifying!"

After Bai Ling finished speaking, Lin Chuqiao took over the conversation, her tone becoming more serious:
"The old lady of the Chen family must have encountered 'needle curse,' and the person who performed this curse is very likely within the Chen family."

Upon hearing this, Fang Cheng's gaze immediately sharpened:
"How to say?"

“I came across black magic when I was researching Southeast Asian folk customs. It mainly has two methods of application: one is drug black magic, and the other is flying black magic.”

Lin Chuqiao cleared her throat and then explained:

"Drug poisoning is relatively simple and direct. It involves poisoning food or water or planting gu (a type of insect-like creature) without the need for incantations to activate it, and it can achieve the effect of punishing the target."

"Flying down is a remote spell, but it still requires a medium."

"A novice sorcerer needs the victim's blood, hair, and birth date, while a top-level sorcerer can plant a curse without anyone noticing, perhaps with just a thought or a glance."

She paused, her eyes behind her glasses gleaming slightly.

"The 'needle curse' in the Old Madam Chen's story is an extremely insidious and cruel form of black magic. The practitioner must secretly insert specially made fine needles into the victim's body in advance through food, water, or other means, using a drug-based method."

"These 'black needles' usually lie dormant, but when needed to deal with a target, they are activated by flying needles and will pierce the body wildly, making life worse than death."

She looked at Fang Cheng, her tone grave:

"To achieve the same shocking effect as the old matriarch of the Chen family, we must use both medicinal methods and aerial methods simultaneously."

"The combined use of these two types of black magic requires the practitioner to have a thorough understanding of the Chen family's internal situation."

After listening, Fang Cheng stroked his chin, his tone analytical:

"So, there's a high probability there's a mole within the Chen family?"

"Yes."

Lin Chuqiao nodded and continued speaking, following Fang Cheng's words:
"As the saying goes, 'Even a powerful dragon can't suppress a local snake.' The Chen family is a family with a long lineage that has been entrenched in Tiannan Province for so many years."

"Even if that sorcerer is very powerful, he couldn't possibly act so recklessly on their territory, coming and going as he pleased, making it impossible for the Chen family to even find the murderer's trail."

"Yeah, I knew this didn't make sense. There must be a mole inside."

Upon hearing this, Bai Ling pretended to suddenly understand.

"So, we can now be almost 100% certain of one thing."

Lin Chuqiao's eyes suddenly sharpened, and she said in a low voice:
"Or perhaps someone from the Chen family is secretly helping that sorcerer pass on messages and providing him with convenience."

"Or...then the murderer is a member of the Chen family!"

(End of this chapter)