Siheyuan: Hang Jia Dongxu, smash Banggeng to death!

The stairwell reeked of blood and gunpowder. The bodies of six stray dogs lay scattered on the ground, blood still slowly seeping from the bullet holes.

The empty rope swayed slightly in the air, as if mocking everyone's helplessness.

Qin Ming stared at the hemp rope for a long time, then slowly turned around to look at Master Yan and Master Wang behind him.

"Master Yan, Master Wang, it seems the evil spirit... has taken Factory Director Yang away. Can you... oh no, speculate on where they went?"

He almost said "calculate it," but changed his mind before he could finish.

After all, these two masters repeatedly emphasized that they were "exorcising evil spirits with science" and opposed feudal superstition.

Master Yan and Master Wang exchanged a glance, their communication lasting only a moment.

"this……"

Master Yan pondered for a moment, then took out the small compass from his robes. "Let me... let me survey it."

Master Wang also quickly took out his compass, made of brass with a Bagua pattern, which looked antique.

The two paced slowly in the room, holding the compass in their palms, their eyes fixed on the pointer.

The compass needle was spinning wildly.

It moved even faster and more frantically than when it was in the security office.

The buzzing vibration could even be faintly heard, sounding particularly eerie in the quiet stairwell.

Master Wang's forehead began to sweat again.

He walked to the window, and the compass needle paused briefly, pointing northwest, but soon began to spin erratically again.

"Captain Qin," Master Yan suddenly spoke, his voice slightly strained, "Does Factory Director Yang... have any children?"

Qin Ming was taken aback.

Offspring?

He quickly recalled the previous investigation records in his mind.

Factory Director Yang Wei and Bi Chi have been married for twenty years. Whether they have children or not is clearly recorded in their files.

but……

"Master Yan, what do you mean...?" Qin Ming asked tentatively.

"Evil spirits seek revenge by eliminating all traces of their evil deeds."

Master Wang took over the conversation, his tone grave, "The Lin family was tragically killed, leaving only Lin Tian and his sister, who are also in grave danger."

Now that the evil spirit has returned and discovered that its child is missing, their fate unknown, and its own family has been wiped out, will it... also consider wiping out its own family?

He paused, then looked at Qin Ming: "If Director Yang doesn't have any biological children, that's fine, but if he does..."

Qin Ming suddenly realized.

"Master Wang, Master Yan, you are right."

He slapped his thigh and said, "Director Yang does indeed have two children. When we were investigating before, we checked all the leaders of the steel rolling mill."

"Now that Director Yang is in such a terrible state, Lin's father's death is definitely related to him. He might even be the mastermind."

Qin Ming spoke faster and faster, his thoughts becoming clearer and clearer, "If Lin Tian wants to eliminate the threat completely, then next..."

"Next, the target is Director Yang's two sons."

Master Wang chimed in, his tone urgent, "Captain Qin, we need to find those two children first, otherwise, if we're even a step too late, it will be another...tragedy."

He almost said "family massacre," but changed it to "tragedy" before he could finish.

Qin Ming nodded: "Master Wang, Master Yan is right. We'll go now. You two..."

"We're not going!"

Master Yan quickly interrupted, his tone resolute, even carrying a hint of barely perceptible panic.

"My old bones aren't as strong as yours young people, I can't take this kind of strain."

Master Wang quickly chimed in, "Yes, yes, yes, let's go to the place you've arranged to stay first, and then we'll perform the ritual once the black dog blood and glutinous rice arrive."

No, we'll "scientifically process" them again, consecrate your bullets. Only consecrated bullets are effective against evil spirits.

Qin Ming looked at the two masters, a hint of doubt flashing in his eyes.

Just now downstairs, the two masters were confidently talking about "evil energy" and "yang energy barrier," saying that evil spirits dared not approach.

But from beginning to end, they stayed at the very back, and even when the evil spirits took people away right under their noses, they didn't make a move.

This……

Is he really a master?

"Alright then," Qin Ming suppressed his doubts and nodded. "I'll have someone escort the two masters back right away, Xiao Zhang!"

A young police officer ran over: "Captain Qin!"

"Drive Master Yan and Master Wang back to the guesthouse. Be careful on the road."

"yes!"

Master Yan and Master Wang felt as if they had been granted a pardon and quickly followed Xiao Zhang outside.

As they passed the stairwell, their pace quickened noticeably, and they didn't even dare to look down at the ground; their calves were trembling slightly.

The fear in his eyes was impossible to hide.

The two looked at each other again and nodded.

There was no composure in his eyes, no calmness in his gaze.

There was only the relief of escaping unscathed and a deep sense of lingering fear.

Until we left the house, got into the jeep, and closed the door—

"call--"

Master Yan and Master Wang breathed a sigh of relief almost simultaneously, slumping into their back seats like two puddles of mud.

"Old Master Yan..." Master Wang's voice trembled, "Should we...should we..."

"What should we do? Run?"

Master Yan smiled bitterly, wiping the cold sweat from his face. "Where do you think you're going? This matter has already blown up so much; the higher-ups know about it."

"If we run away now, we'll be fleeing from justice, and then we'll be wanted nationwide, and our fate will be even worse."

"Then... what should we do?"

Master Wang was almost in tears. "That evil spirit was too ferocious; we couldn't possibly handle it. The scene just now... the scene..."

My stomach suddenly started churning again.

Hang in there.

Master Yan gritted his teeth, "At least for now, Qin Ming and the others still believe in us. As long as we can hold them off until the real 'master' arrives."

"The higher-ups couldn't have sent just the two of us; they must have a backup plan. They can shift the blame and we'll still have a way out."

"But... but what if we can't wait?" Master Wang asked in a trembling voice.

Master Yan fell silent.

He looked out the car window; Xiao Zhang was about to open the car door.

Suddenly, he smiled.

That smile was bitter and desperate.

"If I can't wait," he said softly, "then that's fate."

Xiao Zhang opened the car door and got in; the jeep slowly drove away.

Qin Ming stared at the direction the car had disappeared, his brows furrowing deeper and deeper.

"Captain Qin, what's wrong?"

Wang Gang walked over and asked in a low voice.

"It's nothing."

Qin Ming shook his head and looked away. "I just feel... there's something wrong with these two masters."

"Something's not right?"

Wang Gang was taken aback. "Something's not right?"

I can't quite explain it.

Qin Ming pondered for a moment, then said, "It's just... I'm too scared. I'm scared more like a..." than a master.

He paused, not finishing his sentence.

But Wang Gang understood.

He seems more like a fraudster.

"But Director Zhao said they were sent from above..." Wang Gang said hesitantly.

"Are people sent from above necessarily reliable?" Qin Ming retorted. "Don't forget what happened just now; where was even a trace of a master's demeanor?"

That's a very meaningful statement.

Wang Gang fell silent.

"Let's ignore them for now."

Qin Ming waved his hand, "The most urgent task is to find Director Yang's two sons. You take a team to find them."

I'm taking men to the steel rolling mill to thoroughly investigate the dirty dealings of Factory Director Yang and Section Chief Liu.

"good!"

The officers split up and took action.

The stairwell was quiet again.

Only the empty hemp rope was still swaying slightly.

The main gate was sealed off with tape.

……