Siheyuan: Hang Jia Dongxu, smash Banggeng to death!

Qin Ming glanced at her but didn't answer directly: "We will investigate and find out."

He paused, then asked, "Comrade He Yuzhu, does the deaf old lady usually have any grudges against anyone?"

Sha Zhu was taken aback, then shook his head: "The old lady is old and usually stays in the yard, rarely going out. Who could she possibly have a grudge against?"

He was telling the truth.

The deaf old lady held a special position in the courtyard; even the three old men treated her with deference. Who would dare to mess with her?

unless...

It's that evil spirit.

He subconsciously touched the talisman in his sleeve, wondering if the talisman that the First Uncle had taken from the Third Uncle would work.

But what if the killer really is an evil spirit...?

Does this talisman really work?

Sha Zhu dared not even think about it.

"Take the body back first."

Qin Ming ordered, "Conduct a detailed autopsy. Director Li, take some people to visit nearby residents and see if there are any witnesses."

"Yes!" Director Li replied.

The officers got to work.

Qin Huairu held Xiao Dang, staring blankly as the deaf old lady's body was carried away, tears streaming silently down her face, out of fear.

Wang Cuilan leaned against the wall, her legs too weak to stand.

Shazhu stood to the side, his fists clenched, his eyes filled with fear and anger.

Six people now...

It's only the second day...

If this continues...

Will they really live to see the day the great evil is suppressed?

no one knows.

Only Lin Tian knew.

Through the ghostly perspective, he looked at everything outside the public restroom, a cold smile curving his lips.

The deaf old lady died.

Next...

Whose turn is it now?

[Host, what you are doing is wrong; you are indiscriminately killing innocent people.]

Lin Tian was observing the situation outside the courtyard through the ghost's perspective when he heard these words and was stunned.

Indiscriminate killing of innocent people?

He clenched his fist tightly, his nails digging deep into his palm.

Are the birds in the yard innocent?

He sneered inwardly, his voice as cold as if it were being squeezed out from between his teeth:

"Then let me ask you, wasn't the original owner's father, who was tricked by Yi Zhonghai into overturning the boiler and scalded to death, innocent or not?"

"The original owner's mother was driven to her death by the people in the courtyard. Was she innocent or not?"

"The original owner of this body was an eight-year-old child, beaten to death by Jia Dongxu, Liu Guangtian, and Yan Jiecheng. Wasn't he innocent?"

"Tangtang, a three-and-a-half-year-old child, was pinched and covered in bruises by Jia Zhangshi, and was called a 'worthless burden.' Isn't she innocent?"

Lin Tian's emotions grew increasingly agitated, his eyes gleaming with a blood-red light in the darkness:

"System, are you also telling me you're innocent?"

"So the original owner's family deserved their tragedy?"

"They were exploited, driven to their deaths, and beaten to death—did they deserve it?"

"Should we, siblings, just accept our fate and obediently wait to die?"

[Host, putting aside the facts, aren't you completely without fault? Be more magnanimous!]

Lin Tian spoke each word clearly, his voice filled with deep-seated hatred: "System, you, also, deserve, to, die!"

【…】

The system remained silent for a few seconds.

[Host, hatred will only blind you. I've bound you to this place to help this courtyard achieve harmony and allow everyone to live together peacefully, not to make you kill.]

You need to learn to forgive and let go.

It's not too late to stop now. I can post a new task for you to help them realize their mistakes and correct them...

"fart!"

Lin Tian almost shouted, but he gritted his teeth and suppressed his voice: "Forgiveness? Forgiveness is a matter for Buddha!"

"My mission—"

His eyes were as cold as knives, and a sinister smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

"It's to send them to see Buddha!"

[Host! You will fall into the demonic path if you continue like this! You will destroy yourself!]

"Ruined myself?"

Lin Tian laughed, his laughter full of sarcasm. "From the moment the original owner was beaten to death by them and his parents died, I have been mortal enemies with them."

Did they really think they would let me go?

"It's better to die than to die, my fellow Daoist. Rather than make things difficult for myself, I'd rather make things difficult for others. Once they're all dead, will the evil spirits in this courtyard still exist?"

"System, you don't understand. This is how I heal them and purify the evil atmosphere in the courtyard."

【But……】

"Shut up!"

"No buts!"

"I will heal and purify them."

【…】

It's not this kind of purification you're talking about.

The system was rendered silent.

……

Yi Zhonghai was the last of the three to return.

When he heard the news that the deaf old woman had died in the public toilet, he was struck dumb, staggered back two steps, and had to lean against the wall to avoid falling.

"Old Yi, are you alright?" Yan Bugui quickly helped him up.

"No...it's nothing..."

Yi Zhonghai's face turned deathly pale, and his voice trembled, "Grandma, really...?"

Yan Bugui nodded heavily: "Captain Qin and his team are investigating the scene, and they say it might not be an accident."

It wasn't an accident...

Then it can only be...

Yi Zhonghai and Yan Bugui exchanged a glance, both seeing deep fear and... resolve in each other's eyes.

We can't delay any longer!

"Old Yan," Yi Zhonghai lowered his voice, his eyes filled with malice, "we must get it tonight."

"But……"

Yan Bugui pushed up his glasses, his voice trembling, "The police station is so heavily guarded..."

"No matter how strict the rules are, we have to take it!"

Yi Zhonghai gritted his teeth, "Didn't you see? One a day. The old lady is dead. Who's next? You? Me? Or your family? My family?"

With each question he asked, Yan Bugui's face paled a little more.

"We can't wait until the night of the full moon," Yi Zhonghai continued. "If we wait any longer, we'll all die!"

Yan Bugui remained silent.

He looked at the police officers coming and going in the courtyard, at Qin Ming's serious face, and at the police tape stretched out in the distance towards the public restroom...

Finally, he gritted his teeth and said, "Let's do it!"

"Alright!" A ruthless glint flashed in Yi Zhonghai's eyes. "We'll make our move when it gets dark and the police change shifts!"

The two hurriedly returned to the Yi family home.

Inside the room, Qin Huairu, Wang Cuilan, and Shazhu were all present, their faces ashen.

"Uncle..." Qin Huairu's tears welled up again when she saw Yi Zhonghai, "The old lady..."

"Stop talking." Yi Zhonghai waved his hand, his expression grave. "This is not the time to discuss this."

He looked around at everyone, his voice extremely low: "Tonight, we're going to the police station to bring Dongxu's... back."

He didn't explicitly say "bones," but everyone present understood.

Qin Huairu trembled: "Uncle, this...this is too dangerous..."

"We have to go, even if it's dangerous!" Yi Zhonghai said decisively. "Otherwise, we'll all die!"

Sha Zhu patted his chest and said, "Grandpa! I'll go with you!"

"Zhu Zi..." Qin Huairu looked at him with emotion.

"Don't worry, Sister Qin," Sha Zhu said with great bravado. "I'd do anything for you."

Yi Zhonghai nodded: "Zhuzi, Lao Yan, the three of us will go. Cuilan, Huairu, you two stay home and wait. Lock the door and don't open it for anyone."

"Master..." Wang Cuilan's voice trembled, "You all must be careful..."

"Know."

Yi Zhonghai touched the talisman in his sleeve, then touched the blood-stained clothes in his arms.

The blood of a close relative has been conceived.

We must get our enemy's bones tonight.

The sacrificial offerings... Jia Zhangshi is still in the hospital.

All is ready except for the opportunity.

As long as we get the bone...

If we can suppress the evil, there will be hope.

……