Siheyuan: Hang Jia Dongxu, smash Banggeng to death!

"That's right, staying in the courtyard means certain death, and leaving also means certain death."

Xu Damao said, trembling, "What should we do... I don't want to die..."

"That's right, the pheasant was crushed to death right there in the yard. It's not safe in the yard either."

"But the three Yan brothers died outside, so it's not safe for them to go out."

"Who the hell did this? Was it a person or a ghost?"

"Stop talking, stop talking, please stop talking."

Fear fermented among the crowd; the more they talked, the more afraid they became, and the more afraid they became, the more they talked.

Just then, Jia Zhangshi ran out crying, "Police officers, police officers, you've finally come! You've finally come!"

My dear grandson died so tragically. He was only twelve years old, just a budding seedling, and he was gone just like that.

Comrades, you must stand up for us! You must catch the murderer and make my beloved grandson and son pay with their lives!

Which damned bastard did this?

Have you found out yet?

You can't let him go! You have to arrest him, shoot him, and torture him to death.

Xiao Wang quickly comforted her, "Auntie, please get up. Don't get agitated. We are investigating Jia Dongxu's case and will definitely give you an explanation. Please sit down and tell me slowly."

"How much slower do you want it to be!"

Madam Jia wouldn't listen to any advice and threw a tantrum, saying, "My son is dead, and now my beloved grandson is dead too. What's the point of me living?"

"I don't want to live anymore. If you won't stand up for me, I'll just kill myself right here."

As she spoke, she actually started banging her head against the wall, but Zhang Defu and Zhao Jianguo quickly grabbed her.

Two young men each grabbed one of her arms and, after much persuasion, finally managed to get her to sit down on the stone steps beside them.

But Jia Zhangshi continued to cry and curse, "You damned murderer, you deserve to die a horrible death! May you be hit by a car, choke to death while eating, or drown while drinking water...!"

Xiao Wang took the opportunity to straighten up, catch his breath, and then he froze.

I was so busy dealing with Jia Zhangshi that I didn't have time to think about this.

and many more.

Jia Zhangshi just said that his beloved grandson has also died, and another one has died in the yard tonight.

He turned his head sharply and looked at Zhang Defu.

Zhang Defu was also looking at him. Their eyes met briefly in the air, and they both saw the same thing in each other's eyes.

Just as they had guessed.

The three Yan brothers did not die for no reason in the alley not far from the police station.

They came to call the police.

A series of deaths occurred in the courtyard tonight. The three Yan brothers came to report the crime, but the murderer, knowing they were going to report it, intercepted them on the way.

Or perhaps an even more terrifying possibility is...

The killer had been following them the whole time and never intended for them to make it to the police station alive.

Those wounds, those brutally cruel and almost perverse methods of murder.

It's not just murder, it's punishment.

Punish them for meddling.

Punish them by making them call the police.

Or it could simply be punishment.

A cool breeze swept through the yard, making the hairs on Xiao Wang's back stand on end.

He subconsciously glanced back at the gate of the courtyard house, feeling as if something was watching them.

Are we being nosy?

But that feeling came back again.

The killer is still nearby.

Or perhaps it's in the crowd.

Watching Yan Bugui hold his daughter and weep bitterly, watching Yang Ruihua collapse on the ground on the verge of a breakdown, watching Jia Zhangshi hysterically curse.

The killer might be watching, admiring, and enjoying it.

Xiao Wang took a deep breath, forced himself to calm down, and said in a deep voice, "Don't panic, everyone. We, the Public Security Bureau, will take care of everything. I'll go back and gather reinforcements right away."

I don't believe that with our police force around, the murderer would dare to commit a crime right under our noses.

Aunt Jia, Uncle Liu, Teacher Yan, please accept our condolences. Our Hongxing Police Station will definitely give you an explanation.

"Brother Zhang, Brother Liu, take Banggeng's body with you. We're going back to get reinforcements. We can't afford to lose any more people."

"it is good."

Zhang Defu and Liu Jianshe agreed in unison, but it was impossible for them to agree to stay; they were also afraid.

Especially after someone in the crowd described how Banggeng died, they, being just temporary workers, had already made up their minds to stay away from the courtyard house.

It's obvious that the people in the courtyard bumped into something dirty. They all have families to support, so they can't take any risks.

18.5 yuan a month, what kind of life are you living for?

Until the three left.

...

Rear enclosure.

Lin Jianguo sat by the window and peeked out through the crack; it was still dark outside.

The police officers just arrived. He wanted to go out, but his wife stopped him. This happened after Jia Dongxu, Liu Guangfu, and Liu Guangtian hanged themselves this evening.

Then there was the news that Banggeng was killed, and then the news that Officer Wang and his team just brought: the three Yan brothers were beheaded in the alley.

Overnight, seven lives were lost, both inside and outside the courtyard.

Seven lives were lost just like that.

Seven people, who were talking, eating, arguing, laughing and cursing together in the morning, are now all corpses covered under a white sheet in the backyard of the police station.

Lin Jianguo had never seen so many dead people in his life.

He experienced the War of Resistance against Japan, the War of Liberation, and saw corpses lying scattered in the ruins after bombing.

But that was war, that was an enemy with guns, that was distant artillery fire.

But this time it's different.

This time it's this alley, this courtyard, and these neighbors he's lived with day and night for over a decade.

That's it.

It's completely inexplicable.

If they were enemies, it's unlikely that the entire courtyard would retaliate; it's probably because...

"Honey, take the children back to your parents' home as soon as it's light."

Lin's mother, who was sewing shoe soles to distract herself from her fear, stopped halfway through her work upon hearing this. "Going back to your parents' home?"

Lin's mother's voice trembled slightly.

She knew what Lin Jianguo meant.

Going back to one's parents' home means leaving this place, leaving this courtyard, leaving this place of trouble.

"It's too dangerous in the yard."

Lin Jianguo spread his palms and rubbed them on his knees, his palms covered in cold sweat. "Think about it, one night, Jia Dongxu, Liu Guangfu, and Liu Guangtian were swinging on the swings, and the handle was smashed to death in the yard."

"The three Yan brothers were all beheaded, all by the men in the courtyard, all young and strong men, one after another."

His gaze involuntarily drifted to Tangtang, who was fast asleep on the kang (a heated brick bed).

The little girl was five years old, with rosy cheeks, her little mouth slightly open, and one of her short legs sticking out from under the blanket and resting on her brother Lin Tian's pillow.

Their breathing was even and long, completely unaware of the terrible things happening in the world.

Lin Jianguo's Adam's apple bobbed. "Xiao Tian is eight years old this year. Although he's not very old, he's still a boy."

Think about it, among those who died, Bang Geng was only seven or eight years old, and Yan Jiekuang was twelve. They didn't even spare children as young as ten.

"My little Tian... I can't take that risk."

……