Lu Ming examined the corpse, confirming Wu Lingxuan was completely dead and had no chance of survival. He then put on the Yanluo mask again.
Just as he was about to leave, he noticed a strange tattoo on Wu Lingxuan’s exposed shoulder.
"Hm?"
Lu Ming felt something was amiss. He squatted down and pulled open Wu Lingxuan's collar, revealing the entire tattoo.
It was a lotus-shaped tattoo.
Lu Ming didn't know much about tattoos and couldn't tell what it represented.
People said Wu Lingxuan was a living Bodhisattva. Perhaps Wu Lingxuan truly believed she was a Bodhisattva, so she had a white lotus tattooed, symbolizing the lotus pedestal of a Bodhisattva?
Of course, this was just Lu Ming’s wild guess and not reliable.
Wu Lingxuan was dead. The truth behind the lotus tattoo would remain unknown to others.
After looking.
Lu Ming stood up and walked into the dark night.
Mission, complete!
At the same time.
Midnight, the villa on the mountainside.
Jiang Mengxin and Su Wanran, two women, waited precisely at the television, anticipating the news broadcast. They were eager to know how Lu Ming would stop the atrocities of the Hell Demons.
Then, they witnessed the spectacular speech by ‘Yanluo’.
Repaying violence with violence.
The existence of the Yanluo Hall ensured that the Hell Demons had nowhere to escape, and the citizens across the country could finally feel at ease.
The two women exchanged glances, simultaneously harboring a question: Was this Lu Ming's method?
But Lu Ming had no background or connections. How could he have created the Yanluo Hall in such a short period? This was completely unexplainable.
"Yanluo Hall, was it created by Lu Ming?" Su Wanran asked.
Jiang Mengxin frowned and said, "Putting aside other things, the person who just gave the speech was definitely not Lu Ming. Their build, voice, and habits were completely different."
Su Wanran said, "I know it wasn't Lu Ming either, but the problem is, Lu Ming said he would solve the problem, and then the Yanluo Hall appeared. The connection between the two is so seamless, it's hard not to suspect Lu Ming was behind it."
The full truth could only be known when Lu Ming returned.
Fortunately, Lu Ming didn't keep them waiting too long this time. In just a few tens of minutes, Lu Ming returned home, but his face was filled with dissatisfaction and anger, as if he had encountered something particularly troublesome.
"Lu Ming!" Su Wanran rushed forward, grabbing Lu Ming's hand and asking, "You're amazing! Repaying violence with violence, you solved the Hell Demon problem in one go. Remarkable, I admire you."
Lu Ming's brows were tightly furrowed, and he asked confusedly, "What are you talking about? I don't understand at all."
"Don't pretend! We know everything. The news reported it on TV, that you created the Yanluo Hall and deterred the Hell Demons. Don't be overly humble anymore." Su Wanran looked at Lu Ming with admiration.
However.
Lu Ming waved his hand, "The Yanluo Hall was not created by me."
As expected! Su Wanran had anticipated this response.
She pressed on, "If you didn't create it, then who did? You said you were going out on business, and then the Yanluo Hall appeared. Is it just that coincidental?"
Lu Ming said, "After all, this matter involves a wide range of people. It's not impossible that other kind-hearted individuals helped resolve the issue."
Uh... it did sound plausible.
Jiang Mengxin curiously asked, "Then where were you for the past two hours? You said you were going out to solve a problem, how did you resolve it?"
Lu Ming had the answer ready for this question.
He spread his hands and said, "My original plan was to catch the ringleader first. Although I had no evidence, I was convinced that Wu Lingxuan was the mastermind behind everything! By eliminating Wu Lingxuan, the problem would be solved. So, I took my weapons to the Wu family, intending to confront Wu Lingxuan!"
Jiang Mengxin rolled her eyes upon hearing this. It was typical of Lu Ming's usual approach, two words: reckless!
It seemed Jiang Mengxin had overestimated Lu Ming.
She had thought that by staying by her side during this period, Lu Ming might have learned to be a little smarter. Unexpectedly, he was still as reckless as ever, acting entirely on impulse without considering the consequences.
She asked, "Then why did you come back? Did you finish dealing with Wu Lingxuan in such a short time?"
"No." Lu Ming shook his head and said, "I was too late. Someone had gone to the Wu family before me and had already killed Wu Lingxuan. When I arrived, the police had secured the scene and wouldn't let anyone in, so I came back. I don't know which heroic figure did this, acting so decisively."
Jiang Mengxin and Su Wanran were simultaneously shocked.
Wu Lingxuan was dead?
Just like that?
Their attention had been entirely focused on the Hell Demons tonight, and they hadn't paid any attention to matters concerning the Wu family.
Su Wanran said, "It seems someone had the same idea as Lu Ming, also believing Wu Lingxuan was behind everything!"
Lu Ming nodded, "The most terrifying part is that the killer left a Yanluo mask at the scene!"
This...
That must be someone from the Yanluo Hall!
Understood!
Su Wanran said, "It seems the Yanluo Hall not only targeted the Hell Demons but also Wu Lingxuan. They acted separately, one group nationwide eliminating sixteen Hell Demons, while another sent someone to the Wu family to take care of Wu Lingxuan. What kind of existence is this Yanluo Hall, possessing such immense power? Tsk, tsk, tsk. Wu Lingxuan, who toyed with us, was killed so easily. It's truly lamentable."
In the following days, the entire Fog City was abuzz with discussions about the Hell Demons, the Yanluo Hall, and the tragic state of the Wu family.
The热度 (popularity) remained high.
The Su family was also entangled in these events, and everyone was overwhelmed.
Until...
While Jiang Mengxin was busy, she received a video call from her father, Jiang Xueyi.
Before Jiang Mengxin could speak, Jiang Xueyi cried, "Mengxin, hurry home! Your mother is dying!"
This single sentence jolted Jiang Mengxin out of her busyness.
"What?"
Jiang Mengxin quickly looked at the screen and asked seriously, "Dad, it's not April Fools' Day today. Don't joke with me like this."
Jiang Xueyi was on the verge of tears, "Who's joking with you? I'm telling the truth! Your mother is sick, very seriously ill, and she can't hold on much longer. If you come back late, you might not even get to see her one last time."
"Ah?" Jiang Mengxin was stunned.
She asked doubtfully, "That's impossible. My mother is very healthy, never sick, never incapacitated, how could she... It's impossible, Dad, what exactly is going on?"
Jiang Xueyi said, "It's hard to explain the specifics in a few words. In short, your mother is now critically ill and on the verge of death. Please put down your work and come home."
Is it true?
Although Jiang Xueyi sounded urgent, and the matter didn't seem like a joke, Jiang Mengxin still felt like she was dreaming, and a nightmare at that.
How could a perfectly healthy person suddenly be on their deathbed?
Jiang Mengxin said, "Dad, point the camera at Mom so I can see her."
"Okay, okay."
Jiang Xueyi entered the bedroom. One could see that the table was filled with various bottles and jars of medicine. Additionally, there was a doctor and three nurses watching 24 hours a day, just in case.
He arrived at the bedside.
Jiang Xueyi pointed the camera at the bed.
Xu Qin lay on the bed with her eyes closed, her face a waxy yellow. Wasn't this the appearance of someone about to die?
Xu Qin was now breathing in but not out, on the verge of leaving at any moment.
"Mom!"
Seeing this scene, Jiang Mengxin cried out sadly.
But Xu Qin on the other end of the video showed no reaction. Even her own daughter, her most beloved daughter, she lacked the energy to respond.
At this moment.
Su Wanran and Lu Ming came behind Jiang Mengxin. They had heard the conversation and were both worried about Xu Qin.
How could a healthy person suddenly become critically ill?
What kind of illness was it?
How could it progress to such a critical stage so quickly?
Chaos ensued on the other end of the video, while Jiang Mengxin on this side was crying uncontrollably, everyone enveloped in immense sorrow.
In such a tense and oppressive atmosphere, Lu Ming, with his sharp eyes, noticed a subtle anomaly.
He saw that below Xu Qin's neck, there was a lotus tattoo, identical to the one on the deceased Wu Lingxuan!
If Wu Lingxuan's lotus tattoo symbolized the Bodhisattva's lotus pedestal, then what did Xu Qin's represent?
Two identical lotus flowers, what did they symbolize behind them?
Xu Qin, Wu Lingxuan, two people who seemed to have no connection, were now linked by a lotus tattoo. What truth lay hidden behind it?
Lu Ming's brows furrowed. He vaguely sensed that a huge conspiracy was hidden behind all of this!