CHAPTER 897: CHAPTER 456_2

"Ah!"

Bai Ling couldn’t help but let out a soft cry, evidently frightened by the terrifying and bloody description.

Fang Cheng and Lin Chuqiao exchanged a glance, both seeing the gravity in each other’s eyes.

The way these people died was unexpectedly far more direct and brutal than the reported deaths of the Chen Family members.

Lin Chuqiao took a slight breath, calmly analyzing:

"With a power user’s physique, ordinary viruses and bacteria are entirely incapable of causing such rapid infection, as for the internal organs being cooked from consuming the soup..."

"I think that’s more like a curse triggered instantly by some medium, likely the handiwork of that Black Magic Master; he’s warning anyone who tries to meddle."

"That’s what we were guessing too."

Chen Xu’an nodded slightly, his expression growing heavier:

"The third group that came was a mage from the Maoshan Sect, accompanied by several followers, who supposedly excelled in various talismanic techniques to exorcise evil."

"On the day he arrived, he set up an altar in my family’s courtyard, spread out with compasses, peach wood swords, and yellow paper talismans all over the place, quite a spectacle."

"But halfway through the ritual, he suddenly stopped, started speaking nonsense, claiming to see golden paper ingots floating down all over."

"Then... right before our eyes, a ball of fire suddenly flew out of the fire basin, engulfing him completely, and within a mere ten seconds, he was burned to a crisp."

After Chen Xu’an finished speaking, the entire living room fell into a deathly silence.

The invisible enemy seemed to be declaring "his" absolute dominion over this estate with these three bloody deaths.

"Mr. Chen, I’d like to ask a question."

Fang Cheng was the first to break the silence, his steady and powerful voice instantly dispelling the oppressive coldness.

"Among these groups of task-takers, did you encounter these two people?"

He briefly described:

"One is about fifty years old, wears glasses, with a gentle demeanor; the other is in his thirties, tall and thin, with a long face and a mustache on his upper lip."

This precisely matched the appearance of his uncle Li Dingjian and the Professor.

Upon hearing this, Chen Xu’an thought for a moment and eventually shook his head:

"No, I’m certain no one matching those descriptions has been here."

Disappointment flickered in Fang Cheng’s eyes.

To be honest, whether the Chen Family case could be solved, or the task at Naihe Bridge could be successfully completed, wasn’t important to him.

Finding his uncle’s whereabouts as soon as possible was his real purpose in coming to Tian Nan Province.

Just as Fang Cheng thought the lead had dried up, Chen Xu’an suddenly exclaimed softly, as if recalling something.

"Wait... the man with the mustache you mentioned, I feel like I remember something."

He frowned, trying hard to recall:

"About a week ago, the day my eldest brother got into an accident, as I was driving away from the mansion, heading to the hospital, I vaguely remember seeing someone on the street outside the estate who looked very similar to the person you described."

"He had a horse-like face and a short beard, loitering suspiciously nearby, and when he saw my car coming out, he immediately turned and walked away."

"Where did he head to?"

Fang Cheng immediately asked.

"At the time, I was in a hurry to get to the hospital and didn’t pay much attention, nor did I see which direction he went..."

Chen Xu’an shook his head apologetically.

Seeing Fang Cheng remain silent, Lin Chuqiao naturally took over the conversation, approaching the investigation from another angle.

"Mr. Chen, according to the intelligence records, aside from the three deceased, there should be two survivors among the Chen Family members who encountered mishap. Can we speak with them?"

"That might be difficult."

Chen Xu’an showed a hint of difficulty:

"My older brother is severely injured, still in the ICU, not completely out of danger, and the hospital prohibits anyone from visiting."

"What about the mentally unstable family member?"

Lin Chuqiao persisted, asking, "We promise to just assess his condition, without doing anything to agitate him."

"The one who went mad is my second uncle, but he’s no longer here."

Chen Xu’an’s tone sank slightly, with a hint of helplessness.

"Where is he?"

Lin Chuqiao was taken aback by the response.

"For his safety, and to avoid disrupting the family, he’s been sent into our Chen Family’s Secret Realm for recuperation."

Lin Chuqiao immediately understood and did not press further.

She knew well what this statement implied.

Every noble family’s Secret Realm is the foundation of the family, never allowing outsiders to step foot in it.

Moreover, the Secret Realm itself would naturally repel those not of the family bloodline.

Even female relatives by marriage, unless they’ve lived there long-term with their aura completely merged with the family, cannot enter it.

The two most direct investigation leads appeared to have come to a dead end.

As the atmosphere reached an impasse, Fang Cheng suddenly spoke again:

"Mr. Chen, I’d like to visit the room of the first deceased, Mr. Chen Shaoze, to see the scene."

"There’s no use."

Chen Xu’an instinctively rejected:

"Whether it’s the police, our family’s experts, or those few groups that came later, they’ve investigated inside and out countless times, finding nothing."

"Moreover, it’s been over half a month since the incident; even if there were any traces, they’ve long vanished."

Lin Chuqiao glanced at Fang Cheng’s profile, her eyes gleaming slightly, then turned to Chen Xu’an, smiling:

"Mr. Chen, you might not know, but our captain has quite a unique ability."

"He is a powerful Spiritual Ability User, able to perceive the minutest traces unobservable to ordinary people. He might discover something different."

Chen Xu’an, hearing this, showed a flash of surprise in his eyes, re-evaluating the "captain" who seemed excessively young.

He pondered for a moment and finally nodded:

"Alright, since you’ve come from afar, I have no reason to refuse this request."

Under Chen Xu’an’s guidance, the three ascended the spiral staircase to the second floor.

The steps made of precious teak gave off no sound when stepped on.

The entire second floor was vast and silent, with most of the doors along the long corridor tightly shut, exuding a sense of desolation as if the place had been deserted.

"Mr. Chen, forgive my curiosity."

As they walked, Lin Chuqiao softly inquired, "The house seems quite empty; where are the other family members?"

"I’m embarrassed to say."

A faint bitterness appeared on Chen Xu’an’s face:

"With the family repeatedly struck by incidents and unable to find the real culprit, for safety, my grandmother has moved most of the direct relatives into the Secret Realm temporarily, leaving only a few to maintain the family’s normal operations outside."

"Doesn’t that scare you?"

Unable to contain herself, Bai Ling, who had been quietly following, asked.

Chen Xu’an’s steps paused slightly, then he smiled faintly, nonchalantly:

"Scared, of course, but as a descendant of the Chen Family, someone has to stay and uphold this family. It’s a responsibility that can’t be shirked."

Speaking, they arrived at a door at the end of the corridor.

"Here we are."

Chen Xu’an pulled out a set of keys, inserting one into the lock.

"Squeak—"

With a soft sound, the door creaked open.

A blend of dust and musty air instantly greeted them.

"Since the incident, this room has been sealed, with no one entering other than the police and prior investigators."

Chen Xu’an stood at the door, showing no intention of entering.

Fang Cheng walked in alone, while Lin Chuqiao and Bai Ling stood at the entrance without disturbing him.

The room’s decor was youthful, indicating the deceased was a fashion-seeking youngster during his life.

But at this moment, all the furniture was covered in a thin layer of dust, casting a lifeless aura.

This was where the entire incident originated, where the Chen Family’s youngest grandson, Chen Shaoze, was scared to death in this locked room late one night over half a month ago.

There were no signs of struggle, and the estate’s multimillion-dollar security system recorded no breaches.

Fang Cheng scanned the room carefully, and in his eyes emerged visions invisible to ordinary people.

The "Scavenger’s Eye" quietly activated.

In his sight, the room became filled with countless energy auras, some bright, some dark.

The door handle still held the bright fingerprints left by Chen Xu’an.

The floor was covered with now-faded, chaotic footprints belonging to the police and other investigators.

Time had erased most traces, yet Fang Cheng patiently scanned inch by inch.

His gaze passed over the desk and the wardrobe.

Finally, they settled on the bed.

Fang Cheng’s pupils contracted slightly.

On the wall beside the headboard, he saw several faint yet abnormal halos.