Reborn in the 80s: My Whole Family Secretly Hears My Thoughts and Goes Wild with Success! - Chapter 118

Seeing Yue Mingli’s unshaven face and exhausted look, Ye Zhiqiu couldn’t help but ask: “Second Brother, don’t tell me you haven’t slept at all since you left last night?”

Yue Mingli let out a huge yawn: “Pretty much. Just finished interrogating someone we arrested.”

“Don’t even get me started. That bastard wouldn’t say a word no matter how we questioned him. Turns out he was mute. We had to find someone who knows sign language.”

Yue Mingli found it somewhat funny himself. What surprised them even more was that the Rainy Night Killer had confessed with unexpected willingness.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t be back now; he’d still be stuck dealing with him.

“Must have been tough, Second Brother.”

Yue Mingli waved his hand: “Catching the person makes any hardship worth it. What I fear is failing to catch them, letting down the people’s trust in us.”

“Zhiqiu, did you have something you wanted to say?” Yue Mingli noticed Ye Zhiqiu’s hesitance.

“Second Brother, I need to ask for your help again,” Ye Zhiqiu said apologetically. “It’s about Ya Ya, and it’s quite urgent.”

“Go ahead, what is it?”

Ye Zhiqiu told Yue Mingli about the evil Taoist. Yue Mingli slapped the handlebar of his bike: “What a coincidence. I was just planning to go arrest him tomorrow.”

“The guy we just caught revealed that he was incited by this evil Taoist to commit those murders.”

The mute’s mother suffered from a severe heart condition, and his family had no money for treatment. He heard there was a very effective master on Xiangfeng Mountain in the eastern suburbs.

After a visit, the master told the mute that using the heart’s blood of a woman as a medicinal catalyst could cure his mother’s heart disease.

But this woman had to be wearing red clothes—even a red raincoat would do—and he had to strike on a thunderous rainy night, so the heart’s blood would carry the energy of the heavenly thunder.

The mute was a filial son. He couldn’t bear to see his mother in such pain. Even though he knew it was a crime punishable by death if caught, he still followed the master’s advice.

He killed four people, each with a deep scar over their heart.

He was caught by Yue Mingli during the fifth attempt. The mute, knowing the gravity of his sins, confessed readily, asking only that his mother never find out.

But he didn’t know that his mother had passed away shortly after he left home.

Having caught both the Liu Da and Liu Gui brothers and this Rainy Night Killer, Yue Mingli was sure to be commended and might even get a promotion. Yet, he felt incredibly heavy-hearted.

It just goes to show that even despicable people can have their pitiful aspects.

The location of the master described by the mute matched the address Ye Zhiqiu had given him, confirming it was the same person.

Early the next morning.

Ye Zhiqiu, along with Ye Jiawu and Shen Xiang, met Yue Mingli and his team, as well as Taoist Priest Qingfeng and his disciples, at the East City Gate. They all set off for Xiangfeng Mountain together.

On the way, Yue Mingli shared what he knew with Taoist Priest Qingfeng, then asked: “Taoist Priest Qingfeng, have you ever heard of the name Master Yuanhe?”

Master Yuanhe was the evil Taoist, known by that name to many people in the eastern part of the city.

Taoist Priest Qingfeng shook his head: “I devote myself to cultivation at Yunsheng Temple and know little of matters outside.”

Their Taoist ancestral teaching was: In prosperous times, seal the mountain and cultivate diligently; in chaotic times, descend the mountain to aid the common people.

This new era was the best in history, so naturally, there was no need for them to descend the mountain.

On the mountainside of Xiangfeng Mountain stood a particularly dilapidated Taoist temple, its plaque too faded to read. However, Taoist Priest Qingfeng was quite familiar with this temple: “This is Yuanxiang Temple, established during the Song Dynasty. It was once the largest and most flourishing temple in the capital area.”

“After two major fires—one caused by lightning—rumors spread that the disciples of Yuanxiang Temple had behaved improperly, angering the deities who then sent divine punishment. Others said a monster had taken up residence in the temple, hence it was struck by lightning.”

“Such superstitious talk indeed existed. But later, during my time at the reform farm, I met some university professors. One of them told me that Yuanxiang Temple had a large cauldron and was located on this exposed mountainside with no shelter, which attracted the lightning.”

“Afterwards, Yuanxiang Temple became increasingly rundown, and its disciples dwindled. By that period, only an old master and his young apprentice remained.”

“The old master was in poor health. After being struggled against twice, he passed away. The young apprentice was apparently sent to some reform farm. After that, Yuanxiang Temple was completely abandoned.”

“Come, let’s go inside and have a look.”

Taoist Priest Qingfeng and Yue Mingli took the lead. Pushing open the courtyard gate, they saw a man sitting inside the main hall with his back to them.

Yue Mingli signaled his colleagues to prepare for combat. They didn’t know who the other party was, so it was better to be safe than sorry.

Ye Jiawu and Shen Xiang quickly moved to protect Ye Zhiqiu on either side.

Unexpectedly, when they approached, they found the man was already dead.

He was clutching a note. Taoist Priest Qingfeng took it and immediately recognized Ya Ya’s birth date written on it.

Before him lay yellow ritual paper and cinnabar. The incense in the burner had just been lit. It seemed he had been about to draw a talisman but, for some reason, died before he could finish.

Yue Mingli instructed his junior colleague, Xiao Li: “Go to the nearby village and ask if anyone has seen Master Yuanhe. Bring them here to identify if this is him.”

“This is Yuanhe. I just remembered, that young apprentice was called Yuanhe.”

Taoist Priest Qingfeng shook his head regretfully: “He was a promising seedling, but he took the wrong path.”

“Many monks and Taoists stand before the gates of hell. Cultivation is about virtue. A single misstep can lead to eternal damnation. One wrong step, then another.”

Taoist Priest Qingfeng stepped forward, placed his hand on Yuanhe’s head, and recited the “Scripture of Original Celestial Worthy on Merit, Dharma Food, and Rebirth” for him.

After leaving Yuanxiang Temple, Ye Zhiqiu asked Taoist Priest Qingfeng: “Priest, now that this man is dead, will my daughter be safe from now on?”

“Benefactor, as I told you last time, Ya Ya’s fate is unique. Ordinary evil spirits cannot approach her, let alone with that spirit jade protecting her.”

“Those close to her will have good fortune, while those who wish to harm her will suffer a backlash.”

Taoist Priest Qingfeng suspected Yuanhe had suffered such a backlash.

Ya Ya’s blessings, prosperity, wealth, and longevity are all of the highest order. Those with good virtue have no need to covet these things, while those without simply cannot withstand them and will naturally suffer a backlash. It’s like a small horse trying to pull a heavy cart—not only can it not pull it, but the horse will also be exhausted to death.

“However, her fate is indeed highly coveted. On her hundredth day, bring her to Yunsheng Temple. I will use a secret method to bestow upon her a protective blessing that will safeguard her until she is eighteen.”

“This old man’s power only extends this far. I hope the benefactor will understand. After Ya Ya turns eighteen, she will no longer need the protective blessing. She will have the ability to protect herself, and the people around her will also be capable of protecting her well.”

If, by then, someone still overestimates their abilities and tries to harm her, it would truly be like the God of Longevity buying his own urn—finding his life too long.