"Take one last look at this vibrant world!" Ye Xiu looked down indifferently at Fang Dahai, who was kneeling on the ground.
"No, don't kill me..." Fang Dahai cried out in fear, frantically kowtowing to Ye Xiu and begging for his life. "Spare me, don't kill me! I'll never do it again! Please, give me another chance! I'll be a good person from now on..."
"In your next life," Ye Xiu said as his hand rose and the blade fell.
"AHH!" Ming Yue shrieked, her face turning as pale as paper. She hadn't expected Ye Xiu to actually kill someone and nearly collapsed to the ground in fright.
Qin Qing, however, was not afraid, nor was she surprised. Her expression remained perfectly calm. Years ago, when she had personally gathered the fragmented remains of Ye Xiu's mother and grandparents, she had already developed a murderous hatred for the masterminds who had framed Ye Xiu. She simply lacked the ability to kill and was unable to personally take revenge on his behalf. Now, watching Ye Xiu execute Fang Dahai right before her eyes, she felt an immense sense of catharsis.
This was the Ye Xiu she had waited ten long years to see, not the boy who once wouldn't even dare to step on an ant.
"Are you scared?" Ye Xiu asked expressionlessly, turning to Ming Yue, who was trembling so hard she could barely stand.
"No!" Ming Yue said, forcing herself to be brave. "He was the murderer who ran over your mother and grandparents. He deserved to die!"
"Then I'll trouble you to place Fang Dahai before my mother and grandparents' tombstones," Ye Xiu said.
Hearing this, Ming Yue almost turned and fled. Having just witnessed Ye Xiu commit murder, she was already scared out of her wits, and it was sheer willpower that kept her from collapsing. How could she dare touch the corpse? She was the one who had lured Fang Dahai here, and now he had died by Ye Xiu's blade. If she touched the body now... What if he turned into a vengeful ghost? He would surely come to settle the score with her first.
However, Ming Yue realized that Ye Xiu apparently didn't know the Ming Family was behind Fang Dahai. Otherwise, he would have cut her down as well.
Very well.
With that thought, Ming Yue suppressed her terror, clenched her teeth, and braced herself, forcing her trembling legs to carry her toward Fang Dahai's corpse.
Just then, Ye Xiu and Qin Qing knelt.
"Mom, Grandpa, Grandma, may your spirits in heaven watch closely. Your unfilial son, Ye Xiu, swears an oath here today. Fang Dahai is only the first..."
Ye Xiu's voice was as cold as a demonic whisper from Hell. It carried an immense hatred that not even the waters of the vastest rivers could dilute and a shocking killing intent, as if he would slay any god or demon who dared stand in his way.
The heavens seemed to sense his mood. The sky suddenly grew overcast, and thunder rumbled in the distance.
Ye Xiu looked up. "By the heavens above, revenge will be taken, and this injustice will be cleansed!"
With that, he kowtowed three times, his forehead striking the ground hard.
Qin Qing did the same.
Looking at Ye Xiu's face, now as savage as a ghost's, Ming Yue felt an inexplicable fear grip her heart. She had no doubt that if Ye Xiu ever learned the Ming Family was one of the masterminds, he would not hesitate to swing his Butcher's Knife at them.
"Let's go," Ye Xiu said, helping Qin Qing to her feet.
"Okay," Qin Qing nodded.
Just then, Ming Yue asked, "Big Brother Ye, aren't you going to dispose of Fang Dahai's body? If the authorities find it here, even if he deserved to die, you'll be charged with premeditated murder."
This wasn't a kind reminder. Ming Yue simply couldn't believe Ye Xiu would be so careless. He had to have a reason for not taking the body.
"Someone will take care of it," Ye Xiu said calmly.
His voice had barely faded when five people appeared out of nowhere. They quickly bundled Fang Dahai's corpse into a bag, cleaned up the bloodstains, and departed swiftly.
Ming Yue stared, dumbfounded. Even if her eyesight was poor, she could tell these five were consummate professionals. Their movements were swift, efficient, and highly coordinated, as if they had undergone rigorous training. A horrified realization struck her. It seems Ye Xiu has many hidden trump cards beyond just being the Ghost Doctor.
Ye Xiu and Qin Qing reached their car and were about to get in when they saw Ming Yue opening the back door to slip inside. "Is there something else?" Ye Xiu asked, puzzled.
"I didn't drive, and it's hard to get a taxi from here. Could you give me a ride, Big Brother Ye?" Ming Yue said with an awkward laugh.
Ye Xiu and Qin Qing were speechless. Ye Xiu asked, "Where are you going?"
"I'll go wherever you're going. I'm free anyway. We haven't seen each other in ten years, and I have so much to talk about with you, Big Brother Ye."
Since she wanted to probe Ye Xiu's true capabilities, Ming Yue naturally had to stick close to him.
"Fine," Ye Xiu said. He understood her motives. It suited him just fine, as he also planned to reveal a few of his cards to increase the pressure on the Ming Family. If you wanted to torment your enemies, you had to start with psychological attacks. Executing Fang Dahai in front of Ming Yue was only the beginning.
As the car started, Ming Yue discreetly took out her phone. She typed out everything she had seen and thought into a text message and sent it to Ming Hao. Since she was in the back seat, Ye Xiu and Qin Qing had no idea what she was doing.
Soon, a reply came from Ming Hao: "Looks like Ye Xiu still doesn't know the Ming Family was behind Huang Xinming and Fang Dahai."
Ming Yue typed back: "I think so too, but Ye Xiu has gone crazy. For the sake of revenge, he's capable of anything now. We have to eliminate him before he finds out about us."
Ming Hao: "We can't act rashly until we've figured out all of his trump cards."
Ming Yue: "Then I'll stay close to him and try to get him to reveal his cards and what he's relying on."
Ming Hao: "Good. I'll find a way to cut off all the loose ends so he can't trace anything back to the Ming Family."
After sending the message, Ming Yue pretended to play a game on her phone. Ye Xiu and Qin Qing had no time to spare her any attention anyway.
They drove on in silence until the car entered Tu Mountain Manor.
"What are we doing here?" Qin Qing asked.
Ming Yue was also curious.
"You'll see in a moment," Ye Xiu said mysteriously.
Ming Yue probed, "The people who can afford a villa here are the truly wealthy. Does Big Brother Ye have friends here?"
If Ye Xiu has friends in Tu Mountain Manor, the Ming Family will have to be even more cautious in dealing with him. The wealth, power, and status of someone who can afford a villa here are far beyond anything the Ming Family can compare to.