21: Chapter 21 Gambling Hooks Kill People

The Liu Village Chiefs Hall was located in the center of the village; usually, any friction or matters of varying importance in the village were resolved there.

However, since it was currently dark and the surroundings were pitch black, the place was completely deserted.

Ye Jing was pushed into the dark Village Chiefs Hall by Qian Wang. He asked, "Weren't we going to discuss the matter of the fields?"

"Old Man Ye, just wait patiently! I'll go call the people from the Huang Family right now!" Qian Wang laughed.

He had Ye Jing sit on a wooden chair, then went out and even closed the door.

Leaving Ye Jing all alone.

Surrounded by darkness, Ye Jing suddenly felt uneasy.

Suddenly, a heavy sound of breathing came from behind him.

The wind whistled around him—there was someone there!

"Ugh..." Ye Jing immediately felt something was wrong as his neck suddenly tightened and his breathing instantly stalled, but his body had long been nourished by the Immortal Light, making his reactions extremely fast.

The moment the coarse rope touched his neck, he raised both hands like lightning and death-gripped both ends of the rope.

If not for Ye Jing's quick reactions, that hemp rope would have already strangled his neck; the force behind it carried a vicious intent.

His palms felt a coarse texture; the rope strangling him was hemp. Someone wanted his life!

"Ye Jing! You outsider, you've occupied my Huang Family's fields for so many years. Today is the day you die!"

Ye Jing immediately shouted, "Huang Silang!"

He hadn't expected that Qian Wang leading him here to discuss the property was actually so Huang Silang could take his life!

At this moment, Huang Silang, having borrowed money from Niu Gui and being incited by Niu Gui's words, had nothing left in his mind but a frenzied killing intent.

If he killed Ye Jing, the land deed would become invalid!

Huang Silang had originally thought Ye Jing, an eighty-year-old man, would be defenseless, but he hadn't expected Ye Jing's hand strength to be so great.

The hemp rope was held so tightly it didn't budge; no matter how much Huang Silang exerted his full strength, he couldn't tighten it by even half a fraction.

Ye Jing remained clear-headed and suddenly exerted force with both hands, actually pulling Huang Silang into a stumble.

Taking advantage of this split-second opening, Ye Jing straightened his waist, sprang up from the wooden chair, and slammed his knee hard into Huang Silang's lower abdomen.

"Aow!" Huang Silang let out a miserable scream as his stomach churned, and the hemp rope in his hands fell to the ground.

He clutched his stomach and crouched on the ground, twitching in pain, his previous ferocity completely gone.

Ye Jing rubbed his neck; the burning pain made his gaze turn colder. He looked down at the curled-up Huang Silang and said in a heavy voice, "Huang Silang! I never expected this! You actually wanted my life for the sake of some fields!"

He had once helped Huang Silang several times out of consideration for him being his brother-in-law, but later, as Huang Silang's gambling addiction became incurable, Ye Jing had no choice but to distance himself.

Ye Jing felt he had done everything possible for Huang Silang, yet he never expected Huang Silang would actually harbor murderous intent toward him!

Huang Silang trembled and hurriedly waved his hands: "No! I just, I just..."

He was so scared he became incoherent and backed away. In his eyes, Ye Jing was like a monster with immense strength, not at all like an eighty-year-old man; his strength was even greater than his own.

"Speak! Who instigated you to do this!" Ye Jing grabbed Huang Silang by the collar and questioned him.

"It's... it's..."

Just then, the wooden door of the Village Chiefs Hall was kicked open. Qian Wang walked in, looking at Huang Silang on the ground with an expression of utter disgust.

He turned to Ye Jing and hurriedly asked in feigned shock, "What happened? Elder Ye?"

Ye Jing looked coldly at this Village Chief; Huang Silang's sudden attack was definitely connected to him!

"This Huang Silang tried to put a rope around my neck; he wanted my life!" Ye Jing said heavily.

"Such a thing actually happened?!" Qian Wang was greatly shocked. He immediately called out to the two burly men behind him, "You actually plotted to murder someone! Quickly, seize him!"

Before Huang Silang could even scream, the two men behind Qian Wang immediately stuffed a dirty rag into his mouth and tied him up securely.

This efficiency was meant to leave Ye Jing no time to react.

Qian Wang stepped forward and cupped his hands: "Elder Ye, are you alright?"

Ye Jing ignored him and only asked, "Village Chief Qian, Huang Silang is the member of the Huang clan who wanted to talk to me about the fields, right?"

Qian Wang nodded repeatedly and said, "Yes, but I didn't expect him to commit such a murderous act for the sake of the fields. I'll go interrogate him for you right away!"

"Mmph! Mmph!" The bound Huang Silang could only make futile whimpering sounds, watching helplessly as Qian Wang pushed him out.

"Father! Are you okay!" At this moment, Ye Xuan ran over from outside, calling out to Ye Jing.

They were also startled by the sight of the bound Huang Silang and didn't know what had happened.

Ye Jing saw through it but didn't say anything. He felt more and more that Huang Silang, having been a gambler for so many years, wouldn't think of murdering someone no matter how short of money he was.

Especially since he wanted his family's fields, and with Qian Wang secretly helping him plot against his life—he had heard that Qian Wang seemed to be on good terms with Niu Gui in private.

And Niu Gui was constantly eyeing his land.

Could the person behind the scenes really be Niu Gui?

Furthermore, since Qian Wang was the Village Chief, it wasn't wise to offend him for the time being, and he had no evidence to point him out. So he said, "Village Chief, this man is my wife's brother. To commit such an evil act for the sake of land—I ask the Village Chief to give me justice!"

"Of course! Of course!" Qian Wang said with a forced smile.

Qian Wang looked at Ye Jing's two sons, feeling greatly annoyed. He hadn't expected this old man Ye Jing to be so shrewd, actually bringing his two sons along in secret!

He had originally thought that if Huang Silang failed, he would bring his men to help finish off the old man, but he hadn't expected that as soon as a little noise came from inside, Ye Jing's two sons would rush out.

With these two tall and strong men present, Qian Wang had no way to act.

This old man is truly exceptionally cunning!

Now, in order to avoid exposure, he could only suppress his murderous intent for the time being.

Qian Wang said coldly to the two burly men, "Why haven't you taken this ungrateful wretch down to be handled according to village rules!"

Huang Silang could only be carried away in vain by those men, letting out desperate cries.

Qian Wang politely cupped his hands in farewell.

Ye Xuan stepped forward and saw the rope mark on his father's neck, his eyes filled with rage: "Father..."

"Don't speak yet, let's go home first!" Ye Jing said in a low voice.

The night was as dark as ink. After Ye Jing returned home, he gathered his two sons and told them his suspicions.

This Qian Wang might have deliberately conspired with Huang Silang to take his life, with their goal being the fields.

"Father, Qian Wang is very likely an accomplice. Why didn't you expose him on the spot?" Ye Yi couldn't help but speak up, his tone full of resentment. "And that fellow Huang Silang—if your movements hadn't been so agile, tonight would have probably..."

At this point, Ye Yi felt a wave of lingering fear.

"Shh..." Ye Jing raised his hand to interrupt him, his voice kept very low. "Qian Wang is the Village Chief and has operated in the village for many years; he has some prestige. Tearing off the mask rashly would only be disadvantageous to our family. More importantly, we have no evidence."

Ye Yi frowned deeply: "But besides Niu Gui, who else covets our family's fields so much? He even came up with such a poisonous scheme to murder you!"

"Father, how about I go and finish off Niu Gui..." A flash of killing intent crossed Ye Xuan's eyes.

These words caused Ye Jing to widen his eyes in surprise; he hadn't expected the seemingly steady Ye Xuan to say something so startling.

But it hit right at the center of Ye Jing's heart. He thought about how Niu Gui had repeatedly coveted his land and was now even colluding with others to kill him.

If the Immortal Light hadn't strengthened his body, he might have truly been murdered by Huang Silang.

Regardless of whether Niu Gui was the mastermind, he had to die! Otherwise, their Ye family would never have peace!

On the surface, Ye Jing waved his hand in refusal: "You mustn't. Rashly killing Niu Gui will attract the authorities. He even has a brother-in-law who is an official at the county yamen! Go to sleep first! Don't overthink it!"

His two sons had never killed anyone; he feared that if the person wasn't dealt with properly, it would cause unnecessary trouble. It would be better for him to do it himself.