154: Chapter 154 Kindness

"Then what should we do?"

"Everyone go home and check the surveillance footage. Check the footage from the last two days frame by frame. Maybe that fire was set by the thief. Focus on checking the area around the reservoir, and don't miss any suspicious details."

"Alright."

"In any case, we can't just take this loss lying down," Zhou Jianjun said to Han Jingyang, "Master Han, I'm sorry, I haven't been a good host."

Han Jingyang shook his head, "It's fine. I'll walk around the village too. If the thief hasn't left, maybe I'll have some unexpected gains. I'll also go to Wang Jinliang's house again; I still have a small misunderstanding to clear up with him."

Zhou Jianjun nodded, then hurried away with the others to check the surveillance.

...

At Wang Jinliang's house.

The old couple sat opposite each other, listening to the chaotic footsteps and shouting in the village, remaining silent.

Until someone knocked on the door.

Liu Guihua suddenly looked up and hissed, "It's that kid surnamed Han."

Wang Jinliang, on the contrary, breathed a sigh of relief, "If what he said is true, he's a friend, not a foe. No need to be nervous."

"What if?"

"Then... you go and prepare."

"You be careful too."

"Mm," Wang Jinliang stood up, turned on the light, gripped his dark cane, and slowly went to the main gate to open it. He poked his head out, looked around, and only then asked tremblingly, "Is something the matter?"

Han Jingyang shook his head. Liu Jing stepped forward and pushed the door open directly.

Wang Jinliang tried desperately to block it, but the door opened inwards without any suspense.

Having been blessed by "Guan Gong Possession" three times, Liu Jing's physical fitness had been significantly strengthened, and her strength was comparable to an Olympic champion weightlifter.

The door opened. Shi Xiaoya slipped inside. Han Jingyang followed. Liu Jing closed the door and locked it behind her.

Shi Xiaoya patted Wang Jinliang on the shoulder, pointed to the room, and then pushed Wang Jinliang inside.

The way the three of them were acting, they didn't look like good people at all.

Entering the room, Shi Xiaoya pushed Wang Jinliang onto the sofa, took a device out of her bag, and began checking the room.

Over ten minutes later, she nodded to Han Jingyang, "Boss, no problem."

Only then did Han Jingyang speak, "Old Wang, call your wife out."

"You, what do you want to do?"

"Just to chat with you."

"We old folks have nothing to chat about with you."

"Is that so? Nothing to chat about regarding the arson either?"

Wang Jinliang stood up abruptly, "You, don't talk nonsense—"

Han Jingyang said calmly, "You're anxious, self-incriminating. Besides, you thought you were being discreet, but in my eyes, there were flaws everywhere. I didn't expose you, I just couldn't be bothered to meddle."

"If you don't want to meddle, why come here?"

"To take back what belongs to me."

"My house doesn't have your things."

"It does, that bronze tripod."

"..."

Wang Jinliang was silent for a long time, "Everyone has underestimated you."

"I am, after all, the person who could take down He Dingkun, at least stronger than you two."

Wang Jinliang remained silent.

At this moment, Liu Guihua pushed the door open from inside and said in a hoarse voice, "You are indeed stronger than us two. We watched our enemy act with impunity and didn't even dare to leave the village. In the end, it took a young person like you to avenge our daughter."

As she spoke, she knelt directly before Han Jingyang. Liu Jing flashed forward to stand in front of Liu Guihua, forcibly lifted her up, and turned to look at Han Jingyang.

Han Jingyang smiled, "No need to thank me. I killed He Dingkun because he wanted to kill me; it has nothing to do with you. I only have one purpose in coming to see you: to take back that bronze tripod."

He interrupted Wang Jinliang at this point, "Listen to me finish. First, don't doubt it, we came specifically for that bronze tripod. We started planning before we arrived. Even if you hadn't started that fire, the tower would have been demolished anyway, and the bronze tripod would have eventually fallen into our hands. Your interference actually saved us a sum of money."

Wang Jinliang's eyes widened in disbelief, "You intended to spend money to buy it from Zhou Jianjun?"

"Yes, that was the plan, because this method has the fewest hidden risks."

"You are truly... kind."

"Kind? No, no, no. I just didn't want to cause trouble for myself over such a small amount of money. In reality, I'm quite cold-hearted."

"Heh," Wang Jinliang gave a miserable laugh, "It's better to be cold. Those who practice metaphysics shouldn't be too enthusiastic; good intentions don't get rewarded."

Han Jingyang raised an eyebrow, "You're someone with a story, but I'm not interested. Old Wang, bring the thing out. Once we have it, we'll turn and leave. We definitely won't affect your lives. Do whatever you want; even if you burn down the village committee, I wouldn't care."

"Really?"

"If I were willing to meddle, I would have exposed you at the scene of the fire in the early morning."

"You..."

"And that matter of your wife trying to scare me with ghost-repelling tricks, I won't hold that against you either. If I really wanted to hold it against you, you wouldn't even know how you died. Believe it?"

Wang Jinliang was silent for a long time again, then suddenly said, "This young girl told me at the scene of the fire that she knew the truth about my daughter's death. Tell me what happened, and I'll give you the tripod."

Han Jingyang turned to look at Shi Xiaoya. Shi Xiaoya spread her hands, "Boss, I lied to him. The situation was urgent at the time, and I was afraid he would ruin our plan, so I coaxed him away. I didn't expect him to take it seriously."

Wang Jinliang looked up abruptly, staring at Shi Xiaoya in disbelief. The disappointment on his face accumulated more and more, finally transforming into despair. Two lines of old tears rolled down his aged face.

Witnessing this scene, the three of them, Han Jingyang included, were all silent.

After a long while, Wang Jinliang wiped his face, went tremblingly into the inner room, and took out a bronze tripod the size of a grapefruit, placing it in front of Han Jingyang, "Returning the object to its owner; we are even."

"Alright."

"I won't see you out."

"No need for formalities," Han Jingyang signaled to Shi Xiaoya and Liu Jing, and left straight away.

In the room at the farmhouse inn, Shi Xiaoya checked it again before speaking, "Boss, I kind of want to help the old couple. Seeing them, I thought of my past self. That feeling of having no way to seek revenge... is very hard to bear."

Han Jingyang shook his head, "You don't need to do anything; He Dingkun is about to be finished."

"Really?"

"Mm. Burning that paper talisman means He Dingkun's vitality will no longer be sustained. Before, he relied entirely on the Octagonal Building, the bronze tripod, the puppet, and the seven paper talismans for nourishment. With that suddenly cut off, given He Dingkun's physical condition, death is inevitable. Furthermore, those seven paper talismans were closely linked to He Dingkun; burning them directly is equivalent to dealing him a heavy blow. Can the current He Dingkun withstand such a blow?"

Shi Xiaoya thought for a moment, took out her phone, and sent a message. The next second, she jumped up, "Boss, it's true, He Dingkun is finished. His condition suddenly worsened after two o'clock yesterday morning. He is still being resuscitated, but his condition is getting worse and worse. He could pass away at any moment. In reality, he's just being kept alive by various machines."