158: Chapter 158 Unavoidable Trouble

Han Jingyang hung up the phone, his expression darkening.

Wang Jinliang and his family of three had all met with unnatural deaths.

Moreover, the method of death was identical in every case.

They were all locked-room murder cases.

To call it a coincidence would be unbelievable.

However, Han Jingyang didn't want to get involved.

It had nothing to do with him.

Wang Wei went without saying.

Even regarding the Wang Jinliang couple, he had only met them a few times; they were barely acquaintances, and there was no friendship to speak of.

Therefore, Han Jingyang immediately cast the matter to the back of his mind.

He wouldn't care, wouldn't think about it, and wouldn't dwell on it.

However, Han Jingyang still told Shi Xiaoya and Liu Jing about it.

Shi Xiaoya didn't feel much about it, and upon learning that Han Jingyang didn't intend to meddle, she didn't pay it any more mind.

Liu Jing, however, was a bit conflicted: "Boss, they are just too pitiful."

Han Jingyang nodded.

They were indeed pitiful.

A family of three should have had a sweet and happy life.

Instead, it had ended up in such a wretched state.

It was heartbreaking to see.

But these kinds of things happened all the time; who could manage them all?

The authorities didn't even care, so why should ordinary people worry about it for nothing?

Thus, Han Jingyang comforted Liu Jing with a few words, and that was that.

Liu Jing was just speaking her mind; she didn't necessarily have the intention of avenging the Wang family of three.

Moreover, they didn't even know who the killer was, so there was no way to help even if they wanted to.

On the 22nd, Han Jingyang's Jiguang Zhai finished renovations and reopened.

He hadn't made a big fuss about it.

He hadn't even told anyone.

But he couldn't stop those who were well-informed.

On the day of the reopening, guests gathered, and even the monk Kongyun came down from the mountain to deliver a congratulatory gift: a reclining maitreya buddha statue carved from Xiuyan jade.

Han Jingyang took the buddha statue, examined it carefully, and nodded in satisfaction.

Although it was Xiuyan jade, the texture was very fine, without any flaws, and it was quite large, weighing about three or four jin.

The craftsmanship was also excellent, the lines were very natural, and the face was carved with a particularly auspicious expression; it wasn't the work of an ordinary jade carver.

Its market value would be no less than fifty thousand yuan.

However, the gift from the monk Kongyun was definitely not an ordinary ornament.

The moment Han Jingyang took the buddha statue, a notification for appraisal was triggered.

"Ding: Appraisable item discovered. Appraise?"

"Yes/No."

Of course, he couldn't appraise it.

This wasn't the right occasion; the monk Kongyun was no ordinary person and would certainly be able to detect any abnormal changes in the buddha statue.

If things went wrong, this buddha statue might just be a test for him.

Therefore, Han Jingyang handed the buddha statue to Liu Jing beside him and then greeted the monk Kongyun with a smile and a cupped-hand salute: "Great Monk, thank you for coming to show your support. Please, come inside."

The monk Kongyun shook his head: "There are too many people here. This monk will not go in. I will come another day. Also, my master asked me to bring a message."

"Please, speak."

"The Dongpo Village tragedy cannot be taken lightly."

Han Jingyang frowned: "The Great Monk knows about that matter too?"

"Everyone in the Quancheng metaphysics circle knows about it."

"Then why isn't anyone dealing with it?"

"The killer cannot be found," the monk Kongyun sighed: "There have already been six cases in Quancheng with the same modus operandi, spanning a period of ten years. No similar cases have been found in other cities, so it is suspected that the killer lives in Quancheng, but no relevant clues have ever been found."

"If you can't find them, what makes you think I can?"

"Benefactor Han is no ordinary person, and your level is superb with special abilities; perhaps you might discover something."

Han Jingyang shook his head: "I don't want to meddle in other people's business."

"Benefactor Han..."

"No need to say more. It's not easy for me with a family to support. Please understand."

The monk Kongyun sighed, pressed his palms together: "Farewell, I will pay a visit another day."

Han Jingyang watched the back of the monk Kongyun, sighing to himself.

It seemed he couldn't avoid it.

He hadn't wanted to meddle in other people's business originally.

But this trouble had come knocking on his door; what could he do?

Han Jingyang shook his head and returned to the shop to continue entertaining other guests.

The guests were actually all old acquaintances: Zhou Yucheng, Sun Fuchang, Wang Zhiwei, Xu Xin and his daughter, as well as several familiar antique shop owners who also had shops on Yingxiong Mountain.

Since there were many people, it wasn't convenient to speak directly about many things.

By 11:30, most people had left, leaving only Xu Xin and his daughter.

Xu Xin let out a breath: "Little Brother, are you still involved in the case over at Dongpo Village?"

Han Jingyang shook his head: "No, but I did have contact with that Wang Jinliang twice."

"It is rumored that Wang Jinliang and his family of three were also people of your metaphysics circle?"

"Even that has been rumored?"

"Is it true?"

"I don't know about Wang Wei, but the Wang Jinliang couple certainly were. One was an ancestral Yin-Yang Master, and the other was an immortal practitioner from the Northeast."

"It seems this matter cannot be separated from He Dingkun."

"I'm not clear on that; I'm still completely confused," Han Jingyang shook his head: "Old Xu, you can also get information about the metaphysics circle?"

Xu Xin gave a bitter smile: "Although I am not in your metaphysics circle, I have some connections in Quancheng, so I am relatively well-informed. Besides, there isn't such a clear boundary between metaphysics and national martial arts; we are all wandering the jianghu, so digging up a little information is no great skill."

"Then do you have any thoughts on this series of cases?"

"Yes, we even organized manpower to investigate together at the beginning, but after struggling for a long time, we gained nothing."

"Nothing at all?"

"Nothing at all. Not only is there no specific target for suspicion, there isn't even a general direction. The killer is more ghost-like than a ghost."

Han Jingyang sighed: "That is troublesome."

Xu Xin took over the conversation: "It is indeed quite troublesome, but it's normal that you don't want to get involved, Little Brother. It's a case that relies on luck to begin with, and it's so dangerous; no one can force you to take risks."

Han Jingyang nodded.

Xu Xin continued to urge: "If you have to get involved, remember not to act rashly. Ask more people about the relevant situation. There were many participants back then, and the information each investigated was different. Combined with your abilities, perhaps you might find something."

Han Jingyang shook his head: "My abilities aren't that special."

"You are too modest," Xu Xin smiled, then said seriously: "I still haven't thanked you for saving my life, Little Brother. If it weren't for you, I would have been finished."

Han Jingyang shook his head: "It's a pity I couldn't retrieve your sect's secret treasure."

"It's enough that you tried your best. If it really ends up overseas, there's nothing to be done."

"By the way, I didn't follow up on this later. Is there any follow-up?"

"No follow-up. Zhang Zhiyang and his people have always been overbearing; they don't bother to explain anything to people like us. I only learned a little bit by asking around," Xu Xin said this, then looked at the busy Liu Jing: "Little Brother, this shop assistant of yours is fierce. She killed and wounded so many people with a single blade. After Zhang Zhiyang went back, he kept cursing, um, meaning he was expressing amazement."

Han Jingyang nodded: "She has good talent and good luck, but compared to experienced experts like you, she's still a bit lacking."

Speak of Cao Cao, and Cao Cao arrives.

Han Jingyang and Xu Xin were just talking about Zhang Zhiyang when Zhang Zhiyang pushed the door open and walked in.

Zhang Zhiyang looked around as he entered, nodding while he looked: "Mr. Han, you've really spent a fortune, haven't you?"

Han Jingyang sighed: "It's alright. Boss Zhang, you don't visit without a reason. A busy person like you running over here in the middle of your busy schedule, surely it's not just to see my new renovations, right?"