207: Chapter 207 Let's do it together

Liu Qing was the third child, so calling him Liu the Third was fine.

But Liu Qing was, after all, the boss of a local real estate company and a figure of some note in Quancheng; being addressed like that made him lose a bit of face.

However, Liu Qing gritted his teeth and endured it.

He still had to rely on the Old Man in front of him.

He had seen the terror of this Old Man and knew that one couldn't judge him by his appearance; he knew how much strength was hidden within that withered body, having seen with his own eyes the highly skilled and prime-aged Xu Xin being sent flying by a single punch from this withered Old Man.

So, Liu Qing endured it and asked in a low voice, "How much?"

Mr. Tian laughed heartily upon hearing this. "We're old acquaintances; I've been doing business with your family since your father's time. I won't ask for too much this time. Five million, plus another five million, and I'll rearrange the ritual. You also need to quickly arrange for a carpenter to make a new coffin."

"Then, then, Xu Xin..."

"Just find anyone, from the village, outside the village, even..."

"Even what?"

"Even your brothers, or your father. Anyway, as long as it's a living person. In fact, the closer the relation, the better the effect. But personally, I don't want you to use a close relative for burial; it's too cruel and goes against human ethics." Mr. Tian exhaled and put away his long sword. "I'm old and soft-hearted; I can't stand the tragedy of backstabbing blood relatives. Of course, if you really want to do that, I won't say anything. After all, I'm just getting paid to do a job. Since you pay promptly, you're the boss; I'll do whatever you say."

The veins on Liu Qing's forehead throbbed, and his teeth ground together audibly as he stared fixedly at Mr. Tian. "I already put my mother—"

"Don't take it too seriously. If it weren't for the Feng Shui layout I set years ago, your parents would have been gone long ago. Besides, the old couple enjoyed a lifetime of blessings; at this age, it's time to let go. There's nothing to be angry about." Mr. Tian grinned, revealing a mouthful of white teeth. "Besides, I only gave a suggestion. You made the choice and pushed the old lady down the stairs yourself. Now you're blaming me? This is getting boring, Liu the Third. Don't make me look down on you."

Liu Qing slumped down, clutching his head and falling silent.

After a long time, he raised his head and said softly, "My father hasn't suffered these years; he's had nothing but blessings. Even in his sixties, he still had me find him women every day, all young and beautiful girls—more than ten virgins. He should be satisfied."

Mr. Tian chuckled. "Exactly. A life of luxury, a house full of children and grandchildren, family harmony, and a filial son like you—even I'm envious. And since you've served him for so many years, it's time the Old Man did something for you."

Liu Qing nodded silently. "I'll arrange the craftsmen. My father... I'll leave him to you. Handle them together."

"Then the dimensions of the coffin will have to be changed to bury the Old Man and the old lady together properly."

"Will it work?"

"I have a secret technique that can put a person into a state of suspended animation. Of course, it's only effective on ordinary people with weak vitality; it won't work on someone like Xu Xin. So don't worry, as long as he's not sent to a hospital for a machine check-up, no one will find anything unusual."

"Are you sure?"

"This time, I'll be there the whole way until the door is sealed and the earth is covered."

"I hope Mr. Tian won't disappoint me."

"You'd better think about your own troubles. That guy surnamed Xu was rescued; he definitely won't let this go. If he calls the police, it won't be convenient for me to show my face."

Liu Qing was silent for a moment, then nodded. "I understand."

...

Jiguang Zhai.

Han Jingyang and the other two hurriedly untied the hemp ropes on Xu Xin.

Xu Xin opened his mouth with difficulty. "Thank you, brother. Thank you."

Han Jingyang waved his hand. "No need for thanks yet. Get your strength back first. Your precious daughter is waiting for you; I've already called her."

"Good, good."

Han Jingyang called Xu Jingyun. "Come to Jiguang Zhai."

Xu Jingyun was overjoyed. "Is my dad back?"

"Mhm. Take it slow on the road, no rush. He's in good shape, just hungry after a day. It's best if you bring some late-night snacks on your way, something easy to digest."

"Thank you, Brother Han."

"You're welcome."

Hanging up the phone, he smiled at Xu Xin, who was lying on the sofa. "Old Xu, any regrets?"

Xu Xin sighed. "I regret it. I shouldn't have ignored your and Old Wang's advice. Sigh, I was too stubborn. This time, I brought it on myself."

"It's good that you realize your mistake. Old Xu, tell me, what happened? How did you end up in the hands of those three brothers?"

"There's an expert by Liu Qing's side."

"How high?"

"Extremely high," Xu Xin said with a look of lingering fear. "It's the first time I've encountered such a powerful opponent. I couldn't even take one hit. One punch, just one punch, fast and fierce. I was sent flying—can you believe it? I might not be top-tier in the country, but with my height and weight, nearly two hundred pounds, I was sent flying. If I hadn't experienced it myself, I wouldn't have believed it. Fortunately, they still had a use for me, otherwise..."

"Two questions: what's the name and appearance of this expert, and what did they want with your life?"

"First, the expert. He's an Old Man, not very tall, thin and withered. He looks like an inconspicuous Old Man from the countryside, but his strength is immense..."

"Is he bald?"

"Yes."

"Sunken eye sockets but extremely bright eyes?"

Xu Xin was shocked. "Brother, you've seen him?"

Han Jingyang narrowed his eyes. "I saw him once. I felt he was unusual then, but I didn't expect him to be the one by Liu Qing's side. Unsurprisingly, this person isn't just a fighter; he also understands Feng Shui and metaphysics. Go on."

Xu Xin nodded. "That Old Man captured me alive and tied me up without saying a word. However, Liu Qing sat by me and rambled quite a bit. The gist of it was that to maximize the nourishment of the dragon vein, they needed a living person like me to 'drive a stake'—meaning a human sacrifice. He even said it was for the sake of the Liu family's future generations..."

Han Jingyang wasn't surprised at all. "It's probably that Old Man's rotten idea too."

Xu Xin suddenly added, "Oh, right. That Old Man's surname is Tian. I heard Liu Qing call him Mr. Tian."

"Any other valuable information?"

"No more."

"Old Xu, this won't do. You almost died there and didn't manage to get any valuable info."

Xu Xin's expression shifted. He looked at Liu Jing, then at Shi Xiaoya, and finally sighed. "There is one more thing, but I don't know if it's valuable."

Han Jingyang became interested. "Let's hear it."

Information that could make Xu Xin so conflicted was definitely no small matter, even if it lacked practical value.

Even if it was just gossip about the Three Liu Brothers, it would be worth hearing.

Xu Xin took a deep breath and whispered, "Liu Qing told me that the old lady... he killed her."

"What?"

"Are you joking?"

"If that's true, is that guy Liu even human?"