217: Chapter 217 Impossible

"What do you mean?"

"Liu Jingyun is still alive?"

"Impossible!"

"Old Wang checked him personally; he definitely stopped breathing."

"Absurd. If you're going to make up a story, at least make it believable. Who would believe such nonsense?"

"Aside from being a bit superstitious, do the Three Liu Brothers have any flaws? None. Who doesn't give them a thumbs up when talking about them?"

"Exactly. Everyone in the village knows Liu Qing is a great guy."

"Over the years, Liu Qing has spent a lot of money paving roads, building bridges, and constructing houses for the village."

"Impossible. Liu Qing would absolutely never do something so unscrupulous. He's just not that kind of person."

"Who in the whole village doesn't know that Liu Qing is incredibly filial?"

"Their family has been harmonious for so many years; they're a well-known, happy family. How could they possibly do something like this?"

"Liu Qing killed his own mother and wants to bury his father alive? Is that possible? What would he gain from it?"

"Exactly, what would he gain? Liu Qing is so wealthy, and his son and daughter are both successful. Only someone mentally ill would do something like this."

"Besides, even if Liu Qing really wanted to do something like this, would he let outsiders know?"

"..."

Han Jingyang's words exploded among the crowd.

The villagers, who were originally just a bit annoyed, began chattering, but their stance was remarkably consistent. Aside from a small minority who were slightly suspicious, most simply didn't believe it.

Some even grabbed tools to use as weapons.

Seeing this, Han Jingyang patted the manager: "You were able to become the manager, so you must have some prestige in the village. But you have no business meddling in today's affairs. If I were you, I would just restrain these emotionally unstable villagers. Otherwise, if a real fight breaks out, they will definitely be the ones to suffer, and it will be a loss they have to swallow in silence. After today, the Three Liu Brothers will be history. No one will pay the price for their impulses."

After speaking, he pushed the manager aside and walked toward the villa courtyard.

As he moved, Xu Xin, Liu Jing, and Shi Xiaoya also moved.

Xu Xin led the way, while Liu Jing and Shi Xiaoya guarded the left and right sides. Facing the hostile villagers, they drew their blades directly.

At the main gate.

A villager suddenly lunged forward, swinging a meter-long fire poker at Han Jingyang.

Xu Xin let out a muffled grunt, lunged forward, grabbed the villager's arm with one hand, pulled and leveraged him into the air, then slammed him down with force.

"Bang!"

The villager slammed hard into the ground, his eyes rolled back, and he stopped moving.

Xu Xin scanned the crowd with a cold face. He didn't say a word, but his presence was intimidating; wherever his gaze landed, the villagers retreated.

The courtyard was mostly filled with relatives. Seeing the four intruders approaching with ill intent, they immediately surrounded them.

These people were different from ordinary villagers; they had a more direct vested interest. Over the years, they had benefited greatly from following the wealthy Liu Qing. With so many projects Liu Qing had every year, just a small share was enough to keep these relatives well-fed and satisfied.

Therefore, these relatives reacted more strongly. Seeing that the situation was turning against them, they immediately grabbed weapons to fight.

At this moment, a middle-aged man ran out of the house: "What are you doing? Everyone put your things down!"

"Village Chief."

"Village Chief, please be the judge."

"These four people are just looking for trouble, and they even slammed Old Shuan to the ground."

"Village Chief, these people are talking nonsense and smearing our village's reputation."

"What they said was truly awful."

"Village Chief, say something. Let's all work together to drive them out. I don't believe they'd really dare to kill anyone."

The Village Chief's gaze swept over Han Jingyang and the others, finally landing on the villager at the gate whose status was unknown: "How is Old Shuan? Send him to the hospital first."

Han Jingyang took over the conversation: "Village Chief, right? Don't worry, he's fine. My brother knows how to control his strength; at most, he'll be unconscious for a while. But you've come at the right time. I think you need to handle this matter."

The Village Chief frowned: "What matter?"

"The matter of Liu Qing murdering his own mother and burying his own father alive."

"You dare not spout such nonsense!"

"Do you think I have nothing better to do than run over here and talk nonsense? What good would it do me? They aren't my parents who died."

"Things without evidence..."

"I don't have evidence for the first matter, but for the second, the evidence is right there. Just open the coffin, and you'll know if it's true."

"This..."

The Village Chief hesitated.

The funeral procession was scheduled for 2:00 PM. Opening the coffin at this time—what was the difference between this and digging up someone's ancestral grave?

If there really was a problem, that would be one thing.

But what if there wasn't?

Not only would he be unable to continue as Village Chief, but he might even be beaten to death by the Three Liu Brothers, and no one would even speak up for him if he were killed.

In the countryside, this kind of thing is truly taboo.

Unless there's a deep blood feud, no one does this kind of thing.

What to do?

The Village Chief was caught in a dilemma.

Seeing this, Han Jingyang sneered: "It's the middle of summer. Even if there are ventilation holes in the coffin, it won't be pleasant inside. If I were you, I'd open the coffin immediately. If you delay any longer, even a living person will be dragged to their death."

The Village Chief's expression changed slightly. He turned his head and shouted: "Liu Qing, come out."

There was no response.

The Village Chief's expression grew even uglier. With a livid face, he rushed toward the house, intending to drag Liu Qing out, but the next second, the thick security door automatically closed.

The Village Chief was so angry he cursed: "Damn it, open the coffin!"

At this point, even a fool knew something was wrong.

The reaction of the Three Liu Brothers was too abnormal.

So much so that some villagers started whispering.

"Could it be true?"

"This, this is too absurd."

"It was already strange; the old couple were both in good health, yet they passed away one after the other."

"Heh heh, I felt there was something wrong back then. The old lady had been in a wheelchair for so long and always lived downstairs. Why would she go upstairs for no reason? And just so happened to fall from upstairs, and just so happened to fall to her death. So many coincidences..."

"The old man is even more ridiculous. Died of excessive grief? Heh heh heh, others might not know, but how could I not? That old man has slept with I don't know how many young, beautiful women in his life. How could he possibly have such deep feelings for the old lady?"

"Even if he was sad, he wouldn't be sad enough to die of heart failure."

"Liu Jingyun's health had always been quite good. Half a month ago, he went to the town for a check-up, and the doctor even said the old man's physical condition was like that of a sixty-year-old, with very healthy heart and lung function."

"Damn, if this is true, the Three Liu Brothers are completely finished."

"You can know a person's face, but you cannot know their heart."

"Beasts in human skin."

"Three heartless, ungrateful wretches..."

Some agitated villagers even smashed the villa's windows, but the Three Liu Brothers still didn't show themselves.

Upstairs.

In the small reception room.

Liu Jian and Liu Xin looked like they had just lost their parents, heads bowed in silence.

Liu Qing, however, kept calling Tian Chunming's number, over and over again.

Liu Jian suddenly stood up: "Did that guy surnamed Tian run away?"

Liu Qing forced himself to stay calm: "The call goes through, but no one answers. He must be busy. I'll call a few more times."

"Damn it, we've been screwed over by that old thing. It was agreed that he would intercept and kill Han Jingyang, but now Han Jingyang is here, and he's nowhere to be found. Could he have... been killed by Han Jingyang?"

"Impossible, absolutely impossible," Liu Qing vehemently denied: "Mr. Tian has peerless strength; killing Han Jingyang is easier than killing a chicken. He must have just missed him. I'll call a few more times. As long as Mr. Tian makes a move, none of these current issues will matter..."

Just as he finished speaking, the call connected, and Tian Chunming's loud, resounding voice came through: "Old Third Liu, what's up?"