63: Highlander syndrome

Chapter 63: Highlander Syndrome

When Huang Yu said this, Han Yuyao was still a little confused, “Could it be the legendary Bone Shrinking Technique?”

The Han Family was a thousand-year-old ancient martial arts Family, and Han Yuyao, as a direct descendant of the Han Family, was naturally very familiar with the Bone Shrinking Technique.

To have the necessary Heart-Nature to commit serial murders, and to appear as a child, that was the only possibility.

“No, although the Bone Shrinking Technique can make an adult’s body shrink to the greatest extent, its overall size doesn't change.”

“And it can’t be considered a child; it’s merely an adult whose walking posture is a bit strange after shrinking their bones.”

Huang Yu shook his head, dismissing the idea, and continued to look at the Head of the Mo Family.

“Could it be…”

Mo Yong seemed to have thought of something, and his expression suddenly changed.

“Uncle Mo, have you thought of something?”

Huang Yu, on the other hand, was incredibly calm, his gaze fixed on the other party.

The reason he didn’t directly tell Han Yuyao, but instead used the Head of the Mo Family to reveal the inside story of the serial murders, was to learn more about the various disputes in Tianhai City.

After all, only by preserving the Family forces in Tianhai City that were most opposed to Xiao Zhan, that Dead Crooked Mouth, could he survive in the most secure way.

Mo Yong nodded, his expression slowly becoming solemn.

He slowly took a cigarette from his pocket, lit it, and remained silent for a while.

After taking a deep puff, he sighed and exhaled a cloud of smoke.

“If it’s an adult who looks like a child, then there’s only one possibility.”

“That is… Highlander Syndrome.”

“Highlander Syndrome?”

Hearing this unfamiliar term, Han Yuyao was instantly stunned.

“What kind of illness is this? Why have I never heard of it?”

The Head of the Mo Family took a puff of his cigarette and continued to explain with a serious expression.

“This is a condition that causes the patient’s aging process to slow down.”

“It has only recently been officially named by the medical community in recent years. Because the symptoms are too complex, many people don’t consider it an illness, so it has not yet been recognized by mainstream medicine to this day.”

“Most believe it’s merely a genetic pathology caused by genetic defects.”

“But…”

Mo Yong paused and extinguished the cigarette in his hand.

“This is a recessive genetic disease, different from the genetic defect of dwarfism; this is a genuinely existing genetic inheritance.”

“The symptoms of Highlander Syndrome are very obvious: even at forty or fifty years old, one can still look like a seven or eight-year-old.”

“For example, in ancient times, especially during the European Middle Ages.”

“Most patients with this condition would be treated by the church as evil witchcraft or magic performed by evil witches, and would basically be burned alive.”

“The most typical example is Joan of Arc, the Saintess of France during the European Middle Ages.”

“This national hero, who originally led France to reclaim its territory and strike a heavy blow against England, was, under the combined pressure of the Inquisition and the English Church, subjected to being burned alive because she had Highlander Syndrome.”

“It wasn’t until a few decades ago that she was posthumously rehabilitated and elevated to a Saint.”

“Of course, there are also some extremely rare cases of this condition.”

Mo Yong drank all the water in the cup in front of him, then continued to add.

“In this recessive genetic disease, some people grow normally in their early stages.”

“Then, after reaching adulthood in their thirties or forties, or at some other time, it suddenly manifests.”

“For example, Joan of Arc, the Saintess of the European Middle Ages.”

“Joan of Arc’s symptoms suddenly appeared during her struggle against medieval England, she was discovered, and thus treated as an evil witch who could perform evil dark magic.”

“But more often, in our country’s ancient times, it was regarded as a miracle of returning to youth.”

“For example, Liu An, the King of Huainan during the Han Dynasty; his royal palace once had eight Immortals who could return to youth, known as the Eight Dukes.”

“It is said that these Eight Dukes were worshipped by Liu An, the King of Huainan, until his death, and they still maintained the appearance of children.”

Once Mo Yong started talking about the illness, he couldn’t stop.

After a lengthy explanation, he returned to the main topic.

Mo Yong then seemed to suddenly remember something, abruptly looked up, his eyes filled with shock, staring intently at Huang Yu.

“You mean…”

“That’s right, just as Uncle Mo, you thought.”

Huang Yu nodded.

Upon receiving this answer, Mo Yong’s head buzzed, and he stood frozen on the spot as if struck by lightning, his face filled with disbelief.

“This… how is this possible?”

Watching the two of them converse mysteriously, Han Yuyao couldn’t hold back any longer.

“Si Zha, what kind of riddle are you playing?”

She looked at Huang Yu, her eyes full of questioning.

But Huang Yu shook his head at her and didn't speak, instead turning his gaze to Uncle Mo.

“It’s not appropriate for me, as a junior, to say some things.”

“Let Uncle Mo say it himself.”

Hearing this, Han Yuyao’s gaze shifted to Mo Yong.

At this moment, Mo Yong had already lit another cigarette and was smoking it.

There was an unresolved sorrow between his brows; he seemed to be deep in thought, his cloudy eyes staring blankly at a single spot.

After a long silence, until the cigarette was finished, Mo Yong finally sighed and slowly began to speak.

“I understand now.”

He kept recalling bits and pieces of the past, as if he had returned to the time when he first met Xia He.

An answer slowly surfaced in his mind.

Despite how unbelievable he found it, after eliminating all other possibilities, only this one truth remained.

“This serial murder case in Tianhai City should have multiple perpetrators, right?”

Mo Yong threw the cigarette butt into a nearby trash can and slowly looked at Han Yuyao.

“That’s right.”

Han Yuyao nodded.

According to police investigations, although in the early stages, they still believed it was a single serial killer.

But later, similar cases kept occurring one after another.

Although each case had very close connections, there were also slight differences.

If it wasn't a coincidence, then it could only be a group crime.

This was highly classified police information.

However…

Han Yuyao couldn't help but glance at Huang Yu, a hint of surprise in her eyes.

She knew this Si Zha knew many things about the future, but she didn't expect him to even know such classified information.

After all, if the case remained unsolved, this file would have to be kept secret indefinitely.

It would only be made public to solicit clues from society once authorized by higher-ups.

After receiving this answer, Mo Yong’s already forty-something-year-old face became even more aged.

“If there are multiple perpetrators, then one of them should be Xia He.”

“What?”

Listening to their conversation, Han Yuyao’s initial focus was on the Head of the Mo Family’s daughter.

She felt that his daughter must have an inseparable connection to the serial murders.

Han Yuyao was greatly shocked in her Heart-Nature.

One of the true culprits of the serial murder case was actually Xia He?

Then what about the daughter?

This previously clue-less serial murder case was already complicated enough, but now it was also linked to the Mo Family.

Thinking of this, Han Yuyao’s expression changed.