Urbaner Blumentraum - Kapitel 3
What he cared more about was that the woman's scream before she was killed had startled him even though he was miles away. Why was there still no movement in the village?
Of course, not the entire village would have been drugged and fallen into a deep sleep.
Therefore, there is only one possibility—the village is deserted.
Or rather, there are no longer any living people.
He indeed couldn't hear any signs of human activity in the village.
In a mere instant, Feng Xuese had deduced the cause and effect of the incident:
After relieving herself, the woman was walking back while tying her belt when she bumped into something. She only had time to cry out before she was cut in two with a single stroke.
So, what exactly did she see? What could such a small village possibly hold?
Maple Snow suddenly rose higher, leaping onto a tall tree and standing on a sparse, cold branch, looking down at the village.
The moonlight was dim and hazy, the village was pitch black, and every house was closed, revealing nothing unusual. The shadows of the mountains behind them were menacing and eerie, and apart from the sound of the wind rustling through the leaves, there was only silence.
His expression was somewhat solemn.
From the moment he heard the woman's screams to his arrival, almost nothing happened. Was the killer still lying in wait nearby, or had he already fled far away?
If it is the former, with his skills, even the sound of flowers blooming and leaves falling within dozens of feet cannot escape his ears. No matter how well the murderer hides, he can't control his breathing and heartbeat, right?
If it is the latter, then the murderer's martial arts skills are even higher than he judged—in today's martial arts world, there are very few people whose names are known and whose speed surpasses his.
A soft "beep" sound.
A spark suddenly burst from the thatched roof of a house on the east side, and the fire quickly spread, illuminating the night.
The color of maple leaves, like snow, rushed down from the trees and into the fire.
Although he couldn't hear any living people in the village, he still didn't give up and wanted to see if there were any who had escaped.
He kicked open the nearest door and rushed into the house. By the firelight, he saw that it was an ordinary farmhouse with some rough furniture. In the corner of the room was a wooden bed with a woman and two children lying on it.
The heads of the mother and her two children were tilted at a strange angle, clearly indicating that their necks had been broken.
A hint of bloodlust suddenly appeared in Feng Xuese's calm and composed eyes.
He turned and rushed into the second house, which had a similar layout. An old woman was lying on the ground with her eyes bulging out, her tongue sticking out of her mouth, her face bluish-purple, and a dark purple mark on her neck, clearly indicating that she had been strangled.
The third family, all seven members, had their sternums sunken and were choking on blood from their mouths and noses. They were brutally murdered in their sleep.
The entire fourth family was disemboweled in an extremely cruel manner, and the bedding on their bed was soaked in blood.
The fifth family, including a guard dog, all died from skull fractures caused by a heavy weapon.
The sixth body, like the first female corpse discovered, was cut in two by a sharp weapon.
The head of the seventh family died peacefully, though his face was ashen and there was black blood around his mouth, indicating that he had died of poisoning...
Flames roared, thick smoke billowed into the sky, and tongues of fire licked at other buildings, engulfing the entire village in flames. The crackling of sparks, the thud of collapsing roof beams, and the stench of charred human flesh filled the air, making one want to vomit.
Firelight flickered in his snow-white eyes, but his face was even whiter than snow.
The village had 21 households, 86 people, and none of them survived.
They were all ordinary, poor farming families, but even the house in the very center of the village, which was the best-built, showed no signs of being robbed.
Moreover, the eighty-six people were killed using seven different methods. Each method was fatal, simple and professional, swift and effective, yet utterly unremarkable.
Martial artists, when killing or engaging in combat, will naturally use their most familiar techniques, which a knowledgeable person can recognize at a glance. However, these simplest methods of killing will never reveal the assassin's identity—is this intentional?
Why would so many ruthless killers massacre this seemingly ordinary little village? And why would they not even spare the elderly, children, and women?
"The Sky Over the Martial World is Clear" Part One: "The Sky Over the Martial World is Clear" Part Two (1)
Although he was on his way. Although these people had no connection to him—just fifteen minutes ago, he didn't even know this place or these poor people existed.
But he couldn't ignore these ordinary villagers who had been brutally murdered.
The fire grew larger and larger. Before dawn, the village, the remains, and the bloodshed would be completely consumed by the flames, and all the injustices and traces of the murder would be burned away.
The maple leaves, a snowy hue, plunged back into the fire.
While he was busy rescuing people, he quickly surveyed the scene. Although he found no clues, he was unwilling to give up.
The fire snakes lunged at him, but he waved his hand with a strong wind to drive away the flames. Even amidst the scorching flames, his white robes still fluttered gracefully.
There is still nothing.
The person who committed this case was ruthless and skillful, leaving no loopholes.
Now, he only has one clue, which is not a clue at all—the seven different methods of murder.
Feng Xuese swiftly dodged a collapsed roof beam and was already outside the circle of fire.
Then he heard a very low sound, like an insect's unintentional flapping of its wings, or like a suppressed sob.
Feng Xuese's body suddenly spun around, like a feather being blown by the night wind, and she had already swept past.
The night was deep, and the bright moon in the sky was shrouded in a faint, almost imperceptible haze. The desolate mountains and wilderness were utterly silent and cold.
To the east, fifty feet away, is a sunny slope covered with tall, lush grass.
That choked sob came from the bushes.