Beginning with the Ubume Bird
Chapter 649 - Chapter 649 Chapter 35 Paper Tiger

Chapter 649: Chapter 35 Paper Tiger Chapter 649: Chapter 35 Paper Tiger Hong Kong’s terrain is mostly mountainous, and despite the shortage of housing, many poor people live in subdivided units and cage homes, there is actually a large amount of vacant wasteland that cannot be developed due to various reasons. The government can only turn these wastelands into country parks for public enjoyment. Many newspapers have touted these as Hong Kong’s “backyards.”

However, because they are rarely visited by the public, these country parks have also become perfect spots for dumping bodies. Killers dismember their victims and leave them in the wilderness. Some energetic young men and women go to the country parks for barbecues and outdoor picnics, sharing hormones, and occasionally, someone hits the jackpot by becoming the first to discover a corpse.

Just like Li Yan and Cha Xiaodao now.

The head of Jin Longyang looked as if it had been gnawed on by wild beasts, a blood-drenched sight to behold. His body leaned against a gazebo pillar with blood sprayed several meters around, its warmth not yet completely dissipated.

“We’re too late.”

Cha Xiaodao’s brow was tightly furrowed as he took off his suit jacket and covered Jin Longyang’s upper body with it.

Li Yan took a quick glance at the scene, soon noticing a trail of fine bloodstains dripping on the stones and wild grass. Although the trail disappeared quickly, for Li Yan, who had traveled more than twenty kilometers to kill the instigator because of a Six Calamities Ghost, these bloodstains were enough to trace the murderer to the ends of the earth.

“They haven’t gone far.”

After speaking, Li Yan pursued in the direction of the bloodstains. Cha Xiaodao did not follow him but instead contacted the police–Jin Longyang was a man of status, and now that his body had been exposed in the wilderness, someone had to collect it.

…

A black motorcycle sped on the mountain roads, its rider wearing a helmet and carrying a tennis bag slung across his shoulder. On the empty road, he opened the throttle as if in a hurry for something. But suddenly, the rider’s vision darkened, and he was flung into the air. The motorcycle, without its rider, broke through a barrier and plummeted into a ravine.

Li Yan threw the person onto the ground and stepped on his chest, but before he could ask any questions, the man’s body collapsed like a deflating balloon, leaving only clothes, a helmet, and a bright red talisman paper. The full-sized living person had vanished into thin air.

Li Yan picked up the talisman paper and examined it closely.

[Yima Ishi]:

Category: Yin creature

A lost talismanic technique from the “Heavenly Marrow Life-Continuation Decree,” originating from the ancient techniques of the Myriad Assembly of Humanity’s Prime.

It requires no food or drink and is full of vitality and immense strength. Made from the Yima Fiend, it follows only the orders of its master of the arcane arts. However, it may lose its magical power when impacted by the energy of a noble destiny.

The tennis bag that was left behind began to swell. Seeing the telltale signs, Li Yan quickly withdrew. As the nylon material burst into shreds, a Tiger with Hanging Eyes and a White Forehead leapt from the bag, baring its massive maw at Li Yan. Its demeanor, momentum, and fierce ferocity were no different from a real tiger, except its joints were somewhat stiff.

On the ground lay an open blue-colored face mask.

Li Yan was tackled by the tiger, pinning its head down with his hands. He stared into the beast’s bloodthirsty eyes and felt an odd sense of familiarity.

[Painted Tiger of Paper]:

Category: Yin creature

It was originally an ordinary Jinmen Mingzha, burned to ancestors for the protection and health of their descendants, but because of the Skill of Painting Eyes, it became a vicious spirit capable of devouring living people.

Pfft~

Li Yan exerted his strength, and the tiger’s head caved inward, a stick of bamboo piercing through the yellow paper skin, revealing this to be just a paper tiger. A strong wind then picked up, the paper tiger’s glowing eyes dimmed, and its bamboo frame retracted, turning into a ragged paper tiger the length of an arm.

Li Yan tossed the paper tiger aside and picked up the face mask on the ground, knowing full well that the killer of Jin Longyang and Xue Wenhai of Hanlin Cold Chain were inextricably linked. But what puzzled him was that with Jin Boqing’s death, the Skill of Painting Eyes had been lost. So where had this paper tiger come from?

——————————–

“Deceased Spirit Fiend!”

Qian Wu blurted out.

“Mr. Wu, take your time,” Li Cha prompted.

Li and Cha sat opposite Qian Wu.

After returning from Cap Mountain, Li Yan had promptly contacted Qian Wu, but the phone number Qian Wu had left was for a local funeral home, so they simply went to the funeral home to find him.

“When Yin encounters Si, and Hai meets Yin, Si meets Shen, and Shen meets Hai, those with the Deceased Spirit Fiend in their destiny are often deep and calculating, but their children and grandchildren tend to be unworthy, leading to the downfall of the family business. Moreover, those with the Deceased Spirit Fiend in their destiny face calamities in the five elements. Like a centipede, they may seem dead but not stiff. The folk tales of reanimated corpses and zombies originate from ancestors who died with the Deceased Spirit Fiend in their fate. Jiang Sihai must have known early on that Jin Boqing had a Deceased Spirit Fiend destiny. Bearing the Myriad Assembly of Humanity’s Prime and encountering a Deceased Spirit Fiend destiny, he could turn his corpse into one that only obeys his commands.”

With a half-mocking smile, Li Yan remarked, “Mr. Wu, your fellow disciple really has a knack for pulling off heinous deeds–as if boils have grown on his head and pus leaks from his feet.”

Following the tragic deaths of the Jin brothers, Longhai and Longyang, with Jin Lu and Jin Zhong hospitalized, the entire Jin family was nearly wiped out. Qian Wu’s comment about the Deceased Spirit Fiend leading to the downfall of family fortunes couldn’t have been more accurate.

Qian Wu’s face turned red with embarrassment at Li Yan’s words. After thinking for a moment, he added, “I’ve long heard of the power of Jinmen Mingzha, but with Jiang Sihai bearing the Myriad Assembly of Humanity’s Prime and having the Heavenly Yi Noble at his side, there’s no reason he would undertake such outrageous acts for a few paper offerings. He must have another agenda.”

“Mr. Wu, do you have any way to find him?”

Cha Xiaodao looked at Li Yan with some surprise but remained silent.

“He’s a well-known figure, a paragon among Hong Kong businessmen; finding him isn’t difficult, just call his mansion.”

Qian Wu squinted his eyes: “But getting a hold of something to pin him down is tough. Once at the Pugang Road cold storage, another time at Pearl Tower, the police haven’t dug up any evidence to trip him up, and so far, have only nabbed a few minor characters. Jiang Sihai’s reach extends into both political and business circles, and now, during a sensitive time, no one wants to touch him. He’s like the unmoved by the eight winds, sitting atop his purple gold lotus seat. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have come to you.”

Li Yan immediately pulled out his phone and asked Qian Wu, “What’s his company’s phone number?”

Qian Wu rattled off a series of digits, and Li Yan dialed accordingly.

“Hello, Hanlin Cold Chain. How may I help you?”

“Tell Xue Wenhai that Jin Longyang’s stuff is with me. If he wants it, have him meet me at Kowloon Funeral Home tonight at ten.”

“…Sir, may I ask who’s calling?”

Li Yan’s eyes swiveled and he spontaneously replied, “My surname is Yang.”

After saying that, he hung up the phone.

Qian Wu frowned tightly: “What are you doing? You’re alarming the enemy.”

“Relax, Mr. Wu. There are no weeds here, nor snakes.”

Cha Xiaodao also said softly to Li Yan: “Mr. Zhao hasn’t arrived yet. Isn’t it bad to cause such a commotion? I heard that after you killed Chen Zhengcong last time, Mr. Zhao has already warned you once through Yu Shiqie.”

“I know what I’m doing.”

“You don’t know shit.”

Li Yan laughed heartily and announced loudly in front of Qian Wu: “Can’t a law-abiding good citizen have tea and chat with a great businessman? It’s no big deal.”

But then his smile suddenly faded as he spotted a familiar figure.

Yang Zichu, in a trendy silver windbreaker and with his hair in a plasma perm, cowered in the corner, seemingly looking to find Li Yan.

“Mr. Wu, wait for me a moment.”

Li Yan stood up and walked over to Yang Zichu.

“What are you doing here? Didn’t I tell you to stay close to Judy?”

Yang Zichu’s face was twisted with contradiction: “Lord Governor, there’s something I think you should know, the little mistress, she… she’s gone to Chinatown.”

“Chinatown? Chinatown is what…”

Suddenly, Li Yan stopped mid-sentence and asked with pursed lips: “When did this happen?”

“She just left; I came running to find you as soon as I heard!”

Yang Zichu was eager to show his diligence.

“Good job, go back now, I’ll be there in a bit.”

After sending Yang Zichu off, Li Yan returned to Cha Xiaodao and Qian Wu with a complex expression on his face.

“I have some urgent matters to attend to right away, excuse me.”

Just then, Li Yan’s phone in his pocket suddenly rang, and he answered the call with a gloomy face.

“Mr. Yang speaking.”

Xue Wenhai sat in his office, as calm as Mount Tai: “I am Xue Wenhai. I understand you want to see me, tonight at ten, correct? No problem, I will be there.”

“I’ve changed my mind, I don’t have time to see you now.”

A flicker of displeasure crossed Xue Wenhai’s face, but he still maintained his composure: “Then shall we reschedule…”

Beep…Beep…

Li Yan had already hung up the phone.