何敏也对陈洛的能力感到好奇.在过去的几天里,她的耳朵因为一遍又一遍地听到同样的声音而几乎磨损了.
她听到的最常见的赞美是马奎子的赞美.
他经常说陈洛是千载难逢的武林天才,可惜,他没有什么更深层次的武功功法可以传承.这让从小一直被认为是天才的何敏,感到相当不满.他们同龄,她从小就开始练武.即使陈洛确实是个天才,她也有信心能打败他.
时间的积累是人才无法轻易克服的.
他们两个各司其职,摆出起跑的姿势.
"师兄,小心点!"
何敏等了三个呼吸.当她看到陈洛没有出手时,她决定先发制人.她的脚用力踩在地面上,她的身影向前闪过.她的手紧握成拳头,形状像爪子一样,朝着陈洛挥去.
这正是马奎子的致命一招,'黑虎挖心'!
拳法本来就是凶猛的,以力量为主的,但在何敏的手中,却变成了以速度为主的风格,很像猎豹的打击.
陈洛也抬起双手,形成爪子,以反击先发制人.
一声沉闷的砰砰声在空气中回荡.
两个拳头和手掌在半空中相撞,发出一声闷闷响.
原本自信满满的何敏,在他们的拳头和手掌相撞的那一刻,突然脸色一变.一股压倒性的力量从对面涌出,砸向她.她的手臂来不及躲避,瞬间被打断.她像布娃娃一样向后飞去,重重地撞上了她身后的沙袋,打了个圈,然后吐出一口鲜血,失去了知觉.
陈洛傻眼了.
他只用了三分之三的实力来测试,甚至没有使用任何内功.
但当他们一接触,他就立即意识到事情不对劲.他的对手,向他猛烈袭来的何师姐,就像纸一样脆弱——只是轻轻一碰,她的骨头就碎了,将她送飞到空中.
"笨孩子,你怎么不忍住?!"
马奎子的身影迅速移动,冲过来扶住何敏.他迅速按压了几个穴位,将手放在她的脉搏上,确认没有严重伤害,才终于松了一口气.
"我告诉过你要帮她一把,而不是杀她!"
在确定自己的女弟子得到照顾后,马奎子转身指着陈洛,怒吼道.
"...."
陈洛站在那里,完全困惑了.
他真的退缩了.如果不是他,何师姐的胸口早就被刺穿了.但他肯定不能大声说出来,否则他最终可能会更加激怒马奎子.
"现在回去吧,我来处理你师妹的情况."
见陈洛站在那里发呆,马奎子没有再骂他,只能让他走.
"明白了."
陈洛没办法,留下来只会让事情变得更糟.
"等你姐姐醒来后,替我向她道歉."
陈洛想了想,从口袋里掏出了一块药膏.
这是他自己"发展"的东西,也是他唯一能提供的礼物.他只是希望当他的姐姐醒来时,她不会对他抱怨,也不会留下任何持久的创伤.
马奎子不耐烦地摆了摆手.
陈洛见状,没有多留,转身离开.
"以后和别人打架要多小心,尽量克制住自己的力量.如果你不小心导致某人死亡,那将导致一个很大的法律问题.
Just as Chen Luo was about to leave, Ma Quezi seemed to suddenly remember something and called out a reminder.
"I understand, Master."
Chen Luo nodded seriously.
This time, his action gave him a general understanding of his own strength. If he used his full strength, he could probably defeat a hundred of his sister, He Min.
While Chen Luo was sparring with He Min, on the other side, Chen Laosan, who worked at the yamen, heard some news.
Luo Cheng was dead.
This news made his heart shudder.
When Chen Luo finished burying the bodies, he already felt something was off. How could they be allowed to leave after committing such a grave crime, killing members of the royal family? Such a thing was a death sentence. It didn't make sense for the white-haired eunuch to let them go so easily. If he were in their shoes, he wouldn't trust anyone to keep their word, especially someone in a position of power like the white-haired eunuch.
It had been several days since he returned without incident, which had caused him to relax. But now, hearing the news, his unease immediately grew stronger.
To confirm the truth, Chen Laosan specially took on the task of burying Luo Cheng's body.
"Tragic."
When Chen Laosan arrived at the entrance of Luo's house, the yamen officers were just coming out, holding their noses as if they had just finished handling the scene.
Upon seeing Chen Laosan's undertaker attire, the two nodded at him and left without saying much.
The case had already been concluded.
Suicide.
The yamen always handled matters in such a straightforward and crude manner, and in this feudal, backward era, it was even more so. As long as it didn't affect the reputation of the court, the higher-ups generally required the case to be wrapped up quickly. If the murderer could be caught, that was best; if not, they could always find some beggars or homeless people to take the blame. The key was just to close the case.
Since Luo Cheng's entire family had essentially been wiped out, there was no possibility of any trouble arising from it later, so the authorities quickly wrapped things up, the simpler, the better.
As for the truth—who cared?
Chen Laosan pushed open the door and walked in.
Inside the room, a row of corpses was neatly arranged, totaling eleven.
Luo Cheng, his parents, wife, children, and all his relatives were dead. The bodies were burnt black and unrecognizable, and it was impossible to tell who was who. Chen Laosan walked over, squatted down, and began to examine them carefully. He wanted to know how Luo Cheng died.
"He died first, then was burned."
A voice came from behind Chen Lao San.
"How long have you been here?"
Hearing the voice, Chen Lao San stopped his actions and turned around to ask.
The person who spoke was Wang Lao Shuan, who had buried the bodies with him. The old man seemed to have sensed some danger and came to investigate the situation.
"Half an hour earlier than you."
Wang Lao Shuan sat down beside him.
"All of Luo Cheng's family died from poisoning. I checked their airways, and they were completely clean. This means that after the fire started, they didn't inhale any dust. Instead, their stomachs contained strong acidic poison— the kind that can kill someone with just a touch."
In what situation would someone at a fire scene not inhale a single speck of dust?
It's obvious without thinking.
Wang Lao Shuan took out a small porcelain bottle, which contained the evidence he had collected earlier.
But even with this evidence in hand, it meant nothing. The county magistrate wouldn't help them seek justice; he wouldn't even ask a single extra question. They were just three lowly grave diggers, and on the other side were people from the palace. It didn't take much to figure out which side the authorities would choose.
Wang Lao Shuan set the porcelain bottle aside, took out his tobacco pipe from his pocket, stuffed it with some tobacco leaves, and lit it.
He took a deep puff, the harsh scent immediately filling his lungs.
"What are you planning to do?"
Chen Lao San sat down on the steps on the other side.
He already had a bad feeling, sensing that danger was approaching.
This time it was Luo Cheng who died, but who would be next? The three of them were just grave diggers, with a narrow circle of contacts. Who would randomly come and kill them?
"My granddaughter has left the city. She'll take her mother's surname from now on."
Wang Lao Shuan finished his smoke, knocked the pipe on the doorframe a couple of times, put his things away, and stood up. Without looking back, he left.
Compared to death, there were other things he cared about more.
Chen Laosan sat at the door, thinking deeply for a long time, until the sunset snapped him back to reality.
He didn't want to die.
But he cared even more about his nephew's life.
In the end, his own life was still less valuable.
He suddenly began to understand Wang Laoshuan. The old man was also afraid of death, but in order to ensure his granddaughter's survival, he chose to sacrifice his own life. Trading a life for a life—it could be seen as a way of giving that important figure an explanation. Since Wang Laoshuan had made such a choice, how could Chen Laosan fall behind?
"It's a pity I couldn't find a wife for Xiao Luo."