The captain sheathed his sword, and Chen Jiuyang and the other ten followed suit, putting away their own blades.
She continued, "The incident happened around two or three in the morning. Someone reported it this morning, and I was notified to handle the case. Ling Zhengqi, how many clues have you gathered?"
Ling Zhengqi, the one-eyed constable from the West City Ward, spoke up, "All three of my subordinates died from the Frost Sword Technique. We immediately scoured for any traces and found no footprints of a fourth person. Constable Lu, I'd like to ask, besides you, does anyone else know the Frost Sword Technique?"
"I thought the Dao Han Sect was destroyed decades ago, leaving only me and my husband. My husband is imprisoned in the police headquarters. Lu Jueqing's eyes held a sarcastic glint as she scoffed, "Do you suspect my husband escaped prison to commit murder?"
"No." Ling Zhengqi shook his head, his gaze chillingly fixed on Lu Jueqing. "There's a third person who might know the Frost Sword Technique. Constable Lu, have you forgotten your son?"
Lu Jueqing's expression immediately turned grim. A cold, sinister aura erupted from her, and she spoke each word with chilling intensity, "Ling! Zheng! Qi! How dare you say that again! Do you think I wouldn't act!"
Ling Zhengqi replied, "I didn't mean it that way."
"Then what do you mean?" Lu Jueqing demanded. "Who in the entire police headquarters doesn't know my son sacrificed himself half a month ago? Are you implying my son didn't die, but is lurking somewhere, hiding, and has now come out to kill?"
Ling Zhengqi remained silent, but instead, he retrieved the police headquarters' walkie-talkie. A voice crackled through, "Brothers, someone is trying to steal from a clothing store on Commercial Street. Hey, looks like a Jap. I'll catch this Jap and get the bounty at the police headquarters. I'll buy you drinks then!"
"These were the last words of my deceased subordinate," Ling Zhengqi said calmly. "Constable Lu, there were no traces of a fourth person at the scene. Do you understand what I mean?"
Lu Jueqing's imposing aura vanished abruptly. Her face turned slightly pale, her lips moved, but not a single word escaped.
A smile flickered across Ling Zhengqi's lips. "Constable Lu, your son became a ghost after death and is killing indiscriminately here. Tell me, what about the lives of my three subordinates?"
Lu Jueqing snapped back to reality, her eyes filled with fury. She said coldly, "If my son has become a ghost and is killing, I will personally destroy his soul!"
Lu Jueqing detested evil and harbored hatred for wrongdoing. If her son, after death, committed evil deeds as a ghost and killed his colleagues, the damage to her reputation would be immense. What a disgrace!
The other party had specifically called Lu Jueqing over to force her to resolve the matter herself.
What kind of feeling was this? Perhaps only the person involved could truly understand.
Chen Jiuyang narrowed his eyes. "Attacking the heart without a blade, how ruthless."
"With Constable Lu's words, I am reassured," Ling Zhengqi said with a smile. "However, I can somewhat understand why your son, Da Sha, became a ghost and killed after death."
"Yesterday was coincidentally Da Sha's seventh day after death?"
Lu Jueqing's body trembled with rage. She said coldly, "Let's go!"
With that, she turned and led Chen Jiuyang and the others away.
Upon returning to the police headquarters' outpost, Lu Jueqing spat out a mouthful of blood and left the police headquarters under the guise of seeking medical treatment.
"Alas..." a constable sighed.
Chen Jiuyang asked, "What's the story between Captain Lu and her son?"
The constable replied, "Karma... I'm not targeting Captain Lu, but she's truly excellent in her duties, though not so much in her family life.
Captain Lu's son was a simpleton since childhood. We all called him Da Sha. Da Sha was never favored by Captain Lu. It's said that when Da Sha was still young, Captain Lu wanted to drown him in a well, but she still raised Da Sha. Later, finding it troublesome, Captain Lu sent Da Sha to the Dragon Country Navy for foster care. Half a month ago, the Dragon Country Navy fought with the Japanese mafia, and Da Sha died in battle. His body was never seen.
However, for so many years, Captain Lu ignored Da Sha. She even collected his salary from the Self-Defense Forces and pocketed it.
Perhaps he was foolish in life, but after death, he became a ghost and regained his senses. Da Sha might be seeking revenge on Captain Lu.
Alas, what kind of resentment must one have to become a vengeful ghost after death."
Chen Jiuyang fell silent.
Chen Jiuyang then asked, "If his motive for killing was revenge, then why was Da Sha killing people on Commercial Street late at night?"
"That, I don't know... But I do know that from now on, we'll have to rest during the day and be on duty at night."
Chen Jiuyang nodded.
"Alright, rest here."
In the evening, the voice of the Yan Sheng Saber echoed in Chen Jiuyang's mind, "Saber Master, there is an opportunity here. If you can absorb it, it will be beneficial to you."
"What opportunity?"
"Yan Sheng is not about killing, Yan Sheng is about protecting life. Look."
Since the incident with Wang Juyuan and Fu Niang, Chen Jiuyang knew that the Yan Sheng Saber was no ordinary spiritual saber; it had more unique functions.
As the Yan Sheng Saber's voice faded, a series of images flashed before Chen Jiuyang's eyes.
...
Age zero: You were born.
Age one: You couldn't speak or hear from childhood. Your parents thought you were a fool.
Age two: Your parents wanted to cure you and make you normal, but they searched everywhere and found no good doctors.
Age three: Your parents gave up on treating you, and they started arguing frequently.
Age four: Your father was sent to prison by your mother. Your mother gave you a sword, and you learned swordplay from her posture every day.
Age five: You chased butterflies and didn't practice swordplay. Your mother threw you into a well for half an hour before pulling you out.
...
Age eight: You could now understand what your mother was saying by reading her lips.
...
Age eleven: You were bullied by children your age. When you returned home, you saw your mother washing blood-stained clothes. Your mother took you to the Dragon Country Navy and placed you there for foster care.
Age twelve: You couldn't practice martial arts well and were often punished, often going without food. You missed your mother and wanted to go home. Others in the military camp laughed at you, calling you an unwanted child. You fought with them and were injured, staying in the military camp for four months.
Age thirteen: During a military camp holiday, you secretly went home. You found that your mother seemed to have been wearing the same clothes for years. She sat at the entrance, sighing. You suddenly felt a pang of sadness and ran back to the military camp.
Age fourteen: You learned to recognize words and understand social interactions a little. You also knew your circumstances and that others called you Da Sha, but you were happy and didn't mind.
Age fifteen: You learned to read and write. You still couldn't understand why your mother never visited you at the military camp. You began to resent her.
Age sixteen: Autumn arrived, and you felt the cold. You thought of your mother again and wanted to go home to see her. However, Japan, under the guise of a mafia, provoked border disputes. As a soldier of the Dragon Country Navy, you had the responsibility and obligation to maintain border peace. You died at the hands of the Japanese, sacrificing yourself for the country!