At this moment, Li Hu seemed to be about to chew on something, and Chen Tianlong, quick to react, hastily picked up an apple from the table and threw it at the old man with all his might, hitting him on the neck and knocking him out instantly.
Sima Dong also saw Li Hu’s actions; it was evident he had poison hidden in his mouth and intended to commit suicide.
He was the leader of the Assassin Group; how could he not be aware of this method of suicide? If not for Chen Tianlong’s quick reflexes, the only clue might have been lost.
"Fei, take him back to the Assassin Group’s camp, remove the poison from his teeth, and find a way to make him tell the truth. We must ask about the whereabouts of the young lady’s body."
After taking a deep breath, Sima Dong spoke.
Sima Fei ordered his men to carry Li Hu away and then followed the team out of the hall, apparently to figure out a solution.
After the large group left, only three people were left in the hall.
Sima Dong was not happy because they had caught the murderer; instead, he was more troubled and disturbed. Most painful of all was that the trusted steward, Li, was actually the murderer.
Meanwhile, what surprised him was that this young man Chen Tianlong was indeed extraordinary, a rare talent. Without him, they might still be in the dark about the whole situation.
As for Li’s identity, based on the phone call reference, it could be discerned that he was the Third Elder, a title belonging to certain factions, and in South Sea City, there were hardly any prominent factions, so perhaps it came from elsewhere.
Sima Dong was puzzled, wondering which faction was bold enough to target Tianshu Manor. Didn’t they know the might of Tianshu Manor’s Black Panther Assassin Group? Or were they simply unafraid?
"Grandmaster Sima, you don’t have to be too upset. I think Li was also instigated by someone else. The real criminal should be the person on the phone; the body must be with them." Chen Tianlong analyzed.
"Mm, Chen Tianlong, you have a point. Continue!"
After this incident, Sima Dong trusted Chen Tianlong even more and was impressed with this young man, taking interest in his words.
"This person referred to as the Third Elder might not be ordinary; his interest in your daughter’s body suggests a possibility." Chen Tianlong said calmly.
"Ah? What possibility?" Sima Dong was startled and asked.
"If my guess is correct, he’s not targeting the manor but the effect of the body itself. Then I would like to ask, is there any secret about Aunt Sima Mei’s body?" Chen Tianlong asked with curiosity.
At this time, Lin Batian felt uneasy, considering the secret of his beloved was indeed a significant one, not something easy to explain. However, since Chen Tianlong asked, he couldn’t remain silent.
So, he said to Chen Tianlong nearby, "Let me explain. My wife, Sima Mei, while pregnant with Wushuang for three months, during a prayer at the Heaven Worshipping Platform, coincidentally sensed the inheritance of stars."
Saying this, Lin Batian’s mood became heavy again, as the forthcoming events were reminiscences he didn’t dare revisit.
Upon hearing this, Sima Dong was filled with anger; recalling those days when his daughter, Sima Mei, naturally beautiful and thriving, fell in love with Lin Batian, a businessman who temporarily stayed at the manor for a few days, he didn’t know why.
Thus, in the following days, Lin Batian frequently came and went from Tianshu Manor under the pretext of business dealings. At that time, the manor was solely money-driven, welcoming any business and opening its doors to all.
Consequently, two months later, the two secretly engaged in a relationship, resulting in Lin Wushuang’s conception.
Upon learning of this, Sima Dong was furious, capturing the two and bringing them to the Heaven Worshipping Platform, especially tying Lin Batian to the platform’s pillar and flogging him for two hours.
Sima Mei pleaded fervently, kneeling at the center of the platform, fasting and sleepless, she knelt for an entire day and night.
Just when she was about to faint, whether heaven was moved or it was mere coincidence, the Tianshu in the Beidou Seven Stars underwent a transformation, sending a light that traveled countless light-years, finally reaching her body and merged, fulfilling the Tianshu Star legacy.
This was the legendary Tianshu Star Physique.
Later, Sima Dong was moved by their sincerity and finally agreed to their relationship, holding their wedding the following month, where they lived happily for nine months.
But the good times didn’t last long; on the day Lin Wushuang was born, the news of Sima Mei’s death reached their ears.
"Afterwards... my wife passed away following Wushuang’s birth."
Lin Batian gritted his teeth to finish the last sentence, falling silent afterward.
The room’s atmosphere instantly became extremely quiet, deathly quiet.
A fit of coughing from Sima Dong broke the silence, whether genuine or deliberate, Lin Batian quickly walked over, poured him a cup of tea, and handed it over, saying, "Father-in-law, take care of your health, have some tea."
"Ah... alright, so many years have passed, things are over now, and Wushuang has grown up. I hope she can be safe and happy."
Sima Dong didn’t want to pursue the matter further, but the daughter’s body must be found, no matter the cost, he needs to know the person’s identity, daring to disregard their manor.
"Oh, right, father-in-law, I mentioned another matter requiring your assistance earlier."
Lin Batian hurriedly reminded Sima Dong of the previously mentioned issue, fearing he’d forget.
"Understood, now I have an important task to handle; I’m taking Chen Tianlong to meet someone. You can move freely around the manor; once the task is complete, I will naturally help you."
Having met such a great talent in Chen Tianlong, continually aiding his brother, Sima Dong wouldn’t let him go so easily.
"Ah? But... Chen Tianlong is my bodyguard, wouldn’t this be inappropriate?"
Lin Batian cracked a bitter smile; his father-in-law was to take Chen Tianlong to meet an important person, certainly not just for a casual meeting. If someone took a liking to him and kept him at the manor, his plan couldn’t proceed.
"If I say it’s fine, it’s fine, no need for your interference."
Sima Dong was a domineering person, and hearing Lin Batian’s words, he glared at him before speaking.
After finishing, Sima Dong took the teapot from the coffee table, poured two cups of tea, and handed one over, saying, "Chen Tianlong, it’s hot today, let’s drink some water before going." This text is hosted at n͟o͟v͟e͟l͟f͟i͟r͟e͟.net
Chen Tianlong was surprised, feeling somewhat overwhelmed by the honor, but being offered tea by an elder, he couldn’t dare be negligent, hurriedly picked it up, thanked them, and finished it in one go.
After a while, Chen Tianlong raised his head, glancing at Lin Batian, noticing his slight distress.
"Mr. Lin, don’t worry, we’re just going to meet someone; I’ll be back quickly, rest assured."
Based on Chen Tianlong’s character, even if someone spent a fortune trying to buy his loyalty, he might not be swayed. After all, his commitment to Lin Batian wasn’t for money but because of Lin Wushuang.
Lin Wushuang had a fateful bond with him, a girl who inexplicably made Chen Tianlong want to protect, similar to how he protected Wu Mengting. Perhaps fate had destined them with some inexplicable connections.
To be honest, Chen Tianlong was quite satisfied with his life, having a car to drive, money to spend, a campus beauty girlfriend, and a young lady who argued with him and cared.