Chapter 49: Chapter 49: Clouds of Doubt
Editor: Larbre Studio
Lei Qian, who was crouching with his face in his hands, rubbed his face with both hands. After a long moment, he took a deep breath and stood up.
Lin Qian, looking at the corpse in the dirt pit, was also somewhat surprised.
Because the corpse was none other than Lei Kun.
Even though Lei Kun’s cultivation had been crippled by Lin Qian, he was once a Soul Martial Artist. Although his physical body wasn’t particularly strong, it was still much stronger than that of an ordinary person. The body was relatively intact, not rotten, so they could easily recognize him.
“No wonder Grandpa couldn’t find his trace, turns out he met an untimely demise long ago.” Lei Qian looked at Lei Kun’s corpse, a sorrowful expression on his face. “Our family owes them too much.”
Lin Qian, however, felt nothing. Lei Kun’s character, spoiled by Lei Heng, was arrogant and tyrannical. His death did not elicit much sympathy.
What puzzled him was why Lei Kun was killed, his body buried, and traces concealed.
Lin Qian crouched at the edge of the pit, gazing at Lei Kun’s corpse inside.
Lei Kun’s corpse was pale, devoid of color, his eyes closed tight. On his chest, his garment bore a bloodstain, dried to a dark brown.
“Something feels amiss,” Lin Qian said, eyeing the corpse in the pit, carefully pondering what he might have overlooked.
At this time, Lei Qian also approached these few Outer Sect Disciples to inquire, “Was this month’s patrol task all carried out by you?”
“That’s correct!” an Outer Sect Disciple nodded to Lei Qian.
“Seven days ago, did you see anyone suspicious?” Lei Qian asked quickly.
However, these few Outer Sect Disciples merely shook their heads: “Since taking on this task, we haven’t seen anyone suspicious.”
Just as Lei Qian showed a look of disappointment, the Mountain-guarding Disciple, who came over with Lin Qian and him, suddenly spoke: “On the night seven days ago, while I was guarding the mountain, I saw Lei Kun.”
This disciple’s words drew everyone’s attention, and Lin Qian also stood up and moved closer: “What, you saw Lei Kun?”
“That night, he was in a hurry to leave the Sect. Being Lei Kun, the grandson of Elder Lei, how could I, a humble Mountain-guarding Disciple, dare to stop him? So I let him go,” this Mountain-guarding Disciple said, as if recalling something, “Later on, I remember, Senior Brother Lei Kuo left shortly after.”
“Lei Kuo?” Lin Qian and Lei Qian exchanged a glance, expressing surprise.
“That’s right, after an hour, Senior Brother Lei Kuo returned. He looked quite gloomy. I took another glance, and he yelled at me twice.”
After hearing the Mountain-guarding Disciple’s words, Lin Qian contemplated for a moment: “It’s very likely that Lei Kuo is the one who killed Lei Kun.”
The dense forest in front of the Wanxiang Sect’s mountain gate had Wanxiang Sect’s patrol disciples. Moreover, it was the heart of the Territory governed by Wanxiang Sect. It was difficult for Wanxiang Sect’s enemies to penetrate deeply.
Therefore, Lei Kuo mentioned by the Mountain-guarding Disciple was the prime suspect.
“No, Grandpa once summoned the Mountain-guarding Disciple for questioning. Why didn’t you speak up then?” Lei Qian pondered for a moment, questioning the Mountain-guarding Disciple with suspicion.
The Mountain-guarding Disciple showed distress and said, “Elder Lei Heng did indeed ask, and he also brought Lei Kuo to confront me.”
“But strangely, Inner Sect Senior Brother Liu Ming and dozens of Inner Sect Senior Brothers all testified that Lei Kuo was with them all night, drinking and discussing cultivation matters.” Saying this, the Mountain-guarding Disciple looked innocent, “Compared to Inner Sect Disciples, who would believe me, an Outer Sect Disciple.”
Hearing this, Lei Qian silently nodded. He still remembered the time Grandpa returned disappointed, without saying a word.
Presumably, after questioning the Mountain-guarding Disciple, he heard the same statement, believed Liu Ming’s testimony, and did not mention it further.
Moreover, there was no previous hatred or recent grievance between Lei Kuo and Lei Kun.
Although Lei Kun wasn’t Lei Heng’s biological grandson, he didn’t bear the blood of the Lei family, but he did carry the Lei surname.
What reason would Lei Kuo have to kill Lei Kun?
Suddenly, Lin Qian moved like lightning, grabbing the Mountain-guarding Disciple’s jaw and pouring a transparent potion into his mouth.
Lin Qian’s rough tactics made the Mountain-guarding Disciple cough violently. It took a long moment for him to recover.
“Sorry, it was unavoidable. I’ll compensate you later,” Lin Qian patted the Mountain-guarding Disciple on the shoulder before asking, “Tell us in full detail about your experience guarding the mountain gate the night seven days ago.”
Immediately, the Mountain-guarding Disciple found to his horror that he couldn’t control his mouth and began to truthfully recount everything he saw and heard that night.
Beside him, Lei Qian and the Outer Sect patrol disciples were all dumbfounded.
“Boss, what’s this?” Lei Qian came to Lin Qian’s side and asked in a low voice.
“Truth Serum. After consuming it, one can only speak the truth for an hour, answering any question,” Lin Qian also turned his head, answering softly.
Lei Qian widened his eyes, suddenly enlightened: “Three days ago, when I couldn’t control my mouth, was it…”
“I spiked your tea with a bit to determine if you were genuinely with me,” Lin Qian said seriously, “Because once it’s confirmed, I’ll have a gift for you.”
When the Mountain-guarding Disciple finished speaking, Lei Qian clenched his fists tightly: “It was indeed Lei Kuo!”
The Mountain-guarding Disciple, forced to take the Truth Serum by Lin Qian, recounted more detailed and largely consistent information.
There was only one difference; in terms of timing, Lei Kuo left Wanxiang Sect first, and Lei Kun left the Sect even later.
Evidently, the Mountain-guarding Disciple had a slight error in memory, and under the forced influence of the Truth Serum, he recalled things more clearly.
Lin Qian had great faith in the effects of the Truth Serum, confirming the Mountain-guarding Disciple’s words were true.
Lei Kuo’s act of colluding with Liu Ming indirectly proved that he was indeed the murderer of Lei Kun.
However, after confirming this, Lin Qian and the others were even more puzzled as to why Lei Kuo wanted to kill Lei Kun–was he simply bored?
“Could it be a case of silencing someone?” suddenly, an Outer Sect Disciple suggested.
“Silencing someone?” Lin Qian and Lei Qian simultaneously turned their gaze to this disciple.
“I…I just thought, if the two had no grievances, perhaps this is the only possibility.” Being stared at by both Lin Qian and Lei Qian, this disciple stammered a bit.
Triggered by this disciple’s suggestion, Lin Qian also found it very likely.
It was impossible for Lei Kuo to leave the Sect in the middle of the night without reason. He must have been up to something.
Lei Heng and Lei Qian felt that Lei Kun’s situation itself was unjust and intended to let it go, to calm things without causing trouble.
Unconvinced, Lei Kun, in a fit of anger, left home, and after leaving Wanxiang Sect, fatefully encountered Lei Kuo.
Lei Kuo likely did something terrible, which couldn’t be leaked, thus he killed Lei Kun to silence him.
“Boss, if only you hadn’t killed Lei Kuo,” Lei Qian sighed, looking helplessly at Lin Qian.
Lin Qian appeared slightly embarrassed: “Who could’ve known such a thing would happen? Otherwise, I’d have given Lei Kuo the potion, and we’d know everything. But I ended up stabbing him to death with a sword…”
As Lin Qian and Lei Qian were talking, the other disciples were gathered around, their backs turned to the dirt pit.
No one noticed in the slightest that Lei Kun, who had already died tragically in the pit,
Suddenly opened his eyes!