Endless Winter: My Camp Upgrades Infinitely Chapter 1279: 420: Resting at Fengyang Village, The Ambush and Grave Injuries, Hatred and Wrath_5

The Eight Towns are indeed under pressure and plan to announce it publicly. Their reasoning is straightforward: publicizing the case will alert the framer that his scheme has failed, prompting him to cease the murders.

Lin Kai refuses to allow that. Public disclosure would make the culprit flee instantly or halt completely, robbing Lin Kai of any opportunity to apprehend him.

Had the killings been limited to Eight Towns residents, Lin Kai would have stayed silent. With the Eight Towns uninterested in vengeance, he wouldn't interfere.

However, the issue arose this January when the killer began targeting Great Xia individuals.

Five victims fell to the same ruthless methods, survivors left alive, their memories tampered to accuse Eight Towns perpetrators.

Cheng Ping became the final casualty!

For the prior four cases, Lin Kai dispatched messengers to summon Xu Ning from Bashang, who reversed the memory alterations on those witnesses.

Cheng Ping's eldest son, Cheng Yang, met his end, and upon Cheng Ping's return, he could only murmur uncertainty about the murderer's identity. Just three days prior to Cheng Yang's death, he had brushed against Lin Kai in South City. Given Cheng Ping's role in the Camp Supply Department as Li Longkai's underling, with occasional dealings alongside Lin Kai, the deputy commander quickly deduced the killer's next mark was him.

Therefore, he skipped calling Xu Ning this round, instructing Cheng Ping to proceed normally after conferring with Li Longkai to monitor him discreetly, feigning ignorance of the plot.

He had faked departures from the city thrice before—solo the first time, accompanied twice after—yet failed to draw out the assassin. That revealed the murderer's caution surpassed ordinary levels.

The journey to Muyin Town concerned the June Martial Arts Competition among the Three Towns. Though only Li Longkai was required, Lin Kai detected a prime chance, volunteering to join and even suggesting Cheng Ping tag along, casually disclosing their path to him beforehand.

In truth, Hongmen lay under 40 kilometers away. Lin Kai had nearly despaired, assuming no strike this time, and impulsively rerouted from Fengyang Village to some obscure rest spot.

To his surprise, Cheng Ping suggested heading to Fengyang Village himself.

At once, Lin Kai and Li Longkai grasped the ambush awaited in Fengyang Village.

Given this setup, plus their recent refusal of Beast Meat, moments after Zhu Fu departed, two unfamiliar men entered bearing fruits and roasted meat.

Despite their mere Earth-digging Realm cultivation, Lin Kai followed the motto of acting on suspicion rather than risking oversight.

His instincts proved spot-on!

Recalling the chaos this fiend unleashed on Hongmen these past six months, plus the frame-ups blaming Great Xia for murders, Lin Kai's fury surged, his strikes growing ever more savage.

Clang…

Regrettably, the foe surpassed Lin Kai's expectations in power.

Lin Kai's base might reached 35 strands, boosted by Holy Pattern and Martial Arts Skills to over 55 strands max. Yet the enemy held his own evenly.

Once more, the opponent's blade sent Lin Kai's longsword flying. Glancing back, he spotted Li Longkai merely ten meters off. Joy flickered in his eyes as Qianwu Sword bloomed with sword flowers, binding the foe and blocking retreat.

“Want to keep me here? Your strength is far from enough!”

Chen Yiqing saw through Lin Kai's ploy clearly. Desperate to slay him, he knew Li Longkai's arrival meant joint assault, dooming Chen Yiqing to heavy wounds or death at best, thus…

Suddenly locking gazes with Lin Kai, his pupils shot two slim black needles straight at Lin Kai's eyes.

Hiss…

Anticipating the needle ambush, Lin Kai was ready. His left hand plunged into his robes, yanking out a Yellow Candle segment.

The Yellow Candle's wick bore special processing; drawn swiftly, it self-ignited midair.

Yellow Candle flames burst forth, bathing the area and turning Chen Yiqing's black needles to dissipating black smoke.

“What is this!”

Thud…

Stunned by the Yellow Candle, Chen Yiqing faltered momentarily.

Exploiting the opening, Lin Kai raised Qianwu Sword high, slashing brutally at Chen Yiqing's neck, mirroring his earlier strike on Chu Dongning.

Yet in the nick of time, Chen Yiqing reacted superbly. Lacking time to parry or back away, he dodged sideways, sparing his neck.

Neck saved, but the blade carved his right arm.

With Cold Resistance Level toughness in skin, muscle, and bone, the gash erupted blood two to three meters far.

Chen Yiqing stifled a groan, clutching his arm without looking back, bolting westward in frenzy.

“Run? Think you can escape!”

A vicious grin twisted Lin Kai's face; his sword tip had grazed bone. No quick recovery from that.

The foe's pace slowed drastically, while Lin Kai remained unscathed—escape seemed futile.

“Brother Li, rush to Hongmen first and alert Commander Liu. Get him to lead the Reconnaissance Camp from the city to support me. I'll herd this rat westward toward Hongmen; no way he slips away.”

“As you command, sir!”

Arriving belatedly, Li Longkai noted the blood trail signaling grave injury. With Lin Kai pursuing west, he grasped the haste, ordering his two escorts to haul Cheng Ping and the body back while he sped to Hongmen.

Lin Kai chased the fugitive; Li Longkai must notify Liu Yuan upon reaching Hongmen.

…

“Trouble—my right arm's wrecked badly. Capture means death!”

Amid Peak Mountain's western Snow Forest, Chen Yiqing paled as the pursuer's aura neared, his gaze on the worsening arm wound growing grimmer.

Sword arm ruined—skin, flesh, bone damaged—sapping over half his power. Facing Lin Kai now? Impossible.

“Damn it all, outsiders slaughter Dongning, corner me like this—scum, utter scum, Great Xia scum!”

Blood vessels burst in Chen Yiqing's eyes. Glancing back at Lin Kai, barely a hundred meters off, unwillingness and loathing twisted his features, fear absent.

“Chase if you crave it, you cur!”

Abruptly, he drew a blood-smeared straw doll from his robes using his wound's flow, then a painting, scouting ahead for a stout tree before veering toward it.

“Daring another detour!”

Lin Kai scowled from behind, surging toward the tree.

But the man vaulted past it, fleeing onward west.

Lin Kai's face hardened, though the gap had shrunk over twenty meters. He snorted coldly, boosting speed in chase.

……

East District No. 492 Residence, empty quiet room

The wall's snowy landscape painting rippled oddly, windless.

A severed bloody arm protruded from the painting, then Chen Yiqing emerged gasping chaotically, crumpling to the floor.

Thud…

Blood spewed from his mouth as he staggered up, swallowed a Dan Medicine, bound his arm with cloth hastily, then snapped his head up. Crimson pupils blazed resentment, face etched with icy malice.

“Toying with me, slaying Dongning—no surprise the schemes failed these six months; now I see, perfect Lin Kai, splendid Great Xia…”