Online: I Can See Health Bars Chapter 1312 - 584: Difference in Strength (2)
Previously on Online: I Can See Health Bars...
Qiu Xiaoping presented a mix of truth and fabrication; the exact proportion remained a mystery, yet it offered a measure of dignity.
Murmurs rippled through the crowd, their whispers igniting a storm of speculation.
In an unseen manner, the force wielded by the perpetrator behind the scenes appeared to have ascended to an incomprehensible apex.
"Could it be the Ten Great Families..."
A daring guess ventured into a more chilling territory, only to be promptly silenced as a hand clamped over the speaker's mouth.
Misfortune often springs from the tongue; no matter the circumstance, thoughts can be harbored, but never voiced aloud.
Fa Hongbao's countenance also soured, darkening considerably.
He was acutely aware of Diao Deyi's profound and seemingly bottomless might, and this enigmatic Miss Qiu possessed an equally unfathomable power.
Yet, now, an entity potentially surpassing both Miss Qiu and, by extension, Diao Deyi, had emerged, its gaze fixed upon the Forest Snake Gang like a famished wolf...
A tremor of fear gripped Fa Hongbao.
But... how could this be? What merit or capability did his Forest Snake Gang possess to incite such a formidable adversary??
"Qiu, Esteemed Qiu..."
Qin Er spoke once more, his voice cutting through the tension.
"Your words have illuminated my understanding... If the disparity in strength between the two is not as vast as previously surmised, then for the perpetrator to have dispatched Master Tai with such effortless silence, only one conclusion remains."
Qin Er lifted a single finger, emphasizing his point: "That is, Master Tai and the attacker were intimately acquainted, exceedingly so!"
The instant these words were uttered, a bolt of insight seemed to strike Fa Hongbao's mind, triggering an immediate recollection.
"Hall Master! Where are the other three Hall Masters? Have they not yet been summoned?"
Fa Hongbao's shout was sudden, his face a mask of pallor.
Glances were exchanged amongst the assembled; the summons had been dispatched, yet the Hall Masters' delay was palpable, leaving them powerless to hasten their arrival.
It must be them!
Fa Hongbao clenched his quivering fist, conviction solidifying within him.
It couldn't be wrong! It has to be that person! They have returned!
Tai Xuelin, he was undoubtedly responsible for the demise! Was this a blatant display of power directed at me?
Just as Fa Hongbao wrestled with a surge of inexplicable fury, Qiu Xiaoping, whose interest had begun to pique, brought forth a crucial query.
"What of Hou Mo, the individual tasked with patrol duties? Why has he met his end? His duty was to be outside, so how did he end up deceased within the Firewood Room?"
Indeed.
Why?
Though initial interpretations might deceive, with one confirmed dead and another vanished, Tai Xuelin found at the threshold and the exaggerated bloodstains within the Firewood Room, the immediate assumption was that Hou Mo met his end there.
But... the motive for killing Hou Mo? The reason for the act occurring in the Firewood Room?
Fa Hongbao’s confusion deepened, causing him to question his prior deduction.
Could it be that this was not the work of the true Gang Leader of the Forest Snake Gang, Fa Xiao?
"Disguise!"
Qin Er, as if struck by sudden clarity, exclaimed with excitement.
"The perpetrator must have eliminated Hou Mo, the patrol officer, and subsequently assumed his likeness! For Hou Mo to be entrusted with such a vital security role, he must have been one of Master Tai's trusted inner circle, correct? If that is the case, then everything falls into place!"
"The attacker, masquerading as Hou Mo, and with Master Tai harboring no suspicion towards Hou Mo, ambushed and killed him!"
It appeared... it seemed... to align logically??
Fa Hongbao remained somewhat bewildered.
Yet, a crucial point still eluded him.
"So, the individual first infiltrated the Tai residence, dispatched Hou Mo in the Firewood Room—who was supposed to be on external patrol? Then, impersonating him, proceeded to confront Tai Xuelin, killed him at the entrance, and departed without haste?"
"While our Forest Snake Gang might not be a colossal force, it is not a sanctuary where just anyone can enter and exit freely. More importantly, this area is the gang's central hub; movement within is far more restricted than one might imagine. Furthermore, at that juncture, Tai Xuelin's demise was undeniably recent, and we promptly initiated a search for Hou Mo. Wherever he might have attempted to flee, he would have been intercepted by the gang's informants. The absence of any report indicates that your so-called 'second Hou Mo' was either undiscovered or perhaps never existed."
As Fa Hongbao elaborated, his reasoning grew sharper, with particular emphasis on one aspect...
"Disguise."
Qiu Xiaoping suddenly interjected, halting Fa Hongbao's developing argument.
Her gaze rested calmly upon Qin Er.
"The art of disguise is not as rudimentary as you perceive. Lacking involvement in martial cultivation, you have likely idealized its capabilities. In this world, disguise techniques are insufficient to deceive those intimately familiar with the individual; at the very least, within Thunder City, no expert has reached such a profound level."
She paused momentarily, her eyes sweeping across the surroundings, before continuing with measured deliberation.
"However, if disguise proves untenable, what if... it were a demon?"
The instant her words concluded, the entire assembly erupted in a clamor!
A demon?!
If a creature capable of consuming humans and donning their skin were involved, the impersonation would indeed be flawless and undetectable.
However, the notion of a demon worming its way into the Forest Snake Gang's inner circle was utterly inconceivable. "If it truly is a demon, then it's certainly capable of such deeds... and if it's a demon, it might still be within this very mansion! It could even be lurking amongst us right now, patiently awaiting an opportunity to slip away!" exclaimed Fa Hongbao, his voice quaking. The unexpected demise of the Hall Master had now introduced the terrifying possibility of a demon lurking within their own ranks, escalating the entire affair into something far more dire and unsettling... A palpable unease settled over those nearby, prompting them to instinctively create space between one another. Even comrades who had faced life and death together previously now adopted defensive stances. "Do not fall into a panic. For now, these are purely conjectures. Kindly inform me, who was the individual that first discovered Master Tai's remains?" The crowd: ... Utter silence reigned. A profound quiet descended. No one uttered a sound, or more accurately, no one dared to break the silence. To speak now would be to potentially identify oneself as the disguised demon! Some were genuinely unaware, while others were simply too afraid to respond. The subtle distinctions between these reactions were almost imperceptible. The pervasive silence intensified the pressure, an unseen force gradually expanding... "It was you! Li Debang! I witnessed it with my own eyes – you were the one who cried out that something had befallen the Hall Master! You were the very first to raise the alarm!"