Chapter 616 - 397: The Three Innocent Female College Students of the Death Substitution Tribulation, Red-clothed Taoist

Chapter 616: Chapter 397: The Three Innocent Female College Students of the Death Substitution Tribulation, Red-clothed Taoist

"Mr. Qin, are you alright..."

The oppressive sensation that felt like falling into an icy abyss suddenly dissipated, and it was only then that the three guards awoke from their daze, beads of cold sweat on their brows. They hurried forward, their voices filled with concern and lingering fear.

"No problem." Mr. Qin waved his hand dismissively, his tone indifferent, yet his gaze shifted to Lu Xuan, and a fervent light ignited instantly in his eyes.

It was a burning mixture of admiration and conviction, as if staring at an insurmountable monument.

"No need to worry, Mr. Lu merely tested your response with a small demonstration."

Can humans truly reach such a height?

Mr. Qin looked at Lu Xuan, who remained seated on the couch, and felt a turbulent storm in his heart.

He had held high positions for many years and had met countless skilled individuals, yet none could compare to Lu Xuan.

With only an invisible force, he had immobilized three battle-hardened martial arts experts.

Indeed, human strength can be formidable to such a mind-bending degree.

"Is... that so?"

The leading martial arts expert’s throat moved, and he slowly released his grip on the gun handle with his right hand.

A few drops of cold sweat silently appeared, sliding down his well-defined jawline.

Mr. Qin was unaware of the true dread that Lu Xuan possessed, but the three of them had experienced it firsthand.

The pressure just now was no test; it was extreme fear when facing death directly, causing even their marrow to tremble.

When that invisible force struck them earlier, the three felt as if their spirits were slammed by a blazing heavy hammer, leaving their minds blank, even making breathing feel slightly sluggish.

Not to mention a counter-attack—unable to move even a fingertip.

It’s no exaggeration to say, if Mr. Lu were truly an enemy, that moment alone—with no action needed—

through mere crushing presence, all present would have their minds shatter, dying violently within seconds.

In the suburban old leader’s manor of Liangqing City, the lush greenery provided a quiet and serene atmosphere.

A subtly chic pale gray villa lay under the thriving camphor trees, seamlessly blending with the surrounding pavilions and water features, exuding a low-key yet robust presence.

At that moment, a smoothly-lined white sedan quietly drove into the manor, rolling over the bluestone path, making an extremely light sound, finally stopping slowly beside the lawn in front of the villa door.

The car door opened, and the first to step out was a middle-aged man in a black suit, whose expression was calm, temples slightly frosted, carrying a composed aura of a person long accustomed to authority.

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the tightly closed villa door.

Then, behind the middle-aged man, two young men in dark suits followed closely out.

Their postures were upright, eyes sharp, hands hanging by their sides, their presence tinged with a tense vigilance.

They silently followed the middle-aged man, slowly walking toward the villa entrance.

The crisp doorbell sound broke the manor’s silence; moments later, the villa door was gently opened.

Opening the door was a woman in her thirties, dressed in clean, off-white loungewear.

The apron edge had traces of flour, suggesting she was the housekeeper responsible for daily care, a touch of haste from the kitchen on her face.

"Hello, may I ask if Fang Hai is here?"

The middle-aged man spoke first, his voice steady yet carrying authority, his eyes calmly resting on the housekeeper.

The housekeeper was startled, just about to respond when the young man behind the middle-aged man stepped forward, displayed credentials, spoke sternly.

"We are from the Yifeng Province Inspection... We have a case that requires inviting Fang Hai to accompany us for an investigation."

"Ah?" "Inspection..." These words struck the housekeeper like a thunderclap, her face instantly pale, her cloth clenched unconsciously, instinctively stepping aside to clear the way.

Finally, the housekeeper responded in a panic: "He... he’s talking with the young master in the living room, I’ll call him right away..."

"No need, we can proceed on our own. Please keep quiet so as not to disturb others."

The middle-aged man nodded slightly, his tone devoid of emotion, then led the two young men with steady steps past the housekeeper, heading towards the villa’s living room.

Fang Hai, a figure entangled with multiple past identities—he was once the head of the Liangqing City Security Bureau, wielded significant local security power, and was also the former chief officer of Yingnan City Security Bureau.

More crucially, he was Lu Yuliang’s direct superior back in the day; the two had worked together for many years within the same system.

And all these intertwined identities are inseparable from that once sensational case at Yingnan University involving the deaths of three female students.

Back then, he and Lu Yuliang jointly participated deeply in the investigation of this case, being one of the few key figures aware of the core details.

In a slightly shabby settlement room in Liangqing City, the lighting was dim, with a faint dust scent in the air.

Lu Yuliang stood quietly by the window, fingers lightly tapping the cold glass, gaze resting on the bustling street below, his presence exuding a calm aura.

Just then, the door clicked open from the outside, first entering sight were two young people dressed in casual wear.

They cautiously assisted an elderly man in his seventies to walk in.

Though the elderly man’s hair was white, it was meticulously groomed, his facial wrinkles not too deep, skin tight—clearly well maintained under regular care.

Yet at this moment, his eyes were unfocused, lips trembling slightly, an unmistakable daze about him as if still recovering from some impact.

Settling into a chair opposite Lu Yuliang, the elderly man hadn’t fully returned to composure, his body slightly swaying.