Chapter 110: The Drunkard’s Revelation and Su Yao’s Intrigue

The Drunkard, upon hearing Lin Qing’s words, was abruptly shocked into sobriety. He stared at Lin Qing, whose face was obscured by his long hair, making his expression unreadable. Only a sliver of his cold, dark eyes peered through the strands, and when they met the Drunkard’s gaze, it felt as terrifying as being stared at by an abyss.

‘How did he know I killed someone?!’ Facing Lin Qing’s gaze, the Drunkard’s legs turned to jelly. He stumbled backward, only to trip over the very bottle he had carelessly tossed aside, losing his balance and crashing to the ground. His hands instinctively shot out to brace himself, but they were cut and bleeding from the shattered glass.

Yet, the Drunkard paid no mind to his bleeding palms. His eyes remained fixed on Lin Qing, who stood before him. Whether due to psychological terror or the shock of his fall, the slender Lin Qing suddenly appeared impossibly tall in the Drunkard’s eyes, like a demon from hell arriving to claim his soul.

He threw his hands over his head and let out a primal howl.

“Aaaah! Aaaah! Aaaah!” The piercing shriek drew numerous stares. With his bloodied hands clutching his head, the Drunkard smeared his face with gore, making him look like a raving lunatic.

“What the hell? How did it get like this so fast? Is this Drunkard so wasted he’s trying to kill himself?” Upon hearing the commotion, Liu Hong saw the Drunkard’s frenzied state. After a moment of confusion, he rushed over, intending to pull Lin Qing away lest he be accidentally harmed. The distance between Lin Qing and the Drunkard was minimal, and if the Drunkard were to latch onto Lin Qing’s clothes again, as he had with Zhou Lin, it would be a disaster.

“It’s fine,” Lin Qing said. He didn’t move with Liu Hong’s pull, instead waving a dismissive hand before resuming his intense stare at the collapsing Drunkard.

Initially, Lin Qing hadn’t wanted to involve himself. Even though he could see the two withered skulls above the Drunkard’s head had turned black, and police were already handling criminal arrests, he felt no need to get entangled. However, the Drunkard had repeatedly obstructed their trash-collecting work, and continued harassment would only cause more trouble.

Therefore, Lin Qing ceased his passive observation and spoke up.

A single sentence from Lin Qing had effortlessly shattered the Drunkard’s psychological defenses, compelling him to shed his pretense of madness and confront the harsh reality.

As he watched the Drunkard’s complete breakdown, Lin Qing felt no pity, only a rising tide of disgust.

“Impossible, you don’t know,” the Drunkard muttered. “Nobody knows.”

As Lin Qing maintained his unwavering gaze, the Drunkard abruptly ceased his mournful cries. He grew eerily calm, lifting his head to glare venomously at Lin Qing. ‘My murder plan was perfect; no one else could possibly know the details,’ he thought. ‘This kid is just trying to trick me. I can’t fall for it.’

“Isn’t there a second one?”

However, Lin Qing’s next casual remark caused the Drunkard’s face to freeze, then quickly contort into an expression of sheer panic.

‘He actually knows!’

The Drunkard had killed more than just one person. Besides that accursed man, he had also murdered his unfaithful wife.

Overwhelmed by this realization, the Drunkard, no longer feigning drunkenness, turned and fled the scene in a frantic rush.

Liu Hong watched the Drunkard’s panicked retreat, feeling as though he were witnessing a ghost. ‘What an inexplicable fellow,’ he mused. ‘Utterly baffling.’ He then chuckled, realizing it was foolish to try and understand a Drunkard.

“Lin Qing, what was that about a ‘second one’? I don’t understand.” Liu Hong scratched his head in confusion, staring blankly at Lin Qing. He was incredibly curious about the riddle Lin Qing and the Drunkard had been playing.

“Nothing, just an offhand remark.” Lin Qing had no intention of clarifying Liu Hong’s confusion. Once the nuisance had finally departed, he immediately picked up his cleaning tools and diligently resumed collecting trash.

Although he had successfully driven the Drunkard away, Lin Qing’s mood remained somber. His reluctance to interact with others stemmed precisely from a desire to avoid such situations. Human hearts were perpetually complex and unpredictable, their depths of evil unfathomable.

However, just as Lin Qing reached for a discarded water bottle, Liu Hong poked his arm. When Lin Qing looked up, Liu Hong pointed with a mysterious, almost constipated expression, directing Lin Qing’s gaze to a black luxury car parked a short distance away.

As Lin Qing looked over, the rear passenger window rolled down, revealing Su Yao’s face. She propped her chin on one hand, her eyes alight with curiosity. It was evident she had been there for a while, having witnessed the entire sequence of events.

Her dark eyes sparkled, and her red lips curved into a slight smile, making it difficult for Lin Qing to meet her gaze. ‘Everything that just happened, Su Yao saw it all…’ he thought. ‘How unlucky.’

Yet, no matter how clever Su Yao might be, she could never guess his peculiar ability. Still, at this moment, Lin Qing wished to avoid any interaction with her. Even knowing she couldn’t discern his ability to see withered skulls, he anticipated that witnessing the recent scene would inevitably lead to probing questions. She would pry into every aspect of his life, seeking to uncover more. Slowly, she would erode his boundaries, forcefully imprinting her presence upon him.

So Lin Qing continued to bend down, intent on finishing his work as quickly as possible. However, Liu Hong once again slapped his arm, interrupting his efforts. Liu Hong’s face now wore an even deeper, more constipated expression of mystery, as if someone had stolen something precious from him, yet he was powerless to fight back against the stronger party and could only accept his misfortune.

“Lin Qing, just stop for a moment. We’ll handle things here. You should go talk to Su Yao.” Liu Hong mumbled, though clearly reluctant. He knew he couldn’t defy Su Yao. Earlier, when Lin Qing had ignored her, Su Yao’s gaze had turned chillingly cold, making Liu Hong shiver and realize he couldn’t let the situation escalate. Ever since discovering Su Yao’s true nature, Liu Hong felt like a mouse encountering a cat whenever he met her. Even with his large, robust build, he was no match for a ‘madwoman’ like Su Yao.

“That’s right, we’ve got this covered,” Zhou Lin chimed in after Liu Hong. “Go talk to her first, then come back to work. It wasn’t easy for Su Yao to come all this way just for you; you can’t just send her away!” Wang Jian also wanted to speak, but Zhou Lin gripped his sleeve tightly, wearing an expression that suggested they were ‘brothers in death.’ This made Wang Jian’s face fall into a look of utter despair, as if he wished to drop dead on the spot. The pungent smell clinging to him was too overwhelming, forcing him to keep his mouth shut with a mournful expression.

Sister Hua, who had lagged a short distance behind, hadn’t left with the fleeing Drunkard. Instead, she watched the unfamiliar faces with keen interest, finding them rather intriguing.

While Sister Hua found Liu Hong’s tall stature appealing, it was clear that the truly understated, hidden talent among them was that slender young man. The Drunkard wasn’t easily scared off.

Yet, this young man named Lin Qing had sobered the Drunkard with just a few words. This indicated he was far from ordinary.

However, she hadn’t quite caught Lin Qing’s first remark due to the distance. What he said about a “second one” afterward was like a cryptic riddle, impossible to decipher. He was quite mysterious.

But who was this Su Yao they were talking about?

As Sister Hua pondered Su Yao’s identity, Lin Qing, realizing that failing to meet Su Yao would prevent him from working smoothly, nodded towards Liu Hong and ceased his current task.

Setting down his tools, Lin Qing walked, removing his gloves as he went. By the time he tucked them into his pocket, he was standing before Su Yao.

“I came to see you, but you don’t seem happy at all!” Su Yao smiled, her lips curving upward as she looked at Lin Qing. Then, a hint of sadness crossed her face, making her appear as if Lin Qing had deeply hurt her. She looked utterly pathetic, like a tragic maiden abandoned by a scoundrel.

Lin Qing watched Su Yao’s masterful performance. His initial resistance suddenly dissipated considerably, and his mood lightened with it.

Ever since he gained the ability to see withered skulls, Lin Qing’s emotions had been perpetually low, as he saw nothing good in this power. While it allowed him to avert danger, it also exposed him to much of the world’s darkness. There was a saying that resonated deeply with him: those who know nothing are always happy.

Though most might not agree, if given the choice, Lin Qing would rather be an ordinary person. No kidnappings, no special abilities. Just plain and simple. No different from anyone else.

When Su Yao saw Lin Qing’s mood improve, her eyebrows subtly arched. She hadn’t expected Lin Qing to become so endearing. Had her words truly affected him? What a delightful man.

Although she couldn’t see Lin Qing’s expression, his body language spoke volumes. The initial despondency and resistance were gone, replaced by a renewed vitality.

With that, Su Yao extended one hand out the car window and beckoned Lin Qing closer with her index finger. As Lin Qing, slightly puzzled, leaned in towards her, Su Yao’s hand gently caressed his cheek.

“Don’t let others spoil your mood.”

Although Su Yao was practically driven mad with curiosity about Lin Qing, her typically excellent self-control kicked in. She knew that direct questioning would yield nothing. Even arranging a detailed investigation would only uncover publicly available information, failing to reveal anything unusual about Lin Qing.

Thus, Su Yao understood she needed to become a patient hunter. In her confrontation with her prey, she would patiently wait for him to expose his weaknesses before striking. She would have plenty of time with Lin Qing in the future. There was no need to rush in recklessly; it would be counterproductive.

Upon hearing Su Yao’s comforting words, Lin Qing froze for a moment. Recovering, he lifted his hand, covering Su Yao’s, and held it. Now, he somewhat understood why he felt a connection to Su Yao. She was a ‘bad woman,’ yet to him, she was like a lifeline to a drowning person. Despite the slim hope of rescue, he found himself unable to release her hand.

Lin Qing and Su Yao? Around the corner, on the other side of the red-light district, a beautifully dressed girl paused, then her eyes blazed with fury, as if someone had stolen her possession.

“Little Fish, what’s wrong?” “Nothing, Big Brother. Let’s go in quickly. I promise to make your night heavenly today.” Hearing the middle-aged man beside her, the girl forced a smile. She didn’t look back, instead taking the man’s arm and leading him into the exclusive club.

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