Blinded chapter 47

Darkness surged from all directions like icy seawater, completely submerging Xie Li. He couldn’t hear any sounds, see a trace of light, only feeling the heavy pressure on his body, slowly descending, making even breathing difficult. He began to struggle desperately, wanting to escape from this darkness, but in an instant, countless hands reached out from the darkness, grabbing him fiercely, even choking his neck, aiming to keep him forever immersed in this darkness.

Just as he was about to suffocate, he woke up suddenly. He found himself curled up in the back seat of a car, one foot raised, stepping on the front seat. In the narrow space, his thighs were almost pressed against his chest, making it difficult to breathe.

He took out his phone to check the time—it was still early morning, and outside was pitch black.

The two young men in the front responsible for surveillance heard his movement, turned around, and handed him a cigarette. “Li Ge, awake?”

Xie Li responded with a sound of acknowledgment, took the cigarette, and leaned closer to the person who offered it, lighting it. He asked, “Any activity?”

The person replied, “None.”

Xie Li hadn’t returned home for two or three days. He was currently keeping an eye on one of Wu Can’s subordinates. Aside from here, there were also people watching Wu Can and Du Shenglian. Xie Li felt that before October 13th, Du Shenglian and Wu Can would definitely meet with Han Yue.

The weather was getting colder day by day, especially in the deep night. Xie Li felt a slight chill constantly seeping in through the gaps in the car door.

He changed his posture, leaning against the car window, pulled his coat tighter, and remembered the dream he had just had. He didn’t know what the oppressive darkness foretold, but he thought perhaps that was the oppressive darkness Chang Xiaojia always felt .

Xie Li used to not fear the dark, but now he began to feel that darkness was a terrifying mouth that would devour Chang Xiaojia in front of him, and he chose to stand still and watch.

He rested his head against the glass, his gaze falling on his phone for a while. He found and looked at Chang Xiaojia’s phone number, but he didn’t dial. Since that night he left, Chang Xiaojia’s phone had been off, and he hadn’t called.

The Single Sword Society’s event was the significant day for Hongfang’s annual ancestral worship and induction of new members. On that day, a meeting would be held, and all brothers of Hongfang had to gather, kneeling and offering incense.

On the day of the Single Sword Society event, around four in the morning, Xie Li led his men to break into the house where Du Shenglian had arranged for Han Yue.

Naturally, Du Shenglian had arranged for his men to protect Han Yue.

Xie Li had a gun, but he wouldn’t shoot unless absolutely necessary. Even if he did, he wouldn’t shoot to kill. Leaving the men fighting downstairs, he entered the room on the second floor alone.

By then, Han Yue had already opened the window but hadn’t jumped out because he saw people waiting outside.

Han Yue, older than Chang Guanshan but younger than Du Shenglian, looked at least sixty years old. His hair was thin and gray, wearing an old padded jacket, appearing somewhat forlorn.

Seeing someone intrude, he didn’t show panic, just smiled helplessly, shook his head, and came back to sit by the bed.

Xie Li, holding a gun, aimed it at him and said, “Get up, come with me.”

Han Yue was slightly surprised. “You’re not going to kill me?”

Xie Li said, “I won’t kill you here. You’re not someone who should be in Harbor City, not even your corpse. Get up and come with me.”

The skirmish outside the room had subsided. Xie Li had someone bind Han Yue’s hands behind his back, then threw him into the car. He instructed someone to clean up the place, and he himself got into the car, sitting next to Han Yue.

Inside the car, besides them, there was a driver and another henchman of Chang Xin.

Xie Li pressed the car window and said to the people outside, “Go inform Young Master Xin. Han Yue won’t show up at the Single Sword Society today.”

The person outside nodded in acknowledgment and then asked, “Li Ge, how are we handling Han Yue?”

Xie Li, with an expressionless face, said, “Sink him in the sea.” Afterward, he closed the car window and told the driver to start driving.

Han Yue remained very quiet, his broad shoulders slightly drooping, his gaze fixed straight ahead.

Xie Li said, “Originally, in another three hours, Du Shenglian would have sent a car to pick you up. Unfortunately, he won’t see you again in the future.”

Han Yue still didn’t answer. He just chuckled, tilted his head back, and closed his eyes.

The driver kept driving until they reached an abandoned and desolate pier. A narrow boat was parked at the dock. It was the time when day and night transitioned, with the sky faintly turning white, but darkness hadn’t completely dissipated. Moisture filled the air over the sea, and the sea breeze was cold and briny.

Xie Li got out of the car and took a burlap bag from the trunk to cover Han Yue entirely. Then, he had the driver and Chang Xin’s henchman help move Han Yue onto the small boat.

Seeing Xie Li board the boat, Chang Xin’s henchman spoke, “Li Ge, I’ll go with you.”

Xie Li knew this person was sent by Chang Xin to assist him but also to monitor him. He didn’t object and simply stood at the stern of the boat. He fired two shots into the bag that contained Han Yue.

After those shots, there was no movement from the bag. Subsequently, blood started seeping out.

The space on the boat was small. In the middle lay Han Yue’s corpse, leaving little room for anyone else. Xie Li had mentioned before that he must witness Han Yue’s death with his own eyes, so he wouldn’t let others do it.

By now, Chang Xin’s henchman was staring at the fresh blood gathering in the depression of the boat and said, “We’ll wait for you here.”

Xie Li sat down, steering the boat into the open sea.

As he moved farther from the shore, fog thickened on the sea surface. Gradually, Xie Li couldn’t see the people standing on the shore anymore. He leaned forward to open the burlap bag, exposing Han Yue’s head.

Han Yue, with wide-open eyes, was breathing heavily. Obviously, he hadn’t died. He looked at Xie Li with a suspicious gaze.

When they were in the car earlier, Xie Li had lightly tapped on his back with his fingers, producing a distinct and rhythmic pattern. Even if Han Yue didn’t understand the meaning, he guessed it was a kind of code.

Later, when Xie Li covered him with the burlap bag, he felt something like a blood bag inside it. So, when he heard the gunshot, he pretended to be shot. In that instant, Han Yue did feel pain, but it wasn’t a bullet entering his body; it was something else hitting the burlap bag, followed by liquid seeping out from the blood bag inside. Holding his breath, he remained motionless, enduring until the boat was far away from the shore.

Now, Xie Li just untied the bag to expose his head, without freeing his hands. Then, he returned to the stern of the boat to sit down.

Han Yue waited until he could breathe freely again before asking Xie Li, “Who exactly are you?”

Xie Li didn’t answer. He asked, “if you made it to the Single Sword Society today, what did you originally intend to say?”

Han Yue ignored his question and insisted, “Who are you?”

Xie Li looked at the sea for a moment and said, “Lu Yiren has a daughter who married Chang Guanshan and gave birth to a son, Chang Xiaojia. You should know this, right?”

Han Yue said, “Of course, I know.”

Xie Li continued, “These questions are from Chang Xiaojia, he would want to know the truth.”

After a moment of silence, Han Yue said, “Why didn’t you just take me to the Single Sword Society and expose Chang Guanshan in front of everyone?”

Xie Li replied, “Do you think you can walk into the Society alive at this point? I’m just asking you on behalf of Xiaojia: Was Lu Yiren killed by Chang Guanshan?”

Han Yue looked up at the gray-white sky, quietly lying down for a while before saying, “I didn’t know originally. Brother Lu was ill at that time, and a nurse was hired to take care of him. When I first visited, his condition was stable. It was when Chang Guanshan had become the acting boss of Hongfang, and I sat by Brother Lu’s bed chatting with him. He told me he felt Chang Guanshan was inconsistent, fearing he had ill intentions. He intended to remove Chang Guanshan from his position at Hongfang. However, that night, news came that Brother Lu had a severe illness and passed away. He hadn’t even been taken to the hospital and had already stopped breathing at home.”

“Did Chang Guanshan do it?” Xie Li asked.

Han Yue said, “Chang Guanshan and Liying went out to attend a banquet that night and weren’t at home. Even if I suspected, I couldn’t find any evidence.”

Xie Li knew that the Liying mentioned by Han Yue was Lu Liying, Lu Yiren’s daughter, Chang Guanshan’s original wife, and also Chang Xiaojia’s biological mother.

“Moreover, Liying had deep feelings for Chang Guanshan. She had just lost her father and was relying on her husband. I couldn’t bring up my suspicions to her, and I was afraid she would reveal it to Chang Guanshan.” Han Yue’s low voice echoed on the desolate sea with the sound of waves. “After Chang Guanshan took power, he became more distrustful of us old folks. So, I chose to leave Harbor City. But I’ve always been troubled by this matter. I had people investigate the whereabouts of the nurse at that time. She left Harbor City shortly after Brother Lu’s death and disappeared. Unexpectedly, after eight years, someone under me accidentally found out about the nurse’s whereabouts. She died unexpectedly less than a year after Brother Lu’s death, but she had returned to her hometown, and it was said she brought back a large sum of money.”

Xie Li listened silently.

“I didn’t have much hope, but I went to her hometown, inquired about her several relatives, and learned that she died repenting in a local temple. She had donated a Buddha statue to the temple after returning, and the monk said she confessed voluntarily, claiming that she had harmed an employer and felt guilty, unable to find peace day and night.”

“She was bribed by Chang Guanshan to kill Lu Yiren?” Xie Li asked.

Han Yue nodded. “That’s what I believe. So, I told Liying about this.”

Xie Li was momentarily stunned, then asked, “You told Lu Liying?”

Han Yue sighed deeply. “Actually, I shouldn’t have told her directly. I should have come back to Harbor City myself to investigate the matter thoroughly.”

Xie Li roughly estimated the time, instantly feeling a chill. “Then Lu Liying suddenly died of illness?”

Han Yue closed his eyes, nodded slowly, and said, “I was reckless. I might have caused the death of Brother Lu’s daughter. I’ve felt guilty all these years. I watched as Chang Guanshan’s influence in Hongfang grew, but I stayed away and didn’t dare to come back. I knew I couldn’t shake him. Even if I came back, the ultimate result would be death.”

But Xie Li didn’t pay much attention to Han Yue’s final words. He was only thinking about the sensitive and fragile Chang Xiaojia, who lost his mother from an early age. His beloved mother might have been killed by his own father’s hands.