Chapter 21 - Facing the Past (2)

"I could ask you the same thing. The only difference is that I know what you did, and you don’t know what I did. If you find out, let me know," Guo Yang smiled and left for his room, accompanied by Red Death and Red Shadow.

The next morning, many people screamed in the poor areas of the city. The homeless were not the ones who died this time; instead, cultivators from outside the city perished in those areas. No one discovered that the air was toxic; the effect had long since faded.

However, people soon realized that the water was poisoned and closed all the water valves leading to the area. No one was able to identify the poison, but the Alchemist Association was ecstatic. This poison was unlike any they had seen, as it did not even dissolve in water. The poison still lingered in the water.

The water was drained, and the wells emptied and burned to be replaced soon after. However, not even the homeless decided to return to the area. Many had died before, but most people did not care if they perished or went missing.

"Guo Yang!" Guo Li and Guo Jing roared as Guo Yang appeared in the patriarch's home with his parents and siblings.

"What?" he asked.

"Did you poison the water?" they inquired.

"Hey, does snake poison actually spread in water? I know about poison. Besides, I heard people died in their sleep without even drinking the water. Does snake poison do that?" he asked, smiling innocently.

"Y-You had to do it! You were out last night!" Guo Mei exclaimed, everyone staring between them.

"So were you. How many people did you kill this time? Three? Five? Oh wait, maybe thirteen?" Guo Yang grinned.

"How did you...?" she began.

"Someone had to follow you to clean up the mess. Red Shadow and Red Death enjoyed the meal. I thank you on their behalf," Guo Yang said, performing a mock bow. The snakes did indeed follow her to ensure she did not see him poison the wells. He needed an alibi, and he got one.

"So it wasn't you. No doubt, the Alchemist Association will also know it wasn't you," Guo Jing pondered.

"Of course. You know, my canine teeth don't have venom. None of my teeth do, and I don't even have a poison gland in my mouth," Guo Yang sighed. "I have my spirit energy and my snakes. That's all I have, aside from the poisonous herbs. In fact, I'm thinking of building a stone house in the empty area behind the garden. The soil is dead, and the air is toxic to the rest of you. I practically come here every day anyway."

"That... is alright. Go ahead. We need to meet with the City Council to discuss the deaths. Guo Mei, you'll need to find a different area to hunt for souls next month. Let's go, Jing," Guo Li said, and the couple left at once.

"It wasn't you?" Guo Lin frowned, seeing Guo Yang nod and follow his parents.

"It was you. I know it was you," Guo Mei said.

"It was," he admitted, stunning her.

"Why didn't you admit it?" she asked.

"There is a time to speak and a time to remain silent. This was one of those times when the situation called for the latter," Guo Yang replied as he stopped beside her, facing the door while she faced behind him.

"Why?" was all Mei could say.

"I am not one to tolerate my enemies. In the real world, where safety is not guaranteed, one must ensure that all enemies or potential enemies are eliminated. The most ideal victory is a victory that ends all battles. With them mysteriously assassinated, and all the dead and missing homeless people, which will soon garner attention, I’d watch my back if I were you. I don't need to eat souls. You do. Keep your emotions in check to stop the hunger, or risk exposure and eventual execution," Guo Yang whispered into her ear before leaving the house, Mei falling to her knees in shock and fear.

"We have gathered here to discuss the deaths of the people who died here. Their estimated time of death was between one o'clock and nine o'clock in the morning," a member of the Alchemist Association said as Guo Li and many patriarchs arrived at the scene of the crime. "We suspected poison at first, but we discovered signs of powder residue. Unfortunately, they could not be extracted for study."

"How did they die?" Guan Hai asked, with Shen Dong and Shen Hua beside him, as it would be easier to protect them by his side.

"Most died from nerve gas. I suspect it had to do with the pills. There might have been many kinds of pills. You see, even spirit pills at too high a concentration are akin to poison," the man explained, pointing to a guard. "See this man here? He was supposed to guard the well but was all the way by the houses. This was no accident. These people were indeed murdered. Pills accidentally falling into one well is one thing, but all the wells in the area had powder residue. If the toxic air did not kill them, drinking the water did."

"Who would kill them and why?" a man asked.

"There have been rumors that many homeless people have died or gone missing over the past two years. Whoever was in charge of the area didn't seem to care. Their deaths are even more mysterious, having nothing to do with poison or medicine at all," the alchemist replied. "Perhaps this is a new killing method. Perhaps there is another assassin. Whoever did this killed a lot more people than their intended target and knew this would happen. I have informed the City Guards, and they will investigate all their actions in the city over the past few days and weeks. Perhaps that will provide us with the clues we seek."

"So this wasn't Guo Yang," Guo Jing said as he and his wife rode Red Shadow home.

"If it's not him, we could ask for his aid to identify the poison," Guo Li nodded. As they returned home, Red Shadow slid past Guo Yang on the way to the patriarch's house with the two masters on his back. Red Shadow winked at Guo Yang, and Guo Yang made a subtle nod.

"Sometimes, it is those covert actions that shine the brightest," Guo Yang laughed as he left for the gardens.