Chapter 485: Brave Sacrifice
Translator: Lonelytree Editor: Millman97
It was unclear how Su Zheng did it, but she managed to send back a few high definition pictures of the body to Han Chu’s phone since it was too inconvenient for them to leave. Han Chu took a glance at them and then sent a message to ask for a few specific angles. Finally, he found a symbol at a location that no one would pay attention to.
“Take a look at it.” There was a small cross symbol at the back of the body’s right ear. The symbol was only the size of a fingernail, and it was so faded that it felt painted on. It was hiding near the hairline at the back of the ear, so it was something easily missed. After he pointed at the symbol, Han Chu took Anthony’s laptop. He did not have any trouble using it. He swiftly pulled up some information. “When the organization wants to punish a suspected traitor, they leave this symbol behind their ear. Our people and the FBI used this specialty to look through some old, big cases. We relied on this symbol to confirm a few ex members of the organization and managed to get some more clues through it.”
“A traitor?” Anthony looked at the dead body in the picture strangely. “I can’t believe this. This kind of lowly, despicable ruffian can be that organization’s official member?”
“Who said he’s an official member?” Han Chu looked down on Anthony’s intelligence. “Even though this symbol represents betrayal, it might not mean that in this case. If I must guess, I believe this is a taunt that was purposely left for us.”
I know you are here. I know your people captured him. But look, I am just beside you. I am beside your official representation. I can do whatever I wish. Even if you’re there, no one is able to stop me.
Han Chu suddenly laughed, but his gaze was very cold. “We are only hiding from the villagers. They discovered our presence from the beginning, and they did not mind letting us know that they have that knowledge.”
“They only didn’t mind it?” Anthony grumbled. “With such a clear symbol, it feels like they cannot hold back from pushing that information in our face.”
The girl almost finished her work in the kitchen. Ye Shuang looked inside and lowered her voice to ask, “Should we contact Uncle Han to bring some people back here?”
“No need.” Han Chu denied it without hesitation. “Even if we know there’s someone here, there’s nothing we can do. One, we have no idea whether the person here is worth catching or not, and two, we cannot be certain that this isn’t another smokescreen… What if they intend to do this to distract our attention from somewhere else?”
That was indeed possible.
Ye Shuang held her head. “Then, based on what you said, it depends on the few of us to hold this place?”
Han Chu tossed her a glance. “Are you not up to the challenge?”
Ye Shuang choked at the man’s matter-of-fact way of putting things. After a long time, she felt better. “Brother, that is not how you use the goading method through criticism. This is not a street brawl but an actual mad terrorist organization! Do you know how difficult that will be?”
“Tsk.” Han Chu’s plan had failed, and he turned back with disappointment. He said calmly and unreasonably, “No matter what, we have to do this.”
Ye Shuang was going to die from anger because of this man.
…
When Su Zheng returned, the girl had already set the dinner table. To have the host wait for the guest, that was not something a normal person would do. Even if the girl with the ponytail insisted on waiting, she was persuaded by Ye Shuang to finish her meal first. She made sure that the girl finished half of the best food just in case the girl thought about leaving it for the guests. Therefore, when the few others took their seats at the table, the girl with the ponytail had already gone to the backyard to finish some other work. Even though she was not farming that day, there was always something to do around a village home.
“I was almost caught when I was out working today.” Su Zheng chewed on the food noisily and could not wait to start complaining. She looked like she was both hungry and tired. “The dead person at the village entrance caused a ripple effect through the village. The woman called Auntie Liu fainted twice, and the village head here, I heard they are organizing patrol teams with volunteers from each house, and they will guard the village at night.”
“They’re not calling the police?” Ye Shuang listened to her story, but she did not hear the most crucial police report.
“Didn’t hear them say that.” Su Zheng thought that was weird as well. “I believe it’s because it wouldn’t be of much use. After all, this place is too isolated. The police will reach here tomorrow at the earliest, and I feel like the village head didn’t even consider calling the police. He already had people bring the body down, and they are going to bury him tomorrow.”
If they were calling the police, it was common knowledge that the crime scene should not be tampered with. Since they had decided to bury the young man, it was quite a firm guess that they were not going to involve any outsiders.
Han Chu thought about it. “Xiao Su, after dinner, I need you to go investigate the village head’s home. I want to know whether it’s the village’s tradition or there’s something the village head wants to hide. You’d better go and check his place to see if there’s anything strange that stands out.”
Su Zheng choked and coughed out the rice that was stuck in her throat. She quickly put down the utensil and hacked out the food. Her face was red. When she finally caught her breath, she quickly said no. “Please don’t. Half of the patrol is out for me tonight.”
Then she lowered her head to sigh. “You should understand that there has just been a murder. Naturally, an outsider like myself will be their main target, or else how will they explain how something like this happened the moment I showed up in the village? I believe that even if they don’t treat me as the killer now, they have already seen me as some kind of bringer of bad luck … When I was taking the picture, the situation was chaotic, so no one paid attention to me. But afterward, someone brought the attention back to me. If I didn’t slither away quick enough, I would have been caught.”
Han Chu tutted again. Then he searched through his clothes and then tossed out a document. “You can act, right? If you’re discovered, just say you’re the police.”
This excuse was so familiar. They probably used this same excuse when they asked to stay at the girl’s home, but the situation now was so chaotic. Was it really okay to send the girl back into the dangerous water?
Su Zheng held the document with tears in her eyes. “I have to go no matter what?”
“What do you think?”
“…” Su Zheng wiped her tears, and her expression was wronged. “Then, what if I’m really discovered and the document can’t fool them and they want to punish me? You have to come and save me.”
Han Chu nodded. “Don’t worry, we will. But if we fail, we will never forget your sacrifice.”
Ye Shuang put down her bowl to rub her temples. She could not listen to this any longer.
What kind of group had she gotten herself involved in?