Chapter 137: Death Warrior
This time, Lin Chuyue had learned her lesson. She nodded. "You get some rest. I'll go buy you some food. The doctor said you need proper nutrition to recover quickly."
Not long after she left, Huo Wenqing arrived.
He took out a signal jammer, just in case the walls had ears. "Mr. Xiao, I've examined the bodies."
"I discovered that they had poison sacs implanted in their teeth. They're extremely well-hidden and require a special method to trigger."
"Also, they all have a flame tattoo in the same spot on their bodies. This has led me to a rather grim suspicion."
Xiao Ye already understood. He picked up the thread of the conversation, "They're Death Warriors!"
He had actually suspected as much before; this just confirmed it.
Huo Wenqing nodded, his expression grim. "Yes. And these Death Warriors are exceptionally skilled. Whoever trained them can't be some minor family."
"I had my people look into it. Death Warriors have to be trained from a very young age. The process not only takes time but also consumes a massive amount of manpower and resources."
"It's no exaggeration to say that every single Death Warrior is literally built on a mountain of cash!"
"They exist only to follow orders. They wouldn't hesitate for a second if commanded to die on the spot."
"However, even for Death Warriors, suicide isn't usually the automatic response to a failed mission."
Xiao Ye nodded. "So they must have been given their orders before they even arrived: if faced with capture, they were to commit suicide immediately."
"It seems the mastermind is terrified of being exposed."
He looked at Huo Wenqing. "Have someone investigate the meaning of that flame tattoo."
"Also, find the source of the poison in their teeth. We might find something by pursuing those two leads."
Xiao Ye didn't get his hopes up, though. Even if the investigation turned something up, it was unlikely to lead directly back to the mastermind.
No one would be foolish enough to leave obvious clues, especially not someone capable of training Death Warriors.
Huo Wenqing stood up. "I need to report this to my superiors, but rest assured, Mr. Xiao, this won't cause you any trouble."
"The bodies still need to be dealt with, so I'll take my leave. If you need anything at all, Mr. Xiao, don't hesitate to call me."
With that, he walked out briskly.
Xiao Ye gazed out the window, his eyes cold. 'Who could it be?'
'They've tried to kill me time and again, and each attempt was meant to be fatal!'
After a moment of thought, Xiao Ye picked up his phone and dialed a number.
Soon, Yuan Tiancheng's voice came from the other end. "Mr. Xiao, what are your orders?"
"Does the Yuan Family have Death Warriors?"
As one of Shanghai's most prominent families, the Yuan Family's power was undeniable.
Yuan Tiancheng was taken aback and quickly replied, "No, the Yuan Family has never trained Death Warriors. We wouldn't even know how."
"You wouldn't know how?" Xiao Ye frowned. "Even a family like yours?"
"That's right. Training Death Warriors isn't easy. Leaving aside the money and resources, you also need a specific training method."
"The Yuan Family considered it in the past, but it was a dead end. The methods for training Death Warriors are said to be lost. We sought out many formidable experts, but not a single one could do it."
"Why do you ask? Mr. Xiao, have you encountered Death Warriors?"
Xiao Ye nodded, not bothering to hide the truth. "Yes. I have a few leads. I need you to help me investigate them. Be careful and take a few men with you."
"An organization with Death Warriors at their disposal will likely notice you snooping around."
"Alright, I understand. But if Death Warriors are really involved... it must be the work of one of the true old-guard families."
The Yuan Family had only truly made its fortune in the last few decades.
While their current power was enough to rank them among the great families of Shanghai...
...they were leagues behind the old-guard families in terms of heritage and deep-rooted influence.
Some of those old-guard families may have fallen into decline, but they're true century-old clans. They might just possess such a method for training Death Warriors.
"You have to understand, back in ancient times, only the true Royal Nobility could afford to train Death Warriors. It was considered a Secret Technique, passed down from one generation to the next and never shared with outsiders."
After hanging up, Yuan Tiancheng immediately set out to investigate, not daring to delay for a moment.
Xiao Ye remained in the hospital for three days before being discharged and returning to the Lin Family's home.
Seeing that he was all right, the constant worry that had been plaguing Lin Aoshan finally lifted. He glanced at Lin Chuyue and, in the end, simply sighed without saying a word.
Lin Chuyue knew she was the one who had caused this mess. "I'll go check on Grandpa."
With that, she hurried upstairs.
Xiao Ye had just sat down when he got a call from Yuan Tiancheng. "Mr. Xiao, I don't think I can complete the task you gave me."
"I had only just begun investigating the leads you gave me when I was targeted for assassination."
"If I hadn't listened to your advice and brought several bodyguards, I'd probably be dead right now."
Two of his bodyguards had died protecting him.
The memory alone sent a chill of lingering fear down Yuan Tiancheng's spine.
As the current Patriarch of the Yuan Family, he had seen it all.
But this time, he was truly terrified.
"Mr. Xiao, the assassin who came for me was incredibly skilled. If there's a next time, I don't know if I'll be lucky enough to escape again."
"And they knew I was investigating the moment I started, even though I was trying to be discreet... I'm out of my league."
Yuan Tiancheng hated to admit it, but those were the facts.
"Alright, I understand."
Xiao Ye didn't press him. "Stop the investigation. But keep your men close for the time being."
"Once they see you've backed off, they should leave you alone. They don't want to get too brazen, or the ones investigating them won't be private citizens anymore."
Yuan Tiancheng agreed. "Mr. Xiao, is there anything else you need me to do?"
"Send some of your bodyguards here—your best ones. Have them protect the Lin Family."
'His enemies had already sent so many men, even losing several Death Warriors in the process.'
'They won't give up. Otherwise, all their previous efforts would have been for nothing!'
'And since their goal is to kill me, they're bound to have a follow-up plan!'
'But this time, they definitely won't risk a direct confrontation. They'll probably resort to striking from the shadows.'
That was what worried Xiao Ye the most.
"Alright, I'll see to it at once!"
The next few days passed uneventfully.
Lin Chuyue had also learned her lesson and stopped going out, terrified of a repeat incident.
During the day, however, they could still take walks in the courtyard, on the condition that Xiao Ye was with them.
The bodyguards Yuan Tiancheng had sent were posted at various points, and they were far more professional than the Lin Family's previous security detail.
A week's worth of groceries had been delivered.
Xiao Ye had already checked them for poison; they were clean.
Lin Chuyue was walking arm-in-arm with Lin Aoshan, with Xiao Ye accompanying them.
"Grandpa… when will we be able to go out?"
"I don't know. But listening to Xiao Ye is always the right thing to do."