Ximen Zhanying was squatting next to a corpse at the entrance of the cave, holding a silver needle in his hand and piercing the corpse's throat and hand veins. Qining understood at a glance that Ximen Zhanying This is using a silver needle to check whether the corpse is poisonous.
Qu Xiaocang, who was kneeling on the ground, said nothing. He just checked the ground very carefully and moved seven or eight steps. After a while, he stood up and walked towards the entrance of the cave. Ximen Zhanying had also stood up at this moment. He stepped forward and whispered a few words into Qu Xiaocang's ear. Qu Xiaocang's expression was solemn. He had always been kind-hearted and always had a smile on his face, but at this moment, the smile was no longer on his face. His small eyes, which were like slits, were shining strangely. Sexy, few people could not figure out his thoughts for a while.
Qu Xiaocang checked the surroundings again, and finally walked to Qi Ning and sighed: "Lu Shanghe was taken away?"
Qi Ning nodded and asked, "What clues can Captain Qu find?" After Qu Xiaocang had been tinkering for a long time, Qi Ning naturally knew that he was collecting clues.
Qu Xiaocang pondered for a moment, and finally said: "The corpses outside have no new injuries on their bodies, let alone fatal injuries, and after inspection, they do not have any toxins in their bodies."
Suzaku said in shock: "No scars? It's not poisoning. Then... why did they die?"
"This requires careful inspection after dissection of the corpse." Qu Xiaocang said: "But this requires sending the corpse to the capital. Careful inspection may be able to find some clues."
Xuanwu had also inspected the corpses just now, and indeed as Qu Xiaocang said, no fatal injuries were found on the corpses. He was also surprised in his heart, since there were no fatal injuries on these people, why were all of them dead
"It seems that some of Lu Shanghe's accomplices have sneaked into Gulong and took the opportunity to rescue him." Ximen Zhanying frowned and said: "Second senior brother, should we send someone to Yinghe Villa to arrest him immediately? Even if If he doesn’t dare to go back, some of his disciples can be arrested and interrogated.”
"Of course it's impossible for him to go back. This person acts secretly. Even if he catches his disciples, we may not be able to find any clues." Qu Xiaocang shook his head slightly: "I'm just wondering now whether he was rescued by someone."
Qi Ning asked suspiciously: "Captain Qu, what do you mean by this?"
Qu Xiaocang said: "You asked people to imprison Lu Shanghe here, and sent eight people to guard him here. Including Lu Shanghe, that's nine people. In addition to them, five of us rushed over, and there were fourteen people in front and behind. Go to Laolong Cave." He pointed to the ground: "I have just carefully checked the ground. There are a total of fourteen new footprints, and I have measured the size of the footprints. The footprints of thirteen people happen to agree with us. The remaining pair of footprints should be Lu Shanghe’s.”
Xuanwu and Suzaku looked at each other and thought that Qu Xiaocang had been tossing them for a long time just now. It turned out that he wanted to check the footprints. Being able to check out more than a dozen pairs of footprints in such a short period of time was really impressive for the presence of the people in the Shenhou Mansion.
Qi Ning shook his head and said: "No, there are at least fifteen people's footprints. Lu Shanghe was rescued by others. Look at the surrounding environment. There is only one way for us to enter. It is absolutely impossible to enter the Old Dragon Cave from other places. , so the footprints of the person who rescued Lu Shanghe should also be left behind."
"That's what I thought." Qu Xiaocang said: "The corpses didn't have any injuries. All eight people died here inexplicably. This is naturally extremely weird. And if you look at the postures and expressions of these eight corpses before they died, except for one There is a look of fear in the eyes, and the other seven corpses all have a slightly painful look, but there is no fear or surprise...!"
"Only Cao Yang has a different expression from the others." Qi Ning nodded slightly and said: "Lu Shanghe was seriously injured and was tied up. Cao Yang and others are not ordinary people. It is absolutely impossible for Lu Shanghe to kill these eight people alone when he was seriously injured. He was a man, and he was able to retreat calmly, so there must be someone to save him." After thinking for a moment, he said, "Does it mean that only Cao Yang saw the murderer?"
"It can be explained this way." Qu Xiaocang said: "But I can't be sure. Leader Wei, two elders, when you saw the corpse just now, did you find something special?"
"What's special?"
Qu Xiaocang said: "Except for Cao Yang, whom Gang Leader Wei mentioned, the other seven people pressed their right hands on their hearts when they were about to die. It seemed that there was something wrong with the heart position, so I immediately thought that it was probably venom attacking the heart, but after checking the corpse , none of them were poisoned...!" He said thoughtfully: "If their faces showed fear, I might be able to judge that they died of fright, but in fact this is not the case, so it is really confusing. "
"Cao Yang and these brothers have experienced hundreds of battles, how could they die of fright?" Xuanwu said calmly: "The opponent must have used evil skills to hurt them."
Qu Xiaocang said: "It makes sense. Gang Leader Wei said there should be at least fifteen people's footprints. No matter how high the martial arts skills are, it's impossible for the real culprit not to leave footprints, so I checked carefully...!" He paused slightly. After a while, he said: "But it is true that there are only fourteen people's footprints."
Ximen Zhanying's face changed slightly, and he couldn't help but ask: "Second senior brother, then... are there no footprints of the murderer? The murderer can't fly from the sky."
"Maybe it really flew here." Qu Xiaocang sighed: "But as far as I know, it comes and goes without a trace, leaving not even a trace of footprints. This kind of martial arts, even today's top masters cannot do it. "
Including Qi Ning, several people's eyes showed a hint of surprise.
Killing people are invisible and saving people is invisible. Could it be that they are ghosts
"Elder Suzaku, is this the only exit from the Old Dragon Cave?" Qining turned to look at Suzaku.
Suzaku nodded and said: "This is the only place. The Old Dragon Cave was not dug by manpower, but made by nature. I have gone in twice before, and I am sure there is no other exit."
"If this is the case, when Lu Shanghe left, he could only go out through this hole." Qi Ning looked at Qu Xiaocang and asked, "Of course Colonel Qu found the footprints of Lu Shanghe's departure."
Qu Xiaocang walked to the edge of the hole, squatted down, pointed to a place and said: "If the footprints of the fourteenth person are that of Lu Shanghe, then after he came out, he disappeared from this place and never took a step forward."
Qining moved to the place where Lu Shanghe disappeared and looked around. On one side was the mountain wall and on the other side was Longtan Lake. Then he looked up and saw that there was also a steep stone wall above the old dragon cave, more than ten feet high. It was impossible to climb it manually.
"Could it be that he jumped into the lake?" Ximen Zhanying suddenly thought of something: "Second senior brother, is it possible that the murderer came up from the lake, so no traces could be found?"
Qu Xiaocang shook his head and said: "If the murderer sneaked in from the lake, he would have left traces of water when he came ashore. I checked the soil, and there was no sign of moisture at all. And even if he came up from the lake, there should be traces after he came ashore. To If Lu Shanghe escaped from the lake when he left, it is unlikely." Pointing to Longtan Lake, "It is still some distance to jump from here to Longtan Lake. Jumping into the lake from such a distance, let alone make any noise. , at least it will splash water on the shore, but there is no trace of water splashing on the shore."
Qi Ning only felt that something was getting more and more strange. He looked up at the steep mountain wall above the entrance of the cave, pondered for a moment, and then said: "If you don't come from the path or leave from the lake, you can only come down from the top."
Qu Xiaocang also raised his head and sighed: "If such a method is available, then the martial arts of the person who rescued Lu Shanghe is really shocking. In the world, I am afraid only a great master can do it."
As soon as the words "Grand Master" came out, several people's expressions changed slightly, and Qi Ning's heart even shivered.
Qu Xiaocang continued: "If it is really the Grand Master, then all this can be explained. The Grand Master's martial arts are so superb that he can come and go without leaving a trace, so of course he can do it. These eight brothers of the Beggar Gang were killed in an instant. He was killed without even reacting, and only a great master can do that." He frowned and said, "But among the five great masters, who is likely to come to Gulong to rescue just Lu Shanghe?"
Qi Ning suddenly thought of Lu Shanghe's unknown swordsmanship. That swordsmanship was very similar to the sword manual drawn by the sword god Beigong. If anyone among the five great masters had something to do with Lu Shanghe, the biggest suspect would be Beigong Liancheng.
But Beigong Liancheng was aloof from the world, so how could he bend down to save Lu Shanghe? And with his martial arts, even if he didn't kill these Beggar Clan disciples, he should be able to take Lu Shanghe away, but why did he have to be so ruthless
Could it be that the person behind Lu Shanghe was actually Beigong Liancheng
Qi Ning himself was shocked by this possibility and thought it was really unbelievable.
But when he thought about it carefully, he felt that this was really impossible.
If Bai Hu and Lu Shanghe were ordered by Beigong Liancheng to murder Xiang Baiying, then why did Beigong want to kill Xiang Baiying? Beigong Liancheng's martial arts skills are extraordinary. If he wanted to kill Xiang Baiying, it would not be difficult. Why would he need to borrow other people's hands or even plan carefully? This is unreasonable.
"Gang Leader Wei, this matter is of great importance." Qu Xiaocang thought for a while and then said: "We must rush back to the capital immediately to report the matter, and we will definitely investigate the matter with all our strength."
Qi Ning knew that something like this happened, and it would be strange if the Shenhou Mansion did not care about it. He nodded and said: "Lu Shanghe is the beggar gang's enemy. The beggar gang will also search for Lu Shanghe's whereabouts. Captain Qu, no matter who finds Lu Shanghe first." , let each other know, and the Beggars Gang will also cooperate with the Shenhou Mansion to find the real culprit behind the scenes."
Qu Xiaocang cupped his hands and said, "This will help you." He cupped his hands to Xuanwu and the other two, and then said, "Little junior sister, let's go."
Ximen Zhanying glanced at Qi Ning and saw Qi Ning looking at him with a smile. She quickly saluted Qi Ning and then turned around and left with Qu Xiaocang.
After the two of them left, Xuanwu said: "Gang Leader Wei, do you really think the one who rescued Lu Shanghe will be the Grand Master?"
"There is currently no evidence that it was the Grand Master who rescued Lu Shanghe." Qi Ning shook his head: "There is no evidence, so we can't make random guesses. Maybe the murderer has other methods that we can't think of, but in this matter, the Beggar Gang and the Shenhou Mansion Since we need to join forces to investigate, the murderer has killed several of our brothers, so naturally we can't let it go."