Courtyard House: First, kill the hypocrites, leave none alive.

Before dawn, the firelight from the Earth God Temple in the west of the city illuminated half the sky red.

The nearby residents were alarmed and came out to see what was happening. By the time the fire brigade arrived, the temple had already been half burned down, and the three bodies were charred beyond recognition in the ruins, barely recognizable as human.

The police arrived quickly. Officer Zhang looked at the ruins, his face ashen. The forensic doctor carefully searched through the ashes and dug a deformed bullet out of the chest cavity of a corpse.

"The bullets from the Type 54 pistol," the forensic doctor said, putting the bullets into an evidence bag. "The shooting distance was very close; it must have been fired right at the body."

Officer Zhang took the evidence bag, his brow furrowing as he looked at the twisted bullet. A Type 54 pistol? This wasn't something an ordinary person could obtain. Moreover, judging from the scene, all three bodies were adult males, physically robust, one of whom had stab wounds.

This was clearly not an ordinary fire; it was a murder. Three people were killed, and their bodies were then burned to cover their tracks.

Who did it? Why kill someone at the local temple? And who are these three people?

"Check if there are any missing persons recently," Officer Zhang said to his assistant, "especially those with criminal records or whose origins are unclear."

"Yes."

The assistant turned to make arrangements. Officer Zhang circled the scene again but found no valuable clues. The murderer was very professional; killing, burning the body, and leaving were all done in one smooth motion, leaving no trace.

But he always felt that this matter was related to Chen Feng.

Chen Feng has a gun? Where did he get it? He killed three people? Why?

Officer Zhang couldn't understand it. But he knew things were getting increasingly complicated. Chen Feng had already killed six people, and now he might have killed three more. Nine lives—this was already a major case that had shocked the entire country.

He must capture Chen Feng as soon as possible, before more people die.

At the same time, Chen Feng had already arrived at the abandoned brick kiln in the south of the city.

He arrived two hours early, before dawn. The brick kiln had been abandoned for many years, half of the kiln dwellings had collapsed, and it was surrounded by weeds and abandoned graves; no one ever came here normally.

Chen Feng found a secluded spot to hide—a crack behind the cave dwelling, just big enough for a person to squat down. From here, he could see the open space in front of the cave dwelling and the way he had come.

He had a pistol tucked into his pocket, a dagger at his waist, and a kitchen knife in his hand. Fully armed, ready to kill.

He was waiting. Waiting for the deaf old woman to come, or for someone else from the courtyard to come. The note said, "Tomorrow night at eight o'clock, abandoned brick kiln in the south of the city, hand over to the person," but it didn't say who would come. It could be the deaf old woman herself, it could be Yi Zhonghai and his group, or it could be those desperados.

No matter who comes, they will only face certain death.

Time passed slowly. Dawn broke, the sun rose, and its rays bathed the barren grass in golden light. In the distance, birdsong and the barking of wild dogs could be heard.

Chen Feng remained motionless, like a stone. He was very patient and could wait.

At nine o'clock in the morning, footsteps could be heard in the distance.

Chen Feng immediately became alert, gripping the gun in his arms tightly. The footsteps were heavy, neither like an old man nor a woman. It was a person walking very quickly.

The figure gradually came into focus. It was a tall man, wearing blue overalls and a hat, obscuring his face. He walked to the brick kiln, stopped, and looked around.

Chen Feng narrowed his eyes. That figure... it's Sha Zhu!

How could it be Sha Zhu? Where's the deaf old lady? Where are Yi Zhonghai and the others?

Sha Zhu circled the brick kiln, but seeing no one, he grew impatient. He took out his pocket watch, checked the time, and muttered, "Didn't they say eight o'clock? Where is everyone?"

He found a rock to sit on and started waiting.

Chen Feng watched him from the shadows, a complex mix of emotions welling up inside him. Sha Zhu, the canteen cook, that strong, hot-tempered simpleton. That night, it was he who attacked him from behind, knocking him unconscious with a single blow. Later, outside the police station, Sha Zhu tried to hit him again, but was stopped by the officers.

Sha Zhu wasn't the mastermind, but he was an accomplice. He joined Jia Dongxu in framing him and beating him up.

Damn.

But Chen Feng was still a little disappointed. He thought he would see the deaf old woman or Yi Zhonghai and the others. He didn't expect to see Sha Zhu instead.

But it's all for the best; Sha Zhu deserves to die too.

Chen Feng quietly emerged from his hiding place and circled around to behind Sha Zhu. His footsteps were light, like a cat's. Sha Zhu was completely unaware, still cursing, "Damn it, making me wait so long..."

Just as Chen Feng was three steps away from Sha Zhu, Sha Zhu suddenly turned his head.

The two locked eyes.

Sha Zhu paused for a moment, then recognized Chen Feng. Although Chen Feng's face was covered, he recognized his eyes—cold, filled with hatred, like two knives.

"Chen Feng!" Sha Zhu suddenly stood up, an iron rod already in his hand. "You fucking dare to come here again!"

Chen Feng didn't say anything, but took out a pistol from his pocket and aimed it at Sha Zhu.

Sha Zhu's face changed when he saw the gun, but he didn't back down. He gritted his teeth and said, "So what if you have a gun? Come on! Shoot me! Kill me!"

Chen Feng didn't fire. A loud gunshot would attract the police. Besides, he didn't want Sha Zhu to die too easily.

He put away the gun and drew the dagger and kitchen knife from his waist.

Seeing the knife, Sha Zhu laughed instead: "That's right, using a knife makes you a real man. Come on, let's have a one-on-one fight, the winner lives!"

He charged forward, brandishing an iron rod. Sha Zhu was indeed strong; he wielded the iron rod with great force, each strike aimed at Chen Feng's head.

Chen Feng dodged to the side, simultaneously slashing at Sha Zhu's arm with his knife. Sha Zhu couldn't dodge in time and was cut, blood seeping out.

"Damn it!" Sha Zhu cursed, and his attack intensified.

The two began fighting in the open space in front of the brick kiln. Sha Zhu was strong, but his moves were simple, relying entirely on brute force. Chen Feng was agile, his knife skills were ruthless, and every strike was aimed at vital points.

"laugh--"

Chen Feng slashed Sha Zhu's leg with a knife, the cut so deep that bone was visible. Sha Zhu cried out in pain and fell to his knees. Chen Feng seized the opportunity and kicked him in the chest, knocking him to the ground.

The iron rod flew out of his hand and rolled to the side.

Chen Feng walked over, stepped on Sha Zhu's chest, and pressed the tip of his knife against his throat.

"Speak," Chen Feng's voice was cold, "Who sent you?"

Sha Zhu, panting heavily, glared at Chen Feng: "I came here myself! To avenge Sister Qin!"

"Qin Huairu?" Chen Feng sneered. "She framed me; she deserves to die."

"Bullshit!" Sha Zhu roared, "Sister Qin would never frame someone! You're the one who's being a scoundrel!"

"Really?" Chen Feng pressed the knife tip down, cutting into the skin. "Then tell me, what did you see that night? Did you really see me behaving indecently towards Qin Huairu?"

Sha Zhu fell silent. He hadn't actually seen anything. That night, he heard Qin Huairu scream for help. When he ran over, he saw Chen Feng standing in the corner of the courtyard, and Qin Huairu sitting on the ground, her clothes disheveled. Jia Dongxu insisted that Chen Feng was being a pervert, and Yi Zhonghai echoed him, so he believed him.

But now that I think about it, it seems I really didn't see it with my own eyes.

"Can't say it?" Chen Feng stared at him. "Because you didn't see it at all. You just heard Jia Dongxu and the others say it, and then you joined in the commotion and beat me up."

Sha Zhu gritted his teeth and remained silent.

Chen Feng put away the knife and took out a rope from his pocket. He tied Sha Zhu's hands and feet tightly, the rope digging into his flesh.

"What are you trying to do?" Sha Zhu struggled, but couldn't break free.

Chen Feng ignored him, walked to the side, and picked up Sha Zhu's iron rod. He walked back and looked at Sha Zhu, who was tied to the ground.

"That night," Chen Feng said, "you ambushed me from behind and knocked me unconscious with a stick. Remember?"

Sha Zhu stared at him.

"Good that you remember," Chen Feng said, raising the iron rod. "Now, here you go."

"Bang!"

The iron rod slammed down on Sha Zhu's knee. The sound of bones cracking was clearly audible.

"Ah—!" Sha Zhu screamed in agony, his voice shrill and mournful.

Chen Feng didn't stop, and struck his other knee with the stick again.

"This is for the kicks you gave me that night."

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

The iron rod pounded down on Sha Zhu's body, arms, ribs, and shoulders. Each blow was delivered with full force, each one breaking bones.

Sha Zhu's screams grew weaker and weaker, eventually turning into faint groans. He was covered in blood, with countless broken bones, and lay sprawled on the ground like a lump of mud.

Chen Feng stopped, panting heavily. He looked at Sha Zhu, the once arrogant and foolish man, who was now lying on the ground like a dead dog, without even the strength to beg for mercy.

"Silly Zhu," Chen Feng squatted down, looking into his eyes, "Do you know what? The person I hate the most isn't Jia Dongxu, or Yi Zhonghai, it's you."

Sha Zhu's eyes were half-open and half-closed, and they had lost all their sparkle.

"Because you're the dumbest," Chen Feng continued, "you believe whatever others say, and you hit whoever they tell you to hit. You're brainless, but you're strong and ruthless. If it weren't for that blow from you that night, I might still have a chance to explain, a chance to overturn the case."

He stood up and looked at the dying Sha Zhu.

"But it's no use saying all this now." Chen Feng drew his dagger. "You deserve to die."

The dagger fell, severing Sha Zhu's throat.

Blood gushed out, Sha Zhu's body twitched a few times, and then stopped moving.

Chen Feng stood there, staring at Sha Zhu's corpse for a long time. Then he squatted down and began to search Sha Zhu's body.

He pulled some money, a work ID, and a slip of paper from his pocket. The slip read: "Abandoned brick kiln in the south of the city, 8 o'clock, rendezvous."

The handwriting is very neat, like that of Yan Bugui.

Chen Feng carefully put away the note and took the money. Then he dragged Sha Zhu's body into the brick kiln and covered it with a tattered straw mat.

After finishing these tasks, he walked out of the brick kiln, stood in the open space, and looked at the distant sky.

The sun was already high in the sky, and the sunlight was dazzling, but it didn't feel warm on my skin.

again.

Sha Zhu is dead.

Who's next?

A deaf old woman? Yi Zhonghai? Liu Haizhong? Yan Bugui?

Or are they the people in the hospital who paid for it?

Chen Feng didn't know. But he knew this matter wasn't over yet.

He needed to go back, wait for nightfall, and wait for the next opportunity.

But then he suddenly remembered something—the police must have already found the three bodies at the local temple. They will investigate, pursue, and intensify their search.

He needs to be careful.

Chen Feng walked along a winding path towards the restaurant. He was very cautious along the way, deliberately choosing secluded paths and avoiding pedestrians.

It was already noon when we got back to the restaurant. There weren't many customers, and the owner was doing the accounting behind the counter.

"Xiao Li, you're back?" The boss glanced at him.

"Okay," Chen Feng replied and walked towards the backyard.

"What happened to your arm?" the boss asked, noticing the wound on his arm.

"It was an accidental scratch," Chen Feng said. "It's nothing."

The boss didn't ask any more questions and continued calculating the accounts. Chen Feng went back to the small room, closed the door, and leaned against it, catching his breath.

I'm tired. Not just physically, but mentally too.

He pulled the note from his pocket and looked at the handwriting. It was indeed Yan Bugui's handwriting; he recognized it. That cunning Third Uncle was also on the list of those hired to commit murder.

good very good.

Chen Feng burned the note, then checked the gun and knife. The gun still had twenty-seven bullets, and the knife was still very sharp.

He needs rest and needs to recharge.

There may be further action tonight.

The atmosphere inside the courtyard was eerie.

The deaf old woman felt something was wrong from the start of the day. Last night, flames shot into the sky near the local temple, and this morning she heard that three people had burned to death. She had a bad feeling about it and couldn't shake the feeling that it was related to what happened last night.

She had originally planned to go to the brick kiln to meet the customer today, but changed her mind at the last minute. She was old and had difficulty walking, and she wouldn't be able to run fast if something happened.

She called Yi Zhonghai, Liu Haizhong, and Yan Bugui into the house.

"Something happened at the local temple last night," the deaf old woman said. "Three people burned to death. I suspect it was one of the people we hired."

The three of them changed their expressions.

"Then... what should we do?" Liu Haizhong asked.

"I can't go to the meeting tonight," the deaf old woman said. "The three of you go. Or... find a young and strong person to go in your place."

The three men looked at each other, unsure what to do. They dared not go. What if Chen Feng was there? What if Chen Feng really had killed those three men?

"How about... we send Sha Zhu?" Yan Bugui suggested. "Sha Zhu is bold, reckless, and fearless."

Yi Zhonghai thought for a moment and nodded: "Okay, let Sha Zhu go. He has a grudge against Chen Feng and has always wanted to avenge Qin Huairu, so he will definitely go."

Liu Haizhong had no objections. The three of them found Sha Zhu and explained the situation.

When Sha Zhu heard that it was a rendezvous and there was a chance he might run into Chen Feng, his eyes lit up: "Great! I'll go! I'm not afraid of anything if it means avenging Sister Qin!"

He patted his chest and agreed, even bringing the iron rod with him.

Sha Zhu set off at nine o'clock in the morning. He said he wanted to go early to familiarize himself with the terrain and make preparations.

It's already afternoon, and Sha Zhu still hasn't returned.

The people in the courtyard began to worry.

"Why hasn't Sha Zhu come back yet?" Auntie Er asked.

"Maybe...maybe something came up and delayed me." Liu Haizhong spoke hesitantly.

The deaf old woman sat in the house, fiddling with her prayer beads and muttering to herself. But she knew in her heart that Sha Zhu might not be coming back.

If Chen Feng really killed those three people, then he must have known about tonight's rendezvous. He would be waiting at the brick kiln, waiting for the next person to die.

Sha Zhu was the one who was sent to his death.

The deaf old woman closed her eyes and twirled her prayer beads even faster. She prayed in her heart, praying that Sha Zhu would come back alive, or at least... die a quick and painless death.

But she knew Chen Feng wouldn't let anyone die a quick death. The manner in which Qin Huairu, Jia Dongxu, and Xu Damao died showed that Chen Feng was cruel; every cut was torture.

Sha Zhu is likely in grave danger.

As evening fell, the people in the courtyard were in complete panic. Sha Zhu had not returned, and there was no word from him.

"Should we... call the police?" the third woman whispered.

"Why are you calling the police!" Yan Bugui roared. "What should we say? That we hired someone to kill someone, and now the person is gone?"

No one dared to speak. Yes, they couldn't call the police. Calling the police would be tantamount to surrendering themselves.

All they could do was wait, wait for Sha Zhu to come back, or wait for news of Sha Zhu's death to arrive.

it's dark.

Sha Zhu hasn't come back yet.

The courtyard was deathly silent. Everyone hid inside their houses, afraid to go out, afraid to turn on the lights, and afraid to speak.

They knew that they might be next.

Meanwhile, Chen Feng was sitting in a small room behind the restaurant, sharpening his knife.

The blade was very sharp, gleaming coldly under the light.

He is waiting.

Wait until it's completely dark.

When the people in the courtyard were most afraid.

Then, he would go to the courtyard house.

Solve them one by one, all at once.

Not a single one will be left.