Open A Clinic To Cultivate Myself Chapter 356

In the study of the subsidiary building, Liu s.h.i.+ba was lying in a pool of blood. There was only a single wound on his body, but it was a fatal one. A sharp weapon had pierced through his heart. Blood gushed out from his body, dying the floor red.

Other than Liu s.h.i.+ba having been killed, Reverend Qingsong had also been murdered. His head had been hacked by a saber, cleaved apart directly. The killer had struck deftly. The wound was not jagged and he had been killed in one stroke.

The killer had obviously struck in the study, but there was no signs of a scuffle in the room. Nor did they find anything wrecked or knocked over. Other than splashes of blood, the study was very tidy. The murder scene did not need to be cleaned up, since the killer had not left behind any signs.

Who could kill a pract.i.tioner like Reverend Qingsong in one saber stroke, without even a scuffle? Ning Tao was astounded. Even if he were to attack himself, he could not have done it so deftly.

“Is this old man Liu s.h.i.+ba?” Jiang Hao broke the silence in the study.

Ning Tao said, “Yes, he is Liu s.h.i.+ba. Unfortunately we are too late. Someone had come before us and killed him.”

“Who do you think it was?”

Ning Tao shook his head. “No idea. But I guess it must be the one whose ident.i.ty Liu s.h.i.+ba was about to disclose. Last night, he told me that he had to hide after telling me the secret.”

“Other than you three, who else was present?” Jiang Hao asked.

Ning Tao said, “A fish demon called Hai Dongfang. His lingering odor is in here. But I can't tell when he had departed.”

“Do you think it might have been that fish demon?”

Ning Tao said, “Probably not. If Hai Dongfang was connected with the secret I want, a careful man like Liu s.h.i.+ba would never have employed him as bodyguard.”

“Don't touch anything here. I will get those security guards in and let them be witnesses. We can cross-examine them about the situation by the way.” Jiang Hao said these words and then left the room.

She was after all an elite agent from the Bureau of Special Affairs. She was far more experienced than Ning Tao in handling such matters.

After Jiang Hao's departure, Ning Tao came to the study desk. He put on his rubber gloves and pulled out the drawer with the secret mechanism. Then he slammed the drawer shut.

After slamming it, the secret door in the wall opened.

With the help of the lamp, Ning Tao could see the interior of the secret chamber. All the antiques, precious spiritual materials and medicinal herbs had disappeared. Other than storage racks and boxes, nothing else was in this secret storeroom.

Ning Tao frowned. “The killer murdered Liu s.h.i.+ba and took all his prized possessions. Was he pretending it was murder over a heist?”

But he felt himself quite fortunate by the way. Luckily, he had ripped off Liu s.h.i.+ba and stashed away a large sack of the necessary spiritual materials. Otherwise, he would have rued the day.

Footsteps resounded from outside the door.

Ning Tao moved away from the study desk and back to the center of the room. Jiang Hao had brought in a group of Manchu-costumed men. The moment they entered, someone cried, “Master s.h.i.+ba!” Others threw themselves on the floor and knelt, weeping and lamenting loudly. They seemed to be mourning the death of a close kin.

Jiang Hao s.h.i.+fted her eyes and stared at the secret door Ning Tao had opened. She knew that Ning Tao had disobeyed her instructions, but she said nothing.

A middle-aged man in Manchu costume suddenly pointed at Ning Tao, growling furiously. “Master s.h.i.+ba was still fine at supper. Yet he had died after you came! You must have killed him!”

Ning Tao felt his heart tremble. “When did Master s.h.i.+ba take his supper?”

“Don't play possum! Pay with your life for the murder! Pay for Master s.h.i.+ba's life!” A young man in Manchu costume suddenly stood up, drawing out a short knife.

But before he could act, a black pistol had pressed on his temple.

It was Jiang Hao's pistol.

“If you even move a little, I will blow your head!” Jiang Hao's voice was cold. She was threatening him brutally.

Someone started to s.h.i.+ft a hand to his waist.

All these men were armed with guns.

Ning Tao said coldly, “Are you all tired of living? This is Superintendent Jiang. If you pull out anything you shouldn't, you will be sentenced to three to five years' jail for owning firearms. That is, if we disregard you discharging them. Before you act, think it over. Once you fire, there's no room for regret.”

The hands of those who were stealthily reaching for their pistols instantly froze.

Ning Tao continued, “Liu s.h.i.+ba is dead. If we had been the killers, would we have remained behind? All of you are thinking of avenging him. Who gives you this courage and who will reward you for it?”

The word “reward” reminded these thugs.

“Keep your weapons!” The middle-aged man who was their chief ordered. “Master s.h.i.+ba is dead! He is dead!”

That young man in Manchu costume kept his knife.

Jiang Hao also put down her pistol, but she did not keep it. She spoke loudly, “Who took supper with Master s.h.i.+ba tonight? When did they have supper?”

The middle-aged man said, “Master s.h.i.+ba took his supper with Reverend Qingsong tonight. That was about one hour ago.”

“Was Hai Dongfang with them tonight?” Ning Tao asked.

The middle-aged man shook his head. “Master Hai left early this morning. He did not say where he was going, nor did he return.”

Ning Tao felt somewhat baffled in his heart. There were the lingering odors of many people in this study, including Hai Dongfang's. Some were the odors of strangers. But he had not even seen them, so he could not deduce who was the murderer.

“Hao, watch over them. I'm going into the secret chamber.” Ning Tao walked into the secret chamber in the wall. He maintained the state of smelling in his nose.

There were a lot of aromas left behind by the spiritual materials, medicinal herbs, and antiques in this secret chamber. These odors were very mingled. As for the odors of human beings, they were simpler to detect. There were those of himself and Qing Zhui, as well as those of Liu s.h.i.+ba, Reverend Qingsong and Hai Dongfang.

And there was one more odor, that of a stranger.

Ning Tao wondered to himself, “Was Hai Dongfang a planted agent who brought men in to kill Liu s.h.i.+ba and rob him of his spiritual materials?”

He pondered for some time without coming to a conclusion. Ning Tao retreated from the secret chamber. He had some reward though. He had committed that stranger's odor to his mind. If he ran into that man again, he would be able to identify him.

“Discovered anything?” Jiang Hao asked.

Ning Tao answered, “Let's talk outside.” Then he s.h.i.+fted his gaze to those men in Manchu costumes, guarded by Jiang Hao. “Call the police, but don't tell them we visited this place. If you tell them, I will report your firearms.”

“We won't. Don't worry, I know what to say,” the man who was their chief said.

Actually, it was not such a big deal even if the police knew they had been here. But he wanted no dealings with the police. Moreover, Jiang Hao had not yet quit the Bureau of Special Affairs. He was still considered an “external staff.” Suspicions would arise had they known he was involved in a murder. It would not be easy to explain his involvement.

After leaving Heaven on Earth, they rode for a short distance before seeing police cars speed to Heaven on Earth.

Jiang Hao lay on Ning Tao's shoulder, speaking into his ear. “What should we say if the police discover we have visited the murder scene?”

Ning Tao said, “Don't worry, those fellows won't say anything. No one with Liu s.h.i.+ba has a clean record. The man who is their chief is very clearheaded. He will know what to say.”

“But the clue is broken. Now what?”

Ning Tao said, “Let me gather my thoughts. You leave this matter aside for the moment. I want to give you something, but I don't know whether you can use it.”

“What thing?” Jiang Hao asked curiously.

“Let's get back to the clinic first.” Ning Tao revved the engine and G.o.d's Will sped forward in acceleration.

Jiang Hao had unwittingly embraced Ning Tao's waist.

Back in Sky Clinic, Ning Tao opened a convenient door and came to Shennongjia.

“Why have you brought me here?” Jiang Hao looked with a strange expression at Ning Tao.

Ning Tao did not answer. He put the small medicine chest on the ground and knelt on one knee, opening it. He took out a long brocade box, proffering it to Jiang Hao in both hands.

Jiang Hao was instantly startled. The expression on her face was strange and she also spoke oddly, “Don't, don't do this.”

Ning Tao urged her. “Take it.”

Jiang Hao's face started to flush. “But I, I haven't agreed yet!”

Ning Tao was stunned momentarily and suddenly understood. He smiled. “You think… I am proposing to you?”

“Aren't you?” The irrepressible smile on Jiang Hao's face vanished in one second. She looked as if she were about to batter someone.

Ning Tao could not help but laugh. “Who would use such a large brocade box to hold a ring? This is Reverend Qingsong's magic tool. I can't use it, but you might be able to. Try it.”

Jiang Hao immediately grabbed the brocade box in Ning Tao's hands. She turned around to open the box, not allowing Ning Tao to see her face.

Ning Tao drew near and asked tentatively, “Shall I buy a pair of rings later?”

A white shadow suddenly hurtled towards them. In that instant, a wild gale started to rise. The gale a.s.sailed their faces like a cutting blade, with a bone-penetrating chill. Ning Tao unconsciously ducked. Almost instantaneously, the barks of the trees behind him were all ripped off. Their trunks had also frozen!

“What…” Jiang Hao was stunned. She had not realized that a hossu would have such power!

Ning Tao was also utterly astounded. He had not expected Reverend Qingsong's magic tool to be so powerful too.

Actually, Reverend Qingsong's Heavenly Hossu had not been so powerful. But Ning Tao had refined and mended it in his rotten broken tripod. Its quality had improved and so it demonstrated greater power than before.

“Are you alright?” Jiang Hao's eyes were full of concern. She walked to him anxiously.

Ning Tao said hastily, “I'm alright. You'd better be careful. Don't activate the magic tool.”

Jiang Hao heaved a sigh of relief upon seeing him unhurt. She stared at the Heavenly Hossu in her hand and rolled her eyes at Ning Tao. “I'm an unmarried woman, so why are you giving me a hossu? Would you like me to be a Buddhist nun?”

Ning Tao smiled. “Then I'll be a monk. We will make a nice pair.”

“Pshaw, who wants to pair up with you? How shameless.” Although Jiang Hao was chiding him, there was a faint smile on her lips.

Ning Tao drew near and his voice was tender. “Hao, shall we camp here tonight? Look how nice the environment is. No one will disturb us here.”

Jiang Hao stared at Ning Tao and grinned. “Fine, you can do what you like. I will give in to all your whims…”

Ning Tao could no longer control himself. He had brought his girl to this primeval forest precisely for this reason. Before Jiang Hao could finish her words, he had hurled himself forward and embraced Jiang Hao. His lips pressed down upon hers.

Jiang Hao did not struggle, instead opening her mouth most cooperatively.

One second later, Ning Tao stepped back fiercely. His tongue was limp outside his mouth. Its shape resembled that of a frozen yogurt.

Jiang Hao was smiling winsomely. “Tao, why are you running away? I won't eat you. Do you still want it?”

“Let's… go home,” Ning Tao said.

Sorrow welled up in his heart. He could not even speak coherently.