The helicopter whirred its engines as it landed on the flat ground outside Yishui Villa as dusk approached.
Several people alighted from the cabin.
Leading them was a woman around thirty years old, with her hair in a ponytail and dressed in a tactical uniform. She had a curvaceous figure.
After getting off the plane, she removed her sunglasses and strode into Yishui Villa.
She stopped within a few steps of entering.
Inside the main gate, several bodies lay on the ground. Two had their heads twisted unnaturally to the side, their necks broken.
The remaining three appeared to have been ambushed, their throats slit by sharp blades.
As the special forces accompanying her described the causes of death, Xiang Jing Shu frowned.
But she said little, continuing inside to assess the situation.
More bodies appeared in her line of sight, all of them young, robust men. It was clear they were skilled fighters in their prime.
Yet, they had all died here, struck down by powerful blows. Most had met a swift end.
It was not until she reached the inner courtyards that Xiang Jing Shu froze.
Bodies littered the ground, nearly a hundred in number. Many were dismembered, with only severed arms and legs remaining.
"Ugh…"
Even though Xiang Jing Shu had braced herself, her stomach churned, and she rushed to the side to retch.
Her companions, all clad in unmarked tactical uniforms, had similar reactions, their insides churning violently.
Especially the thick scent of blood, accumulated over hours, permeated the villa, impossible to dissipate.
Even those with stronger psychological fortitude couldn't control themselves.
After a bout of retching, a man, his face pale, said, "This is too brutal. Who did this?"
Xiang Jing Shu's expression turned grim. "Notify the war zone command to send a company. Remember to bring two trucks!"
The purpose of the trucks was self-evident.
With that, she suppressed her nausea, covered her mouth and nose with a handkerchief, and picked up a gun.
After a few moments of examination, she ordered with a dark expression, "It's getting dark, don't waste time. I need to know how many people were involved and their skill level. Also, find the body of Xu Donglai, the heir of the Xu family."
Half an hour later, the sky had darkened.
Several military trucks were parked outside the estate. Soldiers, wearing masks, loaded the bodies onto the trucks, cleaning up the scene.
Xu Xilou's body still sat before them. An expert reported to Xiang Jing Shu, "We estimate the perpetrators were likely three to five individuals."
"These people were incredibly accurate with their firearms, often hitting vital points like the forehead and heart."
The expert's voice trembled slightly. "But what's truly terrifying is their combat skills. One of them must be extremely large and immensely strong, capable of snapping a victim's neck with a casual move."
"Another was a master swordsman, striking vital points with no wasted movement, like a scalpel. In our department, only one or two individuals might compare."
He swallowed, then added, "These are still within a conceivable range, but the last one…"
"What about him?" Xiang Jing Shu asked, looking at the wounds on Xu Xilou.
"He's likely terrifyingly strong, beyond our comprehension!"
The expert continued, "Most of the deceased here died by his hand. Judging by their injuries, some died from external Qi projection, clearly martial arts masters!"
"And then?"
Xiang Jing Shu pressed.
"Then, some victims had no external wounds, but their hearts were shattered. The method of force is beyond our understanding!"
The expert pointed to Xu Xilou. "This man's identity has been confirmed. He is Xu Xilou, a martial arts expert from the Xu family!"
"Prepare a report and send it back!"
Xiang Jing Shu's face was grim. "We cannot allow such dangerous individuals to exist within our borders. I don't care about this 'Night Lord' or whatever they call themselves. Such people must be controlled!"
She turned and walked away, getting into a military vehicle and making a call.
"Chief, people from Nightfall have arrived. I suggest we arrest the Night Lord. Such a person is too dangerous!"
A deep, steady voice replied from the other end of the line, "No. Your mission is damage control and information lockdown to prevent public panic!"
"But, Chief, allowing such dangerous elements from the underworld to operate freely will cause significant problems for national security."
"I said, no. Xiang Jing Shu, understand your duty. Arrange for the burial of Xu Donglai's body and wait for the Xu family to arrive. You don't need to concern yourself with anything else!"
Xiang Jing Shu, furious, hung up the phone with a snap.
Then, she dialed another number.
"Xiao Wei, help me find information on the Night Lord. I need his current identity and all his details in China!"
"Alright, Sister Shu, please wait a moment!"
Without hanging up, Xiang Jing Shu waited for a reply.
But then, a startled exclamation came from the other end. "Ah… Sister, my clearance level isn't high enough!"
"What?"
Xiang Jing Shu was stunned. "Whose clearance is sufficient?"
"I'm afraid you'll have to ask the Chief. This is a Level 3S top-secret matter. Only the Chief has the authority to access it in our entire department!"
Xiang Jing Shu: "..."
She was unwilling to accept this.
She couldn't understand what her superior was thinking. As a guardian of national security, how could they allow someone like the Night Lord to operate freely within Great China?
She knew that the Night Lord had been in contact with the security department and had provided considerable intelligence vital to national security.
However, such a person was ultimately extremely dangerous and required management.
The incident at Yishui Villa involved members of the Western Ridge Xu family, which was unrelated to national security. But the inherent risks were terrifying.
Of course, the Western Ridge Xu family weren't exactly saints. The fact that most of the deceased were armed suggested they hadn't died unjustly.
But she felt she couldn't stand idly by.
As the daughter of the Xiang family, a top aristocratic clan in the capital, why had she joined the security department if not for the ideals and beliefs of protecting national security?
"Then I want all intelligence from the past month in Hang Jiang!"
Xiang Jing Shu declared.
"Alright, Sister, sending it to you now!"
After hanging up, Xiang Jing Shu received the email within minutes.
After studying it, her brow furrowed even more deeply.
The intelligence indicated that numerous international underground forces had infiltrated Hang Jiang.
And for some unknown reason, this matter had not garnered attention from the ministry.
Was it still because of the Night Lord?
"You think I can't find out who you are?"
With a cold smile, Xiang Jing Shu switched to a different phone and began making calls.
The Xiang family was also a top aristocratic clan, with extraordinary connections in Hang Jiang.
Before long, she received documents detailing recent events in Hang Jiang and the activities of Xu Donglai.
A name was becoming clear: Chen Fan.
But Xiang Jing Shu was somewhat bewildered.
The son-in-law of the Su family, considered a good-for-nothing, kicked out by the Su family.
What kind of nonsense was this?
The Night Lord, whose name struck fear into the global underworld, was the son-in-law of a third-rate family?