CHAPTER 895: CHAPTER 455_2

But facing his cousin’s irrefutable gaze, he could only sigh and accept the task.

The business car booked by the hotel carried Fang Cheng and the other two, heading towards the Chen Family Mansion.

Inside the car, Lin Chuqiao took out two walnut-sized wooden pendants strung with red cords from her leather bag and handed one to Bai Ling.

The wooden carving had a warm texture, with a vividly carved closed-eye qilin on it, exuding a faint sandalwood scent.

"Sister Lin, what’s this? It’s so exquisite."

Bai Ling held it in her hand, examining it curiously.

"An amulet, I spent an entire day in East Capital making it."

Lin Chuqiao advised earnestly, "Keep it close to you, don’t take it off."

With that, she handed the other pendant to Fang Cheng.

Seeing the hint of confusion in Fang Cheng’s eyes, Lin Chuqiao explained:

"Black Magic is known for being mysterious and undefendable. Once we enter the Chen Family, it’s like stepping into the Black Magic Master’s hunting ground, so it’s good to have some preparations."

Fang Cheng held the warm wooden talisman, feeling it slightly heavy, sensing that a weak but pure Spiritual Power was attached to it.

So he asked, "Is this thing useful?"

Lin Chuqiao smiled gently:

"We’ll only know if it works after we try it."

"However, even if it’s just psychological, it’s better than nothing."

"Don’t underestimate the power of Spirit. Sometimes, steadfast belief itself is the strongest defense."

Fang Cheng smiled slightly, mimicking her actions, placing the red cord around his neck, hiding the wooden talisman inside his T-shirt.

The business car left the bustling urban area, turning into a mountainous and waterfront affluent neighborhood.

The building density here was extremely low, with each villa hidden among lush green trees, appearing tranquil and secluded.

The Chen Family Mansion was situated in the best viewpoint on the hillside.

It was a sprawling traditional Chinese manor, with blue tiles and white walls, overhanging eaves, standing out with a historical atmosphere amid the modern villas.

The three got out of the car, Bai Ling looked at the imposing gate, and couldn’t help but praise softly:

"Wow, how much would this house be worth..."

Fang Cheng stepped forward and pressed the doorbell.

Previously, at Naihe Bridge to take the task, the other party provided a contact method.

He had called while still at the hotel, reporting the agreed cipher to establish initial contact with the Chen Family.

The gate slowly opened, and after the security confirmed their identity, they were allowed to enter.

A maid in a plain uniform quickly came forward, leading them through the neatly trimmed front yard, into the main house.

The living room of the mansion was extremely spacious, with a high ceiling, a full set of rosewood furniture, paired with famous calligraphy and paintings hanging on the walls, showcasing the grandeur of the manor.

However, the large space was almost devoid of people, with even the servants being few, making it seem excessively empty and eerily quiet.

At this moment, a middle-aged man in a black mandarin jacket, his hair meticulously groomed, walked out from the inner hall, nodding slightly to the three:

"Welcome, you must forgive us for the inadequate reception. I’m Li Tiansheng, the housekeeper here."

His mannerisms reflected the rigor and politeness of an old-style wealthy family.

Fang Cheng nodded in response:

"Housekeeper Li, we had prearranged this visit to gain some understanding from the owner about certain matters."

"I apologize,"

Li Tiansheng slightly bowed, showing an apologetic smile:

"The old lady is chanting in the Buddhist Hall, and according to her rules, she won’t leave until the sutra is completed."

"The second young master received the message and is rushing back from the company, I hope you three won’t mind waiting a bit."

He led the three to sit on the sofa in the living room, instructed the maid to serve fragrant tea, exchanged a few pleasantries, and then excused himself to check the situation in the Buddhist Hall.

After he left, the living room fell into silence once again.

"This Li Tiansheng is a relative from the old lady’s family, and has been with the Chen Family for decades, considered a trusted aide."

Lin Chuqiao lowered her voice, quickly sharing the additional information she gathered beyond the intelligence data:

"The current head of the Chen Family is the old lady, Mrs. Chen Li. The Family Head, Chen Jintang, passed away two years ago."

"The eldest grandson, who was originally in charge of the family business, had a car accident recently, critically injured and unconscious till now."

"So now, the family business has temporarily been handed over to the second grandson, who we are about to meet, Chen Xu’an."

"The youngest one died, the eldest seriously injured and comatose, doesn’t the second son end up benefiting?"

Bai Ling quickly guessed: "Could all these incidents in the Chen Family be related to him?"

Her eyes sparkled with excitement, anticipating a grand drama of a power struggle in a wealthy family.

"This is also one of the directions I suspect,"

Lin Chuqiao nodded, "But without evidence, everything is just speculation."

Fang Cheng said nothing, merely picking up the teacup, his gaze calmly sweeping over the vast yet oppressive hall.

About twenty minutes later, Li Tiansheng led an elderly lady dressed in a plain cheongsam, with a head full of silver hair, out from the inner hall.

The lady appeared to be in her seventies, her face thin, eyes sharp.

Though leaning on a carved sandalwood cane, her back remained straight, emanating an inherent authority.

Lin Chuqiao immediately stood up, stepped forward, and introduced herself:

"Madam, we are..."

"I know why you’re here."

Mrs. Chen Li interrupted her, her voice somewhat hoarse, carrying an air of distant coldness.

Supported by the housekeeper, she settled on the main sofa, glancing at the three people:

"The information Naihe Bridge provided you has clearly detailed the sequence of events, why bother asking this old woman?"

Evidently, several groups had taken on the task before them but returned unsuccessful, wearing out her patience.

Seeing this, Fang Cheng calmly replied:

"Madam, the records, after all, are second-hand information passed through many people, inevitably containing discrepancies and omissions."

"The case is over half a month old, many overlooked details might only be recalled by those who personally experienced them."

"That’s right, Madam."

Lin Chuqiao supportive chimed in:

"We understand your grief, and it’s precisely because of this that we wish to hear the most original account from you, so we can better uncover the truth for you and your family."

Bai Ling also nodded, sincerity unhidden in her clear voice:

"Madam, we truly wish to help, please tell us, so we can catch the culprit sooner, and your family can have peace!"

Mrs. Chen Li was silent for a moment, her keen gaze sweeping over Fang Cheng and the others, and finally nodding slowly:

"Ask whatever you want."

"Three people have met with mishaps in your family so far."

After a brief pause, Fang Cheng began asking:

"I would like to know, during the last period before their accidents, what you personally witnessed at the scenes, rather than what’s described in the files."

"I don’t know about the others, I only saw my little grandson... Ze’er’s last night."

Mentioning her most cherished grandson, Mrs. Chen Li’s voice finally revealed a noticeable tremor.

Fang Cheng immediately said:

"According to intelligence records, Mr. Chen Shaoze seemed to exhibit abnormal behavior before the accident?"

Mrs. Chen Li closed her eyes, seemingly drifting into painful memories, taking a long time before speaking slowly:

"That wasn’t abnormal behavior... the child was haunted by a ghost."

"In the week leading up to the accident, Ze’er started acting strange. He couldn’t sleep well at night, hiding in his room crying alone."

"Initially, I thought it was the stress from work for the young man, so I didn’t pay much attention. Until that late night, I was woken up by noises from the kitchen downstairs..."

The old lady’s voice turned even more somber:

"I went downstairs to see, and there was Ze’er... standing alone in front of the refrigerator, back to me, taking out raw, yet-to-be-thawed beef from the fridge, and... tearing into it, stuffing it into his mouth, blood all over his mouth..."

"I called him, but he didn’t hear me. I walked over to pat him, but he didn’t react either, his eyes vacant, like a puppet."

"After eating the meat, he just sleepwalked back to his bedroom and locked the door."

"The next day I asked him, he had no recollection at all, only saying he had a dream where he was very hungry."

Fang Cheng listened quietly; these details were far more chilling than the cold words in the file.

"I initially thought that since Ze’er had just awakened his family’s bloodline power, it placed a heavy spiritual burden, draining his body, so I wanted to nourish him well and send him to the Secret Realm in the ancestral home for some rest after a few days."

"But who knew... things developed so quickly, within just a week, he..."

Mrs. Chen Li’s voice choked up, unable to continue.

Lin Chuqiao quickly stepped forward, gently patting her back, softly consoling:

"Madam, please restrain your grief..."

At that moment, a man’s voice came from outside the main door.

"Grandma, why are you talking about these sad things again?"