Chapter 70 Missing

"If it is the same murderer who committed all the crimes from the time Hua Niang disappeared to the time Miss Song disappeared from the mansion, and he committed many crimes in just one year without leaving any traces, it is enough to show that the murderer is both careful and courageous. Maybe there is more than one murderer behind the scenes."

The more Li Qingruo analyzed, the more solemn her expression became. Coupled with the poison Wei Yu was infected with, everything seemed to have reached a dead end again.

"No."

Qiu Muli's voice interrupted Li Qingru's thoughts. Just as she was thinking about what she had said wrong, Qiu Muli said, "He is not brave enough. We should make him braver."

Li Qingruo was stunned at first, but soon understood what Qiu Muli meant. She frowned unconsciously.

"I wonder if you still remember the portraits of the missing women on the notice. Starting with Hua Niang, these missing women include girls of 13 or 14 years old, as well as married women in their twenties. The only similarity between them is their beautiful faces. If the murderer behind the scenes noticed this, perhaps we would have been targeted when we entered the city."

Qiu Muli was still modest enough to add the word "we", but his eyes clearly said, "I'm so beautiful! It would be abnormal if you didn't stare at me!"

For a moment, Li Qingnuo's expression was a little subtle.

Ji Xianyi lowered his eyes slightly: "Although luring the snake out of its hole is a good method, it will be very dangerous."

Qiu Muli blinked and said, "Don't worry, I have the ability to protect myself." After seeing Li Qingruo's disapproving expression, he said sincerely, "And I believe that you two will protect me."

Qiu Muli's words were almost directed to Li Qingruo. Looking at those charming and affectionate eyes, Li Qingruo covered her heart. It was really difficult for her to refuse him, and she immediately patted her chest to say that she would definitely protect him.

Seeing Qiu Muli seducing his junior sister away with just a few words, Ji Xianyi shook his head helplessly: "We need to think about this matter carefully. If we are not careful, it is easy to cause a commotion."

Qiu Muli smiled softly upon hearing this. His eyes seemed to be able to speak. Ji Xianyi thought for a moment that he had seen a talking fox and immediately had a bad feeling. He only heard the other party say softly, "Don't worry. I have already thought of a solution."

As he spoke, he motioned for the two of them to come closer.

After listening to Qiu Muli's method, Li Qingruo looked a little dazed but also excited to try it out. Ji Xianyi's expression was hard to describe. He hesitated and asked, "So you have been thinking about these things all the way?"

Qiu Muli nodded frankly, his hair dancing with his movements. He smiled and said, "I have to thank Ji Shaoxia for giving me the inspiration."

Ji Xianyi's face was filled with black lines, he really couldn't bear the title of "young hero" from Qiu Muli's mouth. Li Qingruo seldom saw her senior brother with such a look of grievance, she was smiling happily on the side.

Ji Xianyi: I didn't hit him lightly just now...

"I think Ali's method is good." Li Qingruo's big eyes flickered, but the schadenfreude in her eyes was too obvious.

It was obvious that it was two against one, and Ji Xianyi's objection was completely ineffective, so the next thing was decided very "happily".

Ji Xianyi nodded helplessly in agreement. Qiu Muli's method did sound good, but...

He sighed in his heart, but soon Ji Xianyi's expression began to become serious: "In this case, we must act this out more realistically and be careful in everything that happens next."

Li Qingruo and Qiu Muli also nodded seriously.

Qiu Muli said: "From now on, no one in Qingchi County can be trusted. The only ones we can trust are each other.

"Uh-huh."

The distant sky was dyed red by the sunset, like blood dripping into the river. The originally bright red gradually faded until it disappeared. Even a stone could cause ripples. But it seemed that no matter how much blood there was, it would not change the river water. The same was true for the missing women. Except for their relatives who still remembered their existence, it seemed that everything else was trying to forget them.

"Miss A-li, do you need to rest for a while?" This dilapidated temple in the south of the city is located in a remote area, and it takes a lot of time to walk back and forth. For people like them who practice martial arts, this distance is not very strenuous, but A-li is a weak girl after all, so Ji Xianyi deliberately slowed down his pace and asked with some concern.

Ah Li looked at those eyes full of concern, shook her head, and said softly, "Thank you for your concern, Young Master Ji."

But accidents always come suddenly. Before she could finish her words, Ali seemed to be tripped by something and was about to fall down. She couldn't help but scream.

"Be careful!" Fortunately, Ji Xianyi had been paying attention to the other party. Seeing this situation, he directly grabbed A'li's waist with his hands to prevent A'li from falling.

Feeling the burning hand on her waist, Ali felt a little shy, and Ji Xianyi, who was so close to Ali, seemed to smell a faint fragrance.

"How long are you going to hug each other?!" Li Qingruo turned around when she heard the voice and saw the two people hugging each other. She immediately rushed to them and her tone was not friendly.

Ah Li and Ji Xianyi then let go of each other as if they had just woken up from a dream, but looking at the two of them like this, Li Qingruo became even angrier.

Without Ji Xianyi's support, Ali's eyebrows wrinkled tightly when she landed, but she forced herself not to make a sound.

When Ji Xian saw the other party pretending to be strong, he hurriedly asked, "What's wrong? Did you sprain your ankle?"

Ali shook his head lightly, as if he didn't want to worry the other party, but the more he did so, the more worried Ji Xianyi became.

"I'll help you..." Before Ji Xian could finish his words, he was pushed aside by Li Qingruo. With a cold look in her eyes, she said to A Li with a fake smile, "Let me help you."

Ji Xianyi, who was pushed aside, touched his nose, looked at his junior sister who was glaring at him, and stopped talking.

Ah Li seemed to be unable to sense Li Qingruo's hostility towards him, and just said softly: "Sorry to trouble Miss Li."

So Ji Xian walked in front alone, and Li Qingruo reluctantly supported Ah Li behind him. No one talked along the way until they returned to the Song Mansion. Li Qingruo quickly pulled her hand away, saying with a bit of coldness in her tone: "Miss Ah Li is weak, so don't go out with us. My brother and I are both martial artists, so it's inevitable that we won't be able to take care of you sometimes."

Upon hearing this, Ali's face seemed to turn a little paler, and she lowered her head gently, looking really pitiful.

Ji Xianyi could not help but use his eyes to signal his junior sister to stop talking, but Li Qingruo looked at Ah Li's deliberate weakness and became angrier the more she thought about it. She snorted coldly and said, "I'm not wrong. She is just a burden. We are here to handle a case, not to go on a picnic."

After Li Qingruo said this, A Li felt even more ashamed. Ji Xian had no choice but to speak: "Junior sister is always outspoken, Miss A Li, please don't mind it, but what Junior sister said makes sense. If she encounters a bad guy, I am also afraid that Miss A Li will be hurt. Miss A Li will wait in the mansion for a few days until we catch the murderer, okay?"

Originally, A'li didn't want to separate from the other party, but when she heard Ji Xianyi worried about her safety, she nodded shyly and agreed with what he said.

Ji Xianyi breathed a sigh of relief when he saw A'li agreed. Li Qingruo on the side didn't say anything. She just glared at the two of them and turned away.

Ji Xianyi felt a headache when he saw his bad-tempered junior sister. He said sorry to Ali with his eyes and then chased in the direction where Li Qingruo left.

Ah Li, who stayed where she was, had no time to say anything. She only saw Ji Xianyi's back as he left. She stood there for a long time. After a while, she slowly turned around and went back to her room.

The night was dark with few stars, and the house was lit by candles.

“Boom…Boom…Boom…”

There was a knock on the door. Ali put down the bronze mirror in her hand and put on her veil again. She was a little surprised when she opened the door and saw the person outside.

"Miss Jin Liu?"

Jin Liu held the tray in her hand, still looking calm and composed: "Madam heard that Miss A-li had sprained her ankle, so she specially ordered me to bring you some blood-activating and blood-stasis-removing ointment."

Ah Li looked at the bottles and cans on the tray and said, "It's a dark and windy night. Miss Jin Liu, please come in and talk."

Jin Liu held the tray steadily in her hands. After entering the house, she placed the tray on the table at the side. She picked up the first white bottle and began to introduce it to A Li: "This is Qianshan White Jade Ointment. Apply it twice a day, morning and night. Just apply a layer on the injured area, then rub it gently and wait for it to be absorbed."

Ah Li took the ointment. The color of the ointment was like white jade, and it smelled like a light floral scent. Under the light of the candle, Ah Li seemed to be covered with a layer of soft light. "I hope Miss Jin Liu can thank Madam Bai for me."

After that, she looked at the remaining bottles and asked curiously, "What's left?..."

"This is medicine that can remove scars. Madam asked me to bring it with me. I wonder if Miss A-li can take off her veil?"

After hearing Jin Liu's words, A'li was a little confused.

Jin Liu said: "This medicine needs to be used together. I need to observe the condition of Miss A Li's wounds and take the dosage to ensure the standard dosage so that Miss A Li can restore her original appearance in the shortest time."

After hearing what Jin Liu said, Ah Li no longer had any worries. She took off her veil, and indeed there was a thin red mark on the right side of her face.

The red mark was not actually that serious, but perhaps because Ali's skin was too fair, it was somewhat noticeable.

After seeing A'li's face clearly, Jin Liu's expressionless face showed a crack, but she quickly lowered her head and resumed her usual tone when she spoke again.

"Miss A'li, please look carefully." Jin Liu said as she opened a red bottle and a black bottle. She took out half a spoonful of liquid from the red bottle with a small spoon, and scooped a full spoonful from the black bottle. She poured them into a small silver bowl beside her. After stirring for a few times, the liquid inside gradually solidified and looked crystal clear.

"This cream is a recipe passed down from my wife's ancestors. It needs to be mixed before use to achieve the most "fresh" effect. Apply it three times a day, morning, noon and night. You will see obvious results after a few days of use."

Ah Li looked at the crystal clear cream and a faint smile appeared on her face: "Thank you for your trouble, madam." As she said this, she took off the silver bracelet from her left hand and put it into Jin Liu's hand.

A'li did not give the other party a chance to refuse, and Jin Liu was a little surprised. She looked at A'li deeply, looked at the smile on her face, and finally held the bracelet tightly. Then she said: "I still have to report to the madam, so I won't disturb Miss A'li's rest." After that, she walked out of the room and left.

After Jin Liu left, Ah Li scooped a little cream and smeared it on his hands, muttering to himself, "Madam Bai is so kind to give you such a good thing."