“Thank you for your willingness to help us investigate,” the old woman said earnestly. “If you’re able to assist us, the entire village will be deeply grateful. And I assure you, should you ever need anything in the future, we will not hesitate to help.”
Zhang Nu nodded. Even without the elder’s promise, he would have given his all to help. Right now, his priority was examining the children’s remains to understand what had happened.
“Granny, if I’m to handle this matter, may I take a closer look at the children’s remains? Observing them closely might provide clues about the nature of their injuries.”
The old woman, understanding his reasoning, didn’t hesitate to agree. “Of course. If you think it will help, follow me. The remains haven’t been buried yet, so you’ll still have a chance to inspect them.”
Zhang Nu followed the elder to the site where the remains were kept. Families of the children were gathered, weeping inconsolably over the loss. Seeing their anguish, Zhang Nu felt deeply sympathetic but knew now wasn’t the time for emotional distraction. He needed to focus on the investigation.
As Zhang Nu closely examined the remains, a chilling realization struck him. The children’s bones were unnaturally clean—completely stripped of flesh, with no signs of residual tissue. Under normal circumstances, even if wild animals had scavenged them, there would still be traces of muscle or skin. This pointed to something far more sinister and deliberate.
“This wasn’t the work of ordinary beasts,” Zhang Nu murmured to himself. “This was planned. It’s unlikely the mountain creatures were involved either, considering the villagers were able to ascend to the Nine-Tailed Fox Ridge without harm. So who or what could have done this, and why?”
As Zhang Nu mulled over the situation, he observed the crowd’s reactions. Most were overwhelmed with grief, but one individual stood out, a young man who seemed indifferent, even contemptuous. His face briefly betrayed a mocking expression, as if he found the entire situation trivial or amusing. Could this man have a deeper connection to the tragedy?
Zhang Nu fixed his gaze on the man, silently resolving to investigate further. Nearby, Liu Hai noticed Zhang Nu’s intense focus on someone and approached him.
“Zhang Nu, do you already have a lead?” Liu Hai asked, his tone curious yet cautious. “Do you suspect someone?”
Zhang Nu shook his head at first but then nodded slightly. “I don’t know for sure, but I have a hunch. Look over there—that young man with the impassive face. Everyone else here is grieving, but he looks completely detached. I even caught a flicker of disdain on his face earlier. There’s more to this story, and I suspect he’s part of it.”
Following Zhang Nu’s gaze, Liu Hai spotted the man. Sure enough, his demeanor was out of place. The faint sneer on his lips was both unsettling and incriminating.
“You’re right,” Liu Hai whispered. “That man doesn’t seem like a decent person at all. Should we inform the elder? She knows everyone in the village and might have insight into his background.”
Zhang Nu nodded. “It’s worth consulting her, but we shouldn’t reveal everything just yet. Until we have solid evidence, it’s best to keep our suspicions to ourselves.”