Everyone in This Village Was Poisoned to Death Overnight

Zhou Wanwan squinted at him and said, "You mean, everyone in this entire village is dead?"

The constable nodded and said:

"One hundred and thirty-six households, I remember it very clearly, they were all dead beyond any doubt."

I came here with the former provincial inspector.

Zhou Wanwan looked around and said, "Shouldn't we check if these people have any connection with this village?"

The constable shook his head and said:

These women have no connection to this village.

We had initially thought these women had run away from this village, but we later discovered that wasn't the case.

Zhou Wanwan nodded and began to talk to the big tree next to her.

Even the most barren land will eventually have trees and grass.

The locust Scholar Tree looked at Zhou Wanwan and said:

"Young lady, are you here to ask about the murderer?"

We really don't know, because that person always wears a mask when they come."

Zhou Wanwan looked at the locust Scholar Tree and said, "Masked? Doesn't she have a voice or any distinguishing features?"

The locust Scholar Tree thought for a moment, then shook its head and said, "No, they just throw those women away and leave."

Zhou Wanwan frowned and asked many more trees in the vicinity, but to no avail.

Zhou Wanwan chuckled and said, "Interesting, I've never seen anything like this before."

The Old Scholar Tree said calmly, "I always feel like something's not right, but I can't quite put my finger on it."

Zhou Wanwan looked at it and said, "Uncle Scholar Tree, don't you have a feeling? These trees are saying things that are too consistent, too uniform, as if it's deliberate."

The Old Scholar Tree looked at Zhou Wanwan and said, "You mean, all these trees are lying?"

Zhou Wanwan thought for a moment and said:

"It's just that it's possible, but why would these trees lie?"

Why would they help the murderer?

Zhou Wanwan found an excuse to send all the yamen runners back home first.

She walked slowly through the abandoned village, accompanied by the Old Scholar Tree.

This village used to be quite large, with at least a hundred households, but it no longer looks like it used to be.

Everywhere there were mud walls that had collapsed halfway and thatched huts that had been burned black.

The courtyard wall was crooked and dilapidated, the ground was overgrown with weeds and thorns, and the path was so covered with weeds that it was impossible to see its original appearance.

Zhou Wanwan asked the old trees in the village, "What exactly happened here?"

An apricot tree looked at Zhou Wanwan and said:

"Everyone in this village was poisoned to death overnight."

Then they were put into another room and burned to ashes.

Zhou Wanwan looked at the large trees and asked, "Who did this?"

All the trees shook their heads, but one peach tree said:

"We don't know either, we really don't know. It's all from more than 20 years ago. I only remember that there was a well in the village."

Every morning, the villagers would go to the well to draw water.

The water that day was problematic; the villagers drank it and didn't notice anything wrong at the time, but by nightfall, they were all dead.

Zhou Wanwan frowned and said, "Where is that well? Take me to see it."

At the very front of the village, only a dry well remains.

The Old Scholar Tree tested the water with its root and said, "The water in this well must have been poisonous before."

Zhou Wanwan frowned and said, "Poisonous? The trail ends here."

This was the first time Zhou Wanwan realized that the case was somewhat tricky.

The Old Scholar Tree nodded and said, "Let's search again and see if there are any clues." Dozens of trees kept searching for clues.

Suddenly, several trees rushed over and said, "We've found a clue."

Zhou Wanwan looked at the peach trees and said, "What clues do you have? Tell me."

The peach trees said:

"We used to live around here, but then someone dug us up from here."

Some of these dead people we knew; they were all daughters who had married out of the village.

Zhou Wanwan frowned and said:

"Impossible, if she married out of this village."

Those people in front shouldn't have been able to find out!

There was an old peach tree that said:

"I don't know why, but more than ten years ago, those married daughters began to change their names and even their place of origin."

However, these people are indeed villagers from this Broken Kiln Village.

Zhou Wanwan was even more puzzled. "Then why would these people hide their identities? Unless something major happened in this village back then."

Even the trees in this Broken Kiln Village refuse to tell the truth. What could have happened?

Zhou Wanwan walked around the neighborhood and said:

"If the trees here aren't telling the truth, then expand the search area."

Someone will always see someone enter the Broken Kiln Village.

The Old Scholar Tree looked at the trees in this Broken Kiln Village and said, "Alright, I understand. I'll see what secrets these trees hold."

Soon, other discoveries were made, and another tree spoke up, saying, "That person came from the west, but we can only point in a general direction."

Zhou Wanwan said calmly, "As long as I have a general direction, thank you."

After relentlessly investigating, Zhou Wanwan finally saw a glimmer of hope.

She never expected to end up at the governor's villa.

After a long and painstaking investigation, Zhou Wanwan was speechless to find out that this person was actually from the governor's family.

It was already dark when Zhou Wanwan walked into the governor's villa. The Old Scholar Tree started chatting with the other trees in the yard.

The tree in the yard looked at the Old Scholar Tree and said, "Who are you looking for here?"

The Old Scholar Tree looked at them and said, "Find someone dressed in black. Have you seen anyone dressed in black in the yard?"

The tree-lined path in the courtyard. "There are often people dressed in black. The governor's men all wear black, and they are all assassins."

Zhou Wanwan was taken aback for a moment, then asked, "Death squads? They're all raised by the patrol?"

The trees nodded and said, "This governor is formidable; he has thousands of loyal followers under his command."

Zhou Wanwan asked in a low voice, "Do these assassins kill people frequently?"

The trees nodded, "Yes, they often kill people and then throw the bodies outside."

Zhou Wanwan frowned; this Governor Hu Yiming was definitely acting strangely!

Zhou Wanwan and the Old Scholar Tree quickly arrived outside Hu Yiming's window.

Hu Yiming was furious in his study. "Which beast abandoned me on the street? How am I supposed to face anyone now?"

His men kept their heads down, not daring to utter a sound.

Hu Yiming looked at his advisors and asked, "Have they found anything yet?"

The aide shook his head and said, "These people are very secretive. Perhaps you've offended someone recently?"

Hu Yiming snorted coldly and said, "Who could I possibly offend? Anyone who dares to move my mansion, once I find out, I'll take their lives."

The aide said softly, "Sir, please calm down. Let's focus on the important matters."

Hu Yiming stroked his beard and asked, "How's that precious land we have there?"

The advisor smiled and said, "That area is now completely under our control, sir. Don't worry, we've not only unearthed coal seams, but also found black oil."

Hu Yiming was overjoyed and laughed loudly, "This is fantastic! With these things, we're going to make a fortune!"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Wanwan felt a chill run down her spine. Coal seam—that must be a coal mine.

As for the so-called black oil, isn't that just petroleum?