Chapter 32: The Culprit from Back Then

Having reached this conclusion, Qin Feng immediately left the venue, hailed a taxi, and headed straight for the Southern Harbor of Yunhai.

Southern Harbor. This was where his home had once stood.

The Qin family. Once a supreme dynasty in Yunhai, they had flourished for over a century. Their mansion, situated in the quiet, affluent district of Southern Harbor, had been reduced to ashes overnight in a great fire. The once-prosperous estate was now nothing but ruined walls and charred earth—deadly, silent, and barren.

Seeing his former home, a heavy weight settled in Qin Feng’s heart. He had not returned here upon his arrival in Yunhai because he had yet to find the true culprit; he felt unworthy of facing his parents and the eighty-eight members of the Qin household who had perished.

Just then, pleas for help suddenly drifted from the courtyard:
"Please, I beg you..."
"Please, my mother is still alive, she’s still breathing! Call an ambulance... please, save her!"

The familiar voice instantly tugged at Qin Feng’s thoughts. His eyes turned cold; he knew exactly who it was. Sister Ke'er!

In the next second, he strode into the ravaged courtyard.

There, an old, rusted iron dog cage sat on the ground. Inside lay a middle-aged woman, ragged and skeletal, curled up in a weak, shallow breath. Her body was covered in wounds, some already festering with infection. Next to her sat a bowl of sour, leftover scraps. The smell alone was enough to make one retch.

Despite this wretched sight, two tattooed men stood before the cage, holding a vicious mastiff on a leash. They sneered, showing no intention of sparing the woman.

Chen Ke’er knelt on the ground, weeping and begging, "Please, let my mother go. If you let her go, I’ll do anything."

The two men were unmoved. One sneered, "Little girl, do you really think you’re in a position to negotiate with us?"
"Besides, this old hag is already dying. Even if you called an ambulance, it would be too late. Better to feed her to the dog—at least she’ll have some final use!"

With that, they opened the cage and shoved the mastiff inside. In an instant, the beast sank its fangs into the woman. Blood flowed.

"Ah..." The woman let out a low, pained groan, but she was too weak, her life already slipping away, and she couldn't even struggle.

"Mom!"
"You... you are not human!" Chen Ke’er cried out in grief and fury. Seeing her mother subjected to such inhuman torture, she lunged at the men, beating them with her fists.

"Get lost!"
"You suicidal little wretch." One of the men cursed and struck her with the back of his hand, knocking her to the ground.

"Big brother, go easy on her face. She’s not bad-looking. Once the old hag is fed to the dog, we can have some fun with her!"
"Look at that fair skin. It would be quite a thrill to play with her, wouldn't it? Heh heh heh." The other man leered.

"Right!"
"You always know how to play, number two. Let’s make a deal: you take her, and I’ll take her mouth." The man holding the dog licked his lips. "After that, we’ll sell her to a brothel and make a tidy profit!"
"Brilliant, brother!"

Watching this, Chen Ke’er covered her face, her complexion deathly pale. "You will pay for this sooner or later!"

She gritted her teeth, her eyes holding onto a final shred of defiance.

"Oh, damn it, still talking back? Since your mother still has a breath left, let her watch while we ravage you right in front of her!" The man holding the dog said coldly, reaching out to tear at Chen Ke’er’s clothes.

Just as his hand was about to touch her chest, and while she was trembling in despair, a silver needle whistled through the air!

*Splat!* The needle pierced the man’s palm, spraying blood. He let out a piercing scream: "Argh!"

Qin Feng stepped forward. Though he revealed no outward aura, his eyes were cold to the bone, radiating a chilling, murderous intent.

"Damn it, who the hell are you?!"
"Who let you in here?!" The man howled in pain.

"Woof! Woof!" The mastiff slipped its leash and bared its fangs, lunging at Qin Feng.

Qin Feng kicked out casually. *Boom!* A massive force slammed into the dog, instantly turning it into a pulp of flesh and blood. Its internal organs burst, and its head rolled across the ground.

"Qin Feng?!" Chen Ke’er gasped through her tears, shocked by the sudden turn of events. "You... you’re here?"

"Sister Ke'er, are you alright?" Qin Feng quickly helped her up, his voice filled with concern.

"I’m fine," Chen Ke’er shook her head, her eyes red. "But my mother... *sob*..."

Qin Feng turned his gaze to the cage. The sight inside was heart-wrenching. Though the woman was tortured beyond recognition, he recognized her at a glance.

"Mother Chen?"

When the Qin family was still intact, Mother Chen had been their nanny for over a decade. She had taken care of Qin Feng when he was a child, treating him with the devotion of a mother. He never imagined that she had survived the fire only to be tortured like this!

*Death wish!*

Qin Feng’s eyes turned icy as he glared at the two tattooed men. "Did you lock her in a dog cage, feed her scraps, and let a dog bite her?"

"Who are you!"
"Let me tell you, kid, don't meddle in our business, or you’ll end up just as miserable!" The men regained their composure; despite being shocked by the power of his kick, they still tried to threaten him.

In the next second, Qin Feng’s overwhelming rage left no room for words. He walked toward them, the fury in his chest concentrated in his fist. Before the leader could react, Qin Feng slammed a punch into his forehead.

*Boom!* In the blink of an eye, the man’s brain matter sprayed out. He didn’t even have time to scream before his head exploded into a mist of blood.

The other man, trembling with fear, tried to run, but Qin Feng kicked him to the ground and pinned him down by the chest.

"Speak. How do you want to die?"

The man was terrified, stammering out threats: "Kid, I’m warning you, I’m with the Bai family! If you kill me, you won’t live to see another day!"

The Bai family?!

Qin Feng knew them. The Bai family was now one of the four great supreme dynasties of Yunhai. In the past, they had been the Qin family's bitter rivals, always trailing behind in wealth. But ever since the Qin family’s tragedy, the Bai family had risen to power overnight, replacing them as the new supreme dynasty.

"Why did the Bai family have you lock her up?"
"Speak!" Qin Feng demanded coldly.

"I... I don't know, I’m just following orders!" The man’s voice trembled; all his previous arrogance had vanished like a dying cat.

"Then you can go to hell."

Qin Feng remained emotionless, crushing the man’s chest with his foot. His heart was shattered.

After disposing of the two thugs, Qin Feng personally carried Mother Chen out of the filthy cage. Her injuries were severe, and she was on the verge of death. Even so, she recognized him. Seeing his familiar face, she wept, as if she had so much to say.

"Mother Chen, don't be afraid. I will heal you."

Qin Feng drew his silver needles and immediately began to channel the "Nine Profound Needle Technique." With every needle inserted, his internal energy flowed into Mother Chen’s weak body. Soon, the deathly pallor on her face began to fade, replaced by a healthy glow. Even the festering wounds caused by the dog began to knit together miraculously. If this were known, it would be called a "divine miracle."

"My god!" Chen Ke’er exclaimed in wonder. "Qin Feng, your medical skills... are this incredible?"

"It’s done." After three minutes, Qin Feng withdrew the needles and let out a sigh of relief. "Mother Chen, how do you feel?"

"Little Feng..." Mother Chen couldn't hide her shock, gripping his hand tightly. "I never imagined... it really is you. Seeing you’re still alive, I can finally rest easy!"

"What really happened? Why did the Bai family lock you up here?" Qin Feng asked, his brow furrowed.

"Sigh..." Mother Chen said with deep sorrow, "The fire back then... it was set by the Bai family. When they couldn't find your body, they captured me to force the truth about your whereabouts out of me."

"I couldn't tell them... so they locked me here, hoping to lure you out. For all these years, I’ve suffered, wishing I were dead..."

As she spoke, Chen Ke’er wiped her tears, aggrieved, "They let the dog bite my mother and fed her scraps. I was forced to work and give them every cent I earned. If I didn't pay, they wouldn't even give her those scraps..."

"What?" Qin Feng’s expression turned chilling.

The Bai family... so it was them!

Previously, Qing Luan had discovered that after the fall of the Qin family, all their assets were secretly channeled into a mysterious account. The trail had been so carefully guarded that even the Wolong Bank couldn't crack it. Now it seemed clear: the Bai family had devoured the Qin estate. That was exactly how they had become wealthy overnight and replaced the Qin family as one of the four supreme dynasties of Yunhai.

Qin Feng dialed Qing Luan, his voice cold and commanding:
"Find out the whereabouts of the Bai family in Yunhai immediately!"

A moment later, the message came back:
"Reporting to the Lord of the Underworld: tonight, the Bai family is at their estate in the east of the city, celebrating the birthday of their patriarch..."

Qin Feng hung up, his eyes filled with a murderous intent that seemed to freeze the very air.

"Little Feng..." Sensing what he was about to do, Mother Chen grabbed his hand, shaking her head through her tears. "No... you can’t go. The Bai family is now a supreme dynasty in Yunhai, with immense power and terrifying connections."

"They have been desperate to find you!"

"Go abroad, find a place where no one knows you, and live out your life. If you go... they won't let you live!"

"No." Qin Feng’s expression was terrifyingly cold, golden light erupting from his eyes. "They must pay the price in blood."

As if feeling the tremors in Qin Feng’s heart, the clear sky suddenly filled with dark clouds, and thunder rumbled in the distance. It was as if a storm were coming, and a rain of blood was about to fall upon Yunhai.