Mortal Dawn and Dusk, My Eternal Life - Chapter 42

After “locking up” Su Mingyue, Gu Mingxuan immediately led a capable team of police officers and rushed non-stop to the Du Mansion in the south of the city. The mysterious murder of the Du Mansion’s second concubine, with a manner of death identical to the previous “drained of life force” cases, was undoubtedly a crucial clue. He had to quickly uncover what secrets were hidden within the Du Mansion.

The Du Mansion’s entrance no longer held the bustling scene of daytime porridge distribution. The tall, vermilion-lacquered gate was tightly shut, with two white lanterns hanging on either side, swaying slightly in the desolate autumn wind, adding a touch of eeriness and desolation.

Gu Mingxuan announced his identity, and soon a butler-like figure welcomed them in. The atmosphere inside the mansion was also exceptionally oppressive and heavy. The servants all hung their heads, hurrying about, their faces etched with fear and unease.

Led by the butler, Gu Mingxuan arrived at the Du Mansion’s main hall. Old Master Du, renowned as a “great philanthropist” in Tianjin, now sat solemnly in his grand armchair, his face pale, his expression sorrowful, his eyes red-rimmed, as if he had aged a decade overnight. He wore plain-colored clothes, looking utterly haggard, a stark contrast to the energetic, smiling figure he was during the day. Had one not seen it with their own eyes, no one could connect this heartbroken old man with the demon who had cruelly drained his second concubine’s life force in the secret chamber.

“General Gu, you’ve finally arrived!” Upon seeing Gu Mingxuan, Old Master Du tremblingly stood up, his voice hoarse, filled with helplessness and… a perfectly timed hint of anger. “You must seek justice for my poor Yuqing! She… she died so tragically! Wuwuwu…” He spoke, tears streaming down his face, constantly wiping his eyes with his sleeve, a picture of utter grief.

Gu Mingxuan looked at Old Master Du’s appearance. Although he felt some sympathy, as an experienced military officer and police general, he was not swayed by the other party’s sorrow. He carefully observed every subtle expression and movement of Old Master Du, trying to find some flaw.

“Old Master Du, please accept my condolences,” Gu Mingxuan said calmly. “We will definitely investigate the truth as soon as possible and bring the culprit to justice. Please tell us in detail what happened last night.”

Old Master Du sighed deeply upon hearing this, then began to narrate intermittently. The story he fabricated was flawless. He said that last night, feeling unwell, he had gone to bed early. His second concubine, Su Yuqing, was resting in her own courtyard. Unexpectedly, in the middle of the night, he suddenly heard a shrill scream from the courtyard. By the time he rushed over with his household, he only saw his second concubine lying in a pool of blood, already lifeless, while the culprit… had long since vanished. He specifically emphasized that the culprit’s methods were extremely cruel, identical to the rumored “life-draining” demons, and implored General Gu to eradicate this scourge of Tianjin. As he spoke, he beat his chest and stomped his feet, tears streaming down his face. His grief and anger were so convincing that no one could see any flaws.

Gu Mingxuan listened quietly, not interrupting him. He knew that what Old Master Du said largely matched the findings of the on-site investigation. It was just… he always felt that things were not that simple. Especially when he saw a subtle… unusual glint hidden deep within Old Master Du’s eyes, which appeared somewhat clouded by “grief,” his doubts deepened.

“Old Master Du,” Gu Mingxuan pondered for a moment, then asked, “Besides this, did you… hear or see any other suspicious movements last night? For example… did the culprit leave any special traces?” He tried to find some overlooked details in Old Master Du’s words.

Old Master Du feigned contemplation upon hearing this, then shook his head, sighing: “Alas, the situation was too chaotic at the time, and this old man was also greatly distressed, so I really didn’t notice any special traces. I only remember… that the culprit seemed to be very skilled, coming and going like the wind, not like an ordinary bandit.” His words were ambiguous, providing no useful clues, yet directing the image of the culprit towards “non-human” entities.

Gu Mingxuan knew that he probably wouldn’t get anything valuable from Old Master Du. He carefully questioned the other servants in the mansion, and their statements were all largely similar, with no substantial breakthroughs.

After inspecting the scene and collecting some so-called “evidence,” Gu Mingxuan prepared to lead his team away. He knew that this case was far more complex and tricky than he had imagined.

“General Gu, this old man… this old man entrusts you!” As he saw Gu Mingxuan and his party off, Old Master Du again clutched Gu Mingxuan’s hand, tears streaming down his face, saying, “You must… you must catch that damned culprit and avenge my poor Yuqing!” His hand was cold and withered, like a dry branch of an old tree, tightly gripping Gu Mingxuan’s wrist.

The moment their palms touched, a strange sensation simultaneously surged through Gu Mingxuan and Old Master Du! Old Master Du only felt an incredibly comfortable and coveted surge of vibrant life force emanating from Gu Mingxuan’s young and vigorous palm! That aura was purer and stronger than any “supplement” he had consumed before! It was as if by possessing this aura, the pain in his body, like ten thousand ants gnawing at his heart, could be completely eradicated! He could truly achieve his dream of eternal life!

An uncontrollable greed and craving instantly erupted in Old Master Du’s eyes! But he quickly suppressed this emotion, maintaining his heartbroken expression. However, the strength with which he gripped Gu Mingxuan’s wrist unconsciously increased a bit.

As for Gu Mingxuan, the moment he touched Old Master Du’s palm, he felt a completely different aura! He only felt an extremely faint life force emanating from Old Master Du’s withered palm, as if it could extinguish at any moment! That aura was more decayed and closer to death than the aura of any dying person he had encountered before! It was as if this old man, who appeared merely haggard from grief, was actually… at the end of his rope, with not long to live! This was a stark contrast to the energetic, smiling Old Master Du he had seen distributing porridge on the street during the day!

Gu Mingxuan’s heart stirred, and he subconsciously took another look at Old Master Du. Although he had lost most of his memory about “A Mu,” that keen perception of life force, originating from Su Mingyue’s blood, still remained. He could clearly feel that Old Master Du’s current physical condition was very poor.

Out of a soldier’s unique sympathy for the weak, and perhaps because of Old Master Du’s reputation as a “great philanthropist,” Gu Mingxuan couldn’t help but offer a reminder before leaving: “Old Master Du, you… should also take care of your health. The deceased are gone; the living must take care of themselves.”

Old Master Du’s body trembled slightly upon hearing this, an imperceptible strange glint flashing in his eyes. He raised his head, looking at Gu Mingxuan’s young and handsome face, and those clear eyes filled with a hint of concern. A bolder, crazier idea suddenly surged in his heart! This Gu Mingxuan… He possessed such vibrant life force. If only…

An insidious and vicious scheme began to quietly form in Old Master Du’s mind.

“Thank you… thank you, General Gu, for your concern,” Old Master Du said hoarsely, a perfectly timed look of gratitude and… weakness on his face. “This old man… this old man’s old bones probably won’t last much longer… I only hope that before I die, I can see the culprit brought to justice. That would be… some closure for my poor Yuqing…” As he spoke, he coughed violently a few more times, as if he might faint at any moment.

Gu Mingxuan looked at Old Master Du’s appearance, and his doubts involuntarily faded a bit. Perhaps… he really was overthinking it. After all, anyone who experienced such a loss would be heartbroken and exhausted. He sighed, cupped his hands to Old Master Du, and said, “Old Master Du, please rest assured, we will solve the case as soon as possible. You, old man, should rest early.” With that, he prepared to lead his police officers out of the Du Mansion.

Just as Gu Mingxuan was about to step over the threshold, Old Master Du suddenly called out:

“General Gu, wait! This old man suddenly remembered something!”