Chapter Forty-Nine: The Chopstick Fiend

Li Yinshu and Li Yinshui were both from the same village as Li Jingguo. The village was not large, and the two were considered cousins of Li Jingguo.

Thus, they knew well just how formidable Li Jingguo was.

He possessed the strength to take on more than twenty men at once.

He was recognized in the martial world as a fighter.

He was an elder in the Beggar’s Sect with a one-bag rank.

Such a powerful figure first blinded Shen Ye with lime dust, yet even so, Shen Ye killed him with his bare fists.

How strong must Shen Ye be!

To this day, Li Yinshu and Li Yinshui vividly remembered the moment when Shen Ye’s fist struck Li Jingguo. It was no ordinary punch; it seemed as if a golden aura enveloped his fist—a Vajra blow, meant to destroy demons and evil, utterly irresistible.

A deep terror toward Shen Ye welled in their hearts.

So, without hesitation, they fled.

They escaped all the way to the main road, flagged a taxi, and rode to the busiest avenue in N County. Only as they mingled among the crowds and lights did they finally breathe a long sigh of relief. No matter how fearsome the masked stranger was, he would not dare commit murder in front of so many people.

Li Yinshu and Li Yinshui exchanged glances, noticing how pale each other's faces were. Li Yinshu spoke in a low voice, “What should we do now?”

Li Yinshui, known among the human traffickers for his cunning, furrowed his brow. “What should we do? The boss is dead, but that man in the Great Sage mask is too fierce. We can’t possibly avenge him. We have two options. First, we call 110 and let the police investigate—perhaps they can track down the person in the mask. With so many murders, he’ll surely get the death penalty if caught.”

“Second, we could try to contact the boss’s superiors. After all, he was a real member of the Beggar’s Sect. With his death, surely the sect will take action.”

Li Yinshui explained.

“The first option is viable,” Li Yinshu mused. “But the second isn’t. The world of martial artists is above us ordinary folk, unreachable. We don’t have any contacts in that circle, unless they reach out to us. Forget it—let’s just make the call.”

Being traffickers themselves, Li Yinshu and Li Yinshui dared not use their own phones. They quickly stole a phone and, using it, contacted 110.

---

N County Public Security Bureau.

Operator No. 17, Lin Wei.

She rubbed her eyes wearily; the dark circles were growing, but there was no helping it. The May Day holiday had brought crowds, straining the police force. Many callers reported missing children, leaving her dizzy with work. Suddenly, a call came in.

A murder case!

And five people dead!

Location: Dagu Village!

Lin Wei immediately snapped to attention and rushed to report the message she had just received.

Half an hour later, the N County Criminal Investigation Team, led by Captain Meng Zhitan, headed straight for Dagu Village. After another half hour, they arrived, stopping beside the most secluded farmhouse. Even before entering, a faint scent of blood could be detected.

“Be careful,” Meng Zhitan cautioned Su Qiu.

Su Qiu nodded, drew his gun, and skillfully darted into the farmhouse. The lights were still on, and what met his eyes were five corpses. The most striking among them was the one whose face had been smashed beyond recognition.

Several officers searched the house but found no trace of the perpetrator. However, they discovered a basement beneath the kitchen. Inside were ten starving children, their bodies marked with bruises and injuries.

“These five victims are likely traffickers. Could the killer have come to deliver justice?” Su Qiu frowned. He looked at the crying children, uncertain what to do.

Officer Lin Zheng, a man in his early thirties with two children of his own, was experienced in caring for kids. “These children are all hungry, but there’s no formula on hand. They’re injured and must be taken to the hospital for examination. Captain, notify the team to send two more vehicles and get these kids to the hospital.”

Captain Meng nodded. “To think, the child trafficking case was broken by sheer accident.”

After making the call, he continued investigating the scene with sharp eyes. “Four of these people have chopsticks stuck in their throats. Could it be the work of the Chopstick Maniac again?”

---

“It’s highly likely. The Chopstick Maniac has always killed, but his victims are only evildoers. If these are traffickers, then it’s probably his doing,” Su Qiu added.

The other officers said nothing. After all, the Chopstick Maniac’s recent actions had indeed targeted only the wicked.

“This Chopstick Maniac is no ordinary criminal,” Meng Zhitan observed, staring at the disfigured corpse of Li Jingguo. “This man was beaten to death with sheer force. Such strength far exceeds that of ordinary people.”

The nearby officers looked at Li Jingguo’s ruined face and couldn’t help but feel a chill.

“But, Captain Meng, the caller this time said the killer wore a Great Sage mask. Previously, when the Chopstick Maniac killed Ma Guosheng and Lu Youwei, he wore a Guan Yu mask. Could it be a different person?” Lin Zheng offered his opinion.

“No, this actually proves it’s the same individual,” Meng Zhitan analyzed, furrowing his brow. “The Chopstick Maniac is an offender with a strong sense of justice. When targeting criminal groups, since they worship Guan Yu, he donned a Guan Yu mask to slay them—heightening the irony.”

“But traffickers sell children, and the Great Sage is the hero idolized by children across the country. By wearing the Great Sage mask to punish traffickers, he creates a strange, ironic effect.”

“This perpetrator, whom we’ve dubbed the Chopstick Maniac, now treats his killings as an act of chivalry. Moreover, he has elevated it to the level of an art exhibition.”

“He uses different methods to showcase his artistry,” Meng Zhitan continued, analyzing the criminal’s psychology. As an outstanding detective, his task was to interpret the artistry of the offender.

“Actually, Captain Meng, I say, even though the Chopstick Maniac kills, he only targets the wicked. We just need to go through the motions, investigate a bit, and that’s all.” Su Qiu, ever a staunch supporter of the Chopstick Maniac within the team, voiced his thoughts.

Meng Zhitan shook his head. “No, you’re missing the point. Right now, the Chopstick Maniac kills only criminals and evildoers. But he possesses superhuman strength, and such a figure operates without restraint. If, one day, he cannot resist his own desires and attacks innocent people—what then? No matter what, we must find the Chopstick Maniac.”

(Now ranked fourteenth on the new book list—keep the recommendations coming!)