บท 31: A Family Consumed by Vengeance
The Xiao family villa was shrouded in a suffocating atmosphere of grief and rage as the members gathered to discuss the devastating loss of Xiao Mingzhe. Xiao Mingyuan, the elder brother, paced the room, his eyes smoldering with a barely contained fury.
"It's been three damn days, and we still have nothing!" Xiao Mingyuan growled, his fists clenched at his sides. "This is an outrage – an insult to our family name! We cannot let this stand."
Xiao Mingliang, the younger brother, shifted uneasily in his seat, his brow furrowed with concern. "Brother, we've searched everywhere, but the security footage was tampered with. It's as if the killer knew exactly how to cover their tracks."
Luo Ting, Xiao Mingzhe's widow, rose from her chair, her eyes red-rimmed from endless tears. "You're telling me you're failing to find the man who murdered my husband?" she demanded, her voice quivering with raw emotion.
Xiao Mingyuan raised a placating hand, his expression softening slightly. "Ting, that's not what we're saying. We're doing everything in our power to track down the one responsible, I swear it."
Xiao Zheng cleared his throat, his face etched with a mixture of frustration and uncertainty. "Dad, I've been searching the internet non-stop, but I can't find anything that matches what happened. It's like I've seen something similar before, but I can't place it."
Xiao Mingyuan's gaze hardened as he fixed his son with a stern look. "You think this is a joke, Zheng? Our family's name is at stake, and if we don't find the culprit, it could undermine us in the underground organizations."
Xiao Zheng shook his head quickly, his eyes pleading. "No, Dad, I'm not joking. I've been racking my brain, but I just can't remember where I've seen this kind of attack before."
Luo Ting stepped forward, her face a mask of grief and determination. "Mingyuan, we can't just sit here and do nothing. Our family has been disgraced, and Mingzhe's blood cries out for vengeance. We have to find the person responsible, no matter what it takes."
Xiao Mingyuan nodded, his jaw set in a grim line. "You're right, Ting. We can't let this stand. We'll pull in every favor, use every connection we have – I don't care what it takes, we're going to find this bastard and make them pay."
Xiao Feng, Mingyuan's daughter, approached her brother Xiao Zheng, her brow furrowed with concern. "Zheng, Uncle Mingliang said you noticed something similar about the attack. Have you remembered anything else?"
Xiao Zheng shook his head, his expression troubled. "I've been trying, Feng, but it's like a distant memory, something I can't quite grasp. I feel like I've seen this kind of attack before, but I just can't place it."
Xiao Feng frowned, her lips pursed in thought. "Well, keep trying, Zheng. If you can remember anything, it could be the key to finding the person responsible."
Xiao Zheng nodded, his jaw set with determination. "I won't stop until I figure it out, Feng. This is for my uncle – I have to do whatever it takes to help."
The room erupted into a flurry of activity as the Xiao family members began making calls, dispatching their network of informants and allies to scour the underground for any leads. The air was thick with a sense of impending action, a storm on the horizon that would soon break over the unsuspecting perpetrator.
Luo Ting, her eyes burning with a fierce determination, approached Xiao Mingyuan, grabbing his arm with a vice-like grip. "Mingyuan, we can't let this go. Mingzhe can't die in vain. We have to make the ones responsible pay, no matter what."
Xiao Mingyuan turned to his sister-in-law, his expression hardening. "I know, Ting. And we will. I swear, on my life, that we will find the person who did this and make them suffer for what they've done."
The other family members nodded in agreement, their own eyes gleaming with a thirst for justice. The Xiao family was a force to be reckoned with, and they would stop at nothing to protect their own and safeguard their family's legacy.
Xiao Mingliang stepped forward, his face set in a determined scowl. "I'll make the calls, pull in every favor we have. We'll find this bastard, even if it takes us to the ends of the earth."
Luo Ting's grip on Xiao Mingyuan's arm tightened, her knuckles turning white. "I want the head of the person who killed my husband. I won't rest until I see their lifeless body at my feet."
The room fell silent, the air thick with the weight of her words. The Xiao family members knew that when Luo Ting spoke with such ferocity, there would be no stopping her until her thirst for vengeance was quenched.
Xiao Feng, her eyes filled with a mixture of sorrow and resolve, placed a comforting hand on Luo Ting's shoulder. "Auntie Ting, we will find the one responsible and make them pay. I swear it on my own life. This family will not rest until justice is served."
Luo Ting turned to Feng, her expression softening slightly. "Thank you, Feng. I know you and the others will do whatever it takes. This is for Mingzhe – our beloved husband, brother, and son. We cannot let his memory be tarnished by such a cowardly act."
Xiao Zheng stepped forward, his gaze unwavering. "I'll keep searching, Dad. I know I've seen this before, and I won't stop until I figure it out. We'll find the one responsible, no matter what it takes."
Xiao Mingyuan placed a hand on his son's shoulder, a glimmer of pride shining in his eyes. "That's my boy. We're Xiao's, and we don't back down from a fight. Keep digging, Zheng. If anyone can uncover the truth, it's you."
The family members began to disperse, each one driven by a singular purpose – to track down the person who had taken Xiao Mingzhe from them and make them pay in the most brutal way possible. The air in the villa was thick with the scent of vengeance, and the Xiao family was more than ready to unleash their wrath upon the unsuspecting culprit.
As the sun set, casting long shadows across the grand estate, the Xiao family's wheels were already in motion, their collective determination fueling their relentless pursuit of justice. The storm was coming, and the perpetrator would soon find themselves caught in the eye of the tempest.
As Xiao Zheng's fingers danced over the keys of his phone, he carefully crafted a message to Feng Ruoxi, knowing that every word held weight in their encrypted communication. The weight of their shared history pressed heavily on his mind, the knowledge of her actions casting a shadow over their bond.
"Hey sis, just saw a black cat cross my path. Remember our superstition? Keep your eyes peeled. Stay safe."
He hit send, the familiar rush of adrenaline coursing through him as he waited for her reply. In the Xiao household, the family was gathered, their faces somber with grief as they mourned the loss of Xiao Mingzhe.
Across town, Feng Ruoxi received Xiao Zheng's coded message, her heart skipping a beat at the familiar words. She knew that their communication was a lifeline in the dangerous game they played, a way to stay one step ahead of their enemies.
"Got it bro. Thanks for the heads up. The stars are aligned on my end. No need to worry."
As she sent her reply, Feng Ruoxi's mind raced with plans and contingencies. She knew that Xiao Zheng held the key to her friend's safety, and she would stop at nothing to protect them, even if it meant facing off against her own brother.
Back in the Xiao household, Xiao Feng watched her brother carefully, concern etched into her features. "Zheng, you seem distracted. Is everything alright?"
Xiao Zheng forced a smile for his sister's sake, though his mind was elsewhere. "Just thinking about uncle Mingzhe's death sis and I am worried about Aunt Ting."
But Xiao Feng wasn't easily fooled. "I know you, Zheng. Something's bothering you. You can talk to me."
Xiao Zheng's heart clenched at his sister's words, the weight of his secrets threatening to crush him. "I appreciate that, Feng. Truly. But this is something I need to handle on my own."
As the family continued their discussion, Xiao Zheng's mind drifted back to his exchange with Feng Ruoxi. He knew that their bond was the only thing keeping them both alive in this dangerous world, and he vowed to do whatever it took to protect her, even if it meant betraying what was now his own family.
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