Chapter 1393
Internal Strife Among the Elderly Leads to Bloodshed
Communication had completely failed. Looking at these old people whose faces were etched with stubbornness and whose eyes were fixed on clan boundaries rather than national laws, and who were even willing to use their aging bodies as weapons to threaten others, Luo Fei's last hope of persuading them with words was extinguished.
He understood that for these elderly people, who had been thoroughly shaped by clan ideology and pushed to the forefront by Xue Jingshan, ordinary reasoning, the authority of the law, and even considerations of their own consequences were all ineffective.
Their purpose at this moment is to obstruct, using their "vulnerable" nature to create a predicament that law enforcement cannot break through and has no way to deal with.
Gao Linfeng, who was standing next to the police car, took in the whole scene.
Seeing Luo Fei's attempts to communicate, witnessing the elderly people's increasingly intense reactions, and seeing the raised cane, his thought of "I knew it" grew stronger. At the same time, he couldn't help but feel worried for Luo Fei, fearing that the cane might actually fall, or that one of the elderly people might suffer some serious injury due to excessive excitement.
He saw Luo Fei standing there silently, facing the stubborn old man, his back seemingly isolated and helpless. In his view, Luo Fei had already exhausted all conventional methods and was probably at a loss.
Not only Gao Linfeng, but also the three members of the criminal investigation team and most of the members of the Ghost Team watched silently.
Teacher Huang adjusted his glasses, his face still bearing that gentle yet unfathomable expression; Xiao Qi, clutching her longsword, gazed coldly at Luo Fei's back, her expression unwavering; Tie Shan stood like a mountain, silent and still; the other young team members exchanged glances, most believing the situation was deadlocked, and that the young director was likely to run into a major obstacle, this large-scale operation probably ending in a comical and fruitless failure.
Gao Linfeng felt he couldn't wait any longer. He took a deep breath, stepped forward again, came to Luo Fei's side, lowered his voice, and spoke with a tone of persuasion and helplessness.
"Director Luo, as you can see, there's really... no way to communicate with them."
They're not buying it at all. Forcing it is too risky; nobody can afford the consequences. I think… perhaps we should reconsider my earlier suggestion? We can park the car here and walk in? Although… although it might not look good, at least we can get into the village and start our work. Or… should we withdraw first, plan further, and request clearer instructions and support from the city and province?”
His suggestion, in essence, is still about compromise and concession, believing that a hardline approach is not feasible in the face of this "wall of people."
However, Luo Fei seemed not to have heard Gao Linfeng's suggestion again.
His gaze remained fixed on the elderly people who had returned to silence, but whose postures seemed even more "immovable." Deep within his eyes, something was subtly shifting and gathering. No one noticed that his right hand, hanging at his side, twitched almost imperceptibly, as if plucking some invisible string.
Unbeknownst to anyone, an extremely subtle and profound spiritual fluctuation, seemingly capable of directly affecting the depths of consciousness, emanated from Luo Fei and spread out like ripples on water, precisely enveloping the seven or eight elderly people blocking the door.
This is not a brutal form of mind control, but a more sophisticated and profound suggestion and guidance targeting specific psychological levels. After repeated use, Luo Fei has become adept at this kind of operation, which is not about direct combat but focuses on psychological influence.
He did not try to change the deep-rooted clan mentality of the elderly, nor did he forcibly order them to leave, as that would have been extremely costly and could have left uncontrollable aftereffects.
He chose another angle—some common, primal, and sensitive points in human nature that are unrelated to clan loyalty.
As those invisible ripples of consciousness brushed against the seemingly senile yet actually vigilant minds of the elderly, an extremely strong "memory fragment" or "cognitive suggestion," powerful enough to evoke the most primal anger and humiliation, was quietly implanted and instantly "confirmed" in their mutual understanding. In the subconscious of each elderly person, they "suddenly and clearly remembered" or rather, "became certain."
One or two specific old friends who usually seem honest and even have a good relationship with me secretly sneaked into my home when I was away on one occasion, such as when I was hospitalized, went to the market in town, or visited relatives, and assaulted my wife who had been with me for decades and was also old!
The details of this "violation" are vague, but the overwhelming anger it brings—the feeling of betrayal, humiliation, and the defilement of one's family bloodline—is incredibly real and intensely ignited in an instant!
All of this happened in the blink of an eye. To outsiders, Luo Fei simply stood there silently, neither nodding nor refuting Gao Linfeng's persuasion, seemingly making a final decision or struggle.
Then, he slowly turned around, his face showing no frustration or anger, remaining calm, even more composed than before.
He walked back to the police car, shook his head at Gao Linfeng, whose face was filled with expectation and worry, but said something that Gao Linfeng never expected.
"Captain Gao."
Luo Fei's tone was calm, as if he were stating a fact that was about to happen.
"The elderly people really wouldn't give way, and communication was ineffective."
Gao Linfeng's heart sank, thinking that Luo Fei was finally going to admit reality and either adopt his compromise or give up.
But Luo Fei's next words stunned him.
"but."
Luo Fei's gaze turned toward the elderly people still gathered at the village entrance, and a faint, almost imperceptible smile seemed to appear on the corner of his mouth.
"I think we'll be able to drive in soon. Just a little longer."
"Will we be able to drive in soon?"
Gao Linfeng didn't react for a moment, his face full of confusion and bewilderment.
He followed Luo Fei's gaze and saw the old people at the village entrance still sitting there peacefully. There was no sign of them "being able to go in soon." What did Director Luo mean by that? Was it self-comfort? Or did he have some other reliance? But besides these few people and two ambulances on standby, what else could they rely on? Did they expect Xue Jingshan to suddenly have a change of heart and call the old people away himself? That was simply a pipe dream!
Not only was Gao Linfeng puzzled, but the members of the criminal investigation team, as well as the members of the Ghost Team who had been monitoring the situation, were also baffled by Luo Fei's seemingly nonsensical remark. The atmosphere at the scene, after Luo Fei's perplexing words, fell into an eerie silence and a state of anticipation, with most people waiting for Luo Fei's "realistic assessment" or "next instructions."
However, this quiet did not last long.
Just as Gao Linfeng's doubts reached their peak and he was about to ask another question—
"You old beast! I'll beat you to death!" A shrill, furious roar, like a thunderclap, suddenly erupted from the group of old people at the village entrance!
The old man with age spots on his face, who had previously been agitated and had raised his cane to threaten Luo Fei, now had bloodshot eyes and his face was contorted with extreme anger. He suddenly got up from the ground, swung his ebony cane, and with all his might, smashed it down hard on the head of another skinny old man who had been resting with his eyes closed next to the toothless old woman!
"boom!"
A muffled thud, accompanied by the terrifying sound of bone striking hardwood.
Caught off guard, the gaunt old man was struck squarely on the side of his head. Without uttering a sound, he collapsed to the ground, his body twitching twice. A trickle of dark red blood immediately seeped from his gray hair, leaving a small, glaring stain on the gray cement floor.
This sudden act of violence stunned everyone! Time seemed to freeze for a second.
"Ah—! Murder!"
The elderly woman with missing teeth let out a piercing scream.
But this was only the beginning of the chaos!
"You son of a bitch, Xue Laowu! You dare touch my wife! I'll fight you to the death!"
Another old man, who had originally looked rather sturdy but now had a ferocious expression, seemed to be injected with a violent force. He howled and pounced on an old man next to him who was holding a pipe and hadn't even realized what was happening yet. He grabbed the other old man's neck tightly with both hands! The old man being choked had his eyes bulging out, his face quickly turned red and purple, and his pipe fell to the ground with a "thud".
"And you! Xue Guaizi! You're no better! Don't think I don't know you broke into my house!"
Another old man screamed and brandished a half-brick that he had somehow pulled out, smashing it into the back of another old man next to him.
"How dare you slander my husband! I'll tear your mouth off!"
"You two beasts, worse than pigs and dogs! You owe my wife justice!"
"Kill them! Kill these disgraceful old bastards!"
Curses, roars, cries, the sounds of bodies colliding, and the clatter of canes... all instantly coalesced into a raging vortex of noise! The seven or eight elderly people who had been united and quietly blocking the road now seemed to have become mortal enemies with a blood feud. They completely forgot their age, their frailty, and their original purpose. All that remained in their hearts was the "undeniable" sense of shame and rage that Luo Fei had implanted in them—the overwhelming shame and fury of their loved ones being violated by their old friends!
This anger, amplified and focused to an extreme degree by his mental abilities, overwhelmed all clan concepts, all prior arrangements, and even his awareness of his own aging body!
They struck each other's heads and shoulders with their canes, scratched each other's faces with their withered fingers, and wrestled together with all their might, biting and punching each other. The scene instantly became chaotic and extremely violent, filled with a primal and bloody atmosphere. The sound of canes breaking, the old man's groans and curses, and the thuds of bodies falling to the ground were incessant. False teeth mixed with bloody saliva flew out, and gray hair was torn out, stained with blood and scattered on the ground.
The orderly "formation" of elderly people sitting under the doorway crumbled in an instant, turning into a small, bloody, and chaotic vortex of fighting.
"Stop! Stop it! We're all family, what are you doing!"
Near the village entrance, some villagers who had been watching from a distance, especially several middle-aged women, were terrified by the horrifying scene and rushed over to try to break up the fight.
However, the old people, who were now completely consumed by rage, could not distinguish between friend and foe, or rather, anyone who approached them and tried to stop them from "taking revenge" was regarded as an accomplice or an obstacle.
"Get out of here! You accomplices!"
An old man with swollen eyes and a bloody face swung his half-broken cane, indiscriminately sweeping it at a woman who tried to break up the fight. The woman screamed and stumbled backward, almost falling over.
"Don't come any closer! Anyone who gets in my way of revenge, I'll fight them to the death!"
Another old man, clinging tightly to his opponent's arm, roared incoherently.
The villagers and women who tried to break up the fight were terrified by the frenzied momentum and chaotic violence. They dared not approach any further and could only stand panicked on the periphery, shouting loudly to try and calm the elderly, but their voices were completely drowned out by the noise and shouts of the fight. The scene was completely out of control.
Gao Linfeng and his three criminal police officers were completely dumbfounded!
Their eyes widened, their mouths gaped, and their expressions quickly shifted from initial confusion to extreme shock, astonishment, and disbelief!
What... what's going on? Just a moment ago, these old folks were united, unyielding, using silence and "old age" as weapons. How did they suddenly become like enemies, locked in a life-or-death struggle, as if they'd been collectively cursed?!
This transformation is so abrupt, so bizarre, so illogical! It's like an absurd nightmare!
But the bloodstains spreading rapidly on the ground, the genuine rage and pain on the faces of the elderly, and the fierce fighting all indicate that this is a bloody reality that is happening right now!
"This...this..."
Gao Linfeng's tongue was tied, his mind was in complete chaos, and he couldn't understand what was happening in front of him.
His gaze instinctively shifted to Luo Fei, who stood there calmly, silently watching the chaotic and brutal brawl among the elderly at the village entrance. His face showed no surprise, as if it had all been expected. Recalling Luo Fei's earlier words, "We'll be able to drive in soon," a chilling thought uncontrollably surfaced—could it be…could all of this be related to Director Luo?! But he hadn't done anything! He had only stood there, said a few words, and glanced around!
How can this be? !
Before Gao Linfeng could think it through, the horrific scene before him made his professional instincts quickly overcome his shock and confusion.
In less than a minute, four or five people lay on the ground in the center of the fight, some curled up groaning, others motionless and covered in blood. The two still fighting were also staggering, seemingly about to die together.
This scene is no longer just obstruction of law enforcement; it is a large-scale incident that could result in death at any moment!
"Quick! Call an ambulance! We need to save them! Xiao Zhang, Lao Wang, come with me, let's figure out a way to separate them! Be careful!"
Gao Linfeng forcibly pulled himself back to his senses from the immense shock, shouting hoarsely at his subordinates while frantically waving at the two white ambulances waiting not far away.
The paramedics in the ambulances had clearly witnessed this horrifying scene as well. Although equally shocked, their professionalism compelled them to act immediately. Sirens blared again, and two ambulances sped to the scene. The paramedics, carrying first-aid kits and stretchers, and with the help of Gao Linfeng and several trembling, cautious police officers who were carefully avoiding the wildly flailing limbs, rushed into the chaotic center of the scene, where the fighting had largely ceased and the area was now littered with injured people. (End of Chapter)