14: counterfeit goods

Zhou Zhe frantically clawed at the large hand clamped around his throat;

Yet that large hand remained completely motionless, like a hydraulic clamp!

His face, flushed red from asphyxiation, held not just terror, but also confusion...

Why... why would Chu Yuan dare to kill!?

He clearly had such a bright future, was he really throwing it all away just because he had provoked him a few days ago?

Zhou Zhe's status was too low, and he did not yet know the news that Li Chen had already died;

Therefore, he found it somewhat inconceivable right now;

However, no matter how he thought about it, it was of no help to the current situation.

In the back room, Zhou Zhe's mother had also been awakened. She ran out in her pajamas, and at a glance, she saw her husband lying on the ground, completely lifeless;

And her son, who was about to be strangled to death by that little beast...

She let out a terrified scream and collapsed onto the floor, at a complete loss for what to do.

"Mom... run..." Zhou Zhe squeezed the three words from his throat with difficulty, but his voice was as faint as a mosquito's buzz, completely drowned out by the woman's shrill screaming.

Just as Zhou Zhe was in complete despair, a sharp, cold light shot in from outside the door, piercing straight towards Chu Yuan's heart from behind!

Zhou Zhe saw Chu Yuan's expressionless face suddenly shift. He actually threw him directly onto the ground, and a dagger appeared in his hand—no one knew when—which he slashed backward!

Clang!

The piercing sound of metal clashing scraped repeatedly against his eardrums, making him feel a wave of nausea;

But at this moment, he couldn't care about much else. He scrambled away from Chu Yuan and came to his mother's side, shielding her behind him.

At the same time, he looked toward the door with anticipation—someone had come to save him!

Who was it!?

To his surprise, the figure that appeared was wearing a First High School uniform;

When he saw the face clearly, Zhou Zhe felt stunned once again... another Chu Yuan!

His gaze darted back and forth between the two Chu Yuans...

Chu Yuan caught the longsword returning to his hand, looked at the imposter in front of him, and asked with a trace of killing intent: "Who are you?"

The conflicts and disputes with Zhou Zhe and Li Chen were just minor squabbles;

But this true culprit was aiming to ruin him!

Chu Yuan naturally wanted to kill him!

Yet he didn't expect the other party to show a strange smile on his face, and then actually emit a voice identical to his own: "I am Chu Yuan! And who are you? How dare you impersonate me..."

Immediately after, his expression shifted, as if he had sensed something;

He exerted force with his feet, smashed through the window, and flipped out!

Chu Yuan naturally would not let him go so easily, and almost subconsciously, he was about to chase after him!

But just at this moment, the sound of chaotic footsteps reached his ears;

Chu Yuan's heart stirred, and he quickly weighed his options.

To be able to discover the anomaly here and rush up in such a short time, it could only be the official authorities!

If he chased after him now, it was indeed possible to catch the true culprit, but it was also equally possible that he would fail!

Instead, staying here would better prove his own identity!

The real one was right here... didn't that just prove that someone was impersonating him?

But he couldn't let the other party get away so easily either...

He took a step to the window and looked down, only to see a figure rapidly fleeing, almost blending into the night;

Chu Yuan channeled his power, and the longsword in his hand vibrated!

Riding the Wind Sword Control Art: Strike!

A cold light shot out from his hand, like a spear piercing the stars!

Carrying biting killing intent, it whistled toward the fleeing figure...

"Don't move!"

"Put your hands up!"

Several figures in uniforms swarmed in, raising their pistols and aiming them at Chu Yuan...

...

"You mean to say that after you learned of Li Chen's death, you realized someone was intentionally framing you; and at the same time, you recalled your previous friction with Zhou Zhe... so you intentionally came here to lie in wait?"

"That's right." Chu Yuan glanced at Zhou Zhe: "Isn't there a witness?"

Zhou Zhe was stunned for a moment, then suddenly looked at Chu Yuan with red eyes, gritting his teeth: "You knew all along! And you were already here!"

"That's right."

"Then why didn't you act sooner! Why didn't you save my dad!" Zhou Zhe roared.

Since Chu Yuan had arrived early, and he had the ability to contend with that fake Chu Yuan, why couldn't he have acted sooner!?

Chu Yuan looked at Zhou Zhe, expressionless, then shook his head and said softly: "I am just like you, a student who has only been Cultivating for a few days; I don't have such strong abilities."

"Bullshit!" Zhou Zhe cursed angrily: "You did it on purpose!"

"Why would I do that on purpose?"

"Because I provoked you! So you are holding a grudge!"

Chu Yuan watched him quietly, and the Public Security Bureau captain who was questioning him also shook his head;

In his view, it was indeed possible that Chu Yuan had intentionally stood by and watched, but based on his conduct and courage, it could basically be ruled out that it was because of that minor friction between him and Zhou Zhe.

Perhaps... he wanted to deliberately let Zhou Zhe and his mother see that fake Chu Yuan's face!

Otherwise, if he had acted earlier, the fake Chu Yuan might have retreated immediately... and then there would still be no witnesses. Relying only on Chu Yuan's word, he wouldn't be able to convince anyone.

It's just that... how could a mere high school student have such deep scheming?

He was responsible for following up on the case of Li Chen's death, so he was relatively familiar with the information about Chu Yuan; but now it seemed that the information on paper might not be entirely reliable...

"Even if that's the case, it doesn't rule out the possibility that you staged this yourself."

Chu Yuan suddenly laughed: "You mean to say that I, an ordinary high school student, could find an Inner Breath Realm Martial Artist to act with me... and, with the capabilities of your Public Security Bureau and the Prefectural Capital's Li family, you still couldn't investigate any information?"

The captain didn't answer, but simply said: "An ordinary high school student wouldn't have the ability to force back an Inner Breath Realm Martial Artist! Until the true culprit is caught, your suspicion cannot be completely cleared."

Chu Yuan said sarcastically: "Why don't you just suspect that I might be a spy for the alien race?"

Hearing this, the captain felt a bit annoyed; but before he could say anything, a female Public Security Bureau officer nearby said sternly: "You're right! I do indeed suspect that you are a spy for the alien race! Come back to the bureau with us for investigation!"

The captain's expression changed, and he scolded sternly: "Xiao Yuan! Shut up!"

"Captain! He's just a murderer..."

"Hmph! Chu Yuan is a member of the Great Qin's elite Qingyun Project! His father sacrificed himself ten years ago in the war against the alien invasion! For a descendant of such a hero to be arbitrarily convicted by you, and even branded as a spy for the alien race!?" A stern voice came from the doorway.

Chu Yuan looked toward the doorway and greeted: "Principal."

"Principal Qi! I absolutely did not mean that!" The captain stood at attention, his demeanor restrained...