Chapter 45: The Hammer Fiend Case (Part Fourteen)

On the night of October 31, only a scattering of lights remained in Dijia Village, on the outskirts of Luocheng.

Robbery and murder cases had occurred consecutively in several neighboring counties. During the day, the local police station had even dispatched officers to conduct door-to-door safety campaigns, warning villagers to securely lock their doors and windows at night if anyone called out.

Traveling east from Huixian along National Highway 107, one would reach Juling Town, situated alongside the highway, in about 20 minutes. Another three or four li further east lay Dijia Village.

In the northwest corner of the village stood a single-story brick house with four rooms facing south, fronted by a veranda. The westernmost room served as the kitchen, featuring a single wooden door opening southward.

This was the home of a villager named Di Zhixian. A 42-year-old rural woman, she lived here with her 14-year-old daughter and 11-year-old son. Little did she know that this peaceful and happy home had been targeted by a demon.

He limped along, having walked for a day and a night. Perhaps out of fatigue, or perhaps because he had spotted his next target, he finally came to a halt.

The thought of returning home vanished completely from his mind. As usual, like a plague god, he wandered aimlessly through the village.

With the cold gaze of a conqueror, he observed every potential target, thoroughly convinced of his right to use any cruel means to possess everything he desired. Murder had quite naturally become a mere tool for him to achieve his goals.

By this time, he had transformed into a ruthlessly cold-blooded killer stripped of all human empathy.

Before dawn broke, he had already arrived here. Having caught sight of the still-charming Di Zhixian by the edge of the fields at dusk yesterday, his primitive desires