"What a load of mysterious nonsense!"
The police officer curled his lip. "Don't waste any more time. You're coming with us."
Lin Mu turned to look at him and asked, "Go with you? May I ask what the charge is?"
"What charge?" The police officer laughed with rage. "With everyone watching, you still want to deny it? Your restaurant caused a death due to hygiene and safety issues. Is that charge serious enough for you?"
"Caused a death?" Lin Mu sneered coldly. "But what if the person isn't dead?"
"Not dead?"
"How is that possible?"
"..."
The crowd was shocked, and even Qin Luoli's expression changed drastically. Then, as if she had remembered something, her eyes suddenly lit up.
The burly man was stunned and bellowed, "Bullshit! You killed my brother, and now you're trying to blame us? I'm going to sue you!"
"Go ahead," Lin Mu said, watching him coldly. "You'd better get a forensic pathologist to conduct a proper autopsy and investigate the cause of death."
"If our food is truly what killed him, I'll take full responsibility. But if someone deliberately framed us, don't blame me for being ruthless!"
His speech echoed Qin Luoli's previous words exactly.
"This..."
The burly man faltered, and the two police officers' expressions grew uncertain.
Lin Mu said calmly, "What? Are you scared?"
"What's there to be afraid of?" The burly man stiffened his neck. "I'll get a doctor to check him right now. Don't even think about running off!"
"Fine, I'll wait." A faint smile appeared on Lin Mu's face.
As time passed, the crowd of onlookers grew until the restaurant entrance was completely packed.
"Lin Mu, will this be alright?" Qin Luoli asked, worried. If this escalated, it would ultimately affect the restaurant.
"Don't worry." A faint smile touched Lin Mu's lips. "Since someone wants to cause a scene, we might as well let it be a big one."
He knew that although his identity hadn't been exposed, some interested parties had been secretly investigating him ever since his battle with Yun Xu. This time, it was likely a test. If they wanted to play, he would play along—provided they could withstand his wrath.
The burly man pulled out his cell phone and made a call. Shortly after, he hung up as if he had confirmed something, a determined, chilling smile touching his lips.
About ten minutes later, an ambulance arrived. The crowd was so dense that the paramedics had to get out and walk over with the stretcher.
"They're quite well-prepared," Lin Mu remarked with a slight nod. He even had one of the restaurant's waiters bring him a stool, and he sat down imposingly right at the entrance.
This scene made the two policemen gnash their teeth in irritation.
A doctor in a white coat walked over and crouched to examine the unconscious man. Finally, he shook his head. "The patient is dead. The preliminary diagnosis is food poisoning."
"So it really is food poisoning."
"Looks like the man wasn't wrongly accusing the restaurant."
"Nobody should eat here anymore. This is terrifying."
"Hmph. After a death, it's doubtful they'll even be allowed to stay open."
The crowd buzzed with discussion, all of them pointing fingers at the restaurant.
Qin Luoli's expression grew grim.
She was sure there was nothing wrong with the restaurant's food. She just never expected someone would go so far as to sacrifice a human life to frame them. She'd seen plenty of underhanded schemes in the business world, but this was the first time she had ever encountered one that came at the cost of a person's life.
"Lin Mu," Qin Luoli said, "we need to hire a lawyer. I know the best one in River City. Otherwise, if this situation gets any bigger, it'll be bad for us."
"It's fine," Lin Mu said, shaking his head. "Like I said, just leave it to me."
With that, Lin Mu stood up and walked toward the doctor and the police officer, who were in conversation.
"Officer, you have to get justice for my brother!" the burly man cried, wiping at his eyes. "His death was so unjust! He lost his life just by having a meal!"
His performance was so over-the-top that even the doctor instinctively looked away.
"Don't worry. The police certainly won't stand by and do nothing in a case like this. We will give the victim and his family a satisfactory resolution!" the officer said, consoling the burly man before turning to Lin Mu. "Now, the man is dead. What more do you have to say?"
"Hmph, why waste more words on them? Just shut down their shady shop and arrest them! Let's see if they can weasel their way out of this!" the burly man said furiously.
"Yeah, shut them down! Arrest them!"
"Shut them down! Arrest them!"
Shouts rose from the crowd.
A flicker of a smile passed through the burly man's eyes. The crowd is easy to manipulate.
The police officer nodded. "Don't worry. We'll take them in, open an investigation, and make sure they receive the punishment they deserve."
With that, the officer walked toward Lin Mu and said coldly, "No more excuses now, right? Come with us!" As he spoke, he took out a pair of handcuffs, moving to restrain Lin Mu.
"Wait," Lin Mu said.
"Kid, you keep obstructing our investigation. What are you trying to pull?" the officer bellowed.
"Investigation?" Lin Mu sneered. "We haven't broken any laws. What exactly are you investigating?"
"The man is dead, and you still want to argue?" the officer shouted. I've never seen someone so shameless.
"Dead?" Lin Mu sneered. "Who told you he's dead?"
"Shameless!"
"Despicable!"
"He's lying through his teeth!"
Some onlookers grew furious, shocked that Lin Mu would say such a thing.
"Young man, the person is indeed dead. This was confirmed by our Doctor Ma," said an elderly man, one of the medical staff who had arrived with the ambulance. The Doctor Ma he referred to was the young doctor who had pronounced the man dead.
"Oh?" Lin Mu asked, raising an eyebrow. "And how was that confirmed?"
Being challenged, Doctor Ma's expression soured. He pointed at the man on the ground. "The deceased's face is cyanotic, he was frothing at the mouth, his pupils are dilated, and his abdomen is swollen. Respiration and heartbeat have both ceased. His muscles are even rigid. All of this proves he has been dead for at least half an hour."
"By saying he isn't dead, are you questioning my diagnosis, or are you simply refusing to accept the facts?"
The crowd stared at Lin Mu, eager to hear what he had to say next.
However, Lin Mu just smiled slightly. "Proving whether he's dead or not is simple. All I have to do is wake him up."
His words sent an uproar through the crowd.
Everyone looked at Lin Mu in utter shock. A doctor had already pronounced the man dead, yet Lin Mu claimed he could just wake him up? Was he joking?
"What nonsense are you spouting, kid? Do you think saying something like that will help you evade legal responsibility?" the officer raged. "Let me tell you, that's impossible!"
"Then I'll just have to prove it to you," Lin Mu said with a faint smile as he walked toward the unconscious man.
"What do you think you're doing?" the burly man shouted, moving to stop him. "My brother is already dead! What more do you want to do to him?"
Lin Mu looked at him. "Do you want him dead or alive? Or... do you have some other motive?"
"I..." The burly man faltered, instinctively glancing at the police officer and the doctor. Doctor Ma gave him a subtle nod.
"Let him try," Doctor Ma said. "I'd like to see if he can actually bring the dead back to life."
Despite his words, everyone looked at Lin Mu with mocking disdain, as if he were a complete fool.
Lin Mu, however, remained unperturbed.
He took a box from his pocket and retrieved a Silver Needle.
"A Silver Needle?"
Seeing the Silver Needle in Lin Mu's hand, everyone was slightly taken aback. Could he know medicine?
Crouching down, Lin Mu flicked his wrist, and the Silver Needle instantly pierced the bridge of the man's nose. Lin Mu then deftly inserted several more needles in succession: just below the man's lips, into his chest, and on both of his hands.
Finally, Lin Mu produced a ten-inch-long Silver Needle and instantly plunged it into the man's throat.
"Urk..."
As soon as that needle went in, the man's tightly closed eyes shot open. He lurched forward, spitting out a pool of partially digested food.
And wriggling within the vomit was a single black insect.
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