Chapter 14
Chapter 14
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Translator: Ace
Chapter:
Chapter Title: Ambush of the Hundred Infants
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Zhuge Jian returned to Water Buffalo County and sorted through the documents on his desk. Things had not gone well for him here, and he had long prepared to resign from his position as bailiff. Still, as the bailiff, he wanted to leave everything in perfect order, so his successor could smoothly take charge of Water Buffalo County's affairs.
“Sir, I've looked into the incidents near Huangpo Village and the background of Talisman Master Chen Yindu. It's all compiled in this report.”
A runner hurried into the study and presented the documents.
“Sir, Huangpo Village falls under New Township County's jurisdiction, not ours in Water Buffalo County. Getting involved in New Township County's business could stir up unnecessary trouble.”
“I understand. You may go.”
Zhuge Jian waved him off, then remembered something else.
“Don't mention this to anyone. Not even if the Assistant Magistrate asks.”
The runner withdrew.
Zhuge Jian opened the documents and began to read. Gradually, his brows furrowed tighter and tighter, like two ropes knotted together in an unbreakable tangle.
“This little Huangpo Village... so many incidents nearby, so many experts gone missing?”
He drew in a sharp breath. Every event near Huangpo Village—if it had happened in Water Buffalo County—would have been a major case!
The disappearances alone numbered over a dozen, and all the missing were remarkable figures!
“Li Xian from Quanzhou, He Qinghe from Dan River, Second Miss Zhao, Lin Feishuang of the Lin family, Xiao Zhu at Nascent Infant Realm...”
Zhuge Jian's scalp tingled. These were mostly people who had vanished in the past two years.
“Rumors say there's a Tomb of the True King in Qianyang Mountain. Most of these people were drawn here by it, seeking secrets and treasures, only to disappear in the mountain. Treasure hunts like that claim many lives anyway, especially in a place like the Tomb of the True King—undoubtedly full of perils. So that's not too strange. The only issue is, there weren't this many disappearances before. Why so many in just the last two years?”
Zhuge Jian's eyes flickered.
“So many experts vanishing in the last two years means some ruthless killer has appeared around Huangpo Village, wiping out every master who comes this way! Could it be Talisman Master Chen Yindu? Does he really have the strength to kill so many experts? Is his goal to monopolize the treasures of the Tomb of the True King?”
He kept reading. According to the records, Chen Yindu of Huangpo Village was an utterly ordinary talisman master, making a living by drawing and selling talismans. He lived quietly, never stepping out of line.
He had a son named Chen Tang, who had gone to the provincial capital to make a living and rarely returned.
Chen Yindu also had a grandson who had died long ago but suddenly came back to life two years ago—mischievous, naughty, despised by gods and ghosts alike...
Zhuge Jian's eyes widened. He read it several times to confirm he wasn't seeing things.
The document clearly stated it was Chen Yindu's grandson, Chen Tang's son—dead for years, then suddenly revived!
“In rural areas, strange and evil things abound. It's probably some evil spirit possessing the corpse!”
Zhuge Jian steadied himself and murmured,
“Evil entities are ranked as evil, spirit, demon, disaster, and calamity. Whatever possessed Chen Yindu's grandson is likely just evil-class or spirit-class—far from demon-level, not yet a real threat. That said, those disappearances over the past two years are probably tied to Chen Yindu's grandson.”
He continued reading: “Chen Yindu's grandson is named Chen Shi. Hm? Chen Shi... Chen... Honest?!”
Zhuge Jian was stunned. He shot to his feet, nearly flinging the documents away.
This Chen Shi was clearly the boy Honest who killed Li Xiaoding and the other eight—and also the pure-hearted Chen Shi who fished up three children's skeletons and returned them to their families!
“I wondered why I'd never heard of a surname Honest. Turns out he's Chen, kin to Chen Yindu!”
Zhuge Jian felt his scalp crawl, yet he also found it baffling. If Chen Shi had revived due to spirit possession, the villagers of Huangpo Village should have been devoured long ago.
Forget Huangpo Village—the nearby towns and hamlets would have been eaten clean!
Yet Chen Shi appeared genuinely kind, clearly not possessed by a spirit.
He slowly sat back down and picked up the documents to continue.
“Villagers say Chen Yindu died half a month ago... Chen Yindu died too?!”
He paused there, took a breath, and read on. “The day after burial, Chen Yindu rose from his coffin, ate candles, sniffed incense, slept in the coffin. After that, livestock in the village often died with their blood drained dry. Villagers believe he's become a corpse spirit, calling him 'zomb...'
Zhuge Jian's scalp tingled again. This Chen Yindu was the spirit!
He steadied himself. If Chen Yindu was possessed by a spirit or turned into a corpse spirit, forget livestock—the villagers of Huangpo Village would have been wiped out by now!
“In half a month, this zombie could devour every village within ten or eight li. The first it should eat is the Chen Shi right beside it. Why hasn't it?”
Zhuge Jian couldn't figure it out. He thought,
“Could it be because Chen Shi is also a zombie? Or both possessed by spirits, so grandfather and grandson don't turn on each other? But Chen Shi looks like a living person, not a zombie. So it must be a spirit—but his actions don't match one...”
This grandfather and grandson were too bizarre, each carrying a pile of secrets.
“Those disappearances over the past two years are likely tied to this odd pair. The missing come from powerful families—they won't let it rest.”
The provincial capital of New Township Province had another name: Imperial Hometown, Imperial City!
What did Imperial Hometown mean?
Daring to touch the nobles of the Imperial Hometown was sheer audacity!
Zhuge Jian placed his resignation on the desk, about to leave, then turned back.
“Those who act for heaven are no criminals.”
He lit a fire starter and burned the documents on the Chen grandfather and grandson to ashes. Muttering to himself,
“Whether these two are linked to the disappearances or not, Chen Shi is one who acts for heaven.”
He turned and left.
“No place here for this old man? Plenty of places that want him! Forget this bailiff post, forget this yamen!”
Assistant Magistrate Li Kefa's face darkened as he tore Zhuge Jian's resignation to shreds.
“Zhuge Jian was just a dog the Li family kept. He actually thought he was somebody. You don't want the job? Plenty do!”
He immediately issued orders for a new bailiff. Applicants flooded Water Buffalo County—even scholars from more than a dozen surrounding counties rushed over, eager for this official rice bowl.
From the crowd, Li Kefa selected a new bailiff named Qu Ji.
Qu Ji promptly led Water Buffalo County runners on investigations. Soon enough, they learned that on the day Li Xiaoding was killed, Talisman Master Chen Yindu of Huangpo Village had been selling talismans in Yandang Village.
One runner said, “Sir Qu, Sir Zhuge said the talisman master who killed Young Master Li was short, around five chi tall. But this Chen Yindu is extremely tall—not the killer, clearly.”
Qu Ji sneered, “Is Zhuge Jian the bailiff, or am I? No other talisman masters in Yandang Village that day—just him. If not him, who?”
He immediately reported to Li Kefa. Li Kefa assembled the runners, brought Li family experts—over fifty in total—and headed straight for Huangpo Village.
Water Buffalo County was over a hundred li from Huangpo Village, requiring a detour around the mountain base. By the time they hurried along, night was falling before they arrived.
“Sir, the countryside isn't like the county seat. Evil things prowl at night—not wise to travel.”
An old runner spoke up hastily.
Qu Ji laughed. “Ignorant talk. Our group has thirty-four scholars and seventeen juren, all at Divine Embryo Realm. We even have Soul Transformation experts—not to mention Sir Li himself. Forget mere evils—even spirits would melt like snow under our divine light before getting close!”
Li Kefa, burning for revenge, said, “Keep moving!”
The runners and Li family experts pressed on. Moonlight charmed the eyes, and white mist rose in the mountain woods.
Then, from the woods came the cry of an infant—close by.
Li Kefa frowned slightly.
Qu Ji ordered, “Li Ying, go check.”
A runner acknowledged and activated his Divine Shrine Divine Embryo. A lantern-like glow bloomed behind his head, shining divine light on the path ahead.
Runner Li Ying readied his spells, stayed cautious, and followed the cries into the woods.
Moments later, Li Ying's voice came: “Sir, there are so many abandoned infants in these woods!”
Li Kefa and the others were slightly taken aback.
“About a dozen infants!” Li Ying called loudly.
“A dozen infants?” Everyone jumped.
Abandoned babies weren't rare in the countryside. Some were from unmarried girls who got pregnant and dumped them to avoid shame; others from families that valued boys over girls and left daughters in the wild; still others too poor to raise them, so they gave them away or tossed them.
But dumping a dozen at once? Such a heartless act was unheard of!
Qu Ji immediately picked over a dozen men. “Heaven cherishes life. Fate brought us here—go help Li Ying gather those dozen infants.”
“Sir, could there be something strange?”
“Do as I say!”
The dozen followed the cries into the woods.
Qu Ji flattered, “Sir saving a dozen infants at once—pure bodhisattva heart. Word spreads, and the world will praise you.”
Li Kefa rarely smiled, but since his son Li Xiaoding's death, this was the first hint of one.
Saving one infant in Xiniu New Continent drew no notice. But rescuing a dozen in the rural night? Legendary enough to spread far and wide, letting everyone know of Li Kefa's benevolence!
“The Li family will hear of my deeds too, and value me more. I'm still young—remarry, have more sons? Easy.”
He was thinking this when Li Ying's voice came: “Sir, not enough hands. Need more people!”
The voices of the runners sent to help chimed in: “Sir, even more children here!”
The infant cries from the woods multiplied. Just a dozen before—now it sounded like thirty or forty wailing together.
Li Kefa's heart jolted. Something felt off.
Yet tonight's moonlight was mesmerizing. City lights and wine couldn't match this pleasing glow.
His expression grew dazed.
Qu Ji frowned too. “Sir, something's not right...”
Li Kefa shook his head, shaking off the moonlight's pull. He barked lowly, “Ready your spells! Midnight-Noon Evil-Cleaving Swords! On my command!”
The Midnight-Noon Evil-Cleaving Sword was a technique from the Heavenly Heart Righteous Qi Art—gathering true qi and divine light into formless sword qi. Six forms, required study for all scholars.
Everyone readied their spells. Air quivered faintly before them, but no sword shapes appeared.
Qu Ji called loudly, “Li Ying, bring the children back first! We'll help after!”
Li Ying assented. Footsteps sounded from the woods, cries drawing nearer. Under moonlight, shadows flickered vaguely in the trees. Moments later, over a dozen figures emerged—the runners led by Li Ying, each cradling an infant.
Li Ying and the others took two steps from the woods and stopped, not approaching. “Sir, more children inside. Please come help!”
More cries indeed echoed from the woods.
Li Kefa, Qu Ji, and the rest watched dubiously.
Qu Ji shouted, “Bring the children here first!”
Li Ying and the others didn't budge, just urging them to save the infants in the woods.
Qu Ji was about to speak again when Li Kefa ordered, “Sir Qu, go check them out. Something's off about them.”
Qu Ji had no choice but to steel himself and approach. The runners held infants in one arm, beckoned stiffly with the other. “Sir Qu, come quick—save the children!”
Qu Ji drew nearer, heart pounding harder. The more he looked, the stranger they seemed. He halted abruptly and shouted, “Li Ying, bring the child here...”
The “here” hadn't left his mouth when a rumble shook the woods. A four-hoofed monster rose slowly from the trees—covered in necks like long hair, slender as snakes. At each end was an infant-like head, wailing baby cries.
Many infants clutched in Li Ying and the runners' arms now rose on those slender necks from their embraces.
The four-hoofed monster bellowed hoarsely:
“Quick—save the children!”
Over a hundred infant heads wailed in unison, flailing limbs in the air, clawing desperately at Qu Ji.
Li Ying and the others, bereft of infants, suddenly deflated like punctured sacks, shriveling dry.
Only now did Qu Ji and the rest see clearly: Li Ying and the dozen runners had become nothing but human skins in mere moments!
Earlier, holding the children and chatting—they'd had their blood, flesh, and bones devoured. The monster had inflated their skins like balloons, mimicking their walk, their speech!