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墨書 Inktalez
We returned to the hotel once again, ready to rest.
When I got back to my bed, I saw Mu Xuanche lying quietly, wide awake and staring off into space.
"What are you thinking about? You’re human now, you know. You need to eat grains and get some rest. Hurry up and sleep, or how will you have the energy to get up tomorrow?"
Mu Xuanche grinned and waved his hand at me. "It's fine, you go ahead and sleep. I just want to think about some things."
I didn’t heed his words and instead turned over to ask him, "What are you still thinking about?"
Mu Xuanche replied, "Ghost Seal."
I gently asked, "We have no idea where the Ghost Seal is right now. What should we do to get it?"
Mu Xuanche pondered for a moment. "What that female ghost said to us today implies that if we want to obtain the Ghost Seal, we will inevitably encounter him. But who is he? How can we meet him?"
Then he added, "Yan Xi, do you remember the ghost story that this female ghost told you?"
Although I was somewhat puzzled, I still responded, "I remember it, but there’s nothing particularly special about that story. Besides, I’ve already told you about it."
Mu Xuanche began to analyze. "Yes, that's right; you've already told me. I've thought through various scenarios within it and discovered several points of doubt."
I nodded for him to continue, and he went on, "The Gu Woman has already passed away. This minister ultimately managed to steal the Ghost Seal and successfully deceived the emperor, leading to the emperor's downfall. So what kind of resentment could he possibly have after death? Not to mention he became a Zombie; that alone is a huge point of doubt!"
Indeed… how did I not think of that at the time!
I pressed Mu Xuanche, "So according to your analysis, are there any other areas of doubt? Or have you already guessed the truth?"
Mu Xuanche replied again, "For someone to become a Zombie after death, they must harbor a significant amount of Resentment. But think about it, that minister had little to resent. So Yan Xi, who do you think in this story harbors the greatest hatred?"
I lowered my head and pondered for a few seconds, trying hard to recall the story Gu Woman had told me. She had long been dead, the minister had chosen his own death, and the country ultimately fell.
Among these three, it seemed that only the emperor's death was the most tragic! As Sovereign, he was unable to obtain what he desired. Yet because of a woman, he was left with a curse and had his most important military artifact, the Ghost Seal, stolen from him, watching helplessly as his nation perished.
Logically, this emperor's Resentment should be the greatest!
Seeing my expression, Mu Xuanche probably guessed what I was thinking. Then he said, "From your expression, it seems you've figured it out? Good. As I see it, that Corpse King is likely the emperor. However, I still can't understand why the minister would place him in his own visible tomb and dress him in his official robes. Was it to deceive others? Then where is the real mausoleum?"
Following Mu Xuanche's line of thought for a while, I realized I was at a loss. Seeing Mu Xuanche's expression also showed he hadn't come up with any leads either. So I gently comforted him, "Mu Xuanche, why don't we stop thinking for now and take a break? The boat will naturally reach the bridge when we get there; no matter how much we ponder now, it won't change anything. In fact, it might just trap us in confusion and pain."
The next day we woke up relatively late since we were basically at a standstill.
We gathered again to discuss searching for the Ghost Seal.
Meanwhile, Shangguan Chenxi had already left the hotel at some point.
Yan Shengwei mentioned that this place was likely a Dragon Vein but could also be a location where Xuanwu rejects corpses. This reminded Mu Xuanche of that tomb near Mountain Road; it was also close to a water source but whether it had such unique terrain as a Dragon Vein remained uncertain.
During our discussion, Yan Shengwei picked up on several pieces of information he hadn't noticed before. Suddenly, a flicker of joy appeared on his face but vanished almost instantly. I keenly caught this detail.
I spoke up, "Yan Shengwei, what were you just thinking about?"
Yan Shengwei scratched his head awkwardly. "Actually, I just thought of a burial method that is rarely used. But I dismissed it because it seemed a bit unreliable."
Mu Xuanche became interested and asked coldly, "What is it? Come out and let me see if it's feasible."
Then Yan Shengwei replied, "Water burial. It involves building a tomb underwater, which significantly reduces the chances of being robbed! The skills of water thieves are gradually fading away, and not many people have the ability to dive anymore."
Mu Xuanche suddenly seemed to recall something and turned to Bai Qiling with slight excitement. "Do you remember where that Corpse King came from when he sought us out?"
Bai Qiling pondered for a moment before exclaiming, "Last time he emerged from the water! And that Mountain Road is right at the source of the water!"
Both Bai Qiling and Mu Xuanche were extremely intelligent. They quickly pieced together the information they wanted based on what Yan Shengwei had mentioned earlier about burial sites.
Seeing their actions stirred something within me. "So when are we going back again?"
Mu Xuanche nodded. "Let's pack our bags right now; we'll set off together in half an hour!"
We had been on the move in nearby cities for several days without rest, and the burden was indeed quite high.
However, in order to obtain the Ghost Seal as soon as possible, we had no time to spare.
When we returned to that village, it was early morning. Strangely enough, the village was still deserted, much like when we first arrived in this place.
But it shouldn't be the case. The Corpse King has already been eliminated, so why is everyone still hiding at home?
We went straight to the village chief's house.
The village chief wasn't home; only his wife was there. Upon seeing us, the Village Chief's Wife became very reserved. After serving us tea, she went about her own business. It seemed she was reluctant to talk to us.
However, we didn't mind much and patiently sat in the hall waiting for the village chief to return.
We arrived in the morning, and the village chief didn't come back until around six in the evening.
When he entered the yard and saw us, he wasn't surprised at all!
Curiously, I asked, "Village Chief, why are you not surprised to see us back?"
The village chief smiled slightly and replied, "What’s there to be surprised about? I saw your car as soon as I came in from outside!"
Feeling a bit embarrassed, I stuck out my tongue and smiled; I had completely forgotten that our car was parked outside...
Mu Xuanche didn’t allow us to engage in meaningless chatter, so our conversation couldn’t continue.
Mu Xuanche got straight to the point: "Village Chief, has anything happened in the village recently?"
The village chief paused for a moment after hearing Mu Xuanche's question and then sighed. "Our village relies on the river for sustenance, as you probably know. Ever since you eliminated the Corpse King, the village has indeed enjoyed a period of peace. However, not long after that, problems started to arise. At first, we didn't know where they were coming from, but now I have a vague idea of what might be going on."
The village chief continued, "It seems there's a problem with the river water. People in the village are experiencing severe vomiting and diarrhea, and their faces are turning purple. Even their limbs appear somewhat swollen. They really can't stay at home anymore, so most of them have been sent to the higher-level hospital."
He sighed at this point, noticing that we were still listening attentively, and continued, "The higher government is sending people to investigate. They sent two or three students from the biology department to collect some river water. After they finished, they just left without saying much or engaging with us. I've been to the higher government office several times recently, but they haven't come up with any results or anything to share with us."
Mu Xuanche listened to the village chief's words and then asked, "Village chief, why don't you take us to see the situation?"
The village chief had long hoped for the village to be free from these bizarre incidents that had plagued it for years. He had always felt helpless in seeking medical assistance, but after we helped him eliminate the Corpse King last time, he had come to trust us.
Without hesitation, he led us to the riverside.
Mu Xuanche followed closely behind the village chief as we arrived at the riverbank once again.
(End of Chapter)
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