Chapter 14: Save the Children
Zhuge Jian returned to Shuiniu County and began organizing his case files. His tenure as sheriff had been challenging, and he was already preparing to resign. However, as a professional, he wanted to ensure that everything was in order so his successor could smoothly take over the county’s affairs.
"My lord, I’ve gathered information about the events near Huangpo Village and the background of the talisman maker, Chen Yindu. It’s all in these files," a constable said, hurrying into the study and presenting a stack of documents.
"Huangpo Village is under Xinxiang County’s jurisdiction, not ours. Getting involved in Xinxiang’s matters could create complications."
"I understand. You may leave," Zhuge Jian said with a wave of his hand. Then, as if remembering something, he added, "Do not mention this to anyone—not even if the county assistant magistrate asks."
The constable bowed and left.
Zhuge Jian opened the documents and began reading, his frown deepening with every page. His brow furrowed tighter and tighter until it seemed like a knotted rope that couldn’t be undone.
"This small Huangpo Village… so many major incidents and so many masters have gone missing near it?"
He took a sharp breath. If any one of these incidents had occurred in Shuiniu County, it would have been a major case!
There had been over ten disappearances, and the victims were no ordinary individuals:
"Li Xian of Quanzhou, He Qinghe of Danjiang, the Zhao family’s Second Miss, Lin Feishuang of the Lin family, Nascent Soul cultivator Little Zhu…" Zhuge Jian’s scalp tingled. Most of these individuals had gone missing in the past two years.
"It’s rumored that the True King’s Tomb is hidden within Qianyang Mountain. Many of these people likely came seeking its treasures and mysteries, only to vanish. Treasure hunts are always dangerous, especially in a place like the True King’s Tomb. That’s not too surprising.
"The real question is: Why have so many disappeared in just the past two years?"
Zhuge Jian’s eyes gleamed with suspicion.
"The sudden surge in disappearances suggests there’s a ruthless killer near Huangpo Village, eliminating any masters who come to the area. Could it be the talisman maker, Chen Yindu? Does he have the power to kill so many masters? Is he trying to monopolize the treasures of the True King’s Tomb?"
He continued reading. The files described Chen Yindu as a simple, unassuming talisman maker who made a living by drawing and selling talismans. He was law-abiding and had never displayed any unusual behavior.
Chen Yindu had a son, Chen Tang, who lived in the provincial capital and rarely returned home.
He also had a grandson, Chen Shi, who had been dead for many years but had suddenly come back to life two years ago. The boy was mischievous and troublesome, disliked by both gods and ghosts.
Zhuge Jian’s eyes widened. He reread the passage several times to confirm he hadn’t misread it.
The document indeed stated that Chen Yindu’s grandson, Chen Tang’s son, had died and mysteriously returned to life!
"In the countryside, such strange occurrences often point to possession by a malevolent entity," Zhuge Jian murmured to himself. "Entities are ranked from Evil to Spirit, Demon, Calamity, and Catastrophe. The being possessing Chen Yindu’s grandson is likely at the Evil or Spirit level, far from reaching the strength of a true demon. It’s not fully formed.
"This suggests that the recent disappearances are probably linked to Chen Yindu’s grandson."
He continued reading:
"Chen Yindu’s grandson is named Chen Shi… Cheng Shi… Honest One?"
Zhuge Jian gasped and shot to his feet, nearly dropping the document.
This Chen Shi was undoubtedly the same "Honest One" boy who had confessed his name during their recent encounter—the boy who had recovered the bones of the drowned children.
"I wondered why I’d never heard of anyone with the surname Honest. Turns out he’s a Chen and part of Chen Yindu’s family!"
A chill ran down Zhuge Jian’s spine. At the same time, he found the situation puzzling.
If Chen Shi had been resurrected by a malevolent entity, Huangpo Village should have been wiped out long ago. The entity would have devoured every villager, leaving nothing behind. In fact, the entire surrounding region could have been consumed.
Yet Chen Shi seemed kind-hearted, even going so far as to retrieve the bones of drowned children. He clearly wasn’t under the influence of a malevolent spirit.
Zhuge Jian sat back down, picked up the document, and continued reading.
"Huangpo Village rumors suggest that half a month ago, Chen Yindu passed away… Chen Yindu is dead too?!"
When Zhuge Jian read this part, he paused, took a deep breath, and continued:
"On the second day after burial, Chen Yindu rose from his coffin, ate candles, sniffed incense, and slept in the coffin. Since then, livestock in the village often died, drained of blood. Villagers believed he had become a corpse spirit and called him a Jiangshi…"
Zhuge Jian’s scalp tingled. This Chen Yindu was no ordinary person—he was a Prisoner Spirit!
He steadied himself. If Chen Yindu had been possessed by such a malevolent entity or turned into a corpse spirit, it wasn’t just livestock that would have been at risk. The entire population of Huangpo Village would likely have been devoured by now.
"In just half a month, this Jiangshi could have wiped out everything within ten li. The first person he would have targeted would be Chen Shi. Why hasn’t he acted?"
Zhuge Jian was baffled. "Could it be that Chen Shi is also a Jiangshi? Or perhaps both grandfather and grandson are possessed by spirits, which is why they don’t harm each other? But Chen Shi looks perfectly alive—not like a Jiangshi.
"Then it must be a Spirit. But his behavior doesn’t match that either…"
The grandfather and grandson were too strange. Each seemed to carry countless secrets.
"The disappearances over the past two years are likely tied to this peculiar pair. Many of the missing individuals came from powerful families who won’t let this matter rest."
The provincial capital of Xinxiang Province was also called Diyang—the Imperial City.
And what did the name Imperial City signify?
Daring to provoke the nobles of the Imperial City was nothing short of audacious!
Zhuge Jian placed his resignation letter on the desk. He was about to leave but hesitated and turned back.
"Those who uphold justice are not criminals," he muttered.
He lit a firestarter and burned the documents detailing the Chen family’s secrets to ash. "Whether or not the grandfather and grandson are connected to the disappearances, Chen Shi is still someone who upholds justice."
With that, he turned and walked away.
"This county doesn’t deserve me. If this place won’t keep me, there are other places that will!"
Meanwhile, Shuiniu County assistant magistrate Li Kefa shredded Zhuge Jian’s resignation letter, his face dark with anger.
"Zhuge Jian is nothing but a dog raised by my Li family. Does he really think he’s someone important? If he won’t serve, there are plenty who will!"
He immediately ordered a new recruitment drive for the sheriff position. The response was overwhelming—candidates flooded in, including scholars from other counties eager for an official position.
From this pool of talent, Li Kefa appointed a man named Qu Ji as the new sheriff.
Qu Ji quickly took charge, leading the county constables in investigations. Before long, they discovered that on the day of Li Xiaoding’s murder, Chen Yindu, the talisman maker from Huangpo Village, had been selling talismans in Yandang Village.
A constable reported, "Sir Qu, Sheriff Zhuge stated that the talisman maker who killed Young Master Li was about five feet tall. But this Chen Yindu is a tall man. Clearly, he’s not the killer."
Qu Ji sneered. "Was Zhuge Jian the sheriff, or am I? If there was only one talisman maker in Yandang Village, then it has to be him!"
He reported this to Li Kefa, who immediately assembled a force of over fifty people, including constables, Li family experts, and scholars at the Divine Embryo stage. They set out for Huangpo Village in pursuit of Chen Yindu.
The journey from Shuiniu County to Huangpo Village was over a hundred li and required skirting the mountain foothills. Despite hurrying, the group was delayed, and nightfall approached before they neared their destination.
"My lord, the countryside isn’t like the county town," an elderly constable cautioned. "At night, the area is rife with malevolent entities. It’s unsafe to travel."
Qu Ji laughed dismissively. "Foolish talk. We have thirty-four scholars and seventeen provincial graduates among us, all at the Divine Embryo stage. We even have experts at the Spirit Transformation stage. With Lord Li himself leading us, no entity, no matter how malevolent, would dare approach. Their very existence would be burned away by our divine light!"
Li Kefa, burning with the desire for revenge, snapped, "Press on!"
The group continued through the moonlit mountains, where a thick white mist began to rise between the trees.
Suddenly, the cry of a baby echoed through the forest, coming from nearby.
Li Kefa frowned slightly.
Qu Ji ordered, "Li Ying, go check it out."
A constable responded and activated his Divine Shrine. A lantern-like glow emanated from the shrine, illuminating the path ahead.
Cautiously, Li Ying readied a spell and followed the sound of the crying into the forest.
After a moment, the voice of the constable Li Ying came from the forest. "My lord, there are so many abandoned babies in this forest!"
Li Kefa and the others were stunned.
"There must be at least a dozen babies!" Li Ying called out loudly.
"A dozen babies?" The group was shocked.
Abandoning babies wasn’t uncommon in the countryside. Some were the children of unwed mothers seeking to avoid shame, while others were girls discarded due to a preference for boys. Some families, too poor to raise them, would leave babies to fend for themselves or give them away.
But abandoning more than ten babies at once—such heartless cruelty was unheard of!
Qu Ji quickly ordered, "Heaven shows mercy to all. It’s rare for us to encounter this. Go assist Li Ying and bring those babies here."
"My lord, could this be some kind of trap?"
"Just go!"
A group of constables followed the cries into the forest.
Qu Ji flattered Li Kefa, "My lord, rescuing so many babies at once truly reflects your benevolence. Once this story spreads, it will bring you fame and honor."
For the first time since the death of his son, Li Xiaoding, a faint smile crossed Li Kefa’s face.
Rescuing a single baby in Xiniu New Continent wouldn’t garner much attention. But saving more than ten babies from the wild under the moonlight? That would be legendary. The tale would spread across the land, showcasing Li Kefa’s compassion.
"The Li family will surely recognize my deeds and grant me greater responsibilities," Li Kefa thought, his heart lifting. "I’m still young. I could remarry and father more sons."
At that moment, Li Ying’s voice rang out again. "My lord, we need more help! There are even more children here!"
The other constables echoed him. "My lord, there are more babies!"
The sound of crying intensified, no longer a dozen voices but dozens—thirty or forty babies crying in unison.
Li Kefa’s chest tightened, a sense of unease creeping over him.
Yet the moonlight was enchanting tonight. In the city’s bright lights, one would never witness such a mesmerizing sight.
He felt momentarily dazed.
Qu Ji frowned. "Something feels off…"
Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Li Kefa barked, "Prepare your spells! Use the Ziwu Evil-Slaying Sword! Wait for my command!"
The Ziwu Evil-Slaying Sword was a spell from the Heavenly Heart Righteous Energy Technique. It condensed true qi and divine light into invisible sword energy, consisting of six forms that all scholars learned.
The group readied their spells. The air in front of them vibrated faintly, though the sword energy itself remained invisible.
Qu Ji shouted toward the forest, "Li Ying, bring the babies here first! We’ll assist afterward!"
Li Ying and the others didn’t move forward. Instead, they urged the group to enter the forest. "My lord, please come help rescue the rest of the children!"
The scene made Qu Ji and Li Kefa hesitate.
Qu Ji shouted again, "Bring the children here!"
Still, Li Ying and the others remained where they were, beckoning them into the forest instead.
Li Kefa, frowning deeply, ordered, "Qu Ji, go closer and check. Something doesn’t feel right about this."
Reluctantly, Qu Ji approached. The constables, each cradling a baby, waved stiffly at him, calling out, "Sir Qu, hurry! Save the children!"
As Qu Ji drew nearer, his heart pounded wildly. The closer he got, the stranger the constables appeared.
He stopped abruptly and shouted, "Li Ying, bring the children over…"
Before he could finish, a thunderous noise erupted from the forest.
A four-legged monstrosity rose from the shadows, its necks—dozens of long, sinuous, snake-like appendages—each ending in the head of a crying infant.
The infant heads wailed, "Save the children!"
Some of the babies the constables held in their arms were actually attached to the creature’s necks. As Qu Ji watched in horror, the babies in their arms rose into the air, revealing their connection to the monstrous body.
The creature let out a booming cry, "Save the children!"
Dozens, if not hundreds, of infant heads cried in unison, waving their tiny hands and kicking their legs as they reached hungrily toward Qu Ji.
The constables holding the babies suddenly deflated like leaking sacks, their bodies collapsing into lifeless, shriveled skins.
Qu Ji and the others finally saw the truth—the constables had been devoured by the creature, their flesh and bones consumed, leaving only their skins, which had been inflated like balloons to mimic life.
Moments ago, they had appeared alive, joking and laughing as they cradled the babies. Now, it was clear they were nothing more than puppets controlled by the monster.