Chapter 265 – Tainted Gold, Spiders, Dolls, and Dogs—A Full Tour of Happyland Zoo - Part 2
“People vanish?” Jing Banfeng asked, stunned.
“Yes. They’ll be inside a building one moment, and the next, they’re gone. No trace left behind, no sign of escape. We can’t even determine if they’re dead or alive.”
Cui Wuji asked, “Did those vanishings happen when they were alone in the room?”
“That seems to be the case. If anyone disappears indoors, they’re always alone. We’ve never confirmed their fate. Because of that, an unwritten rule has sprung up here at the mine. Never be by yourself.”
“So if someone is alone, something will definitely happen?” Cui Wuji asked.
“Not every time, but all the disappearance cases involved people who were alone.”
Cui Wuji nodded thoughtfully. “I’ve heard how those undying husks use ghost items, each item reflecting a particular ghost’s abilities. We once ran into a whole batch of door-handle items that trapped and killed anyone who closed the door. If you’re locked in by yourself, you risk being attacked...though the attacks aren’t very strong, so even a sixth rank disciple has a decent chance of surviving.”
Jing Banfeng chimed in, “Perhaps you aren’t aware, Elder Cui, but these ghost items also vary in tier and potency. The ones that show up en masse are usually low tier junk. My guess is that those door-handle items connect back to Happyland somehow.”
Cui Wuji’s eyes lit up. “So if you’re confined, you’re in danger. From here on out, it seems vital that we never act alone in this region.”
Jing Banfeng nodded in agreement. “Exactly. But after five days of searching the outskirts and turning up nothing, maybe we should shift our strategy. Since those ghost items inherit the essence of the ghosts that are linked to them, studying the ghosts might give us clues about the items. Rather than wandering aimlessly outside, we might as well force our criminals to probe deeper into the heart of the ghost domain.”
Cui Wuji laughed. “Clan Head Jing, that’s quite a plan.”
These two had always tried to undermine each other in the past; yet when it came to real action, they both had solid ideas. Now, watching them agree and cooperate felt oddly surreal.