pertwk Chapter 44 Shocking Change
Chapter 44 Shocking Change
The sky was overcast, and the river surged, its waves crashing against the shore.
People were filled with anxiety and felt like they were sitting on pins and needles, so they gathered here seeking protection.
The vast harbor was packed with people, whispering and talking amongst themselves, yet none of them dared to approach the river.
The faded offering table was moved out of the ancestral hall, on which were placed the three kinds of livestock that had been prepared, an incense burner full of incense ash, three bowls of offering fruit, and a black memorial tablet.
To the right of the memorial tablet stood a neatly stacked earthenware jar, and to the left was a stack of black talisman paper.
"Qinghe, the only purpose of this altar is to worship the ancestral master and obtain some guidance in the process."
If you set up this altar, don't think you can fight those Taoist priests who can engage in magical duels for several rounds."
"Father, what does this mean?"
"The water is dangerous, so we must carefully consider the location of what we need to salvage before setting out on a boat. Otherwise, we may return empty-handed, or worse, we may end up salvaging what we shouldn't have and bringing things we shouldn't have brought onto the boat."
"How much time is left until noon...?"
Chen Ming asked aloud, and the previously bustling crowd immediately fell silent. Standing at the front of the crowd was a highly respected elder.
Although his hair was white, he was full of energy. The old man turned his gaze to the sundial and then responded loudly.
"One hour is still needed!"
The sun still shone brightly, but the townspeople bathed in its light only felt a chill...
...
"Mitsubishi, a ritual is being performed at the dock right now. Aren't you going to go and take a look?" The old woman, leaning on her cane and with vacant eyes, sank into the wooden chair, enjoying a rare moment of peace.
"Grandmother, I feel uncomfortable all over, as if something is trying to break out."
A young girl in her early teens clutched her chest, her face contorted in pain. Visible veins bulged on her skin, and several pus-filled pimples had appeared on her face...
"Mitsubishi...you..."
The girl's face was contorted with rage, her body covered in red hair, like a demon crawling out of hell. She lunged at the old woman as if possessed.
The girl got up only after the old woman stopped convulsing.
She twitched her nose, searched for a moment, and finally turned her gaze toward the harbor... In the distance, the desolate streets and alleys were filled with shadowy figures, and the sounds of roaring and low moans could be heard incessantly.
...
The time has come, let's start!
The candles and incense that had been prepared were gradually lit by Chen Ming. He was about to worship the ancestral tablet when the sound of something rushing through the air behind him forced him to dodge.
"call out"
Hearing its voice but not seeing its form
Then, three arrows, swift as the wind and lightning, tore the black memorial tablet on the offering table to pieces, sending fragments flying everywhere.
A figure dressed in black, with a hideous, vengeful face revealed beneath a bamboo hat, plummeted from a high point in the harbor. He held a large bow, repeatedly drawing the string.
Cold arrows rained down, heading straight for the altar.
The bulging quiver was emptied in an instant, and the man in black, carrying a bow, galloped toward the Chen father and son.
"Father, this is..."
A cargo ship suddenly appeared from nowhere on the rippling river, with several men in black, also wearing ferocious and malevolent faces, standing on it.
One of them was holding a crossbow with a target arrow, aiming it at Chen Ming.
"Can't I handle this matter alone?"
The monk looked displeased, his face showing anger, and the little compassion in his heart turned into nameless karmic fire.
"Time is running out. If we don't send Niu Yixuan's headless corpse to Shenmu Village soon, the three-clawed poisonous toad will be refined to death by Shenmu."
"If you still intend to cultivate the Immovable King form using the poisonous toad, then this matter should not be mentioned again. Do not forget your true purpose!"
"Amitabha, please accompany me on this journey, you two benefactors."
The monk looked ashamed, put his hands together, and closed his eyes.
"Master...you..."
Chen Qinghe was about to ask a question when the crowd at the port was in complete chaos. Screams, cries, and curses mingled together.
They were like startled rabbits, rushing impatiently towards the four people.
Some people fell to the ground, while others scrambled away from the crowd. However, many more were overwhelmed by the swarm of zombies behind them.
After only a few moments of collapsing, the transformed zombies twitched and rose to their feet, lunging forward with all their might.
"What is this...?"
"Get on the boat quickly!"
The man in black roughly shoved Chen Qinghe, while Chen Ming jumped onto the boat with practiced ease. The monk followed closely behind, without any hesitation.
The townspeople of Niujia Town had all been transformed into those horrifying walking corpses. The leading elder stared intently at the people on the boat, but his sharp steps came to a halt on the shore.
"The location of that coffin has been determined. As long as you can retrieve it, you and your son will survive."
"What coffin? Isn't it a drowned ghost?"
Chen Qinghe thought to himself, but didn't say anything, only turning his gaze to Chen Ming. Only then did he realize that Chen Ming was also looking at him.
"More than a decade has passed, and you still won't give up?"
Chen Ming withdrew his gaze, his voice hoarse, his face full of mockery.
"In the past, my four fellow disciples and I worked together to salvage it, and three of us perished, but we still couldn't pull it out of the river. Now, with only me left, how can I possibly succeed?"
"When father and son work together, it might produce amazing results."
"My father knows them..."
The leader lifted his mask, revealing a pair of sharp, triangular eyes. He was a burly man with tattoos and brands all over his face; one look was enough to tell he was a death row inmate.
The others also took off their masks, revealing that they were all covered in tattoos, with ferocious faces and ruthless expressions.
"This means... they don't intend to leave any survivors..."
"Is this Demon Suppression Division's Demon-Slaying Captain genuine or fake? Why is he mixed up with this group of desperados?"
"Where did those terrifying zombies come from? How did Niujia Town change so drastically overnight..."
Filled with doubts, Chen Qinghe felt completely confused and didn't know what to do.
"I have not taught these tricks to my son. There is no need to threaten me with his life. I will do my best to retrieve the body from the river."
Otherwise, there would only be two more corpses lying here.
Although Chen Ming's tone was calm, it was extremely certain.
"Benefactor, I have heard that your son possesses a mysterious ability to carry all the drowned ghosts on his back. In this respect, he does bear some resemblance to the Corpse Carrier among the Eight Yin Craftsmen."
"With his help, he will surely be able to lure away all the drowned ghosts near the coffin, so that you can free up your hands to open the coffin and retrieve the corpse."
The monk's expression was indifferent; all his previous compassion had been abandoned, replaced by a ruthlessness similar to that of the man in black.
"Very well, then my son and I will go down into the river to retrieve the body."
"Rest assured, benefactor, I will also lend you a hand."
Cargo ships are moored across the middle of the Sihua River.
The monk and his son took off their heavy clothes, leaving only a pair of hemp trousers.
"The nearest shore is three miles away. If you don't want to live, just run away."
The monk issued a cold warning, and the men in black around them all stared at the two of them. If the father and son made any unusual move, they would turn on each other with their weapons.
"Father, what's the deal with that coffin? And what's the situation with this Shenmu Village they mentioned?"
"Hmph, Niu Yixuan, who was betrayed and killed, naturally exudes a vengeful aura. His corpse poison can even turn living people into walking corpses."
"The Taoist masters could only lock the corpse in a bronze coffin and keep it permanently at the bottom of the river to prevent it from causing harm to the region."
"If there are no further questions, take the tools and go down into the river to retrieve the body!"