Records of Strange Tales from the Jianghu

The siren's wail instantly extinguished Run Sheng's fiery spirit. He pulled out a cigarette, lit it with a match, and held the other end between his lips, puffing out his cheeks. He took a deep drag, exhaling a sense of melancholy.

Li Zhuiyuan watched curiously, eager to see if he could actually blow smoke rings.

The next moment, wisps of smoke curled out of Run Sheng's nostrils.

He was hooked.

For a moment, Li Zhuiyuan couldn't help but wonder if this was the correct way to use a cigarette.

He finally understood why Run Sheng felt so down. Run Sheng practically lived in front of the TV, and the local county station loved to marathon gangster movies.

Whenever he went out at night, Li Zhuiyuan could always hear sounds of chopping and gunshots from the first floor.

Run Sheng had clearly been too immersed and was affected by it.

In reality, most people at his age had such fantasies and impulses. The difference was that Run Sheng's physique and strength gave him an extreme capacity for action.

Except for when he was first learning physiognomy and fortune-telling, when he had calculated the destinies of Great Grandfather and himself, Li Zhuiyuan had deliberately avoided doing so for those close to him.

Destiny was like a person's deepest privacy; to pry into it casually was unethical and also affected how one interacted with others in daily life.

However, even without using his algorithms, Li Zhuiyuan could tell some things just by glancing at Run Sheng's face. His features were textbook perfect, the kind that could be used as an example in a lecture.

Run Sheng had the standard Seven Kill Formation, also known as the Partial Official Formation. He possessed drive, perseverance, ambition, and courage. He was like a caged tiger, extremely fierce.

However, the Seven Kill Formation could be transformed, turning misfortune into good fortune. It mainly depended on who one followed and who influenced them.

"Brother Run Sheng, those movies on TV are just for entertainment. Don't take them too seriously, and don't actually try to imitate them."

"Huh?" Run Sheng, who had been lost in his melancholy, jumped in surprise, almost dropping the cigarette. "I can't watch TV anymore?"

"That's not what I mean. You can watch whatever you want on TV at home, but don't get too caught up in it. Brother Liang said that society will only become more orderly and stable in the future. Violence and fighting have no future."

If it were in ancient times, many generals would have had destinies like Run Sheng's. But this was a time of peace, and people with such destinies often went astray.

"Oh, okay. I'll listen to you."

Run Sheng scratched his head. As long as he wasn't being forbidden from watching TV, it was fine. He quickly took another drag of his cigarette to calm his nerves.

Several police cars arrived at the Jiang family's entrance. Leading them was Tan Yunlong. Before he could even present his credentials to explain their purpose, someone from the Jiang family proactively opened the door and welcomed the police inside.

This surprised Tan Yunlong. The reality was nothing like the movies, where everyone was a hidden smiling tiger. Especially in a small town like this, nouveau riche individuals often liked to put up a front with the police, even if there was no benefit to be gained, and even if it meant acting foolishly, just to show how tough they were.

Upon entering, Tan Yunlong heard the Jiang family members asking each other who had called the police. After explaining their purpose, Tan Yunlong was informed that Jiang Dongping, the patriarch who had built the family fortune, had been missing for three days.

Initially, the family hadn't felt anything was unusual. After all, the Jiang family owned several entertainment businesses in town, and socializing was common. It wasn't unexpected for him not to return home at night; they figured he was sleeping at one of his mistresses' places, and Jiang Dongping's wife could understand.

But yesterday was the day the Jiang family honored their ancestors, specifically the grandfather who had raised Jiang Dongping. Yet, Jiang Dongping himself had not returned.

They had spent all day yesterday searching, and they were still searching today. When the police arrived, they assumed someone in the family had reported him missing.

Tan Yunlong frowned. His first thought was that Jiang Dongping had fled to evade punishment. But looking at the Jiang family's reactions, they didn't seem like it. Besides, if he had fled, wouldn't he have settled his assets beforehand?

However, he remembered the purpose of their visit. He ordered his men to cordon off the pond and sent someone to borrow a water pump from a nearby construction site.

The Jiang family members were confused. Some tried to step forward to stop them, but were blocked by the police officers.

Tan Yunlong took note of those who had tried to intervene.

The ornamental pond, which had been dug two days ago, wasn't too deep. After a short time pumping, only a shallow puddle remained, revealing large patches of mud.

In the very center was a large ceramic vat.

Tan Yunlong walked over. The vat was full of water, and inside it was a large mass of yellowish-white flocculent material, somewhat like glue, or perhaps like the jelly his son liked to eat.

"Come, help me move this."

The vat was heavy, its base stuck to the mud. Tan Yunlong and several police officers strained together to move the vat. Then, he took a shovel and pointed to the ground beneath it.

"Dig!"

Less than a meter down, a hand emerged.

The surrounding police officers became agitated. Without needing further instruction, they immediately began to secure the entire Jiang residence, temporarily prohibiting anyone inside from leaving.

Only Tan Yunlong's eyes showed confusion. The hand looked too fresh, not like it had been buried for a long time.

Furthermore, it was wearing a gold watch that glinted in the sunlight. Why wouldn't the person who buried him have taken it?

But at least they had found a person, and a dead one at that.

Although only one hand had appeared, it was already evident that the person had met a tragic end before death. His hand was reaching straight upwards, meaning his main torso was actually further down.

The fingertips were severely damaged, and his fingernails were badly torn. Although the blood had long since been diluted by the wet mud, one could still see the horrific struggle for survival.

He had likely been buried alive while conscious.

But...

Tan Yunlong handed the shovel to a nearby officer and began to retreat, stepping back until he reached the edge of the pond. He stopped and began to observe the surroundings of the pond and the ceramic vat that had been moved.

The pond clearly showed no signs of recent excavation. So, how had this fresh corpse been buried alive within it?

When they had moved the vat earlier, the moss and vegetation on its base had clearly blended with the environment at the bottom of the pond. It would have taken many years for that to form if it had been left there. Could someone have moved it and then meticulously restored it?

Tan Yunlong had heard of artifact restoration, but restoring this... expending so much effort just to murder and conceal a body? They might as well have thrown it into a nearby sand quarry and pulverized it.

"Except for those digging up the body, no one else is to enter the pond. Be careful to protect the scene."

After giving the instructions, Tan Yunlong squatted down in a corner and took out his cigarette case.

In his mind, the conversation he had earlier with the child named Li Zhuiyuan surfaced.

The conversation was brief, with the child explaining the report in almost a single sentence. What truly surprised Tan Yunlong was when he asked the child why he had specifically come to him to report it.

The child had said, "Because I know you won't bring trouble into my life."

"Heh."

Tan Yunlong exhaled a smoke ring. When ordinary suspects sat before him, they would deliberately avoid his gaze, but that child could meet his eyes calmly and even dared to take the initiative in their conversation.

"Captain Tan, there's a problem."

"What is it?"

"This body is hard to dig up, it's sinking."

Tan Yunlong immediately stubbed out his cigarette, tossed it over the wall, and then walked into the pond to observe the body.

After digging another meter down from the original spot, only the hand was still visible.

Tan Yunlong took the shovel again and joined the excavation himself.

As they dug, it was true that the body was sinking, as if there were a drain below.

But that shouldn't be the case. This pond was dug in modern times. If there was something like that underneath, how did it normally store water? There wasn't a water pump constantly supplying this pond.

"Use a rope."

He tied a loop in the rope and tossed it down, slipping it over the body's wrist. When they pulled, it tightened immediately. Tan Yunlong called another officer to help him pull, but they couldn't budge it at all.

It was as if some force from below was also pulling the body, competing with them.

If they continued to exert more force, it was likely to damage the body.

"Captain Tan, let's call an excavator."

"Then the scene will be completely compromised," Tan Yunlong immediately shook his head and refused. "Besides, the body is so deep; a machine digging would definitely damage it. You guys keep digging."

The officers dug for a while longer, but it was no use. For every meter they dug around the body, it would sink another meter into the mud. They watched as the mud layer nearby was already quite dry, yet the body continued to sink.

At the same time, the officers digging below were also in danger; their feet could give way at any moment, and they could be buried by the surrounding mud.

At this point, an older police officer quietly walked up to Tan Yunlong and whispered, "Captain Tan, this is a bit strange."

"Brother Sun, do you have any ideas?"

"Why don't we find someone who specializes in recovering bodies to try? They might have their own methods to get the body up while ensuring it's well-preserved."

"Do you have anyone in mind?"

"In Shinan's Siyuan Village, there's a rather famous one, surnamed Li."

"Call the station, tell them not to wear their uniforms, and go invite him over. Also, let him know beforehand and ask if he can avoid making too big a scene."

"Ah, I understand."

"Never mind, I'll make the call."

"Okay, Captain Tan." The older policeman was relieved. This matter had bad implications, and he was only offering a suggestion, not wanting to take responsibility himself.

Tan Yunlong patted his shoulder, walked to the police car, took out the walkie-talkie, and explained his request. After speaking, he leaned against the car door and lit another cigarette:

"Sigh, we can only wait."

"Little Yuan, how much longer do we have to wait?"

"I don't know."

"Why is it taking so long? They've been digging for a long time."

The tricycle was parked on a dirt slope, giving them a slightly elevated view. Combined with the fact that the Jiang family's courtyard wall was made of iron railings and didn't block their line of sight, the two could see the situation inside quite clearly despite the distance.

"They've probably run into some trouble."

A rumbling sound came from beside his ear.

Li Zhuiyuan looked over, and Run Sheng lowered his head sheepishly. He was hungry.

Although he had been eating incense intermittently, incense was just like green onions to him – something to accompany a meal. He had never heard of anyone getting full by eating only green onions every day.

Li Zhuiyuan took out the money his Great Grandfather had given him that morning and handed it to Run Sheng. "Brother, there's a small shop by the road ahead. Go buy some food."

"Ah, that's too wasteful," Run Sheng shook his head. "That stuff is just for tasting, you can't really eat it as a meal."

"Buy some first to tide us over."

"Then I'll ride the bike to the town market and buy some food?"

"That's too far. We have to stay here. Who knows when those two will come... or go out."

"That's true. Then I'll go buy some. Little Yuan, what do you want to eat?"

"Anything is fine with me. Just buy what you like."

"Then wait for me here. I'll be back soon."

Run Sheng took the money and, without riding the bike, immediately started sprinting.

Before long, Run Sheng returned, carrying several bags of instant noodles and biscuits.

"Here, Little Yuan, this is your change."

"Why didn't you buy more?"

"I'm reluctant to. With this much money, I could have bought a lot more rice and flour."

Li Zhuiyuan only ate a few biscuits. He had eaten breakfast late and wasn't too hungry yet. Run Sheng had also worked in the fields that morning, so he needed to let Run Sheng eat first.

After all, Run Sheng was his greatest reliance. He couldn't have all the refined tools prepared, only to have the person using them unable to perform because they were hungry.

After finishing the food, Run Sheng collected all the seasoning packets from the instant noodles.

Li Zhuiyuan had been puzzled earlier. Although the conditions didn't allow for cooking or soaking them now, if he poured the seasoning packets in, crushed the instant noodles, and shook them, they could still be more flavorful even when eaten dry.

Run Sheng didn't do that; instead, he ate the instant noodles as a whole noodle cake.

Now, Run Sheng tore open a seasoning packet, poured the powder into his palm, and then stuck out his tongue to lick a small amount from his palm.

Then, he continued to pour seasoning packets while licking. He looked very satisfied, clearly enjoying this way of eating.

Seeing Li Zhuiyuan watching him, Run Sheng smiled and asked, "Little Yuan, do you want to reach out and have some too? It's delicious!"

"Oh, okay."

Li Zhuiyuan extended his hand, letting Run Sheng pour some into his palm as well. He then lightly licked his palm, savoring it carefully and seriously.

As expected...

It was the rich flavor of instant noodle seasoning packets.

"Heh heh, it's great. Before, we had to share licking a packet, but now I get to eat it all by myself."

During this period, children had limited access to snacks, so this way of eating seasoning packets gradually became popular, as it was flavorful and fun.

Li Zhuiyuan felt the change Run Sheng had given him earlier in his pocket. Although the old carpenter hadn't charged him for processing, this had used up his Great Grandfather's reputation and goodwill, so he could only use it this once.

Furthermore, the cost of subsequent materials and experiments, including potential wear and tear... pocket money alone was far from enough to cover it.

It seemed he needed to find a way to make some money.

"Brother Run Sheng, do you know where people play cards?"

"Cards? My grandpa plays. He likes playing 'Bomb Golden Flower.' There are several fixed card games in the village; you can join a table if you go there."

"How good is Grandpa Shan at playing?"

Hearing this question, Run Sheng suddenly seemed a bit embarrassed and whispered:

"We could have eaten solid food at night, but after he went to play cards, my grandpa and I couldn't even afford watery congee to fill our stomachs."

Li Zhuiyuan remembered that Great Grandfather had mentioned Grandpa Shan often lost money playing cards.

"Brother Run Sheng, do you want to go back and see Grandpa Shan?"

"Yes."

"Then tomorrow, I'll go with you to Xiting to visit Grandpa Shan."

"Okay!"

Run Sheng happily stood up, stretching as he looked around. Soon, his smile faded, and he pointed at a motorcycle approaching in the distance:

"Hey, Little Yuan, doesn't the person sitting on the back of that motorcycle look like your Great Grandfather?"

"It is Great Grandfather."

Li Sanjiang sat on the back of the motorcycle, with a package sandwiched between him and the driver. Another package was tied to the back of the motorcycle. He held one in each hand.

The whistling wind blew, and his arms were shaking from exhaustion.

If the public sent people to invite him, he had to go. Otherwise, he wouldn't have the confidence when he next carried the plaque.

It was just unfortunate that his mule had gone out for a stroll today, and even more unfortunately, the mule had taken the tricycle with it.

"Comrade, stop, stop."

The motorcycle stopped, and Li Sanjiang looked at Li Zhuiyuan and Run Sheng standing by the roadside, asking in surprise:

"What are you two doing here?"

Li Zhuiyuan replied, "Just like you, Great Grandfather, we were summoned."

"What?" Li Sanjiang was stunned for a moment. He didn't think much of it, handed the packages in his hands to Run Sheng, and said, "Let's go."

Li Zhuiyuan hadn't expected to enter the Jiang family courtyard so soon.

As soon as he entered, he felt Tan Yunlong's gaze and deliberately avoided it.

Unexpectedly, Tan Yunlong walked over, bent down, put his arm around him, and pretended to fuss over a child. He leaned close to Li Zhuiyuan's ear and whispered:

"Did you report the case to get work for yourself?"

"That's a really tough way to earn money."

"Hahaha." Tan Yunlong chuckled, patted Li Zhuiyuan's head, and looked at Li Sanjiang. "Grandpa, thank you for making the trip. Don't worry, I'll cover the labor fees."

"No, no, please don't say that," Li Sanjiang quickly waved his hands. "It's too formal. This is what I should be doing. We police and citizens are like fish and water."

"That won't do. We're already very grateful that you're willing to cooperate with our work."

"Is the person in the pond?"

"Yes, please take a look." Tan Yunlong walked with Li Sanjiang towards the pond and whispered, "Sir, when you do your work later, please try to keep the scene contained."

"The comrade who brought me here already explained. Don't worry, I understand."

"Please understand."

"I understand, I understand."

He knew exactly why. After all, it wasn't good for people in police uniforms to get too close to feudal superstitions. The last time he helped the Big Beard retrieve his father and son from the fishpond, the arriving police officers had waited by their patrol cars on the road.

Everyone cooperated when cooperation was needed, and maintained proper boundaries when boundaries were needed.

Li Sanjiang shouted to Run Sheng, "Runsheng Hou, grab your tools!"

Run Sheng hesitated and didn't move. He turned to look at Li Zhuiyuan, who had already crept to the edge of the pit and was peering down.

Seeing the hand below, Li Zhuiyuan's eyes showed confusion. How was this hand so fresh?

According to Brother Leopard, he was the one who buried the body for Jiang Dongping here. It had been quite some time, even several years.

This was the bottom of a pond, which was inherently damp. The corpse should have rotted quickly. How could he still see clear flesh and skin?

Either this corpse wasn't the Old Zhou who was murdered, or the current Old Zhou had a problem.

"Runsheng Hou, why are you just standing there? Grab your tools."

Li Zhuiyuan snapped back to attention and looked at Run Sheng. "Brother Run Sheng, hold your tools properly."

To be safe, it was better to use his own.

"Alright!"

Run Sheng responded and immediately pulled off the plastic sheeting from the tricycle, bringing over a new set of equipment.

Li Sanjiang looked at the new tools, which were similar but not his own, with some confusion. However, with the surrounding police officers watching, he didn't feel it was appropriate to ask further questions. After all, new or old, it was all the same to him.

"Great Grandfather, let Brother Run Sheng go first. If Brother Run Sheng can't retrieve it, it means Grandpa Shan didn't teach his apprentice well. Then you can step in and teach him properly."

"Mm, that can be arranged."

Li Sanjiang thought Little Yuanhou made sense.

Run Sheng took the equipment and arranged it by the edge of the pit, his face full of eagerness.

Li Sanjiang found a small wooden stool and set up the simple offerings. He had even brought two white candles that were almost burned down.

He had indeed listened to the police comrades' request not to make a big scene, so everything was kept small.

Lighting the candles and burning paper, Li Sanjiang chanted incantations and began to circle the pit.

Around them, the younger police officers watched with curiosity, while the older ones quietly moved back a distance.

Tan Yunlong scanned the surroundings. Old Jiang's house was built large and was naturally quite secluded. There weren't many residential buildings nearby. Coupled with the Jiang family's local influence, not many villagers dared to come and watch the commotion at his house at this time. Outside the wall, only a scattered dozen or so people stood. Half of them were passersby who saw the police cars parked here and came down to watch.

As for the Jiang family members, Tan Yunlong had already instructed them to be taken inside to give their statements.

It was relatively quiet all around, so they wouldn't be seen by too many people gossiping.

After completing the ritual, Li Sanjiang took out two beer bottles, plugged with cloth strips, from a package. They contained a red liquid.

Seeing this, Tan Yunlong immediately stepped forward to stop him. "Sir, what are you doing?"

"Black dog blood. We need to dispel the negative energy first. If this thing can't be dug out and keeps shrinking back, it means it has resentment."

"Can't you just not pour it?"

"Not pour it?"

"If you pour this, the body won't be presentable."

"Then let me try. Run Sheng, you can start now. Let's see if Shan Pao taught you any real skills."

Saying this, Li Sanjiang placed the two bottles of mixed pig's blood he was holding on the ground.

To show his status as a master craftsman, he deliberately walked a few steps further out, pulled out a cigarette, and intended to light it to maintain his posture.

A police officer nearby reminded him, "Sir, you need to move further away to smoke. We'll need to conduct a physical evidence search here later."

"Oh, alright." Li Sanjiang hesitated for a moment, but since it was his own show, he could only take his cigarette to a corner. He then felt his pocket and realized he had left in a hurry and forgotten his matches, so he had to go borrow some.

Therefore, at this moment, the only ones truly standing by the pit were Li Zhuiyuan, Run Sheng, and Tan Yunlong.

"Officer Tan, is the body shrinking downwards?"

"Yes, it is. The deeper we dig, the deeper it sinks."

Officer Tan, can you have someone move the fish tank containing the 'Tai Sui'?

"That's important evidence and needs to be taken back to the station for examination."

"I'm not asking you to throw it away, just move it outside the door. Not within the house."

"Is there some taboo?"

"Mhm."

"Alright then." Tan Yunlong immediately ordered the surrounding police officers to move the large jar outside.

Li Zhuiyuan nodded. This way, his karmic connection with Brother Leopard and Zhao Xing was considered complete. What came next was purely settling the score.

Officer Tan turned his head and saw the boy take out a crude wooden compass. Tan Yunlong thought that even street vendors selling cheap toys wouldn't stock this kind of item, as it was too ugly to sell.

The boy first adjusted his standing direction, then stared at the compass in his hand and spun around once. After stopping, he silently recited some numbers.

Tan Yunlong listened carefully, expecting some kind of incantation, but all he heard were numbers.

Mental calculation correction complete.

Li Zhuiyuan lowered his head and looked into the pit. He pointed to Run Sheng beside him and said, "Use the Yellow River Shovel. Here, here, and here... dig six small downward-sloping pits in these six locations first."

"Okay!"

Run Sheng took the Yellow River Shovel and went into the pit. Without even looking at the position of the hand, he first dug six pits in the surrounding sidewall as Li Zhuiyuan instructed.

Li Zhuiyuan nodded. These six pits were actually to break the miasma and disrupt the corpse's "sense of direction," making it lose its bearings when it got startled and wanted to escape later.

The Records of Strange Tales from the Jianghu had descriptions of this type of corpse, referring to them as having abilities similar to razor clams, burrowing in soil and sand.

However, strictly speaking, this type of corpse was not considered a "dead float." Wei Zhengdao had specifically noted: there must be something strange near this corpse.

Li Zhuiyuan took out the ink pad box, pressed his index finger firmly onto it, and then drew it across the Seven Star Hook. As each section of the hook opened, he successively applied red ink until all seven sections were open, then he threw the Seven Star Hook into the pit.

"Run Sheng Ge, place the hook between yourself and the corpse to block its path!"

"Understood!"

Run Sheng caught the hook and, as instructed, inserted the Seven Star Hook between himself and the hand.

Soon, only the tip of the Seven Star Hook remained above ground. Run Sheng pressed his palm onto it and began to turn. A "crackling" sound immediately came from underground.

Up to this point, because the hand had not been touched, the corpse had not continued to burrow deeper.

Li Zhuiyuan pressed his five fingers onto the ink pad, quickly grabbed them over the Soul Returning Basket and the Homecoming Net, and then threw them both into the pit.

"Place the basket in front, and the net at the back."

"Got it!" Run Sheng had just received the items when he paused, confused, and asked, "Little Yuan, where is the corpse's front?"

"The palm facing upwards is the front."

"Understood!"

Run Sheng set up the Soul Returning Basket in front of the palm. At first glance, the basket's opening was narrow and shallow, but after releasing the buckle, its opening and depth could adjust themselves, and it was extremely resilient.

As for the Homecoming Net, Run Sheng spread it out in the direction of the back of the hand. The net was large, covering almost the entire pit wall on that side.

Li Zhuiyuan picked up the Luosheng Umbrella and said to Run Sheng, "Run Sheng Ge, catch me."

With that, he leaped into the pit. Tan Yunlong beside him didn't even have time to stop him.

Run Sheng caught him steadily. After Li Zhuiyuan was stable, he first looked down at the hand from close up, then took out a talisman paper he had drawn from his pocket.

The preparations were complete. He now wanted to conduct a personal test, such as with the talisman paper he had drawn himself.

The The Righteous Path to Subdue Demons didn't have many specific descriptions of talisman papers, only listing a few conditions that needed to be met, similar to how one needs to master certain prerequisite courses before learning a subject.

Li Zhuiyuan met none of those strict conditions. He had simply drawn it with his own concentration, following the style of talisman papers in the book.

Although he knew it was likely useless, what if?

The distance was just right. Above the palm, Li Zhuiyuan released the talisman paper. The paper slowly descended. Just as it was about to touch the hand, the hand's fingers suddenly opened and fiercely grabbed the talisman paper!

The talisman paper instantly turned black.

"Little Yuan!" This sudden change made Run Sheng immediately shield Li Zhuiyuan behind him.

Li Zhuiyuan felt a bit helpless. Not only had the other party ignored the threat of his talisman paper, but it had also actively provoked him.

"Run Sheng Ge, let's pry it out."

"Okay!"

Run Sheng grabbed one end of the Seven Star Hook with both hands, squatted down, and began to press down with all his might.

The hand started to move. The soil beneath it began to crack rapidly. However, this time it didn't continue to sink, but instead changed direction constantly, front, back, left, and right, like a headless fly bumping around.

Run Sheng continued to exert force, gritting his teeth. Veins bulged on his arms, and his feet sank into the ground until the soil reached his ankles.

Li Zhuiyuan couldn't help but sigh inwardly. Indeed, salvaging corpses was physically demanding work.

Looking at Uncle Qin that night, and then at Run Sheng now, without a strong physique, even the best tools couldn't be utilized effectively.

Fortunately, he was still young and could train slowly.

After a period of exertion, the corpse clearly began to falter. Suddenly, a large amount of soil from underground erupted, carrying black mist.

Li Zhuiyuan immediately held up the Luosheng Umbrella, shielding himself and Run Sheng. The umbrella vibrated, and Li Zhuiyuan felt his hands go numb, but he continued to hold it up.

Upon noticing faint black mist appearing around them, Li Zhuiyuan took out the Sanqing Fan, pressed the hidden clasp, and fanned it. White ash drifted out from the fan.

Instantly, the air seemed to carry a faint smell of burnt coal.

"It's coming out!" Run Sheng let out a low roar. "Little Yuan, get back!"

Li Zhuiyuan immediately retracted his umbrella and retreated. A crack opened in the ground in front of him, and a corpse wearing pajamas was pried out. Beneath the corpse was the Seven Star Hook, with extensions connected to each section, like clasps, holding the body in place.

The corpse didn't seem to move, but in a daze, it appeared to be moving forward rapidly. After drilling into the Soul Returning Basket, the basket rapidly enlarged and stretched. The corpse fell backward into the Homecoming Net, which rolled up and wrapped around it.

Immediately, the corpse became still.

Li Zhuiyuan breathed a sigh of relief and asked, "Run Sheng ge, did the corpse move on its own just now, or were you pulling it with the Seven Star Hook?"

"The corpse didn't seem to move, but its weight suddenly became very heavy and then very light. I almost lost my grip because of it."

"Then the corpse wasn't moving. This corpse isn't a dead float."

After the corpse was removed, a pit about a person deep appeared in its place. Li Zhuiyuan walked to the edge and looked down, seeing two pairs of skeletal hands exposed within the pit walls.

There were two more corpses, reduced to skeletons, down there!

It seemed that Old Zhou, whom Brother Leopard had helped bury, wasn't the first person killed by Jiang Dongping and buried here to cultivate Tai Sui.

Looking closer at the position and spread of the two skeletal hands, Li Zhuiyuan gestured with his own hands.

"Xiao Yuan, why are there skeletons down there?"

"Run Sheng ge, the reason this corpse kept sinking was because these two hands were pulling it down, preventing it from leaving."

"What about now? Can it still move?"

Li Zhuiyuan shook his head, "It's not a dead float, just a haunting. It dissipates when exposed to light."

In places where sunlight couldn't reach, these hauntings would move and cause trouble.

For example, many people hear rustling sounds from the roof, downstairs, or from other rooms in their house at night.

Sometimes, these sounds aren't from neighbors upstairs or downstairs, or from rats in the house, but from hauntings within the home.

But when you muster the courage to turn on the light and check, you find nothing. Hauntings don't let themselves be seen; if they are seen, they disappear.

Most hauntings can only create minor disturbances and are harmless. A few powerful ones might come to your bedroom and, while you're asleep, get on top of you, very rarely causing sleep paralysis.

Run Sheng sighed, "These three people were buried here, and they've developed feelings for each other, unwilling to let another go?"

Li Zhuiyuan glanced at the corpse wrapped in the Homecoming Net and said:

"I suspect this corpse doesn't belong to the victim."

"Ah, then whose is it?"

"What's the opposite of victim?"

"What is it?"

"Run Sheng ge, lift me up. I don't want to climb up and get my clothes dirty."

"Alright."

Li Zhuiyuan was lifted up, and Tan Yunlong, waiting above, reached out and took him.

"What happened down there just now?" Tan Yunlong immediately asked, unable to contain himself.

He had just been on top when the mud below suddenly splashed, and his vision blurred. Then he thought he saw a large rat crawl out. After a few gulps, when his vision cleared, he saw a corpse wrapped in a net.

"Heh!"

At this moment, Run Sheng, carrying the net-wrapped corpse in one hand and gripping the slope with the other, easily climbed up.

Tan Yunlong's eyes widened. The strength to carry a "living person" like a chick was truly terrifying.

After the corpse was placed on top, Run Sheng quickly untied the net, put away the basket, and then jumped back into the pit to retrieve the Yellow River Shovel and Seven Star Hook, packing them up again.

This set of tools was incredibly useful. He decided he would work hard for Grandpa Sanjiang, and once he saved enough wages, he would have Xiao Yuan craft a set for him too. He wanted it as an heirloom.

Tan Yunlong took out gloves from his pocket, put them on, and squatted down to gently brush away the mud from the corpse's eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. His expression then became solemn.

Li Zhuiyuan asked, "Is it Jiang Dongping?"

Tan Yunlong looked up at the boy in surprise, "You knew already?"

Li Zhuiyuan shook his head, "No, I just found out. There are two more skeletons down there. Uncle Tan, ask people to keep digging. It will be very easy to dig."

The only one who could be so tightly held by two victims, dragging them down into the mud together, could only be the perpetrator.

"I understand. Thank you, Xiao Yuan."

"Can you give me a piece of Tai Sui Meat as a thank you?"

"What do you want that for?"

"Uncle Tan, you know how curious children are."

Tan Yunlong took a small plastic bag from his pocket, containing something resembling jelly. He leaned in to shield his actions from outside view and slipped the small bag into Li Zhuiyuan's pocket.

"Promise me you won't eat it. It might be poisonous."

"I won't. But Uncle Tan, you're really generous."

"There's still a big lump in the vat, so giving you a piece is no problem."

"What, it's already been fished out?" Li Sanjiang had only just finished smoking a cigarette and saw that the job was done. He could only say with disappointment, "It seems Shan Pao's teaching his disciple has some merit."

"Great Grandfather, Run Sheng ge and I will head back on the tricycle first."

"Now that the business is finished, I'll go with you. Riding on the motorcycle is making my butt sore."

"Great Grandfather, you can't leave. Officer Tan wants you to stay and help examine the body. It's been soaked in mud and water, and you have experience."

Tan Yunlong looked at Li Zhuiyuan with some confusion. Autopsies were handled by professional forensic doctors.

However, he still took off his gloves and grabbed Li Sanjiang's hand. "That's right, Grandpa. Please stay and help us take a look and analyze things. After we're done, I'll drive you home."

"Alright then."

"Great Grandfather, we're leaving now."

"Be careful on the road, you two. Runsheng Hou, ride slower, don't fall and hurt my Little Yuanhou."

Run Sheng carried the equipment out of the main entrance and placed it neatly on the tricycle. After putting everything down, he couldn't help but reach out and touch it.

"Little Yuan, when I save enough money..."

"Brother Run Sheng, don't move too much. Take a quick look at the small slope where we were earlier."

Run Sheng pretended to continue organizing his things and glanced over with his peripheral vision. He saw two people standing there, and they looked a bit familiar.

"Have I seen them somewhere before?"

"At the video arcade, those four loudmouthed punks."

Their boss, the guy in the suit, had already been arrested and was cooperating to redeem himself. Fortunately, the suit guy was still in the process of developing his distribution network. He hadn't even received the goods himself, so he hadn't had time to assign tasks to his three subordinates yet.

Therefore, those three punks were detained for a day, educated, and then released.

"Are they living nearby and came to watch the commotion?"

"Shi Gang isn't as lively or fun as Shi Nan. Do people living in Shi Gang have to go to Shi Nan to watch videotapes? Brother Run Sheng, look at their feet again."

Run Sheng again pretended to glance over casually, then lowered his head. "Little Yuan, their feet are lifted up!"

"They're here. They've finally appeared. They're the real targets we're looking for this time."

Run Sheng quietly grabbed the Yellow River Shovel and said, "I'm going to charge over there right now and smash their heads!"

"Brother Run Sheng..."

"Don't worry, Little Yuan. They're definitely not as fast as me, and besides, they have to run on their tiptoes."

"Brother Run Sheng, there are so many police officers right here."

"Ah..."

"Even the gangsters in Hong Kong movies aren't as brazen as you."

"I was wrong, Little Yuan."

"Let's get in the car and ride in the opposite direction."

"I'll listen to you."

Li Zhuiyuan got onto the tricycle, and Run Sheng rode it in another direction. After riding for a while, he turned and went behind another residential building.

"Brother Run Sheng, here, put this Homecoming Net on us. This way, they won't be able to see us."

Run Sheng's eyes lit up. "This thing has that kind of use?"

"Yeah, otherwise how could it tie up the dead float? Dead floats are so strong, they can break through normal nets with just a struggle. Only nets they can't see are ones they can't break free from."

"Really, Little Yuan? The stuff my grandpa has at home, compared to what you have, can basically be sold to the scrap metal collectors."

"Don't worry, I'll make a set for you too tomorrow."

"Uh... it's very expensive, isn't it?"

"It's fine. We'll go see Grandpa Shan tomorrow, and then we should have money."

"My grandpa doesn't have any money. If it weren't for the fact that rice and flour are hard to sell in the village, I'm afraid we might not even have food to eat when we get home tomorrow."

"We'll talk about it tomorrow. Let's go chase those two first."

"Okay."

And so, Run Sheng began to pedal the tricycle with renewed effort. As cars and pedestrians passed them on the road, they looked on in astonishment at the tricycle wrapped in the net and the two people inside.

When they reached the original spot, Run Sheng looked around in confusion. "Oh no, the people are gone."

"They're ahead. They're heading towards the river."

As expected, the figures of the two people appeared by the river, and they were walking downstream along the river.

"Should I ride down there?"

"Ride on the road first, follow them from a distance, and find a secluded place with few people to make your move."

Next, the two people walked along the river, while Li Zhuiyuan and Run Sheng followed on the road.

They gradually moved towards a more remote area and turned into a small path.

"Should we make a move, Little Yuan?"

"Let's wait a bit longer. Let's see where they're actually going. Those two are just pawns; there's someone controlling them from behind."

"Isn't the person controlling them that guy named Jiang?"

"Old Jiang was buried in the pond himself, so who do you think buried him?"

"Little Yuan, you mean..."

"I suspect one of the three people Jiang Dongping buried has turned into a dead float."

Li Zhuiyuan took out the Tai Sui meat Officer Tan had given him and continued, "This Tai Sui must have some issues."

It wasn't easy to turn into a dead float, especially one that could control a childe ghost; this was already a rare level.

Even through the plastic bag, the Tai Sui meat smelled fishy and foul. It made him wonder how anyone dared to eat this as a tonic.

The sky was gradually darkening, entering dusk.

The two men walked into a patch of graves.

Run Sheng picked up the equipment and, along with Li Zhuiyuan, continued to follow stealthily, hiding beneath the net.

Finally, the two men stopped in front of a tombstone. With a "plop," they knelt down before the tombstone in front of them.

Li Zhuiyuan and Run Sheng, wrapped in the Homecoming Net, hid behind a tombstone in front of the two men, one on the left and one on the right. They cautiously peeked out from behind the tombstone, observing them.

However, the two men remained kneeling there, motionless, for a long time, and the sky gradually grew dark.

Run Sheng looked at Li Zhuiyuan with a confused expression: What were they doing?

Li Zhuiyuan shrugged: I don't know either.

Run Sheng pointed to his surroundings, then to the Yellow River Shovel in his hand: It's very secluded here, and there's no one. We can kill them.

Li Zhuiyuan waved his hand in refusal, then pointed to Run Sheng's arm. Run Sheng didn't quite understand, but after seeing Li Zhuiyuan lean his head over, he still propped up his arm to let him rest more comfortably.

No matter what, Little Yuan must have his reasons for doing this.

After a while, the two people kneeling before the tombstone remained motionless, as did Little Yuan, who was resting his head on Run Sheng's arm.

Run Sheng finally couldn't help but turn his head to look at Little Yuan. He saw that Little Yuan had his eyes closed and was breathing evenly. Run Sheng was stunned:

Little Yuan actually fell asleep?

Li Zhuiyuan wasn't truly asleep; he was just trying to snatch a nap. In this half-awake, half-dreaming state, he heard the piercing wails and desperate pleas. They were the voices of Brother Leopard and Zhao Xing.

He knew he had entered the state.

Opening his eyes, Li Zhuiyuan found that Run Sheng, who had been leaning against him, was gone. This was normal; Run Sheng hadn't entered his dream.

The wails and pleas continued. They seemed to be suffering from extremely terrifying torture.

This wasn't surprising. The last time Brother Leopard and Zhao Xing came to find Great Grandfather at the banquet, from what they said, they actually didn't know that Jiang Dongping had been buried alive, nor did they know that the one truly controlling them was a former victim, and very possibly the one named Zhou who had been personally buried alive by Brother Leopard.

Li Zhuiyuan slowly and carefully peeked out from beside the tombstone in front of him. The two men who had been kneeling there were no longer visible. Like Run Sheng, they didn't exist in this dream.

Continuing to shift his gaze, further behind where the two men had knelt, Li Zhuiyuan saw Brother Leopard and Zhao Xing prostrate on the ground, their bodies constantly cracking and peeling off.

In an instant, Li Zhuiyuan froze, his entire body turning cold.

Because they couldn't see anything "dirty" before, he and Run Sheng had assumed that the two men were kneeling in respect to the tombstone in front of them.

But in reality, the two men were merely vessels for possession. They had been brought here and utilized, then their "shoes" were removed.

When shoes are not worn on the feet, their pointed ends no longer indicate the direction the wearer is facing.

Now, the direction Brother Leopard and Zhao Xing were kneeling and wailing was towards the tombstone in front of him!

And he and Run Sheng had been hiding behind this tombstone for a long time.

Li Zhuiyuan slowly lowered his head. He saw a very, very long shadow extending from beneath his feet. Clearly, he wasn't that tall, so this shadow couldn't be his.

Therefore, it, had been standing behind him and Run Sheng all along.