The Well That Eats People Case

The news of Liu Mazi being beheaded in the street spread through Qingyang County like a hurricane, covering the entire area in just half a day.

Inside the County Office, the constables looked at Lin Feng with completely changed eyes.

If before their gaze was filled with envy and jealousy, thinking he was just a rookie who got lucky.

Now, that look had transformed into deep apprehension and a hint of undetectable fear.

One disagreement, and he drew his sword and killed.

And he killed a hall master of the Black Tiger Gang, a well-known local power player.

Such ruthlessness and decisiveness, let alone for the new constables, even they, the seasoned veterans who had been around for years, couldn't claim to achieve.

"Madman, he's a real madman!"

"Captain Li really kicked an iron plate this time. He wanted to put the newcomer in his place, but the newcomer just flipped the whole table."

"The Black Tiger Gang definitely won't let this go. There's going to be a good show."

In Captain Li Gang's office, the atmosphere was terrifyingly oppressive.

His face was ashen, and he paced back and forth without a word, his anger threatening to erupt.

Out of control!

Things had completely gone beyond his grasp!

His original intention was for Liu Mazi to humiliate Lin Feng, break his spirit, and make the kid understand who the real boss of the County Office was, so he would obediently become a dog in his hand.

Who would have thought that Lin Feng wasn't a dog at all, but a lurking tiger!

He had directly bitten off Liu Mazi's throat with his first move!

What made it even more of a headache was that he couldn't openly trouble Lin Feng.

Liu Mazi was a bandit, and Lin Feng was an officer of the law.

It was only natural for an officer to kill a bandit.

If he dared to punish Lin Feng because of this, he wouldn't be able to get past County Magistrate Zhao Dehai.

"Good, good, good... Lin Feng, you're ruthless!"

A sinister glint flashed in Li Gang's eyes. "Since you like to be in the spotlight, like being a hero, then I'll give you a chance to be a hero!"

The next day, as soon as Lin Feng arrived at the County Office, he was stopped by Li Gang.

"Lin Feng."

Li Gang acted uncharacteristically, a gentle smile on his face, as if yesterday's conflict had never happened. "You did well yesterday, eliminating a scourge for the people and bringing glory to our Qingyang County Office."

Lin Feng sneered inwardly, but his expression remained calm. "It's just my duty, I dare not accept the Captain's praise."

"Ah, merit should be rewarded, and mistakes should be punished."

Li Gang patted Lin Feng's shoulder warmly and handed him the case file.

"There's a case here that the people in the southern part of the city have been discussing recently, causing widespread unease. Originally, such a tricky case should have been handled by me, the Captain, personally, or assigned to an experienced old constable. But I thought, young people should be trained more, take on more challenges. This case, I'll entrust it to you to be fully responsible for, how about it? Do you have confidence?"

Lin Feng took the case file and opened it.

[Willow Lane, South of the City, Unnamed Dry Well. Three people have disappeared consecutively within half a month, all while drawing water at night. Rumor has it that a Water Ghost haunts the well.]

The case description was simple, but the words conveyed a sense of strangeness.

Lin Feng immediately understood Li Gang's malicious intent.

This case clearly had an evil aura, and it was likely another demonic incident.

Such cases were always the hottest potatoes in the County Office, and no one wanted to take them.

If they succeeded, the credit wouldn't be great, but if they failed, they might lose their lives.

This was an open scheme by Li Gang, a way to use demons to get rid of this thorn in his side.

"What? Scared?"

Seeing Lin Feng's silence, Li Gang deliberately provoked him. "If you think you can't handle it, it's not shameful to say so now. I can find someone else..."

"No need."

Lin Feng closed the case file and said calmly, "Thank you for your cultivation, Captain. I'll take this case."

"Good! What spirit!"

Li Gang was overjoyed, already contemplating how to collect Lin Feng's corpse.

"Go ahead. If you need any manpower or equipment, just go to the storeroom and get it."

"No need, I'm enough by myself."

Lin Feng turned and left, leaving Li Gang with a resolute back.

Of course, he knew it was a trap, but what did he need most right now?

Crit Points!

An opportunity to improve his strength!

To him, this "Water Ghost" was just a ready-made experience package personally prepared and delivered by Li Gang.

Why refuse a free gift!

Arriving at Willow Lane in the south of the city, Lin Feng immediately sensed the unusual atmosphere of the place.

In broad daylight, the entire alley felt eerily cold. Every household had their doors and windows tightly shut, and not a single soul could be seen on the street, forming a stark contrast to the bustling activity elsewhere in the south of the city.

At the end of the alley stood a crooked willow tree, and beneath it, an ancient well half-covered by stone slabs.

Before he even got close, Lin Feng felt a bone-chilling coldness seeping out from the well's opening.

He didn't rush forward but instead began his investigation in the alley.

At first, the residents remained indoors, filled with wariness and fear towards him, a constable. But once someone recognized him as the "ruthless man" who had beheaded Liu Mazi yesterday, their attitude immediately changed.

A trembling old woman, gathering her courage, opened her door and whispered to Lin Feng.

"Sir, that well... that well is not clean! Don't go near it at night! The missing butcher Zhang, tailor Li, and the second son of the Wang family all went to fetch water there at night and never returned..."

"Grandmother, did you see anything unusual?"

Lin Feng asked.

"N-no, I didn't dare to look. But in the middle of the night, I could always hear a woman crying from the well, and... and the sound of chains clanking in the water. It was terrifying!"

With a lead, Lin Feng had a general idea of what was happening.

He approached the ancient well and examined it carefully.

Relying on the keen senses of his Body Tempering realm, he immediately discovered several faint, slippery drag marks on the stone slabs around the well's edge, extending into the opening.

A faint, lingering fishy stench still hung in the air.

"It seems there really is something down there."

Lin Feng decided not to alert the enemy. Demons and monsters were mostly active during the night when Yin energy was at its peak. It was daytime now, with abundant Yang energy, so the opponent was likely lurking deep at the bottom of the well.

He decided to wait for the "ghost" to come to him.

Night fell, and a sliver of a moon hung in the sky, casting a cold, clear glow over Willow Lane.

Lin Feng sat alone, cross-legged on the roof of a house not far from the ancient well, concealing his presence like a rock merged into the darkness.

Time ticked by, second by second.

Zi Shi, the hour with the most potent Yin energy of the day.

"Wuu... wuu wuu..."

A mournful woman's cry suddenly echoed from the ancient well, piercingly clear in the silent night, as if it could seep into one's very bones.

Immediately after, a "huala la" sound of splashing water followed, as if something was slowly rising from the depths of the well.

It's here!

Lin Feng opened his eyes, a sharp glint flashing past.

He remained still, waiting for the opponent to completely let down its guard.

He took out a waterskin from his bosom, pretending to be a thirsty traveler at night, and staggered towards the well, humming a tuneless little song, making as if he were going to draw water.

Just as he bent down, close to the well's opening!

An unexpected change occurred!

Two pale, swollen ghost hands with black fingernails shot out from the dark well like venomous snakes, grabbing Lin Feng's ankles!

A bone-chilling cold force surged, a tremendous pulling force, intending to drag him into the endless abyss!

Beneath the well's opening, a bloated, waterlogged woman's face with distorted features stared fixedly at him, her mouth stretched into a grotesque grin.

It was the Water Ghost that had claimed lives!

However, facing this fatal surprise attack, Lin Feng's face showed no panic at all. Instead, a cold smile appeared.

"I've been waiting for you for a long time."

His feet seemed rooted to the ground. The power of his Body Tempering triple-layer erupted, and no matter how the Water Ghost pulled, he didn't budge an inch.

"You want to invite me down for tea? You'll need more than that!"

If you find this book to your liking, please add it to your bookshelf so you don't lose it next time.

In response to the requests of many readers, VIP membership with ad-free viewing is now available.

Click to view