The northern part of Spring City was where the city's rich and powerful gathered.
With a gentle slope at its back and mountains embracing it on either side, the area offered a view of the sea while remaining far enough away to be safe from storms and waves. It was prime land by any measure of feng shui.
The Chen Family estate of the Antiquities Gathering Studio stood right here.
At that moment.
People came and went within the estate, all prominent old figures of the Chen Family. They hurried about with grave expressions, as though they had something important to discuss.
"Steward Wang is dead?"
A tall, middle-aged man inside the estate questioned the subordinate before him in surprise.
"Yes."
"Master."
"Steward Wang's wife just sent someone to report that he and his concubine were found dead in bed this morning."
The subordinate spoke respectfully.
"What did their bodies look like?" the man asked.
"They reportedly bled from all seven orifices, and their faces were contorted, as though they'd seen something terrifying before they died."
The subordinate answered.
"It seems the problem in Locust Tree Alley wasn't resolved after all." The man sighed softly. "Leave that matter alone for now. The Sea God Temple and the disappearances take priority."
"At least the thing in Locust Tree Alley won't come out on its own..."
"Oh, right."
He suddenly seemed to remember something.
"Have we learned anything about what happened in Twinwood Village?" he abruptly asked, his tone growing considerably more serious.
Just yesterday.
The Thunder Centipede, which had not appeared for a long time, had shown itself again.
It seemed to have been heading for Twinwood Village.
Conditions in Twinwood Village had grown increasingly strange over the years. People had long suspected a connection to the Thunder Centipede, since eerie