Yellow Immortal's New Year Greeting, Crippled If Not Dead!

Hearing Chen Jianxing's words, the crowd exchanged glances, gaining a bit more courage.

The road up Luoku Mountain was even harder to traverse than expected—extremely rugged and narrow, leading to an unknown destination.

Occasionally, the distant howls of beasts echoed from deep within the forest.

No wonder they had to come up the mountain to carry corpses. The Demon Suppressing Division's carts simply can't make it up here.

Lin Guanhuo glanced around, murmuring inwardly.

The winding mountain path stretched on; the group had walked an entire day and still hadn't reached the ruined temple they'd agreed upon.

By now, dusk was falling.

"Alright."

Just then.

Chen Jianxing, the Demon Suppressing Division walker at the very front, called out and halted before a relatively open stretch of wasteland.

Though overgrown with weeds, the area offered a decent view.

"It's too late. We're not going any further. We'll camp here tonight."

With that, Chen Jianxing took out his Brocade Bag and shook it.

Then, visible to all.

A large bundle of dried beef jerky and two jars of strong liquor appeared on the ground out of thin air.

He tore off a piece of beef and washed it down with a swig of the liquor.

"Eat."

Chen Jianxing distributed the food and drink among the crowd: "Eat and drink your fill, so you'll have the strength to work."

"We set out at the Hour of the Rabbit tomorrow. Stick with me, Chen, and I promise you'll earn plenty of silver."

This...

Meat...

And liquor??

"Thank you for the reward, Official!!"

"We thank you, Official!!"

The White Servants in the crowd broke into delighted smiles, cupping their fists in thanks.

These men rarely saw a scrap of meat all year; the beef jerky might be tough, but it was real meat!

Soon, Lin Guanhuo and the others had a campfire crackling.

Paired with the strong liquor, a single gulp drove much of the chill from their bones.

With full bellies and warm spirits, night fully enveloped Luoku Mountain.

Chen Jianxing then unbuckled the long sword at his waist and thrust it heavily into the soil beside the fire.

He sat cross-legged by the sword, his expression solemn: "There's some demonic energy on Luoku Mountain, but don't be afraid—they're just low-level fiends that haven't amounted to anything."

"This sword of mine has cut down demons, slain monsters, and drunk the blood of a hundred men. Its Sha Qi is extremely heavy. As long as the sword is here, no evil dares come within ten zhang of us."

Hearing this, the men nodded as they drank and ate.

"However..."

Chen Jianxing paused, warning the crowd: "If you hear any strange noises late at night, especially a woman's cries, don't pay them any mind, and don't look back."

"The fiends up in the mountains like to take the form of beautiful women to harm people. Cheap tricks, but they work wonders on you lot who've never trained in martial arts."

"If something happens, don't say Chen didn't warn you."

The men nodded in unison: "Understood, Official Chen."

The night deepened.

The mountain wind grew strange.

The White Servants huddled together, wrapped in tattered cotton-padded jackets for warmth, too afraid to sleep.

"Six-Fingered, what's wrong with you?"

Among the group, Li Hu noticed Six-Fingered curled up by the fire, trembling all over, his demeanor odd.

In the darkness, Six-Fingered shuddered, his face pale: "N... nothing..."

After an unknown stretch of time.

The surroundings gradually quieted, leaving only the crackling of the campfire.

Then...

"Wah... wah... wah..."

A faint crying drifted on the wind.

It was the wail of an infant—thin, pitiful, enough to make one's heart clench.

It felt as if it came from very far away, yet also as if it were right beside their ears.

"Help... save me..."

Then came a woman's cries for help, as if someone had her by the throat, her voice broken and intermittent: "I'm so cold... someone save me..."

This...

At this very moment!!

"Did you hear that?"

Six-Fingered, whose nerves were already stretched taut, his voice trembling: "Someone... someone's calling for help! Over there in the woods!"

"Shut up!" Xu Dadao snapped at him: "That's a ghost's wail! Official Chen said we can't listen!"

Six-Fingered covered his ears, his face full of terror!!

The direction the sound came from was the former site of Wangshan Village!

That night, every last one of the thousand or so people in Wangshan Village was brutally slaughtered, not a single survivor!!

Back then, he had followed the County Office men to bury the bodies and witnessed that bloodshed with his own eyes!

Six-Fingered suddenly felt that maybe he had been tainted by resentment back then, tainted by something unclean.

And now these ghosts had come to claim his soul in retribution??

"The people of Wangshan Village died off back then... did they not really die? They're crying out for justice!"

"Wah!!!"

The infant's cry suddenly turned sharp and piercing, as if right in his ear.

"Stop crying! Stop crying!"

Six-Fingered suddenly broke down. He leaped to his feet, clawing frantically at his own hair, his eyes bloodshot: "I can't take it anymore! We can't stay here!"

"I'm not earning this silver! I'm leaving!! I'm leaving!!"

Now he regretted it—he shouldn't have come to this godforsaken place for just one tael of silver!!

He had to leave!

Leave now!

Or else he would die here!!

With that, Six-Fingered, as if gone mad, sprinted wildly down the pitch-black mountain.

"Come back!"

Several of the White Servants on site shouted after him.

But Six-Fingered acted as if he hadn't heard.

And just like that, he vanished into the night.

On the other side.

Six-Fingered didn't know how long he had run.

He only felt the crying behind him growing louder and louder, as if countless vengeful spirits were chasing him.

He didn't dare look back, only stumbling through the fog-shrouded mountain forest on instinct.

Suddenly, his foot caught on something, and he crashed heavily to the ground.

"Ouch!"

Six-Fingered scrambled up, and by the pale moonlight, he took a look—and was scared out of his wits.

This was no path down the mountain!

This was clearly a mass grave!

All around were dense clusters of burial mounds, some without even a tombstone, just a rotten stick stuck in the ground!

Strangely, the tombstones on these old graves were all blank, without a single name!!

"Where... where is this..."

Six-Fingered trembled all over. Just as he turned to flee, his gaze suddenly froze on the tombstone in front of him.

There, written crookedly in bright red cinnabar, were three big characters.

Zhang Tie Zhu.

That was... Six-Fingered's real name!

"Ah!!!"

Seeing this, Six-Fingered let out a terrified scream.

He was completely panicked!!

He regretted it!!

He never should have come to this godforsaken place for just one tael of silver!!

Just then.

"Hehe... hehe..."

A thin, eerie laugh rose densely from behind him.

Six-Fingered felt his scalp crawl!

He slowly, slowly turned his head...

And saw...

On the grave mounds behind him, on the withered trees, in the grass.

Hundreds of weasels had appeared without warning.

They stood upright, like humans.

And on their furry heads, instead of animal faces.

Were pale, half-smiling human faces!

Some old, some children, some women...

The next second.

These hundreds of Human-faced Weasels raised both front paws at once.

Facing Six-Fingered, who had already collapsed in terror, they bowed in perfect unison!

The movement was absurd, yet brimming with boundless evil.

Ah!!!

A piercing scream tore through the night sky, but lasted only an instant.

Then cut off abruptly.

If you can't find the book by its title, try searching by the author—maybe it was just renamed!