The atmosphere in the small courtyard was so tense it was frightening.
Lu Chen rested his hand on his saber hilt, watching the constable Zhao Gang in front of him.
Zhao Gang was watching him, too.
Neither man moved. The courtyard was so quiet that the only sound was the wind.
"Constable Zhao, say what you came to say."
Lu Chen broke the silence, his voice betraying no emotion. "If this is about those old fishermen, I have nothing to say. If it's official business, then show me the County Magistrate's warrant."
Zhao Gang stared at Lu Chen for a long moment, then suddenly let out a breath of relief. His stiff shoulders sagged.
"Hall Master Lu, you've misunderstood."
Zhao Gang gave a wry smile and cupped his hands. "I did come tonight on official business, but I'm not here to arrest anyone. I'm here to ask for help."
"Ask for help?"
Lu Chen raised an eyebrow, but kept his hand on his saber hilt. "The County Yamen's own constable, with dozens of armed constables at his command, needs to ask a gang member like me for help?"
"Hall Master Lu, there's something you don't know."
Zhao Gang sighed, his expression grim. "The Angry River hasn't been peaceful lately. It's not just your Black Water Gang's cargo boats that have run into trouble. Several villages along the river have had murders one after another."
"The bodies... were gruesomely mutilated."
As he spoke, fear showed in Zhao Gang's eyes. "The County Magistrate hasn't slept well in three days over this. If we can't crack the case, we'll all be in hot water when the higher-ups make their assessments."
Lu Chen's thoughts stirred.
Villages along the river? Murders?
"Where's the body?" Lu Chen asked.
"At the mortuary." Zhao Gang lowered his voice. "If it's convenient, come with me, Hall Master Lu. You'll see for yourself. If you can help the County Yamen deal with this huge problem, the County Magistrate will reward you handsomely."
Lu Chen considered it.
"Lead the way."
Half an hour later, at the mortuary in the west of the city.
The place was gloomy, lit only by the pale glow of two white lanterns at the entrance.
When the old caretaker saw Zhao Gang, he hurriedly opened the door, then shrank to one side without daring to speak.
Zhao Gang led Lu Chen into the morgue and pointed to a door plank in the middle.
"This is the one."
He stepped forward and lifted the white cloth.
A wave of putrid stench, mingled with a fishy smell, hit them in the face.
Wang Xiaoliu, standing behind Lu Chen, craned his neck for a look. His face went deathly pale, and he clapped a hand over his mouth as he retched.
"Ugh... Wh-what kind of ghastly thing is this?"
A dried corpse lay on the plank.
Every drop of blood had been drained from its body. Its skin clung to its bones, a faded, ashen purple.
Its eyes were sunken, its mouth gaped wide, and the terror of its final moments still lingered on its face.
Most horrifying of all, two black bloodied holes punctured its neck.
Lu Chen narrowed his eyes and leaned closer for a look.
The corpse looked exactly like those unfortunate souls he'd seen downstream from Red Fish Dock.
"This man was found last night in Lower River Village," Zhao Gang explained from the side. "He was hauling in his nets by the river. His companion heard him scream and ran over, but by then he was already like this. Less than half a tea's time had passed, and every drop of blood in his body was gone."
"And there's more..."
Zhao Gang paused, then took a piece of torn cloth from inside his robe. "We found this in the corpse's hand."
It was a piece of scaled hide, about the size of a fingernail, black as soot, with slime still clinging to it.
Lu Chen took it and glanced at it. He had his answer.
A Water Ghost.
And not an ordinary one.
Ordinary Water Ghosts were vicious, but most dragged people underwater to drown them and eat their flesh. This trick of draining someone's blood in an instant was more like some kind of black magic—or the work of a demon that had cultivated into a monster.
"Hall Master Lu, you're a man who understands."
Zhao Gang looked at Lu Chen. "No human could have done this. The County Yamen's coroner examined the body and said it was the work of an evil spirit."
"Those of us on the job can handle petty theft, but dealing with something like this... is beyond us."
"I heard Hall Master Lu is highly skilled in martial arts. Even Li Qingyi of the Red Fish Gang fell at your hands. And..." Zhao Gang gave Lu Chen a long look. "Hall Master Lu's been investigating the Angry River lately. I imagine you know more about these things than we do."
Lu Chen toyed with the scale and said nothing.
He was weighing it up.
This was a hot potato.
But it was also an opportunity.
He'd been fretting over how to find an excuse to explore the ruins of the "Dragon Palace" beneath the water on a large scale. Acting under the County Yamen's authority would give him a legitimate reason—and let him mobilize more resources.
Besides, this corpse confirmed his earlier suspicions.
Something truly big was happening beneath the Angry River.
The fragment of the Profound Nether Hand, along with the so-called Netherworld Stone, was probably connected to these mutated Water Ghosts.
"Constable Zhao, I can help you with this."
Lu Chen looked up and tossed the scale back to Zhao Gang. "But I have conditions."
Zhao Gang was overjoyed. "Please, Hall Master Lu! If the County Yamen can do it, we won't refuse!"
"First, I'll be in full command of this operation. Everyone from the County Yamen, you included, will follow my orders."
Lu Chen raised one finger.
"No problem!" Zhao Gang agreed readily. He hadn't wanted to take the blame in the first place. If someone else was willing to step up, he couldn't have been happier.
"Second, once this is done, I want the three Armor Piercing Crossbows in the County Yamen's armory."
Lu Chen raised a second finger.
Zhao Gang's expression changed. "Hall Master Lu, those Armor Piercing Crossbows are military weapons controlled by the imperial court. Letting them out without authorization is punishable by death..."
"That's your problem."
Lu Chen's voice turned cold. "I'm not taking them away, just 'borrowing' them for a while. Besides, what we're dealing with this time is no ordinary threat. Without some serious firepower, I can't guarantee success."
Zhao Gang gritted his teeth, his expression shifting uncertainly.
The Armor Piercing Crossbow was devastatingly powerful. It could pierce even the protective qi of a Meridian Connecting Realm expert. If it fell into the Black Water Gang's hands, the consequences would be unthinkable.
But he looked at the horrifying dried corpse and thought of the County Magistrate's murderous glare—and the possibility of losing his official hat...
"Fine! I agree!"
Zhao Gang stamped his foot. "But I can only give you three crossbows, with ten bolts each. You must return them when you're done!"
"Deal."
Lu Chen smiled.
"Third, and most importantly..."
Lu Chen looked at Zhao Gang, his gaze sharp. "I hope that from now on, Constable Zhao will... forget about those old fishermen."
Zhao Gang froze, then gave Lu Chen a long look.
"Don't worry, Hall Master Lu."
Zhao Gang clasped his hands. "My memory's poor. Once I walk out that door, there are some things I won't remember at all."
The two men exchanged a look. The deal was done.
"Now that we've settled it, let's not waste time."
Lu Chen turned and strode out, decisive as a thunderclap.
"Tell your men to prepare a large boat. Also, round up the best Water Ghost-hunting team in the city."
"Tonight, we'll pay these beasts a visit."
Watching Lu Chen leave, Zhao Gang wiped the cold sweat from his brow.
This young man put more pressure on him than the County Magistrate did.
"Chief, we're really going to follow his orders?"
A young constable beside him edged closer and asked in a low voice. "Lu Iron Skin is a ruthless character. What if..."
"Shut up!"
Zhao Gang glared at him. "If you don't follow him, are you going into the water to catch that monster? How many lives do you have to throw away?"
"Lu Chen wants to borrow the County Yamen's authority, and we want to borrow his blade."
"Each of us gets what we need."
Zhao Gang gazed into the pitch-black night beyond the mortuary and muttered,
"I just don't know if that blade will be so sharp it cuts its own wielder..."
Back at the Black Water Gang's Main Hall.
Lu Chen immediately summoned his men.
Besides the twenty elite members of the War Hall under Wang Xiaoliu's command, he specifically picked a dozen or so men who were excellent swimmers.
"Hall Master, we're really going underwater?"
Wang Xiaoliu arranged the equipment, looking a little worried. "Those old men said that place was cursed..."
"Fortune and wealth are found in danger."
Lu Chen wiped his Water Splitting Dagger without looking up. "If you're afraid to die, stay on shore."
"How could I do that?"
Wang Xiaoliu puffed out his chest. "Wherever you go, Chief, I go! Even if you're going into a boiling cauldron, I'll toss in another log for you!"
Lu Chen smiled.
Wang Xiaoliu might be slippery, but he was loyal and quick-witted.
"The County Yamen's people will provide cover on the surface during this operation."
Lu Chen gave his orders in a low voice. "But the truly good stuff, we take for ourselves."
"Once we're underwater, keep your eyes peeled."
"If you see any black stones, or strange bottles and jars, bring them back for me."
"Yes, sir!"
Greed glimmered in Wang Xiaoliu's eyes.
Following Lu Chen was dangerous, but the rewards were definitely worth it.
"Let's move!"
Lu Chen slid the Water Splitting Dagger into the specially made belt around his waist and strapped on the weighted Hundred Refinements Steel Saber.
He looked out the window.
The night was dark, and the roar of the Angry River drifted faintly through the air.
Tonight was bound to be a long one.
And deep beneath the river, in waters without a bottom in sight, the legendary "Dragon Palace" awaited them.
Lu Chen touched the Beast Hide Map tucked inside his robe.
A pillow had fallen right into his sleepy arms.
Since the County Yamen had put the excuse right in front of him, the treasures in the Dragon Palace were as good as his.
No matter what demons or monsters lurked down there.
In the face of his perfected Iron Cloth Shirt, they'd all have to step aside!
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