Green-Mud Ferry

Biodata

Geography and Administration

Green-Mud Ferry is a major canal junction connecting northern and southern trade routes. Its dense waterways, temples, shrines, merchants, boatmen, gangs, and wandering cultivators make the district difficult to govern; it has consistently ranked among Yong Province's three most incident-prone areas for supernatural activity. 25

The surrounding region becomes increasingly damp and marshy toward the ferry, with extensive reed beds and water routes that provide cover for river bandits, smugglers, and evil cultivators. 26 46

History

Before Xu Jin's appointment, Green-Mud Ferry suffered a series of canal-barge disappearances, midnight cries near the crossing, and water-ghost attacks that dragged members of three boat-owning households into the river. The previous patrol inspector, Zhou Zheng, disappeared while investigating the disturbances. 24 25

Zhou Zheng traced the case to a submerged Han Dynasty tomb believed to contain an ancient cultivator's pill cauldron and yin-jade treasures. His pursuit of the tomb's treasure delayed the suppression of its water wraith, which then came ashore and killed two boatmen. Zhou later vanished amid conflict with wandering cultivators employed by the Canal Gang. 25

Xu Jin accepted the patrol-inspector appointment and selected Wang Lei as his permanent partner. Upon arrival, they inherited the district seal, geographical map, and prior case files, then began investigating the Sunk Tomb and the forces competing for it. 24 25 26

Major Incidents

Supernatural Threats

• Sunk Tomb — A submerged Han Dynasty tomb beneath the river; the source of water-baleful phenomena, a Yin-Ecdysis Corpse Demon, and clues concerning Zhou Zheng's disappearance. 25 33 35
• Water wraiths and water ghosts — Common dangers in the waterlogged district, intensified by the Sunk Tomb's leaking Baleful Intent. 25 36 38
• Danding Yin Domain — A mid-tier Yin Domain connected to the tomb's lower alchemical chamber. Its rupture threatened to turn the shoreline into a land of Yin. 40 41
• Profound Yin Hall — The principal evil-cultivator threat in the district, using ritual artifacts, puppets, Baleful Intent, and the Danding inheritance to expand its influence. 34 40 42
• Yin-object smuggling — River routes around Green-Mud Ferry were used to transport yin artifacts, magical implements, and Baleful Intent-gathering materials. 46 49

Relationships

• Xu Jin — Appointed patrol inspector after defeating Wang Defa; he assumed responsibility for the ferry's supernatural cases and law enforcement. 24 25
• Wang Lei — Xu Jin's permanent partner, responsible for records, local intelligence, logistics, and case documentation. 25 26
• Demon Suppression Bureau — The district's official governing force for demon suppression; it deployed reinforcements and imposed an emergency lockdown during the Yin Domain crisis. 25 41
• Canal Gang — A local force that claimed the Sunk Tomb, obstructed Bureau investigations, and sought the tomb's alchemical inheritance. 27 29 34
• Profound Yin Hall — Evil-cultivator organization responsible for the district's Yin Domain scheme and related trafficking operations. 34 40 42
• River Spirit Temple, River Merchants Guild, and Reed-Blossom Stronghold — Registered local powers that sought to establish relations with the new patrol administration; after the Canal Gang's fall, they adopted a compliant posture. 28 34

Law and Waterway Order

Wandering cultivators may seek treasure within the district so long as they do not harm ordinary people or handle forbidden yin-evil objects; the Demon Suppression Bureau does not monopolize supernatural resources. 25

Following the Rocky Shoal crackdown, Xu Jin ordered former bandit affiliates to disclose hidden harbors, overseas sources, and Profound Yin Hall contact points; pay taxes; disband their private water-bandit force; and convert canal transport operations into a patrol-office-supervised waterway inspection point. 49

“Keeping to the rules is your duty. Enforcing the law is mine.” — Xu Jin 49