After discussing the matter of Simazi, Jiang Nuo and Si Yan called Song Zheng over.
Hearing the shouts, Song Zheng was about to get up when he saw the teasing and jeering looks from the others.
"Why do you have to be involved in their young couple's business?"
"If you ask me, I'd say you city folks really know how to have fun!"
"So that's how it is! I was wondering why the three of you men were always hanging out together!"
Song Zheng: "..."
He's going to call the police.
Since he couldn't say he was going there to discuss something, Song Zheng endured it all and left the shore amidst the jeering looks of a large group of people.
Song Zheng covered his eyes and walked to the strange rock. "Can I really come over here?"
Si Yan coughed lightly, her ears slightly red, and pulled Jiang Nuo closer.
"Open your eyes."
"Have to."
Song Zheng lowered his hand from his eyes and asked, "Did you discover something?"
Jiang Nuo briefly expressed her suspicions about Simazi, Song Zheng clearly shared the same sentiment, saying, "I was initially wondering if he had a split personality, but it's not as bizarre as you guys think."
"However, after meeting so many people today, I've noticed something."
Song Zheng scratched his head, his tone somewhat heavy.
"These people all have tragic pasts; some suddenly lost loved ones, while others suffered the complete destruction of their families. Few of them came from normal backgrounds."
"Moreover, some of the ways of death are too strange. It would be rare for even one case to occur, let alone for them to happen one after another in such a small group."
Jiang Nuo: "A strange way of dying?"
Song Zheng counted on his fingers for him, "There was a guy named Old Jia, who had just gotten married when his wife was pecked to death by the chickens in the yard. The funeral had just been held when his elderly father slipped while carrying the coffin and was crushed to death by it."
"There was also a man named Old Xu. His family used to be so happy, with sons and daughters. But when he went to the mountains to pick bamboo shoots, his youngest daughter fell into a pit and was buried alive. When he took his son to look for his daughter, his son was bitten to death by a poisonous snake in the mountains."
Jiang Nuo hissed and touched his left eye. "How could I be so unlucky?"
Simazi's family was also miserable, the only difference being that they had a basement where they kept Blood Corpse to guard the corpses.
Si Yan recalled the contents of the mural and whispered, "Taking twenty people to the depths of the earth as a sacrifice... if the person cursed by the vengeful ghost was among them, could it be... this Simazi?"
After all, the Azure Ghost Face on A Wu's face hadn't disappeared yet.
But this differs from the conclusions they drew from the outside.
Jiang Nuo pondered, "In the end, everything that happened before, including Wang Laoliu's case, can't escape the word 'luck'."
As he spoke, he turned around, squinting at the backs of the group. He had a feeling that their surrender wasn't so simple. How could a group of desperados so easily believe that someone could save their lives?
"Let's go rest first; perhaps we'll find the answer underground."
They're just ordinary people, much easier to deal with than vengeful ghosts.
Song Zheng asked another question, "What if there's no answer?"
Jiang Nuo tilted her head, pretending to ponder, and chuckled, "Then kill them all. Anyway, there's bound to be someone causing trouble among them."
Song Zheng: "..."
That's unnecessary to ask.
When the three returned, many people were already resting, some leaning against each other, others having found a clean spot to lie down.
When Simazi, who was putting away the fire, saw them return, he glanced at Jiang Nuo a few more times, then quickly looked away and handed over the last two grilled fish.
Jiang Nuo took one, and gave the rest to A Wu.
It wasn't that she was particularly kind; it was simply because Si Yan hated the smell of fish.
But that didn't stop A Wu's eyes from lighting up instantly. He couldn't wait to fill his stomach, and his gaze towards Jiang Nuo was filled with more trust.
Jiang Nuo took out more food from her spatial storage and gave it to Si Yan. After eating, Si Yan leaned back to rest.
Time passed slowly, and no one knew what they would face next. Everyone was trying their best to replenish their physical strength and energy.
Except for those with ulterior motives.
Old Xu opened his eyes, his pupils instantly turning completely black, the whites of his eyes disappearing. He stiffly turned his neck and exchanged glances with his companions. The wounds beneath his clothes were already severely festering.
Then, they slowly turned their heads and looked at Jiang Nuo.
Their movements were slow but purposeful; their ten fingers were pale and swollen, but their nails were extremely sharp, like monster claws.
Just then, Zhang Linsan, who was not asleep, quietly opened his eyes. He was shocked by what he saw, but dared not disturb him. He clenched his fists and thought for three seconds. Suddenly, he pretended to be asleep and let his arms hang down, which hit Song Zheng, who was in a light sleep.
Zhang Linsan knew Song Zheng would wake up because he was a policeman.
Sure enough, Song Zheng immediately sat up straight on guard. "Who?"
What are you doing?
The voice was as loud as a bell, and Jiang Nuo and Si Yan woke up one after the other, and then looked up.
Old Xu was almost upon Jiang Nuo, suddenly stopped, his eyes snapping back to reality. "I... I need to pee."
Old Xu spoke, he walked towards the corner, and the others followed suit.
Si Yan sat up, her arms around Jiang Nuo's waist, and leaned against his shoulder as if boneless, her phoenix eyes slightly narrowed, looking sleepy.
"Something's wrong with them." The voice was very soft, only they could hear it.
"It's alright, you can continue to rest."
Jiang Nuo pinched Si Yan's earlobe, coaxed her softly, and cast a spell on her.
If they are human, they will be fine; if not, they will soon reveal their true forms.
Si Yan yawned, then hugged Jiang Nuo like a baby and continued to rest.
Meanwhile, Song Zheng glanced at Zhang Linsan with a puzzled look. It was clear that he hadn't just woken up from a nap; it seemed as if he had been in a tense state the whole time.
Zhang Linsan immediately averted his gaze, and seeing that Old Xu and the others had returned, he didn't say a word more.
They continued their journey only after everyone had rested enough.
This time, Zhang Linsan didn't walk with his brothers. Instead, he quickened his pace and stayed close behind Song Zheng, as if he was afraid or wanted to say something.
Song Zheng glanced at him several times, still unsure of what this person was trying to do.
Seeing this, Jiang Nuo flicked a small stone from the corner of the stone wall.
"Ouch!"
Zhang Linsan slipped and instinctively tried to stand up, but his arms weren't strong enough, and he twisted his ankle.
"That was really an accident." Jiang Nuo shook her head and beckoned Song Zheng over, "You carry him on your back."
Song Zheng: "..."
He was speechless, and in order to get more clues, he could only squat down and let Zhang Linsan come up.
Now, even if Song Zheng walks at the very back, no one will suspect that he is lagging behind the main group.