I become a god in another world

Chapter 641 It’s hard to tell the truth from the false
Chapter 641

The tension in everyone's hearts eased.

The sudden shock caused everyone's heads to throb.

Amidst the crackling of torches, Wang Zhiyi and his group hurried back, and Zhao Fusheng and the others rushed to greet them.

Zhao Fusheng asked:

"Have you searched the village thoroughly? Have you entered the ancestral hall?"

Wang Zhiyi nodded:
“We went there, and along the way we passed through villages and houses. I had people search the houses.”

She paused for a moment after she finished speaking:

"It's all empty; no one lives here."

Such a search is only a rough one.

After the incident in the village, the ghost tamers and ordinary messengers were all in a state of fear. Even though they were afraid of Wang Zhiyi's orders and reluctantly searched the village houses, they were just like Wang Ling and Miao Yougong, and their search was not very serious.

Even so, Wang Zhiyi and his group searched along the way but did not encounter any villagers.

“But we did encounter a lost messenger on the way—” Wang Zhiyi said, pointing to something.

A man with his head down was surrounded by a crowd, seemingly invisible, as if he were guarding someone.

As Wang Zhiyi spoke, several messengers brought the torches they were holding closer to his face. When everyone looked closely, their scalps tingled with fear.

In the firelight, a tall man stood awkwardly in the center.

The crowd kept a safe distance from him, both to guard against him and to prevent him from escaping.

He was wearing a light blue short jacket and black trousers with leggings tied with cloth, and his cloth shoes were covered in mud.

Zhao Fusheng also got goosebumps.

But having solved several ghost cases, she was calm and collected. Even when she encountered strange phenomena again, she quickly regained her composure after a brief moment of terror.

She looked at the man with his head bowed and calmly said:
"You Hong, is that you?"

As soon as she finished speaking, Wang Zhiyi's face showed surprise.

There were many envoys from Wuqing County who accompanied the imperial capital. Even if Zhao Fusheng was exceptionally talented and could remember the names of the ghost tamers, how could she possibly know such an ordinary envoy in just one day?

Wang Zhiyi's gaze fell on Yu Lingzhu.

Aside from the wary expressions on the faces of the people from Wan'an County, Yu Lingzhu's expression was also extremely unpleasant. She stared at You Hong with a tense look, as if she had seen a ghost.

Upon realizing this, Wang Zhiyi silently took two steps back, moving towards the direction where Zhao Fusheng and the others were standing.

"grown ups--"

Wu Shaochun had witnessed You Hong die in the coffin, and now that he saw You Hong alive and well with Wang Zhiyi and the others, even though he had experienced several ghostly calamities, his heart was pounding.

After calling out to Zhao Fusheng, he immediately clenched his fist, and several sparks appeared on his skin.

Beneath Wu Shaochun's figure, the vengeful ghost is about to awaken.

"Fa, what happened?"

You Hong raised his head.

His face was deathly pale, and his eyes flickered with unease.

From Zhao Fusheng's tone and expression, he realized that something big had happened and was terrified.

Everyone looked at him as if they had seen a ghost, and Wang Zhiyi and Yu Lingzhu's eyes revealed murderous intent.

Zhao Fusheng shouldn't have known him, yet he called out his name.

You Hong was terrified and instinctively looked at Miao Yougong:

"Master Miao——"

He was one of Miao Yougong's followers, and when he saw that things were not going well, he had no choice but to ask his superior for help.

"Don't call me!"

Miao Yougong looked terrified. When he heard You Hong call his name, his eyes were filled with despair. He was so shocked that he almost jumped up and forced himself not to hide behind Yu Lingzhu.

"Lord Miao, it's me, You Hong—"

“Shut up, don’t call me, what kind of evil spirit is this—” Miao Yougong knew all too well how terrifying ghosts could be.

The Demon Suppression Division's ghost-controlling officers use a brutal and direct approach to solve cases: eliminate everything related to ghosts to prevent the continuation of the vengeful ghost law.

He was afraid that if You Hong continued, he would implicate himself, so he stopped him before he could finish speaking.

You Hong was frightened by his words.

"Swish—"

Flames burned, the water in the pot boiled, and steam rose slowly into the air.

In the silence, Zhao Fusheng subtly observed You Hong.

The crowd's eyes were filled with fear, disgust, and murderous intent. This clearly frightened him. He didn't know what was happening and was trembling all over.

"I...I'm not a ghost! I'm not dead!" You Hong cried out in a desperate whisper.

The envoys who had returned with Wang Zhiyi were in an uproar. They quickly fled with torches in hand, instantly clearing a large space around You Hong.

He became even more afraid after being ostracized and wanted to talk to someone, but as soon as he approached, the crowd fled again in a commotion, as if avoiding a plague.

"I'm not dead!" You Hong shouted hurriedly.

"I'm still alive, my heart is beating, and my hands are warm—"

"Don't come any closer—" the others shouted in terror.

Some people couldn't even bear the pressure and wanted to escape to the outside of the village.

Seeing that things were about to get out of hand, Zhao Fusheng immediately spoke up:

"Everyone, stay where you are and don't move!"

Her shout brought the chaotic situation to a standstill.

Everyone stopped in their tracks.

You Hong was also taken aback, and then stood there frozen in place.

A moment later, his knees buckled, and he collapsed to his knees with a thud, crying out with a mournful face:

"I'm really not dead! I'm alive! Touch my chest, I have a heartbeat!"

But no one dared to respond to him.

"Zhao Fusheng—" Just as Wang Zhiyi was about to speak, Zhao Fusheng suddenly spoke:
"Da Fan, go and touch him."

Although Fan Bisi was somewhat nervous, he agreed.

He had seen You Hong's body in the coffin earlier, but he trusted Zhao Fusheng's judgment completely. Since Zhao Fusheng asked him to check You Hong's life or death, it proved that Lord Zhao believed that You Hong might not really be 'dead' and that it wouldn't be too dangerous for him to touch You Hong. Or, even if there was danger, he was confident that he could save Fan Bisi, which is why he spoke up.

This trust stemmed from Zhao Fusheng's accumulated goodwill over the years, so Fan Bisi agreed and strode forward.

"stand up."

He shouted, walked to You Hong's side, and grabbed him by the shoulder.

The moment Fan Bisi touched You Hong's body, the body temperature of a living person and the instinctive tension of their muscles when touched were instantly transmitted to Fan Bisi's palm through their clothes.

A huge weight was lifted off his shoulders.

Fan Bisi grabbed You Hong's arm and forcibly lifted him up, then turned to look at Zhao Fusheng and nodded:

"Sir, he's alive."

As he spoke, he grasped You Hong's pulse with his other hand, and You Hong's wrist pulse throbbed 'thump-thump' under his fingertips.

To prevent any accidents, Fan Bisi also reached out and touched You Hong's neck and chest.

You Hong's body was hot and humid, his pulse was normal, and his heart was beating.

When they got closer, Fan Bisi could sense his rapid breathing and the movement of his blood vessels.

Now that You Hong's life or death was confirmed, he was overjoyed to see Fan Bisi willing to approach him. He dared not struggle and obediently let Fan Bisi grab and touch him. When Fan Bisi told him that he was a "living person," tears streamed down his face.
"I am really alive."

"It is alive, breathing, and has a pulse."

Fan Bisi verified.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, but at the same time, a new fear welled up in their hearts. "What happened?" Wang Zhiyi asked, her tense nerves finally relaxing.

The fact that You Hong was still alive plunged everyone into a state of absurdity mixed with fear.

Although Miao Yougong and the others were no longer afraid of the returning 'You Hong', another kind of fear welled up in their hearts.

At this moment, the calm and composed Zhao Fusheng became an invisible pillar of strength for everyone. Seeing her calm expression, no one panicked or felt helpless.

Upon hearing Wang Zhiyi's question, Yu Lingzhu remained silent, only glancing at Zhao Fusheng.

All eyes fell on Zhao Fusheng, and You Hong couldn't help but move closer to her. Under everyone's watchful eyes, Zhao Fusheng said:

"The people of Baili Temple have disappeared—"

As she said this, her gaze was also fixed on You Hong.

Seeing that You Hong remained expressionless and unresponsive upon hearing the words "Baili Temple," a thought struck him, and he continued:

"But the coffin is still there, so after you leave, we also plan to open the coffin and see the body of Sister-in-law Dou inside."

Wang Zhiyi nodded.

Zhao Fusheng and the others' actions were normal, in her prediction—in fact, it would have been abnormal for Zhao Fusheng and the others to stay behind and not open the coffin to find out what was going on, since everyone had gone their separate ways.

Jiang Jinshan asked:

What did you see after you opened the coffin?

In fact, by asking this question and considering everything that had happened before, he already had a certain guess.

"The coffin doesn't contain Dou Sansao, but You Hong?"

He spoke frankly, and as he spoke, Wang Zhiyi turned her head in cooperation, so that Jiang Jinshan's back was directly facing You Hong.

Both Jiang Jinshan's face and his words terrified You Hong.

The messengers who returned with Jiang and Wang were also pale-faced and retreated hastily.

You Hong kept shaking his head:

"I...I'm not dead! I'm not dead—"

Seeing the terror in his eyes, Zhao Fusheng worried that he was too frightened and immediately shouted:

"You Hong, what happened after you entered the village?"

Her shout was like a thunderclap, immediately startling the terrified You Hong, who was momentarily stunned before his unfocused eyes gradually regained their focus.

"My lord, my lord——"

Once You Hongyi regained consciousness, he knelt down with a thud.

He could tell that Zhao Fusheng was the leader of the group from the Demon Suppression Division, and that she was calm and composed, unlike the usual Ghost Control Generals who were irritable and bloodthirsty. Perhaps she was his only chance of survival.

Thinking of this, You Hong knelt on the ground and moved closer to Zhao Fusheng.

Just as Yu Lingzhu was about to stop him, Zhao Fusheng pressed down on her arm and shook his head at her.

Seeing her expression, the people of Wan'an County all stood still and did not try to stop You Hong.

He rushed closer, hesitated for a long time, and instead of daring to grab Zhao Fusheng's clothes, he knelt down:

"Sir, when we entered the village, it was pouring rain—" You Hong's memory returned to the moment he entered the village. He was immersed in fear and did not notice the strange expressions on everyone's faces after hearing his words:
“We were walking ahead and saw a village ahead. The wheels of the carriage behind us got stuck in the mud. At that time, Lord Miao was afraid that something strange was going on, so he sent me, Liu Si, Li Jin, Zhou Laoliu and a few others to investigate, so that we could be informed in advance if there was any danger.”

He shuddered as he said this:
"We noticed something was wrong as we approached the village."

"grown ups--"

Miao Yougong couldn't hold back any longer:
"This kid is talking complete nonsense—"

"Really?" You Hong said hurriedly.
"I swear to God, if this is false, may I—"

"All right!"

Zhao Fusheng stopped him: "Speak your mind, don't beat around the bush."

Upon being shouted at, You Hong immediately lost his strength and hurriedly said:

"Yes Yes Yes."

Zhao Fusheng composed himself:
"Are you sure you want to start from the situation when you entered the village?"

You Hong nodded:

"determine."

Miao Yougong hurriedly said:

"Sir, behind him—"

Zhao Fusheng interrupted him:
"Don't rush, let's hear what he has to say. We'll know for sure whether it's true or false."

Miao Yougong had no choice but to say:

“You are right, sir.”

Zhao Fusheng looked at You Hong:
"Go on to tell me what happened after you entered the village."

You Hong said nervously:
"Yes."

After responding, he gathered his thoughts:

"After we entered the village, we noticed something was wrong. There were five bonfires lit in the village, with large pots on top of them containing water, but it hadn't boiled yet—"

As he said this, Zhao Fusheng's heart stirred, and he involuntarily turned his head to look at the campfire behind him.

Following her gaze, everyone saw the several bonfires.

Yu Lingzhu and Wang Zhiyi exchanged a glance, both seeing shock in each other's eyes.

Meng Po counted the campfires and looked at Zhao Fusheng:
"Sir, there are exactly five bonfires."

A chill ran through everyone, and they felt as if a thousand-pound stone was hanging in their hearts.

Miao Yougong's hands and feet were numb and trembling, and he almost didn't have the courage to continue listening.

Only You Hong, unaware of the situation, nodded:

"Yes, yes, these are the five campfires. When we arrived, the water in the big pots on the fires hadn't boiled yet, but it's boiling now—"

His words only fueled the fear in the crowd.

Upon hearing this, the ghost tamer forced himself to remain calm, while the ordinary messengers trembled with fear. Looking around, they saw only darkness, as if unknown ghosts were lurking nearby.

You Hong was lost in memories:
"Beside the five bonfires, a mourning hall was set up. Inside the hall was a coffin with the lid open. The coffin was empty, and there was no corpse inside."

When he said this, the six people who had accompanied him into the village were so terrified they almost fainted.

The six men were surrounded by the crowd. They had heard earlier that You Hong was dead and his body was in a coffin, and they had already accepted this fact. But soon after, they heard that You Hong had "returned," and they were terrified. Now, they heard You Hong talk about his experiences in the village, but these experiences were completely opposite to what they had known. This was the most terrifying thing.

You Hong recalled the scene and shuddered.

"The presence of fire and water proves that there should be people in the village, but there isn't a single living person in the village."

“Of course, the strangest thing isn’t here,” You Hong said.
"The strangest thing is that before entering the village, it was pouring rain, but after entering the village, the rain stopped all at once, and the ground was dry and not muddy, as if the rain was an illusion."

"My lord, my lord, this is truly terrifying." You Hong couldn't help but sigh twice, then forced himself to stay alert:

"We were terrified and wanted to leave the village, but—"

At this point, a look of fear appeared on his face. He looked up at Miao Yougong, seemingly wanting to say something but then stopping himself.

"but what?"

Zhao Fusheng asked him.

At first, You Hong dared not speak, but seeing Zhao Fusheng's serious expression and sharp eyes, he became frightened and honestly said:
"Lord Miao's laws are strict. If we dare to return without investigating, we may be subjected to torture such as skinning and bone-removing afterward."

As soon as he finished speaking, Miao Yougong clenched his fist.

Zhao Fusheng sighed and asked:

"What happens after that?"

"Afterwards, we discussed it and decided not to back out just like that. We planned to find a few village houses, go in and take a look, so that we could report back to them."

You Hong said:

"There were ten of us in the village. After discussing it, we decided to split up into three groups, with one person staying by the fire as backup. We were going to check the nearby houses."

(End of this chapter)