Knife splashing

Chapter 759 The Mystery of Tai'an
"coming!"

Shalifei gave a low shout and placed his hand on the gun handle.

Looking at the thick fog around him, he whispered, "What kind of strategy is this?"

Although he had already built a building and become a cultivator, he still focused more on the research of firearms techniques and did not have much understanding of the techniques of other sects, so he could only ask others for advice.

Kuai Dayou also lowered his voice, "It looks a bit like summoning troops, but this is Tai'an City, guarded by the City God and his troops. To be able to summon troops so openly is quite interesting..."

"Not soldiers!"

Lu San, who was standing nearby, twitched his ears slightly and said in a deep voice, "I heard the sound of paper being wiped on the floor. It's a paper figure. Be careful!"

After saying that, he gently patted the little white fox Chuqi beside him.

Swish!
A white shadow flashed by, and the little white fox had vanished.

The once naive little fox has now grown into Lü San's capable assistant. Not only is it fast and skilled in stealth, but it also possesses the ability to bewitch and has an extremely strong sense of perception, unaffected by the fog.

The little white fox went there primarily as a liaison for the other team.

After all, in such dense fog, the ability of eagles to transmit messages would be affected.

As they spoke, the fog around them grew thicker and thicker. The lights in the distance were distorted into strange orange-yellow spots in the fog. All sounds around seemed to be absorbed and isolated by the fog, leaving only a chilling silence.

Then, the air became cold and damp.

All three of them smelled a odor that seemed to be a mixture of earthy smell, incense ash, and rotten paper.

At the same time, a strange sound came from deep within the thick fog.

That was the "poof" sound of paper scraps rubbing and billowing rapidly in the wind, a delicate and dense sound.

Accompanied by a regular, rigid "knock, knock, knock" sound.

It felt as if countless pieces of cardboard were pounding on the bluestone ground.

"Come on!"

The three exchanged glances, not daring to delay, and immediately rushed towards the direction where Bai Laojiu was.

At this moment, Bai Lao Jiu's hair stood on end.

His vision was obstructed, and he could see nothing clearly, but he could feel the chilling killing intent. His waist knife was drawn with a clang, its cold light reflecting a clear gleam in the mist. He shouted sharply, "What kind of demon are you, playing tricks on me!"

However, there was no response from the other side.

A bizarre group of figures appeared indistinctly in the thick fog.

It was a "human figure" cut from pale white, paper as thin as a cicada's wing.

They were expressionless, their faces covered with crude and even crooked rouge, and their movements were uniform yet incredibly stiff.

These paper figures are arranged in two rows, carrying a huge, dark coffin!
The coffin was made of ordinary cypress wood, which is not uncommon, but against this backdrop, it appeared incredibly eerie and terrifying.

The paper figures, their toes barely touching the ground, appeared slow but were actually moving at a rapid pace, getting closer and closer.

"Fuck you son of a bitch!"

Bai Laojiu's eyelids twitched, he cursed and turned to run away.

Although his kung fu was quite good, he was still just a mortal and had no power to resist this thing.

But as soon as he turned around, he saw several figures behind him.

Bai Laojiu's scalp tingled, and he was about to swing his knife, but before he could raise it, his wrist was firmly pressed down, and at the same time, he heard Lü San's cold voice: "Don't be afraid, it's us, step back."

"You've all finally arrived..."

Bai Lao Jiu breathed a sigh of relief, then, covered in cold sweat, hid behind the three men.

"Paper figures carrying a coffin...it's paper figures carrying a coffin again!"

Shalifei said coldly, "I've seen this thing back in Luoyang. Brother Yan said that paper figures are hard to hold onto. Could it be that there's some kind of big worm lying in the coffin?"

"Yo~"

Kuai Dayou said with a smile, "You all are truly knowledgeable. Brother Yan is right. Paper figures can't lift a coffin, but this thing isn't a real coffin. It's just that the craftsmanship is superb, making the paper coffin look realistic."

Shalifei stared wide-eyed. "Hey, it really is."

The two joked around without showing any nervousness.

But their attitude seemed to have angered something in the thick fog.

"Squeak~"

A piercing scream suddenly rang out from the distance of the street.

The sound was heart-wrenching, piercing the deathly silence of the night sky, carrying a malevolent aura that seemed to penetrate the very soul.

As if given a starting signal, the paper figures carrying the coffin, which had been moving stiffly, suddenly stopped.

The coffin lid creaked open, revealing a sliver of black gas. Thicker, almost solidified black gas surged forth from it, carrying a strong, pungent stench that made one dizzy from afar.

"So it was sleeping gas."

"Be careful not to fall into a trap!"

"Found it, the southeast Gen position!" Lü San's ears twitched slightly, and he suddenly spoke.

Without a word, Shalifei, who was already prepared, raised his gun and pulled the trigger.

boom!
A loud bang was heard, and debris flew everywhere in the distance.

"Ugh—!"

The shrill, short scream abruptly stopped.

Amidst the crumbling walls and rubble, a figure suddenly collapsed, a burst of blood erupting from its chest.

He was a middle-aged man with a sinister face and a rat-like mustache. Most of his chest was missing, and he died on the spot.

Out of control, the paper figures that had been rushing forward carrying the coffin suddenly came to a halt.

Like a puppet whose strings have been cut, its movements become increasingly stiff and distorted.

The rouge on the paper figure's face looked even more eerie in the dim light, but its empty eye sockets still stared intently at the crowd.

"Humph!"

Lu San, who had been standing still as a deep pool, snorted coldly and stomped his feet hard on the ground. His movements seemed random, but they carried an ancient and mysterious rhythm, which was the Chu Wu Nuo Step. Each step made the ground tremble slightly.

He muttered incantations, the syllables obscure and difficult to understand, while waving a small, bone-stringed tiger-tail cane in his hand.

"Soul and spirit, return to your original place! By imperial decree!"

Call ~
Accompanied by the rattling sound of the bone skewers on the walking stick, a biting, chilling wind swept up from the ground.

The surrounding thick fog, along with the misty smoke, was instantly torn apart and blown away by the gale.

With the thick fog gone, everything was revealed.

The paper figures seemed to have been struck by a tremendous force, instantly tilting and scattering all over the ground.

The eerie aura clinging to it also completely dissipated in the wind.

Lu San's lineage is the ancient Chu witchcraft, which makes him skilled at exorcising evil spirits, so dealing with paper figures is naturally a piece of cake for him.

Meanwhile, in the dark alley in the distance, another figure was seen fleeing swiftly.

This is another controller of the paper figures, an old woman wearing a dark green floral jacket, with gray hair, a hunched figure, and a sallow and emaciated face. Her originally cloudy old eyes suddenly widened, filled with utter horror!

The fact that Lü San and the others made a move truly terrified her.

Her most proficient techniques, the "Shadow Formation" and the "Paper Spirit Coffin," were easily broken, and even her old partner was caught in the trap.

It seems we've bitten off more than we can chew!
Driven by an intense will to survive, she let out a strange cry and, no longer caring about controlling the remaining paper figures, her withered body burst forth with agility beyond her years. She suddenly did a somersault and tried to climb over the low wall next to her to escape!
However, just as her body left the ground, a clear, cold voice rang in her ears:

"Where to go!"

However, Long Yan'er had already surrounded them. She flicked her fair fingers, and a beam of green light shot out from her fingertips.

"what--!"

The old woman had just climbed onto the wall and was about to leap down when she suddenly felt a sharp, tingling sensation in her knees, ankles, and even neck, as if countless steel needles were piercing her bone marrow! It also felt like thousands of tiny poisonous insects were biting her at the same time!
The unbearable pain made her scream, all her strength drained away, and her body went limp. Like a broken sack, she fell heavily off the low wall and landed with a thud on the cold, damp bluestone pavement. Her limbs twitched, and all that remained were terrified howls and groans.

"Hehe~"

Wu Ba's tall figure loomed over the old woman, and like an eagle snatching a chick, he lifted her up in one swift motion.

Wow~
Just then, a thunderous chorus of footsteps suddenly erupted from both ends of the long street.

"Surround them! Surround them immediately! Don't let a single one escape!"

Accompanied by harsh shouts, the light of numerous torches dispelled the darkness, illuminating rows of cold, menacing blades and spears.

A large number of fierce-looking soldiers and yamen runners surged out from street corners and alleyways like a tidal wave, instantly surrounding the ravaged area. The leading officer, his eyes sinister, shouted sternly:

"Who dares to commit violence in the street? Guards, seize them all!"

His voice clearly carried a sense of exasperation.

"Something's not right, let's go!"

Shalifei frowned and made a decision immediately.

Without hesitation, the others leaped over the wall and left.

On the streets, only flickering flames and billowing smoke remained, accompanied by the angry curses of soldiers and flying scraps of paper...

…………

Whoosh~ The night wind howled and poured into the dilapidated windows of the old house.

The candlelight flickered wildly in the wind, elongating and distorting several figures, casting them onto the mottled wall.

Shalifei let out a long sigh, slumped into the dusty armchair, and fanned himself with his robe: "Damn it, thank goodness I was quick! This commotion almost got us wrapped up like dumplings!"

Tai'an City was not large, but soldiers were everywhere, chasing after their hunting dogs.

The other side clearly had the assistance of people from the Xuanmen sect, and they repeatedly formed encirclements.

Fortunately, they had already made it a habit to set up a safe house in advance whenever they arrived at a new place. In addition, Long Yan'er used Gu worms to eliminate the scent and then released it in other places, which allowed them to successfully shake off their pursuers.

The safe house is an abandoned mansion in a corner of Tai'an City.

The hunched old woman lay limp on the cold blue brick floor, trembling violently.

The flickering torchlight illuminated her sallow, distorted face, which was filled with fear.

Shalifei's face was contorted with rage as he tapped the octagonal table with his finger.

"Speak, who sent you? And why are you targeting Officer Bai?"

His voice wasn't loud, but it carried a cold and oppressive quality, as if he were about to kill someone at any moment.

"Spare me... Immortal, spare me!"

The old woman was in tears, her voice hoarse and broken, “This old woman…this old woman is just a shady character! I make a living in the underworld by taking on jobs that involve taking bribes, usually dealing with lone merchants or enemies…I take people’s money and do their bidding.”

"Eat Ge Nian's?"

Shalifei narrowed his eyes and sneered, "Old hag, you have quite the appetite, daring to even mess with the state constable. Who is your employer?!"

"I don't know! This old woman really doesn't know who the master is!"

The old woman kowtowed in terror, her forehead thumping against the cold, hard bricks. "It's the way things are in the underworld. The contracts and deposits are all handed over by middlemen... The middleman only said that he had offended a powerful figure in Jinan and that he would be dealt with in Tai'an City, with a generous reward to follow!"

"The middleman wore a mask and deliberately concealed his accent. The old woman took the money and did the job, and according to the rules, you can't ask her questions."

"When and where did you meet them? What were their characteristics?"

"Just... just three days ago, in the back alley of the 'Sihai Inn' in the west of Tai'an City... there was... a man of medium build, wearing a straw hat so his face was obscured, dressed in... an ordinary cotton jacket, like a traveling merchant or porter, his accent... sounded like he was from the north, but I couldn't make it out clearly..." The old woman was so frightened that she became incoherent, desperately searching her memory.

“Sihai Inn…” Kong Shangzhao repeated softly, shaking his head slightly.

It's another secretive middleman, just like the one in Jinan Prefecture. The trail seems to have gone cold again here.

Shalifei seemed to be deep in thought. With a glance, Wuba immediately stepped forward and waved.

Snapped!
The old woman was knocked unconscious.

Sha Lifeng then said in a deep voice, "They called for 'Eat Ge Nian' because they didn't want to do it themselves, but the soldiers arrived so quickly just now, they were clearly prepared. It seems that Constable Bai was right, there is indeed a problem with the Tai'an government office!"

"Officer Bai, are you familiar with the Tai'an government office?"

Bai Lao Jiu had calmed down by now and frowned, saying, "The key is being able to mobilize troops."

"Tai'an City isn't large, and only a handful of people have the authority to mobilize troops..."

As he spoke, he used his withered fingers to dip in ash and draw on the brick surface.

"Tonight, not only yamen runners have arrived, but also a large number of garrison soldiers. The prefect has no authority to mobilize troops, and with the Mount Tai mountain closure order, only the Tai'an Garrison Commander, the Provincial Surveillance Commissioner, and the Military Commander can mobilize them..."

"That old woman just said that the 'porters' who made the contact wore straw hats covering their faces, spoke with a northern accent, and dressed like merchants. I know that the commander of Tai'an Guard and several officials from the Provincial Surveillance Commission are all from the south..."

"Perhaps they are from the Commandery!"

This analysis is reasonable.

"Right now, the enemy is in the dark while we are in the light; we must not act rashly."

Shalifei rubbed his temples and said in a deep voice, "Keep an eye on this old woman first, and we'll talk about it when Brother Yan and the old Taoist priest return."

"They've been gone for so long, they must have found something on the mountain."

Everyone nodded silently; this was indeed the safest option at the moment.

……

At the foot of Mount Tai, the night wind was chilly.

Under the cover of night, Li Yan and Wang Daoxuan quietly descended the mountain, avoiding the patrolling soldiers and cultivators.

The number of soldiers guarding the city gate was several times greater than when they went up the mountain, and they all looked tense, conducting inspections and interrogations much more rigorously than during the day. The streets inside the city were eerily quiet, and many houses still had their lights on, even though they should have been extinguished long ago, as if they were holding their breath and waiting for something.

"Something is wrong."

Wang Daoxuan stroked his beard, his wrinkled face full of solemnity. "It feels like he's been through some kind of turmoil."

"Let's go to the safe house first."

Li Yan frowned slightly, then led Wang Daoxuan over the city wall and along the narrow path.

The two had just turned onto a slightly wider main street, intending to take a shortcut.

Suddenly, from the street corner ahead, came a series of hurried and orderly footsteps.

Eight servants and sedan chair bearers carried a small blue cloth sedan chair, weaving through the quiet street.

The sedan chair carriers walked with steady and powerful steps, clearly not ordinary porters.

Several capable guards followed beside him, their eyes scanning the surroundings warily.

The night wind whipped up dust from the ground, swirling it through the middle of the street.

Just then, a strong gust of wind suddenly blew in, violently lifting the curtain on the side of the sedan chair!

Just as the curtain was lifted, Wang Daoxuan, who was waiting at the alley entrance, inadvertently glanced at the sedan window.

The person sitting inside the sedan chair was not an official, but a familiar, plump face.

"What's wrong?" Li Yan asked quickly.

Wang Daoxuan's expression turned serious. "I've seen the person in the sedan chair before. They asked us for help in the capital..."

"It's Fatty Lin's uncle!"

(End of this chapter)