Corpse Retriever.

Chapter 508

A group of mental patients in a mental hospital suddenly developed mental illness.

They scattered out of the building, some rushing towards the main gate, others jumping over the wall.

A thick fog blanketed the area.

The door was forced open, but they couldn't get out; they climbed over the wall, but couldn't jump down.

However, this obstruction can only last for a short time.

There's no other reason than that the formation's foundation is simply too weak.

Tan Wenbin felt that if he had enough time, he could use the materials in his backpack to find a sample question and copy it, which would be much more effective than this.

Wu Feng, along with three disciples, began to capture and seal the seal.

The woman who had previously suffered a concussion, with her head wrapped in bandages, also joined in.

There were four people, all wearing straw hats.

The straw hat is not a magical artifact; it is purely decorative. Wearing it during battle will only obstruct one's vision.

But this is incredibly important to them, as it gives them courage when facing evil spirits.

But courage only plays a supporting role; the key is the base number. These four people soon found themselves in a predicament where their abilities were insufficient.

Putting everything else aside, there are just too many patients with red eyes, and they don't even have enough low-level talismans to suppress them.

Furthermore, being caught in the throng, the temptation and pressure were immense. Even Wu Feng, a veteran, had to slap himself to stay conscious, while the other three younger ones were already losing their minds.

Lin Shuyou glanced at Bin Ge beside him from time to time, waiting for Bin Ge to give him the order to make a move.

Tan Wenbin crossed his left arm over his chest and held a cigarette between his right fingers.

He wasn't just watching from the sidelines; he was making a judgment about something.

It was obvious that the amount of the demonic eye that had overflowed was much more than Wu Feng and the others had anticipated.

The proportion of demonic eyes in Qilongwang's dojo may be very low, but the absolute value still exceeds the imagination of the suppressors.

The fact that Qilongwang's dojo sent them out suggests that they believed they were capable of resolving the matter.

Ironically, the Demon Eye seemed to be cooperating with them, making them believe they could solve the problem easily.

From the perspective of the Demon Eye, it doesn't want to break off relations. It would rather give them a small amount of the surplus to report back and settle the matter in the open first. This large portion of the surplus can then be used to continue doing what it wants.

Although one shouldn't look down on others, through a pleasant chat with Wu Feng, Tan Wenbin had managed to glean insights into the depths of Qi Longwang's dojo.

Elder Wu Feng, at his level, is considered an elder in the Qilongwang Dojo and is highly respected.

This shows that, unlike Qin Liu's own family, the Qi Longwang Dojo does not have any truly hidden fighting power like Grandma Liu and Uncle Qin and Aunt Liu.

Therefore, what the Demon Eye is truly worried about is probably not the person guarding it, but something else, such as... the spirit of the Dragon King left in the dojo by the Dragon King Qi.

But the Dragon King's spirit is not the Dragon King. You have already left the dojo, and the Dragon King's spirit cannot come out to arrest you personally. What is there to be afraid of?

Wu Feng, who was caught in the wave of mental illness below, looked up and shouted:
"Mr. Tan, things have gone awry and are probably beyond repair. Please leave immediately and inform my family's Taoist temple of this matter, and then ask them to send someone to resolve it!"

Lin Shuyou: "Senior Wu is such a nice person."

Tan Wenbin smiled.

The old man was not fully aware of the specific differences between his family and the legitimate Dragon King's sect, but he knew they were as vast as an insurmountable chasm; not to mention, he had just witnessed the two of them in action during the day.

Instead of telling the two of them to escape quickly, are they here to question you about why you haven't made a move yet?
This is the art of speaking without tearing each other apart.

Tan Wenbin stubbed out his cigarette with his fingertips and tossed it downwards: "Suppress."

Lin Shuyou leaped off the building.

Upon landing, he braced himself with one palm, raising a cloud of dust. In the hazy grayness, his vertical pupils opened.

In an instant, the surrounding group of mental patients froze, and under the powerful pressure of the True Lord's power, blood trickled from the corners of their eyes, and they collapsed to the ground.

Lin Shuyou got up and moved forward. In each area he reached, the power of his vertical pupils suppressed the area and helped the patients dispel the bewitching influence.

Those here are all pitiful people. Since our conditions allow and they haven't reached an irreversible point, there's no need to resort to cruel methods of killing.

Tan Wenbin took out a cigar similar to the one Runsheng had smoked, lit it, held it between his fingers, and held it up to his nose. Wisps of green smoke drifted out and into the swaying white mist, reinforcing the collapsing formation.

After that, Wu Feng and his three companions became spectators.

They watched as Lin Shuyou's figure appeared in various locations, efficiently dispelling the bewitching spells from batch after batch of patients, and watched as the surrounding fog turned from white to blue.

What seemed like a completely uncontrollable, sky-falling situation to them was, in the eyes of the other party, nothing more than a childish trick.

Qingfeng: "Is this... the true Dragon King's court?"

Mingyue: "This is... the true Dragon King's court."

Before long, there were no more patients standing around, only a female patient who wanted to escape back to her ward.

Lin Shuyou flashed into view and appeared in front of her, blocking her way.

The female patient smiled at Lin Shuyou again.

Lin Shuyou reached out and pressed her head down.

She is the most deeply corrupted among them and the leader here; she must be the focus of suppression.

As her pupils rotated, blood gushed from the female patient's eyes. She immediately fainted after Ayou let go.

Lin Shuyou looked up at Brother Bin, who was burning incense upstairs.

Tan Wenbin placed the incense stick on the railing, walked downstairs, and then, while taking out his mobile phone, raised his hand to apologize to Wu Feng.

Its snake-like eyes gleamed as it stepped out of the mist.

Tan Wenbin dialed a mobile phone.

There are array formations and personal barriers inside the hospital affecting the signal.

The call was answered again.

"Brother Xiaoyuan."

"Clean."

"Ok."

After hanging up the phone, Tan Wenbin returned to the hospital through the fog. He wanted to break through the fog as usual, but then he thought that the other party had limited resources and the materials for setting up the formation might have to be recycled. So he took the initiative to go back to his office and help them disassemble the core of the formation.

Tan Wenbin came from a state of having nothing by following Brother Xiaoyuan, and knows what hard times are like.

Wu Feng walked in: "Mr. Tan, thank you for your help. Qingfeng and Mingyue are already settling the patient in. Oh, what's this?"

Tan Wenbin: "We'll check the flags near the hospital later. About 50% should be able to be used after some simple repairs."

Wu Feng's face lit up with joy, and he said sincerely, "Thank you, Mr. Tan."

Indeed, the Dragon King's family's wealth was accumulated through years of hard work and saving.

Wu Feng decided that when he returned, he would use this incident to properly educate the younger generation in the dojo.

Tan Wenbin: "Senior Wu, this place has been cleaned up. The last bit you mentioned was discovered by my family head and personally removed."

Please rest assured, this matter is resolved.

Wu Feng clasped his hands in thanks to Tan Wenbin, expressing his gratitude once again.

Tan Wenbin returned the courtesy from the Qin family to him.

Seeing this, Wu Feng was deeply moved and could only clasp his hands in a fist and palm salute again.

Their dojo has many branches, and there's no set etiquette between them. Even when the elders have a meeting, they like to squat together with a bowl in their hands, and they also have a steamed bun between their hands.

Tan Wenbin: "Senior Wu, this place is not far from my home temple. I wonder if my family would be honored to invite Senior Wu to come and sit down at my home."

Wu Feng said somewhat awkwardly, "I won't bother you anymore, I won't bother you then."

Tan Wenbin: "My family head sincerely invites you."

Wu Feng: "I appreciate the kindness and care shown by Patriarch Li... no, I mean Senior Li. Please convey my gratitude to Mr. Tan. However, there are rules at my family's temple, so please forgive me, Mr. Tan."

Wu Feng: "If we are fortunate enough, Mr. Tan, would you be willing to visit my home temple? We will welcome you with the utmost sincerity."

Tan Wenbin: "If we are fortunate enough to meet again in the future, I will definitely pay you a visit."

Both parties politely declined the other's invitation.

Wu Feng may have been influenced by the rules, or perhaps he knew the disparity in their actual status and was unwilling to curry favor. In his eyes, the fact that Tan Wenbin could express his approval of "his own Dragon King's faction" during their conversation was already extremely satisfying and made him feel elated.

Tan Wenbin's refusal also carried an additional meaning: if he or Brother Xiaoyuan were to personally visit Qilongwang's dojo, then this strong karmic connection would be established.

Who knows, the next wave might unfold slowly, using this as a prelude, or even start ahead of time. After all, similar things have happened before.

My brother Xiao Yuan is currently only planning to clean up the mess in Nantong; he doesn't intend to actively push things forward.

Lin Shuyou walked into the office and handed the sealed wooden box to Wu Feng:

"Senior Wu, please keep them all."

The fact that Qingfeng Mingyue could entrust such a "precious" item to Lin Shuyou shows that it's not just trust, but also complete admiration.

At this moment, the fog dissipated, and the sky outside brightened.

The group parted ways at the entrance of the mental hospital. As Tan Wenbin led Lin Shuyou out, he did not turn around, but he could sense that the woman in the straw hat was still standing outside the railing, watching their backs as everyone else turned to go back into the hospital.

In the martial arts world, this is nothing new. In life-or-death situations, the sudden appearance of young heroes and heroines often easily touches the hearts of those who witness it.

Tan Wenbin: "Did she ask you for her contact information?"

Lin Shuyou: "Who?"

Tan Wenbin: "Nobody."

Lin Shuyou: "Brother Bin, there's a hidden meaning in your words."

Tan Wenbin: "No, I'm just keeping an eye on you for Chen Lin. You need to always remember that you have a blind date."

At this moment, Wu Feng returned and asked the woman in the straw hat, "Little boy, what are you looking at?"

The woman in the straw hat looked down at the small piece of lingering incense she was holding in her hands.

Wu Feng: "I've talked to Mr. Tan. He already has a family, and they're just waiting for him to marry into the family."

The woman in the straw hat: "Sir, what are you saying?"

Wu Feng laughed and said, "Alright, alright, go help pack up, we need to head back too."

Tan Wenbin and Lin Shuyou flagged down a car going in the same direction and arrived in Xingren Town first, where they ate at a noodle shop at the town's crossroads.

Just then, Panzi and Leizi rode past the noodle shop on their motorcycles. After they passed by, they turned back.

News came from home that Shi Tou and Hu Zi were sick and were currently lying in the town's health center receiving IV drips.

Panzi and Leizi asked for leave from the factory to go back and visit their younger brothers.

I used to feel embarrassed, but after Panzi got married, Leizi, who worked the night shift, wouldn't go back home early in the morning and would sleep at Panzi's in-laws' house.

The two men called out "Brother Bin" and got out of the car to chat.

After learning that Tan Wenbin still had to go to Xingdong Airport to pick someone up, Pan Zi left the motorcycle behind, leaving the key in the ignition, and went back with Lei Zi on a rural bus.

Anyway, my two younger brothers are fine now, so going back is just to check on them, it's not urgent.

Before leaving, Pan Zi even helped Tan Wenbin pay for the noodles.

Lin Shuhao asked curiously, "Why does it seem like Pan Zi has become a completely different person after getting married?"

Tan Wenbin: "You'll change after you get married too."

After finishing their noodles, Tan Wenbin drove his motorcycle, taking Ayou to the airport.

After waiting for a while, Runsheng came out of the terminal.

Seeing that they had come to pick him up, Runsheng asked:

"Has something happened at home?"

Logically speaking, the family is short of mules right now.

Tan Wenbin: "It's a small matter, it's already been resolved. We just happened to be back and came to pick you up on the way. Come on, get in the car."

A motorcycle can comfortably accommodate three adults, as Lin Shuyou sits on the back rack.

Runsheng is even heavier; if he sits there, the building will collapse.

In Shinan Town, Tan Wenbin first filled up the gas tank on his motorcycle.

After entering the village, Runsheng and Ayou got off the car first and went to Grandpa Li's work office to report for duty, while Tan Wenbin went to return the motorcycle to Li Weihan's house.

Cui Guiying took care of Shitou and Huzi at the health center, while Li Weihan looked after the other children at home.

Tan Wenbin offered Li Weihan a cigarette, and Li Weihan was still shaken when he recalled what happened last night.

However, the old man comforted himself: "Little Yuanhou also went through this kind of thing before. Good things often come with difficulties, and good kids also have to go through difficulties. If you suffer a little when you are young, you will be successful when you grow up."

After finishing his cigarette, Tan Wenbin walked back. On the village road, he saw Uncle Qin, Xiong Shan, Runsheng, and Ayou pushing a cart loaded with tools, heading towards the brickyard under the guidance of Grandpa Li.

Li Sanjiang saw Tan Wenbin, waved and called out:
"Zhuangzhuang, we've been waiting for you! Come and look at the blueprints!"

"coming!"

Tan Wenbin joined the construction team.

Lunch was delivered by Chen Xiyuan, along with the Liang sisters, Chen Jing, and Xu Ming.

Chen Xiyuan overslept and forgot that she had to go to work.

When I woke up, I ran to Grandpa Li's house to deliver food, but Aunt Liu asked me to let them eat at home first, so that I could bring fewer pots of food to the construction site.

After delivering the food, Chen Xiyuan stayed behind and worked together in the afternoon.

The way he rolled up his sleeves and got to work so efficiently made Li Sanjiang's eyes practically pop out of their sockets.

"My goodness, this job is at least as good as three strong laborers from the village."

Even this is the efficiency that Sister Chen deliberately concealed.

After finishing work in the evening and having dinner, Li Sanjiang went back to his room to sleep. Except for Uncle Qin and Xiong Shan, everyone else, under Tan Wenbin's leadership, started working the night shift again.

During the day, they repair what's visible; at night, they repair what's under the blueprints.

Originally, Chen Jing, who had to pretend to be a child in front of Li Sanjiang, carrying small bags of soil, grew wolf fur on his body after nightfall, brandished wolf claws, and frantically dug holes.

Sister Chen opened the area and began clearing away the excavated soil.

To Li Sanjiang's surprise, his supervision not only failed to improve efficiency, but also suppressed everyone's performance.

Everyone was working enthusiastically. Runsheng and his men, of course, were working on their own repairs. Zhao Yi's men were also putting in their best effort, knowing full well that they would benefit from this job in the future.

The greatest comfort during night shifts is probably the sight of a three-wheeled vehicle equipped with a karaoke machine approaching the construction site just before the night ends.

The white rat happily cooked the vegetables while occasionally adjusting the new crocodile skin belt around its waist.

It did open a shop in Nantong, near South Street, but not in a luxurious location. Instead, it chose a dark street with cheap rent, so dark it couldn't be darker, right next to the "Bai Family Funeral Clothes Shop".

Xue Liangliang bought a string of shops to cheer up his wife, but since the items in the shops could be displayed outside, no matter how luxurious they were, they couldn't use that many. So he partitioned off a shop for the white rat.

Bai Zhilan had mentioned this to Xue Liangliang on the phone. In Xue Liangliang's mind, it was the chef who cooked on his wedding day who had rented a shop from his family.

Good food needs no bush; even if it's located on a dark street, the business will quickly become prosperous, with a constant flow of customers.

This also attracted customers to the Bai family's funeral clothing shop. Many people, who were drunk and dazed, saw that the toys next to the restaurant were quite nice, so they bought them for their children to play with. They also saw that the clothes were stylish and made of good material, so they bought them to make their wives happy.

However, no matter how good business is, the white rat will voluntarily close its shop for two days every week. On those two days, it will bring ingredients and cook for free for one day each at an orphanage and a nursing home to improve the meals for the children and the elderly.

It was no easy feat for a demon to transform into a human, and it was very grateful.

But some people, born as human beings, do not know how to cherish it.

Of course, if Tan Wenbin has any needs, all he needs to do is make a phone call, and the white rat will come over on its tricycle to cook, just like it always has.

He no longer needs to use hats, sunglasses, and leather jackets to completely conceal himself; most of the time he can appear with a "shifty-eyed" look. But no one can resist the temptation to make themselves look more handsome and dashing.

After eating and drinking their fill, everyone finished work and went home. They took a short nap, and when it got light, they got up, had breakfast with Grandpa Li, and then went to work together again.

It wasn't tiring, but acting in front of Grandpa Li was a bit of a hassle.

Zhao Yi deliberately didn't come this time because he was scared off by the trouble he caused when he built a house for Uncle Shan's family here last time.

Unfortunate news arrived.

A man in the village committed suicide by jumping into a well.

The funeral arrangements will be more complicated since the person died a violent death. Li Sanjiang will have to take care of things there, so he won't be able to supervise the work during the day.

Everyone was finally freed and could work without any constraints.

For several days in a row, the construction work under the blueprints has been completed, and the array formations and restrictions have also been set up, but the kiln in the open still needs to be staged.

There's no way around it; Grandpa Li can see for himself that the construction is going too fast, which is simply illogical. In fact, the progress here can only be described as astonishing.

Li Zhuiyuan did not participate in the construction. After the design drawings were completed, there was no need for him, with his thin arms and legs, to personally go to the construction site to perform equality.

These days, he and Ah Li are busy repairing old equipment and making new equipment.

The debts left by the two at the Chen family in Qiongya have now been recovered, and they can now stay up late at night, which has greatly improved the efficiency of their work.

Inside the training ground behind the house, Ah Li was focused on making the final sealing. Soon, the first Ming family pill would be born.

Li Zhuiyuan didn't disturb the delicate work involving the soul and thought, but instead stood aside with a pen in hand, pondering over the "Zhuiyuan Secret Scroll".

After infiltrating "the enemy's ranks," Li Zhuiyuan was able to confirm that the spillover of the Demon Eye had been completely cleaned up.

Regardless, let's cut off the connection between the Demon Eye, the Dragon King Qi, and the Drought Demon first.

None of these mythical beings are easy to deal with. Even though the drought demon was once defeated and killed by the Dragon King Qi, the remaining parts must still possess the ability to stir up wind and rain.

In comparison, those who have never truly lost are less likely to lose and are therefore easier to deal with. But if you give someone like Drought Demon who has lost before a second chance, she will definitely go hysterical.

Regardless of whether the river was intentional or not, Li Zhuiyuan did not want to rush into confronting her right now.

If you insist on doing it right, that's fine too, like last time in Qiongya... show extra sincerity.

However, the introduction of this line still made the boy extra wary.

As of now, it is still uncertain whether the spillover of the Demon Eye to Nantong was a coincidence or a deliberate act.

If it's the former, it's very likely to become the latter in the future; if it's the latter, then even if you actively cut it off, it can be revived later, which is equivalent to giving yourself a heads-up.

That wave in the Chen family's affairs ushered in a new phase in his relationship with the Heavenly Dao.

The good news is that Heaven doesn't seem to want to completely break ties and sever ties with him yet;

The bad news is that it seems poised to be used recklessly and without any regard for its own health.

Like the posters put up at the entrance of a movie theater before a new movie is released.

This almost explicitly indicates that the opponents you will face in the future will be of a different level.

However, if it's just an adjustment in the difficulty of the exam, Li Zhuiyuan wouldn't be afraid. At least it's within the rules, and he can still sit in the exam room and answer questions, even if the exam paper in his hand is different from those of other candidates.

To some extent, he hoped that the questions from the Heavenly Dao would be more difficult and that questions would be constantly presented. The two sides maintained this tacit understanding and did not break it.

During his conversation with Grandma Liu after returning from Hainan, Li Zhuiyuan clearly understood the feelings and changes that Grandma Liu and Uncle Qin experienced during the Qin family's evil disturbance.

He was warning Heaven, but wasn't Heaven also warning him?
Following Wei Zhengdao's wrong path is the only capital he can currently grasp to fight against the Heavenly Dao. Even so, given that the Heavenly Dao is prepared, his chances of success are very low. The Heavenly Dao deprived him of the power to light the lamp so that he would always be placed on the dining table and not escape its control.

The purpose of taking this wrong path was to protect the people I cherish, but Heaven has ways to target them, making my protection futile.

In the end, he may very well become a great evil spirit who has nothing and can only vent his anger, like a child lying on the ground screaming and rolling around.

My strength compared to Wei Zhengdao, who was born at the same time, lies in the fact that I was treated earlier and my human skin grew back. This is both my strength and my weakness. Wei Zhengdao, who only cares about his own pleasure and doesn't care about his companions, has no weaknesses at all!
That's not enough; the foundation isn't solid enough.

Li Zhuiyuan's vision cleared.

We need to continue to enhance the strength of our partners, not only so that they can better withstand future challenges, but also so that they can help us weather the storms in the early stages.

Only when they are no longer one's weakness can one better protect them, and only then can Heaven truly hesitate to act against them.

When you fight against the heavens, the biggest disadvantage is not how high or how majestic the heavens are, but that you yourself will inevitably have thoughts of compromise.

Even Li Zhuiyuan was not immune to this.

"His!"

Li Zhuiyuan tore off the blank sheet of paper.

The boy's gaze fell on the offering table of the Fengdu Emperor in the temple.

The Great Emperor suppressed both the great and small hells, as well as Bodhisattvas and tomb owners, setting an example for himself.

Then I will "suppress" my comrades!

Giving up the fight is tantamount to waiting to be slaughtered; only by fighting resolutely can we hope to force it to back down.

Li Zhuiyuan looked at A Li and saw that A Li was almost finished. The boy closed his eyes, put his hands out in front of him, and red threads flew out, constantly changing and performing in front of him. The formation in the dojo was also activated to assist in the deduction.

The boy was deducing a formation that was quite complex even to him. This formation was rather useless because it was impossible to set up in a short time with few people under normal circumstances. However, his purpose in deducing it was to find a way to exhaust himself.

Without deliberately creating a small deficit, the specific effects of the medicine cannot be tested.

Ah Li's pills are ready.

Li Zhuiyuan opened his eyes, his gaze showing exhaustion.

The girl placed the pills in a small dish, and then put a can of Jianlibao (a popular Chinese herbal tea brand) on top of it.

Li Zhuiyuan nodded to her.

The girl opened the drink first, then put the pill in and inserted the straw.

Li Zhuiyuan picked up his drink and put the straw in his mouth.

In an instant, the rage emanating from this madman of the Ming family launched a desperate counterattack against Li Zhuiyuan, a counterattack born of restraint!

Same moves, same killer moves, same...breeding inner demons.

The weariness in Li Zhuiyuan's eyes gradually faded, and his energy recovered at a visible speed.

The souls of all the Ming family members were extracted from the ladybugs, regarded as evil spirits, and sealed in small bottles. Until they were made into pills, they had no chance to communicate with each other. In fact, having been transformed into evil spirits, they also lost the ability to communicate with each other.

Therefore, when faced with Li Zhuiyuan's suppression, they would unanimously choose what they considered the most intense form of resistance, which, from Li Zhuiyuan's perspective, became lining up and rushing forward one after another to replenish their energy.

"very good."

A smile appeared on the girl's face.

Now that the sample test was successful, the next step is mass production.

Li Zhuiyuan's profound spiritual power was already an advantage, and with the added enhancement of this pill, he essentially possessed the characteristics of the Qin family at the level of spiritual power.

As long as you can't defeat me immediately in a battle using soul as the medium, then as long as we maintain a stalemate and wear each other down, I will win in the end.

Ah Li continued working.

Li Zhuiyuan got up, walked to the side, and picked up one of the thunder talismans he had made earlier.

The ground in front of him sank, forming a deep pit. The boy activated a talisman and threw it downwards.

"boom!"

The explosion was weak, but the lightning it released was abundant, which is precisely what most evil spirits fear most.

For Ah Li, as long as there are enough materials, drawing talismans is the simplest thing.

The Thunder Beast horn has been ground into powder, packed into sacks, and piled up in a corner of the dojo. At least for a long time to come, everyone in our team will not lack Thunder Talismans.

The feeling of using one's wealth and resources to overwhelm others is very simple and unpretentious.

"Young Marquis Yuan, Young Marquis Yuan!"

Li Sanjiang's shouts could be heard from the dam outside.

Li Zhuiyuan walked out of the temple.

"Grandpa, I'm here."

"Oh, young Marquis Yuan, come with me to Marquis Xing's house."

The mules were all on the construction site, and Li Sanjiang would only think of his great-grandson when he really couldn't find anyone to help.

Li Zhuiyuan responded and helped his grandfather load the tools onto the tricycle. His grandfather then drove him to the Xinghou family's residence.

Xinghou was the one who jumped into the well and died.

The official explanation was that he had cancer, could not bear the pain, and did not want to be a burden on his family, so he chose to commit suicide.

But in reality, Li Zhuiyuan overheard Liu Jinxia chatting with Grandma Liu while they were playing cards.

After Liu Jinxia was slapped twice by her grandfather, her cheeks were swollen for a short time, but this did not stop her from gossiping at the mahjong table with her two swollen faces.

Xinghou's parents passed away early, but he was already fifteen or sixteen years old at the time. He was able to manage the family's fields, so life wasn't too bad. He was just a dull and honest person, the kind of person who would stay silent for a long time.

Later, his father-in-law took a liking to him and took him in. In the eyes of outsiders, he was finally able to live a stable life.

But in reality, life was not comfortable. In ancient times, the status of a son-in-law was on par with that of a convict.

That family not only allowed him to use their resources, but also allowed him to bully them. They looked down on him, criticized him, complained that he was incompetent, and said that he was ruining their daughter's future.

The donkey remained silent and endured it all, until one day it couldn't take it anymore.

According to neighbors, Xinghou broke his usual habit of drinking alcohol during dinner and argued with his father-in-law, mother-in-law, and wife. It was their first argument, and also their first drunken outburst. Late that night, he jumped into a well. Granny Hua said, "A coward to the death."

Wang Lian: "But that family was also in the wrong. How can they bully honest people like that?"

Liu Jinxia: "Exactly! You can't have both the work of a mule and the speed of a horse. Where in the world can you find such a good deal?"

Granny Hua deliberately said, "Our Marquis Xia is much more open-minded."

Liu Jinxia originally found a son-in-law to live with her daughter.

Liu Jinxia: "Pah! I never mistreated my son-in-law. When he was dating Xianghou, I paid for his mother's hospitalization. I also helped with his father's passing. On his wedding day, when he got drunk and acted crazy, he didn't curse me. Instead, he hugged my leg and said that I would be his mother from now on. He also said that he must work hard and be successful in the future to take good care of me."

Guess what I was thinking at that moment?

Granny Hua: "It was a worthwhile son-in-law."

Wang Lian: "Waiting to enjoy the good life?"

Liu Yumei: "Don't let him really become successful."

Liu Jinxia slapped her thigh: "Yes, Sister Liu understands me best!"

Liu Yumei picked up her teacup and took a sip.

Liu Jinxia: "At the time, I thought, 'Forget it, I'll choose the one you've chosen because firstly, you're honest, and secondly, you look like you have no ambition.'"

If you ever become successful, my family will be in big trouble.

But I never expected him to be so unlucky, leaving us so young. Alas.

No matter what outsiders say, Liu Jinxia will never admit that she and her daughter are cursed to bring misfortune to their husbands.

Liu Yumei put down her teacup. She had considered similar things before. When she found that A Li and Xiao Yuan could actually get along well, she had the idea of ​​finding a son-in-law to live with her. But when she realized Xiao Yuan's terrifying talent, she immediately killed the idea.

She was quite fortunate that Xiao Yuan's mother had changed Xiao Yuan's surname, leaving her a lot of room to ask Qin Liu for a name in the future.

When Li Zhuiyuan arrived at Xinghoujia Dam in his great-grandfather's tricycle, he saw that the well on the dam had been sealed off.

The funeral is over, the seven-day mourning period has passed, and normally nothing else should happen.

However, Xinghou's father-in-law and mother-in-law had nightmares for several nights in a row, dreaming that Xinghou climbed out of the well, entered the house, pushed open the door, and came to their bedside.

That's why they specially invited Li Sanjiang over again to perform a ritual to dispel Xinghou's resentment.

When Xinghou was still alive, they told the outside world that they treated Xinghou very well and regarded him as their own son.

In truth, they know exactly how he treated him; otherwise, they wouldn't be so guilty and apprehensive. In a normal family, who would be afraid of their close relative coming back as a ghost to visit them after death? They'd probably be overjoyed.

Li Zhuiyuan helped his grandfather set up the offering table and then arranged all the utensils.

The portrait of Xinghou was displayed there; he truly looked very honest.

The old man raised the peach wood sword and began his performance.

The money for the last funeral has already been settled; this time it's an additional payment.

The old man provided a lot of emotional value, inviting everyone from Laozi to the Buddha of the Western Paradise, all of whom are household names.

Li Zhuiyuan was in charge of burning paper money. Each time he threw the paper money in, the boy would pinch a hole in it with his fingernail to prevent it from being actually used by Xinghou.

Xinghou's father-in-law and mother-in-law gathered here, weeping and saying kind words.

With outsiders present, they couldn't speak too plainly, but they all hoped that Xinghou was doing well over there, and they would burn more paper money and make more offerings.

Xinghou's wife took over the task of burning paper money from Li Zhuiyuan. Li Zhuiyuan was happy to be relieved and stepped aside to sit down on a small stool.

As the woman burned paper money, she muttered softly, her voice very low, but Li Zhuiyuan heard her. It was probably the night Xinghou jumped into the well; she had pointed at Xinghou's nose and cursed him:
You piece of trash, if you have the guts, jump into the well and die, then I might look at you with more respect!
As it turned out, he actually jumped.

The well opening wasn't wide, and for an adult like Xinghou, it would have been quite difficult to go down smoothly. In any case, it took a lot of effort for a group of people to pull him out, which means that Xinghou had deliberately scrambled down into the well.

As the old man's performance drew to a close, the weeping of the crowd gradually subsided. The old man received his performance fee, while they found solace in their hearts.

Finally, the old man raised his peach wood sword high and shouted:

"Oh, Lord Xinghou, you've suffered and toiled your whole life. Let's pray for the next life, so you can go in peace!"

After saying that, the old man placed the peach wood sword against the well that had been sealed.

At this moment, a scene that even Li Zhuiyuan could not understand appeared: black smoke, invisible to the naked eye, billowed from the well, and then a figure exactly the same as the one in the portrait on the offering table slowly emerged.

Li Zhuiyuan stood up and looked at him.

Last time, the Demon Eye was able to spill out into Nantong because it was an evil thought, not a malevolent spirit, so Peach Blossom Forest couldn't sense it. But this time, it's a real, tangible ghost.

This family's nightmares at night weren't actually caused by a guilty conscience; they were genuinely being haunted by ghosts!
In Nantong, and in this very village, a ghost has actually appeared?

More importantly, he hadn't even noticed it beforehand, as if it had just formed due to the stimulation of the unremoved talisman on his great-grandfather's peach wood sword.

"what?"

Li Sanjiang noticed that the peach wood sword in his hand began to tremble. His first reaction was not that he had actually poked something dirty, but that he had drunk too much and was developing alcohol dependence.

But soon, Li Sanjiang felt the hilt of the sword getting hot to the touch, so he immediately released the peach wood sword.

After the sword landed, the talisman wrapped around it quickly turned black, as if it had been ignited, and then rapidly dissipated.

The dam area fell silent for a moment.

Xinghou's family looked at Li Sanjiang, then at the well, and the fear that had just subsided rose again.

Li Sanjiang picked up the black duck blood from the offering table, splashed it onto the wellhead, and recolored it.

Apart from Li Zhuiyuan, no one present could see Xinghou, but the continuously decreasing temperature and the cold wind seemed to be making a silent explanation.

Li Zhuiyuan's gaze fell on the peach wood sword that his grandfather had dropped. Even though the talisman had been used up on Shi Touhuzi, the remaining part was something that an ordinary newly formed ghost could not withstand.

Xinghou was very solid, so solid that he resembled an old ghost, and the resentment on his body was constantly compressing, indicating that he was about to transform into an evil spirit.

If this weren't Siyuan Village, and if I weren't here, but somewhere else, this kind of evil spirit would never only seek revenge on its enemies from its past life; it would instinctively spread outwards, effortlessly causing a village to decline and become desolate.

Xinghou slowly turned his gaze to meet the eyes of the only boy here who could "see" him.

His demonic transformation is accelerating. Once it is complete, he will completely lose himself and the chance of reincarnation. He will either slaughter and wreak havoc in his madness or be reduced to ashes on the righteous path.

"Hu! Hu! Hu!"

Dry leaves, blown from who knows where, landed on the dam and then lashed against everyone, causing them pain.

Li Sanjiang immediately said, "Let's go inside, let's go inside! It's so windy, let's find shelter!"

Li Sanjiang led the family into the house, and Li Sanjiang did not forget to reach out and pull his great-grandson.

Once inside, the family huddled together, trembling, as if they were experiencing some kind of mental problem.

Li Sanjiang ignored them and looked down at Xiao Yuanhou, only to be stunned for a moment and realize that he was only holding Xiao Yuanhou's coat.

Without hesitation, Li Sanjiang turned around and rushed out of the house again.

Unexpectedly, the sky cleared, the wind stopped, and the fallen leaves all huddled in the corner of the dam, obediently waiting to be swept away.

His great-grandson stood by the well.

"Young Marquis Yuan!"

"Grandpa, what's wrong?"

"You..." Li Sanjiang scratched his head, unsure how to phrase it, and could only ask, "Are you cold?"

Li Zhuiyuan pointed to the clothes in his grandfather's hand: "It's a bit cold."

Li Sanjiang called out to the people inside, saying that he had finished his business and was going home.

The sound of crying came from inside the house.

Li Sanjiang had no choice but to go back into the house, only to find that the three people were in even worse condition than before.

One was grabbing his hair, one was slapping his own face, and one was desperately covering his mouth.

Judging from this posture, it looks like he's about to have a hysterical episode.

Li Sanjiang lightly touched his pocket; thankfully, he had already received the money.

"Wait here, you guys probably have a fever. I'll go get the doctor and give you an injection."

After saying that, Li Sanjiang packed his things and drove away with Li Zhuiyuan.

On the way, Li Sanjiang, riding his bicycle, muttered to himself:
"Why are there so many things happening in the village lately..."

Actually, much more happened in the village before Li Zhuiyuan went to university, but the great-grandfather didn't realize it.

Later, because Qing'an was "dug out" and the peach orchards bloomed, this area was finally cleaned up.

Li Sanjiang dropped Li Zhuiyuan off halfway through the journey:

"Young Master Yuan, you go home first. I'm going to the clinic to find Zheng Datong to take a look."

"Ah."

Watching his grandfather ride away, Li Zhuiyuan didn't go home, but went to the bearded man's house first.

When ghosts are said to be appearing in the village, the first reaction is naturally to check if something is wrong in Qing'an.

Qing An must have sensed Xing Hou's appearance earlier.

Benben is playing chess in the snow. He makes a move, then runs to the opposite side and makes another move.

Master Sun and Luo Xiaoyu were engaging in a contest of formation intent in this way.

With just a quick glance, Li Zhuiyuan knew that Luo Xiaoyu would inevitably be the winner.

The old man's advantage lies in the accumulation of years. To compare his talent with that of a genius in the formations of the river is simply foolish.

The boy didn't interrupt the game of chess. Instead, he walked straight to the peach grove, faced the peach blossoms, and asked:
"are you OK?"

Peach blossoms fell, landing on the boy's head and shoulders, and even slipping into his pocket.

Qing'an provided the answer:
The peach blossoms remain.

Li Zhuiyuan turned and left.

Since the problem didn't originate in Qing'an, Li Zhuiyuan had to investigate the true cause of Xinghou's ghost formation and find out who dared to extend their reach into his territory.

When I got home, I picked up my old mobile phone and dialed the number.

"Hey, Brother Yuan."

"Brother Binbin, can you skip work for a bit and investigate something?"

After hanging up the phone, Li Zhuiyuan went into the Taoist temple behind the house.

The boy spread his hands, and the evil dragon appeared, opening its mouth to spit out Xinghou.

The temple immediately became eerily quiet.

Ah Li, who was making pills, glanced up at the scene before lowering her head to continue focusing on her task.

When Xinghou's ghostly eyes swept over the portrait of the Fengdu Emperor in the temple, the ghostly aura on his body instinctively began to dissipate, and his aura weakened.

Its demonic form was frozen in place by the boy, but it now lacks much self-awareness, is unable to communicate, and there is no way to directly learn from it what happened in its previous life.

With a flick of his finger, Li Zhuiyuan caused the ground of the dojo to rise, enveloping Xinghou and completing the seal.

With the boy's abilities, he could easily strip away the ghostly aura from it, allowing it to re-enter the cycle of reincarnation, but not now. Doing so before fully understanding the situation would only alert the enemy.

Li Zhuiyuan walked to the small table and closed the "Zhuiyuan Secret Scroll" that was spread out there.

In the past, if people wanted to get water from the river, they had to dig their own canals. But this time, the village, which had been peaceful for a long time, has been plagued by a series of strange occurrences.

Li Zhuiyuan had a premonition that this might not be the end, and that other things would happen next.

It's like being presented with a catalog... with an incredibly rigid causal chain, giving you ample time to choose which wave to pick next.

As dusk fell, the sky changed color, and a new round of snow began to fall.

The children were happy, as if their old toys had been played with until they were dirty, and new toys had been delivered to their door.

Li Sanjiang returned on his tricycle, brushed the snow off his clothes, and said:
"Now, we have to stop over there, whether we like it or not. We have to wait until the snow stops before we can continue."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Grandpa, how is that family?"

Li Sanjiang: "Zheng Datong gave each of the three of them an injection, and they calmed down. But Zheng Datong said that the situation was not good and it would be best to send them to the health center."

Just then, Zhuangzhuang and Youhou drove by in their tractor, so I told them to take the person to the clinic first while I went to call their relatives. But none of them were willing to come out, so I had no choice but to take the village secretary to the clinic.

The whole family is a bit out of their minds. If they had to choose someone to take charge, it would have to be the village party secretary. This is not just about hospital fees, but also about related responsibilities. If the three of them don't improve, they might have to be sent to a mental hospital in the future.

Li Sanjiang spat out of the dam area, lit a cigarette, and frowned deeply.

The old man was in a very bad mood. He looked at his palm and still didn't know what the sudden wind meant, nor was he sure if Xinghou had really turned into something evil.

But since he was paid to do something, he went and performed a ritual, which ended up sending all three of them to the health center.

In fact, if Li Sanjiang hadn't gone today and happened to stab the peach wood sword with the talisman on it into the well, and Xinghou had silently transformed into a demon, those three would have died instantly.

Moreover, only the old man could persuade Li Zhuiyuan to help with the ritual. If Li Zhuiyuan hadn't intervened and allowed the evil dragon to swallow Xinghou, Xinghou would have rushed into the house, and then... the village would have been massacred.

Therefore, the performance fee was well worth it.

Furthermore, even if this matter spreads, it won't affect the old man's business reputation. No one will think that the old man failed to protect the person; they will only think that it's fortunate that the old man went. This is because most people can't tell the difference between high and low spiritual levels; they only look at the effect. Regardless of whether it's good or bad, if it works, it proves that you are "skilled".

Tan Wenbin and Ayou did not return for dinner.

After dinner, Li Zhuiyuan sat in the living room with A Li, watching TV and waiting for the investigation results.

The cell phone rang, but it wasn't Tan Wenbin or Ayou calling. After Li Zhuiyuan answered, Xue Liangliang's voice came from the other end of the line.

"Xiao Yuan, I'm back in Nantong, wanna get together?"

Li Zhuiyuan glanced at the time on the wall clock.

It's so late. Even if Liangliang has returned to Nantong, he wouldn't be in such a hurry to see me. He'd probably go to his wife and kids' cold bed first.

"Brother Liangliang, is something the matter?"

"Yes, it's about work. I'd like to hear your opinion. Are you in Shinan? I'll come find you now."

"Yeah, I'm at home, Liangliang, come over."

"Okay, I'm coming right now."

After hanging up the phone, Li Zhuiyuan gently tapped the back of his mobile phone with his fingertips.

Considering the role Liangliang had played for me, this phone call felt like—Catalogue Three.

Just then, the phone rang again, and Li Zhuiyuan answered it.

“Brother Xiaoyuan, the investigation is complete. Before Xinghou committed suicide, he was organized to work as a laborer in a scenic area in Suzhou. A Buddhist exchange conference is currently being held there, and the senior monks in the audience... are from Qinglong Temple.”

Based solely on this storyline, it's difficult to force a connection between what happened to Xinghou and this storyline, but when "Qinglong Temple" appears, it's as if the answer is already on the tip of one's tongue.

In the Nantong area, only a lineage like Qinglong Temple could possess such a mysterious method: to bypass the peach grove, summon evil spirits, and even Xinghou himself was unaware of it before being provoked by the Grandfather.

But the monks from Qinglong Temple just brazenly showed up at our door?

If that's the case, it seems there's no need for them to use Xinghou to plot anything. Are they trying to use a demon to ambush and kill themselves?
Moreover, they openly display their banners, as if afraid of not being discovered.

Li Zhuiyuan didn't think his enemies could be that stupid.

"Brother Binbin, are you guys in Suzhou right now?"

“Yes, Brother Xiaoyuan, Ayou and I have reached the outskirts of their lodgings. That great mage is indeed extraordinary. When Ayou and I tried to get closer, he almost noticed us.”

“We’ll go over there now. Before they make any obvious move to leave, we shouldn’t disturb them. Instead, we should take appropriate action to restrain them.”

"clear."

Tan Wenbin gave the address. Although the place was in Suzhou, it was very remote. It was probably a newly developed tourist attraction that wanted to attract tourists and gain popularity through the Buddhist ceremony.

Li Zhuiyuan trusted Tan Wenbin's judgment. If the other party was the old monk from Qinglong Temple whom they had met in Fengdu last time, Tan Wenbin would have already taken action with Ayou and packed him up to take back to Nantong.

The fact that they haven't made a move and are being so cautious suggests that the other party is truly extraordinary.

After ending the call, Ah Li got up and went upstairs to get her hiking backpack.

Li Zhuiyuan walked to the coffin and woke Runsheng up.

"Runsheng, go to Big Beard's house and inform Chen Xiyuan, Luo Xiaoyu, and Zhao Yi's men to get ready to set off with us later."

There are plenty of people available, so why not use them? As my grandfather would say, a mule needs to be used frequently, otherwise its hooves will rust.

Li Zhuiyuan called Liangliang back, and the call was answered:

"Hey, Xiao Yuan, I'm standing by the roadside trying to hail a taxi."

"Brother Liangliang, you don't need to come over, I'll come to your place to pick you up."

"Oh, okay, where should I wait for you? Xinhua Library?"

"Ah."

"OK, no problem."

After hanging up the phone, Li Zhuiyuan pulled a piece of yellow paper from a drawer in the living room, flicked it with his fingertips, and set it on fire.

In this way, Zhang Li, the ghost messenger located at the entrance of the village road, will receive the notification. He will leave the pavilion, float onto the road, intercept passing vehicles, and call a car for his young master.

When Tan Wenbin and Ayou went to Suzhou, they replaced the tractor with a small pickup truck. All the other cars in the family were parked in the riverside parking lot, and it was too much trouble to go and get them.

Unfortunately, Luo Xiaoyu's peach orchard formation wasn't finished yet. Otherwise, an extra barrier could be added around the peach orchard, allowing all vehicles and miscellaneous items to be dumped into it, with security guards watching over them.

Li Zhuiyuan took A Li's hand and walked from the path to the village road, where a crowd was already waiting.

No one felt there was anything wrong with being mobilized by the boy; in fact, they all looked excited, as if being driven by the boy was a great honor.

The boy looked at Sister Hua.

Sister Hua patted her small chest and said, "Don't worry, senior, I've recovered!"

Li Zhuiyuan nodded and said:

"Someone has infiltrated my home. Although I suspect it was unintentional, since they've already done so, I'd like to ask you all..."

Luo Xiaoyu made a downward chopping gesture, which he found very sharp, and the accompanying words were even more ruthless:
"Cut off his hand!"

After he finished his performance, he secretly glanced at Miss Chen standing to the side.

Luo Zhenshi had no intention of pursuing girls, but he had the instinct to show off in front of them.

However, Chen Xiyuan understood her younger brother, and she said:

"Chopping off his hand is too petty; we should chop his whole body into pieces!"

Luo Xiaoyu touched his nose. Sure enough, she was not a girl he could aspire to be with.

The group arrived at the entrance to the village road.

Zhang Li drifted back and forth on the road, but at this hour, there were few night buses, and he was also unlucky. He had been trying to flag down a car for so long, but he hadn't encountered a single passing vehicle.

Li Zhuiyuan looked at Chen Xiyuan: "Let's go hail a taxi."

Chen Xiyuan: "Okay."

Even though the road was completely empty, Ms. Chen still walked to the southbound lane on the other side of the road to hail a taxi, because it would be more convenient for the driver to stop and pick up passengers that way.

She didn't think there was anything wrong with what she was doing; she had always been like this.

And indeed, there was no problem. The road that originally only had one ghost was immediately punctuated by an Airbus taxi coming from the north after she stood there and started looking around.

Chen Xiyuan waved for everyone to come over and opened the door to get into the passenger seat.

Li Zhuiyuan waved to her, indicating that Luo Xiaoyu and Sister Hua should sit down first.

If Ms. Chen leaves by car first, how will the others call a car?

The first taxi drove away after being told its destination.

Soon, a second taxi arrived, then a third...

Runsheng got into the first car, while Li Zhuiyuan, A Li, and Chen Xiyuan got into the last car.

There are enough cars, so no one needs to squeeze in.

The taxi driver of the last car said that his group had come to a colleague's house in Shigang tonight for a wedding banquet, but the colleague was stingy and not only was the food at the banquet terrible, but the alcohol was also fake. So they didn't drink any and returned home feeling very angry.

Chen Xiyuan: "Then we are really lucky."

Li Zhuiyuan, sitting in the back seat, watched Chen Xiyuan's back.

The spirits of the three Dragon Kings of the Chen family have been extinguished, and Chen Yunhai even smashed the Listening to the Sea and Watching the Tide Stele. However, the favor bestowed upon Sister Chen has not only not diminished, but has become even more exaggerated than before.

Li Zhuiyuan analyzed that the Heavenly Dao intercepted the flow in order to accumulate it and use it to cultivate the Chen family's lamplighters with sufficiently high talent in the era when needed.

So, after the accounts were settled, the overall fortune of the Chen family in Qiongya improved. As the waning sun of the previous Chen family era and the current lamplighter, Chen Xiyuan should rightfully receive the largest share of the "family's wealth and honor".

This truly means enjoying the love and care of one's ancestors.

The car in front went first, and Li Zhuiyuan asked his driver to pick up Xue Liangliang at the Xinhua Bookstore in the city.

"Brother Liangliang, I have something to do. Let's talk on the way. I'll have the driver bring you back later."

"Okay, no problem, I can't delay your business."

Xue Liangliang opened his briefcase, took out a document, and handed it to Li Zhuiyuan.

The file was thick and contained many photos.

The name and details of the project were kept confidential, and important details were covered up to indicate the importance of the project.

However, Li Zhuiyuan was still able to guess the project location from the environment in the photo.

"In the Western Regions?"

"Xiao Yuan, I'm really curious, what is it that you don't know?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "He just has a good memory."

His father was a geologist.

Xue Liangliang: "So, what's your opinion on this?"

The photos show a bonfire party with singing and dancing, as well as playful moments while bathing in the river. Despite the harsh and difficult conditions, the prospectors and construction workers displayed optimism and had bright smiles.

I can't see any problem.

Li Zhuiyuan began to observe the details.

Then, a problem arose, and it was enormous.

Xue Liangliang: "You figured it out?"

Li Zhuiyuan took out the clearest group photo, showing everyone dressed in the most uniform attire, and pointed to the clothing of the people in the photo and the equipment piled up in the corner.

Judging by their overall appearance, there is actually no difference. When working in the field, even a fair-skinned young man will quickly resemble a scavenger in the city.

However, the details of the clothing, especially the equipment in the corners, still reveal clues that reflect the characteristics of different eras.

Li Zhuiyuan: "They weren't from the same era?"

Xue Liangliang pointed to the two people in the photo: "Xiao Yuan, don't you think these two people look alike?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "Mm."

Even without being an expert in physiognomy, any normal person would think they are related by blood, like... brothers.

Li Zhuiyuan pulled out an old ID photo from the folder. Upon comparison, it was difficult to immediately identify which of the two people in the group photo was in the ID photo.

However, the man in the old ID photo has a scar on his neck, and if you look closely in the group photo, you can tell that one of the people has a similar scar on his neck.

Xue Liangliang: "Although this sounds absurd, based on the information we have so far, these two prospectors, who are of similar age, seem to be father and son."

Li Zhuiyuan: "His father disappeared during an exploration there?"

As a son, following in his father's footsteps and continuing the exploration to fulfill his father's unfinished wish is a cliché yet logical choice.

Xue Liangliang: "No, the old man worked steadily until retirement and is still alive now."

In addition, the identities of many people in these photos can be verified back then; some have passed away, while others are still alive.

This photo was taken a month ago.

They considered each other to be colleagues from different organizations and even held a get-together.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Didn't they notice anything wrong during the gathering?"

Details on clothing can be excused as being overlooked, but differences in equipment cannot be ignored.

In fact, just a few words during a chat are enough to realize that something is very wrong with the group of people on the other end.

Xue Liangliang: "No, it's a very strange place. They only discovered the problem when they developed the photos after the party ended and the two sides separated."

Moreover, they all only remembered the scenes from the party, but forgot what they had talked about with each other.

This guy didn't realize the seriousness of the matter at first, but that's not his fault, because although the matter was reported, the level of the incident hadn't been determined yet, and there was no requirement to keep quiet or spread it.

He called his father at home and told him about it, saying that he had met someone who looked a lot like him, and that the person also had a scar on his neck, just like his father.

Do you know how his father responded to him?
His father said he suddenly remembered something: when he worked there, he met someone his age who looked very much like him, and they even had a party together.

---

I still have 5 words to go. I'll keep writing. Don't wait, check back tomorrow morning.

(End of this chapter)