Starting from the folklore forum, making up town objects

Chapter 339 Analysis Report on the Townhouse Thunder Drum of the Wooden Stele Market

When Bai Yongnian returned from the Sanshan garrison, he was somewhat anxious.

After discovering the real estate project at the Three Mountains' residence, the eighteen underworld officials all made plans. In particular, after one underworld official bought a property on the spot and inquired whether he could bring his family into the Three Mountains' residence, all the underworld officials became restless.

Who doesn't know what's going on in Daxia lately?

If we could bring our family to the Sanshan garrison for a while, and then go back to Daxia once the situation returns to normal, wouldn't that be wonderful?
After all, you only get 10 merits a month!

However, inviting relatives and friends to the Sanshan residence requires stickers. In addition to the three free stickers, you need to pay 100 points of merit for each additional sticker you want to buy.

To complete the journey from the mortal world to the underworld and back again, at least two hundred units of virtuous deeds are required for a round trip.

Of course, some people are wondering if, if they don't renew their lease after a month, their family members will be sent to the underworld without having to pay the 'ticket' of 100 good deeds.

However, no one has tried this yet.

Bai Yongnian naturally wanted to rent it, but he had too little merit. Renting it was possible, but he didn't have enough to bring people in.

However, with the Raven Feather Raincoat, he wasn't worried about the speed at which he gained Yin Virtue Points.

But it was precisely because of the raven feather raincoat that Bai Yongnian became somewhat anxious.

He wasn't the only one with the raven feather raincoat; it's foreseeable that the speed at which underworld messengers acquire Yin Virtue Points will increase in the future.

The Sanshan settlement looks quite large, capable of housing over a hundred households, and there's plenty of room for the eighteen underworld officials.

But who doesn't have relatives and friends?

The ghost messenger who bought the property asked how many people could live in a household, which is determined by the number of rooms in that household's property; a room can accommodate a maximum of two people.

In this way, if there are many people in the family, one household is simply not enough.

The area of ​​the Three Mountains has a hundred households, which, when divided equally, means that each person has five households. And that doesn't even include the addition of new underworld officials later on.

So if you don't earn enough Yin Virtue Points quickly enough, and all the properties in the Three Mountains area are bought up, you'll have nowhere to turn for help.

Perhaps the underworld has other locations, but who would gamble on something like that?
Even the Lord of the Underworld hasn't said anything, so are these underworld officials supposed to go after him and ask?
Moreover, renting it doesn't solve everything.

If you don't have enough good karma to guarantee continued lease renewals, who knows if there will be any houses available for rent after the lease is terminated?

Therefore, the houses in the Three Mountains are supposed to be rented monthly, but in the later stages they will definitely become 'installment payments', and there will be no repayment period. Only in this way can you ensure that you have a house in the underworld!

Bai Yongnian never expected that he, who had never felt the pressure of a mortgage since childhood, would experience it after joining the Underworld.

Most importantly, he was born into a family of spirits, unable to gain the support of his parents, and had to rely on his own efforts.

So he had made up his mind that after returning, he would work with Ji Mo to quickly devise a plan to cleanse the ghosts and quickly gain Yin Virtue Points.

But as soon as he returned, he saw three people standing in front of him.

He was startled, but breathed a sigh of relief after seeing who it was.

He knew Jin Chao and Wei Junrui, but he had never met the other one before, who was probably also from the Bureau of Investigation.

Recalling the embarrassment he had suffered at the Bureau of Investigation, Bai Yongnian's face behind the mask turned somewhat ugly.

"Heh, what, have I become a criminal and need three people from the Bureau of Investigation to watch over me?"

Bai Yongnian sneered.

Bai Hongtao's heart skipped a beat.

"Mr. Bai, I am Bai Hongtao, the director of the Mubei Municipal Bureau of Investigation. I have a question for you."

Bai Yongnian's expression froze. Bai Hongtao and the bureau chief have both arrived?

A thought struck Bai Yongnian, and he realized that he had left while chatting with Wei Junrui. He figured that his departure must have been too bizarre, which was why the bureau chief couldn't sit still.

Bai Yongnian didn't take off his raven-feather raincoat; he simply walked to his seat, sat down, and poured himself some tea.

During this process, Bai Hongtao and the other two did not utter a single word.

Bai Yongnian is enjoying his current state.

He used to be the only one trembling with fear when facing the Bureau of Investigation, but now, the tables have turned.

After pouring the tea, Bai Yongnian picked up the teacup and then remembered that he was wearing a mask and couldn't drink the tea.

But it would be strange to put the tea down again, so he casually placed it on the opposite side.

"Director Bai, have some tea."

Bai Hongtao raised an eyebrow; the slight annoyance he felt from Bai Yongnian ignoring him earlier vanished with a simple "let's drink tea."

"Hehe, thank you, Mr. Bai."

Bai Hongtao sat down, took a sip of the cold tea, and said, "Good tea."

"What did Director Bai say he wanted to ask me?"

Bai Yongnian looked at Bai Hongtao and said.

Bai Hongtao looked solemn.

"Mr. Bai, are you a messenger from the underworld?"

Bai Yongnian thought to himself, "As expected, the other party has guessed my identity, which is why they are so respectful."

Upon first experiencing the awe-inspiring power of the title "Underworld Messenger," Bai Yongnian couldn't help but admire it.

"So what if I am? So what if I am not?"

Hearing Bai Yongnian's sarcastic tone, Bai Hongtao felt a sense of relief.

It's fine to have resentment, but it's dangerous to have resentment that isn't expressed.

"If it's a messenger from the underworld, then I apologize for my previous neglect. If not, then please register your situation with the Bureau of Investigation to avoid any misunderstandings in the future."

Bai Yongnian was somewhat surprised by the other party's bluntness.

After thinking it over, for the sake of future benefits, he decided not to continue the Yin-Yang practice.

Bai Yongnian raised his fist and bowed towards the void, saying, "I just returned from the underworld."

Bai Hongtao felt a sense of relief.

It's good if it's from the underworld, but I'm afraid it's not.

Turning his head, Bai Hongtao looked at the two people behind him.

Wei Junrui stepped forward.

"Mr. Bai, I was impolite before. I will make amends by hosting a banquet for you."

Bai Yongnian was taken aback, nodded, and then looked at Jin Chao beside him.

He wanted to see how Jin Chao would apologize.

That kick was no small feat.

Seeing Bai Yongnian's stern face turned towards him, Jin Chao sighed inwardly.

"Mr. Bai, if you need anything, you can come to me. I can help with any evil spirits or ghosts below that level."

Upon hearing Jin Chao's words, Bai Yongnian's eyes lit up.

A fierce and malevolent creature possesses at least fifty merits.

Thinking of this, Bai Yongnian had a sudden thought, and he took off his raven feather raincoat, revealing his true appearance.

Seeing Bai Yongnian's reaction, Bai Hongtao knew that the matter was over.

Immediately, the four of them sat around a table.

Bai Hongtao informed Bai Yongnian about the treatment of underworld officials in the Bureau of Investigation, while Bai Yongnian inquired about the ghostly situation in Mubei City.

Bai Hongtao naturally answered all questions about this.

As the conversation progressed, the initial barriers between them disappeared.

Bai Hongtao befriended a messenger from the underworld, while Bai Yongnian gained access to cryptic information and various privileges granted by the Bureau of Investigation.

In the end, Bai Yongnian even revealed that there was another underworld official in Mubei City.

Bai Yongnian confessed this matter after careful consideration.

After all, he would inevitably have a lot of contact with Ji Mo later, and these things could not be hidden from the Bureau of Investigation in the mortal world. Rather than waiting for the Bureau of Investigation to find out and take the initiative to find Ji Mo, it would be better to tell them first.

However, Bai Yongnian did not reveal the specific identity of this underworld messenger directly. Instead, he planned to contact Ji Mo first and then have the Bureau of Investigation send someone to visit him.

...After returning to the Bureau of Investigation under the cover of night, Bai Hongtao had a big smile on his face.

"I never expected that our Mubei City would have two underworld officials, haha."

Immediately, Bai Hongtao picked up the phone and called the General Administration to report the matter of the two underworld officials in Mubei City.

To his surprise, the General Administration suddenly informed him that there was new 'special equipment' that needed to be tested. Just then, he made a phone call, and this time the test added Mubei City.

With a touch of excitement, Bai Hongtao opened his internal email and clicked on the new special equipment.

"Hmm... The new town-guarding item is called the Thunder Drum for Guarding the House."

Bai Hongtao's eyes shone brightly as he looked at the method of making the house-protecting thunder drum.

But after he finished reading it, he was a little confused.

"This, isn't this a door pier? How come it's also special equipment?"

After a long pause, Bai Hongtao looked at the sender again and confirmed that it was indeed the General Administration.

"Never mind, let's try making it first."

"Where should we put it? At the station? No, ghosts don't come to the station... Hmm, let's put it near the crack, ghosts breed very quickly there."

Bai Hongtao glanced at the time; it was 2 a.m.

Out of the way.

Bai Hongtao called the investigator from the Public Opinion Bureau who oversaw the stone carving factory in Zhuyeshi Town and told him his request.

"Remember, make an even number. We'll talk about what to carve on the stone when I get there."

After hanging up the phone, Bai Hongtao thought about it and ultimately decided to go alone.

The next morning at six o'clock.

Bai Hongtao breathed a sigh of relief as he looked at the stone pier in front of him, where the thunder pattern on the drum surface had just been painted with cinnabar.

"Is this it?"

There was no special noise when the talisman was successfully made, so Bai Hongtao didn't know if he had done it correctly.

"We'll find out if it's right or not by trying it. With me here, nothing will go wrong."

Even though Bai Hongtao had come into contact with many talismans, he still found their existence unbelievable.

All of them are ordinary items, but when brought together, they can become an unexpected talisman.

"Walk."

Bai Hongtao said to the assistant he had specifically called over to help him.

The assistant squatted down, picked up two 30-centimeter-tall, drum-shaped stone blocks, and followed behind Bai Hongtao.

People within a kilometer radius of the crack were evacuated to other locations.

When the crowd was being evacuated, many people were making a fuss, saying that even demolitions are given in advance, so why should they be forced to leave?

Then many people became 'holdouts'.

The situation was urgent, and the Bureau of Investigation didn't have time to waste on these people, so they simply ignored them.

Some people, seeing that the Bureau of Investigation had backed down, called those who had left to boast that they had been scammed and urged them to come back immediately.

Some people were indeed called back.

As a result, when most of the Bureau of Investigation's personnel stationed near the crack were dispatched to carry out cleanup tasks, the undercover agents came knocking.

Most of the deaths in Mokubei City also occurred in this area.

Those ordinary people who had witnessed the spies' escapades and were lucky enough to survive began to flee in a panic, while the remaining people lived in constant fear, clamoring for the Bureau of Investigation to escort them away, but they couldn't find anyone from the Bureau of Investigation.

In the end, these people had no choice but to run away.

After arriving at the location, Bai Hongtao randomly chose a residential area, broke down the door of a house on the first floor, and had his assistant put down the stone block. He then let the assistant go inside and stay there.

He then placed the stone blocks on the left and right sides of the door, one after the other.

After placing it in place, Bai Hongtao tapped the surfaces of the two stone blocks on the left and right sides three times each.

As soon as the stone pier on the right was struck, a muffled thunderclap exploded in Bai Hongtao's mind.

Bai Hongtao's face turned pale for a moment, and he immediately retreated about ten meters.

The muffled thunder just now only made his chest feel tight; it didn't have much effect on the evil spirits inside him.

What panicked him was that the rumble of thunder was so sudden that he was completely unprepared.

Looking at the two stone pillars that were still perfectly normal, Bai Hongtao asked his assistant inside, "Did you hear something just now?"

"Chief, I didn't hear anything."

Seeing his assistant's bewildered expression, Bai Hongtao nodded and strode forward.

As soon as he stepped within ten meters, the muffled thunderous sound exploded in his mind again, though it was a little quieter than before.

Despite the discomfort in his chest, Bai Hongtao walked step by step toward the door. The closer he got, the louder the thunder became.

By the time they reached the entrance, the thunder had already become a continuous roar.

As soon as Bai Hongtao stepped into the room, the thunder disappeared instantly.

Turning around, Bai Hongtao's eyes flickered as he looked at the two stone pillars behind him.

"This thing only works against the outside. Once the ghosts and spirits have withstood the rumbling thunder and entered the house, it loses its effect. It's truly amazing."

Bai Hongtao then walked out the door, and the rumble of thunder sounded again.

Ignoring him, Bai Hongtao left the building and went outside.

I walked towards the room on the first floor from the outside, but the rumble of thunder didn't start until I was within three meters.

As I approached the window, the thunder continued in one continuous roar, just like before.

"From this perspective, the thing works best at the doorway, as it is furthest from the radiation range and also provides protection for the entire room. However, the protection range is smaller in other locations besides the door, but the overall effect remains largely unchanged."

Bai Hongtao then went to the second floor, and it had the same effect.

In other words, if these two stone pillars are placed on the second floor, both the upper and lower floors will be protected.

Then Bai Hongtao removed one of the stone blocks, and the thunder stopped abruptly. At this moment, the assistant standing in the room turned pale and said that he had heard thunder, which made his heart race and his chest feel tight.

After Bai Hongtao nodded, he picked up the other stone block, and the thunder in the room stopped.

Carrying the two stone blocks, Bai Hongtao went to the outside of the building and put them down again.

The stone blocks were still effective, but after Bai Hongtao climbed up the wall to the third floor, the thunder had almost no effect.

As you climb higher, the thunder is barely audible.

"This kind of thunder not only fails to ward off evil spirits, but also provokes them to enter the building."

Then Bai Hongtao personally caught a wandering spirit and threw it towards the stone pier.

The wandering soul was shaken by the thunder, and its soul body showed signs of dissipation, but it was not instantly killed. The wandering soul escaped the range of the thunder while bearing the thunder.

Seeing this, Bai Hongtao took out a pen and paper and wrote down all the experimental records on the paper before having his assistant carry the stone block back to the Bureau of Investigation.

Back in his office, Bai Hongtao sent his test results to the polling bureau.

……

[Analysis Report on the Use of "Zhenzhai Leigu" by Mubei City Branch]

#1: The Thunder Drum for Guarding the House has an effect on the entire 'house', with the best effect in front of the door, covering a range of ten meters, followed by the surrounding area, which is about three meters.

#2: The Thunder Drum for warding off evil spirits works best on a single household. If it is an apartment, it can benefit both floors. If there are enough stone drums, it is not recommended to treat the entire building as a "house". This practice will anger some ghosts that can fly to the upper floors, which will have the opposite effect.

#3: Once a single Thunder Drum is activated, it will have a negative effect on the residents of the room. Remember not to place a single one. Also, be careful that this effect of the Thunder Drum is not known to those with ulterior motives, otherwise it may be detrimental to the homeowner!
#4: The Thunder Drum for Guarding the House is not a special weapon for killing. Its main purpose is to ward off evil spirits. If evil spirits cannot withstand the thunder of the Thunder Drum when they get close, they will run away. If they can withstand it, the enraged evil spirits may become even more ferocious.

In summary, the stone drum for warding off evil spirits can be used as a supplement to existing methods, but taboos should be observed. It is recommended to fix the stone drum in front of the house to prevent problems caused by ordinary people moving it.

Suggestion: Consider placing multiple Thunder Drums to ward off evil spirits in one building, and then combining them with a Candle Night Stone. This might enhance the effect of warding off evil spirits.

……

P.S.: There's one more chapter, coming a little later.

(End of this chapter)