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Chapter 327 Zhu Sanya (Three-in-One)

As the strange insects swayed, their wings opened and closed intermittently.

The surface of the insect's wings is golden, while the inside is jet black.

Thus, under the starlight of the night, this "armor" rippled like water, constantly shifting between gold and dark gold.

The four arms behind it are spread out at a fixed angle, and are also covered with these strange insects.

Each arm also wore bracelets and armbands.

Upon closer inspection, they turned out to be evil insects wrapped around the arm.

The strange insects that make up the armor seem to originate from the same source, only differing in form.

The Ghost King walked down the river step by step, onto the bank, and then followed the path that the weasel had pointed out.

Xu Yuan did not follow immediately.

Instead, they sneaked up to the riverbank and released the leather dragon.

Pilong swam silently to the side of the boat, slowly raised its head, and quietly glanced into the cabin.

Those strange arms have retracted.

The window is closed.

The ship then transformed back into a regular cargo ship.

The cabin was pitch black, yet something faintly glowed like will-o'-the-wisps.

Some hatches did not close properly, leaving gaps about the width of a finger.

Pi Long peered through the gaps and saw a dozen people in demon-slaying army uniforms inside the cabin, their flesh and blood already stuck together!
Everyone shares all their hands, feet, and head.

And this flesh and blood had already grown and covered the entire cabin!

The interior of the ship has been turned into a chamber of flesh and blood.

The part of the demon-slaying army uniform that wasn't covered revealed dark red flesh that was constantly writhing.

Their hands and feet had become withered and thin.

Folded up and huddled in the cabin.

On more than a dozen heads, the hair was dry and yellow, most of it had fallen out, and the remaining hair hung down on the sides of the face like withered grass.

His teeth became sharp and thin, and his eyes gleamed with an eerie light, filled with bloodshot veins.

Pilong then silently sank back into the river.

These people have been corrupted by the Ghost King and have undergone serious transformation.

Xu Yuan retracted the leather dragon and silently followed the Ghost King.

This enormous creature traversed the mountains, leaving clear tracks along its path.

Xu Yuan took out the "mud mask" and placed it on his face, perfectly blending into the cold and eerie atmosphere of Xiaoyushan.

Dafu stared wide-eyed. It wasn't very bright and couldn't understand how the rice ditch had changed its appearance.

Then don’t think about it.

Dafu staggered along behind Fanzhezi.

Anyway, I'm sticking with you.

Xu Yuan didn't dare to get too close, keeping a distance of two miles from the Ghost King.

Wherever the Ghost King went, evil spirits retreated.

The mountain road, which was dozens of miles long, was traversed in just half an hour.

Then Xu Yuan saw the "dilapidated temple" that the weasel had mentioned.

This is a vast ruin that covers an entire hillside.

You can see that when the temple was at its peak, its gate was at the foot of the mountain.

Then, going uphill, there are various buildings along the way. When you reach the top of the mountain, there are three huge palaces.

When the Ghost King arrived at this place, dozens of evil spirits of various sizes flew out from the ruins of the ancient temple and fled into the surrounding darkness.

This place was originally the territory of a great evil spirit, but last night the Ghost King swallowed that creature whole.

Before dawn, the Ghost King left, and this place became a "no man's land".

Various evil spirits coveted it and came to occupy it.

I never expected the Ghost King to return tonight!

What are we waiting for if we don't run? Are we just waiting to be eaten by the Demon King?

The Ghost King had no interest in these small things. He climbed the mountain step by step until he reached the ruins of the largest main hall, where he sat down cross-legged on the dilapidated shrine.

This shrine must have been enormous back then.

The statue inside is probably over three zhang tall.

The Ghost King looked cramped sitting there, but he could still fit comfortably.

Then he waited without moving.

Xu Yuan watched from a distance, wondering to himself: Could it be that the Ghost King is waiting for... the Great King Jiao?
The night was completely silent.

Xu Yuan kept his head down.

Stargazing is forbidden today; under no circumstances should you look up at the starry sky.

Dafu waited behind Xu Yuan for a while, then got bored and simply lay down.

Then, he twisted his neck and somehow looked up at the night sky.

Then their two goose eyes widened suddenly, revealing a look of terror.

It's unclear what it saw, but it was so frightened that it quickly lowered its head and dared not look again.

Dafu was getting increasingly bored, so he simply closed his eyes and went to sleep.

In the latter half of the night, Xu Yuan suddenly noticed something unusual. He touched his eyes and opened his eyes.

In an instant, countless evil spirits began to float up in the valley to the north.

Dark blue with a hint of black.

It is the fate of a ghost.

They converged together, like a great river, flowing endlessly towards the dilapidated temple.

The Ghost King moved slightly.

Xu Yuan breathed a sigh of relief; thankfully, those ghosts didn't pass by his direction.

The Yin Ghost River stopped at the foot of the mountain and then continued to accumulate.

Each of the ghosts appeared broken and dilapidated.

They have been eroded by the long years, their souls like rotten wood weathered by the wind.

All the ghosts gathered together and were bound together by some special force, transforming into a ghost as large as a mountain.

Xu Yuan frowned secretly.

The source of the power that gathered these evil spirits was actually in this dilapidated temple!
"Back then...were these ghosts all believers of this great temple?"

The colossal, ghostly mountain spoke, and countless voices coalesced: "Get down here!"

His voice was filled with suppressed anger: "That's not your place!"

"You are committing blasphemy!"

Emotions flickered in the eyes of the Ghost King.

It spoke stiffly, "You've finally arrived."

"What do you want? It's been over a hundred years, why are you still bothering us?"

The Ghost King declared, "I have come to save a bunch of cowards!"

Within the colossal, mountain-like soul entity, countless malevolent spirits roared in fury: "You dare insult us? You won't escape this mountain!"

The Ghost King said, "Where were you when Consort Fangfu was beheaded by the Exorcism Division? Is it wrong to call you cowards?"

The spirits sneered in unison: "We have never forgotten the hatred of national subjugation and annihilation! And that woman has long forgotten her own identity. What she wants is to integrate into the world of the Ming Dynasty and continue to enjoy the riches and honors of the mortal world!"

"Now, I can give you a chance to restore your country."

"Just you?"

"My homeland has always been resisting. And what are you doing? You cower in these mountains, yet you look down on the warriors fighting outside?"

The spirits fell silent.

The Ghost King continued, "Look at your ghostly appearance! In a few decades, you will be completely eroded and dissolved by time."

Even now, don't you have the courage to take a gamble?

The spirits, united in their will, asked in deep voices, "Tell me your plan."

"Tomorrow night, here, I will help you enter the dreams of your descendants..."

The spirits panicked: "No! If we invade the consciousness of future generations, we'll replace them..."

"Shut up!" the Ghost King roared. "What are you all afraid of? Those descendants are now obedient subjects of the Ming Dynasty. They have forgotten their ancestors!"
Such descendants deserve no pity! Why not use their bodies to restore the glory of our ancestors?

The spirits were silent for a moment, then said in unison, "If we fail, we won't be able to escape either."

"How long can you hold on like this? Twenty years? Rather than prolonging your lives in this inhuman and despicable way, why not take a gamble!"

The Ghost King continued, "In Siam, rebel armies are rising up everywhere, and the Ming Dynasty can no longer suppress them. If an uprising breaks out in Jiaozhi, the flames of war will spread across the land within three months!"
"We will surely drive the Ming Dynasty out; now is the best opportunity!"

A buzzing sound rang out from within the enormous, mountain-like soul.

It appears that the discussions are taking place internally.

After a moment, all the souls spoke in unison: "In our current state, the success rate of entering the dream is not very high."

"Come again tomorrow night. I have a way to help you enter my dreams."

The mountain-like soul disintegrated, transforming back into a great river flowing north: "See you tomorrow night."

After they left, the Ghost King descended from the shrine and returned to the ship along the same route.

It lay back in the warehouse, and those arms stretched out again, covering the warehouse floorboards one by one.

Xu Yuan did not appear. After the Ghost King returned to the ship, Xu Yuan picked up Dafu and flew away quickly.

Then, following the weasel's directions, they indeed found a large nest of weasels.

He immediately spent money to "buy" the whole family and turn them into servants.

Then send them to the river bend to keep an eye on the cargo ship.

Xu Yuan then left, relieved.

By the time we left Xiaoyushan, it was already daylight.

The members of the Purification Division spent the night on the dock.

Xu Yuan told them to come down from the mountain first last night.

When Di Youzhi saw Lord Xu, he immediately went to greet him. Before he could speak, Xu Yuan said, "Return to the city immediately!"

After entering the city, Xu Yuan instructed Di Youzhi: "Go back and tell everyone to be prepared!"

"Yes!"

Xu Yuan went alone straight to the Shanhe Si Yamen (the office of the Mountain and River Bureau).

Upon arriving outside the yamen, Xu Yuan said to the Mountain and River Captain on duty, "I want to see Miao Yu. Lead the way!"

The captains, with strange expressions, led Xu Yuan inside without saying a word.

Xu Yuan thought he might have misread it. Why did he feel that there seemed to be a hint of... schadenfreude in the expressions of those captains?
Miao Yu also lived in the backyard of the government office.

The officers led Xu Yuan through a somewhat "familiar" courtyard—Xu Yuan suddenly remembered that this was the place that connected to the Exorcism Bureau's office via a "rat path"...

Xu Yuan felt a pang of guilt.

Then a clear and melodious voice was heard, speaking as fast as a sparrow chirping: "...How dare I interfere with you? You are a Miao person, I am a Zhu person, and you are not our brother-in-law yet. Besides, even if you and my sister really get together, I can't interfere with you."

My sister chose you herself, so even if you really are that kind of person, she can only swallow her anger and keep quiet.

but--"

Her voice suddenly rose and accelerated again: "You can't mess around with Lao Xiao! The Miao family's uncles and aunts have very high expectations for you. You must be self-reliant and work hard. You absolutely cannot go down this path of depravity. Lao Xiao is a hopeless case. My older sister and I have already given up hope..."

"Zhu Sanya!" Zhu Zhanlei's angry voice drowned out hers: "You've gone too far!"

But the voice quickly grew louder and more suppressive: "Say it again?!" Then there was a sound of something whipping, and Zhu Zhanlei cried out "Ouch, ouch!" repeatedly, his voice rapidly moving towards Lord Xu.

The two captains who brought Xu Yuan in covered their mouths and chuckled, saying, "They were just dragged out of Baiyue Pavilion by Inspector Zhu's sister," and then they ran away together.

Boom!

The moon gate between the courtyards was suddenly pulled open, and Zhu Zhanlei was running away with his head in his hands, almost bumping into Xu Yuan.

"Huh?!" Zhu Zhanlei's face turned red and then white.

A woman with a slender waist and long, straight legs, dressed in the uniform of a patrol officer of the Mountain and River Bureau, was chasing after him.

The woman had long, black hair wrapped in an official's hat. Her face was fair and clean, with almond-shaped eyes and peach-blossom cheeks. She was stunningly beautiful and had a capable demeanor.

She was chasing after her younger brother, holding a bamboo stick that had just been broken off.

Seeing that there was another person outside the door, she blushed and quickly put her hand down, hiding the bamboo branch behind her back and quietly throwing it away.

Zhu Zhanlei's eyes darted around, and he quickly hid behind Xu Yuan, only sticking his head out: "Zhu Sanya, what makes you say that I corrupted my brother-in-law? Can't it be that my brother-in-law corrupted me?"

The woman in front of her curled her lip: "Old Zhu, your whole family knows what kind of person you are."

"That's not because I corrupted him!" Zhu Zhanlei shouted, jumping up and down. "He was never a good person to begin with, so why would I need to corrupt him? His old flame is at the White Moon Pavilion!"

Miao Yu wanted to cry but had no tears.

It was sold off completely.

The marriage proposal fell through.

"Fine, I can't discipline you anymore. I'll tell my parents when we get home..."

"All you do is tattle!"

Xu Yuan cupped his hands and asked, "Is this Inspector Zhu from Luo City?"

Zhu Zhanmei clasped her hands in a fist and palm salute: "Indeed. May I ask, Your Excellency..."

Zhu Zhanlei quickly said, "This is my brother-in-law's good friend. My brother-in-law asked him to help investigate the matter of the Ghost King's body. His tastes are different from ours. Last night, that Miss Bai said that Lord Xu has taken a liking to the two young girls in her courtyard who haven't even had their hair combed yet."

Xu Yuan: ...

I can truly empathize with Miao Yu's suffering.

Zhu Zhanmei's eyes indeed held a scrutinizing quality.

Xu Yuan waved his hand, pulled Zhu Zhanlei back into the courtyard, closed the door, and asked, "Gentlemen... especially Inspector Zhu, I want to ask: Can the Ghost King's Body develop self-awareness?"

Miao Yu and Zhu Zhanmei both looked serious, while Zhu Zhanlei remained nonchalant.

"What do you mean by that?" Zhu Zhanmei asked hurriedly.

“I saw the Ghost King’s form last night…” Xu Yuan then recounted what had happened.

Zhu Zhanmei's cherry lips parted slightly in surprise: "It really is the Demon Extermination Army..."

Zhu Zhanlei, beaming with pride, stretched out his hand to Miao Yu: "Brother-in-law, what did I say? I admit defeat."

Miao Yu waved his hand: "Don't interrupt. Once this matter is resolved, if you're right, I won't renege on my promise. Is what Brother Xu said true?"

"It's true."

Zhu Zhanmei glanced at her brother-in-law and younger brother, and chuckled coldly: "Look, on the same night, some people are having fun, while others are diligently investigating cases!"

Zhu Zhanlei was very unhappy and muttered to himself, "From childhood to adulthood, you always thought I was inferior to this person or that person."

Miao Yu said, "Come with me."

He went back into the house to get a set of keys, and led the group through several turns to a small building inside the government office.

After unlocking the door and going inside, you'll find the library of the Shanhe Si Zhancheng Yamen (a government office in Zhancheng).

Miao Yu quickly searched through the materials and soon found in a yellowed record: "The dilapidated temple on Xiaoyu Mountain should be the 'Tianfu Temple' that was the most popular temple in the past. Back then, most of the powerful and wealthy people in Champa were believers of this temple."

He continued searching through the records and pointed to another passage, saying, "It also says here: After the fall of Champa, the entire army was on guard against evil spirits causing trouble, but unexpectedly, things turned out very peacefully afterwards."

It was indeed those wandering spirits who had always hidden themselves in Xiaoyu Mountain, lurking around that temple.

Zhu Zhanmei thought for a moment and said, "I have also heard that there are certain tricks performed in Jiaozhi that use blood as a medium—I suppose their so-called dream entry is like this."

The thinner one's bloodline, the more difficult it is to perform this kind of sorcery. The Ghost King's confident assertion strongly suggests that it may indeed have found a method to significantly increase the success rate of such sorcery.

Xu Yuan asked the same question again: "Why did the Ghost King develop self-awareness?"

According to Xiang Qinghuai, the "Ghost King Body" is more like a weapon.

Each use requires someone to sacrifice themselves, using their own soul to control it.

Zhu Zhanmei thought for a moment and shook her head: "I can't guess. I'm afraid only the people from the Imperial Observatory can answer you. We know very little about the Ghost King's body. All the Ghost King bodies we captured in the past were destroyed by the Imperial Observatory."

Zhu Zhanlei then said, "Why think so much? Hurry up and report to your superiors. We only have one day; their conspiracy might launch tonight!"

Xu Yuan shared the same thought, so he looked at Miao Yu and Zhu Zhanmei.

Zhu Zhanmei immediately made arrangements: "Lord Miao, send someone to Hue City to request reinforcements as quickly as possible."

"Let's go to the dock together. If the reinforcements from Hue don't arrive today, our only hope is the river garrison!"

"Okay." Miao Yu agreed and was about to make arrangements when Zhu Zhanlei called out, "I can go to Hue City!"

"Don't make things worse." Zhu Zhanmei didn't give him any face at all.

Zhu Zhanlei thought about it and realized that it was indeed a matter of great importance. What if something unexpected happened on the way... He had never taken on such a big responsibility in his life, and he immediately felt a pang of guilt.

So I gave up trying and obediently huddled to the side.

Xu Yuan thought for a moment and then said, "Shunhua City is too far away. Why don't I also ask Luo City for help?"

Zhu Zhanmei thought for a moment, then nodded and said, "Okay! Remember not to leak this to the Demon Extermination Army."

"it is good."

Xu Yuan immediately went back and asked Fu Jingyu to make a trip to Luocheng.

Because of the urgency of the matter, Fu Jingyu borrowed several calligraphy copybooks from Song Lu.

These calligraphy copybooks were left to Song Lu by his fifth aunt, and they were faster.

Xu Yuan waited in the patrol room in the south city, appearing calm on the surface, but actually extremely anxious inside.

If the method involving the Ghost King's body works, there will be a large-scale riot by the local indigenous people tonight!

Although the Ming Dynasty continuously migrated people to Jiaozhi (Vietnam) over the past hundred years, the local indigenous people still make up the majority.

The servants in the homes of many officials in Champa were also local natives.

If they really cause trouble, the consequences will be unimaginable.

Moreover, there is an unfathomable leader who is also a "ghost king".

Not long after lunch, Inspector Zhang, one of Miao Yu's men, arrived.

"Lord Xu, my master requests your presence at the dock."

Xu Yuan nodded, then led Di Youzhi and Lang Xiaoba out of the city, riding swiftly to the dock.

This time, they went straight to the Grand Canal government office.

The local river supervisor sat at the head of the table, with a military officer on his left, several important officials from the Grand Canal Administration, and Miao Yu and Zhu Zhanmei sitting around him.

"Lord River Supervisor, Inspector Xu has arrived."

The river supervisor raised his hand, pointed to the clothing map hanging on the wall next to him, and said calmly, "Lord Xu, please point out the exact location of that ship."

Xu Yuan hesitated for a moment, but still stepped forward and circled the approximate location on the map.

The river supervisor then said, "Alright, thank you, Lord Xu. Men, escort Lord Xu out."

Miao Yu and Zhu Zhanmei immediately looked displeased.

Miao Yu questioned, "Is the River Supervisor excluding Lord Xu?"

Before the River Supervisor could speak, the "River Patrol Commissioner" to his right coldly said, "This is originally a case of our Canal Administration. What's the meaning of their Purification Division getting involved?"

Xu Yuan couldn't help but sneer.

Zhu Zhanmei's voice then rang out: "I discovered this Ghost King's body during my patrol. It wasn't lost while I was on duty."

The entire Grand Canal Administration mobilized its staff, seemingly working diligently, but found nothing.

Lord Xu has found the Ghost King's body, a truly meritorious achievement, yet you cling to sectarian prejudices and want to exclude him?"

The river patrolman, his face ashen, remained silent after being rebuked.

Zhu Zhanmei may be a minor inspector with little influence, but the Zhu family behind her carries considerable weight!
After saying this, Zhu Zhanmei looked at everyone present one by one.

But apart from Miao Yu, everyone else maintained the same attitude as before.

Zhu Zhanmei shook her head repeatedly.

What a bunch of short-sighted, conservative people!

Xu Yuan was the first to discover the Ghost King's form, and therefore knew the situation best.

With him around, he can provide valuable insights and suggestions.

Moreover, this credit is undeniable; even if Xu Yuan isn't allowed to go now, he will be rewarded in the future.

Excluding Xu Yuan would be ridiculed by both the government and the public for being narrow-minded.

It would be better to involve Xu Yuan and turn the case into a joint operation between the Canal Administration and the Purification Bureau.

The canal government would not lose face as a result, and it could also rely on the power of the Luocheng South Office.

Why not do it?

The Grand Canal Supervisor, seated at the head of the table, remained silent. Xu Yuan chuckled and turned to leave gracefully, saying, "No need. Indeed, this is a case under your Grand Canal Administration."

Your case is your responsibility!
Inspector Zhang and the others waited outside and then escorted Xu Yuan out.

Even Inspector Zhang couldn't help but mutter, "These officials are more trouble than they're worth!"

After Xu Yuan left, the Grand Canal Administration began to discuss how to deal with the Ghost King's body.

The officer from the river camp was a deputy general, and there were a thousand soldiers in the outer camp.

He was extremely confident: "We should strike first, without waiting until night. Let's send our troops now, by land and sea, to surround that ship and capture the Ghost King!"

The others nodded in agreement: "According to Xu Yuan, those former dynasty ghosts are cowards. As long as the Ghost King's body is captured, those guys won't dare to cause trouble. In another ten or twenty years, they will automatically dissipate in this mountain wilderness."

The crowd was in high spirits. Miao Yu and Zhu Zhanmei offered some suggestions, but they were all refuted by the crowd.

So, in less than half an hour, a decision was made: advance!

The river garrison consisted of half land and half naval troops, and three warships: one large and two small.

The adjutant quickly returned to camp to recruit soldiers, his heart burning with fervor.

Unexpectedly, this extraordinary achievement has fallen upon my shoulders!
The Ghost King has disappeared, and the canal authorities suspect that it was the work of the Siamese rebels.

Therefore, four thousand soldiers from the river channel were dispatched.

The main force is in Luocheng, while his unit is a secondary force.

For soldiers, how can they achieve merit if they don't fight?

The detachment was stationed in Champa. The adjutant general thought he had made a wasted trip, but he ended up getting the first credit!

That's why he strongly advocated advancing the troops; if he waited for Luo Cheng's main force to arrive, there would be nothing left for him to do.

Three warships were in the river, and five hundred infantrymen were on land, advancing side by side along the canal.

It only took an hour to reach that river bend.

We've already spotted that cargo ship with its sails lowered and moored on the shore.

The lieutenant general ordered: "Form ranks and prepare to attack!"

"Bang the drum!"

As soon as the drumbeats began, the windows of the cargo ship opened simultaneously, and twenty-four withered, long, thin feet emerged and began paddling in the water.

The fleshy skin of the large foot writhed and automatically shaped into the webbed feet of a duck.

With a single stroke, the cargo ship surged forward a hundred feet or so, moving at incredible speed toward the three warships of the river camp.

They were five miles apart, and in the blink of an eye, the cargo ship was right in front of them.

Twenty-four withered, thin arms then emerged from the cabin, twelve on each side, and together they pierced one of the two small boats belonging to the river camp.

Click, click, click—

The wood and sheet metal coverings on the warships were as flimsy as paper beneath these arms.

With a combined effort of their arms, the warship was completely torn apart.

(End of this chapter)