Forge a path to success.

Chapter 27 Faith in Spirits
That heartfelt shout was like a pebble thrown into a lake, shattering the silence of the dockside market. People forgot what they were doing and rushed towards Chu Hengkong. They were of different races and beliefs, but the fervor and reverence in their eyes were the same.

"A god..." "The darling of the trend." "The reshaper of order!" "Great tentacles, great tentacles!"

The surging crowd blocked their way, and even Chu Hengkong, with his vast experience, was taken aback by the sight. He had to raise his voice, lest his words be drowned out by a chorus of praise: "What brings you all here?"

The moment he spoke, the swamp dwellers fell silent, solemn as if listening to a divine decree. Then they bowed, raised their arms, and handed various items to Chu Hengkong.

"Gua wa. Gua." "Here are bananas." "Here comes the squid." "Fried bananas, please enjoy."

Chu Hengkong was both amused and exasperated. He finally understood what these people meant. So they had rushed over to offer sacrifices... the swamp people treated him like a god!
"Are you an idiot? Have you forgotten what's going on in the Bize District?" Ji Huaisu was furious. "The swamp people are almost all followers of various cults, and they worship demons as gods! Your tentacles are like divine bodies to them!"

"Why would they believe me when there are so many demons?" Chu Hengkong asked in a low voice while declining the fried bananas. The enthusiastic crowd pushed forward, and the encirclement gradually shrank.

"Please, Chief Inspector, have some self-awareness. You're a big shot in the city now. Various sects in the swamp claim that you and your tentacles are the incarnations of their octopus god, squid god, or some other weird god in order to recruit people... So in their eyes, you're a god descended to earth!"

"Damn it!" Chu Hengkong rarely cursed, "Is there anything the locals can do?"

"If the locals had your popularity, they wouldn't be hiding in raincoats," Ji Huaisu said sourly. "They should just swing out with their tentacles. If they keep dragging this out, something bad will happen."

People flocked to the scene after hearing the news, many pushing and shoving their way to stand before the "divine child," knocking over offerings from others. Young people called him the hand of an omniscient god, herb vendors claimed he was the light of a deep-sea sage, and everyone clamored to claim him as their "god." Shouts and shoving erupted, and the scene teetered on the brink of chaos. If this continued, it would be a deadly stampede; in that case, even ten detectives wouldn't be able to control the crowd.

Chu Hengkong raised his tentacle, intending to crack the whip to attract attention. At that moment, a clear bell rang out, sweeping through the crowd like ripples on a turbulent surface of water. The restless water droplets instantly quieted down, gazing docilely at the high slope outside the market like sheep.

The sound came from a pair of small metal bells hanging from a silver stone staff. The staff-bearer stood on a high slope, escorted by four burly men as he walked toward the market, the crowd spontaneously making way for him. The man wore a white robe resembling a cassock, was a dark-skinned, bald man, and an amethyst pendant swayed around his neck.

“All believers should be mindful of their demeanor and not disturb the distinguished guest in the name of piety,” the man with the staff said coldly.

Upon hearing this, the people immediately stopped and retreated. Chu Hengkong noticed that this man's attitude was anything but friendly, and his words seemed perfunctory, yet the swamp people listened to his advice very readily. In a few seconds, a clearing was formed around them, and Ji Huaisu quietly tugged at his sleeve from behind.

“What an honor to have you grace us with your presence, esteemed detective and distinguished guest of the Central Court.” The man with the cane bowed slightly, picking up his necklace. “My name is Adari, and I am—”

“I know.” Chu Hengkong opened his right hand, showing off his pendant. “You are the Grand Wizard of the Society of Spirits.”

·
[Pendant-type Basic Relic - Enhancement]

[Rating: Level 1]

【Origin: Mysterious Realm of Senluo - Huilong City】

[Effect: Gripping the necklace enhances perception for 1-3 seconds. The degree and duration of the enhancement depend on the level of emotional intensity.]

[Remembrance: The crystal necklace made by Granny Sangja is a symbol of status in the eyes of believers.]

Alex is one of the three great wizards of the Order of Spirits. He has deciphered too many secrets from the vortex and summons the gods to save the world.

·
As early as the night he discovered the true purpose of the Silver Eye Book, Chu Hengkong had re-appraised all his spoils of war, thus learning the significance of the pendant. The Spirits Society was the largest religious organization in the Bize District, and the Grand Wizard was its most revered leader, enjoying a reputation in the district akin to a "living Buddha" or "saint." On his very first day, he not only offended the Black Workshop but also landed the religious leader of the Swamp People in jail—a remarkably ideal start for an assassin.

The great wizard Adari was clearly aware of this, and his attitude was not friendly: "If you two do not have important matters to attend to, I hope you will not disturb the peace of the swamp."

"Please take us to see Granny Sangjia. We have some questions to ask her." Chu Hengkong remained expressionless. Adari forced a sneer: "Please go home! We have nothing to say about the man who imprisoned Alex."

Chu Hengkong raised an eyebrow at the gloomy man, then suddenly stepped forward. In a single step, he bypassed the four burly guards and flashed in front of the Grand Wizard. In the blink of an eye, Adari met his gaze, the coldness as piercing as black ice.

“You seem to have misunderstood something. I am currently carrying out my duties as a senior detective, and as a citizen of Huilong City, you have an obligation to provide me with all possible assistance.” Chu Hengkong narrowed his eyes. “Think carefully about how you should speak. Headquarters has plenty of paper and pens; writing another arrest warrant won’t be a problem.”

Adali stared at him for a few seconds, his expression unchanged. He looked at Ji Huaisu, who was wearing a raincoat: "Is the City Lord's Mansion going to let this person run rampant?"

Ji Huaisu remained silent; silence was the best expression of his stance. Adali realized that the two were serious, and the gloom in his eyes deepened: "...I will cooperate, but please be mindful of your actions."

"The guest does as the host does."

Chu Hengkong took a step back, the coldness in his eyes vanishing completely. Adali glared at the four useless guards, then turned and led the way.

Ji Huaisu moved closer to his partner, his voice barely a whisper, yet still brimming with excitement: "Damn! Your arrogant, sycophantic attitude is absolutely awful!"

“When I was in the underworld, I heard it so many times that I could recite it backwards.” Chu Hengkong picked at his ear. “One of my jobs was to make them go home.”

“Yes, that’s how you should teach them a lesson.” Ji Huaisu sneered, “But don’t go too far, be careful.”

Chu Hengkong nodded, understanding his partner's meaning. He had been on high alert ever since disembarking, not only because the employers of the assassins he had met were from the swamp, but also because of the lurking danger in the air.

For experienced people, a sense of crisis is an "intuition" more acute than the five senses. When being targeted by a gunman, one can feel the other's gaze; when being followed, hostility is as obvious as a scent. But the danger of the swamp is different from ordinary perils. The warning brought by this intuition is not strong, but it is constant. It's like countless tiny needles hidden in the air, causing a slight stinging sensation no matter where you go.

Chu Hengkong frequently gripped his perception pendant, using his enhanced senses to probe every corner where assassins might be hiding. After leaving the market, the noisy crowd finally subsided, and they walked along the road into a small settlement. The muddy road was lined with low wooden houses, and the residential area was mostly populated by the elderly and children, with few adult men and women in sight. Strangely, most of the children hid inside the houses, peeking at the passersby through the gaps in the wooden planks.

“The swamp shouldn’t be this quiet,” Ji Huaisu frowned.

Adali sneered upon hearing this: "Now is not the time to go out."

Without Adali needing to say anything, the two perceptive individuals noticed the stiffness in the air. Although the settlement and the port market were not far apart, the atmospheres were worlds apart. Chu Heng listened intently and vaguely caught sounds of crying and groans.

They emerged from the settlement in an eerie silence, making their way up the slope. At the end of the road stood a stone church, an even stranger structure, all its windows sealed shut with black cloth, like a man-made prison. Adari stopped at the church entrance, a hint of mockery creeping into his smile.

"Please come in, Chief Inspector. Sang Jia is inside, and I value my life, so I cannot keep you company."

Chu Hengkong held his breath and pushed open the door. His vision was momentarily blurred by the bright light; the sealed church was now as bright as day. Yet there were no lights or candles in the church; the light came from people's eyes, from their skin!

The original tables and chairs in the church were all removed, and dozens of white sheets were laid out in a row, on which emaciated people groaned in pain. They were dressed in black clothes like shrouds, but even so, bright yellow spots of light could be clearly seen on their bodies. These spots of light lurked beneath the skin, spreading like an incurable tinea. The most severely affected people were almost completely covered by the spots of light, their former faces unrecognizable, resembling humanoid light bodies.

An elderly woman with white hair sat cross-legged in the center of the group, grinding a brown medicinal soup in a small bowl. She looked up at Chu Hengkong, her gaze unfocused, her voice as faint as smoke.

"Quickly close the door," said Granny Sangjia. "There's poison in the light."

(End of this chapter)