After completing the bizarre game, the world experienced a global resurgence of strange occurrences.

The sound made Chen Zhuo and the other two pause in their actions.

Then came several more familiar voices, filled with worry.

"Advisor Chen, Captain Xing, it's so good that you're both safe and sound!"

"Why are you here?"

Xing Yun scanned the crowd and discovered that the newcomers were the same people from the Su family's old residence.

Zheng Shuhang pointed to the locust tree and explained to Chen Zhuo and the others.

"Just half an hour ago, Jingwei suddenly told me that someone wanted to make it disappear completely and asked me to go to the village square to stop it."

"Upon hearing these words, we immediately realized that you have successfully found the true form of this strange entity."

We also considered that other surviving villagers might have received this message, which could potentially hinder you.

So we were planning to come and see if there was anything we could do to help you, and we didn't expect to overhear what you were saying just now.

Fu Leyao raised her hand and gently stroked the head of the calamity crow on her shoulder.

"Thanks to it and Mr. Shen's help, our journey has been relatively smooth."

"Gentlemen, could you please hold back? Let me try to reason with them?"

Zheng Shuhang walked between the two sides, his tone tinged with sadness.

Chen Zhuo stopped what he was doing, took a few steps back to make room for him, and asked Xing Yun and the other person to stop temporarily.

Zheng Shuhang thanked them upon seeing this, then turned to look at the group of Wujing Village villagers with determined gazes.

"I know you don't want to go through the pain of losing loved ones again, and I feel the same way you do."

He reached into his chest pocket, where a slightly yellowed group photo lay.

"My wife has been missing for five years. I have dreamed of her countless times, and I dream of our family of three being reunited."

I even thought that I would pay any price just to see her one more time!

But I know better than anyone that the wife who reappeared before me was not my true love.

It was merely a puppet created according to my memory.

Human memory is subjective; it tends to idealize those we love. Such a puppet, though perfect, lacks any sense of reality.

"You're talking nonsense!"

An old woman suddenly screamed, gripping the broom tightly in her hand, her eyes bloodshot as she glared at Zheng Shuhang.

"That's my son! He calls me 'Mom' and wants to eat my Mapo Tofu!"

"Aunt Li, think about it carefully. Does he really love Mapo Tofu? I often come back with Jingwei, so I know the people in the village quite well."

As far as I remember, your son never liked stir-fried pork with chili peppers because he was allergic to soybeans!

He always complained that you'd always told him since he was little that eating a little wouldn't hurt, and that his body would adjust if he ate more, adding that he was just being too fussy!

Zheng Shuhang's voice suddenly rose, and he stared straight at the old woman.

The old woman dropped the broom from her hand with a thud, and stood frozen in place as if struck by lightning.

His face, which had been filled with anger, now showed signs of panic.

Zheng Shuhang glanced around and addressed the crowd, who were beginning to waver.

"Death is never the most terrifying thing; what is truly terrifying is being forgotten."

As we revel in the joy of reunion, the true image of the person we miss will gradually be replaced by these puppets.

That was when they truly faced death!

The square was silent except for the suppressed sobs of the villagers.

They looked at the locust tree, their eyes filled with reluctance, yet also with a touch of clarity.

The old woman walked to the locust tree, gently stroking its dry bark, bidding a silent farewell.

A moment later, the old woman moved aside, and the other villagers, seeing this, also hesitated and stepped aside to make way for the path to the locust tree.

Finding no obstruction ahead, Chen Zhuo immediately went to the locust tree.

The next second, the white bone cane, carrying a terrifying and destructive aura, stabbed fiercely towards the roots of the locust tree.

As the white bone cane pierced through, its roots were severed by Chen Zhuo's eerie energy, and the entire locust tree began to tremble violently.

The cracked bark withered rapidly, and the human-shaped fruits on the branches disintegrated one after another.

The massive tree canopy collapsed with a deafening roar, eventually turning into a cloud of dust that dissipated above the central square.

With the death of the locust tree, the eerie atmosphere that had enveloped Wujing Village suddenly vanished.

The once gloomy sky has now been brightened.

"call--"

Xing Yun took a deep breath, and the worries of the past few days vanished.

"After being cooped up for so many days, I can finally breathe some fresh air outside."

"Next is to seal the ghost gate and resolve the remaining strange occurrences in the village."

Song Qi took out the sealing tape and pretended to search for the Ghost Gate.

Fu Leyao pressed her hand back down, and under her puzzled gaze, she gestured with her lips towards Chen Zhuo.

"You don't need to do it; Consultant Chen has a better way."

"What?"

Song Qi looked at Chen Zhuo with a blank expression, curious about what Fu Leyao's method was all about.

Chen Zhuo stomped his foot hard, and with a loud bang, a black shadow flew out of the deep pit left by the locust tree like a cannonball and finally landed in front of everyone.

Upon closer inspection, everyone realized that the object was actually a coffin!

Chen Zhuo and the others clearly sensed a strange aura slowly gathering inside the coffin.

Chen Zhuo walked to the coffin, gently lifted the lid, and revealed the corpse lying inside.

"This is Jin Feng, who died four years ago! Four years have passed, and her body is completely unharmed!"

Someone in the crowd exclaimed in surprise, clearly recognizing the person in the coffin.

It's no wonder they were surprised; normally, after four years of death, even if a body doesn't turn into bones, it will show signs of decay.

However, the corpse in the coffin had only lost the elasticity of its skin.

"It seems that the locust tree was born from the heart's gate." Xing Yun curiously stepped forward.

Shen Qingli and the others almost all came to reality after their hearts were broken when they pushed open the door, so Chen Zhuo was not surprised by this.

"Everyone back off!"

At Chen Zhuo's command, the people who had surrounded them immediately retreated.

Chen Zhuo immediately raised his white bone cane and pressed it against the corpse's heart. With a forceful downward press of his wrist, the heart, as if made of paper, instantly shattered into countless fragments!

Song Qi's eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at the sudden scene unfolding before her.

A moment later, she extended her hand to Fu Leyao.

"Pinch me, I feel like I'm dreaming."

"Haha, aren't you surprised? I was surprised too when I first saw it."

Fu Leyao patted Song Qi's arm lightly, and seeing her like this, she couldn't help but burst into laughter.

Song Qi's breathing became rapid, and she tried to speak several times but didn't know what to say.

Just as she was processing all of this, the villagers in the square had dispersed, leaving only Zheng Shuhang and his son.

"Advisor Chen, I have already notified the branch to send someone over. Leave the rest of the mess to us."

Mr. Zheng probably has something to say to you. You should go back with them.

Upon hearing this, Chen Zhuo agreed and then, with Zheng Shuhang who seemed hesitant to speak, prepared to return to the Su family's old residence.

Ling Yichen glanced at Xing Yun and the others, then at Chen Zhuo who was about to leave, and immediately chose to follow Chen Zhuo out of the square.

This scene was witnessed by the Mirror Ghost, who then told Chen Zhuo.

"Chen Zhuo, that kid has caught up with us. He seems to want to talk to you about something."

"Okay, let him come along."

Let's put Ling Yichen's matter aside for now; we need to settle Zheng Shuhang and his son in order for the time being.