At the start of the game, you have one equipment slot; the effects of unequipping the equipment rema

The moonlight, as white as silver, slanted across the river outside Qinghe County, shimmering like scattered silver fragments.

This is the Qingshui River, a great river that has sustained countless poor people in Qinghe County.

It is also the origin of the name Qinghe County.

On the banks of the Qingshui River, about thirteen or fourteen miles from Qinghe County, there is a large complex of courtyards built along the river, with blue bricks and gray tiles, stretching as far as the eye can see.

The courtyard wall is high, with sharpened wooden stakes stuck on top. Several lanterns hang high above the gate, illuminating the two powerful characters on the plaque: "Caobang".

This was the headquarters of the canal gang, and also the place that controlled the waterway transportation of the entire Qinghe County.

At this moment, in a courtyard at the deepest part of the headquarters.

A not-so-large stone table was placed in the center of the courtyard, with a dozen or so small dishes and several opened jars of wine on it.

Two middle-aged men were sitting facing each other, drinking and chatting.

The one on the left has dark skin, a burly build, broad shoulders and a thick back, and sits on the stone bench like an iron tower.

His name is Cao Xiu, the leader of the Cao Gang and also the head of the Water Protection Hall. He is at the mid-stage of the Meridian Opening Realm and is skilled in underwater combat. He is known as the "Black Dragon in the Waves".

He had complete control over which goods could pass through the waterways of Qinghe County and which could not.

The man sitting opposite him had a slightly lighter complexion than Cao Xiu, and his face bore a resemblance to Cao Xiu's, though he was a bit thinner and had less of a fierce look and more of a melancholy look between his brows.

He was Cao Xiu's younger brother, born of the same father and mother, the second leader of the Canal Gang, and the head of the Rushui Hall—Cao Ding.

How's the guild's performance lately?

Cao Xiu drank a full cup, casually wiped his mouth with his large hand, and asked.

Cao Ding also downed the wine in his glass in one gulp, and then replied in a deep voice, "It's alright."

But compared to Cao Xiu, who was enjoying the wine, Cao Ding's expression was noticeably more unfocused.

He put down his glass, his fingers unconsciously stroking the rim.

After a moment, he seemed to finally be unable to hold back and whispered, "Brother, the news about the bride in the wedding dress has spread throughout the gang, causing panic among the members."

"In just one month, many canal workers have either died or fled. If this continues, not only will our revenue decrease, but if it goes on for any longer, it may alarm the government or even the Demon Slayer Bureau."

Cao Ding's words did not seem to affect Cao Xiu. He simply picked up a wine jar and poured a cup for himself and Cao Ding.

"Ah Ding, do you still remember what happened when we were kids?" Cao Xiu suddenly asked.

Cao Ding was taken aback, seemingly not expecting him to bring this up.

Cao Xiu continued, "Our father died at the dock, his spine broken when a cargo box fell on him. Our mother fell ill and didn't make it through that winter."

"How old were we back then? I was eight and you were six. We were so hungry every day that we had to fight with wild dogs for food, and we almost got bitten to death by those beasts."

His tone was calm, as if he were talking about someone else's business: "Later, we were lucky enough to be discovered by the old man, who gave us food and taught us martial arts."

"But back then, the canal gang was just a small gang. There were all sorts of gangs on the river, and we didn't even have many decent boats."

Cao Ding remained silent and did not respond.

Cao Xiu poured himself a drink and finished it: "A Ding, the reason we've come this far, leading the canal gang to dominate Qinghe, has always been because we dared to fight, dared to venture, and dared to risk our lives, risking your life, risking my life, risking everyone's life."

Cao Ding fell silent, knowing that his brother was telling the truth.

The hardships he endured along the way were even more difficult than he described.

Cao Xiu continued, "As you know, there were already reports of unrest in the north half a year ago. The court is undergoing a generational change, and they are only concerned with dividing power and vying for profit in the capital. They have no time to care about small places like ours."

"If we don't seize the opportunity, how will we survive if problems arise? How will our brothers who follow us survive?"

Cao Ding's lips moved, and he finally retorted, "Brother, we still can't cooperate with demons! That thing is a demon, a man-eating demon; this is like asking a tiger for its skin!"

Cao Xiu waved his hand, his tone resolute: "I have already used a secret technique to extract the essence and heart blood of that demon. It cannot escape my control. As long as it wants to live, it can only obediently become our dog."

"But......"

Cao Ding wanted to say something more, but Cao Xiu interrupted him directly: "Don't worry, I'm not a greedy person. As long as I have enough resources to break through to the sixth rank, I will stop immediately."

With his talent, the mid-stage of the Meridian Opening Realm was already his limit. Without external help, he would find it difficult to reach even the late-stage of the Meridian Opening Realm, let alone the sixth-order Acupoint Opening Realm.

Cao Ding nodded sullenly and did not refute further.

He knew his older brother's temperament; once he made up his mind, nothing could sway him.

Just then, Cao Xiu's expression suddenly changed.

He suddenly stood up, knocking over the wine glass in front of him, and the wine spilled down the edge of the stone table.

"What's wrong, brother?"

Cao Ding immediately asked with concern.

"Something's happened to the catfish fodder!"

Cao Xiu left those words behind and strode towards the back of the courtyard.

Seeing this, Cao Ding quickly followed.

The two passed through several hidden doors and followed a downward-sloping stone staircase to a dimly lit underground river.

The river water was as black as ink, flowing gurglingly, and the air was filled with a heavy, damp, fishy smell.

This is the underground waterway connecting to the Qinghe River, a secret place known only to the three leaders of the Cao Gang.

At this moment, an elderly man with white hair and beard stood on the bank of the river, his brows furrowed.

He was Fan Lang, the third leader of the Canal Gang and the head of the Fenshui Hall. He was a confidant of the deceased leader and the most senior member of the Canal Gang.

However, his strength is relatively limited; like Cao Ding, he is only at the late stage of the Qi Condensation Realm.

"Old Fan, what's going on?"

Cao Xiu took the lead and asked.

Before Fan Lang could speak, the river suddenly surged, and a huge black shadow appeared on the surface.

The creature had dark brown skin all over its body, was nearly three zhang long, and was smooth and scaleless, with skin like leather soaked in oil.

Two long whiskers swayed in the water, and two rows of fine, sharp teeth were revealed in its open mouth.

It looks exactly like a catfish magnified countless times.

The Catfish Clan is a fifth-tier early-stage demon that Cao Xiu discovered at the bottom of the Qinghe River half a year ago.

"What are you making such a racket in the middle of the night!" Cao Xiu strode forward, his voice stern.

The catfish raised its head from the water, its two beady eyes gleaming with a murky yellow light, and its voice was hoarse, like sandpaper rubbing against sheet metal: "The bride in the wedding dress is dead."

Cao Xiu stopped in his tracks.

He spent several months searching for women born on an unlucky day and in an unlucky month, and finally found a suitable candidate in a village.

To ensure her resentment was strong enough after her death, he even tortured and killed her entire family in front of her on her wedding day.

In the collapsed bridal chamber, she was strangled to death with a rope made from the long whiskers of a catfish.

Finally, he tied a huge rock to his feet and sank to the bottom of the river, thus creating the ghost.

He went to such great lengths, even allowing the bride to eat and nourish herself in the alleyway full of gangsters.

It was all so that when she broke through to the fifth rank, the catfish could refine her into a pill to help her break through to the next level.

If this succeeds, he will go all out and let the catfish gather enough resources for him to break through to the sixth rank as quickly as possible.

At that time, as long as he sells his possessions and acquires a sixth-level Qi Opening Realm martial art, he will become the uncrowned king of Qinghe County!

But now, just as he was about to take his first step, he was told that his foot was gone?

"call--"

Cao Xiu took a deep breath and exhaled a long breath. It took him a while to calm down his anger.

"Old Fan, expand the search area and continue looking for women born on yin months, yin days, and yin hours!"

If the bride in the wedding dress is dead, so be it. At worst, we can just put in some effort to raise another one.

As long as the culprit remains hidden, everything else is a minor matter.

Fan Lang nodded.

The catfish didn't speak, but slowly sank into the water.

Its dark brown back carved a trail beneath the water's surface before quickly disappearing into the depths of the river.

"Ah Ding, go to Guaizi Alley and investigate how the bride died. Try to be as discreet as possible. If it involves the Demon Slayer Bureau, come back immediately."

"good!"

"I hope you're not playing any tricks..."

Cao Xiu stared at the vanished catfish with a gloomy expression.