Chapter 145: Sudden Mutation

This ghost case is no small matter. As we can gather from Old Seven Zhuang's words, Manicai Kuai died in a bizarre fashion without a trace of the malevolent spirit being seen beforehand. This suggests that such a death was most likely not caused directly by the spirit itself, but rather by triggering its laws.

This point is crucial.

To crack a ghost case, apprehend, or even dismantle a malevolent spirit, one must at least be able to lay eyes on the apparition.

Before Manicai Kuai died, he bled mysteriously and continuously, with a hole the size of a rice bowl torn open in his upper back. Yet, the ghost never materialized, meaning it could not be counted as a direct murder by the entity.

If you cannot see the ghost and do not know its rules of killing, you will have no idea how to avoid danger when dealing with it. In that case, there is a very high probability of triggering its laws, being marked by the spirit, and ultimately dying an incomprehensible death.

"Once we arrive at Zhuang Family Village, everyone must be extremely cautious and avoid wandering about carelessly," Zhao Fusheng said.

"Understood!"

"Understood!" Fan Wujiu and Wu Shaochun felt a chill run through their hearts, engraving her words deeply into their minds as they responded.

Fan Bisǐ was torn, unsure whether he should let out a sigh of relief or tighten the strings of his nerves.

This ghost case sounded like the resurgence of a female ghost, but Zhao Fusheng's grave expression showed just how tricky and extraordinarily dangerous the case truly was.

He did not need to accompany them on this ghost case, meaning he had no need to worry about falling into danger himself.

Yet, his younger brother was among the investigators, which inevitably filled him with anxiety.

Composing himself, he said:

"I will go have someone pack the magistrate's luggage and prepare the carriage in the meantime."

Zhao Fusheng nodded. Upon hearing that he could not escape this ghost case, Zhang Chuanshi wore a look of utter despair:

"With such danger afoot, why is the magistrate sending so many people?"

Since they were all marching to their deaths anyway, "In my opinion, Wu Shaochun alone would suffice. Fan the Second and I have both survived a ghost case at least once."

With that, as if remembering something, he hurriedly added:

"Granted, the Town Devil Division is a bit short on agents right now, but I recall there is still Liu Yizhen. That rascal has been hiding in the Confucian Temple, refusing to show his face—he is truly a sly fox. We should drag him along to handle the case instead of always pointing fingers at the few of us—"

The higher the frequency of handling ghost cases, the greater the probability of death. Zhang Chuanshi said with a trembling heart:

"Otherwise, these old bones of mine will sooner or later be claimed by these cases."

"Rest assured."

Zhao Fusheng turned and smiled at him.

Hearing the words "rest assured," Zhang Chuanshi thought Zhao Fusheng had already figured out a plan. His eyes lit up, and he was about to speak when Zhao Fusheng continued:

"The Town Devil Division still has surplus funds after renovating the facade and shops. If anyone perishes in a ghost case, there will be a generous bereavement stipend—"

Before she could finish, Zhang Chuanshi found the topic unlucky and hurriedly interrupted her:

"Why is the magistrate uttering such inauspicious words—"

"What else were you hoping to hear?"

Zhao Fusheng raised an eyebrow at him. Remembering that he was the one who had brought up the topic in the first place, he felt a twinge of guilt under her gaze and muttered despondently:

"I was just speaking off the cuff. Besides, if I were to die, I have neither wife nor children, and a relative whose whereabouts are unknown. What use would a bereavement stipend be to me..."

"Then you shall have a grand burial," Zhao Fusheng teased. "We will make sure your funeral is a magnificent affair."

Zhang Chuanshi wore a weeping expression:

"I don't want to die."

Wu Shaochun took it much more lightly:

"A grand burial will do. My life was a gift to begin with, and since my mother has already passed on and there is no one to collect the stipend, spending it all on myself is worth it."

After the three of them bantered for a bit, Gou the Fourth—who had been ignored by the others until now—suddenly spoke up in a timid voice:

"My lord, are, are we going to be alright—"

His single sentence instantly shattered the relaxed atmosphere within the Town Devil Division.

The smile vanished from Zhao Fusheng's face, and her expression grew somewhat more serious as she said:

"I cannot say for certain."

Presently, the malevolent spirit's killing rules had not yet been fully grasped; all they knew was that Manicai Kuai's message transmitted a certain "signal" unique to the entity.

The villagers of Zhuang Family Village who had witnessed his death received the ghost's "notification" one after another, driving them to rush voluntarily to Kuangliang Village.

To put it more gravely, Old Seven Zhuang should have been on the ghost's "hit list." He was originally the entity's prey, but Gou the Fourth had inadvertently stumbled into Zhuang Family Village.

An unmarked person, one who was not on the ghost's list, had entered Zhuang Family Village and unintentionally carried Old Seven Zhuang away, allowing him to escape with his life.

"However, judging by Manicai Kuai's outcome, you will most likely be implicated as well."

In other words, Old Seven Zhuang's current significance was identical to that of Manicai Kuai, who had rushed from Kuangliang Village to Zhuang Family Village for help—he had become a carrier for the spirit to transmit its mark.

"Therefore, you must accompany us on this trip as well."

This was the best way to prevent the ghost's rules from spreading further.

If Zhao Fusheng's conjecture proved correct, bringing Gou the Fourth along meant that if the ghost case was successfully resolved and he managed to survive, it would be a happy ending for all.

If the ghost case fell into a deadlock, or if Gou the Fourth unfortunately perished within it, then the spirit's transmission vector would end right there, preventing the case from spreading outward and endangering more lives.

This approach was somewhat cruel, but for the sake of the other innocent commoners in Wan'an County, Zhao Fusheng had no other choice.

"I, I don't want to go—"

Gou the Fourth also caught the underlying meaning in Zhao Fusheng's words. His face turned ashen as he waved his hands frantically:

"I don't want to go."

"This is not up to you,"

Zhao Fusheng said coldly:

Before confirming the true killing rules of the malevolent spirit, it is impossible to determine whether your existence will pose a hazard to others. On this trip to Zhuang Village and Kuang village, you must travel with us; otherwise, I will execute you before we even set out.

"B-But this isn't fair, I didn't do anything—"

Hearing Zhao Fusheng's words, a look of despair surfaced on Gou the Fourth's face:

"I only, I didn't know—"

"When has there ever been so much fairness?"

Zhao Fusheng looked at him calmly:

"The occurrence of a ghost case is unfair to everyone else. Look around you—are any of the others in my Town Devil Division willing to go?"

She pointed at Wu Shaochun and Zhang Chuanshi:

"The emergence of a malevolent spirit is equally unfair to those who have already died. We have no choice."

"Have mercy, my lord, I don't want to go—"

Gou the Fourth could not process her words and could only repeat this single phrase back and forth.

Zhao Fusheng, however, no longer wasted her breath on him and instead turned to Fan Bisǐ:

"You have seen today's situation. Place everyone who has had contact with Old Seven Zhuang and Gou the Fourth recently under temporary house arrest. Do not let them leave the premises of the Town Devil Division; ideally, they should eat and sleep right around here so as not to affect the other districts of Wan'an County."

Hearing this, Fan Bisǐ recognized the gravity of the situation. His heart tightened as he acknowledged:

"Understood."

Having given her instructions, she turned her gaze to Magistrate Pang.

The elderly magistrate already understood the implication of her words. Though somewhat unsettled in his heart, he stated:

"Rest assured, my lord. Once I return to the yamen, I will not easily step out to receive visitors until you return safely, minimizing contact with others as much as possible."

Zhao Fusheng nodded:

"In short, before confirming the malevolent spirit's marking rules, erring on the side of caution is never a mistake."

Even as she spoke, Gou the Fourth was still crying out his grievances endlessly.

Unexpectedly, Old Seven Zhuang—who had previously been terrified and unsettled—was now indescribably calm.

While the others were engaged in a heated discussion, he sat there like a detached bystander.

Zhao Fusheng had not overlooked him.

This man was one of the key figures in the Kuangliang Village ghost case; he had witnessed firsthand the deaths of the people in Kuangliang Village, and every single action of his warranted attention.

As she spoke, Zhao Fusheng's peripheral vision remained fixed on him.

Just as she finished giving her orders, Old Seven Zhuang—who had been slumped weakly on the ground—suddenly propped up his upper body.

He turned his head around blankly, glancing in all directions.

Old Seven Zhuang's movement looked as though someone had suddenly appeared behind him to greet him.

This action caused a heavy stone to drop in Zhao Fusheng's heart.

Yet, aside from Gou the Fourth, there was not a single other soul beside him.

The attendants of the Town Devil Division had already withdrawn. Magistrate Pang and the two Fans sat on chairs on either side, she occupied the main seat, while Wu Shaochun and Zhang Chuanshi stood behind her respectively.

Meanwhile, Old Seven Zhuang and Gou the Fourth knelt in the center of the grand hall. Gou the Fourth's mind had collapsed upon hearing that he had to accompany them, and he was weeping bitterly, completely failing to notice Old Seven Zhuang's anomaly.

Failing to see anything bizarre upon his first turn, Old Seven Zhuang absentmindedly slumped back down onto the floor.

Yet the very next moment, as if someone had prodded him in the back once more, he propped himself up with both arms, straightened his upper body, and with visible effort, turned his head to look around again, asking:

"Who's there?"

Old Seven Zhuang's abrupt words stunned everyone present in the hall.

At this moment, everyone inside the Wan'an County Town Devil Division—barring Old Seven Zhuang and Gou the Fourth—had personally experienced ghost cases and dealt with malevolent spirits.

Their perception of danger was far keener than that of ordinary people.

The moment Old Seven Zhuang's voice fell, Zhang Chuanshi instantly realized something was amiss.

Aside from Gou the Fourth, everyone subconsciously turned their gazes toward Zhao Fusheng. Magistrate Pang seamlessly rose from his seat and walked over to Zhao Fusheng's side.

Fan Wujiu peeked out to check the weather outside.

Unnoticed, the sun had been blotted out by massive layers of clouds.

The eaves protruding outside the yamen cast deep shadows, and the light inside the hall instantly seemed to dim significantly.

The air seemed laden with microscopic mist particles intertwined with an eerie atmosphere, drifting both inside and outside the yamen, transmitting a sense of horror that struck unease deep into one's heart.

Gou the Fourth still failed to realize the severity of the situation; he was still immersed in the misfortune of Zhao Fusheng's announcement that he would be forced to travel to Kuangliang Village.

Hearing Old Seven Zhuang's words, he felt both annoyed and frightened, and he too turned to look around:

"There's nobody there."

"Old Seven Zhuang, what happened?"

Zhao Fusheng asked nonchalantly.

Old Seven Zhuang raised his head, a look of uncomprehending blankness on his face.

He scratched his head, messing up his dust-covered hair. Hearing Zhao Fusheng's question, he hesitated and said:

"I just felt like... someone poked me in the back a moment ago."

It would have been fine had he not said it, but the moment he did, Gou the Fourth's anger flared up:

"Who's poking you in the back again? In my opinion, you're just making a fuss over nothing all day long—"

From his perspective, if Old Seven Zhuang hadn't made a mountain out of a molehill today, the scuffle between the two cousins would never have caught the attention of the Wan'an County officials, let alone led to the subsequent haunting in Kuangliang Village or Zhao Fusheng's demand that he accompany them.

Zhao Fusheng, however, cast aside her previous aggressive demeanor during the interrogation and adopted a much gentler tone, asking him:

"Old Seven Zhuang, who do you think poked you in the back?"

"I don't know—"

Old Seven Zhuang shook his head.

As he spoke, right before everyone's eyes, his body abruptly lurched forward.

He had received paddle blows to his backside and had been crawling on the ground, but because something had seemingly poked him in the upper back, he had propped his upper body up with his palms.

As he lunged forward now, everyone saw it with absolute clarity.

Panic-stricken, Zhang Chuanshi shrank back behind Zhao Fusheng.

Maintaining her composure, Zhao Fusheng asked him:

"Was it your cousin who poked you?"

Old Seven Zhuang and Gou the Fourth were both kneeling in the middle of the hall with no one else around them.

When Zhao Fusheng asked this, Gou the Fourth was about to cry out his innocence when he was stopped dead by her sharp glare.

"Cousin?"

Old Seven Zhuang's tone grew sluggish.

While Gou the Fourth stood by in a sweat of anxiety and hidden resentment, Old Seven Zhuang seemed to finally confirm something and shook his head: "N-No, not my cousin."

As soon as he uttered those words, Gou the Fourth felt a surge of relief and broke into a smile.

Just as he was about to speak, he saw Old Seven Zhuang—who had just been slumped on the floor—suddenly flip over and sit straight up.

This movement startled Gou the Fourth out of his wits:

"Old Seven, doesn't your backside hurt?"

Old Seven Zhuang's backside was far from the only thing that didn't hurt; his complexion looked even healthier than before.

Ever since the ghost case had broken out in Zhuang Family Village, having narrowly escaped the ghost domain, he had known no peace day or night. His face had been pale, waking up startled several times a night with dark circles under his eyes and massive eye bags—anyone could tell at a glance that he had been suffering from insomnia lately.

Yet at this moment, a flush of color bloomed on Old Seven Zhuang's cheeks, and his skin had completely lost its dullness, even glowing faintly as if good fortune were imminent.

This phenomenon looked exceptionally bizarre, filling Zhang Chuanshi's heart with unease.

Ignoring his cousin's cries, Old Seven Zhuang climbed up from the floor.

Zhao Fusheng made a decisive judgment: "Shaochun, close the doors immediately. Second Brother Fan, block him."

"I knew disaster was coming—"

Zhang Chuanshi muttered with a weeping face.

Though Gou the Fourth remained oblivious to the underlying stakes, he could tell the situation was dire from the mortal-enemy expressions worn by everyone around him.

Seeing Old Seven Zhuang climb up and head straight for the exit, Gou the Fourth remembered what Zhao Fusheng had said earlier and instinctively reached out to block him:

"Cousin, where are you going?"

"I'm going to Kuangliang Village,"

Old Seven Zhuang replied cheerfully:

"Something wonderful is happening over there, and they've sent someone to notify us to go together."

The moment those words left his mouth, Gou the Fourth—who had previously been clueless and uncomprehending—was struck by a violent jolt of terror, and his hands instantly loosened their grip on Old Seven Zhuang's arms.

"He, he—"

Gou the Fourth had listened clearly to Zhao Fusheng's interrogation of Old Seven Zhuang earlier.

She had mentioned the ghost case in Zhuang Family Village, recounted how Manicai Kuai of Kuangliang Village had come to deliver news, only to suddenly stand up bizarrely and die inside the village chief's house.

Later on, the village chief, his son, and other villagers of Zhuang Family Village had all successively displayed the compulsion to travel to Kuangliang Village, exactly matching Old Seven Zhuang's current state.

By now, Gou the Fourth finally woke up to the gravity of the situation.

Meanwhile, Wu Shaochun had already sprinted to the yamen doors, slamming them shut with a loud crash.

Without needing further prompting from Zhao Fusheng, Zhang Chuanshi and Magistrate Pang also blocked the side doors flanking the main hall.

Fan Wujiu took a stride forward and intercepted Old Seven Zhuang's path.

Sturdy and possessing physical strength far exceeding that of ordinary men, he had assumed this interception would easily halt Old Seven Zhuang.

However, Old Seven Zhuang had clearly been marked by the malevolent spirit.

His actions were no longer under his own control; he seemed to have lost autonomy over his own body.

Facing Fan Wujiu's obstruction, he acted as though he didn't even see the man, blundering straight forward into him.

*Bang.*

Upon collision, Fan Wujiu felt as though he had been struck by a heavy weight. He staggered back two steps while Old Seven Zhuang trudged forward with heavy, relentless footfalls.

"Shaochun, help block him!"

Zhao Fusheng shouted aloud.

"Understood!"

Wu Shaochun roared, hurriedly spinning around to step forward.

Regaining his footing, Fan Wujiu realized he had been driven backward by Old Seven Zhuang's impact. Having lost the test of sheer strength, a trace of stubborn pride flared up in his chest. He puffed out his chest and shouted:

"Again!"

As he yelled, he reached out to grab Old Seven Zhuang by the arm.