Chapter 147: Fierce Ghost Mark

As soon as Zhao Fusheng’s voice fell, everyone’s gaze focused on Old Man Zhuang the Seventh, making him shudder with a chill.

"I, I—what's wrong with me?"

He had not the slightest memory of the preceding events. He only knew that the moment before, he had been talking about the death of Fourth Lady Zhuang in Kuailiang Village, and the moment after, he had been pinned to the ground by Fan Bisi and Wu Shaochun, his both arms fractured with a heart-rending, agonizing pain.

His head was soaking wet, and his body was covered in water, as if he had just been fished out of a river...

And this adult official Zhao from the Demon Suppression Division suddenly stated that she was going to tear open the clothes on his back. One could easily imagine the terror in Old Man Zhuang the Seventh's heart.

Zhao Fusheng had narrowly avoided the wrath of a vengeful ghost's resurgence and turned danger into safety.

This ability gave Fan Wujiu tremendous encouragement, even deeper than the stimulation he had experienced when witnessing her subdue the ghost of the Zhao couple with his own eyes in Baozhi County.

He had once witnessed the terrifying sight of Zhao Qiming undergoing a ghost resurgence, yet Zhao Fusheng had suppressed the ghost. She was far more capable than Zhao Qiming!

This thought stimulated Fan Wujiu’s nerves, immensely boosting his confidence in Zhao Fusheng.

Hearing her words, he even overcame his fear of the ghost. Without a second word, he reached out, grabbed Old Man Zhuang the Seventh’s clothes, and gave them a fierce yank—

With a "rip," the clothing tore in response.

Everyone's eyes concentrated on Old Man Zhuang the Seventh.

As the clothes were torn open, Zhang Chuanshi and Prefect Pang, who had previously been sitting while clutching his chest, both propped themselves up, leaning forward to curiously peer at Old Man Zhuang the Seventh's back.

He was as thin as a skeleton. Due to years of hard labor, his spine was slightly bent, and the joints of his bones poked high against that thin layer of skin, resembling a row of thorns.

He must have often gone shirtless, as his skin was slightly dark and bronze-colored.

However, the most bone-chilling thing was not Old Man Zhuang the Seventh’s thinness or the slight dampness on his skin's surface. Within everyone’s line of sight, an unbelievable and soul-shaking scene unfolded, causing everyone to widen their eyes and remain speechless for a long time.

...

Earlier, when the vengeful ghost behind Zhao Fusheng had started to resurface, Gou Old Four had fainted on the spot the moment he saw the ghost manifest its form.

After the give-and-take vengeful ghost disappeared, Gou Old Four slowly regained consciousness.

"Ghosts—Ghosts—"

As soon as he woke up, he let out a panicked scream.

However, no one paid him any attention; everyone from the Demon Suppression Division was surrounding Old Man Zhuang the Seventh.

Old Man Zhuang the Seventh was full of jittery anxiety. Hearing his cousin shout about "ghosts," he jumped in fright and hurriedly yelled:

"Where is the ghost?"

He was pinned down by Wu Shaochun and unable to move at the moment, so he could only stretch out his neck and look around left and right.

After Old Man Zhuang the Seventh shouted, Gou Old Four finally sobered up.

Inside the main hall of the Demon Suppression Division’s yamen, as the vengeful ghost was suppressed once more, the yet-to-be-fully-formed ghost domain gradually dissipated.

The dark clouds that had previously blotted out the sky slowly scattered, and sunlight shone down once again, driving away the gloom.

Although the lighting in the hall was dim because Zhang Chuanshi, Wu Shaochun, and the others had closed the doors earlier to block Old Man Zhuang the Seventh, it was still enough for Gou Old Four to clearly see the scene inside the hall.

The vengeful ghost had vanished without a trace, and everyone in the yamen was gathered around Old Man Zhuang the Seventh's side.

Memories from before he lost consciousness began to revive, and Gou Old Four looked at Old Man Zhuang the Seventh with extreme horror: "Ghost—"

After shouting, seeing that Old Man Zhuang the Seventh had a look of terror without his previous bizarre appearance, as if he had recovered his sanity, he hurriedly crawled into a sitting position and inched forward a couple of steps:

"Cousin—"

Having called out, his gaze fell upon Old Man Zhuang the Seventh's back.

Old Man Zhuang the Seventh’s clothes had been torn open by Fan Wujiu. Below his left shoulder blade, a hole the size of a fist was now ripped open.

The skin around the wound presented a scorched, bright red, flake-like appearance, flashing with a bizarre, bloody light.

The opened hole seemed to be blocked by an invisible film, allowing a glimpse of the scene beneath his chest cavity.

The most terrifying thing was that the interior of Old Man Zhuang the Seventh’s chest cavity did not contain a beating heart, but rather surging black water.

As he spoke, the liquid gurgled and flowed within his chest, yet upon crashing against the skin fragments around the wound, it seemed to be blocked by that scorched, bright red skin and rippled back into his body.

How could a person still speak and live normally after losing their heart?

Gou Old Four was dumbstruck like a wooden chicken.

His mind went completely blank, his body instantly feeling as though his soul had been sucked out, and he stared blankly at Old Man Zhuang the Seventh.

Yet this cousin of his was completely unaware of his fear at this moment.

Old Man Zhuang the Seventh seemed entirely oblivious to the anomaly in his own body. He had merely seen Gou Old Four wake up in terror and scream about "there being a ghost." Terrified himself, the mention of the word "ghost" had scared him out of his wits. Seeing Gou Old Four staring blankly at him, he hurriedly shouted in panic:

"Cousin, where is the ghost?"

His complexion took on an unnatural pallor, and a large amount of water droplets seeped out from his forehead, the sides of his nose, his chin, and his cheeks. It was impossible to tell whether this was the terrifying black water accumulated within his body or cold sweat born of terror.

These water droplets gradually converged, forming tiny trickles that wound their way down his cheeks, pooling at his chin and dripping down drop by drop, resembling a small spring.

As these strange occurrences manifested on his body, he seemed to have forgotten the previous pain of his broken arm. His two arms hung limply to the ground in a bizarrely twisted posture as he turned his head from side to side, anxiously peering around his surroundings.

"Ghost—"

Gou Old Four was struck by another wave of terror and collapsed backward with his eyes rolling back into his head.

The moment he fainted, Wu Shaochun also snapped to his senses—almost scrambling and tumbling, he released his hold on Old Man Zhuang the Seventh. Supporting himself with one hand on the ground and his legs braced, he used all four limbs to push himself backward, facing the sky, opening up distance between himself and Old Man Zhuang the Seventh in an instant.

Wu Shaochun had experienced the Dog-Head Village ghost case and had already witnessed the viciousness and terror of vengeful ghosts.

Yet how could a person live without skin if they could survive, but how could they survive without a heart and lungs and internal organs?

From the broken wound on Old Man Zhuang the Seventh's back, it could be seen that all his internal organs had been hollowed out and replaced with a cavity of foul-smelling water, yet he himself remained completely unaware of it. For an onlooker, this was the most frightening thing of all.

"He—" Wu Shaochun landed on his buttocks, raising his head to stare at Zhao Fusheng, wanting to ask her: Is Old Man Zhuang the Seventh human or ghost?

However, after being released, Old Man Zhuang the Seventh looked somewhat at a loss, slowly sitting up with a jittery expression. Wu Shaochun forcibly swallowed the words he wanted to ask back into his stomach.

He worried that Old Man Zhuang the Seventh was a ghost and that asking might anger him, instantly triggering a ghost resurgence and leading to something even more terrifying.

"It's fine."

Zhao Fusheng shook her head at him.

Her gaze fell back onto Old Man Zhuang the Seventh.

Once the vengeful ghost marker on him was suppressed, he seemed to have lost his body's sensory perception; the place on his buttocks where he had previously been beaten with wooden boards no longer seemed to hurt.

He was equally oblivious to the condition of his own body.

As he sat up, the sound of gurgling water could be seen rippling inside the hole in his back, yet it seemed to be sealed off by a layer of invisible force, failing to spill out of his body.

Old Man Zhuang the Seventh was unaware of what his back looked like, but from the expressions of Wu Shaochun and Gou Old Four, he had already realized something was amiss.

His complexion turned even uglier, and the water flowing on his face sped up.

The water droplets seeping from his pores had already taken on a black hue mixed with muddy dirt, and his face exuded an aura of death.

At the same time, the water flow sealed within the ruptured hole on his back began to churn turbulently, crashing against that mysterious barrier.

*Splash—Splash—*

The sound of rippling water rang out continuously.

Old Man Zhuang the Seventh’s expression began to stiffen, and the blue blood vessels on his face bulged high like intertwined earthworms.

"What is that sound?"

He had already heard the sound of water and was beginning to feel uneasy.

"..."

His only response was the intensely jittery expressions of Wu Shaochun and the others.

Zhang Chuanshi silently stepped backward.

Not far away, Gou Old Four lay unconscious on the ground, motionless as if dead.

Inside the hall, silence hung heavy in the air.

At that moment, Zhao Fusheng suddenly sighed:

"What sound?" she said indifferently:

"You heard wrong."

"I heard the sound of water."

Everyone was gripped by fear and panic, and Zhao Fusheng's reply at this moment undoubtedly gave Old Man Zhuang the Seventh a huge boost of encouragement.

He reached behind his back, trying to touch it:

"Official, what is on my back? Am I also like Kuai Mancai—"

"There is nothing on your back." Zhao Fusheng shook her head.

"I heard the sound of water," Old Man Zhuang the Seventh said with unease.

As he spoke, the water droplets on his forehead and the sides of his nose converged into a small stream, flowing down his chin and dripping onto the ground.

"I have so much water—"

He sighed.

Zhao Fusheng acted as if nothing were amiss:

"You were frightened; sweating profusely is quite normal."

She glanced at Wu Shaochun, signaling him not to cower any further:

"Because you heard earlier that your cousin drowned in Kuailiang Village, you felt uneasy and absent-minded, which caused you to hallucinate and hear the sound of water, didn't you?"

"Is—is that so?"

Old Man Zhuang the Seventh asked with doubt and unease.

As he spoke, he reached out and wiped his face. The water droplets on his face were smeared away by him, completely soaking his palm as if it had been soaked in water.

"Of course." Having said this, Zhao Fusheng saw that he still harbored disbelief and that his sweat was oozing a black, mud-like grime, so she changed the subject:

"But something really did happen in Kuailiang Village, and a ghost case has broken out. It is very likely a ghost resurgence caused by the death of your cousin, and it has spread to Zhuang Family Village."

Zhao Fusheng’s half-true and half-false words instantly pinned Old Man Zhuang the Seventh in place.

Fan Wujiu stared at his back, watching the widening trend of the wound on his back halt instantly because of Zhao Fusheng's words.

He swallowed imperceptibly and exchanged a look with Zhao Fusheng.

"Kuai Mancai was a person marked by the vengeful ghost. After he went to Zhuang Family Village to deliver the news, Zhuang Family Village was also marked by the vengeful ghost. The heavy fog shrouding your village at the time is what we call a ghost domain."

"A ghost domain?"

Hearing Zhao Fusheng's unhurried explanation, Old Man Zhuang the Seventh was stunned for a moment, no longer as agitated as before.

Although he still appeared somewhat frightened, he was barely able to control his emotions.

"Correct. A ghost domain is the area affected after a vengeful ghost resurges. Thick fog, the sky turning dark early, and brightening late are all characteristics," Zhao Fusheng nodded patiently.

At this moment, she swept away the impatience she had previously shown during her conversation with Lao Qi, becoming exceptionally tolerant toward him:

"And you have also been marked by the vengeful ghost, which is why your cousin became scared upon learning the truth."

"Is—is—is that so?" Old Man Zhuang the Seventh asked in a murmur.

"It is." Zhao Fusheng nodded and continued:

"In fact, although your cousin rescued you, he himself has also been affected and marked by the vengeful ghost." As she spoke, she noticed Old Man Zhuang the Seventh still incessantly trying to reach back and touch his spine.

Ever since he regained consciousness and sat up, facing Zhao Fusheng directly, she could not see the scene on his back.

However, Fan Bisi happened to be sitting right behind him.

From the expressions of shock and horror that crossed Fan Bisi's face several times, Old Man Zhuang the Seventh’s hand must have nearly brushed against the hollow cavity on his back.

Zhao Fusheng simply stated:

"How about this? Since you don't believe it, we'll tear open Gou Old Four's clothes so you can look at his back. Then you'll know what your own back looks like."

As soon as her voice fell, Old Man Zhuang the Seventh heaved a sigh of relief.

That terrifying face even revealed a trace of relaxed smiling intent:

"Alright."

"No!"

"That's not a good idea—"

The objections came from Zhang Chuanshi and Fan Wujiu.

After the two of them shouted, Old Man Zhuang the Seventh’s joyful expression froze. Seeing that the face which had only just stopped sweating began to sweat profusely once more, Zhao Fusheng shot the two of them a cold glare:

"Why wouldn't it be? Tear open Gou Old Four's clothes."

She issued the command with a strong, unarguable attitude.

Zhang Chuanshi shrank his head back in fear, and Fan Wujiu was terrified. A faint, foul stench began to emanate from Old Man Zhuang the Seventh.

"Tear!"

Zhao Fusheng rebuked sternly.

After all, she had built up a certain level of authority. Under this sharp command, Fan Wujiu suppressed his inner panic, instinctively dropping into a half-crouch and crawling on his knees toward Gou Old Four.

His outstretched hand paused for a moment above Gou Old Four's back:

"Official—"

Yet what he met was Zhao Fusheng’s resolute gaze. Fan Wujiu glanced back at Old Man Zhuang the Seventh—this man was actually already dead, yet somehow he could still speak and walk, indistinguishable from a normal person.

And yet, at this moment, anyone with eyes could see that he was already on the verge of a ghost resurgence, as if as long as someone informed him of his own death, he would immediately undergo a ghost resurgence, turning into a ghost and violently attacking people.

Old Man Zhuang the Seventh’s back was horrifying and no longer possessed the body of a living person.

Moreover, Gou Old Four had lived and eaten with him for several days and had also been affected as a ghost vessel; it was hard to guarantee that his back wouldn't look like the other man's.

If he were to see the condition of his cousin's back, he would surely suffer a massive psychological shock.

However, Zhao Fusheng's attitude was unyielding right now, and if something really went wrong, she—the powerful commander—was right there on the scene. What was everyone afraid of?

Thinking of Zhao Fusheng's past abilities, Fan Wujiu’s courage surged. He grabbed the back of Gou Old Four's clothes and gave them a fierce yank—*Rip.*

The gray short tunic tore in response, exposing Gou Old Four's back.

It turned out that his back was similar to Old Man Zhuang the Seventh's—equally thin and bony, with the spine's joints distinctly outlined, pressing the skin outwards.

However, his skin was fairer than Old Man Zhuang the Seventh's. Below his left shoulder blade, there was a purple-red bruise the size of a fist, resembling a mark left behind by someone punching him.

*Hoo—*

Seeing this mark, everyone let out a long breath of relief.

Although Zhao Fusheng had also guessed that Gou Old Four had spent less time in contact with the vengeful ghost than Old Man Zhuang the Seventh and that even if he were marked, his condition should be much lighter when she forced Fan Wujiu to tear open his clothes, a hanging heart only truly dropped back into her stomach when she actually laid eyes on the bruise on Gou Old Four's back.