Chapter 532 - 532: Destroying the Corpse and Erasing the Traces

After listening to Cheng Haoyu and Ying Ji's account, Zhao Yuan had to agree that the Ant Thieves organization was truly a cancer on the Cultivation Realm.

Cheng Haoyu glanced around and said, "We need to scrub this place clean. We absolutely cannot leave any traces that might expose our identities. The Ant Thieves aren't just unhinged, they're notoriously vengeful! Once they lock onto you, there'll be no end to the trouble!"

Ying Ji fully agreed with him. "Exactly. The Ant Thieves are in the shadows while we're out in the open. If they get on our tail, it'll be impossible to defend against them. We should get rid of the evidence, and fast."

Since they both felt that way, Zhao Yuan naturally had no objections.

The three of them immediately began to clean up the evidence.

The lingering traces of their Qi, Magic, and Talismans were the top priority.

Ying Ji had some special chemicals prepared in her Storage Ring Space. She took them out, gave some to the other two, and after they scattered them around, all traces of their Qi and presence were scrambled and dissipated.

"What do we do with these bodies?"

Cheng Haoyu pointed at the bodies of the Ant Thieves scattered across the ground.

A glint in her eye, Ying Ji came up with a plan. "We get rid of the bodies but leave behind the signs of battle and explosions. That way, the Ant Thieves won't know if their comrades were wiped out by someone else, or if they got greedy after killing the Raccoon Power and made a run for it with the prize."

Cheng Haoyu slapped his thigh in approval. "Great idea! Let those Ant Thieves bastards scratch their heads over this one!" But a second later, his brow furrowed. "But how do we get rid of the bodies? Dig a hole and bury them?"

Ying Ji shook her head. "Burying them is no good; they'd be found too easily. We have to make them vanish completely. Watch this." With that, she produced a Bone Flute from her Storage Ring Space, brought it to her lips, and began to play a series of strange, eerie notes.

A skittering sound suddenly arose from the forest floor. It started faintly, but within seconds, it swelled into a single, unified rustle. It wasn't deafening, but it was enough to make one's skin crawl.

Amidst the sound, countless insects emerged from the soil, dead leaves, grass, and trees. They surged forward like a tide, completely covering the bodies of the Ant Thieves.

Each corpse was blanketed in a dense, writhing mass of insects.

The insects were small, but their numbers were staggering. In a matter of moments, the more than twenty corpses had vanished completely. Even the bones were devoured, leaving behind nothing but tattered clothes and shoes.

"Damn, are these insects always this terrifying?" Cheng Haoyu swallowed hard, clearly spooked.

Ying Ji replied, "One or two insects aren't scary. A hundred aren't either. But when millions of them gather into a swarm, their destructive power is immense. Of course, a swarm has obvious weaknesses too—fire, pesticides, and the like. In a real fight, they can catch an enemy off guard, but you can't rely on them to win a battle. For disposing of bodies, however, they couldn't be more perfect!"

Cheng Haoyu nodded in agreement, then added, "Oh, right. Why didn't you use this trick when we were fighting the Raccoon Power? It's not like it can breathe fire or has a can of bug spray."

Ying Ji shot him a withering glare and said irritably, "Do you really think these little things could bite through a Raccoon Power's hide? Besides, as an Exotic Beast, it has a powerful natural aura. We might be able to shrug it off, but these insects would be completely paralyzed by it. Summoning them would have been a waste of Mana and completely useless."

"Oh, I see." Cheng Haoyu scratched his head, looking a bit sheepish. "Sorry, I've never raised Gu Insects, so I wouldn't know."

Ying Ji snorted. "Take these clothes and shoes. Find a place to bury them after we get off the mountain."

Zhao Yuan spoke up. "That's too much trouble. Besides, even if you bury them, there's a good chance they'll be found and dug up. It's better to just burn them."

He raised his hand and snapped his fingers. The Fire Spirit Insect immediately flew out, fluttered its wings over the piles of tattered clothes and shoes, and sprinkled down motes of crimson, fluorescent powder.

The moment the powder touched the fabric and leather, it burst into a blazing Flame. Within seconds, all the clothes and shoes were reduced to ash. Ying Ji, perfectly in sync, blew her Bone Flute. The insects, which had not yet fully retreated, immediately swarmed forward again and carried the ashes away.

As for the Ant Thieves' weapons, which couldn't be burned by fire or consumed by insects, they could only be stored in their Storage Ring Spaces, to be tossed into the sea when they left Putuo Mountain.

Cheng Haoyu watched from the side, clucking his tongue in wonder and envy. "I never knew you could do all that with insects. This makes me want to go home and study the art of Raising Gu."

Ying Ji gave a wry laugh and shook her head. "I'd advise you not to try anything rash without a proper teacher. Otherwise, you'll end up getting yourself killed long before you successfully raise any Gu. Don't let their small size fool you; they're incredibly dangerous."

After playing the Bone Flute again to disperse the swarm, Ying Ji said, "Come on, let's go check on Fatty Hao's progress and see if he needs any help."

Of course, Zhao Yuan and Cheng Haoyu had no objections. The three of them immediately headed for the Raccoon Power's carcass.

Hao Li was holding a chainsaw, cutting into the Raccoon Power's tough hide along the gashes the White Cat had made earlier. It was impossible to butcher the beast without first getting through its hide. Besides, the hide was incredibly tough—an excellent material for making Defensive Magical Artifacts, so it certainly couldn't be wasted.

Thankfully, Hao Li had learned from his research that the Raccoon Power was thick-skinned and tough, so he had specifically prepared a chainsaw. Otherwise, trying to cut through its hide with his set of butcher knives would have been a complete pipe dream.

Seeing Zhao Yuan and the others arrive, Hao Li called out, "Hey, one of you, take this chainsaw and cut the hide open along the spine. Keep your hand steady. Don't cut crooked, and don't damage the bones. The bones are valuable, too."

"I'll do it," Zhao Yuan volunteered. He took over from Hao Li and got to work with the chainsaw.

Hao Li, in turn, picked up a carving knife and began skinning the beast and carving off the meat. His blade work was swift and precise. In no time at all, he had separated the hide from the flesh, cutting the meat into large chunks and storing them in his Storage Ring Space.

Drops of fresh blood splattered onto the ground. The White Cat and the two Little Dang Kangs pounced forward, greedily lapping up the Raccoon Power's blood.

This was the blood of an Exotic Beast, after all. It contained immense energy and was highly beneficial for them!

Even the Fire Spirit Insect flew over to join in the fun, sipping at the blood alongside them. Seeing this, Ying Ji quickly released her own Gu Insects to give them a share of the delicious feast.