Chapter 282 - 127: Gu Xiangzhu: Why is Zhu Li riding on you?

Chapter 282: Chapter 127: Gu Xiangzhu: Why is Zhu Li riding on you?

"Right!"

Feng Kucha slapped the dust from his backside. "I’m going to find Liu Yang and get another look at that face of his—the one that looks like his mother just died."

...

「About the time it takes an incense stick to burn later.」

Zhao Ci sat in the tallest teahouse, quietly gazing down at a nearby open space. Thousands of townspeople had gathered there. All of them had lost relatives to the Carp Spirit, and they had all rushed over the moment they heard it was to be executed in their town.

This Carp Spirit had been wreaking havoc in Hanling County for three or four years.

The frequency of its attacks wasn’t high; it couldn’t possibly hit every single boat that failed to pay protection money to the Cao Bang.

Otherwise, it would be tantamount to the Cao Bang exposing themselves.

All told...

Even if you didn’t pay the protection fee, you’d only run into trouble two or three times out of a hundred voyages, at most.

These odds served two purposes: first, they prevented too much suspicion from falling on the Cao Bang, and second, the threat was potent enough to make those who could afford the protection fee pay up quickly.

For those who truly couldn’t afford it, not paying was also an option.

As long as you could accept being the next "lucky winner."

The frequency truly wasn’t high.

But with incidents happening every so often, the number of victims was still quite high.

At the summons of the town’s Junior Officials, who announced the event with gongs and drums, two to three thousand people had gathered in the clearing. A dense swarm of wishes floated above their heads, all demanding the Carp Spirit be given death by a thousand cuts.

’The Insight values range from 1 to 10 points, probably depending on the intensity of their hatred. A rough estimate puts the total at nearly ten thousand.’

’The rewards are all something called a Carp Pill. I have no idea what it’s for.’

’The reward for Xue Zhili’s wish, on the other hand, is interesting.’

[Don’t Know How Talented Talisman]: When used on a target, it makes their aura unpredictable, preventing anyone from gauging their true strength. Lasts for one quarter-hour.

’Seems like a great tool for showing off.’

’But I can’t really get excited about it.’

Looking at the crowd gathered below, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of gloom.

He glanced at Feng Kucha beside him, and his expression grew even more complex.

Just yesterday, he had asked Feng Kucha, "If you feel so much pressure spending the Feng Family’s money, then why not just stop spending it?"

Feng Kucha had answered him very seriously: "Whether I spend it or not, the Feng Family’s money and resources are still there. Every bite I don’t take is one more bite for those animals. When they take it, they won’t think of atoning for their sins. Even if I take it and lack the ability to atone, at least it’s one less bite for those animals."

Then Zhao Ci had asked, "But if you use up the resources, won’t the others just double down?"

At that, Feng Kucha had gotten all emo, withdrawing into himself for a while before cursing at Zhao Ci, "You son of a bitch."

The two of them didn’t speak much after that.

They just quietly watched the crowd below.

Finally...

When it seemed just about everyone had arrived...

Cao Bang members, led by Liu Yang, carried the man-sized Carp Spirit onto the execution platform and hoisted it up on the gallows with iron chains.

Instantly, a torrent of curses erupted from below the platform.

Many survivors of its attacks recognized the malevolent Carp Spirit.

Immediately after...

Hanling County’s finest executioner and fish butcher ascended the platform together.

Conferring with each other, they began to flay the scales and flesh from the Carp Spirit, one slice at a time, spurred on by the cheers of the crowd.

Although the Carp Spirit had lost its Spiritual Wisdom, its body was genuinely beyond the Physical Body Realm. As it was flayed alive, its entire body convulsed, but it was secured too tightly to break free from the hooks pinning it in place.

[Notification]: Wish fulfilled. Reward obtained: Insight +10, Middle-Grade Carp Pill x1.

[Carp Pill]: Increases one’s aptitude in water to a certain degree. Can be synthesized. Exchange Ratio: Low-Grade : Middle-Grade : High-Grade : Peak-Grade : Water Marrow = 1 : 10 : 100 : 1,000 : 10,000.

’What?’

’Water Marrow?’

’Oh, hell yeah!’

’This feels amazing!’

’I got Wood Marrow from Feng Kucha before, and now I’ve got Water Marrow. Does this mean my aptitude for both the Wood and Water attributes has reached the passing grade for a genius?’

He stared intently at his system panel.

He watched as line after line of notifications scrolled by.

Once they stopped, he began synthesizing frantically.

’I actually managed to synthesize it! And I even have a dozen or so Carp Pills left over.’

Zhao Ci thought for a moment but decided not to claim it yet. He wasn’t in a hurry to implant the Water Marrow.

He quietly watched the Carp Spirit being flayed alive.

Just as the execution was about to end...

Feng Kucha suddenly shot to his feet, pointing into the distance. "They’re back!" he exclaimed in delight.

"Ah! Perfect timing!"

Zhao Ci also stood up and looked toward the west entrance of the town. Sure enough, a large, straggling group was returning. Most were dressed in rags, their steps faltering. They had to be the missing Child Scholars.

Among them were the county officials, along with Zhang Da Yong and Xiao Shenke.

’Wait!’

’Someone’s missing.’

’Shit!’

’Where’s Lao Mo?’

Zhao Ci’s heart tightened. He leaped down from the teahouse and sprinted toward them. "You bastards, where’s Lao Mo?!"

"Your Highness!"

Xiao Shenke quickly explained, "A few of them got separated while searching for medicine. Brother Mo told us to escort the others back first while he went to find them himself."

He then briefly explained what had happened.

Zhao Ci: "..."

’To be fair, Yang Mo was the best person for the job. After all, he was the only one who could handle detoxification with acupuncture and medicine.’

’But I still want to scream, goddammit.’

Xiao Shenke looked conflicted. "Your Highness, maybe we should..."

Zhao Ci cut him off. "Does Lao Mo have a signal flare?"

Xiao Shenke replied hurriedly, "He does!"

"Good!"

Zhao Ci breathed a sigh of relief. "He should be fine, then. We’ll wait for him to get back."

When they had set out, every one of them had been equipped with an emergency signal flare.

The mountains on either side of the Hanling Waterway were certainly dangerous, but only to ordinary people. The wild beasts couldn’t threaten a Cultivator who had refined their body. The only real dangers were poisonous miasmas and venomous insects, none of which posed a threat to Yang Mo.

Besides, he had the Tracking Medicine. As long as he was cautious, he wouldn’t get lost.