Chapter 190 - 186: A Great Deal of Merit

’A Willow Branch?’

"Jiang Li, whip them! Quickly!" Wu Ming shouted.

Jiang Li got a firm grip and lashed out. As expected, they were afraid.

The movements in her hand grew faster and faster—a full one hundred and twenty-two souls, one hundred and twenty-two lashes.

Jiang Li kept count in her head as she lashed out. Seeing that Jiang Li could handle it, Wu Ming hurriedly laid out her tools for the salvation ritual, so they could move on to be reincarnated.

After the one hundred and twenty-second lash, Wu Ming grabbed the Peach Wood Sword beside her. "Jiang Li, catch!"

Jiang Li caught it and stabbed forward, and only then did the things vanish completely.

Drenched in sweat from exhaustion, she sat down at the side to rest.

Cheng Xiangyu watched this scene, suspecting he was dreaming. He raised his hand and slapped his own face. It was solid. It was really happening!

Jiang Li sent him the information she had recorded in her notes. "Officer Cheng, I’ll have to trouble you to help find them now.

It would be even better if you could send their remains back home."

Cheng Xiangyu opened his phone and glanced at the list, his mouth falling open in astonishment. Among the hundred-plus names, there were several he had heard of.

"So, those just now were..." Cheng Xiangyu was too shocked to speak. Recalling what Wu Ming had said earlier, he felt the urge to kneel and kowtow himself.

"Yes. We’re counting on you."

"No trouble, no trouble at all. This is what we’re supposed to do. I’ll call for people at daybreak."

Cheng Xiangyu looked toward the spot Jiang Li had been facing. "If we can’t find everyone, I hope you seniors will forgive us."

Decades had passed. He wasn’t sure if he could find them all, but he would definitely do his utmost.

The spirits on the other side heard their conversation loud and clear. One of them looked at Jiang Li. "Did we... win?"

"You won. You won beautifully!" Jiang Li took a tablet from her bag and let them see the prosperous world they had fought for.

Seeing this, the group of spirits no longer had any regrets.

After performing the salvation ritual for over a hundred souls, Wu Ming was completely drained. She lay on the ground, not wanting to move an inch.

’I just hope they can be reborn into good families and live happy, peaceful lives.’

Cheng Xiangyu stood there, stunned like a wooden statue, watching the burnt paper money, the incense that had burned to ash on the ground, and the dawn breaking on the horizon.

He quickly took out his phone and contacted various police departments, asking them to help bring the heroes home.

The official story released was simply that a kindhearted passerby had discovered the remains, and an investigation revealed them to be our nation’s heroes.

When nearby residents heard the news, they flocked to the mountain to help with the search, all wanting to bring the heroes home.

"Merit! So much merit!" Wu Ming hugged her Compass, almost crazy with joy.

Jiang Li looked at the news on her phone. The impact was huge; they wouldn’t need to worry about the follow-up.

"Should we find a place to rest for a bit before heading back?" Jiang Li asked, letting out a yawn. She was exhausted.

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK! Cheng Xiangyu knocked on the car window. He thought they had already left but was surprised to see they were still there.

Wu Ming rolled down the window. "Is there something else?"

"There’s a town not far from here. I’ll take you there to get some rest." Cheng Xiangyu hadn’t slept all night either. He came looking for them as soon as he had handed over his duties.

"Let’s go. My eyelids are fighting to stay open," Wu Ming nodded, leaning against Jiang Li with drooping eyelids and yawning.

"Take our car." Cheng Xiangyu got into the front passenger seat and had someone drive them to the town to get settled.

As soon as the car started, Cheng Xiangyu looked back. The two were already asleep, leaning against each other.

"Captain Cheng, is it them again?" Feng Dong, in the driver’s seat, glanced over.

Cheng Xiangyu nodded. Last night’s scene was like being brainwashed.

"Captain Cheng, I’ve been asking around. This Jiang Li and her partner are incredible!"

Cheng Xiangyu’s drowsiness subsided a bit. He tilted his head to look at him. "What do you mean?"

"I heard this Jiang Li is the real deal. If she says there’s a case, there’s a 100% chance there is. The recently promoted Ji Qinghe and that Zhou Tiancheng who got a public commendation—it was all because of Jiang Li."

Feng Dong’s eyes were sparkling as he spoke. ’If she were with our precinct, wouldn’t we be shooting up the ranks too?’

Cheng Xiangyu’s brow furrowed. He seemed to have heard about this before. The main thing was that their case-solving was fast and accurate.

In just a few months, they had solved more cases than his own team combined.

And it was all because of Jiang Li.

Cheng Xiangyu rested his head on his hand. He thought about Jiang Li’s determined expression that day, combined with what he had witnessed with his own eyes last night.

It was hard not to believe.

"Feng Dong, do you believe in ghosts?"

Feng Dong glanced at Cheng Xiangyu a few times before speaking. "Yeah, I do. When I was a kid, I was wild. I came back from running around everywhere with a high fever that wouldn’t break. Medicine and shots didn’t work.

In the end, my grandma had to call someone over, and only then did I get better.

But Captain Cheng, I’m just saying. Don’t take it too seriously. What if it was just a coincidence back then?"

Cheng Xiangyu nodded and didn’t ask any more questions. He took out his phone and searched for Ji Qinghe’s team. It was true—they were fast and accurate.

When they arrived in town, Jiang Li and Wu Ming were woken up.

"We’re here." Cheng Xiangyu had already booked rooms on the way. Now, he was leading the two of them toward the hotel.

"What would you like to eat?" Cheng Xiangyu asked, looking at the menu on the iPad in front of him.

Wu Ming’s eyes lit up. She leaned in close. "This one, and this one looks delicious too. Oh, and this one, I want this one too..."

"I won’t order anything," Jiang Li said, seeing how much Wu Ming had ordered. ’She definitely won’t be able to finish it all.’

Cheng Xiangyu nodded and handed the iPad to the waiter.

Jiang Li’s phone rang. She looked at it and saw a video call from Miao Anji.

She answered it.

Miao Anji, who had been planning to play the victim, felt a pang of heartache when he saw the severe dark circles under Jiang Li’s eyes.

"Sister, you haven’t been resting properly again."

"We ran into an emergency last night. We’ll be back after a short rest. How are you and Xiao Nian doing?"

As soon as Jiang Li finished speaking, an indignant expression appeared on Miao Anji’s face. "Sister, he doesn’t even want to cook when you’re not here.

Sister, next time you go out, can you take me with you? Don’t leave me at home. It’s no fun at all."

Miao Anji whined.

"Alright, I’ll take you all with me next time."

Hearing the voice, Cheng Xiangyu thought it was a child. But a glance revealed a handsome, fair-skinned youth with bright eyes and pearly teeth.

Miao Anji saw Cheng Xiangyu too, his eyes narrowing slightly.

Cheng Xiangyu froze. He could actually see hostility in the young man’s eyes.

Yu Huannian snatched the phone from Miao Anji’s hand and looked at Jiang Li on the screen.

"Sis, what do you want to eat when you get back?"

As Yu Huannian spoke, he discreetly scanned her surroundings. His gaze landed on Cheng Xiangyu, and his brow furrowed.

Cheng Xiangyu’s mouth twitched as he averted his gaze. ’I haven’t done anything!’

After the food arrived, Jiang Li said a quick goodbye and hung up.

"Tch, what a ’sister’s boy’," Wu Ming snorted disdainfully. ’Good thing I got my order in first.’

In the middle of the meal, Jiang Li received a call from Ji Qinghe. "Hello, Officer Ji."

Hearing that name, Cheng Xiangyu’s eating slowed.

"Jiang Li, when you get back, stop by the station. There’s been a development."

"Okay."

When Jiang Li hung up and looked up, she saw Cheng Xiangyu and Feng Dong staring at her.

Jiang Li blinked. "You two, what is it you want to know?"

Feng Dong quickly looked up at the ceiling, scratching his head and fidgeting guiltily.