Chapter 422 298: Abnormal Change (3)

Just then, Shen Hong frowned, pointing to the thin, middle-aged woman curled up on the floor.

Everyone immediately looked over. The woman's contorted expression was frozen on her face. Her pupils remained rolled back, completely white. Her mouth was slightly agape and her tongue was sticking out, just as it had been when she spat out the Echo Worm.

But now, her body was stiff, devoid of any sign of life.

Chen Zhanyun immediately knelt to check the woman's condition. His expression darkened instantly. "She's dead," he said.

The expressions on Zhao Xuanqi and the others shifted. When they had examined the woman earlier, she showed no signs of late-stage Echo Worm Possession. Logically, after expelling the Evil Spirit, she should have, at worst, fallen gravely ill. She shouldn't have died on the spot.

"More and more strange things are happening."

Chen Zhanyun stood up, his expression incredibly grim. On one hand, the host's death would affect the evaluation of their mission to eliminate this scourge. On the other, they had failed to save a life they should have been able to save.

Just a moment ago, when he was outside, he had seen the woman's family—they were all honest, simple, common folk. Her emaciated frame and the meager furnishings in the room made it clear that the family lived a very frugal life.

Chen Zhanyun took a deep breath and walked to the doorway. He spoke to the constable waiting outside the roped-off area, "We've dealt with the Evil Spirit, but we couldn't save her."

"Fen!"

The words were barely out of his mouth when, before the constable could even speak, several figures ducked under the rope and rushed toward the room. In the lead was a lean, dark-skinned man with a wrinkled face, dressed like a porter. Following behind him were a girl of about ten and a boy of seven or eight.

The man was the woman's husband; the two behind him were their children.

The woman looked to be in her forties, but she was actually only in her early thirties. A life of hard work had simply aged her prematurely.

Upon entering the room, they rushed to the woman's side. Seeing her pained, contorted face, the man began to sob uncontrollably, his body trembling. The two children started wailing as well.

"How... How could this happen...? That master... he clearly said her life wouldn't be in danger..."

The man was only forty, but years of exposure to the wind and sun had etched deep wrinkles onto his face. His fists were clenched tight, as if he wanted to question them, but his gaze fell upon their plain gray robes and he flinched, looking away in fear. He only dared to keep his head down and ask in a trembling voice.

Hearing this and seeing the family's state, Chen Zhanyun's mood soured even further.

"What happened? Echo Worms aren't supposed to be fatal, are they?"

Just then, the constable from the Government Office who was in charge of the district walked in, his brows tightly furrowed.

"There was an unexpected complication. I'll have to trouble you to report this matter..."

Chen Zhanyun gave the constable a slight bow and recounted the events that had just transpired.

"I'll report it truthfully."

After listening to Chen Zhanyun, the constable frowned slightly. He knew Chen Zhanyun had no reason to lie to him. Besides, from what he'd heard, there had indeed been many strange incidents in the city recently, and this wasn't even the most bizarre.

Afterward, the task of handling the aftermath was left to the constable. Chen Zhanyun led his group away, and as they departed, they could still faintly hear the sounds of crying, mingled with the sighing chatter of the neighbors.

And incidents like this were happening every day all over the city. As long as the new City God Statue could not be delivered, they would be unavoidable.

"Damn these foul things."

Chen Zhanyun muttered the curse under his breath. Shen Hong and Peng Lin walked with their heads bowed, silent.

Meanwhile, Zhao Xuanqi's understanding of this world deepened.

At the same time, for reasons he couldn't explain, a strange premonition lingered in his mind.

'Things aren't as simple as they seem.'