Chapter 489: The Crisis of Hongyun Village, the Silent Voice?

Chapter 489: The Crisis of Hongyun Village, the Silent Voice?

A widow had passed away, but she was from the Insane Institute.

If no one reported it, the local authorities wouldn't bother with the case.

Otherwise, they would have to spend their own money to investigate.

Being a runner for the authorities was just a job.

Naturally, no one would willingly take on such a task.

In these turbulent times, countless lives, like weeds, withered away daily.

How could the authorities possibly handle all these cases?

Unless the deceased was of noble status, or unless a large number of these 'weeds' died at once.

Lin Qinghe's gaze fell upon a servant, and a hint of Armament Commander's aura flashed past.

The servant, already hunched over, was now so scared that he crouched even lower, "Yesterday, Qi Yuan from the Qi family was sent to the Insane Institute..."

"Qi Yuan?" Lin Qinghe furrowed his brows, "The useless son-in-law of the Shen family?"

Half a month ago, the news of Qi Yuan entering the Shen family as a son-in-law had caused quite a stir in Ninghe County.

Lin Qinghe had met Qi Yuan a few times.

Qi Yuan's father was an Artisan, but he eventually met his end.

However, thanks to his ancestors' legacy, Qi Yuan managed to find a job at the local authorities.

But this guy was lazy and couldn't endure hardship. He only worked for half a month before running away.

Over the years, he had squandered his family's wealth. Fortunately, he married into the Shen family; otherwise, Lin Qinghe thought he might have seen Qi Yuan's corpse on the streets at any time.

"Him?" Lin Qinghe's eyes showed disdain.

He wouldn't suspect Qi Yuan of being involved in this matter.

Not to mention the Aberrant Beast Dog, even the warden Zhou Hu couldn't beat Qi Yuan.

"I've met Qi Yuan before, he's useless. Unless..." Lin Qinghe paused, "...the Shen family is involved."

If the Shen family took action, Qi Yuan should have been gone by now.

Unless the Shen family paid a high price and personally invited an Alchemy Master to refine a powerful elixir to enhance his foundation." Zhou Hu, a runner, spoke up.

Lin Qinghe nodded; he had always found Zhou Hu to be a useful subordinate.

Suddenly, a thought occurred to him, and he said softly, "Zhou Hu, in a few days, I'll be transferred to the county government. Do you want to come with me?"

The other runners around them heard this and immediately turned their envious gazes towards Zhou Hu.

Their leader, Lin Qinghe, came from a wealthy and influential family, unlike them, who were born into poverty.

Zhou Hu was taken aback and felt an ominous premonition for some reason.

"Boss, let's talk about this later."

About half an hour later, the authorities left the Insane Institute.

Zhou Hu caught up with Lin Qinghe, worry evident on his face, "Boss, you're taking me to the county government. Zhou Hu will never forget this kindness."

But the term for a runner is usually at least three years. Why are you leaving so suddenly? Could it be that something has gone wrong in Hongyun Village?"

Lin Qinghe had been in Ninghe County for two and a half years. Logically, he should stay for another six months before being promoted to the county government.

However, with only six months left, he was leaving immediately.

Something was amiss.

Recently, there had been successive disappearances of villagers in Hongyun Village, and Lin Qinghe had been handling this matter.

This was why Zhou Hu suspected it might be related.

"You're right, it's related to Hongyun Village," Lin Qinghe didn't hide the truth.

For wealthy and influential families, even if they said something inappropriate, and the common folk heard it, so what? In this world, the wealthy and powerful didn't need to be overly discreet.

"The disappearances in Hongyun Village were caused by a Demonic Spirit.

This Demonic Spirit is... Huang-level, and not just an ordinary Huang-level!"

When mentioning this, Lin Qinghe's face was filled with worry.

In this world, Demonic Spirits were categorized into several levels based on their power and danger: Common, Huang, Xuan, Earth, Heaven, and God.

Common-level was the weakest, and some could only absorb male Yang energy, causing injury to a dozen or so creatures.

Huang-level was different; a Huang-level Demonic Spirit could wreak havoc on an entire village, leading to the deaths of hundreds of villagers.

Even for a typical county government, dealing with a Huang-level Demonic Spirit was challenging.

"Huang-level? It's actually Huang-level!" Zhou Hu's face turned serious, "Quickly inform the people of Hongyun Village to evacuate!"

"They can't evacuate," Lin Qinghe shook his head helplessly, "The Demonic Spirit in Hongyun Village is special; it originates from an ancient well. This well is connected to the underground river beneath Hongyun Village, and almost all the villagers have drunk from this well. They... they're all going to die!"

"Furthermore, the villagers of Hongyun Village work day and night to produce Hongyun Porcelain, and the last batch of tribute for Mojie Mountain Country is about to be completed. They can't leave now!"

Hongyun Village was famous for its exquisite and translucent Hongyun Porcelain, favored by the wealthy and influential.

Ten years ago, when Mojie Mountain Country went to war with Ningguo, Ningguo was defeated and had to cede several counties and provide tribute.

Hongyun Porcelain was among the tribute items.

The last batch of tribute would be fully fired in half a month and then transported to the county government.

No matter what, the villagers of Hongyun Village could only face death.

Zhou Hu frowned, his face filled with distress.

He understood that Lin Qinghe's family had learned of this news, which was why they transferred him.

Without the ability to transfer a Huang-level Armament Commander, Zhou Hu was aware of the situation but still felt enraged.

"Red Cloud Fortress has a total of seven hundred households, with a population of over a thousand!"

"The Wraith Spirit of Red Cloud Fortress is unique. A Huang-level Armament Commander won't suffice; we need a Xuan-level one! But all the Xuan-level Armament Commanders are currently occupied with Ye Mountain Lake."

Lin Qinghe sighed helplessly.

Although he felt pity for the people of Red Cloud Fortress, he was powerless to help.

Xuan-level Armament Commanders were already scarce in Ningguo.

As for Di-level and Tian-level, they were even rarer.

In fact, Ningguo didn't even have a Tian-level Armament Commander.

A Di-level Armament Commander represented the pinnacle of Ningguo's combat strength!

"Boss, I, Zhou Hu, can't accompany you to the county government office!" Zhou Hu clenched his teeth.

Upon hearing this, Lin Qinghe sighed, "If you abandon Red Cloud Fortress and follow me to the county government office, perhaps I wouldn't value you as much."

...

"Is this the Wraith Spirit?"

"It doesn't seem very strong!"

"As expected, these small bosses created by the game can't compare to my personally trained robust body."

In the dark night, Qi Yuan gazed at the octopus-like Wraith Spirit ahead, letting out a soft sigh.

"Young Master, quickly... quickly... I can't hold on any longer!"

"Give it another blessing!"

"Ah, it's kissing my mouth, pushing its tentacles into my mouth, wuwu..."

Chen Kangbao clenched his teeth, his pale face turning red. His frail body resembled an iron clamp, and he fiercely restrained the Wraith Spirit.

"Blessed, don't worry, I'll kill it soon."

Although he had been trying hard to kill mosquitoes during these days, even pretending to be a cat hunting mice.

But his experience points were still increasing very slowly.

His combat strength was quite average.

When killing mosquitoes at night, upon seeing this Wraith Spirit, Qi Yuan followed the previous method and blessed Chen Kangbao, allowing Chen Kangbao to embrace the Wraith Spirit.

"Hold on a little longer."

Qi Yuan glanced at the Wraith Spirit, his eyes filled with curiosity.

[Seven-Clawed Ink Wraith, a Common-level Wraith Spirit, in the Immortal Realm, it is comparable to a high-level Qi Condensation cultivator.]



Qi Yuan was very curious.

This Seven-Clawed Ink Wraith looked fierce, but its combat strength seemed rather average.

If it were to be compared using the 'Explode Street, Explode Star' system, this Seven-Clawed Ink Wraith might not even match a low-level Qi Condensation cultivator.

"Could it be... because the worlds are different, and the rules are different?"

Qi Yuan was perplexed.

It was like comparing a person living in a world made of cotton to one living in a world made of steel; of course, the person in the cotton world would appear to have greater destructive power.

Of course, there were more mysteries, but for now, Qi Yuan couldn't comprehend them all.

He had too little information and was too isolated.

At this moment, he was like a caterpillar in a cocoon of game information.

"I am a cleaver!"

Qi Yuan struck out, chopping at the Seven-Clawed Ink Wraith's tentacle.

Instantly, the tentacle snapped, and black liquid flowed out.

"This tastes sweet, it's delicious." Chen Kangbao's face lit up with joy, "A Common-level Wraith Spirit tastes sweet!"

"Hold on tighter, it's still struggling. Don't let it hurt me."

As Qi Yuan spoke, he continued to strike, slicing like a chef cutting vegetables.

With his strength, facing this Seven-Clawed Ink Wraith, he might not be a match for it. But with Chen Kangbao holding it, it was different, like a fish on a chopping board.

At this moment, Qi Yuan seemed to have a sudden realization.

"I understand now, how to play the role of a cleaver. Chen Kangbao, you are my chopping board!"

As Chen Kangbao held the Wraith Spirit, Qi Yuan continued to chop, wasn't this playing the role of a cleaver?

Upon understanding this, Qi Yuan suddenly realized that his progress bar for playing the role of a cleaver had increased to 30%.

A prompt sounded.

[Your role as a cleaver has reached 30%, unlocking the Sharp attribute.

In the 16th chapter of the novel, check out the uncensored version!

Your body has become even sharper.]



"I've unlocked the cleaver attribute, and my body has become sharper."

Qi Yuan was worried.

He was in an ancient world.

Clearly, a cleaver wasn't made of stainless steel.

Should he reinforce it with steel first, and then transform it into stainless steel? Otherwise, what if it rusts after becoming steel?

"Young Master, are you done?" At this moment, Chen Kangbao anxiously said, "I'm about to burst!"

He had drunk a lot of the Seven-Clawed Ink Wraith's blood.

"Wait until you hear the cold, emotionless mechanical system voice, then you can let go."

Qi Yuan said, and his sharp-attributed palm slashed at the Seven-Clawed Ink Wraith's body.

Instantly, the Seven-Clawed Ink Wraith was torn into four pieces.

"You've slain the Seven-Clawed Ink Wraith, and your experience has greatly increased."

The cold, emotionless mechanical voice sounded.

Qi Yuan's eyes lit up.

His character level had directly risen to level 15.

In one go, he had leveled up by 6 levels, much faster than killing the aberrant beast dog.

After reaching level 9, he had killed many mosquitoes, but his level hadn't increased, as if he had hit a bottleneck.

Now, he had finally reached level 15.

After attaining this level, Qi Yuan could clearly sense that he had changed in some way.

If he were to compare his current self to his past self before level 9, he would have to admit that he had transcended the realm of mortals.

As Qi Yuan watched the corpse of the Seven-Clawed Black Demon dissipate into a puff of black smoke, he was taken by surprise.

Chen Kangbao, on the other hand, felt a twinge of disappointment. He was still hungry, and he hadn't gotten a chance to taste the Seven-Clawed Black Demon.

Although the Black Demon was not edible, it was a servant of the Heavenly Deity. Eating a bit of it shouldn't be a problem, right?

"I think we should kill some Black Demons to quickly improve our strength," Qi Yuan said seriously.

Killing mosquitoes was just too slow for improving their skills.

The brothers and sisters at the Insane Institute were all pleasant to talk to, interesting, and had never offended Qi Yuan. Naturally, Qi Yuan wouldn't kill them without good reason.

Killing Black Demon Wraiths was the best choice.

"Black Demon Wraiths?" Chen Kangbao furrowed his brows, deep in thought.

At that moment, Qi Yuan also frowned, "Silence."

Chen Kangbao immediately stopped talking.

Qi Yuan's expression turned contemplative.

"I think I heard someone calling me?"

Just now, in the midst of silence, he seemed to hear someone calling out to him.

However, the soundproofing in this world was too good, and he couldn't make out the words.

"Could it be the Silent Voice?"

"No, it's not that!" Qi Yuan shook his head vigorously.

The Silent Voice was a voice without sound.

The voice he had just heard had sound, but it seemed distant, and he couldn't make out the words.

Hongyun Village.

Zhou Hu was dressed as a constable, a large knife hanging from his waist.

Perhaps due to the rain the night before, the red clay on the ground had turned muddy, staining the soles of his shoes.

He stepped onto the bluestone slab, a hint of worry flashing in his eyes.

Before the official kiln was established, news of the birth of a Yellow-ranked Black Demon Wraith in Hongyun Village couldn't be leaked.

Otherwise, he wouldn't be able to bear the consequences, and it would also implicate Lin Qinghe.

Currently, he was filled with a mix of helplessness and anxiety.

"Zhou, this is the place. Li Da's mouth suddenly filled with water last night... and then he died." The young Li Xiaodan's clothes were patched, and his small face was tanned. Although he was young, he often went to the kiln.

The person who had died mysteriously in Hongyun Village the night before was Li Xiaodan's neighbor.

"Hmm."

Zhou Hu entered Li Da's crude clay hut and emerged about a quarter of an hour later.

His expression was grim.

"Zhou, come in and have a drink," Li Xiaodan called from outside.

Zhou Hu thought of his own son, who was about the same age as Li Xiaodan, and entered Li Xiaodan's home.

The interior of Li Xiaodan's house was bare, with not even a bedroom. Only a half wall served as a partition, and a bed was pushed up against it.

Li Xiaodan offered him water, "Drink up!"

"Is this water from the ancient well?"

"Yes."

"Don't drink too much, it doesn't feel clean." Zhou Hu didn't drink the water.

He felt helpless.

In Hongyun Village, who hadn't drunk this water?

"Zhou, there are frequent deaths in the village lately, what's going on?" Li Xiaodan asked anxiously.

"Don't worry, I'm here," Zhou Hu paused before continuing.

"With me here, there's definitely no problem!" Li Xiaodan's face broke into an innocent smile.

At this moment, Zhou Hu's gaze was drawn to a peculiar "Divine Statue" on the offering table inside the house.

"What's this? Do you believe in gods?" Zhou Hu asked curiously.

"A traveling merchant came by some time ago. He said that in the Central Plains, many people believe in this god. Lately, the village hasn't been peaceful, and I'm afraid I won't be able to protect my sister. So, I gritted my teeth and bought this statue, praying day and night, hoping that the god will protect my sister and me.

This god is called Divine Presence!"

Black Demon Wraiths are categorized into Common, Yellow, Profound, Earth, Heaven, and Divine ranks.

The artifacts controlled by Armament Masters also follow this naming convention.

Powerful artifacts, though lacking sentience, possess immeasurable might.

Many people choose to worship divine artifacts, seeking protection.

"Haven't heard of it," Zhou Hu shook his head.

At the same time, he had more to say but held back.

The Divine Statue, if it possessed power, would be too expensive for Li Xiaodan to afford.

In other words, Li Xiaodan was probably cheated by that merchant.

After all, even he couldn't afford such a statue, let alone Li Xiaodan.

Just then, a cold voice echoed from outside the house.

"Divine Presence is the national treasure of Bai Cang Country, but sadly... a century ago, during a great upheaval, this treasure shattered, turning to ashes."

A tall figure, with a face as cold as jade, entered—a Daoist nun. When she mentioned Divine Presence, her eyes carried endless melancholy.

"Kid, this statue, 500 taels of silver, will you sell it or not?"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end