Chapter 63

After the chef meticulously prepared the dishes, he slowly wiped his hands, stood at a distance, and quietly watched the diners enjoy their meal.

After committing the crime, the murderer hid among the crowd, then secretly returned to the scene to touch the caution tape strung up in front of them.

Li Zhuiyuan didn't know which category he fit into; perhaps he was neither.

Because at present, he was far from being able to derive emotional value from others.

Yet, he vaguely felt a faint flame deep within himself—very weak, but genuinely burning.

Just as he felt a sense of ease and immersion when painting for the deceased at home, he was now equally enthusiastic.

He had inherited Li Lan’s condition, an emotional wasteland, yet even in a desert, cacti could grow.

His own barren emotions could also be stirred and fluctuate by the presence of the deceased.

This discovery was difficult to explain to outsiders; not only would they struggle to understand, but they might even think he was insane.

That didn't matter; Ah Li would understand anyway.

Li Zhuiyuan decided that once he saw the girl in Shancheng, he would tell her all about these feelings in detail, allowing her to share in the joy of his condition improving. This would be their little secret.

At this moment, the eyes of all the deceased were fixed on Li Zhuiyuan.

The boy knew they could see him.

But he felt no fear; the earlier disappearance of the white frost beneath his and Runsheng's feet indicated their stance.

At least for now, they could still maintain some clarity and knew who was helping them seek revenge.

As for how they would change after the revenge was complete, or if they would remain clear-headed, honestly, Li Zhuiyuan himself held little hope.

The Qi ancestors had left countermeasures for their descendants, but they could never have anticipated that so many bodies of those who died violent deaths would remain beneath this village in the future.

Once the geomantic layout here was altered by him, the blessings would turn into curses, and combined with this large group of deceased, even more unpredictable changes were bound to occur.

Traditionally, the deceased would dissipate after completing their revenge, but here, the difficulty of dissipation would be greatly increased.

Fortunately, he had already instructed Runsheng to destroy the exit here, so these deceased would not be able to come out and wreak havoc.

The only potential hidden danger was that if a fellow practitioner with spiritual power were to come here in the future, see the beautiful scenery and excellent energy, and sit down cross-legged to perform a 'yin journey,' their fate would undoubtedly be extremely tragic.

Even Li Zhuiyuan himself only dared to come and witness this feast of revenge today, at this very moment.

After today, he would not dare to undertake another 'yin journey' into this place.

The deceased remained motionless; the earlier "Please, come in" didn't seem to have swayed them.

Li Zhuiyuan had no choice but to prompt them again:

"Hurry up, the food's getting cold."

The restaurant was open for business, and it was a buffet.

Finally, the deceased accepted Li Zhuiyuan's invitation and entered in single file.

Inside, piercing sounds of terror and screams immediately erupted, interspersed with a gunshot.

Li Zhuiyuan straightened his clothes, an unnecessary gesture in his 'yin journey' state.

But just as Grandpa Shan had taught Runsheng not to eat sweet potato skins, life inherently required a touch of ritual.

Walking back into the ancestral hall felt like stepping into a demon's lair.

Li Zhuiyuan walked calmly, making his way through it.

He had visited this ancestral hall several times, both in reality and within this spatial interlayer, yet each return brought a different sensation, like the distinct seasonal landscapes within a scenic area.

*Splat...*

A puddle of red and white liquid splashed onto his shoe.

Li Zhuiyuan stopped, instinctively wanting to bend down and clean it, but then he suddenly realized it couldn't actually stain him.

He lifted his foot, and his shoe remained spotless.

He walked into the main hall, sat down on a wooden bench, facing the courtyard.

It wasn't over yet; it was still early.

The flames of revenge needed to burn as long as possible so that the light they cast could barely offer a sliver of solace to the victims.

If these executioners, whose hands were stained with blood, died too quickly, that would truly be letting them off too easily.

Li Zhuiyuan rested his elbows on his thighs, his palm supporting his chin, and watched in silence.

Desperate wails, piercing pleas for mercy, and collapsing screams intertwined, surprisingly harmonious, like a symphony personally performed by a master.

Although the scene was chaotic, he was reluctant to speak, fearing he might disturb the performance unfolding on this stage.

A smile played at the corners of the boy's lips.

What a pity there were no "outsiders" here.

Otherwise, if someone were to walk to the entrance of the ancestral hall and look inside, they would see a smiling boy seated in the center of the distant, blood-soaked and distorted scene—a truly exquisite composition.

Time passed moment by moment, with no discernible rhythm of prelude, buildup, climax, or denouement; it would only go from an intense beginning to an abrupt end.

Just then, a person—or, more accurately, half a person—crawled before the boy. It was the village chief.

Behind him was a long trail of blood, scattered with intestines and other offal.

Logically, he should have been dead long ago, but he was "kept alive," his hands still surprisingly strong as he relentlessly clawed at the floor tiles. He still possessed a will to survive.

Such a target for revenge was often more entertaining; one was reluctant to let him die all at once, preferring to extract all the 'juice' from him, segment by segment, like sugarcane.

Beside him, herding the village chief along like a dog, was Zhu Yang.

The village chief had crawled past, but Zhu Yang remained still, looking at the boy.

Li Zhuiyuan pointed behind him, a little puzzled. Zhu Yang didn't move; instead, he slowly pulled open his own stomach with both hands.

Like a pair of double doors, his chest unfolded, and the books that had been stuffed inside spilled onto the floor.

Some were relatively intact, while others had long since disintegrated into a pulpy mess.

The quality of these mimeographed pirated books was indeed very poor; after getting wet, the ink had stained Zhu Yang's pleural cavity a deep black, as if coated with a layer of stove ash.

Li Zhuiyuan looked at him, puzzled, but soon the boy understood.

Inside Zhu Yang’s chest cavity, near his ribs, a book was still wedged.

This book was exceptionally well-preserved; even soaked in water, it still possessed a comforting sheen and texture.

Li Zhuiyuan was very familiar with this texture.

At home, he had books made of the same material—the Buddha-skin paper that Wei Zhengdao favored.

Zhu Yang reached out and pulled the book free; the two ribs even wobbled a few times as he did so.

He handed the book to the boy.

A line of characters was written on the cover: *The Spring and Autumn Annals of the Qi Clan*.

At first glance, the title resembled the historically famous *The Spring and Autumn Annals of Lü*.

But Li Zhuiyuan knew very well that the Qi ancestors, whether through their family tradition of constructing imperial tombs or their later seclusion here to meticulously study this interlayer space, held immense value in any portion of their family history recorded.

However, he was currently in a 'yin journey' state, able to perceive but unable to manipulate physical objects.

He had always been somewhat dissatisfied with the position of the long bench he was sitting on, but he couldn't move it. Furthermore, it was the only bench still standing in the entire hall; all the others had toppled. He simply had to make do.

In short, the boy couldn't even perform the simple action of turning a book's pages.

He felt a slight regret, thinking perhaps he shouldn't have been so eager to have Runsheng destroy the exit.

Of course, this regret was purely emotional; his past self would never have risked releasing the deceased.

Zhu Yang didn't pursue the village chief further; perhaps his portion of the revenge was complete, and the remaining part should be taken up by other deceased.

Everyone had a need for revenge, but the perpetrators were, after all, limited. So, the tormentors had to be begrudgingly shared like a long centipede, providing amusement for many.

Zhu Yang sat down in front of Li Zhuiyuan and placed the book on his lap.

Li Zhuiyuan could conveniently lower his head and read along with him.

Zhu Yang was a fan of reading. This copy of *The Spring and Autumn Annals of the Qi Clan* might have been lost deep within the pond and was coincidentally retrieved by him after he became one of the deceased.

Without this stroke of luck, it was unlikely this book would ever have seen the light of day again. In fact, moving it from the depths of the pond to this place effectively sealed off any possibility of its reappearance.

Zhu Yang opened the first page, which was covered in colorful dots of various sizes.

He turned another page, and it was still densely covered with dots of various colors and sizes.

Li Zhuiyuan’s eyes widened. He knew this was his only opportunity to read this book, so he was trying hard to memorize the content of every single page.

He knew his memory wasn't exceptional, certainly not comparable to the two classmates from his old school who truly had photographic memories.

Therefore, during the pauses while Zhu Yang turned the pages, he had to quickly scan each page twice to ensure he remembered it.

As for deciphering the content, similar to what he did with the stones on the ancestral hall walls, there was no rush; he would have plenty of time for that later.

The page-turning process quickly concluded. After reaching the last page, Li Zhuiyuan raised his head, closed his eyes, and swiftly reviewed all the preceding pages in his mind.

When he opened his eyes again, he saw Zhu Yang's body beginning to tremble. The fingernails on the hand holding the book started to grow long and black. Even his exposed ribs showed pitted, corrosive indentations, and strands of thick black pus dripped down like ink.

He was gradually transforming, step by step completely losing himself.

In fact, Li Zhuiyuan had already noticed the other's hand trembling when they were halfway through the book, as if desperately trying to suppress something.

Now that the book was finished, Zhu Yang no longer needed to suppress the uncontrollable savagery that had been building within him.

And at this moment, the feast of revenge was finally drawing to a close.

However, the deceased generally seemed to want more.

Li Zhuiyuan knew he couldn't stay there any longer. He estimated the time; it wasn't quite half an hour, but it was close.

He wanted to conduct a headcount of the dead, which would make it easier to report the number of villagers who had seemingly fled to avoid punishment to the police.

But with pieces here and sections there, the ancestral hall was filled, and several bodies even hung from the rafters, making a proper headcount impossible.

Never mind, time to go.

Before leaving, Li Zhuiyuan said to Zhu Yang, who was still in front of him, "I will transfer a book-reading fee to your family."

Zhu Yang's eyes, which had turned crimson, suddenly cleared for a brief moment after hearing these words. He had indeed understood.

One thing at a time: Zhu Yang had driven the four of them for a stretch partly to find people to help keep the vehicle steady and boost his courage. Brother Liang had not only bought cigarettes and food but also paid for their meals.

The bodies had spontaneously built a pontoon bridge underwater, guiding the four of them out of the dark pond, and he, in turn, had awakened them, enabling them to seek revenge personally.

All these instances had balanced out, with no one owing anyone anything. Only the act of turning the book pages earlier had created a distinct personal debt that he needed to repay.

The surrounding deceased silently converged on Li Zhuiyuan, following a ferocious instinct that was gradually awakening within them.

"ROAR!"

Zhu Yang let out a low growl, and two rows of ribs pierced through his flesh, jutting out in front of him. His cold gaze swept across the surroundings, causing the recently approaching deceased to collectively recoil two steps.

Li Zhuiyuan found it somewhat difficult to imagine what this place would become in the future. Would trapping all these deceased here transform it into a new *gu*-raising ground?

And ultimately, what would be bred there?

Fortunately, they couldn't get out.

Li Zhuiyuan closed his eyes, ending his 'yin journey.' When he opened them again, he saw Runsheng about to pinch his hand.

"Brother, I'm awake."

"Hold on, let me wake up Xiaoyuan first."

Runsheng pinched.

"Hiss... Brother, I'm awake."

"Ah, oh, haha," Runsheng said, scratching his head sheepishly.

"Brother Runsheng, let's go."

"Okay."

Runsheng bent down, signaling for the boy to climb onto his back.

"Brother, I can walk on my own."

"You're tired, and I've eaten my fill."

Li Zhuiyuan reached up to wipe a dried bloodstain from the corner of his eye, then finally climbed onto Runsheng's back.

They didn't pass through the village, instead still going around the mountain.

By the time they reached the mountaintop, it was already noon, and the bright sunlight had dispersed the dampness in the air.

As they descended the mountain and looped around to the main road, police cars and trucks sped past, one after another.

From the back seat of the second police car, the figures of Tan Wenbin and Xue Liangliang emerged, waving their hands excitedly.

Li Zhuiyuan and Runsheng also got into a police car. The car, without sounding its siren, stopped before the village entrance, and the police officers rushed into the village.

The expected fierce resistance and difficult arrests did not materialize, as most of the young men and women in the village seemed to have "fled in fear of punishment."

Many victims' bodies could not be found, but too much criminal evidence was left behind in the village; almost every household had some, which indicated that every household had participated.

There was also a gully specifically used for burying and disposing of vehicles.

Zhu Yang's truck hadn't been disposed of yet. Xue Liangliang and the others went to retrieve their luggage, while Li Zhuiyuan took a letter Zhu Yang had written to his wife and daughters, which included an address and the village phone number.

Although the handling of the case involved many incredible elements, it was undoubtedly a major case. However, in the contemporary context of cracking down on highway bandits, it merely created a larger ripple.

Perhaps many years from now, when someone hears about "highway bandits," they will find it unfamiliar and perplexing, as if it's hard to believe such things actually happened in reality.

There might also be curious individuals who specifically seek out those dusty archive files, and upon finding this case, will develop numerous conspiracy theories about its various inexplicable details.

But that was all for later.

As mere informants, Xue Liangliang and Tan Wenbin were not detained for too long.

It was probably because they knew Xiaoyuan would do something unusual, so they were cautious when reporting the incident. They merely stated that the four of them had gone to play in the nearby woods that night and witnessed Zhu Yang being surrounded and killed while still in the large truck, omitting the fact that they had entered the village.

After learning their destination, the police department had initially intended to send a car to transport the four of them directly to Shancheng.

But Xue Liangliang declined, stating he didn't want to trouble the police. He only accepted being driven to the next city, where they bought new tickets and boarded a train.

This time they had hard seats, but fortunately, the journey wasn't too long.

"We've arrived in Shancheng! Passengers for Shancheng, please check your belongings and prepare to disembark. Wake up, we're in Shancheng!"

The conductor's voice jolted many from their sweet dreams. This wasn't the final stop, so half the passengers wiped their mouths and stood to collect their luggage, while the other half simply shifted to a different sleeping position, either hunched over or leaning back, and continued their slumber.

The four of them exited the train station, their expressions somewhat listless. Anyone whose journey had been forcibly interrupted by such an ordeal would find it hard to feel energetic.

Fortunately, despite the significant events, everyone adjusted their mindset quickly, as they had all "seen the world."

At the train station entrance, a throng of elderly women stood holding signs, touting their small guesthouses and soliciting customers. Some even directly reached out to grab your luggage.

Xue Liangliang chose the only woman who wasn't shouting about offering "special services."

He had chosen correctly. Although the guesthouse wasn't large, it was very clean. The owner gave them a multi-person room with four small beds pushed together.

After the four of them put down their luggage and took turns showering, they collapsed onto their beds and fell into a deep sleep.

Li Zhuiyuan was a light sleeper; he woke up three hours later and couldn't fall back asleep. He just sat on the bed, staring blankly at the curtains, which were slowly brightening with the sunlight.

Once the others woke up, they checked out and went to the breakfast shop downstairs for a meal.

The proprietress and her husband initially asked what they wanted to eat in Chongqing dialect, which Tan Wenbin and Runsheng, who were walking ahead, didn't understand.

Seeing that they were from out of town, the proprietress slowed her speech, articulating each word slowly. Although it was still Chongqing dialect, she probably thought this way was perfectly standard Mandarin.

Xue Liangliang walked over and chuckled, "She's asking how many liang you want. Boss, two bowls of three-liang wontons, with clear broth, please."

"Got it! And what about you all?"

Tan Wenbin: "Three catties of wontons in red chili oil."

Runsheng: "Five catties of Chongqing noodles."

The proprietress: "..."

In the end, she still made them.

Tan Wenbin used the largest bowl in the shop, while Runsheng was served in a basin.

As Runsheng felt the rim of the basin, he had a familiar feeling of being at home.

Li Zhuiyuan couldn't finish his three-liang serving of wontons, so Xue Liangliang scooped some into his own bowl.

Tan Wenbin and Runsheng, on the other hand, ate until they were sweating profusely. In the end, Runsheng even drank the soup base.

It was just after the breakfast rush, so there weren't many people in the shop, otherwise it would certainly have drawn a crowd.

After the meal, Xue Liangliang hailed a taxi and took the four of them to a hotel in Guanyinqiao. It was a partner hotel of his new workplace, effectively a guesthouse.

They had arrived late last night and immediately went to sleep after checking into the guesthouse. So now, they could finally appreciate the scenery of Shancheng.

This was a city of great charm. It boasted both modern buildings and facilities, alongside remnants of a bygone era. Multiple historical periods harmoniously converged here, and when combined with its undulating terrain, they created the unique charm of Shancheng.

Li Zhuiyuan felt that there was no need to deliberately visit tourist attractions; simply driving through the city in a car was a beautiful experience in itself.

The new hotel was much more upscale. Xue Liangliang presented his identification and letter of introduction to register, booking one room on his company's expense and another at his own cost.

The hotel was on the eighth floor, accessible by elevator. It was Runsheng's first time in an elevator, and the large man stood somewhat awkwardly inside.

After entering the room, Xue Liangliang said he needed to report to his new workplace first to complete the administrative procedures. He would then take everyone to thoroughly explore specific tourist attractions the next day. Tan Wenbin and Runsheng decided to stroll around near the hotel for a bit.

From the hotel, Li Zhuiyuan called the number Liu Yumei had given him. A male voice answered, and after asking for his hotel address, instructed Li Zhuiyuan to come downstairs, as a car was already waiting.

This surprised Li Zhuiyuan greatly. "That fast?" he wondered.

Upon reaching the hotel lobby, he indeed saw a brand new black sedan parked outside. The driver, wearing white gloves, got out and approached him, asking:

"Excuse me, are you Young Master Li Zhuiyuan?"

"My name is Li Zhuiyuan, but I'm not a 'young master.'"

"Please get in."

The driver courteously opened the car door. After Li Zhuiyuan settled inside, he turned his head and saw a very fashionably dressed woman with an orange wavy perm, carrying a bag, hurrying out. Her high heels made a rapid "click-clack" sound on the ground.

"What's going on? Why the rush? Weren't we supposed to go at dinner time? Why did you suddenly have to call me down?"

Then, the woman spotted the boy sitting in the back seat and irritably asked again:

"And who is he? Why is he in my car?"

The driver replied without humility or arrogance, "Young Master Li is the Master's esteemed guest, Madam. The Master has ordered us to depart for Chunyuan now. If you do not wish to go, you are free to stay."

"You..."

The woman was furious but forced herself to hold it in.

The driver opened the passenger door for her. Seeing this, the woman pouted resentfully but finally got in.

Only then did Li Zhuiyuan realize that this car was intended for the woman and had only been rerouted to pick him up because of his phone call.

Chunyuan was located on a mountain; Li Zhuiyuan wasn't sure which one, as Shancheng was full of mountains.

After passing the security booth and driving inside, Li Zhuiyuan observed the surroundings. It appeared to be a private, high-end, Chinese-style clubhouse, typically used only by the owner's family or for entertaining distinguished guests, and not open to the public.

After they got out of the car, a nobly dressed middle-aged woman came to lead the way.

The woman from the passenger seat got out first, nervously adjusting her hair and collar. All her previous arrogance vanished as she called out very reservedly:

"Sister-in-law."

The middle-aged woman ignored her. Only when she saw Li Zhuiyuan alight did she smile, walk over, and proactively take his hand.

"Young Master Zhuiyuan, please follow me."

Li Zhuiyuan nodded, too lazy to correct the address again.

The woman followed for a few steps, but the middle-aged woman turned and shot her a glare.

"Ah, sister-in-law, can I... can I not go?" the woman asked, pointing to her face.

The middle-aged woman shook her head, then continued to walk inward, pleasantly holding the boy's hand.

The young woman was left alone, stamping her foot in anger.

After passing through a connecting corridor and then walking through a lotus pond, Li Zhuiyuan finally saw familiar faces in a pavilion at the deepest part of the grounds.

Liu Yumei was seated on a stone stool, with a white-haired elder standing beside her, brewing tea.

In another corner of the pavilion, the girl he hadn't seen for many days sat alone, gazing at the lotus flowers.

Then, amidst the lush lotus leaves, she saw the person she had missed.

The girl walked over proactively. The dignified woman, seeming to know the girl's habits, released the boy's hand and silently stepped back.

Li Zhuiyuan took Ah Li's hand. Ah Li looked at the boy, frowned, and pouted.

Liu Yumei, who had initially seemed so calm and composed, merely glanced at the boy, then immediately looked serious and raised her voice.

"You brat! You've been ruining your body again, haven't you? Do you want to go blind?!"

The white-haired elder, having finished brewing tea, sat down beside them, watching with great curiosity as the girl became so close to someone and even showed emotion.

*Splash!*

Liu Yumei splashed the newly poured tea from her cup onto the ground.

The elder understood, immediately stood up, bowed respectfully, and then exited the pavilion.

Liu Yumei glared at the boy again and demanded, "Tell me, what have you been up to now? Look at how depleted your body is; you've made our Ah Li worried again!"

Li Zhuiyuan replied, "Bad luck on the road; we ran into some highway bandits from a village."

"And then?"

"I called the police."

Liu Yumei frowned slightly. She knew the boy was omitting crucial details, but she couldn't press him further. After all, she would soon return to Li Sanjiang's home, and the boy would return there too; as long as they both had to go back, their verbal sparring would continue.

Li Zhuiyuan leaned in close to Ah Li's ear and whispered, "Those mountain bandits wanted to harm us, so I went and dealt with all of them that very night."

The girl happily squeezed the boy's hand, smiling so broadly that two dimples appeared.