Chapter 368: Six-Day Old Ghosts

The funeral was held on the third day.

The location was in the factory area of Coastal Industry. A tent was set up on the newly repaired ground, and basically everyone in Xinquan attended.

There were no messy ceremonies or programs organized; instead, it was conducted in the form of a mourning and memorial meeting.

In addition to the seven Returning Knights who died in the siege of Pacquiao, there were more than thirty security team employees. After experiencing the turmoil, almost every combatant was injured, and more than forty people were disabled as a result.

Although Ji Jue didn't need to be responsible for the combat losses of the Returning Knights, Ji Jue paid double the pension and bonuses equal to those of the Coastal employees and gifted an additional batch of supplies.

As for the Coastal employees, in addition to the promised double pension and bonuses, there was an additional series of preferential treatments, including free long-term residence in the affiliated nursing home of Xinxian Nursing Home for those with elderly family members, and monthly living expenses and interest-free student loans for those with children in school.

Ji Jue was already stuffed to the gills; he really didn't lack this little bit.

Those who were injured were treated, and those who were disabled were sent directly to Xie Lan for limb replantation. Even if they couldn't perform heavy manual labor afterward, the factory had light and stable job positions available, and it was currently lacking such employees whose reliability had been verified.

Besides that, if there were any other difficulties or troubles, they would also be assisted as appropriate. Under such massive pensions and compensation, it was hard to say which families were happy amidst the bitterness and which were sad amidst the joy.

At the funeral, low sobs and tears continued to flow.

At the end, Ji Jue handed the urns to the family members one by one, listening silently to their accusations or gratitude; the only thing he could do was leave his business card at the end.

When he pushed the door and walked out, he couldn't help but sigh silently.

"Actually, that's enough, right?"

The "Accountant" sitting on the steps outside smoking a pipe looked back at him and sighed naturally: "When you earn your life with a knife, you can't avoid dying on the street. When you pick up a gun to make a living, you can't decide your own life or death.

Life is sometimes precious, and sometimes worthless.

In the Middle Lands, when the man of the house dies, there's only a bag of gold sand and a gun, and most of the time, there isn't even gold sand.

Being able to have an employer as good as you, they can die in peace; why feel guilty?"

"You might be mistaken; I'm not that weak."

Ji Jue looked back: "Although I feel guilty, I don't think I did anything wrong; I'm just trying to do what I can."

The Accountant shrugged: "Then why be sad?"

"Why not be sad?"

Ji Jue gave a self-deprecating smile: "No matter how sad or guilty I am, and no matter how much compensation and effort I make, when I encounter this kind of thing in the future, I will still do it this way.

Even, doing it again and again, never repenting until death."

He looked at the Accountant and asked curiously: "For a person like me, isn't it pathetic?"

The Accountant was silent, looking at him for a long time before exhaling a wisp of smoke and sighing softly: "There are too many pathetic types in the world who bring trouble upon themselves, and there are no shortage of detestable types who commit evil and never repent, but someone like you doesn't fall into either category.

Whether you can succeed or not, I can't say for sure, but one thing is certain—the harm left behind by a person like you will probably exceed many of them."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

Ji Jue laughed, not caring at all.

"Before you leave, Mr. Accountant, is there anything else you want to say to me?"

"Just one thing: pay on time, don't delay the final payment. If there's anything else..."

The Accountant chuckled, took a badge out of his pocket, and flicked it toward him. Ji Jue caught it in his hand but couldn't tell what the badge was.

It was as if a colony badge had been casually carved into a piece of scrap iron with a knife.

"What is this?" Ji Jue looked down and examined it.

"A symbol and credential for sacrifice. If you wear this thing and walk down the street in the Middle Lands, those who don't kneel to you should have their feet cut off. Well, it's also possible you might be hacked to death by a crowd, who knows.

I suggest you don't wave it around casually; the Red State has quite a few arch-enemies."

The Accountant shrugged and sighed: "As followers, we have no right to question the Sacrifice Master's decision. There aren't many people in this generation qualified to wear the Crown of Broken Iron, and it's a good thing to have one more."

"Although the Knights don't understand, they won't oppose it. However, I assume you probably wouldn't care either."

"I don't need to say anything more, but for the sake of safety, I'll remind you... although the inheritance of the colony isn't small, it hasn't reached the point of being everywhere. I hope you don't spread it indiscriminately."

"There's no need for that. Besides, isn't the Returning Knights using it quite smoothly?" Ji Jue flicked it up indifferently, watching it spin in mid-air, and caught it in his palm: "Friendship is friendship, and bills are bills, right?"

"That's about the meaning."

The Accountant supported his old waist and got up from the steps, stretching his body: "The good words and bad words have all been said, so I won't disturb you anymore."

"I wish Boss Ji a prosperous business."

"Many thanks."

Ji Jue smiled and watched the Accountant lead a large group of Returning Knights away.

However, Slan stayed behind with a small team. On one hand, they were already earning extra money in the Federation; on the other hand, it was a complimentary service.

They would serve Ji Jue until the end of the rainy season.

To some extent, it was also a silent reminder...

The profitable battles have been fought for you; from now on, there will be final payments reserved for me.

Don't dawdle, hurry up.

Ji Jue naturally wouldn't drive away free gifts. Besides, how far is this? Pacquiao is dead, but aren't his partners still doing fine?

Haven't the Water Ghosts who sneaked into Haizhou to burn, kill, and loot during the rainy season also not had time to run yet?

Even a mosquito is meat, no matter how small.

No matter how rotten a Water Ghost is, can't they still exert some residual value?

Ji Jue naturally chose to have it all.

And the next thing to deal with was another piece of dog-skin plaster...

Old Tang, who rolled around in the factory's infirmary every day crying that he was dying, yet never missed a single one of his five meals, wanting to eat Ji Jue into bankruptcy with just one mouth!

"Oh my, Boss, you finally came!"

Tang Qian's face was pale, like gold paper. As soon as he saw Ji Jue walk into the ward, tears almost fell, his breath weak: "If you had come any later, I'm afraid I wouldn't have been able to see you."

"Before you speak, would you mind wiping the grease off your mouth?"

Ji Jue threw a bag over with an expressionless face: "Three for the down payment, fifteen settled for you the last two days, now for the final payment, seventeen more for you."

"Thirty-five Imperial gold coins, most of my family fortune is here. We've been friends for so long, we should at least speak plainly, Old Tang?"

This was a lie.

A mere thirty Imperial gold coins...

Although Ji Jue didn't bring much out before, now that he had gradually unsealed the storage vault of the Doomsday Special Train, there was nowhere to put all this trash.

Back then, the Sky Track had packed up the entire Rift Realm and taken it away.

In the pile of sundries, there were several boxes of this stuff!

But even if there were several boxes, he couldn't move them all out and put them in front of Old Tang, right? He feared thieves, and he feared thieves coveting them. What if this dog thing took a risk and brought his ancestors to kidnap him?

"Just this little bit?"

Old Tang frowned, his disappointment overflowing; he didn't even want to act anymore, barely squeezing out a drop of tragic tears: "When the cunning rabbit dies, the hunting dog is cooked; Boss Ji, you can't be like this. I risked my life for you..."

"You risking your life is no problem, but do you really want to settle the account?"

Ji Jue laughed, taking out paper and pen: "How do we calculate the losses caused to me after your ancestor came out to cause trouble? Who should I go to for repayment? Let's not even mention the destruction of the site and buildings; the materials recovered are less than half."

"Besides, for the rental fee of Panying, do you want me to follow the Association's S-level alchemy work rental standard? Regarding the wear and consumption caused by this..."

"Forget it, don't you fucking pull that!"

Seeing Ji Jue being inhuman to this extent, Tang Qian was suddenly furious, eyes wide: "Why don't you just calculate the medical expenses too?"

"That's a good point. You use two rolls of Vortex-series purification gauze every time you change your dressing, and you have to stuff two rolls in your pocket. You eat half the medicine and touch half. The previous suture surgery was handled urgently by the famous Vortex-series physician Mr. Xie from Yacheng, and you even made me pay double the price... Oh, right, the meals in our factory use high-end pollution-free organic vegetables from Yacheng, which are also..."

Seeing Ji Jue becoming increasingly outrageous, Old Tang suddenly sat up from his deathbed, laughing and asking where the guest came from, immediately changing to a fawning face, almost leaning in.

Lowering his head and acting small.

The situation is stronger than the person; it's really not worth it to argue with this kind of dog thing. Besides, business still needs to be done in the future, so emotional value should naturally be given appropriately!

Isn't this still to make money?

It's not shameful.

"Enough, don't say any more nonsense." Ji Jue waved his hand: "The hero or good man you shook out, you should at least let me know, right?"

"Ah, this..."

Tang Qian was stunned, then his face turned pale again, lying down like a dying candle in the wind, looking like he would die for you to see if you asked again.

Anyway, paying back the money was impossible; the gold coins sounded good, and he loved them. But answering was also impossible; after all, Ji Jue couldn't do anything to him, but if the ancestor was unhappy, he could really give him a few big slaps, making him feel sour and refreshed for several years.

Moreover, too many things were involved, and it was impossible for him to answer every question; the more he asked, the more troublesome it would be.

How can one have the best of both worlds in the world, not failing the ancestors and not failing the friend?

This kind of thing, he had no way either.

He could only pretend to be dead.

Until Ji Jue touched his pocket and took out five more gold coins, lining them up on the table in front of him.

The brilliant golden light illuminated his eyes.

But immediately after, a bone knife slashed down, almost chopping off his little hand that wasn't very well-behaved and was reaching over...

"If you don't want to say, it doesn't matter."

Ji Jue looked at him with a smile: "How about you shake him out, and the two of us have a chat?"

Hearing this, Tang Qian shook his head like a rattle-drum.

What do you think the ancestor is? Summoned when called and dismissed when waved away?

Among so many ancestors, the higher up they are, the harder they are to contact. Like Lord Tianlu, who comes out once every few hundred years and wreaks havoc for a few hundred years each time, it's only been a few days? How could he be contacted?

Let alone that he couldn't contact him, even if he could, shaking out that old thing Lord Tianlu for this kind of thing, wouldn't he cause a river of blood?

It's better to pretend to have tried his best and failed, giving an explanation, at least letting Ji Jue give up.

But just at the moment when his heart moved, before he could perform the burnt offering, his expression suddenly changed.

Bad!

The inheritance burnt offering suddenly operated on its own; in the blood sea at the deepest part of his consciousness, a pair of eyes opened faintly, looking down.

A silent sneer.

Holy shit?!

Tang Qian was stunned on the spot...

He actually came out!

Soon, his expression twitched, becoming increasingly complex.

"Uh, he..."

Tang Qian stopped talking and wanted to speak, and after a long time, he tactfully conveyed the opinion: "He said, um, now is not the time; you still need to work hard."

【?】

Ji Jue was also confused.

In fact, Lord Tianlu's original words were not necessarily as pleasant as he thought.

"Heh! Without even a position of Emperor-Selection, you dare to order me around? Wait until you become an Artisan before you talk to me! Tell that little brat, if he wants to climb into a friendship with me, he should gather enough Six-Day Old Ghost Seals for Shengxie first!"

After saying this, those arrogant and indifferent eyes disappeared.

Leaving Tang Qian, who had tried his best to translate and convey it, and Ji Jue, looking at each other in silence.

"Gone?" Ji Jue asked.

"Gone, just this little bit."

Tang Qian spread his hands helplessly, taking the opportunity to sweep the gold coins into his pocket, pretending nothing had happened.

Anyway, the money won't be returned!

Ji Jue frowned, and after a long time, asked: "Six-Day Old Ghosts? What is that?"

"Ah, I do know a little about this."

Tang Qian was afraid Ji Jue would take the money back, so he hurriedly explained: "Back in the Eternal Dynasty era, there were only three orthodox Sacrifice Masters bound to the royal family, known as the 'Three-Day Orthodox Masters.'

Besides them, among all other Sacrifice Masters, the six largest were known as the Six Evils. The Six-Day Old Ghost Seal should refer to their inheritance burnt offerings and holy objects.

As for which six... emmmm, I'm not clear about that. After all, Boss, you understand, if anyone had good grades, who would still be doing the Great Herd, right?"

Ji Jue was silent.

Four or five hundred years have passed; besides people like Old Tang whose family is unclear with the Eternal Empire, who else would remember these messy things.

From Tianlu's words, Panying—no, the complete form of Shengxie—besides the blessing, at least requires gathering the holy object imprints of these six Sacrifice Masters.

Wash blood with blood, defeat evil with evil!

As the Imperial Artisan of the Eternal Empire, the Ye family actually openly hooked up with six unofficial Sacrifice Masters and was able to leave behind the Nine-Type inheritance without being exterminated. Ji Jue couldn't guess the secrets of the past.

But the problem is...

Besides the colony and scars that were delivered voluntarily, where the hell am I supposed to find these six?

"This is simple!"

Tang Qian was suddenly beaming: "According to Tian... cough cough, the ancestor's meaning, there is a resonance between the Six Evils and Shengxie. Anyway, in the future, just beat the Great Herd when you meet them; the one that can leave an imprint on your sword after you beat them is the one."

God-damn "beat the Great Herd when you meet them"!

There's one right in front of me, and I think he's quite beatable; should I try it?!

Ji Jue felt terrible after hearing this—as an Artisan, why would he be idle and go kill the Great Herd? And still looking for them all over the mountains and plains? Has he lived enough?

This isn't the Eternal Empire era, where he could rely on imperial power and the status of an Artisan to beat anyone he saw.

Besides, even in the Eternal Empire era, he couldn't be an Artisan!

The position of Artisan has always been only one, and only the head of the Ye family can hold it. He doesn't even have the surname Ye. Besides, did you see the Non-Attack in my hand?

Who could have imagined that after four hundred years, the inheritance of the Eternal Empire's confidant Artisan and the matrix of the Mohist, the Empire's confidant enemy, would be gathered in the same person...

If this were to travel back, wouldn't he be hung up and beaten by both sides?

Ji Jue was silent, looking at Old Tang in front of him.

He only wanted to know how to get his gold coins back.

He originally came with the purpose of clearing up confusion and seeking knowledge, but as a result, not a single question was answered, and he added a bunch of questions and troubles... As a service provider, how are you starting to issue tasks?

It's a pity that Old Tang had long since tucked the gold coins into his bosom, sticking his butt out, unyielding to death.

If you're unhappy, do whatever you want, anyway, don't think about pulling out the money that has entered the pocket!

Ji Jue ground for half an hour, repeatedly fishing for words, and gave a bunch of things that were true and false, but in the end, there was no dry goods or key points.

Seeing that nothing could be squeezed out, he got up and left in a huff.

As soon as he went out, he instructed the nurse: Drive this freeloader out as soon as possible; if you let him stay any longer, I'm afraid he'll carry away the infirmary building when he's discharged!

Since there is no residual value, hurry back to society!

Looking at the time, he hurried to the entrance of Xinquan.

Lu Yingyue's people were about to arrive. ===== CHAPTER 369 =====