Chapter 93: Corpse-Burying Foreman

Early morning.

The corpse-burying workers rose early to start their shift as usual.

The two gray jackals pulling the cart appeared plump and sturdy with beautiful fur; their alert gazes held a certain air of authority, creating a qualitative gap between them and their wild counterparts.

"Sir, are A-Hui and A-Chai about to enter the ranks and become demonic beasts soon?"

Wei Ming, who was walking, spoke up while looking at the two gray jackals pulling the cart.

Du En, sitting on the cart, nodded: "Soon. In about half a year, they should be able to become demonic beasts."

The others were somewhat invigorated upon hearing this, a sense of accomplishment welling up within them.

Clearly, Li Jian had truly intended to take action on Du En's behalf just a moment ago.

"It seems this deal cannot be made, then."

It was not being pulled by a green-skinned buffalo; the whole thing was wrapped in thick cloth, with blood seeping along the edges of the fabric, yet it could not break through to drip down; however, the blood was still struggling, much like a person infected with a parasite, where the worm tries to break through the skin, wriggling gently beneath the surface.

After all, one look at this scene told them the problem was massive; it was likely another evil corpse or strange corpse, and they simply couldn't handle it!

"However, it's Xu Ran again. This kid really is a jinx!"

"Of course, if Supervisor Li feels there is profit to be made here and wants me to pay to hire you to help bury the corpse, I don't think we need to waste time; you can just say it directly. As long as it isn't an exorbitant demand, everything is negotiable."

So he thought he would just go with the flow and let things unfold according to his words.

Faintly, a formless strangeness was permeating the air.

"Not bad, we count as friends."

Giving instructions to the two gray jackals, they immediately pulled the cart forward in a slow, sluggish manner.

Li Jian couldn't help but gasp slightly, looking at Du En with a strange expression that also held a hint of admiration.

"Why should I be the one to yield? It is clearly he who is withholding our wages and constantly making things difficult for no reason."

"Let's take action formally the night after tomorrow."

Compared to this, the selection of targets for corpse burial was already nearing completion.

Even though it looked completely normal, Du En did not lower his guard.

"In this way, there shouldn't be any entries regarding raising or feeding beasts."

Although they couldn't hear a word of it right now, and although he himself was also filled with unease.

Upon hearing the sound, the two gray jackals immediately slowed down and stopped, exceptionally obedient, yet also somewhat puzzled and strange.

In this state, they couldn't listen to anyone's words.

"Sir..."

Du En walked up to Xu Ran and waved his hand; seeing he had no reaction at all, he focused his senses, but found no signs of any evil arts on him.

Li Jian did not act with the condescension they had imagined, which made Ning Caize and the others, who had already turned to leave, feel unable to help but be surprised.

He had just been thinking this when the flatbed cart arrived at the corpse-transporting path.

"He was just frightened."

Because such a technique had no cost-effectiveness and would occupy precious time, Du En did not feel any regret or pity.

"I heard about your affairs from A-Ran before, and I thought he was exaggerating the facts. Now it seems he was actually understating them. No wonder you dare to stand up to Manager He and haven't gone to yield and beg for forgiveness even now."

As Du En spoke, he raised his hand and grabbed; a bone shovel flew out from his robes, growing as it met the wind. By the time it reached his hand and he planted it on the ground, it had extended to its full length of eight feet.

Seeing this scene, Li Jian's expression became even more varied, and in the end, he only managed to squeeze out this sentence: "It seems Foreman Du's relationship with Supervisor Ren is truly very good!"

"Uh..."

The corpse-burying workers began to move, some carrying things, others pulling the flatbed cart, while Wei Ming chattered away, giving instructions to the two gray jackals.

At this moment, they were just like usual, scattered and waiting quietly in the mountain forests on both sides of the road, looking fearfully at the terrifying and dangerous corpse-burying workers.

Perhaps because they were about to become demonic beasts, their senses and instincts were sharper, so they now sensed something amiss, looking around in panic and confusion, yet unable to find the reason that made them feel panic from the bottom of their hearts.

"Sir, has something happened?" Wei Ming asked.

As soon as these words left his mouth, the others began to circulate their Dharma power, grabbing their iron shovels and entering a state of alert.

Because the corpse-burying workers grabbed a bit too ruthlessly, after the scavenger birds and beasts here recovered their numbers, only the ones that had learned their lesson remained; they generally wouldn't rush to eat as soon as the corpse-transporters left.

Before they left, they took one last glance at Xu Ran, thinking to themselves with a sense of bad luck.

"You all turn back and go find A-Hui and A-Chai." Du En made his judgment and said this directly, then, without waiting for a response, he approached the melancholy young man: "I am Du En, the foreman here. May I ask who you are?"

Du En did not answer immediately, but merely narrowed his eyes, scanning the path before him.

"... Let's not talk about that. Foreman Du, you didn't have anyone leave behind shovels or tools; could it be you were already planning to hire me to bury the corpse?"

Especially later on, when Du En's cultivation broke through and his spiritual diet underwent a complete transformation, he no longer caught or cooked ordinary scavenger beasts, and even the act of throwing away bones and offal for feeding disappeared completely.

"I am Li Jian, the corpse-transporting supervisor. I have heard of you for a long time; it is a pleasure to meet you."

As Li Jian said this, his gaze flickered slightly. He didn't say anything more, but instead looked at the vehicle in the wasteland: "Du En, can you handle it alone? This time is not like the small scuffles from before."

The other one, whom no one recognized, was a young man of about thirty or forty, quite tall, with an average appearance, somewhat messy hair, and a plain robe washed until it was faded white, invisibly revealing a faint air of melancholy.

Although the two of them were caught by Du En to serve as draft animals for the cart, the daily care of them was done by Ning Caize and the others.

"Hiss..."

Refined entirely from the materials of demonic beasts, primarily bones, hence the name Demonic Bone Shovel.

Ning Caize and the others were bewildered and at a loss, subconsciously looking toward Du En, only to see him nod slightly and step off the cart: "Walk. Just leave them here."

Then they followed Du En as he walked, arriving at the corpse-burying wasteland.

Facing this emphasis, Du En pondered slightly and answered directly: "If you are truly worried that I cannot handle it, then Supervisor Li should have volunteered and said directly that you wanted to help me bury the corpse."

Because the leader of the corpse-transporters, Li Yue, was always fawning over and trying to please this person, and never failed to offer up the various gains from looting corpses; and everyone knew what kind of person Li Yue was. Thus, in the eyes of the crowd, Li Jian, who was in cahoots with him, was just the same kind of vermin.

Hm?

"Stop."

"Yes."

"That's not it, it's just that I have this."

"What's wrong with Xu Ran? He looks so dull and sluggish."

Du En looked at them, his gaze flickering, then he swept past them and looked toward the eight flatbed carts parked on the wasteland.

The others were also very puzzled.

"As expected."

But looking at the reality now, it seems that is not the case?

Even with deep curiosity and concern, they still obediently left.

"Walk slowly."

"Are there enemies? Or is there danger?" Ning Caize immediately became vigilant.

Walking and walking, he stopped on his own.

The corpse transporters remained here; there were two people who did not leave.

One was Xu Ran; he looked sluggish, as if his soul had been damaged and he had become an idiot, only missing the 'aba-aba' sounds squeezing out of his mouth.

But seeing him like this now, he already realized that Du En was not an ordinary low-level middle-stage Qi Refining cultivator, and his family wealth might even be greater than his own.

Thinking again of how he had withstood the pressure from He Bo to reach this point, his mood inevitably became even more complicated.

(End of this chapter)