Chapter 133: Local Snakes

Feng Jianhua said, “Our side’s investigation into the Ghost Market has led to a man surnamed Du connected to the Bone Centipede.”

“Check if your colleague is present, and if so, are there any other people in the team with the same surname?”

Guan Ya said, “Ghost Market?! Fine, my project is separate from theirs, but given the connection, requesting a consultation on their recent activities shouldn’t be difficult.”

After hanging up, Feng Jianhua waited a moment.

Chu Tianshu walked over, took a photo of the worm that had jumped out of Wang Bo’s body, then crushed it under his foot.

Yuan Chongxiao called for Chu Tianshu to resume interrogation.

Chu Tianshu said, “Still asking?”

“Try asking some less critical questions—might spark some insight for us.”

Yuan Chongxiao said, “When you maintain this spell, will my questions still be effective?”

Chu Tianshu nodded: “Yes.”

This time, Yuan Chongxiao asked with caution, probing into these people’s surface identities.

The size of the procurement department, the general scale of Ghost Market operators, the regions where they typically operate…

Qi Lianyong quickly typed notes beside him.

Many questions touched on forbidden topics, triggering centipedes to burst from their hosts.

Chu Tianshu formed a hand seal, flicked out a silver needle, stepped on the centipede—effortless, practiced.

Unfortunately, these centipedes clearly had a significant impact on their hosts.

But from the perspective of demonic material, their scale was small.

A peculiar species—only when bonded to their host did they produce strange reactions, demonstrating power far beyond their physical size.

Perhaps this was the result of the Chang’an experimental team’s deliberate genetic modifications and breeding efforts.

Ensuring the worms remained weak in their normal state, yet potent once inside the body.

Yet even after all these efforts, the project’s potential risks remained far too great.

As Yuan Chongxiao questioned, he killed several more captives, leaving only one.

He reused all the safe questions gathered from the previous subjects on this final captive.

He preserved their answers for cross-reference before attempting new inquiries.

Chu Tianshu wasn’t particularly interested in those prior identity details.

Those records would be submitted to the provincial bureau, where specialists would sift through the prisoners’ social connections for clues.

But another point caught Chu Tianshu’s attention.

According to these men’s answers, they had taken the Guchong upon joining the Ghost Market.

Entering such a dangerous line of work, with substantial rewards, they had long prepared to pay the price.

Moreover, with the Guchong ensuring no colleague would betray them, they actually felt more secure.

But the old Guchong , besides preventing them from revealing sensitive information, had no other effects.

As long as they took the antidote regularly, they wouldn’t activate.

The Guchong now on their bodies were newly replaced in the first half of this year.

The new variant retained the old Guchong ’s effects and could also unlock their potential.

Those operating equipment felt their thinking became sharper, more energetic; those frequently on field duty felt more alert.

All cultivators—whether practicing Qi, internal arts, or spirit communion—reported gains.

“By ‘sharper thinking,’ you mean the procurement director, because a deal fell through, stormed straight into the Golden Knife Martial School?”

Yuan Chongxiao asked this too: “Was he always this… bold?”

“Or has something changed recently?”

The captive answered slowly.

Wang Bo had always acted unpredictably, which is how he rose to procurement director at his age.

But previously, his actions always succeeded; looking back, they seemed well-handled.

Recently, the most obvious change was that people seemed to fear him more.

Before, subordinates respected Wang Bo, but not to the point of constantly displaying it at work.

Now, even a glance from him, or an accidental encounter around a corner, made them suddenly terrified, lowering their heads hastily to show submission.

Yuan Chongxiao asked, “How recent is ‘recently’?”

The captive replied slowly: “It seems… after the snowfall.”

Those in the room exchanged glances, each making connections.

“Didn’t we say earlier that these centipedes are easily disturbed by ghostly energy?”

Yuan Chongxiao mused, “Heaven has its phenomena, earth has its conditions—climates, if they adapt naturally over long evolution, whether cold or warm, pose no issue.”

“But if a region’s climate suddenly becomes abnormal, ancient texts suggest it may make certain spirits in the spirit realm more responsive to the mortal world.”

A clear thread now emerged.

The Ghost Market operators had contacted those possessing the Bone Centipede technology.

They may not have known the centipede’s hidden dangers, or believed that once cultivated as a Guchong , they could ignore the risks.

Drawn by the benefits of parasitism, they replaced their old Guchong with Bone Centipedes.

In the first half of the year, the parasitized did indeed benefit, with no issues arising.

But when the cold disaster arrived, effects manifested across the board.

The cold disaster disrupted transportation…

The ghostly awakenings brought by the cold disaster…

Lately, the Ghost Market operators have been plagued by misfortune.

But Yuan Chongxiao’s expression was grim.

“If the Ghost Market were wiped out by spirit realm entities, that would be fine—but now it seems a group of once-hidden venomous snakes may have been catalyzed into uncontrollable thugs.”

If previously they were a cluster of blood-sucking vines, now they might be a pile of gunpowder kegs.

Chu Tianshu rubbed his cheek, feeling his teeth itch.

“These damned, self-destructive bastards—even if their own luck turns sour, they might drag others down… damn it!”

He took a breath, steadying his emotions.

Forget it—this world is full of such bullshit.

Like hidden lesions in the human body, invisible until revealed, then triggering an emotional surge.

But venting into empty air does no good—if I ever meet them, I’ll find a way to… kill them all!!

Feng Jianhua had received his reply.

“There are only two Dus in that project team; after the project was halted, one joined another project and remains at Chang’an Science Academy.”

“The other, Du Chen, was the lead of the centipede project—he applied to return home to recuperate.”

Feng Jianhua said, “Chang’an notified the Huaijiang authorities to visit him in person; the reply was that Du Chen was not at home.”

“His phone calls were evasive, cut off mid-sentence, no chance to trace his location.”

It was confirmed—Du Chen was the problem.

Qi Lianyong complained, “How could such a dangerous element be allowed to return home with no follow-up surveillance?!”

“What makes him a dangerous element?”

Yuan Chongxiao shook his head: “He showed no signs of trouble during his time there.”

“You can’t label someone dangerous just because they’re capable—that’d mean half the country needs monitoring.”

Feng Jianhua said, “Though he led the project, he was forbidden from taking any seed sources when leaving the academy, and lost access to Chang’an’s lab equipment.”

“His movements across provinces were monitored, but no one anticipated he’d directly link up with the Ghost Market.”

The information gathered from interrogation and contact was complex.

Though a thread had emerged and the threat assessed, raising vigilance, the exact whereabouts of the mastermind remained elusive.

Chu Tianshu’s killing intent flared but remained restrained.

Qi Lianyong and the others wore visible frustration and vexation.

Feng Jianhua’s tone, however, grew calm, shedding all signs of age, brimming with energy.

“Chang’an will allocate as many personnel as possible to monitor this area; our Huaijiang Special Capture Unit will mobilize fully upon receiving the data to investigate the Ghost Market.”

“All present except Mr. Chu are members of the Occult Association; before the Special Capture Unit was established, we guarded this territory.”

“With a three-foot blade, we defend seven feet of soil—for fame, for money, but because this is where we live.”

Feng Jianhua smiled, “The Ghost Market hides deep, like a venomous snake—but aren’t we the local snakes too?”

“Gentlemen, stop holding back—use every connection you have.”

Those present were either those who, upon hearing the Ghost Market was targeted, immediately disguised themselves and joined the operation,

or men like Qi Lianyong, who once single-handedly upheld a school, running their own martial arts dojo.

Even Yuan Zhonglu was about ten years older than Chu Tianshu.

In their youth and prime, guns had not yet been banned in China.

That fierce sense of territoriality was far stronger than in later generations of youth.

“Fine, let’s fight them.”

Qi Lianyong responded, “This time, with full cooperation from the Huaijiang Special Capture Unit—open and covert, all out!”

“Can a Ghost Market really be more entrenched in our homeland than we are?”

All stirred with renewed resolve, then departed.

Some didn’t go far, just seeming to look for another place to make a call.

Others headed straight for the school gate, as if leaving campus for errands.

Chu Tianshu watched the middle-aged men and women.

The vitality they radiated seemed to transport them to a different era.

They hadn’t grown up in the stable environment of Chu Tianshu’s generation; they were more restless, wilder, and more direct.

“The principal is impressive.”

Chu Tianshu murmured, “A few words wiped away everyone’s earlier pressure and gloom—no wonder you’re principal.”

He suddenly snapped back to awareness.

“But the Ghost Market incident is extremely dangerous—what about the contacts the teachers are seeking?”

Yuan Zhonglu laughed heartily, “Everyone’s an adult, with their own thoughts. Those unwilling will simply refuse.”

Feng Jianhua looked at Chu Tianshu: “Of course, where there are those unwilling, there are also those willing—whether for the bonus, our martial school’s promise, or something else.”

“And once they act, they face risk.”

“But little Chu, in a major event like this, someone is bound to fall into danger. None of us are animated cats that can’t be blown up or cut down, and there’s no omniscient, invincible savior.”

“It’s precisely because we refuse to accept more sacrifices that we’re not afraid to make them.”

This is the cruelty of reality.

Yet it is also because of this cruel reality that people’s complex courage and resilience repeatedly shine through.

Chu Tianshu gazed at the figures striding far away through the snow and wind, speechless.

The computer teacher added, “But what if some of the contacts people are seeking are also Ghost Market moles...”

“The procurement manager is already dead here—what’s left to fear about alerting them? We only worry they won’t be alerted at all.”

Chu Tianshu picked up the thread, shifting topic: “Principal, I’d like to learn more about internal energy. Could I borrow an internal energy scripture?”

(End of Chapter)