Chapter 275: The Gambler (Requesting Monthly Passes)

Xu Yuan had previously speculated that the true thief of the cocoon food might have motives similar to those of my lord Wen Bin.

At this moment, he suddenly thought of another possibility: the cargo owners had used the canal for smuggling more than once or twice.

In fact, smuggling cocoon food was not their first time either.

And the purpose of the person who stole the cocoon food was very pure: it was for the thing itself.

This thing was extremely precious on the Red-Haired Barbarians' side, with a price so high that it could make all merchants risk their lives.

But exactly what use this thing had, Xu Yuan did not understand.

After returning, Xu Yuan went to ask Wang Shen.

Wang Shen explained to him: "On the Red-Haired Barbarians' side, there are also cultivators similar to us. However, they seem to classify them by 'profession'.

I am not very knowledgeable in this regard, but I do know that their so-called 'initiation' is equivalent to our entry into the path.

Initiation requires the preparation of corresponding 'secret medicines', and things like cocoon food are one of the main ingredients for their initiation medicines."

Xu Yuan asked again: "Is there anyone on our side who needs this thing?"

"Several types of medicinal pills use it, but the usage is not large. You say someone stole such a large amount of cocoon food at once; who on our side has such a huge demand... let this old woman think some more..."

Wang Shen gently rubbed her forehead; she was now extremely cautious about everything she did.

Including these subconscious movements.

She was also afraid that if she exerted any force, her body would fall apart again.

Xu Yuan waited patiently.

After Wang Shen had a major health problem last time, thinking things through now was somewhat inconvenient for her.

Wang Shen felt that the things in her mind had turned into a tangle of messy threads.

Many times, she needed to find that "thread end" before she could follow it and sort it out.

For instance, regarding this cocoon food, Wang Shen muttered to herself, starting from the beginning: "How is cocoon food produced?

It is said that in the lands beyond civilization, certain fruits such as peaches, apricots, pomegranates, and chestnuts, after ripening, do not fall but hang on the branches, experiencing a winter of wind, frost, snow, and rain. Then, when spring comes the following year, certain insect-like evil spirits drill into them. If these insects can spin silk to make cocoons, they will fuse to become 'cocoon food'.

Hearing this, Xu Yuan understood why Ghost Wushan did not produce "cocoon food": it was because Southern Jiaozhi did not see frost or snow in winter.

Wang Shen continued muttering to herself: "Cocoon food itself has undergone the process of life to death, death to life, and life to death again.

Furthermore, it is a seed full of vitality, so it carries quite a bit of the meaning of the 'realm of life and death'.

Certain schools of Spirit Cultivation are said to have secret arts that can use cocoon food to directly elevate Yin Soldiers into Divine Generals.

This secret art requires a large amount of cocoon food."

Xu Yuan's eyes lit up; was the person acting in the shadows a Spirit Cultivator?

Wang Shen slowly changed her breath and continued speaking: "In addition, Craftsmen Cultivation has an ancient legend: the Twelve Golden Men, the Wooden Ox and Flowing Horse, and so on, are all high-level crafted objects; then, using 'cocoon food' to enlighten them, these crafted objects will possess their own 'life'.

Regardless of the size of the crafted object, to enlighten it into having life, a large amount of cocoon food is required."

This presented a second possibility—Xu Yuan scratched his head; the more clues there were, the harder it was to narrow down the scope.

Wang Shen changed her breath again and said once more: "There is also the fact that Wu Xiu has several cultivation methods; when reaching the Fifth Grade or above, one must pass the 'Life and Death Barrier'. If one consumes a large amount of cocoon food in advance, the success rate will increase significantly."

Xu Yuan waited silently, but Wang Shen stopped: "This is all this old woman can think of for now."

Xu Yuan thanked Wang Shen, came out, and stood in the courtyard, his face a mixture of helplessness and amusement.

It seemed some new clues had been found, but... it had made the case even more complicated.

Just then, a hoarse, desperate shout suddenly came from the front courtyard: "Report a case! I want to report a case!"

"There is an evil spirit eating people at the Fugui Gambling House!"

"My lords, go quickly... that evil spirit has already eaten seven or eight people!"

Xu Yuan's heart tightened, and he rushed out quickly.

At the main gate of the front courtyard, more than a dozen Captains had already gathered.

Qin Ze grabbed the man: "What kind of evil spirit is it?"

"I... I..." The man, still shaken from his fright, stammered: "I only saw... a monster three zhang tall, its whole body was flesh and blood, with no skin, and it had many huge, bloody mouths..."

Xu Yuan acted swiftly: "Take him, and follow me!"

The Fugui Gambling House was located in Nancheng, four streets away from the Patrol Office.

On the way, Qin Ze repeatedly questioned the reporter, wanting to know more about the situation of the evil spirit.

But the man was clearly terrified; he had run out in a panic to report the case without even clearly seeing the specific appearance of the evil spirit.

He only knew that everyone in the gambling house had been happily playing with money when that thing appeared out of thin air, instantly biting four people to pieces and eating them.

The Purification Bureau was experienced in handling strange cases, so Old Qin speculated: "My lord, it seems a gambler suddenly underwent a strange transformation."

Xu Yuan frowned.

Early this morning, the prohibitions had already been checked: No singing, no approaching the river, no setting fires, no drunkenness.

Among these, whether it was singing or drunkenness, either could trigger a gambler's strange transformation.

In the gambling house, if one won too much, one might get so happy that one forgot today's prohibitions and hummed a little tune, or brought one's own wine inside, and in the desperation of losing, drank oneself into a stupor...

It was very difficult to judge exactly how the strange transformation occurred, and thus to make corresponding dispositions.

Moreover, today's prohibition on "setting fires" meant that Fu Zhong Huo could not be used, losing one powerful means against evil spirits.

Xu Yuan led his men on a rapid march, arriving at the street where the Fugui Gambling House was located.

The entire street had already been cleared.

Stall owners had thrown their things everywhere, and the people had run away, leaving no trace.

The shops on both sides were closed, with their door boards all shut, and heavy objects were probably blocking them from behind.

The gambling house's main gate was very imposing, situated right in the center of the street.

There were four tall pillars in front of the gate, holding up four strings of large lanterns, each lantern bearing a large character "Fa".

Now the main gate was shattered, and the pillars lay on the ground.

The lantern was crushed to pieces.

Because "arson" was forbidden, the lantern had not been lit.

Strange sounds emanated from the battered, broken gate of the gambling house.

Something was eating!

The sound sent shivers down one's spine.

Xu Yuan made a hand signal; his men scattered and cautiously approached the gambling house.

Suddenly, on the silent street, a burst of hurried footsteps echoed.

The members of the Purification Bureau were startled and hurriedly sought cover.

The strange sound from the gate vanished immediately—the footsteps had alerted it!

Xu Yuan gritted his teeth, secretly furious: Who is it?! So reckless!

He turned to look and saw Miao Yu leading a group of officers from the Shanhe Bureau rushing over.

Just as they turned the street corner and saw the situation on this street, Miao Yu and his men were stunned.

Xu Yuan stepped out and made a forceful hand signal to Miao Yu.

But it was already too late.

With a crack, a shop beside the street exploded, and a massive blood shadow rushed out, pouncing on Miao Yu with lightning speed!

Bright red blood dripped along the way, carrying intense corrosiveness, hissing and raising clouds of yellow smoke on the blue-brick street!

Frozen onto the monster's body were flayed human faces—taken from those greedy and mad gamblers.

(End of this chapter)