Chapter 84

Jiang Xiaomu didn't answer, continued to dig carefully, that piece of black cloth also gradually revealed, it was an old garment.

"It's the missing person's clothing!" a constable exclaimed.

Jiang Xiaomu sped up digging, soon a rotting corpse was exposed before everyone.

The corpse was highly rotted, almost unrecognizable, but from remaining clothing and build, likely one of the missing civilians.

"This..." Li Wenqing's face turned ashen, his stomach churned.

"Keep digging!"

Jiang Xiaomu suppressed nausea, ordered in a low voice.

The constables dared not delay, each grabbed tools and began digging.

Soon, second, third, fourth... more and more corpses were dug out, filling the whole open space.

Li Wenqing could no longer bear, ran aside and vomited violently.

Even those battle-hardened constables each turned pale, limbs weak.

Jiang Xiaomu's face turned ashen, he never imagined the truth would be so cruel.

These missing civilians were not all transported out of the city, but a part were brutally killed and buried here!

"Who exactly? Who is so heinous!"

Jiang Xiaomu's heart burned with fury.

At this moment, a constable suddenly shouted:

"Sir, look!"

Jiang Xiaomu followed the voice, saw that constable holding a mud-covered wooden plaque, the plaque carved with several characters:

"Offering, Blood Moon Sect."

Li Wenqing's face looked worse than a corpse, he suppressed vomiting urge, with trembling hand handed the plaque to Jiang Xiaomu.

"Jiang... Mr. Jiang, how... how should we deal with this?"

Jiang Xiaomu took the plaque, his hand covered in mud, a foul smell rushed into his nostrils, making his stomach churn. He took a deep breath, suppressing the nausea.

"Blood Moon Sect..." he muttered lowly, a cold glint flashed in his eyes.

"Sir, look!" a constable pointed at another corpse and exclaimed.

"This... this person's heart is missing!"

Jiang Xiaomu quickly walked over, saw that the corpse's chest had a huge hollow, organs already emptied.

"Are all corpses like this?" Jiang Xiaomu asked in a low voice.

Several constables, suppressing fear, checked other corpses, all the same, hearts all removed.

Li Wenqing stumbled back, face ashen, leaning against the wall, retching nonstop.

"Jiang... Mr. Jiang, this... this is literally hell on earth!"

After returning to the prefecture, Li Wenqing immediately reported this to Prefect Zhao.

Prefect Zhao, after hearing the report, his face also became solemn.

"Blood Moon Sect... I, the official, have never heard of this sect."

"Nowadays with war and chaos, people struggle to survive, can't even eat enough, who has leisure to follow a religion?"

"I also find this suspicious," Li Wenqing echoed:

"But those corpses and the wooden plaque are undeniable, this matter is certainly not fabricated."

"Sir Li," Prefect Zhao stopped, his sharp gaze fixed on Li Wenqing.

"This matter is of great importance, you must get to the bottom of it!"

"Absolutely cannot let these cult heretics disturb the peace of Wangjiang Cheng!"

"I obey the order!"

Li Wenqing clasped his hands and received the order.

Meanwhile, Jiang Xiaomu had sent a pigeon letter to Ye Ying, hoping to get news about the Blood Moon Sect from her.

Night fell, Wangjiang Cheng was shrouded in a gloomy atmosphere.

Jiang Xiaomu sat alone in the study, he tightly gripped Ye Ying's reply, the thin paper almost being crumpled by him.

The letter, written in elegant hand, contained information about the Blood Moon Sect:

It is a cult that has risen in recent years, worshipping the so-called "Blood Moon Goddess", doctrines mysterious, actions brutal.

They use living human hearts as offerings, performing some evil ritual, said to gain great power.

The Blood Moon Sect's activities mainly concentrated in several northern regions frequently troubled by war, acting covertly, hard to track.

At the end of the letter, Ye Ying specially reminded Jiang Xiaomu, the Blood Moon Sect's followers are extremely fanatical, and their martial arts are strange, do not

act rashly.

Jiang Xiaomu took a deep breath, placed the letter on the candle flame to burn, watching it turn to ash.

"Take the initiative, must take the initiative!" his eyes flashed with cold light.

It seems now only Pei Dongyong can lend me a hand.

Thinking this, Jiang Xiaomu immediately rose, put on his outer garment, and hurried to Pei Dongyong's residence.

Night was deep, Pei Dongyong's small courtyard was silent, only a few crickets' chirps broke the night's tranquility.

Jiang Xiaomu gently knocked on the gate.

"Who is it?"

A slightly hoarse voice came from inside the courtyard.

"Constable Pei, it's me, Jiang Xiaomu."

With a creak, the courtyard gate opened, revealing Pei Dongyong's somewhat weathered face.

His hair was disheveled, his beard stubbly, and he gave off a strong smell of alcohol; clearly he had drunk a lot.

"Mr. Jiang, it's so late; what brings you here?"

Pei Dongyong belched, then asked.

"Constable Captain, something big has happened in the city; I need your help."

Jiang Xiaomu got straight to the point as soon as he opened the door.

Pei Dongyong rubbed his sleepy eyes, seeming not fully awake.

"What is it? Could it be another petty thief stealing chickens again?"

Jiang Xiaomu briefly told Pei Dongyong about the Blood Moon Sect, emphasizing the corpses whose hearts had been dug out.

After hearing, Pei Dongyong's drunkenness faded by half, and his face grew solemn.

"Heart‑digging sacrifice… this… this is too…" He seemed to want to say something but ultimately didn't.

"Constable Captain, I know you've already resigned."

"But this matter is of great importance; the people of Wangjiang Cheng are in imminent danger, please lend your aid!"

Jiang Xiaomu's tone was sincere.

Pei Dongyong fell silent for a moment, sighed, and said:

"Mr. Jiang, it's not that I don't want to help, but… I've grown weary of a life of constant fighting."

"I just want to live a peaceful life."

He picked up the wine gourd and took a big gulp.

Jiang Xiaomu knew Pei Dongyong's inner turmoil, stepped forward, and said in a low voice:

"Constable Captain, I know you feel guilty, but running away won't solve the problem."

"Those tragically slain civilians need you; Wangjiang Cheng needs you!"

"I… I…" Pei Dongyong's eyes flickered, as if he were struggling.

"Constable Captain, you were once Wangjiang Cheng's finest constable."

"I believe you can certainly bring these cult evildoers to justice!" Jiang Xiaomu continued to persuade.

Pei Dongyong slammed the wine gourd to the ground, "Damn it! I'm going all out!"

He sprang to his feet.

"Mr. Jiang, tell me what you need me to do."

Seeing Pei Dongyong agree, Jiang Xiaomu felt great joy.

"Constable Captain, we need to quickly locate the Blood Moon Sect's hideout and wipe them out in one sweep!"

"All right! Mr. Jiang, rest assured, I, Pei Dongyong, may have no other talents, but I do have a knack for catching people!"

Pei Dongyong patted his chest and assured.