Chapter 1614: Heaven's Mandate Seven: Monster Hunting Log 05

Rong Zixu examined the white cloth, then promised the old man he would definitely use all his strength to dispel the Ghost Domain, and if those taken away were still alive, he would also do his utmost to bring them back.

Afterwards the group checked a few more houses and vaguely found a clue: in the town, the family that hung the most red lanterns was the first to be taken away by wandering ghosts.

"Could it be that the ghosts here really like red lanterns?" Chang Wuming guessed.

"Let's go to the noodle shop first," Rong Zixu said. "After evening, it will soon get dark."

Jin Chen bought several skewers of snacks from the stall, then caught up with them and first gave Chang Wuming a skewer.

Then he stuffed all the remaining skewers into Rong Zixu's hands.

Chang Wuming: "……"

There's no need to be so obvious about preferential treatment!

Noticing the reproach in the fourth senior brother's eyes, Jin Chen put his arm around Rong Zixu's shoulder, saying, "There's nothing I can do; me and my senior brother are the best in the world."

Rong Zixu heard it and gave a low laugh, took the snack, and said, "You used to say that to everyone when you were little."

Chang Wuming: "It usually happens after a prank."

Jin Chen: "……"

With a solemn face, he stared at Rong Zixu and said, "Now that I've grown up, I only say that to my senior brother."

Rong Zixu raised his eyebrows and said, "Good."

That was quite a perfunctory answer!

Jin Chen angrily bit into a piece of beef and walked ahead toward the noodle shop.

——

The noodle shop owner, hearing they had come to the town to exterminate ghosts, became so excited he didn't even collect the noodle fee, only hoping that when that filthy thing was found, his wife could also return.

Official Song sat at the noodle shop's window seat, apparently waiting a long time, sipping tea and gazing at the approaching Rong Zixu and company, he smiled slightly and said, "Looks like you've found quite a bit."

Rong Zixu gave him a neutral glance, made a slight bow, then asked the four who had returned early, Yang Yu included, "How's your side?"

"Senior senior brother, we brought back a person… no, actually we rescued them." Jing Xingcan pointed to the little girl hidden behind Xu Qie.

Jin Chen lifted his gaze and took a rough look; the little girl was about ten years old, dressed like a young beggar, her ash-covered face bore many new and old wounds, her eyes completely lacked the liveliness expected of her age, full of fear as she hid behind Xu Qie, while her other hand clung to Gong Shiyue's sleeve—clearly only the two older sisters could give her a sense of safety.

"Don't be afraid." Gong Shiyue stroked her hair and explained to Rong Zixu, "Her family is among the few in the eastern part of town that have never hung a red lantern; we just went in and saw her grandmother hanging her from a tree and whipping her with a rattan cane—if it were any harsher, she'd probably have been beaten to death."

"Right, she can't speak; the townspeople all call her the mute girl." Xu Qie said.

The constable A, whose relationship with Jin Chen had grown closer on the way back, wore a strange expression, pulled him to the noodle shop door, and said, "People around here say the mute girl is a jinx; why did you bring along several of your senior brothers and sisters?"

Jin Chen looked back and asked again, "Who does it jinx?"

"It's said that as soon as she was born she jinxed her mother to death; then, within two years, she also jinxed her father and grandfather, who fell to their deaths in the mountains while gathering herbs to treat her illness; after that her grandmother went mad, constantly beating and scolding her."

Jin Chen nodded in understanding; on the way back, the mute girl was answering his senior brother's question, but she couldn't speak, and her gesturing was all over the place, having never been taught.

"... What is she saying?" Jing Xingcan scratched his head.

As Jin Chen approached, he suddenly popped out from behind Rong Zixu and said, "She says her family doesn't like red lanterns because she's a jinx, and they've never had the chance to hang one."

The mute girl's eyes lit up, she looked up at Jin Chen and nodded.

"When did you also learn to read this sign language?" Yang Yu put his arm around Jin Chen's shoulder.

Jin Chen responded with a smile, "I'm naturally gifted."

Rong Zixu pulled him over from behind, then took a pair of chopsticks and said, "Sit down and eat noodles."

While eating noodles, the seven of them summarized the clues they'd found and formally confirmed that this place was a Yin-Yang Ghost Domain, with darkness as the boundary.

"During the day it can still recover, so that counts as some luck for this town." Yang Yu took out a few taels of silver to pay the noodle shop owner, gave a fox‑like smile toward Official Song, and asked, "What do you think?"

Official Song: "……"

Originally he firmly believed there were no ghosts here, only human mischief.

But after those seven finished speaking, he inexplicably began to feel gloomy.

He took out a handkerchief to wipe his sweat, defending his view: "As an official, I think that killing which involves choice and still follows some rule is more like human doing."

"You say it's ghosts causing trouble, but… could such a thing possibly pick its victims?"

After all, the monsters in stories mostly kill indiscriminately; who has ever heard of ghosts killing people while still observing rules?

Jin Chen finished the last sip of soup, glanced at the window where the afterglow had completely vanished, and saw moonlight gradually seeping out from the dark clouds.

"You'll find out soon." Jin Chen slightly lifted his chin, "It's getting dark."

The noodle shop owner, who had been listening to their talk, was greatly startled; he hurriedly rushed with the assistant to shut the windows and door, wishing not even a slit would remain.

Youyou candlelight illuminated the noodle shop hall; Jin Chen took a candle, its light Flickering on his face, turned around and Youyou faced the somewhat solemn Official Song, saying, "When the ghosts come, you ask them yourself."

Official Song: "……"

His complexion also changed unpredictably, looking terrible.

The constables behind him were even more on edge, constantly worrying that ghosts might burst out from anywhere.

The mute girl sat blankly beside Gong Shiyue, dazed and afraid to look out the window; after glancing at the flustered boss and assistant who had said a few words, she fled upstairs.

Finally, she rose, walked up to Jin Chen, lifted her head, and made a few gestures.

"Do you want to go home now?" Jin Chen wondered; seeing the mute girl nod, he pointed outside and said, "It's dangerous on the road right now; we'll talk about it at dawn."

The mute girl's lowered hand twitched again, as if she wanted to speak but held back, yet she obediently nodded.

Jin Chen stared at her for a few moments, then said nothing more.

"The moon has disappeared."

Rong Zixu opened a crack in the window, his tone somewhat solemn.

It wasn't blocked by dark clouds; it suddenly vanished without warning, signifying that Xiling Town had entered the Yin Realm Ghost Domain, where anyone could die at any moment.

Rong Zixu: "March, how is the order‑flag formation set up?"

"All set up."

Gong Si Yue hurried back, took a hairpin and neatly coiled the upright ponytail at the waist, "Sensing ghosts will cause them to act strangely."

Thus, it also makes it convenient for them to find the townspeople of Western Mausoleum Town who will face danger tonight.

At that moment, footsteps suddenly came from the stairs of the noodle shop.

The seven people, on alert, looked up.