Chapter 678

Yang Hongxia is the eldest daughter of the Great Sun Caravan, so handling some mine operations shouldn't be a problem.

Besides this portion of assets, the rest are black-market Blood Stones and other resources in the county town.

At this stage, Fang Yue only needs Blood Stones for cultivation—he uses them in every session without pause, and his consumption is substantial.

In other sects, that would be the treatment reserved for core disciples.

As for resources, Fang Yue has always been fully supplied; he never thought of saving, because he understood that turning resources into tangible strength was the true maximization of their value.

After sorting and organizing everything, Fang Yue resumed his cultivation.

……

Eagle Caravan.

"Guest Tai, have you found any trace of the thief who broke into our mansion the other day?"

The Eagle Caravan's Regimental Commander asked respectfully.

Tai Yuema, seated, didn't even lift his eyelids; he spoke coolly: "We're searching. No leads yet."

"With the Martial Duel underway, the city is in such turmoil. I've heard a small caravan next door vanished overnight, leaving only pools of blood—such methods are truly terrifying. Why not move our caravan temporarily into the Heavenly Commerce Alliance's outpost? We could watch out for each other."

Tai Yuema glanced at him and said: "Not advisable."

"But—"

"I said, not advisable."

"... Yes."

The Eagle Caravan's Regimental Commander bowed his head and withdrew silently, his expression entirely hidden.

Tai Yuema narrowed his eyes, a flash of killing intent passing through them.

It seems the Regimental Commander of the Eagle Caravan needs to be replaced again.

But now is the Martial Duel period—replacing him would be too troublesome. We'll deal with it after the event ends.

As for why we don't move into the Heavenly Commerce Alliance's headquarters: first, to maintain our reputation as one of the top ten caravans.

If we retreat to the headquarters at the first sign of trouble, our strength will be questioned, and our ranking and other aspects will suffer.

Stuck at seventh place in the Heavenly Commerce Alliance, neither rising nor falling, it's perfectly convenient for operations. Tai Yuema doesn't want to stir up trouble.

Just like the Eagle Caravan, all other caravans are now staying quietly in their own mansions, with no intention of relocating to the Heavenly Commerce Alliance's headquarters. Some are even accepting smaller caravans seeking refuge, using this opportunity to expand their own strength.

Second, if we entered the headquarters, so many eyes would be watching—I wouldn't be able to act freely.

As the Rabbit Seat of the Phoenix Organization, some matters must still be handled discreetly.

Standing up and leaving the room, Tai Yuema stepped into the courtyard, looked up at the blood-stained corner of the full moon high above, and fell into thought.

"Heavenly Devourer…"

"Forget it. If the sky falls, the Organization will hold it up. This isn't something I need to worry about."

"But the task assigned by Ox Seat…"

Tai Yuema hadn't expected that after so many years, he'd have to participate in another 【Martial Duel】.

Had it not been for Ox Seat's order, he'd never have wanted to face off against those juniors.

Also, the person who came to investigate last night has begun to show some leads.

With a light leap, Tai Yuema cleared the wall and moved across rooftops toward a certain inn.

After he left…

One by one, small hands emerged from the walls of the Eagle Caravan's compound, swaying like leaves in the wind.

Under the night's darkness, each pale small hand sprouted tiny eyes on its palm, split open its mouth to reveal sharp fangs, and emitted a gugugu sound—like laughter, or perhaps a lullaby.

……

Madam Yun was the third wife lawfully married into the Eagle Caravan.

She was currently the favorite of the Eagle Caravan's Regimental Commander.

It was her whispering in his ear that had prompted his overly aggressive actions.

But after seeing her husband return defeated once more, lacking even the will to confront Tai Yuema, she flew into a rage.

Married into the seventh-ranked Eagle Caravan of the Heavenly Commerce Alliance, yet even this small matter—temporarily relocating to the Alliance's headquarters—required Tai Yuema's permission! Every single member of the caravan had to watch Tai Yuema's every expression!

She simply couldn't swallow this humiliation.

Leaving the Eagle Caravan's Regimental Commander kneeling and repenting in the room, Madam Yun strode purposefully toward Tai Yuema's quarters.

But after knocking several times with no response, she kicked the door open in fury.

Yet…

The room was empty.

Not here?

Madam Yun was furious.

She had wanted to reason with Tai Yuema, to make him understand who truly ran the Eagle Caravan!

Storming out of the room, she returned to the garden path.

Beneath the moonlight, Madam Yun suddenly froze in shock—the flowerbed before her, crowded with blossoms, was… growing a pale small hand.

The hand was translucent, as tender and lovely as a newborn child's.

Drawn to it, Madam Yun unconsciously stepped closer, reaching out to touch the hand.

Its cool, soothing texture filled her with deep comfort.

"What kind of flower is this? Tai Yuema really knows his things…"

Aam.

The hand in the flowerbed suddenly opened a bloodied maw and clamped down on Madam Yun's hand.

Pupils shrinking, she screamed—while the hand yanked hard.

Madam Yun's right hand was bitten clean through, half of it torn away, with white bone exposed.

Amidst her shrieking screams, she collapsed to the ground, only to see rows upon rows of pale little hands atop the wall, swaying in the wind like cheerful wild grass, revealing rows of sharp fangs—ghastly and terrifying.

"Help! Help—"

From thin air, a massive surge of stacked little hands welled up from the ground, like a wall being built, then crashed down over her and swallowed her whole.

Blood seeped gradually from the fallen "wall."

In no time, only fresh blood flowed across the ground, with no other trace left behind… exactly the same method as last night's small merchant caravan that was wiped out to the last!

"Goo goo goo!"

"Goo goo goo!"

"Goo goo goo!"

Like children who had gotten a new toy, the little hands on the wall laughed even more merrily, their eerie laughter echoing throughout the entire Eagle Merchant Caravan manor.

And at the spot where Madam Yun had died, one little hand after another poked its head out.

More little hands emerged from the ground, from the pillars, from the flowers and grass.

A guard on patrol not far away seemed to have heard the sounds and rushed over. The moment he approached, a little hand burst out from his eye socket; as blood sprayed, his left eye was blinded on the spot.

But that wasn't the end—this outstretched little hand reversed its grip, turning straight toward his face; flesh and bone were crushed to pieces as it burrowed deeper.

Amidst the terrified screams of this guard and his companions, more little hands sprang up from the ground, stacking like a high wall and surging toward them.

"You, don't come any closer!"

"Monsters! They're monsters!"

"Why didn't the city's formation work!?"

Amidst the crowd's cries, the "hand wall" had already swallowed them one by one.

More people rushed over from afar, only to have little hands burst out from their eyes, from their mouths, torturing and killing them.

The scene instantly descended into chaos, with only the "goo goo goo" of laughter rising and falling all around.

(End of chapter)