Chapter 417: Who would have thought they could become childhood friends?

When I heard the two words "plague", the seriousness of the matter was self-evident.

Our people can help with evacuation, but those who can still stay in town now are either unable to make a living outside, or have feelings of returning to their roots; doing ideological work with these people is very difficult.

But what we need most now is timeliness.

We can't wait any longer.

The plague spreads silently, and its outbreak comes in a matter of moments.

Professional matters must be handled by professionals; this matter can only be entrusted to Fang Chuanzong himself.

Fang Chuanzong's first reaction was: "Did you move Ox Tiger Mountain?"

Before we could answer, he went on saying to himself: "I know, all personnel will arrive in an hour; please help maintain order at the scene for now."

After saying that, he hung up the phone.

We first met Fang Chuanzong at Ox Tiger Mountain.

So he knows the situation at Ox Tiger Mountain very well.

On the contrary, I was somewhat confused: "Āyàn, what is Yin-Yang Water, and what does it have to do with the plague?"

Liu Junyan explained: "So-called Yin-Yang Water refers to a point in this area that is likely connected to the netherworld, where the water and soil of the yin and yang realms mingle; this may also have been an important reason why they originally chose this place to raise corpses. Now the formation array has been broken, the mountain body has cracked, Yin-Yang Water has seeped into the groundwater, and combined with the corpse-infusing aura from this corpse-raising ground, anyone who drinks this water will surely contract the disease; the spread of corpse poison is a minor matter, what I fear is..."

"Seventh Lord, it's not good; we've still come a step too late."

Hui Moqiong ran back in a hurry, his face ashen.

We immediately went with him to the town.

Walking from the mountain foot all the way up to the town, we clearly felt that the atmosphere was off.

The few people left in town were already few; at this moment, each sitting or standing, within our field of vision, everyone was stiff and dazed.

Some were like NPCs in a game.

Hui Moqiong led us through the streets straight toward the prison.

The prison at the foot of Ox Tiger Mountain holds only death-row inmates; after suffering heavy damage once, higher-ups sent people to restore order, leaving few death-row inmates, but each is a major villain, and the guards are very strict.

But today we proceeded all the way to the innermost part without obstruction.

Getting closer, we heard a chilling howl.

It was a kind of howl similar to that of an addict withdrawing from drugs, with upper and lower teeth clenched together, constantly grinding and trembling.

It carried a bloodthirsty aggressiveness, along with a feeling of despair that was hard to control.

When we entered the innermost detention area where the death-row inmates were held, everyone froze.

The ground was covered in blood water mixed with unidentifiable fragments; over a dozen restrained death-row inmates were bound and kneeling in pools of blood.

Each of them had an abnormal bluish-purple hue over their bodies, bloodshot eyes, and lips that could not contain the fangs threatening to protrude.

My first reaction was: "Could... could they be walking corpses?"

Hu Yulin had already put away his earlier flamboyance, his face now solemn as he said: "We arrived a bit late; these death-row inmates have been soaked in corpse poison for a while, and being detained posed no big problem, but the trouble is that today an accident occurred—they all tasted blood, and I fear... none of them will survive."

"First, keep them under proper guard; wait for Old Fang to come handle it, he has experience." Liu Junyan said, "The townspeople also seem off, Mo Qiong..."

Hui Moqiong immediately said: "I know what to do, don't worry."

Hu Yulin said: "Brother Liu, come with me."

I hurriedly followed, understanding that Hu Yulin had made a discovery, and I also wanted to go see.

Hu Yulin glanced at me, wanted to speak but stopped; I smiled at him ingratiatingly, but he ultimately said nothing more.

Soon I understood why Hu Yulin didn't call me.

He took us to the prison's septic tank.

The septic tank's cover was lifted, a foul stench came rushing at me, and I immediately turned and vomited.

That stench was even more like a corpse odor.

The kind where even a little contamination renders your clothes unusable.

Hu Yulin said: "The reason the outbreak started here first is likely related to this; this area is the lowest point, the Yin-Yang Water seeping out from the mountains eventually all gathered here, accumulating little by little into a great disaster."

So that's how it is.

"Misfortune bears fortune." Liu Junyan said: "The mishap happened to the death-row inmates, which indirectly protected the townspeople; this is a stroke of luck amidst misfortune."

Hu Yulin nodded, feeling regretful: "It's just a pity about the warden."

He didn't say it outright, but we all understood.

I said: "I will bring this up prominently with Old Fang; Old Fang will strive for more compensation for his family."

Less than an hour later, Fang Chuanzong's team arrived.

The professional personnel who went deep into the prison interior were fully equipped.

Hui Moqiong handed over the townspeople to Fang Chuanzong's people, explained the general situation, settled everything, and we returned.

Hu Yulin stuffed me a fragrant medicinal pill, saying: "Keep it close to your body; within fifteen minutes it will completely eliminate the corpse stench."

I quickly took it: "Thank you, Brother Hu."

Liu Junyan stared fixedly at Hu Yulin.

Hu Yulin put on an innocent look: "Brother Liu, why are you looking at me like that? It's kinda scary."

Liu Junyan also said nothing, just kept reaching out his hand toward him.

Hu Yulin feigned sudden realization, then shrugged and waved his hand: "You came in a rush, you're not carrying much; as a big man you can endure it."

Liu Junyan turned a deaf ear, stubbornly pressing his hand against Hu Yulin's nose.

I was about to die laughing at those two.

One was secretly being mischievous.

The other was openly sabotaging with a straight face.

Who would have thought they could become childhood friends.

Hu Yulin's head moved slightly backward, he raised his Zhé shàn to push away Liu Junyan's hand: "I'm not playing anymore, it's not fun at all, you're always boring."

He took out an Incense Pill while also saying to me: "Xiao Jiu, don't you find it boring being with him?"

"No." I said sincerely, "Āyàn is interesting and kind to me."

Hu Yulin shoved the Incense Pill into Liu Junyan's hand, lifted his head, proud as a rooster: "You two are boring, there's a lot going on in Yin Shan, I'm heading back first."

Having said that, he left.

I and Liu Junyan glanced at his back, then at each other, and smiled.

Sure enough, after a quarter hour, the Incense Pill's fragrance faded, the white medicine pill turned black, and the corpse stench on us vanished completely.

Liu Junyan sighed: "The pill-making skill of the Yin Shan Fox Clan lineage has always been superb, Brother Hu has improved again."

Returning to Dang Pu, I placed the newly obtained Cinnabar Spirit Bone Poor Strange into the fridge's fresh layer, together with the Gluttonous.

At night, after guarding Dang Pu until midnight, I went to bed early.

Because I knew something might happen tonight, I prepared deliberately, yet because of that I tossed and turned, unable to sleep.

Later, Liu Junyan still helped me rub my temples, and only then did I gradually fall asleep.

Not long after I fell asleep, the sensation of being in a bustling market appeared again.

The feeling of being watched, the vendors' cries, the haggling sounds… all intertwined, making it hard for me to tell reality from dream.

Until a stranger's male voice sounded: "Āwū, please…"