39: People are uneasy

A gust of wind blew, swirling in the alley, mixed with the cries of children.

Xu Tian shivered involuntarily, feeling increasingly uneasy, wishing he could turn and run.

Fortunately, Brother Chunsheng was quick-witted; the moment he caught the two little brats, he had someone take them to the temple to offer incense. Otherwise, given the current situation, he would have suspected that the scene before them was a trick set by two little monsters.

"Brother Houshi, let's get out of here quickly. It's too damn scary."

He couldn't dwell on it; the more he thought, the more terrifying it became.

An entire village of people gone—this definitely wasn't something normal people could do.

"Brother Houshi, do you think they might have ended up like Da Li Village?"

Wang Houshi frowned, his gaze sweeping over the empty Bao Shan Village, a sense of unease also stirring within him.

"It doesn't seem like it. This matter is too mysterious; we can't handle it."

"Come on, we need to hurry back to Chang Sheng Village to find Brother Chunsheng."

At the very least, they could ask Shopkeeper Jin of the Wanbao Merchant Guild. Shopkeeper Jin was well-traveled and easy to talk to, far better than bumpkins like them.

Xu Tian nodded, feeling a little more at ease. He looked at Huzai and Xiaodie.

"Brother Chunsheng, let's take these two children back with us too."

Leaving them here would only benefit jackals, wolves, and leopards.

Wang Houshi patted Xu Tian's shoulder and whispered, "Take them. We need to get back quickly. This village is too eerie; staying too long might lead to trouble."

Xu Tian nodded, picking up Xiaodie, while Wang Houshi picked up Huzai. The two hurried towards the ox cart.

Along the way, Xu Tian and Wang Houshi barely spoke, only occasionally looking back, afraid that something might be following them.

Huzai and Xiaodie sat in the ox cart, both with tears streaming down their faces, but neither spoke.

*

Jin Zihua, who was considered easy to talk to, had just seen off the day's guests. Looking at Jin Er kneeling before him, he was both shocked and enraged, his fingers trembling.

"You... Jin Er, do you know what you just said?"

"Shopkeeper, of course I know. The people of Chang Sheng Village are just a bunch of bumpkins who've never seen the world! How could they understand what true sophistication is?"

"Are you just going to watch these ignorant bumpkins climb over your head and lord it over you?"

The more Jin Er spoke, the angrier he became. Thinking of those people from Chang Sheng Village, he felt a suffocating frustration.

"Shopkeeper, look at how they ate those few days—they were like starving ghosts reincarnated! Their eating manners, it was as if they wanted to gnaw the plates clean!"

Jin Er continued to complain indignantly.

Jin Zihua's face was ashen, his fingers trembling slightly, clearly infuriated by Jin Er's words.

"Jin Er, I know you've had reservations about the villagers of Chang Sheng Village before, but we can't be heartless!"

"Although Chang Sheng Village is a small village, it has the protection of Lord Chuping. Our Wanbao Merchant Guild can establish itself here entirely thanks to the support of the villagers."

"You actually want to seize Chang Sheng Village? Are you tired of living?"

Jin Er, however, was unfazed, still stubbornly sticking out his neck.

"Shopkeeper, you're too cautious! So many people came to Chang Sheng Village this time. Even if you don't do this, other Families will. Since that's the case, why not strike first?"

"Who dares!"

Jin Zihua slammed his fist heavily on the table, spilling most of the cold tea on it.

"Shopkeeper Jin, we can't be too rigid."

"What 'dare not dare not'? For merchants, as long as there's enough profit, there's nothing they won't dare to do."

"You taught me this principle yourself before."

"Since Lord Chuping is the deity protecting this place, there's no reason he would stop protecting it just because we take over."

"As long as we're not trying to wipe them out completely..."

...Jin Er spoke eloquently, detailing his reasoning. Jin Zihua's face grew increasingly grim as he listened to Jin Er's words.

He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down.

Although Jin Er's words were absurd, they also reflected the thoughts of some people.

Although Chang Sheng Village was a small village, it had now become a refuge for many due to the protection of Lord Chuping.

As more and more refugees poured in, the resources and land of Chang Sheng Village would inevitably become strained, and conflicts would surely follow.

It must be said that, under normal circumstances, Jin Er's method would be perfect in an ordinary place.

But he forgot that all of this depended on Lord Chuping not interfering.

It depended on the premise that the lofty deity equally protected every worshipper who came.

However, this was clearly impossible.

"Jin Er, listen to me carefully."

Jin Zihua said in a deep voice.

"Chang Sheng Village is Lord Chuping's territory. Our Wanbao Merchant Guild can establish itself here, but I don't have the ability to stir up trouble here. If you dare to harbor any ill intentions, don't blame me for being merciless!"

"Also, instead of wasting time on these idle thoughts, you should focus on how to advance to the third rank."

"In this world, after all, martial power is still paramount."

...Jin Er nodded, and said in a low voice, "Shopkeeper, I understand."

Jin Zihua sighed and waved his hand, "You may go now. Think carefully about what I've said."

Jin Er assented, turned, and left the room.

It wasn't until he was out of the village that he spat fiercely, his eyes filled with malice.

"Pah! Useless trash, I gave you a chance, but you're no good."

*

The ox cart rumbled along, finally returning to Chang Sheng Village before nightfall.

"Brother Chunsheng!"

"Brother Chunsheng!"

"Xu Tian, Houshi, why are you back so late? What happened?"

"Why did you bring these two children back again?"

Liu Chunsheng rushed over, seeing the two children who shouldn't have been there, and a bad premonition arose within him.

Xu Tian jumped off the cart, his face solemn, and pulled Liu Chunsheng aside, lowering his voice.

"Brother Chunsheng, something happened to Bao Shan Village! When we got there, the entire village was empty, not even a shadow was seen. The village was terrifyingly quiet."

"We searched house by house, but there wasn't a single person. The houses were messy, as if they had been ransacked, but we didn't see any signs of a struggle. This matter is too eerie, we didn't dare to stay long, so we quickly brought the two children back."

Liu Chunsheng frowned. An entire village of people disappearing—such things had happened many times before.

The Naked Ghost alone had caused more than three such incidents.

It's just that before, when they heard of such things, they could only cower and tremble in the village, but now they dared to extend their feelers to investigate.

*

As night fell, the ancestral hall of Chang Sheng Village was brightly lit.

Men, women, and children of the village were all gathered here, whispering among themselves, their faces full of worry.

Liu Chunsheng stood at the front of the ancestral hall, cleared his throat, and explained the situation of Bao Shan Village in detail.

As soon as he finished speaking, the hall erupted in chatter.

"What's going on? Why is Bao Shan Village suddenly empty?"

"Could it be some monster at work? Will our Chang Sheng Village also..."

"Don't talk nonsense. We have the protection of Lord Chuping; it won't be that easy for something to happen to us."