40: A female corpse that hasn't decomposed in a thousand years! A ghostly maze!
Inside the coffin lay a female corpse!
She was dressed in a large red wedding gown, lying peacefully in the coffin.
The female corpse, who had been dead for an unknown period, had an unblemished Physical Body, skin as warm and smooth as jade, delicate features, and a cinnabar mole between her brows.
From her appearance, she was a rare beauty.
She looked as if she had only recently died, completely unlike a corpse.
The ruffians were completely stunned, their eyes fixed on the female corpse, as if their souls had been lost.
The villagers slowly gathered, and all were startled to see the female corpse in the coffin.
Both men and women couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.
What a beauty.
However.
Immediately after, a wave of panic swept over them.
An uncorrupted corpse often signified an evil entity.
The village elders immediately ordered the coffin sealed and told several strong young men to push it back into the East River tributary at the village entrance.
The alarming thing for the villagers soon happened.
Something seemed to be under the water; as soon as the coffin fell into the water, it was pushed back onto the shore.
Everyone tried several more times, but the result was the same.
Each time, the coffin was pushed back onto the riverbank by the river water, as if it intended to stay there.
The situation went beyond the villagers' understanding, and they were filled with apprehension. Someone suggested simply burning it to calm their minds.
But they were stopped by the village elders.
"She has set her sights on our village. Having been submerged in water for many years without proper burial, she must carry resentment and Evil Qi. If we help her get buried, we will be safe and sound."
After some discussion, the villagers decided to leave the coffin on the riverbank for now and find an auspicious day to bury it in a couple of days.
Three days later.
Everything was ready.
The villagers of Jiangning Village all came to the riverbank, preparing to bury the female corpse.
Just then.
A child in the crowd pointed at the coffin and said, "Mom, the coffin seems to be open."
"What nonsense are you talking about!" The Woman raised her hand to cover her son's mouth, preventing him from speaking carelessly.
But when the surrounding people heard this, they couldn't help but take a closer look.
And what they saw was astonishing.
"It really is open!"
"Look, there's a gap that wasn't covered properly!"
The villagers immediately noticed the abnormality of the coffin, somewhat startled and confused.
It was clearly sealed, so how did it open again?
The village chief seemed to discover something, his face grim, and immediately ordered someone to push open the coffin lid.
Immediately after.
Gasps of surprise rang out.
"This is...!"
The village chief widened his eyes, looking at the female corpse in the coffin in disbelief.
A hint of rosiness appeared on her cheeks, as if she had come back to life.
Most importantly... her belly was slightly swollen, like a pregnant Woman!
But how could a corpse be pregnant?
And she was fine just a few days ago, so why now...? The village chief's face was extremely grim. He turned his head, scanning the villagers, and finally his gaze fell on a few people hiding behind the crowd.
"Zhang the Third, was it you guys who did this!" the village chief roared.
Zhang the Third was one of the ruffians who first opened the coffin.
He and his scoundrel friends were idle all day, usually resorting to petty tricks to make a living.
It was only because they understood the principle that a rabbit doesn't eat the grass near its burrow that the villagers tolerated them.
After being pointed out by the village chief, Zhang the Third and his companions' faces turned red.
"Village Chief, what nonsense are you talking about!"
"Nonsense?" The village chief was so angry he was panting heavily. "The night before last, I saw you sneaking out in the dark. What were you doing?"
"I was afraid that wild beasts from the mountain would come down to forage, so I went out to check. Don't you dare slander me!"
Zhang the Third and his friends shouted loudly.
But their bluster and the guilt in their eyes were clear to everyone.
Seeing this, everyone immediately guessed what had happened.
The women showed disdain, spat, and immediately started cursing.
Instantly, the village entrance became noisy and chaotic.
The tongues of country women were extremely sharp.
After a few rounds, Zhang the Third and the others were defeated, thoroughly chastised.
Precisely because of this.
Their rogue nature flared up.
"Damn it!" Zhang the Third pulled out the hunting knife from his waist, rushed to the coffin with his men, pushed the village chief aside, and roared, "I'll be clear: no one is allowed to touch this beauty!"
The few men behind him also drew their knives and shouted loudly.
"Brothers, we've never seen such a beauty. If we could sleep with a new bride like this, it would be worth it even if we became ghosts!"
"I'd like to see who dares to move her! I'm a good-for-nothing anyway, let's see who dares to fight to the death!"
"You all have homes, wives, and children on warm beds, I've long found you displeasing!"
When people's desires are stirred, they often do things that defy reason.
Just like Zhang the Third and his group.
From the first moment they saw the female corpse, their souls were captivated.
Lying at home in the middle of the night, looking at the cold, empty bed, evil thoughts arose within them. They immediately quietly called their brothers and went to the riverbank in the dark.
Then they opened the coffin, and one by one, eagerly climbed inside.
Having tasted the forbidden fruit, the few of them were completely bewitched.
Even knowing there was something strange, they couldn't care less.
Now, exposed by the village chief in public, they decided to throw caution to the wind, determined to guard the female corpse in the coffin at all costs.
Jiangning Village had many hunters, so they were naturally not afraid of a fight.
They drew their knives and nocked arrows, ready to directly slaughter these beasts.
The village chief quickly intervened to stop them, feeling it would be too great a loss to get involved in a murder case and lose their lives over a few animals.
"Report to the authorities!"
The village chief quietly told a strong man.
The man quietly left, preparing to report to the government and let the officials handle the matter.
However, a quarter of an hour later.
"Village Chief, this is bad!"
The strong man, his face pale, ran back in a hurry, his eyes filled with terror.
"Why are you back?" the village chief asked, puzzled.
"I can't get out!" the strong man said. "I just walked out about a hundred zhang and found myself back in the village!"
"I tried several times but couldn't get out... Village Chief, this is a Ghostly Wall! Our village is truly entangled by a demon!"
The strong man's voice even trembled slightly.
They were strong and robust, accustomed to entering and exiting the mountains and forests, and thus more aware of the power of demons and ghosts.
Anyone who became entangled with them would suffer severe damage to their Origin Qi at best, and at worst, their families would be destroyed.
For the entire village to be trapped by a Ghostly Wall now, that would be a great disaster, leaving no one behind!
Everyone panicked upon hearing this, and a group of people surrounded the old village chief, asking what to do.
The old village chief's face turned ashen as he looked at the coffin by the riverbank. A wave of weakness swept over him, and he promptly fainted.
"Village Chief!"
Everyone was alarmed and quickly helped him walk towards the village.
At the same time, several hunters rushed forward, quickly subdued Zhang the Third and his group, tied them with ropes, and dragged them towards the village.
As for the female corpse in the coffin, it was too eerie, and no one dared to touch it.
And just as everyone temporarily retreated.
The female corpse's abdomen in the coffin subtly rippled, seemingly brewing a new life.
The corners of the female corpse's mouth stretched upwards, as if... she smiled.
PS: (I heard this chapter is a bit scary; it's a setup plot, so everyone bear with it.)