Chapter 39: Clue Water

After being brought here, the two puppets continued to struggle incessantly. This showed that the Three-Corpse Worms could indeed squeeze out all of a person's potential, as they still had strength an hour after everyone entered the city.

However, the soldiers guarding them were not made of iron, so they simply tied their legs together to get some rest.

So these two were carried in and placed on the floor. They hunched over, trembling violently.

The talisman-embroidered outer garments ensured that the Three-Corpse Worms remained trapped within the human bodies, unable to escape.

Situ Han asked curiously, "Are they cold, or are they scared?"

"Scared. Do people infested by Three-Corpse Worms feel cold?" He Lingchuan squatted down and examined them carefully. "But they're not afraid of us."

Their eyes were unfocused, clearly showing no regard for anyone present.

But the vast, empty Panlong Ruins were deserted, so what could they be afraid of?

Nian Songyu also said, "Not only is there no one here, but there are also no Three-Corpse Worms in this ruined city. They don't dare to approach at all. Why?"

"Something is terrifying them," Sun Fuping said, standing up. "Whatever it is, it should be related to our objective."

He Lingchuan asked curiously, "You want them to tell us themselves? Can Three-Corpse Worms even speak?"

It seemed Sun Fuping had brought these two puppets intending to experiment.

"Ordinary ones can't, but perhaps those produced by the Grand Flask can give us a hint," Sun Fuping said, walking up to the puppets. "Your nest, the Grand Flask, must still be in the city. Show me its location, and I'll let you go."

The two puppets continued to tremble, ignoring him completely, as if he were invisible.

"These two things don't show you any respect!" He Lingchuan exclaimed, greatly angered. "Give them a taste of their own medicine and save time."

Sun Fuping took a set of golden needles from his robe, applied medicinal cautery to each, then heated them with a small flame ignited from his fingertip before inserting them into the back of the puppets' skulls, their heart orifices, and their feet.

The puppets immediately wailed loudly.

These three spots were where the Three-Corpse Worms resided. Sun Fuping used medicinal fire to directly burn their core areas, causing excruciating pain. Otherwise, swords, axes, or other powers would only harm the host, and the Three-Corpse Worms wouldn't care at all.

They finally looked at Sun Fuping, but their gaze was exceptionally fierce, like wolves staring at meat.

To them, humans were merely flesh and skin.

"I know you can understand human speech," Sun Fuping said calmly. "If you don't provide an answer, you will suffer even more."

Then he proceeded to act.

His golden needles were hollow, allowing for additional medicine to be added at any time.

Everyone saw the small red flame at the end of the needle glow brighter. The puppets' screams immediately rose by three octaves.

Double the dose, double the pain.

Sun Fuping stopped and asked, "Will you speak?"

The puppets only continued to scream.

So he inflicted more torture.

He repeated this several times.

The more he proceeded, the slower he acted. These enhanced Three-Corpse Worms had soul-bodies significantly stronger than their ordinary counterparts; otherwise, they would have been killed by the medicine fifteen minutes ago.

Unless the host severed the connection themselves, if the Three-Corpse Worms died, the host would also perish.

Therefore, maintaining the right balance became increasingly difficult.

Finally, one puppet let out a loud roar, its neck twisted, and it died.

"So, it still doesn't work?" Sun Fuping let out a long sigh.

The Three-Corpse Worms cultivated by the Grand Flask should have something special about them. If they could communicate with people, this trip to Panlong City would be much smoother.

Alas, it seemed there were no shortcuts for this mission.

In truth, he held only a faint hope. After all, the allied forces that fought a war of attrition on this wasteland over a hundred years ago had probably tried every method to extract information.

He simply felt that perhaps time might have changed many things.

The other Three-Corpse Worm, having endured torment, suddenly went berserk, broke free from its restraints, and grabbed He Lingchuan's arm!

Caught off guard, everyone was startled.

He Chunhua rushed forward without hesitation and chopped off the puppet's head with a single strike.

The screaming ceased abruptly.

"Are you alright, Chuan'er?" He Chunhua's grip on his saber did not loosen.

He Lingchuan was also greatly startled. He instinctively pried open the dead puppet's hand, and only after carefully checking himself did he say, "I'm fine."

The creature had grabbed him very tightly, its fingers almost sinking into his skin.

Fortunately, his true essence had circulated throughout his body, and he found no abnormalities.

Everyone exchanged glances.

Sun Fuping walked over, checked the pupils of his eyes, and asked, "Do you feel irritable, vexed, or lightheaded?"

"I'm very clear-headed, no abnormalities. It seems it didn't affect me much."

Sun Fuping nodded, "The effects of the Soul-Suppressing Powder haven't fully worn off, so you still have some resistance."

He Lingchuan sighed, "It seems the Three-Corpse Worms here aren't special after all."

Seeing that he was truly fine, He Chunhua finally relaxed. "They just refuse to leave the Panlong Desert, or rather, they refuse to move far from the Grand Flask."

The principle of guarding the Grand Flask had long been ingrained in the Three-Corpse Worms' instincts; they could not betray it, even in death. Similar loyalty exists among ant colonies and beehives, where individual worker ants and bees toil without complaint or fear of hardship, even deeming death as trivial.

Therefore, although the Three-Corpse Worms feared something within the city and dared not enter, they still lingered in the periphery, namely the Panlong Desert, refusing to flee afar.

He Lingchuan shrugged. If Three-Corpse Worms could be tortured for information like ordinary creatures, then the allied forces under Ba Lingxian would have long since uncovered all intelligence regarding the Grand Flask and Panlong City. The deity behind Panlong City would not tolerate such a loophole.

"Although Zhu Gen didn't say it, in my opinion, the conditions for triggering the Raging Sand Season shouldn't be difficult. The last team he sent was also to verify this..." Sun Fuping pondered, "Before each Raging Sand Season, is the desert always accompanied by thunderstorms?"

Zeng Feixiong nodded, "Yes, it is."

Sun Fuping's gaze flickered slightly. "Does the temple in the city only worship the God of Heaven?"

"Yes. It's said that the God of Heaven is the sole object of worship in Panlong City."

He Chunhua let out an "eh," as if suddenly realizing something. "You're not suggesting...?"

"Write it down. Let's confirm with each other."

So Sun Fuping and He Chunhua both raised their hands, dipped their fingers in water, and wrote a character on the table.

Everyone looked: the Imperial Advisor had written "water," while He Chunhua had written "rain."

Their literal meanings were similar.

He Lingchuan stroked his chin and said, "Imperial Advisor and Father are brilliant! The rainy season in Qiansong County arrives later than inland, usually around late August or early September."

Nian Songyu was puzzled, "If it's caused by rain, does that mean it doesn't usually rain in the desert?" As far as he knew, a lack of water in a desert didn't mean it never rained. "Sometimes heavy rainfall can even cause floods in deserts."

"It truly doesn't," He Lingchuan chuckled. "Don't compare other deserts to Panlong; they're not worthy."

He Chunhua said, "How could I be as knowledgeable as the Imperial Advisor? However, Deputy Captain Zeng's father was the only survivor who experienced the Raging Sand Season in the Panlong Desert. After he returned, although his mind was unclear, he constantly mumbled the word 'water.' I think this is a crucial clue."