Chapter 907: Night Raid

Chapter 898: Night Raid

Was it because the Da Fang Hu recovered its lid, or because it swallowed an avatar of "Destiny," or perhaps both?

On the other hand, the fact that injuries sustained here would carry over to reality, and could no longer heal spontaneously, indicated that the rules within the Da Fang Hu were beginning to change, making it less preferential and protective towards him.

Every disadvantage has an advantage. Since he could suffer real harm here, he should also be able to gain real benefits. Risks and rewards went hand in hand. In other words, the rules within the Da Fang Hu had become fairer.

For him, this was generally a positive development.

Yet, he previously dared to act with such abandon and slaughter freely in the Panlong World precisely because of "infinite resurrection." From now on, did he still possess a "get-out-of-death-free card"?

This divine artifact had finally dropped its gentle facade towards He Lingchuan. The careful protection it once offered would likely be gone; from now on, he must also act with caution in the Panlong World. He didn't know if he only had one life left, and there was no way to verify it.

He also felt a touch of wistfulness: the changes in the Da Fang Hu proved it was growing stronger, gradually becoming less reliant on him. In truth, from beginning to end, the Da Fang Hu had never recognized him as its master. He provided what the Da Fang Hu needed, and it gave him something in return; they were like stumbling partners.

Just then, a guard rushed in to report, "Commander, a brawl on Rending Street has resulted in three deaths!"

"Bring it under control." Casualties were inevitable every time the spiritual rain descended.

The guard hesitated before replying, "The one who killed for the essence is Squad Leader Lü, from the White Stone Troupe!"

He Lingchuan recognized this squad leader; he was a fierce warrior under Menban, always leading the charge and rushing to the front in battle. During the bandit suppression in Longchuan, Squad Leader Lü had repeatedly distinguished himself and sustained multiple injuries. Menban greatly appreciated him and intended to promote him. He Lingchuan, however, believed the man possessed more bravery than prudence. Now, with the spiritual rain having just begun, he had violently killed someone, and committed the act openly in the street!

"Menban sent him out on patrol? Once the Emperor's Flowing Essence arrives, people with such a temperament can barely manage themselves. How could he be sent to maintain public order?"

"I don't know, sir."

"Put him in refined gold shackles and throw him in prison to await trial!" He added, "That fellow is too strong; ordinary iron shackles probably won't hold him. Call Menban over here!"

"Yes, sir."

"What's the situation with collecting the Emperor's Flowing Essence in the city outskirts? According to requirements, it should be reported once every hour."

With General Hong's Execution Dragon Pillar sent out, those in the know could anticipate that subsequent outbreaks of the Emperor's Flowing Essence would be more frequent. Previously, the Emperor's Flowing Essence appeared only once every few decades, and without warning, most regions and individuals wouldn't prepare tools in advance. However, Panlong City had already constructed a large formation specifically for collecting the Emperor's Flowing Essence, known as the "Spirit-Guiding Grand Formation." Once placed in the city outskirts, it could collect the spiritual rain over a vast area, preventing it from seeping into the ground uselessly.

"The formation is operating normally, but there's no report on the accumulated volume yet." (The spiritual rain had only just begun, after all.)

Both Panlong City and Yuheng City attached great importance to the "Spirit-Guiding Grand Formation." When the Emperor's Flowing Essence erupted, the city guards and army had to maintain order, leaving them no time to seek benefits for themselves. Therefore, the officially collected Emperor's Flowing Essence, once processed into paste or powder, would be distributed to those on duty to compensate for their deficits. So-called unpaid, voluntary service can only last for so long, not indefinitely.

Outside, sharp whistles began to sound again, one after another—This signaled that chaos had erupted once more.

Listening to the footsteps of the city guards rushing towards the commotion, He Lingchuan sighed. This long and arduous night had only just begun. But as long as he endured tonight, he would receive generous rewards!

"Oh, right, send another team of men to Mr. Lu's posthouse."

Silver moonlight blanketed the entire sea. Kongmeng Island, located on the outer edge of the Yangshan Archipelago, was deeply asleep beneath the night sky.

It was known on the shipping routes, primarily because one of the pirate strongholds was located on this very island! From the docks and beaches to the small town of over a hundred inhabitants, outsiders dared not set foot there.

There were two small wooden huts by the docks, where watchmen lived, responsible for vigilance over the sea. Each shift comprised two people and changed every six hours. Currently, a bearded man was on duty at the right dock. He had been on watch for four hours, pacing around the dock. By rule, watchmen were not allowed to sit, as they would instantly fall asleep. His shift would end in another two hours, but he was dead tired, yawning repeatedly until tears streamed from his eyes.

Tonight, the moon was bright and the stars were sparse, offering excellent sea visibility. Looking out, the ocean was calm and empty. On a night like this, there was truly nothing to worry about.

He yawned again, this time his jaw almost dislocated from how wide his mouth opened. He really couldn't hold on any longer.

*Forget it,* he thought, *I'll find a place to catch a quick nap.* He walked back into the dock area, greeted his companion, and then circled to the back of the right dock. There, by the ramp near the water, was a small cave large enough for three people to sit side by side. Shale islands typically have many erosion caves. He crawled into the hole. Inside, there was a set of bedding and a chair, indicating that the watchmen usually didn't adhere strictly to the rules. The bearded man sat on the chair and dozed off. Boats in front blocked the view; no one would discover his laziness unless they walked down to the dock.

The last official pirate suppression campaign had been nearly ten years ago. In other words, the pirates had been living carefree lives in recent years; as long as they showed some discretion and weren't too ruthless or greedy when looting, the authorities generally left them alone. The Yangshan Archipelago was difficult to govern, and no one was interested in it. So the bearded man slept soundly. What accident could possibly happen tonight, just like the thousands of nights before?

He didn't know how much time had passed when he suddenly noticed the light outside the cave behaving strangely, flickering between bright and dim. It also felt as if something chillingly cold was pressing against him.

The bearded man opened his eyes and saw a dark, shadowy thing poking into the cave from outside, its scales reflecting the moonlight. Half its body was inside, while its tail remained outside. The hole was too small to contain it entirely. It was a dark, four-armed snake monster, its yellow eyes staring coldly at him.

The bearded man's reaction was faster than his thoughts; he sprang up in terror. An... Yin Hui? How could an Yin Hui from the depths of the archipelago have come here?

The bearded man had no time to think. He sprang up and ran out of the cave, nearly screaming himself hoarse:

"Enemy attack! Ene—"

Before he could finish the last word, the Yin Hui grabbed him from behind, and two venomous fangs pierced through his neck. No venom was even injected, yet the man was already lifeless. The Yin Hui dropped the corpse, exited the cave, and swam towards the shore.

If one were to look down from above, the beach and docks beneath the moonlight surprisingly revealed seventeen or eighteen Yin Hui. At least four of them were over ten meters long, as large as giant pythons, robust and exceptionally strong. They looked around, and more companions were continuously emerging from the water.

The bearded man's companion, the other watchman, heard his cries, quickly rang the crisp alarm bell, and then rushed out to investigate.

(End of Chapter)