Chapter 140

The old woman's cry was like a death knell. The ten-person team on the slope above also slowed their pace because of it.

Li Chuiyuan knew he had encountered a problem beyond his usual scope this time. Fortunately, it wasn't a mandatory challenge for him, at least not at this stage. Moreover, he had already chosen to bypass this problem earlier; now, all he had to do was continue avoiding it.

The young man's mind raced. It was now confirmed that the old couple's overt business was a roadside service station for passing drivers, but secretly, they ran an inn for travelers on the path to the underworld. The courtyard itself wasn't special, as the young man was extremely cautious. As soon as he entered, he thoroughly checked the courtyard and found no traces of formations.

Not only that, he refused the lodging and board offered by the old couple. Even when they provided firewood for a fire, he carefully observed the color of the flames and the smoke as the wood burned. He even paid attention to the expressions of the five returning villagers when they smoked the cigarettes bought at the shop. Everything seemed normal; the remaining superfluous actions were the key to the abnormality.

Two white sails, the old man burning paper money, the old woman ostentatiously waving a mirror. It was only then that the corpse-driving team chose to "rest" here. And all seven members of the Wang family met a tragic end, while the old couple remained unaffected.

White sails... The image of white sails surfaced in Li Chuiyuan's mind. He quickly removed any unnecessary embellishments, analyzing only their specific function. This was, in fact, a very unconventional set of guide sails. His own great-grandfather's family also had them; during funerals, among the banners carried by relatives at the front, there were similar ones, but those were taller, larger, and more elaborate.

All these thoughts were completed in an instant. Since the old couple could safely get by using this, why shouldn't he just follow their example? The simplest way to solve a problem... was to simply copy the correct answer.

"Run Sheng, set up the altar!"

"Right!"

Run Sheng knelt, stabilizing himself, and reached both hands into his hiking bag. Everyone's hiking bag was organized by themselves, the purpose being to quickly retrieve needed items at critical moments. Run Sheng first took out a small tabletop. This tabletop resembled the small, adjustable tables used for eating in high-end hospital rooms. The difference was, it was more advanced.

His great-grandfather's altars were about grand displays, primarily to provide emotional comfort to the main family. Li Chuiyuan's approach, however, was entirely about simplifying things. First, the small table had no fixed legs; one simply pulled down a flap underneath, and a metal frame would rise like a drawbridge. A slight push down would then lock its length for stability. Thus, it could stand level even on a sloped surface.

On the tabletop were nine recessed compartments of varying sizes: four in the front, four below, and one alone in the bottom corner, all covered with lids. Run Sheng quickly pulled off all nine lids. Under the top four compartments, four short candles were fixed: two white and two red. The four lower compartments contained: cured meat, salted fish chunks, ham, and shredded pork. No sacrifice is complete without meat; these four were all meat and not easily perishable. The single compartment in the bottom corner held rice wine, pre-poured and sealed. A small altar, complete with all the necessary items for a fragrant and visually appealing offering, was instantly ready.

At that time, China's food industry was not yet developed, but Li Chuiyuan had already emulated Western trends, pioneering the use of pre-prepared offerings. While Run Sheng was doing this, Li Chuiyuan took two small formation flags from his own backpack. He first planted the flags into the ground in front of him, then used both hands to tie knots in the flags. Next, he took five sheets of yellow paper from a concealed compartment beneath the table. With a flick, the yellow paper ignited without fire. Waving it over the candles, one red and one white candle also lit up. White represented Yin, red represented Yang; with both lit, Yin and Yang met at the boundary.

Li Chuiyuan clapped his hands, extinguishing the five half-burned yellow papers. He kept one for himself, handed one to Run Sheng, and tossed another downwards, where it floated to the bottom. Tan Wenbin, with quick reflexes, grabbed it. Finally, the young man took a bronze mirror from his bag, holding it in one hand, while in the other, he held two additional sheets of yellow paper.

After completing these tasks, Li Chuiyuan let out a sigh of relief. With this, a simple "Inn of the Yin-Yang Path" had been set up. Although the terrain was uneven, a large slope, normal corpse-drivers would certainly dislike it and typically wouldn't choose to rest here. But it didn't matter; at least the outward sign of the business was established.

Just then, a flicker of light also appeared next door. Li Chuiyuan turned his head to see that the woman also had two pieces of white cloth stuck in the ground in front of her. These cloths had some yellow stains, as if they were makeshift child's diapers. The offerings on the ground in front of her were simply peanuts, melon seeds, biscuits, and walnut crisps—all food the woman carried with her. However, she dripped fresh blood from her fingertip onto a biscuit, serving as the meat offering.

At this moment, she also pulled out five sheets of joss paper, lit them all, then extinguished them. She held one in her hand and placed another on the swaddling cloth. Finally, she took out a pink plastic heart-shaped box, opened it, and inside was a mirror. This style was now considered old-fashioned by city girls. She pried the mirror face off with her fingernail and held it between her fingertips.

After doing all this, the woman also turned her head to look at Li Chuiyuan's side. She still held three additional, incomplete pieces of joss paper. Their gazes met. Her eyes narrowed slightly, as if surprised that the young man's actions were even faster than hers. Well, now, on this slope, two "Inn of the Yin-Yang Path" establishments had suddenly opened.

The corpse-driving team above finally halted. "Ding-a-ling... Ding-a-ling... Ding-a-ling..." The yellow-robed Taoist at the front began to turn, the one at the back had to take larger steps, and some in the middle simply marked time. After adjusting their direction, they began to descend. Although it was a slope, they walked as if on level ground. They were coming down.

Li Chuiyuan made a downward pressing gesture with his left hand, and Run Sheng and Tan Wenbin, each clutching their yellow paper, lowered their heads. Both of them were probably silently chanting: "They can't see me, they can't see me."

Life is a circle. When he first returned to his hometown, encountering dead bodies repeatedly, Li Chuiyuan often did this. He later taught his companions the same method. If you encounter something malevolent that you're not confident you can deal with, just pretend you don't see it. Now, Li Chuiyuan found himself back in that familiar feeling from before.

However, Li Chuiyuan did not simply lower his head like Run Sheng and Tan Wenbin. Although the young man did not look up directly at the corpse-driving team, he fixed his gaze on the bronze mirror. He wanted to make a close observation through the bronze mirror. This place wasn't actually too far from Taohua Village, and the inexplicably appearing corpse-driving team was heading in the same direction he was going. It was likely not his primary target for the "fourth wave," but it would certainly be related to it. Getting some clues in advance would be ideal. Especially the one who, whether among the previous three or the current ten, never touched the ground with their feet—that person... was the key.

If two Taoists carrying a corpse with bamboo poles earlier was considered traditional corpse-driving, then nine people carrying a single corpse now was no longer corpse-driving; it was like carrying a palanquin. If this entity was an evil spirit, it might have reached a level that even those in the Xuanmen (Mystic Gate) traditionally wouldn't easily provoke. If this guy was human... that would be even more terrifying than it being a ghost.

"Click-clack... Click-clack... Click-clack..." Dense and synchronized footsteps approached. They came down, reaching his side. Along with them came an biting chill, and above that chill, an almost unbearable pressure that made it hard to breathe.

Run Sheng gripped the yellow paper in his left hand and the handle of his Yellow River Shovel in his right. Although Xiao Yuan had set up the situation, if it collapsed even slightly, he would not hesitate to fully unleash his vital energy points. His spiritual perception was dull; like Yin Meng, he still couldn't perform "walking the underworld." But his sense of life-and-death crisis was intact, and he clearly knew that what they had encountered this time was too powerful. He had to go all out from the start, or he might not get a second chance to act.

Tan Wenbin was the same; he had already learned "walking the underworld," and with two vengeful infants inside him, their senses and emotions could be transmitted to him, further intensifying his panic. The two kids were scared. Even when facing the White Crane Boy, though they were afraid, their reaction wasn't this extreme. Tan Wenbin's heart was racing, but he was trying to comfort himself, which was also comforting the two kids. If things really went wrong, at the critical moment, the children shouldn't chicken out; they had to go with their godfather. Let's hope the Ghost Control Art doesn't fail; dying like that would be too frustrating.

One, two, three... Li Chuiyuan looked at the bronze mirror, waiting for the one whose feet never touched the ground. Earlier, when he saw the three-person corpse-driving team in the courtyard, the figure in the middle was unclear. This time, he should be able to see it. Finally, that face appeared! From the bronze mirror, Li Chuiyuan saw him—a face identical to his own. In the mirror, it was as if he himself was being carried, his feet not touching the ground.

So fierce? This was Li Chuiyuan's first reaction. He had only wanted to glimpse it through the bronze mirror, but it, in this manner, seemed to want to "take him away." There was an even more terrifying possibility: that "it" was unintentional, and if you actively looked at it and got involved with it, you would naturally leave with it. The "self" in the mirror was not his current self, but his future self; this was akin to the folk tales of one's soul being snatched away.

Li Chuiyuan immediately bit his tongue, forcing himself to close his eyes. He silently recited the "Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva Sutra," his consciousness entering an ethereal state. Blood began to seep from his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth, making him look horrifying. Even during his last encounter with that pig, the young man had only sustained some injuries; he was nowhere near as disheveled as he was now from just a "single glance."

Run Sheng noticed Xiao Yuan's abnormality. He didn't look up, but he saw blood dripping onto the ground in his line of sight. In an instant, Run Sheng was ready to stand up, fully unleash his vital energy, and fight them. But he realized that the hand with which Xiao Yuan held the yellow paper was pressing down on his Yellow River Shovel. Run Sheng gritted his teeth and held back.

The corpse-driving team advanced, first circling Li Chuiyuan, Run Sheng, and Tan Wenbin below, then moved to the right, circling the woman. Perhaps seeing that both were "inns" but with no "guests" to take, they slowly ascended, returning to the path. After adjusting their direction, they continued forward.

Everyone on the slope below kept their heads down, unsure exactly where they had gone, but they could tell by the sound of the bells becoming fainter. Once the sound of the bells completely faded and could no longer be heard, it was as if the air, which had been sucked dry, flowed back in. Everyone let out a long sigh of relief, sweat pouring out.

Li Chuiyuan: "It's safe now."

"Xiao Yuan?" Run Sheng immediately checked on the young man.

"I'm fine, it's not a big problem." Li Chuiyuan felt sticky on his face and a bit dizzy. Fortunately, he had rested long enough on the train, and he had also conserved his energy on the road earlier. His current condition was somewhat bad, but not too terrible. If such an incident had occurred when he was exhausted and nearing his limits, he might truly have had time to learn "The Moon Reflected on Er-quan."

Tan Wenbin scrambled up on all fours, took a water bottle and towel from Run Sheng, and began to wipe and clean the bloodstains from Xiao Yuan's face. Run Sheng picked up the Yellow River Shovel, stood up, and faced the woman, remaining vigilant.

The woman put away the white cloths and offerings, eating the blood-stained biscuit. After packing everything up, the woman, holding her child and carrying her satchel, stood up and looked over. She turned slightly, as if intending to say something, but when her gaze went past Run Sheng's obstruction and saw the young man wiping blood from his face, her eyes widened: "You actually looked at it!"

Li Chuiyuan heard her, but didn't rush to react, continuing to let Binbin wipe his face. The woman, holding her child in her left arm, drew a short, sharp black axe from the swaddling cloth with her right hand, and said to Run Sheng: "He's been spirited away; now he must be killed!"

Run Sheng raised his Yellow River Shovel, his clothes billowing as he prepared to fight. He didn't even consider what the woman said.

"Psst..." Tan Wenbin opened a can of drink, but due to earlier shaking, the drink spilled from the can. He moved it away for a moment, then handed it to Xiao Yuan. Li Chuiyuan took the drink, took a few big gulps, and then stood up again. Seeing the young man's action, the woman's confusion deepened, but she still put away the axe, tucking it back into the swaddling cloth. "You actually weren't spirited away."

Li Chuiyuan said, "You're not from the Wang family." If she were from the Wang family, why didn't she order the other Wang family members to run just now? She clearly had the ability to save them, but she didn't.

The woman shook her head: "It's better if you don't know my identity." Li Chuiyuan inexplicably found those words familiar. The woman continued: "When traveling, do not get involved in unnecessary trouble. This place is not peaceful lately. You should go."

Tan Wenbin whispered, "This woman has quite an arrogant tone." Li Chuiyuan neither affirmed nor denied. After Run Sheng packed up the altar, the three of them also climbed up the slope and reached the path.

The woman had already turned back and re-entered the courtyard. She kicked open the house door and walked inside. Before long, the old couple was dragged and kicked by her, both driven out of the house into the courtyard. Especially the old woman, who had a clear shoe print on her face. Before, everything was fine, but because this old woman had shouted, "There are five more people who haven't started their journey," a new round of anomaly almost occurred. It was no wonder the woman was angry. Five people—excluding the young man's group of three—the old woman even counted her own son in swaddling clothes as one person. As a mother, she couldn't stand anyone daring to harm her child. The old couple cried and wailed, seemingly bewildered, continuously begging for mercy and crying out in pain.

Li Chuiyuan said to Tan Wenbin and Run Sheng: "Go inside and search thoroughly." Tan Wenbin went ahead. Run Sheng hesitated a bit; he didn't dare leave Xiao Yuan alone in the courtyard to face this woman. When the woman had taken out the small axe earlier, the sharp aura even made his vital energy points ache; she was definitely a master.

"She won't harm us for now, Run Sheng. Go inside and search thoroughly."

"Alright." Run Sheng still chose to obey Xiao Yuan, but as he passed the woman, he still gave her a glare.

The woman kicked the old couple again, knocking them to the ground. Then she looked defiantly at Li Chuiyuan, even taking several steps toward him. Li Chuiyuan stood there, motionless. In the end, the woman herself stopped and asked, "This isn't like you. Earlier, when I was feeding the baby in the car, you were suspicious and kept staring. Why are you so at ease with me now?"

"It's mutual."

The woman was not from the Wang family; this much was certain now. Her pinching the child and making it cry was actually a very subtle warning to him. Why subtle? Because she was too lazy to speak directly. She wanted to see the Wang family die. As for whether his three companions died or not, she didn't care much. If he understood the hint, he'd run; if not, he'd join the corpse-carrying. Most likely, her making the child cry was also her way of repaying him for having Run Sheng help set up the tent and provide a sleeping bag. This mindset gave Li Chuiyuan a very strong sense of familiarity.

The reason he had Run Sheng set up the tent and provide the sleeping bag earlier wasn't purely out of kindness. He simply couldn't find any flaws in the woman's behavior, yet he remained uneasy about her. So, he decided to alternate between giving and taking, applying pressure differently. Showing goodwill was also a test. However, he didn't owe her anything, because even if she hadn't pinched the child, he had planned to run anyway.

As for later, he set up an altar, burned five yellow papers, reserving two. The woman also burned five joss papers, reserving three. The reserved ones were all prepared for the other party. There was no need for tender feelings here; the intention to help was not strong. It was purely out of fear that if they didn't give the other party something, they might turn hostile and mess up his arrangements, taking him down with them. Didn't they both quickly set up their own things first, then held the extra paper money, and then looked at the other's reaction? If they were truly that benevolent, one of them would have long since shouted: "Don't panic, I have a way!" They were all quite indifferent people, but indifferent people were easier to get along with. As long as there were no absolute conflicts of interest, they would be very restrained from creating unnecessary conflicts.

The woman looked back at the old couple on the ground: "Tell your people to kill these two old things."

Li Chuiyuan: "Why don't you do it yourself?"

The woman: "It's not convenient for me."

Li Chuiyuan nodded: "Coincidentally, neither am I." Then, Li Chuiyuan pointed to his forehead: "I suspect there's something wrong with these two old people here." They weren't actors. From the moment he entered, Li Chuiyuan never stopped observing them and found no issues, which meant they were likely not faking it at the time. But when the corpse-driving team arrived, the old couple showed an unusually excited and highly efficient state. This state was like a shift in personality and thinking after being stimulated by something—like Lin Shuyou's future serious illness, dissociative identity disorder.

Run Sheng and Tan Wenbin came out; they had indeed searched every nook and cranny. Run Sheng held two old yellow Taoist robes, which also had items like Bagua mirrors and peach wood swords. Tan Wenbin held a photo frame, which he had found under the bed. The photo showed four people: the two old people in the middle weren't as old then, and the twin sons on either side hadn't fully grown, but it was discernible that these twins were the two young yellow-robed Taoist priests, one at the front and one at the back, in the corpse-driving team. The woman also saw these things, and when she looked at the two old people again, her eyes showed contemplation. Immediately, she stepped on the old man's chest and demanded, "Tell me, what is your relationship with them!"

The old man stammered, only showing pain on his face, giving no answer. The woman continued to ask, "What is the relationship between your sons and that thing!" Hearing "sons," the old man's expression froze, and then he shouted, "Both my sons went out to work, to make big money and get rich, and then they'll come back to take us to the city to enjoy life!" The woman took a deep breath; her current anger was evident.

Li Chuiyuan stepped forward and said, "Let me ask them." The woman withdrew her foot and stood aside, clearing a space for the young man.

"Binbin, find some chopsticks and a bowl."

"Okay."

Li Chuiyuan walked up to the old woman, took out a Heart-Calming Talisman, and stuck it on her forehead. The old woman's originally panicked and fearful emotions immediately quieted down. The young man slowly swayed the bone ring on his fingertip from side to side in front of the old woman's eyes. The old woman's eyelids lowered slightly. Li Chuiyuan made a gesture. Tan Wenbin picked up the chopsticks and began tapping the bowl: "Ding... ding... ding..." The old woman's eyes regained their vitality, as if she had become a different person. Li Chuiyuan leaned his face close and whispered to her, and the old woman also began to reply at the same volume.

While communicating, Li Chuiyuan raised his hand and snapped his fingers several times in the woman's direction. Don't even think about eavesdropping. The woman's chest heaved with anger.

After finishing the questions, Li Chuiyuan pressed his thumb down on the talisman on the old woman's forehead. The old woman trembled and fell asleep. Immediately after, the young man took out another Heart-Calming Talisman, stuck it on the old man's forehead, pressed it, and the old man also fell asleep.

"Run Sheng, carry them back to their beds."

"Alright."

Run Sheng carried the two old people into the house. Li Chuiyuan then looked at the woman, saying nothing. Want to hear? Exchange information.

The woman spoke: "Do you know about the Four Corpse-Driving Families of the Old Heaven's Gate?"

Li Chuiyuan: "Yes."

"Behind Taohua Village in Meiling Town, there's a lake, anciently named: Yinma Lake (Drinking Horse Lake). It's long been said locally that beneath the lake lies a water burial, interring an ancient general. Later, a contingent of Yuan soldiers came here, excavated the water burial, plundered the tomb for wealth, awakening the general, which caused chaos, almost affecting all directions. For the sake of the common people and the local villagers, the Four Great Families of the Old Heaven's Gate acted together. With the help of a prominent figure, they collectively suppressed the general back. Do you know all this?"

Li Chuiyuan said somewhat impatiently, "Yes."

"In that battle, the prominent figure was severely wounded and has since disappeared from the martial arts world. The Four Great Families of the Old Heaven's Gate also suffered heavy losses, with the Niu Dao Xie family suffering the most. It is said that the head of the Xie family of that generation personally suppressed the corpse with his own body, which helped that prominent figure complete the seal and avert a great disaster. Afterwards, the remaining members of the Niu Dao Xie family moved their ancestral home to this Taohua Village, guarding it for generations. One, the family's losses in that battle were too severe; two, their reclusive nature was not conducive to development. The Niu Dao Xie family gradually declined thereafter. Although they still bore the name of one of the Four Families of the Old Heaven's Gate, it had long since become an empty title. Do you know all this?"

Li Chuiyuan sighed: "Sigh, old stories, you know them, I know them. Can you tell me something contemporary? Don't waste our time."

"Ten years ago, it is said that a member of the Niu Dao Xie family went astray, was deluded by the suppressed general, and became his loyal servant."

Li Chuiyuan's expression became serious, as if to say that she was finally talking about something he didn't know.

The woman: "And then, that's it."

Li Chuiyuan: "That's what?"

The woman: "It's as you've seen. The one you saw earlier should be a corpse-driver who died in battle here that year, though I don't know which of the Four Families he belonged to. They died, yet they 'lived' again. In the past decade, many such incidents have occurred near Taohua Village. I just didn't expect it to spread so far this time. It hasn't even reached Meiling Town yet, and there's still a long way to Taohua Village, yet they can operate this far."

"Corpse-drivers driving corpses, people driving corpses, or corpses driving people?" Li Chuiyuan asked after a moment of thought. "Is that Xie family member using this method to rebuild their family?"

The woman paused slightly upon hearing this. Li Chuiyuan pressed on: "What? Has anyone else said what I just said to you?" The woman didn't answer, just lowered her head and gently patted the child in the swaddling cloth.

Li Chuiyuan: "The child's father, your husband?"

The woman looked up again, her eyes showing anger.

Li Chuiyuan: "Looks like it is. Where's your man?"

The woman: "You're not worthy to know his name, nor do you have the right to know him."

"Hmm, perhaps." Li Chuiyuan nodded. Although he hadn't been "walking the river" for long, his high status meant there weren't many people in the Jianghu (martial arts world) he wasn't qualified to know. However, he had extracted another piece of information: the woman's husband was not dead; she wasn't a widow. A suspicion vaguely rose in Li Chuiyuan's mind.

The woman: "Hey, your turn."

Li Chuiyuan said: "She said her two sons went to seek immortality with an immortal, and after successfully cultivating, they would return to take their old parents to enjoy blessings in the Heavenly Palace."

"Are you messing with me?"

"I swear, that's all there is."

"Then why were you talking to that old woman for so long just now?"

"I chatted with her about other things. I asked if she was worried about her two sons not being married yet. She said no, saying how can mortal women be worthy of her sons? When they ascend to immortality later, her sons can marry celestial maidens."

"Hehehe..." The woman let out a gnashing laugh, "Who exactly are you?"

"We're the Jinling Audit University expedition team. Our captain's family owns a crooked restaurant, so they have plenty of pocket money. After hearing about the supernatural events here, they sponsored us to explore."

The woman, holding her child, turned and left. Li Chuiyuan stood in the courtyard, watching her back disappear into the distance. She was still heading towards Meiling Town.

Tan Wenbin spoke: "Brother Xiao Yuan, what exactly is her identity?"

Li Chuiyuan: "I suspect she's like you."

Tan Wenbin's eyes darted: "A Dragon King worshipper?"

"Not necessarily a Dragon King worshipper, but she should be 'walking the river.' It's just that they might not use that specific term." "Walking the river" is a term exclusive to the Dragon King family. The woman's skills were indeed impressive, but her demeanor didn't really seem like someone from the Dragon King family. Aunt Liu used to dress like a rural woman at great-grandfather's house, but that was for disguise and integration. After coming to the university, in casual clothes, she truly looked like a university lecturer. The kind of temperament developed from growing up with the old lady was indelible, and the old lady was already considered the most low-key member of the Dragon King family.

Tan Wenbin: "Is that child her biological child?"

"I've looked at the child's physiognomy, and the mother-child connection is very clear. And to fake a lactation period, isn't that too great a cost?"

"Indeed, but taking a child 'walking the river,' would her family's 'Dragon King' agree?"

"The child's father might be that 'Dragon King'."

"Then I understand even less; how dangerous is that..."

"Taking a child 'walking the river,' the merit falls upon the child."

"Holy crap, then my parents' ambition for me to become a dragon, compared to them, was truly overindulgence."

"She's not from the Wang family, but she must have been watching them. Our arrival prompted the Wang family to act, and she simply followed along, hitching a ride. Binbin, doesn't that feel very similar?"

Tan Wenbin: "Yes, like our previous separate actions."

Run Sheng asked doubtfully: "Do they also use the same methods as us?" In Run Sheng's opinion, his Xiao Yuan was the smartest. If others used the same methods as them, wouldn't that mean other families also had people as smart as Xiao Yuan?

Li Chuiyuan: "After soaking in the river for a long time, one can more or less grasp the temperament of the tides. This is not surprising."

Tan Wenbin: "Brother Xiao Yuan, I think that woman is responsible for watching the Wang family. As for the Xie family and the Bu family, there should also be their people watching their movements. Her husband, that 'Dragon King'... is either watching one of those two families, or he went straight to Taohua Village to find the Niu Dao Xie family."

Li Chuiyuan nodded: "Mm."

Tan Wenbin shrugged: "They are clearly acting according to the 'river's flow,' a truly crude and primitive method." Run Sheng smiled upon hearing this. However, Run Sheng immediately asked, "Then, if we encounter others from her team or her husband, will we be in danger?" Among those who "walk the river," there is also competition.

Li Chuiyuan: "Do you remember how Zhao Yi acted back then? Raise the slogans, raise the stakes. Even if they want to attack us, they'll have to weigh the cost. But now is not the time to worry about this, because we seem to be too far ahead." This time, he had actively sought out the "wave." He didn't expect that after finding the examination hall, the previous exam hadn't even ended, and there were still candidates inside answering questions. Now, he was like standing outside the classroom window, watching them write their papers at close range. Not only that. Strictly speaking, the corpse-driving team they had just encountered was targeting the Wang family, but that should have been part of the woman's "wave," and he ended up experiencing it too. So, he wasn't just watching from outside the window; he had already taken a seat in the examination hall. He sat next to the woman, becoming her deskmate. Although he didn't have an exam paper, he also took out scratch paper, looked at her questions, and did whatever problems she did. Their reactions, actions, and setup methods were all identical.

"Heh..." Li Chuiyuan suddenly chuckled. He found it very interesting: "We are now inside someone else's 'walking the river' event."

Li Chuiyuan wasn't in a hurry to continue to Taohua Village. Instead, he told everyone to rest while it was still dark. He also took a short nap himself, recovering some vitality. After dawn, Li Chuiyuan had Run Sheng combine the gasoline from the two vans. Then, Tan Wenbin drove, carrying the three of them forward.

The collapsed section of the road from yesterday had been cleared. Construction workers, learning they were going to Taohua Village, informed them that the villagers had been relocated by the government years ago due to the risk of severe geological disasters, and it was now a deserted village. Tan Wenbin gave them a pack of cigarettes in return, then started the car and continued. After passing through Meiling Town, contacting Yin Meng and Lin Shuyou via the town phone to resupply some materials, they continued their journey.

As they drove towards Taohua Village, the dirt road was clearly in disrepair from years of neglect. Since Taohua Village had long been deserted, there were no vehicles or pedestrians to be seen. But as they drove, a tractor appeared parked by the roadside. In the hay beside the tractor lay a man with a stubbly face, his legs clearly twisted and deliberately broken. Seeing people approach, he quickly wailed, trying to call for help.

Tan Wenbin looked back at Li Chuiyuan: "Brother Xiao Yuan?"

Li Chuiyuan: "She did it."

Since Brother Xiao Yuan didn't say to stop, Tan Wenbin continued driving forward. The reason for not stopping was simple: Taohua Village was long deserted, and no one would be on this road. The woman had walked to Meiling Town last night, found a tractor, and asked the driver to take her to Taohua Village. She wouldn't break the driver's leg before reaching the destination. Most likely, the driver, seeing a woman with a child in the wilderness, had evil intentions.

Sure enough, they hadn't driven long before the woman's figure appeared ahead. The woman turned sideways, looking at the familiar van. Li Chuiyuan took the initiative to open the car door and said, "Get in." The woman hesitated for a moment, then finally got into the car with her child. The car continued to drive. The woman suddenly spoke, "He didn't follow the rules."

Li Chuiyuan nodded: "Learn to drive when you have time."

It was only midday, yet the sky had gradually turned gloomy, and a murky rain began to fall. The car was difficult to drive, shaking constantly. The woman began to breastfeed her child. This time, Li Chuiyuan turned his head away.

The rain grew heavier, and the lake ahead overflowed, submerging the road. The path was cut off. Li Chuiyuan pulled a black umbrella from his backpack and handed it to the woman. The woman opened the umbrella and got out of the car.

"Luo Sheng Umbrella? You are corpse fishers."

Li Chuiyuan then got out of the car. Tan Wenbin held up an umbrella, shielding Brother Xiao Yuan. Facing the woman's question, Li Chuiyuan replied calmly, "Is that strange?"

"I didn't expect to meet a colleague. Which dock do you operate from?"

Li Chuiyuan cupped his hands: "Haoriver Dock, Nantong — Corpse Fisher Li."

"Oh." The woman acknowledged, then, holding her umbrella and child, waded forward.

Li Chuiyuan asked, "Just 'Oh'?"

"It is your honor to meet him; he is a future Flood Dragon."

"I look forward to it."

The water grew deeper and deeper. Li Chuiyuan had to climb onto Run Sheng's back. Logically, they should have arrived, but there was no sign of a village ahead. The young man suspected Taohua Village had been submerged by the lake. The water level rose higher and higher, and everyone began to swim. The swaddling cloth, surprisingly, floated like a small boat. The child was very well-behaved, still not crying or fussing. This was truly a child who had seen the world from a young age.

Li Chuiyuan patted Run Sheng's shoulder and pointed ahead. Run Sheng understood, came to the woman's front, and helped block the waves for her, making it steadier behind her.

The woman noticed and asked, "Are you traveling?"

Li Chuiyuan: "I'm on vacation."

The woman suddenly asked seriously, "Hey, Corpse Fisher Li, you haven't lit your lamp yet, have you?"

Li Chuiyuan replied equally seriously, "No, I haven't lit a lamp myself."

The woman seemed to let out a sigh of relief. Since last night, she had seemed worried about something, but with such a serious question, the other party definitely wouldn't lie. Her husband had said that lying about this matter would destroy one's spirit.

The woman: "Corpse Fisher Li, I'm giving you an opportunity. See if you can seize it."

"What opportunity?"

"When you meet my husband, I can introduce you. See if you have a chance to rise to prominence by serving a Flood Dragon."

"Thank you for the guidance."

"My words might not be exact; my husband has his own ideas. But I can feel that even though you're young, you're different, very different."

"Thank you for the compliment."

Run Sheng stopped. The woman also stopped. Run Sheng raised his hand and pointed ahead. On the water surface ahead, a person floated, clad in a straw rain cape, face down, motionless.

Run Sheng: "A drowned corpse."

The woman: "That's my husband!"