chewing dragon

Chapter 312 Harvest
The old man in white nodded and shook his head: "It is true that this coffin is made of cypress wood, but the protruding rafters are made of mulberry wood. It is really a pity."

"Huh? I see that the materials and workmanship of this coffin are quite solid. What's the pity?"

Yu Dayue became more and more confused. Why couldn't he understand this? Could it be that he, a master carpenter, was fake?

He immediately asked: "What about cypress wood? What about mulberry wood?"

The old man in white knew everything and said: "This place is close to the border town. Once someone as aware and spiritual as Lao Chan goes underground, he will most likely be recruited as a Yin soldier. However, if he is buried in a cypress coffin, he can avoid it. Go to this battle."

This old man must have witnessed Yu Dajue killing Brother Ding before, but he did not hide his alien identity at all.

It regretfully patted the coffin in front of it: "This cypress coffin was originally very good, but the damage was caused by the mulberry rafters. Using such a coffin will not only prevent you from serving, but it will also be targeted by the underworld." Those who attempt to escape from duty will be severely punished."

"I just said that the coffin shop in the city can't supply it. Because local coffins are mostly made of ebony, which is a specialty of the nearby mountains. Cypress coffins are much more expensive, especially those made entirely of cypress. They are even harder to find in a hurry."

Yu Dayue was dumbfounded when he heard this: "People say that the rafters at the top rot first, but I didn't expect that the rafters below will be the same as well."

"Especially the ghosts and gods from the underworld use laws to control the little ghosts. They are no less generous than the big men in the upper world. It's just that the rafters are made of mulberry wood. Doesn't the whole coffin count as a cypress coffin?"

The old man in white immediately sighed: "As the saying goes, the official law is like a furnace, it is the same everywhere! A person with a shallow foundation like this old man will inevitably be enslaved by others no matter life or death. On the contrary, he is not as good as my ignorant family members who can be ignorant. I feel sleepy and step into the underworld."

"family?"

Old man Qi, who had been silent for a long time, couldn't help but ask: "You just said that your family needs a few coffins urgently. Is it possible..."

"Haha, I heard from the doctor and Wu Zuo that it was because they ate unclean things and were infected with some kind of corpse poison and plague. In short, all seven members of the family are dead, and only the old man is left alone."

While speaking, the old man in white touched his belly, and there was a glimmer of light shining deep in his eyes.

Old Man Qi immediately sighed and clenched his fists tighter to cover up the white light in them: "It's really hard for me, brother. Now that I'm dead, I still have to work hard for the things behind me."

This statement also sounds very absurd, but combined with the situation in front of me, it reveals infinite bitterness.

The old man in white also sighed: "My skin is getting rotten day by day, and I won't be able to cover it up anymore. Otherwise, I wouldn't take the risk of coming here tonight to stroke your beards."

Yu Dayue on the side frowned and thought for a while: "When it comes to pure cypress coffins, there really is one in Yizhuang!"

So after a while, two people, a dog and an old man in white came to a remote courtyard in Yizhuang.

The several coffins stored here are obviously very old, with many signs of being eaten by rats and insects, and some even have dim-colored talismans attached to them.

These coffins either belong to guests from other places who died here and the money left behind was not enough to pay for the cost of sending the coffins back to their hometown, or they belong to poor local people who have no money to bury them and have been left in the charity village for several years. No family members came forward to claim her.

"That's it!"

Yu Dayue raised his axe, pointed at one of the coffins that was the most complete and had the most talismans affixed, and said, "Shall I go over and ask you questions?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the coffin suddenly shook violently, and a faint light came out from the gap.

Yu Dayue's expression froze when he saw this, and he immediately changed his tune: "How about... why don't you just go up and ask yourself? After all, this is a matter of asking for help, and it also shows that we are sincere, right?"

"Hehe, as long as you talk meaningfully and negotiate well, most things in this world can be solved!"

The old man in white turned his head and gave Yu Dajue an extremely ugly smile: "I don't dare to work as a hero in my own affairs, but please lower your weapon so as not to frighten the master here."

Hearing this, Yu Dajue was obviously stunned. Is it possible that the person in the coffin was not going to get angry and act like a demon, but that he was so frightened that he trembled?
After he retracted the ax angrily, the old man in white stepped forward and bowed his head towards the cypress coffin to the ground.

"I have a newly made coffin made of the best local ebony. I would like to exchange it for this coffin. What do you think?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the cypress coffin in front of him stopped shaking.

A voice came from inside, and because it was separated by the coffin board, it sounded a little dull: "Is it a trade or a robbery?"

The old man in white hurriedly handed over his hand again: "Of course it's an exchange! Trade in the old for the new, no matter how old you are!"

The man in the coffin was silent for a long time, and then said again: "Forget it, just change the coffin! Weizhou has become a place of right and wrong. I plan to find a remote and uninhabited place to live in seclusion in the north of Forbidden Water. There will be no need for any coffins in the future. .Or...do you have anything else to exchange for?"

Hearing this, the muscles on the face of the old man in white twitched, and he obviously gritted his teeth: "The old man's family has no money, but there are twenty stalks of wheat in the corner of the house. It has been infected by the corpse's energy. Not only can monsters and ghosts eat it, but also Spend it as dirty money."

"You just need to sprinkle some when crossing the forbidden water. When those ghost bullets are full, they will probably not stop them anymore."

The man in the coffin fell into silence again. Old man Qi and Yu Dayue winked at each other, both obviously moved.

Yu Dayue immediately stepped forward: "You know so much, you often use your own food to bribe the ghost officials, right?"

The twitching on the face of the old man in white became more and more intense: "A good man should not denounce someone's innocence out of thin air! How can the ghosts and gods in the underworld covet a few grains of rice from the old man? Besides, if the old man has such a way, he will not do it. I’m looking for the cypress coffin everywhere!”

"Hey, I understand, I understand! If there is too little rice, others can't do the same!"

Yu Dajue showed a clear look: "It's just that you are too honest. How can it use twenty husks of wheat to replace it with a tattered coffin that it doesn't want? How about this? Just give me ten husks of wheat evenly and I'll help." Your whole family is buried, and if there are no close relatives who are raising flags and throwing pots, I can’t help but feel a little aggrieved!”

"Seriously?" The old man in white's eyes suddenly glowed.

The man in the coffin immediately became anxious: "Why is this still choking? I changed it! Twenty husks of dendrobium is just twenty husks of dendrobium, not a grain of rice is missing!"

"Hey! You need to clean up, right?"

Yu Dayue opened his eyes and shook the big ax in his hand towards the coffin: "Listen to me! You bring out the coffin and I will help. Let's take care of this old man's funeral. The twenty husks of wheat will simply be added to five. Half of it comes to you and half of it to me, and you are still a child!"

The man in the coffin immediately retorted: "Hmph, do you think I don't know the benefits of the cypress coffin? It means that I am not an undead spirit living in this world. Otherwise, I won't be replaced even if I kill you. What does it mean to have twenty husks of corpse wheat?"

At that moment, people were going back and forth inside and outside the cypress coffin, bargaining, and getting to the emotional point. The man in the coffin actually lifted up the coffin, and revealed a radiant skull head. He actually ignored the talismans on the coffin as if they were nothing.

The light that emerged from the cracks in the coffin came from the skeleton itself.

In the dim light, everyone outside seemed to see a sad-faced man dressed as a businessman.

Yu Dayue has even seen ferocious foreign objects like Brother Ding. How can he still feel the slightest fear in his heart at this moment?He also thrust the big ax into the back of his waist, stretched out his hand and pulled out the glowing skeleton. His other hand grasped the hard and cold wrist of the old man in white: "Let's go, let's go without further ado." , Long nights and many dreams!”

"Let's go to the old man's house to deliver the goods right away! If you're not satisfied with anything, we can talk about it on the way!"

The old man in white clothes did not expect this guy to be so impatient. While being pulled out, he also became anxious: "The old man has something to say first. There is still a meter and five stones behind my house that has not been contaminated by the corpse gas. That is to reward my family for doing so." You can’t take it from those near or far away who are doing the funeral!”

"Who cares?"

Yu Dajue curled his lips when he heard this: "You old man is really a hard-working man. No wonder people can't live in peace even after they die!"

After all, Old Man Qi was mature and prudent, and quickly reminded: "There are soldiers passing through the city now, so I'm afraid I won't get a good deal if I go out rashly."

The old man in white was really sincere. Hearing this, he said: "It doesn't matter, it doesn't matter. The old man's house is far outside the city in the countryside. Isn't it possible to enter the city late at night? Just follow me!"

"Going out of the city?" This time it was Yu Dayue's turn to hesitate.

He turned to look at Old Man Qi: "Now that we have a way to cross the river, we don't have to come back from this city. Do you want to invite others to go on the road together?"

Old Man Qi shook his head: "They are all honest and filial children. It's a pity that they are a little timid. Calling them now is just embarrassing them, and it is even harming them. It's better not to commit this sin."

Yu Dayue smiled when he heard this, but said nothing.
-
Candles were brightly lit in the lobby of the county government office. Qi Jingzhi squatted on the ground and carefully examined the corpses of the two watchmen quietly, then turned to look at the county magistrate who was accompanying him.

"May I ask the county magistrate, how many face-wiping murders have occurred in this county? How long has it been since the earliest one?"

"How dare you show respect in front of Captain Qi?"

Seeing that the young captain from Gouchen Yuan had no intention of getting up, the county magistrate hesitated for a moment and had no choice but to lift his clothes and squat down. At the same time, he subconsciously covered his mouth and nose with his sleeves: "I didn't mean to deceive you before. It’s been a while since the face-wiping murder case happened. As for what the captain asked earlier...the face-wiping demon disaster in this county has lasted for more than three months, killing 53 people in total."

"At the beginning, the disaster was not serious and was scattered in various villages and towns. We were able to cover it up and avoid panic. However, in recent days, it has become more and more serious, so much so that rumors have spread throughout the county."

Qi Jingzhi frowned: "Have you ever written a letter to ask for help from the Demon Academy in the prefectures, counties and towns?"

The county magistrate nodded: "This is natural. The Demon Suppressing Captain of this county has also come down to investigate, but it's a pity that he has never been able to catch the traces of that gang of evil spirits."

"That gang?"

Qi Jingzhi grasped this word keenly and immediately asked: "How does the county magistrate know that the harmful evil spirit is not one person, but a group?"

The county magistrate heard this but was not panicked: "The good captain knew that the demon-suppressing captain had been in this county for half a month and had just found some clues. Unexpectedly, several neighboring counties successively alerted the police, and the face-wiping police officers appeared at the same time. The murder, as well as other evil spirits, spread throughout the county, so much so that the captain had to leave in a hurry and spent the whole day fighting fires everywhere, exhausted."

"Hey, at the end of the day, apart from asking for help, the Demon-Suppressing Captain can only save the county and the city first. It seems that small counties like us can only ask for more blessings."

Qi Jingzhi suddenly nodded: "I see, the crime was indeed committed by a gang!"

As for the Demon-Suppressing Captain's approach, the young man also saw it very clearly.

Even though the Demon Suppressing Academy is huge and spreads across all states and counties, monks and strangers are still only a minority among the officials and people of Daqi. Except for the royal capital and some important places where there are many strong players, the rest of the places can only be spread like pepper. If it goes on, it will be fine on weekdays, but it will inevitably be stretched when encountering the current situation, and this is also the reason why Gouchenyuan can take advantage of the situation.

A well-trained, experienced, and well-armed demon-slaying army is undoubtedly powerful. Even if most of the soldiers are still just ordinary people, it is enough to kill most demons and evil spirits.

Qi Jingzhi stood up and said to Li Shenxian who was standing at the foot of the lobby: "Since the Demon Suppressing Captain of this generation of the county cannot protect his own territory, we, the Zuowu Army, might as well help out."

"Send someone to inform Captain Wei that after daybreak, Yu Lin will head west and the strong wind will head east. First, he will inspect the surrounding counties as a deterrent. Notices will be posted along the way to warn the people to be wary of evil spirits and evil spirits. If they find any, they will report to Zou immediately. Our army asked for help, and the two guards joined forces on the south bank of the forbidden water in Yongchang Town before the end of the month."

Li Shenxian was not surprised by his captain's order. His face trembled and he smiled happily: "It's an order!"

The young captain then turned his attention to Tong Jiaohai, who was kneeling beside Li Shenxian.

The current de facto leader of the forward selection battalion trembled all over and lowered his head deeply: "My humble position cannot restrain my troops, so I rushed forward rashly and almost ruined your master's arrangements. I am willing to accept military law!"

Hearing this, the seven young men with car spokes who were guarding the gate of the courtyard became excited. As soon as the captain gave the order, they were about to rush over and beat Tong Jiaohai on his butt!
Qi Jingzhi snorted: "Let you lead the forward selection battalion to clear the way, and attack together with the two battalions of the Gale Guard, forming an encirclement of three formations..."

"It's a good thing for you that you only care about your own happiness. You disappeared soon after charging, and the entire battalion was herded with sheep. If Colonel Wei hadn't had a lot of them, I'd have had to kill you on the spot!"

Tong Jiaohai's head dropped lower.

His own family knows his own affairs. With his current ability, he is more than enough to serve as a team leader, but he is a bit reluctant to be a commander of a hundred cavalry. As for the position of battalion captain that has been vacant, it is even more out of reach.

However, he has a restless temper and is extremely dissatisfied with the current situation. Therefore, every time he is assigned an errand by the captain, he always moves forward enthusiastically and fights for his life without hesitation. This is how he can control the selection front. The soldiers in the camp are ruthless and fierce.

"Your Majesty, it is clear to me that the vanguard selection camp is full of rough guys who only know how to work hard. How can they do such delicate work? Isn't that what you taught in "Tiger Walking"?"

"A tiger is not afraid of the enemy, and a martyr is not afraid of the enemy. A timid enemy humiliates his class, and empty words betray his kindness. The claws and claws bully the sword, and the courageous person has no front line..."

Tong Jiaohai's voice gradually became lower and he finally stopped talking, looking like a wronged little daughter-in-law.

"You're right!"

Qi Jingzhi immediately said angrily: "Tell me, where did you go before and why didn't you come back?"

Hearing this, Tong Jiaohai suddenly became energetic: "Master Qi, when the blood-eyed bat as big as a cow escaped, it wanted to fly into a ruined temple, but it turned out to be a disgrace. The others rushed too fast and frightened the evil beast away."

"Bi Zhi also realized at that time that he had rushed too far forward, and saw that Captain Wei and Lieutenant Li were about to catch up, and he could not do much to help, so he led a few people into the ruined temple to find out what was going on. "

Qi Jingzhi was a little surprised when he heard this: "What's in the temple?"

Tong Jiaohai said: "The temple has been abandoned for a long time, and only a small hall is left. When Beizhi and others entered the temple, they saw a man on the beam, with his stomach stuck to the beam, and his eyes It looks like there is air coming in but not going out.”

"It took a lot of effort by the humble men to get the man off, but unexpectedly there was a big hole in his stomach. Even gods can't save him."

"Before the man died, he reached into his stomach and took out what he found. It was full of human scalps and hair. Oh, and this thing!"

(End of this chapter)