ebookslot Chapter 12: Human puppets lead
Chapter 12: Human puppets lead
After dealing with Li Wenyong, Zhou Xingcai returned to Ruan Wenzhong's side.
The man wasn't dead yet, but he was barely breathing.
Blood seeped from the wound; it was dark red and viscous like syrup.
Zhou Xing frowned.
He picked up a little blood, rubbed it between his fingers, and then brought it close to his nose. It had a very faint sweet and fishy smell, mixed with the scent of herbs.
He recalled a passage from Mr. Qin's notes:
"When a human puppet is first formed, its blood is as thick as honey and its smell is sweet and fishy. If it is fed with 'human puppet guide' for forty-nine days, it can be used as easily as an arm."
Zhou Xing squatted down and asked Ruan Wenzhong:
What food has the charity given you?
Ruan Wenzhong's consciousness was fading, and he murmured:
"...Longevity Soup...one bowl a month...my hair turned black...my penis got hard..."
Zhou Xing smiled.
"idiot."
His voice was laced with sarcasm, "That's not a longevity tonic, it's a 'human puppet potion.' Drink it for half a year, and you'll become his human puppet. You won't even be able to control your own life or death."
Ruan Wenzhong stared wide-eyed, wanting to say something, but only blood and foam rose in his throat.
Zhou Xing didn't waste any more words.
He pulled out his Browning from his lower back and pressed the muzzle against Nguyen Van Trung's forehead.
"Are Annamese considered foreigners?"
He said in a low voice.
Pull the trigger.
"Bang."
Blood and brain matter were splattered all over the ground.
Zhou Xing closed his eyes, feeling the iron ring of Han Muxia in his arms.
It was hot, but not scorching.
Only a small part of the obsession has subsided.
Based on the intensity of the sensation, it would take killing at least ten real foreigners.
Nine more are needed.
……
Next, we will set up the venue.
It took Zhou Xing half an hour.
He dragged some of the corpses into the hall and piled them together with Ah Biao and Ruan Wenzhong, creating the illusion that they had fought a fierce battle and died together.
After sorting through the details, they finally stuffed the list containing Nguyen Van Trung's confession, which included his unusual birth dates and times, into his pocket.
After doing all this, he walked up to Li Wenyong. The man was still slumped over, but his gaze had become slightly more focused.
He gave Li Wenyong a series of instructions, and finally said:
"Remember the testimony I just gave. When you get back, cry if you need to, shout if you need to, and if you can't explain it away, just say you don't know."
Li Wenyong nodded.
"besides,"
Zhou Xing took out the documents he had found from Mr. Qin from his pocket, and handed him a few detailed account statements.
"Tell the foreigners that the cult has strongholds in these places. They will be interested."
"stronghold……"
"Just report it; you don't need to worry about anything else."
If you look closely, there are quite a few loopholes on the scene, but since things have come to this point, you can't just say that your own inspectors are colluding with cults.
Often, what they need is not the truth, but a plausible reason.
Everything was arranged, and it was almost dawn, the darkest hour before daybreak.
Zhou Xing told Li Wenyong to leave first to "report the case." He himself quietly left the repair shop from another direction.
The streets were deserted, and a mist rose over the Haihe River, making my face feel wet and sticky.
In the distance, early-rising boatmen were lighting fires, the smoke mingling with the fog, making it impossible to distinguish between smoke and fog.
With Nguyen Van Trung dead, a thorn in the side was removed. Le Van Dung became a mole, planting a compliant pawn within the police station.
But Zhou Xing was not at ease.
The charity is still around. The head of the organization is still around.
The true viper is the one who hides in the shadows, selects prey based on birth dates and times, and manipulates everything.
As long as he is alive, Zhou Xing will never have peace.
Three things were on his mind.
The first is a list of birth dates and times.
There are at least twenty names listed. The original owner wasn't even among them.
Some of these people died, some disappeared, and they were scattered in every corner of Tianjin—merchants, workers, students, prostitutes…
There is no apparent connection, except that the eight characters share the same extremely Yin structure.
Mr. Qin's notes mention several evil arts: "Seven Stars Borrowing Life," "Nine Yin Gathering Evil," "Night Parade of a Hundred Ghosts," etc.
Each type requires a large number of living souls or corpses with specific destinies.
This is a clue that can be explored further.
Second, the ghost market.
In Mr. Qin's documents, the term "ghost market" is mentioned repeatedly.
It was a place for selling stolen goods and hiring murderers, as well as a gray hub for procuring special materials and exchanging intelligence.
He didn't pass this information on to Li Wenyong, after all, the quality of those foreign police officers had already been fully demonstrated today.
Losing power means losing all ability.
He only revealed some of the more visible strongholds, creating some trouble for the organization. By muddying the waters, he could then fish in troubled waters.
He wanted to personally investigate the most crucial locations.
As for the third point...
Zhou Xing touched the finger bone bell he had obtained from Mr. Qin.
[Complete the Medicine Puppet Obsession (Black) to obtain the "Human Puppet Appearance".]
Grandmasters, with their strong will, can leave behind unwavering convictions, and sorcerers who place even greater emphasis on spiritual cultivation can naturally do the same.
Unexpectedly, what remained in the bell was not Mr. Qin's obsession, but the resentment accumulated by those medicine puppets during their refining.
After killing Mr. Qin and freeing the drug puppet, this obsession was finally put to rest.
As for the "human puppet" ability...
He pulled out the dagger and slashed his forearm, leaving only a white mark where the knife passed, and his blood and qi stirred slightly.
When the skin and flesh are taut, it truly feels as if they are wrapped in a thick layer of leather.
Internally cultivate your breath, externally strengthen your muscles, bones, and skin.
This "human puppet appearance" can improve the skin's resilience and is also beneficial to boxing skills.
It's a great skill for saving your life.
Zhou Xing sheathed his knife.
He needs more tokens, more obsession.
Perhaps the ghost market is a good place to go.
The fog grew thicker.
Zhou Xing turned into a small alley, his figure disappearing into the gray-white mist.
After a bloody and thrilling night, he had to return to Yuelai Inn and get some sleep.
……
When we returned to Yuelai Inn, it was just past 3 AM.
The inn door was ajar, and the innkeeper had left it slightly ajar for him.
He slipped inside, gently bolted the door shut behind him, and made his way back to the side room in the dark without turning on a lamp.
The room still smelled of the medicinal bath, mixed with the aroma of mugwort and old ginger.
He took off his uniform, stained with gunpowder and blood, carefully folded it, and stuffed it into the bottom of the wicker trunk. Then he rummaged through the trunk and took out a worn blue cloth shirt to change into.
After doing all that, he lay down on the hard bed.
The warm current in the dantian naturally began to circulate, traveling up the spine, past the jade pillow, down the middle of the body, in a continuous cycle.
This is an instinct developed through standing meditation. Qi and blood circulate naturally, flowing endlessly even without deliberate guidance.
Gradually, her breathing became even.
He fell asleep.
When I opened my eyes again, a grayish-white light shone through the window paper.
The room was dimly lit, and the spiderwebs on the beams swayed slightly in the morning breeze.
Zhou Xing didn't get up immediately; he lay there listening to the sounds outside for a while.
There was a rustling sound of a broom sweeping across the blue bricks in the courtyard; the shopkeeper was sweeping.
In the distance came the creaking of a water carrier's carrying pole and the sound of a tofu seller's clapper, "bang, bang, bang," unhurried and calm, conveying the tranquility of a bustling market.
He sat up and stretched.
With relaxed muscles and bones, abundant qi and blood, and the formation of internal strength, the body feels as if it has been recast.
I was just really hungry.
Zhou Xing pushed open the door and went out.
As dawn broke, the eastern horizon turned a pale white, and the clouds were edged with gold.
The courtyard was damp; a light drizzle had fallen during the night, and water clung to the cracks in the blue bricks, reflecting the sunlight.
The shopkeeper was lighting a fire at the kitchen door when he saw him and asked:
"Mr. Zhou, are you going to practice your martial arts again?"
"No rush."
Zhou Xing asked, "Is there anything to eat?"
"Yes, yes, freshly cooked porridge."
The shopkeeper lifted the pot lid, and steam rose up, carrying the aroma of rice.
"I've made a thick millet porridge with red dates and goji berries. And some leftover steamed buns from yesterday, keeping them warm in the steamer. How about some pickled cucumbers and vegetables?"
"OK."
Zhou Xing sat down on a stone bench in the courtyard.
The shopkeeper brought over a large earthenware bowl. The porridge was golden yellow, with rice oil rising to the surface, and a few bright red dates floated on top, making it look very comforting.
The steamed buns were soft and fluffy, the pickled vegetables were finely chopped, and drizzled with sesame oil.
He scooped a spoonful of porridge and put it in his mouth. It was warm, not hot, and slid down his throat, the warmth spreading from his stomach outwards.
Take another bite of the steamed bun, savoring the aroma of wheat and the crispness of the pickled vegetables.
Just a mouthful of porridge, a bite of steamed bun, and we ate slowly.
The courtyard was quiet, with only the soft crackling of firewood in the stove and the distant sounds of the city.
Vegetable vendors, cart pullers, shopkeepers—Tianjin has awakened.
After a bowl of porridge, my whole body felt warm and cozy.
He put down the bowl and took out several dozen coins, placing them on the stone table.
"Shopkeeper, here's the money for the porridge."
"Oh dear, we don't need that much..."
The shopkeeper hurriedly waved his hand.
"Your skills are worth that much."
Zhou Xing stood up. "Is Master Ye in the yard?"
"Yes, I've been here since early this morning."
The innkeeper, clearing away the dishes, lowered his voice and said, "A young lady in a cheongsam came looking for you earlier, but left when she saw you weren't up. She said she'd come back later."