The chief accountant, the "High-Tier Guard", the "High-Tier Maid" couldn't come to a conclusion, but they all agreed not to send anyone else to investigate and decided to report it to the government office instead.

But they found that the Government Office was very busy, apparently, a major event had happened.

Out of curiosity, the chief accountant asked and found out that a horrific murder had occurred outside the city.

With awareness of the environment he was in, the chief accountant took two guards and went out.

Ling hurriedly found Song Cheng and told him something had happened outside the city.

Song Cheng thought about it and then went with Ling.

This was their county town, the human settlement isolated from the wild, Song Cheng had to go and see what was happening outside...

At this time, it was in the afternoon.

The sun was shining brightly, and clouds drifted leisurely...

New, tender green shoots swayed in the breeze.

When the chief accountant arrived at the murder scene outside the city, he was startled by the scene, froze on the spot, then suddenly bent down, breathing heavily, but ultimately, he didn't vomit.

They were people who had been skinned, with only dripping flesh remaining...

They were arranged in the shape of flowers, placed among the green grass...

Their instinctive wriggling seemed like flowers swaying in the wind.

Soon, Song Cheng and Ling also arrived at the scene.

From a distance, Ling immediately threw up, the sautéed pork with celtuce she had eaten at noon mixing with stomach acid, falling on the grass.

Song Cheng was okay, feeling only slight churning in his abdomen. He bent down and gently patted Ling's back, then looked at those "live corpses" wriggling like maggots.

The data that appeared on those "live corpses" showed they were actually not yet dead, but had been skinned and were still wriggling on the ground...What was this?

Suddenly, Song Cheng's pupils shrank, and a chill ran from his feet up to his forehead.

He saw affection levels...

There were quite a few affection levels.

And they were quite good.

Especially one, with an affection level of 80.

He felt a chill rise in his heart.

"Hey, what happened?" Suddenly, a curious female voice came from not far away.

Song Cheng turned his head and saw a group of beautified women walking over, who were from the Biliu Courtyard.

A government official quickly went over and spoke to one of the familiar ones, "Take your sisters back, there has been a murder here, this isn't a place for you to come."

"Alright, alright." The woman didn't say much, waved her fan, turned around, and led the others away.

One of them, who Song Cheng recognized, was the prostitute Hua Zhi, who had sat on his lap that day asking him for a red packet.

Song Cheng watched their retreating figures, their swaying waists, their pale smooth skin, their shaking buttocks... and also, the blood-red strength data and the non-existent affection levels above their heads.

Suddenly, he turned his head and looked at the "live corpse" with an affection level of 80.

Suddenly, his pupils shrank.

He knew who this live corpse was.

A dense chill, cold and dark... struck.

...

...

Song Cheng walked distractedly through the streets.

He knew what that thing was.

That thing, he didn't want to provoke.

Thus, he thought about packing his bags and quickly leaving the county town.

What about connections?

Ling.

He intended to take Ling and run together; once they reached the Prefectural City, Ling could manage things as she was the personal maid of the daughter of the chamber of commerce, always knew people, and had a clear background. As for why they suddenly left the county town, he could think of a reason on the road.

This thought intensely urged him, but... he still needed conditions.

Don't rush!

Song Cheng's thoughts were rapid, and he suddenly looked up, speaking hurriedly to Ling, "Go back to the residence and pack up, then come to my room and tell my wife to also pack her things; we may need to run. Don't let others see you."

Ling: ???

Song Cheng spoke firmly, "If you want to live, go quickly."

Ling ran off.

In her eyes, Song Cheng was a mysterious, powerful young man with a unique charm, so she naturally obeyed.

Ling ran, and Song Cheng started running too.

He quickly headed towards the West City Gate, and in about the time it took for two incense sticks to burn, he reached the city gate.

The city gate was open, but county soldiers manned the walls, making it impossible to climb up.

And since it was daytime, he couldn't use "Out of Body Divine Soul" to survey from above.

Song Cheng had to run outside the city to investigate.

You want to run, at least take a look outside first, assess the situation before deciding?

He hadn't intended to look, but once he did, Song Cheng was dumbfounded.

Mountains stretched endlessly, and the bright sun washed over the hills, yet there were traces of an imperceptible gray fog in the blue sky.

Song Cheng stared at the gray fog, continuing to wait patiently.

As time moved forward, by evening... rather than dissipating, the fog had grown even thicker.

Billowing gray fog originated from every nook of the mountain forest, swirling and streaming together to form a vast, sky-covering cloud that embraced the old mountains like a wave, rippling yet when it reached the county, it seemed to be blocked by some force and couldn't invade, so it only circled outside the city.

Song Cheng's face was ashen, and only two words remained in his mind: Siege!

There was no way out.

The county was populous, a place where Yang Qi converged, and was a Filling the Yin.

Yin Qi couldn't come near.

So, were those things ghost servants?

If the taboo were evil spirits, were those things... ghost servants?

The taboo couldn't enter the city, so it sent ghost servants to siege?

Song Cheng turned around and re-entered the city gate.

Inside the city, the air was still thick with the smell of livelihood—calls of buying and selling were everywhere, mixed with the scents of alcohol and smoke...

Song Cheng had no money in his pockets, unable to afford wine.

He swallowed his saliva and walked back dejectedly.

As he walked down a small alley, a person suddenly appeared ahead.

A woman.

A beautiful woman.

Song Cheng recognized this woman.

She was none other than the courtesan from Biliu Courtyard—Hua Zhi.

Or rather, just a ghost servant wearing the skin of Hua Zhi.

He saw how she suddenly had favorable feelings appear below her.

[Strength: 10~10]

[Favorability: 80]

The colors even slightly blood-tinged.

Song Cheng remembered that Hua Zhi's strength had always been "1~1." Had she become a ghost servant and they just added a zero?

"Yo, Big Master Song, what a coincidence," Hua Zhi said coquettishly as she played with her hair, "I couldn't give you your red packet last time, why not let sister give it to you today?"

After saying this, she raised her hand to cover her mouth and chuckled, "Hehehe," her eyes enticing Song Cheng from across the alley.

Song Cheng watched her cautiously.

Hua Zhi, smiling, pulled open her robes to reveal her creamy chest, saying with a laugh, "So... how about sister does it here with you? I'll lean against the wall, and you come from behind, alright?"

Song Cheng turned and walked away.

Hua Zhi paused, shouting, "Don't go, Big Master Song," as she ran up from behind, her eyes gleaming with a strange greed.

Song Cheng stopped in his tracks, his fingers curling around the hilt of the Fine Blade at his waist, the Changfeng coiling around him, full of spirit.

"Why are you forcing me?" he asked furiously, but without waiting for an answer, he instantly... drew his blade, the blade striking like a venomous snake hunting at night, eerily agile.

With a swing of his blade, the venomous snake bared its fangs, the hissing growing into a fierce chant.

It was no longer a snake but a jiao!

Blade technique—Transforming into Jiao!

He sheathed his blade, the blade carving a brilliant crescent in the air, striking Hua Zhi's skin, as though cutting through tough steel.

Bang!

Hua Zhi looked shocked as her body was effortlessly cleaved in two, her upper and lower halves separating to reveal an empty middle.

From that hollow torso, a shriek of Yin Qi burst forth, but no sooner had it emerged a small distance than it melted like snow on fire, disintegrating into ash before reaching Song Cheng.

The split skin softly hit the ground, hairpins and clothes scattering with it.

That pretty face folded into several layers, revealing a scene of horror not even seen in nightmares.

Song Cheng sheathed his blade and turned to leave.

If he couldn't escape, then he might as well guard his home.

The county was, after all, a "Filling the Yin"; the taboo couldn't enter, so they resorted to these skin-wearing ghost servants.

...

...

Song Cheng, worried, returned to the Ruyi Commerce Chamber, and just as he approached the entrance, he saw a merchant convoy approaching from the north.

It was his own chamber's convoy.

As the convoy reached the front of the residence, the carriage curtains were lifted, and a cold but dignified woman stepped down, looking towards Song Cheng from afar.

Song Cheng also watched her.

[Strength: 8~8]

[Favorability: 80]

No bloodiness.

"Has the young mistress come back early?"

An Chenyu looked at Song Cheng, then glanced in the direction he came from, and said indifferently, "Come with me."

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