Leave oneself alone, rolling around in this mundane world?

Yang Xiaoyun's thoughts gradually drifted, carried into an unexpected corner by Zeng Chou's words, a place even Su Mo hadn't anticipated.

But at this moment, Su Mo switched topics, beginning to ask Zeng Chou about the condition of the sea.

Especially regarding information about pirates.

Zeng Chou truly held nothing back, speaking incessantly, his words flowing like a torrent.

Su Mo nodded lightly as he listened.

Only then did he come to know that among the pirates, besides the Yuhai Lord's Yuhai Four Divisions, there were many loose alliances.

Not everyone fought alone.

Only those who were unsociable would do so.

And in this stretch of sea, besides several pirates on par with Zeng Chou, the largest group called themselves the Youyun Alliance.

Zeng Chou had encountered the Youyun Alliance several times, deciding to keep his distance from them as he felt they didn't see eye to eye.

"The Youyun Alliance does things in a clouded, mysterious way, making it hard to understand their motives.

"However, I've heard that recently, they seem to be plotting something big.

"Though there are rumors, few people can explain the specifics.

"But I always feel they have nothing good planned."

After a slight pause, Su Mo asked:

"Lord Zeng is a knowledgeable man at sea; may I ask if you've encountered anything strange recently in these waters?"

"Something strange?"

Zeng Chou hesitated, nearly saying that having an expert like you suddenly come from Donghuang was quite strange.

This was seldom seen in the past...

But in the end, he didn't dare to say it.

He could only shake his head: "I haven't heard of anything strange."

"... If there is something strange."

Wang Chengying, listening all this while, couldn't help but speak up:

"We did encounter one incident."

"Oh?"

Su Mo looked at Wang Chengying, smiling slightly: "I am always interested in Jianghu's strange tales and rumors; I hope Brother Wang doesn't mind."

"Not at all."

Wang Chengying shook his head: "I am also always interested in such strange and extraordinary stories.

"But this matter happened to us personally.

"Thinking about it now, it still sends shivers down my spine."

Hearing this, even Zeng Chou couldn't help but cast a glance over.

Wang Chengying pondered for a moment:

"Our current shipment involves visiting numerous places.

"Our group set off from Pingyang Island, passing several islands and taking a large loop, which took roughly half a year from start to finish.

"Finally, we loaded a ship with goods collected from different islands, heading back to Pingyang Island.

"Waiting for the Bohai Association to arrange the sale.

"During this, some islands were large, while others were small.

"The Nanhai, another name for it is the Nanhai Islands.

"The islands scatter all over Nanhai, which isn't surprising.

"But, starting a few months ago, occasionally after stopping by a small island, we noticed something amiss.

"That island wasn't big, but it was usually bustling.

"The islanders lived by raising silkworms, and we had a document with them under Bohai Association.

"Every year, during a specific time, we'd go to the island to purchase the silk they had amassed.

"Hence, every year when we arrived, someone would always be at the dock waiting for us.

"But this time... there was no one at the dock.

"We're not people who fancy grandeur and pomp, so we didn't pay it much mind.

"However, as we walked along the road, the unease grew.

"Alongside the path, there wasn't a single person.

"And when we reached their small town, every household's door was tightly shut.

"Our first reaction was that the island had been raided by pirates.

"But we quickly dismissed that thought.

"When pirates come ashore, chaos ensues, and when they leave, they usually burn the houses to the ground.

"But on this island, every house's door and window were intact. Even on the main street, besides fallen leaves, there wasn't a speck of dirt or disorder.

"There was, however, a stench emanating from behind the closed doors."

As he spoke to this point, his brows furrowed tightly as if recalling that scene once again.

The whole street was empty, every door and window shut tight.

A town that should have been bustling was now akin to a ghostly abyss on earth.

"Finally, we pushed open a door.

"That's when we discovered the entire family's corpses were strewn across the ground.

"Blood had seeped into the ground, spreading into a large indistinguishable patch.

"The corpses were decomposed, and the stench came from this.

"But it was still discernible... they were all killed with a single sword thrust to the heart, and none survived.

"From then on, we began searching house by house.

"We eventually found all the silkworm farmers on the island were killed.

"Their bodies piled up in the rooms, and some heaps were large while others had only two or three bodies. None were left outside the doors.

"Every house had its door carefully closed as if the killer had cleaned the town after committing the acts."

Having said this much, Wang Chengying exhaled deeply, letting out a bitter laugh and said:

"Su, the Chief of the Escort, to be honest...

"Before this, I dared to call myself a rather courageous person.

"But on that day, we were all truly terrified beyond color.

"We are not afraid of the dead, nor of killing. Even if we fall victim, we might not blink.

"However... the killer's bizarre methods and strange way of doing things make you tremble upon reflection."

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