Chapter 41

Chapter 42

Yesterday, Secretary Jin was singing this song on stage with standard Cantonese and professional singing. However, the boy didn't seem to like it much.

The Secretary Jin below the stage, although her Cantonese wasn't standard, sang with a feeling that was like river water flowing into a pre-dug channel after the gates were opened – following nature.

The human voice, in this regard, is truly magical. You can recognize it even if the face is covered, or even the skin is changed.

When Secretary Jin put her hands on her own shoulders earlier, the familiar feeling immediately told Li Zhuiyuan who she was exactly now.

Similarly, if there were no accidents, the true orchestrator of that terrifying and bloody scene last night should be the entity beneath the human skin of Ding Dalin.

It is the true dominant force here.

This means that his crisis here has not yet been lifted, because Xiao Huangying, beside it, is only in a secondary position.

That group of water monkeys dug out... should be it.

Li Zhuiyuan suddenly realized that in his original plan, he, Xiao Huangying, and the water monkeys had all become supporting characters. No, they were less than supporting characters; they were purely background elements.

Whether he and Taiye could keep the skin they were in right now depended on its intention.

Therefore, the song now and the actions earlier were all hints given to him by Xiao Huangying.

For a time, the vigilance he had slightly relaxed because of Xiao Huangying's appearance was once again fiercely raised.

Li Zhuiyuan suddenly realized something. Since "it" last night could control Secretary Jin to use lamp language to deceive the six water monkeys at the outer observation post and collectively skin them, how could it not have detected him and Runsheng on the roof?

Was it really because they ran fast that he and Runsheng escaped home unharmed?

Except for Ding Dalin, the water monkeys were all outsiders. And the only person Ding Dalin knew and was connected to in this village, and whose name it borrowed to buy a house, was Li Sanjiang.

It wanted to fill in the fish pond and plant peach trees on this contracted land, and it needed to do so through Li Sanjiang.

Originally, the one who had always been struggling to maintain the situation was still Family Taiye.

Secretary Jin finished singing a song.

Li Zhuiyuan was the first to applaud. Seeing this, Tan Wenbin also followed suit, clapping and praising several times, "Good, good, good!"

Li Sanjiang then reached out and touched the sound system, saying, "Okay, not bad at all. Later, when I have the mule come to pick up the tables, chairs, bowls, and chopsticks, this thing will be pulled back together."

"Hehe, as long as you're satisfied, that's good."

Li Zhuiyuan asked with an innocent face, "Ding Dage, how much is this?"

Li Sanjiang frowned slightly. This was originally something he was taking advantage of. He'd just take it back. Why ask how much it cost? Was this child silly?

But immediately, Li Sanjiang's eyebrows relaxed again: This is really good. This child is honest and kind-natured, truly different from those ungrateful wolves.

Li Zhuiyuan asked deliberately. After experiencing so many things, he had vaguely grasped the rules of "cause and effect and destiny," especially when dealing with another entity under the shadows. Its things might not be so easy to take.

He'd better listen to the other party's request first.

"That's right, Lin Hou, how much did you spend buying this from the opera troupe? Come, I'll give it to you. I can use this thing. I can recover the cost by renting it out for half a year."

"Between you and me, talking about these things just hurts feelings."

Li Sanjiang put his arm around Ding Dalin's arm and shook it with force: "Okay, I misjudged you when you first came back. You, Lin Hou, are indeed an honest person. I'm not as good as you."

When they first met, Li Sanjiang just felt that Ding Dalin was deliberately putting on airs and pretending to be rich.

But the person was giving away a house, land, and even a sound system. It was hard not to change this view, after all, they were giving too much.

"Actually, Sanjiang Hou, I also have something I want to ask you to help with."

Seeing the person take the hint, Li Sanjiang subconsciously used his little finger to pick his ears:

"Okay, say it, say it. You can find me later if you have something."

Li Zhuiyuan opened his mouth and asked, "Ding Dage, if you have something, you can say it directly now."

He must not follow Family Taiye's tone and drag it out until later, because if he couldn't meet its demands, he and his grandfather would probably not survive later.

Li Sanjiang pouted. He couldn't get angry with Xiao Yuan Hou. He could only echo the child's words again: "Right, Lin Hou, say it."

"Sanjiang Hou, it's like this. I originally planned to live here for a long time, but there's some news from that side, and there's a bit of a matter, so I still need to go back and handle it once.

So, this house that's being built, I still need to ask you to help me look after it."

"You still want to leave? How long will you be gone?"

"It's hard to say. If the matter is handled smoothly, I might be back in half a year. If it's not smooth, at my age, I could also leave at any time. Maybe I won't come back at all."

"Then you must come back alive early."

"What, are you reluctant?"

"Not reluctant either. You've handled so many things under my name. If you leave and don't come back, I'd be too embarrassed to take it."

"I want to come back, I really want to spend my old age properly here."

"I also really want to see you off. If I go first, it's okay, Xiao Yuan Hou can handle it for you. Otherwise, you won't feel at ease taking these things."

"Sanjiang Hou, wait until the village contract is finalized. I'll pay the contracted fee first, and then leave a sum of money. You can help me organize people first, flatten this fish pond, and plant the peach trees. This way, things won't be delayed."

Li Sanjiang rubbed his forehead. Planting trees is a tiring job.

This isn't just about money. As the master, he still needs to expend effort and energy.

"Okay, Ding Grandpa, don't worry. Go handle your affairs. When you come back, you can appreciate the peach blossoms."

Li Sanjiang nodded: "Don't worry, Lin Hou, I'll take care of this matter."

It couldn't be considered being forced by his great-grandson. Taking someone's hand makes one indebted. Li Sanjiang also understood that since the person had spoken, he couldn't refuse. He was probably unwilling to return the house and land under his name.

Li Zhuiyuan silently breathed a sigh of relief in his heart. He wasn't afraid of it raising demands, he was just afraid of it having no demands.

Just planting trees wasn't a big deal. Moreover, the land was rented, and the money would also be left.

"That's good then, thank you, Sanjiang Hou."

"Look at you, why thank me? It's all what I should do. So, Zhuangzhuang ah."

"Yes."

"Go back and shout for Runsheng Hou. Ask him to bring the cart, and load all the things back."

Tan Wenbin looked at Li Zhuiyuan and Li Sanjiang with some unease. He didn't want to leave. Although he wasn't as good at fighting as his dad, when facing water monkeys, didn't more people mean more strength?

"Binbin bro, go home and shout for Runsheng bro to come and move things."

Nearly twenty water monkeys ended up that way last night. In the current situation, one more person would just mean one more shrimp to peel.

"Okay, good."

Binbin left.

"Xiao Yuan Hou, I've discovered that even the family's mule listens to you, how come this Zhuangzhuang also listens to you?"

"Ah, really?" Li Zhuiyuan's face showed a blank expression.

"Hey, that's quite good." Li Sanjiang patted the boy's head. "This shows that my family's Xiao Yuan Hou is born with the destiny of a leader."

The script was already written. Taiye's view of his great-grandson had changed from being very biased to naturally biased.

Ding Dalin said: "This shows the child has organizational ability, indeed suitable to be an official."

Li Sanjiang lifted his pants rope: "Lin Hou, is there paper by the porcelain jar?"

"It's in the basket."

"Then I'll go use the porcelain jar."

Li Zhuiyuan wanted to follow, but after taking only two steps, he was stopped by Ding Dalin calling out: "Xiao Yuan ah."

He hesitated for a moment, not daring to pretend not to hear and muddle through. He still stopped his footsteps.

"Ah?" Li Zhuiyuan faced Ding Dalin, "What is it, Ding Grandpa?"

"Your Taiye didn't misjudge you. You are indeed a warm-hearted good child."

Li Zhuiyuan lowered his head, showing a shy smile.

The reason he didn't show the shy eye contact he was best at was because the skin in the center of Ding Dalin's brow had split open.

It was very much like clothes that had burst open, not completely broken, but the color looked fractured.

This scene was about to end, and he had to avoid any performance accidents.

Ding Dalin reached out and touched the center of his brow. Secretary Jin walked over to help handle it, but he instructed: "Get a basin of water, I'll properly wash my face."

"Okay."

Secretary Jin brought a basin of hot water. A towel was hung on the edge of the basin. She just stood there holding it, acting as a human stand.

Ding Dalin walked to the basin, bent over, faced down, and his fingers tapped lightly back and forth on his face non-stop.

This scene was extremely similar to a city woman touching up makeup in front of a mirror with her makeup box.

Li Zhuiyuan wanted to leave the room, but Secretary Jin's position happened to block the door. Therefore, to avoid seeing things he shouldn't see, Li Zhuiyuan turned his face to the sound system and reached out to touch the cover.

"Xiao Yuan ah, did you just learn your local dialect?"

"Um, yes, I still don't speak it very well."

Li Zhuiyuan picked up the microphone and played with it.

"Where did you live before?"

"In the capital."

"Jiankang?"

The hand holding the microphone trembled slightly.

Jiankang?

Li Zhuiyuan knew that Jiankang was the ancient name for Nanjing, the capital during the Six Dynasties.

Eastern Wu, Eastern Jin, Liu Song, Southern Qi, Southern Liang, Southern Chen...

So, which period was it from?

"Oh, you're from the capital ah, hehe, I just didn't react, I misheard."

Ding Dalin let out a laugh, as if to cover up his just-spoken slip of the tongue.

Li Zhuiyuan's heart was very complex. Even if it was a person from the Southern Chen period, it was still almost fifteen hundred years ago.

Did that also mean that the tomb inside the fish pond also had a history of so many years?

He also didn't know if that group of water monkeys was lucky or not, to actually find such a high-quality water burial tomb.

But, it seemed that the unluckier one was himself. He had just picked up the book not long ago, and was still in the stage of reading, learning, and practicing at the same time.

In the popular martial arts novels and films nowadays, the protagonists practice diligently behind closed doors, and the first practice targets they encounter after coming down the mountain are hooligans who tease women.

Here with him, he hadn't even finished learning and come down the mountain. He just gently pushed open the family door to sun himself: Hey, the house opposite is the East Factory.

"Xiao Yuan ah, you promised grandpa, you want to help grandpa properly plant peach trees oh."

"Um, I will."

"Louder, grandpa is deaf."

"Don't worry, grandpa."

"Turn around, face grandpa and say it."

Li Zhuiyuan turned his body.

Facing him was a piece of red face without skin!

After the initial shock and thought, Li Zhuiyuan raised his hand, opened his mouth, and just as he was about to let out a scream, this face suddenly stuck to his front:

"Xiao Yuan ah, you're a step too slow oh."

Li Zhuiyuan's expression froze. His hand stopped halfway up. His mouth was open, but he didn't dare to scream.

"Xiao Yuan ah, weren't you thinking just now whether you should be startled and scream?"

Li Zhuiyuan didn't know how to answer.

"You child, why are you acting like you don't recognize me?"

Similar words were spoken this morning when he accompanied Taiye for a walk and saw Ding Dalin.

It had indeed seen him and Runsheng bro on the roof last night.

"I will help you plant the trees."

"Hehehe..."

Its hand touched the boy's face and patted it lightly.

"You act so well, you almost make me unable to distinguish, who among you and me is the one wearing human skin?"

...

"Drip wu! —"

The sound of current woke Li Zhuiyuan up. He lowered his head and looked at the microphone in his hand.

"Xiao Yuan ah, turn off the microphone, grandpa's ears hurt oh."

Li Zhuiyuan turned off the microphone. The sound of current disappeared. He turned his body and looked at Ding Dalin.

Ding Dalin lifted his head. A hot towel covered his face, completely covering it.

His voice came through the towel:

"Xiao Yuan ah, did you just learn your local dialect?"

The same question.

Li Zhuiyuan was suspicious, was that scene just now his illusion?

"Um, I just learned it."

"Where did you live before?"

"Youzhou."

"Hehehe..."

Ding Dalin let out a laugh, removed the towel from his face, revealing a face that was slightly red from a hot compress, like a normal person.

"He's really a smart child ah."

Ding Dalin walked to Li Zhuiyuan. His hand touched the boy's face again.

"Grandpa, I like you very much."

"I also like the red envelopes and gifts Grandpa gave me very much."

Ding Dalin's hand moved down, grabbed the boy's right hand, and pulled it open.

There was a burn mark and five blood scabs in the center of Li Zhuiyuan's right palm.

Ding Dalin ignored the five blood scabs, used his fingertip to press on the burn mark, and said in pretended surprise:

"Look, your skin, isn't it almost burned through?"

"It was because I was playing greedily and wasn't careful."

"Then you must be careful. If the skin breaks, it might not be easy to mend ah. Even if you find a new one, it's not as good as the original one, don't you think?"

"Um, Grandpa is right."

Ding Dalin smiled, raised his left hand, and slowly clenched it into a fist.

Originally, A Li could see that this burn was self-inflicted by Li Zhuiyuan, let alone it?

But Li Zhuiyuan was completely unsure of its temper now. Logically, he had already persuaded Taiye to agree to help it plant trees, so this matter should have ended there.

But it seemed it still wanted to continue having some interaction with him.

Li Zhuiyuan started to envy Tan Wenbin. Sometimes knowing too much was meaningless. It was better to be a little muddle-headed.

Suddenly, an intense sense of pain came.

Li Zhuiyuan lowered his head and looked at the burn scar in the center of his palm that had originally healed. It had actually cracked open again. The skin and flesh on his palm had opened up.

His heartbeat started to accelerate. The feeling of seeing his skin and flesh crack open with his eyes was too shocking.

It was as if in the next moment, it would spread, his entire skin would be peeled off, and he would walk out covered in blood.

Li Zhuiyuan glanced at Secretary Jin out of the corner of his eye. She was still standing there holding the basin, not moving, and not looking here either.

Ding Dalin stretched out his tongue and licked his lips. His eyes showed a struggle.

Immediately, his neck started jerking suddenly to the right and then suddenly to the left. The expression on his face also changed continuously, from kind to calm to gloomy to greedy.

Finally,

He fiercely raised his head:

"Animal, I've been so bitterly deceived by you."

...

"Bang!"

The microphone fell to the ground.

Li Zhuiyuan swallowed his saliva. He turned his body and saw Ding Dalin washing his face.

He saw him scoop water with both hands and pat it on his face, then rub his face, and finally wipe it with a towel.

The third time.

Only this time, Ding Dalin didn't ask about his accent again. He didn't speak.

The door was pushed open and hit Secretary Jin's back.

The door bounced back, but Secretary Jin didn't move.

"Hey?"

Li Sanjiang's voice came from outside the door.

Li Zhuiyuan knew that those few times just now weren't illusions, because Taiye's speed going to the toilet couldn't be so fast. There was a period of time that was indeed used up.

Secretary Jin moved aside, the door opened, and Li Sanjiang said to Ding Dalin: "My family's mule is here, I'll load things first."

"Okay."

Li Sanjiang turned around and went out again. He didn't call Li Zhuiyuan out. He was probably unwilling for Xiao Yuan Hou to do work.

This left Li Zhuiyuan in the room again.

However,

"Bang!"

The door was opened again. This time it was very forceful. Runsheng stood at the door with a tight face, holding a shovel in his hand.

One could see that he was very scared. His tight face was his protective color.

But he still came. He wanted to save people.

"What are you doing?" Li Sanjiang's voice came. "Move the tables and chairs first, the sound system will be moved last."

Runsheng looked at Li Zhuiyuan. He was waiting for a look. As long as he got the look, he would pick up the shovel without hesitation and slash forward twice.

Anyway, it was better for their flesh to bloom than for his own skin to open.

Ding Dalin stretched out his hand to Li Zhuiyuan: "Come, follow me upstairs to the second floor. There are some snacks I brought back from abroad in my room, you can take them all away."

Actually, there was fundamentally no choice.

Li Zhuiyuan grabbed Ding Dalin's hand. The two of them, one in front and one behind, passed by Runsheng and walked up the stairs.

Downstairs, Runsheng was slapped on the back of the head by Li Sanjiang and scolded: "What are you standing there stunned for? Xiao Yuan Hou went to get his things, you should also do your job, move things!"

Runsheng was very conflicted, but since it was Xiao Yuan's choice, he put down the shovel and started moving tables and chairs.

However, the courage he had mustered earlier couldn't last forever. Last night's scene started replaying in his mind non-stop. As he moved, his body started to shake.

Seeing the situation, Li Sanjiang quickly walked over and asked:

"Are you still not feeling well?"

"Ah?"

"Forget it, you sit there and rest. I'll move."

Coming to the second floor, Ding Dalin still held his hand. Li Zhuiyuan felt the stickiness in his hand. He was very afraid that when he let go, he would pull off a piece of the other side's skin.

In fact, that was exactly what happened.

When he walked into the room, Ding Dalin took the initiative to let go of his hand. His skin just stuck to the boy's hand like that, and as it was pulled, it gradually pulled up, and finally...

"Pa!"

The sound was very loud, so loud that Li Zhuiyuan was shocked and lost his wits. When he recovered, he found that the room was dim and the sky was black.

All the furnishings in the room were still there, but Ding Dalin was not visible.

Li Zhuiyuan closed his eyes and tried to find that upward floating feeling. He found that he felt himself starting to float up.

He immediately opened his eyes and interrupted the waking up.

Yes, he was walking in the yin realm, but it wasn't his own initiative, he was pulled in by Ding Dalin.

Since that was the case, waking up on his own initiative now would be a bit impolite.

Walking out of the room to the balcony, Li Zhuiyuan wanted to find Ding Dalin. Since it had pulled him in, it definitely had its purpose.

In the pitch-black night sky, a round moon hung. The moon was a bit big, and you could even see the pits and bumps on it.

Li Zhuiyuan's gaze fell downwards, onto the ground in front of him, and then he blinked his eyes forcefully.

The fish pond that had been restored in reality had now changed back to the appearance after the water monkeys were busy last night. The water had been pumped dry, and a deep pit had been dug.

He probably knew where to go to find Ding Dalin.

Walking down the stairs, downstairs was still the scene after the banquet ended last night. The tables were all still there, not yet cleaned up.

When walking out of the hall entrance, Li Zhuiyuan first stopped his footsteps, then stepped back two steps, and raised his head.

He saw Xiao Huangying hanging from the ceiling of the hall.

Because her long hair hung down, only when you walked to that specific narrow area could your sight penetrate the cover of her long hair and see her face.

She had her eyes closed, her expression indifferent.

Li Zhuiyuan didn't know if she had been hiding here all night, or if she was just here now.

Xiao Huangying didn't open her eyes or give any reaction.

Li Zhuiyuan no longer lingered, walked out of the hall, down the embankment, jumped into the fish pond, and came to the edge of the pit.

Looking up close, he could deeply feel how deep this pit was. Li Zhuiyuan turned back and looked at the roof of the big beard's house behind him. That was where he had hidden and observed last night.

He bent down and carefully slid down along the slope of the pit. He slid for a long distance before landing at the bottom.

In front of him was the dug-open tip of a tower.

A dark, black opening was just so open.

Li Zhuiyuan grabbed the wall with his hand and slowly walked inside. As he advanced, the lamps lit up one by one. Because this tower was tilted, the lamps inside also looked slanted.

There were no murals on the surrounding walls, which seemed very monotonous. It seemed that the tomb owner did not plan to continue cultivating sentiment in the underground world after death.

Or perhaps, this tomb was built by the tomb owner during his lifetime, because if it were built by others, there would inevitably be some text or pictures recording his life.

Fortunately, this tower had tilted over, which allowed for a place to walk. If it were vertical and he had entered from above, it would probably be no different from jumping into a well.

The further he walked in, the colder the color of the lamp fire became, gradually changing from the bright yellow of the outermost section to green.

Finally, Li Zhuiyuan reached the bottom.

He saw a huge stone coffin. The stone coffin was fixed to the bottom of the tower. Now it looked as if it were stuck to the wall.

There was still some furniture around the stone coffin, all fixed like the coffin, so they didn't scatter. Not only were they inlaid with gold and silver, but there were also jade ornaments and jewelry that flowed with brilliance.

All good things, no wonder the two water monkeys who went down last night were so excited when they came up. He also understood why they came up empty-handed and said they couldn't move them.

However, he had reached the bottom, but still didn't see Ding Dalin.

Li Zhuiyuan's gaze fell on the stone coffin again.

It wouldn't, still be in the coffin, would it?

The stone coffin was tied with chains, and around the coffin, there were still symbols drawn, which conformed to the characteristics of a temple tomb - suppressing evil spirits.

"Hua la la... hua la la... hua la la..."

The chains started to tremble. The things inside seemed to want to come out.

Li Zhuiyuan stood still. Although he wasn't sure if opening the coffin during the walk in the yin realm would cause some chain reaction in reality, he wasn't willing to take that risk.

It wasn't that he was worried about his own safety, but this was Siyuan Village after all. Heaven knows what consequences releasing the things inside this coffin would cause.

He had come here step by step under the threat of death, but even if he was threatened again, he wouldn't open the coffin.

However, he didn't need to be conflicted for long.

Because with a crisp sound, the chains on the stone coffin all fell off.

Immediately, a heavy scraping sound came, and the cover of the stone coffin also slowly slid out.

He didn't need to help at all, it could come out by itself.

Li Zhuiyuan held his breath, fully concentrated, waiting for the person in the coffin to sit up.

But after waiting for a long time, it didn't do so.

The scene fell into a strange silence.

Gradually, a wind rose inside the tower. At first, it was very weak, just enough to make the lamp flames sway. Afterwards, the wind became stronger and stronger, forming a howl in the tower.

The howl then slowly became finer, and finally, it formed a human voice, very hoarse, like an old-fashioned and poorly maintained phonograph.

"Aren't you curious?"

Li Zhuiyuan replied: "I'm very curious."

"Then why aren't you daring to walk closer?"

"I'm afraid."

"You'll be afraid?"

"Yes, fear is an instinct, just like the sense of pain."

"Let's open up the human skin and speak plainly."

"What does that mean?"

"Take off the skin on your body, I don't want to talk to a child."

"No, I am who I am, and I am who I am now."

"Hehehe, some people's skin is on their bodies, and some people's skin is in their hearts."

Li Zhuiyuan knew that the other side was mocking him, but he was indifferent. All his efforts were to keep this piece of skin, both for himself and for A Li.

"Even if you don't want to peel off your skin, don't use a child's tone to talk to me."

"I am just a child. Okay, I'll try."

"Do you know where this is?"

"A kind of... temple tomb."

"Yes, temple tomb. Then do you know who suppressed me here?"

"It's you yourself."

The wind seemed to stop for a moment.

However, soon, it howled again, forming words:

"Did you guess?"

"I don't even know who you specifically are, and I don't know your birth year. Since you ask me this question, the answer should be within the range I can choose from, only you."

"You are truly very much like a person. In his childhood, he was also like you, so smart that he didn't seem like a person."

"Can you say the name?" Li Zhuiyuan probed, "This way, when I plant trees later, I can look him up."

"You won't be able to find his name."

"Oh."

"He is an animal."

"Did he deceive you?"

"It was me who trusted him too much. Although he was almost the same age as me, I always took him as an example. To him, I was just like those two people by your side are to you."

Li Zhuiyuan knew that the two people it was referring to should be Runsheng and Tan Wenbin, because it only had these limited options.

"Being deceived by someone you trust is indeed very infuriating."

"He didn't just deceive me, he deceived all of us, those of us who followed him."

"He's really hateful."

"He's the same as you, very good at disguising himself."

Li Zhuiyuan tried to calm his emotions. The biggest harm to a mental patient is to repeatedly remind them that they have this illness.

The dialogue with the one inside the stone coffin now made the boy feel as if he was back to the scene when he talked to Li Lan that night.

"Disguise is your instinct. You seem to be born with it."

"Do you have any explanation?"

Li Zhuiyuan actively interrupted this topic. If he continued to talk about this, he was worried that the cold emotion he possessed would be stirred up.

"Fill in the fish pond, plant it full of peach trees."

"Don't worry, we will do it."

"Actually, I should have left early."

"Where to go?"

"You guessed it, and you're still asking. Indeed, just like him, hypocrisy is your instinct."

"Can you describe him more specifically, or not tie me to him when you describe him? I was just scared to death and followed your wishes to come here."

"And then?"

"But there are some things I would rather die than give up."

"He also said that one..."

The wind stopped again.

After a long time, the wind rose again.

"Good."

"Thank you."

"No need to thank me. I originally planned to call you here and bury you with me."

"Thank you for your originality."

Seeing the other side not speaking again, but the wind was still there.

Li Zhuiyuan looked at the face of "originality" and took the initiative to speak:

"How did he deceive you?"

"He taught me a method to control dead bodies."

Li Zhuiyuan was shocked inwardly. In the book he had read, there were many methods to deal with dead bodies, but it never mentioned that dead bodies could still be controlled.

"I was very happy, and very excited. I trusted and respected him so much, so I learned it."

"Then did you succeed?"

The wind still continued to blow, and this time, a sound came from inside the stone coffin.

A man sat up from inside the coffin.

Because the coffin was hanging on the base, the man this time was facing Li Zhuiyuan.

He had long hair, a cold face, and an ethereal temperament.

However, his eyes were closed, and the following voice was still transmitted through the wind, not from his own mouth.

"I succeeded, I can also control dead bodies."

"Then where did he deceive you?"

"Where did he deceive me?"

The man turned his head, and the wind blew up his temples. Inside, there was a pair of eyes, a nose, and a mouth, which was a human face.

The man turned his body more, showing his back. The wind blew up his long hair, and the entire back of his head was another woman's face.

It was a chilling picture. Such a clear and handsome man, yet with so many faces growing out of him.

No, Li Zhuiyuan realized that he was walking in the yin realm, so what he saw was not necessarily real. Then these faces that had materialized could refer to the man's inner being.

"Hu hu hu..."

The wind became even stronger. The man's long robe was blown up. Wherever his skin was exposed, on his arms, on his chest, were dense human faces.

Li Zhuiyuan subconsciously stepped back two steps. Seeing this scene, he already felt itchy on his body.

He subconsciously lowered his head to look at his arms, afraid that strange faces would grow out this time too.

"He didn't tell me that while I could control them, they could also control me."

Li Zhuiyuan looked away. After the wind quieted down a bit, he moved his gaze back.

The man returned to his original posture, and his clothes and hair also fell down.

"He said he wanted to get rid of all evil spirits in the world and bring peace to the martial arts world.

I believed him, and followed him, but the result was that the more dead bodies I dealt with, the more I myself became like a dead body.

When I realized this, I couldn't turn back.

So, I built this tower, and suppressed myself.

I planned to use time to grind them down, and at the same time, grind myself down.

The ones you just saw had their eyes closed. Actually, originally they should all have had their eyes open, crying, roaring, bellowing, wailing every day...

Now, they are all gone. I succeeded.

Originally, in a few more years, I should also have been able to grind myself down.

But who knew, a group of monkeys came."

"So, you want to fill in here and plant peach trees, you want to continue suppressing yourself?"

"I need to do it quickly, because I am no longer the original me. The original me, in order not to harm ordinary people, personally suppressed myself. The current me, with inner desires, wants to keep you here and bury you with me.

The true me is already dead, or rather, I can no longer distinguish clearly which piece of face skin is the true me."

"I know, I will arrange it immediately, while you, still remain conscious."

"You are wrong. I don't have consciousness. I am not going out because I have already entered a point of no return. Going out would only lead to rapid disappearance. I want to maintain a bit of dignity for myself.

Actually, when those water monkeys were peeled, I was very happy. There is nothing more fun than playing with monkeys.

If there were a few more of them, allowing me to taste this happiness a bit more, I should have really come out.

If there were two more last night, just two;

I wouldn't be talking to you here in this way now."

Li Zhuiyuan silently thought in his heart, "That was close," because there were two water monkeys currently in the hospital.

Their accomplices originally planned to pick them up from the hospital. According to their behavior, even injured companions would be brought here, even if it was just to hold a flashlight and stand guard.

Fortunately, he reported to the police in time.

It was a close call, but he also managed to save his own life.

"And the reason why I changed my mind about pulling you here and burying you with me is not because I pity you, but because I discovered another, more fun way."

"What way?"

The wind sound became finer at this time, like someone whispering temptingly in your ear:

"How about I tell you the method he taught me?"

Li Zhuiyuan shook his head: "You learned that, and you ended up like this. With an example in front of me, how could I still possibly go and learn?"

Seeing the other side not speaking, Li Zhuiyuan added:

"You said you were about to disappear. I filled in the fish pond and planted it full of peach trees. Whether I learned it or not, you won't know, and it's impossible for you to come up and find me again, right?"

"Hehehe, you will learn it. After learning it, you won't be able to help using it.

When I 'saw' you lying on the roof stealing a look, I confirmed this point."

Li Zhuiyuan was silent.

"The things are in the first drawer of the dressing table. Whether you take them or not is up to you."

After saying that, the man lay back down in the stone coffin.

The method to control dead bodies...

Li Zhuiyuan walked to the dressing table and put his hand on the handle of the first drawer.

The wind sound came again:

"Now, do you still have anything to say?"

Li Zhuiyuan pursed his lips and said, "You're really accurate in reading people."

"Hehehehe... So ah, what's more fun than letting you become like me, neither human nor ghost, by pulling you here to be buried with me?

You could have just planted the trees properly. The only thing to blame is that you are too much like him.

But, I can't take revenge on him. I can only transfer this hatred to you."

"Zhi ya..."

Li Zhuiyuan opened the drawer, and it was empty inside.

Immediately, a huge sense of loss came over him.

"Are you playing with me?"

"Did you forget where this is?

This place has already been restored. Is it possible that you still need to re-dig here to get the things?

I have already put it in advance in a place that you will definitely see."

Li Zhuiyuan pushed the drawer back in, nodded, and said, "Thank you."

"No need to thank me, because in the future, you will hate me, just as I hate him now.

After learning this, those dead bodies that are controlled by you will enter your inner being, twisting and dirtying all your emotions.

One day, finally,

When you look in the mirror,

You will find that the person in the mirror is so strange."

Li Zhuiyuan: "..."

The wind sound completely disappeared.

The iron chains on the stone coffin retracted again, relocking the coffin.

The surrounding lamp fires were also gradually extinguishing.

Li Zhuiyuan still didn't close his eyes. A wave of sensation had already attacked him. He didn't resist and felt this upward floating feeling.

Suddenly, the sky brightened again.

Li Zhuiyuan found himself standing in the room. The afternoon sunlight shone in, bringing some warmth.

He saw Ding Dalin again, but this time, Ding Dalin was very thin.

He was like a shirt, neatly folded and placed on the ground.

Li Zhuiyuan bent down and hugged the "shirt".

No way, he couldn't just leave him here like this, could he?

Furthermore, although he hadn't weighed an adult's skin before, he still felt that it was somewhat overweight.

He reached out and pressed on it, feeling some hard lumps.

He searched for a while, but didn't find any cracks or openings.

Finally, he could only take a deep breath, put his hand into Ding Dalin's mouth, dug downwards all the way, and grabbed a piece of hard, ice-cold thing.

He dug it out and looked at it in front of him. It was yellow and shiny, a large gold ingot.

This should be the money for renting the land and planting the trees.

"You're really strangely good."

On the embankment downstairs, a shout came:

"Xiao Yuan, Xiao Yuan!"

Li Zhuiyuan hugged Ding Dalin and walked to the balcony, looking down.

Runsheng stood on the embankment, waving a piece of human skin in his hand. The human skin spread out, and with his wave, Secretary Jin's posture swayed in the air.

"You scared me to death, Xiao Yuan, fortunately you're okay. I was really worried you would also become like this."

"Where's Taiye?"

"Grandpa pushed the cart back. What's this?"

"It's nothing, Runsheng bro, come up."

"Oh, okay!"

Runsheng quickly ran up, not even stopping to collect Secretary Jin.

He probably pulled her to a corner of the wall or something. Anyway, when Runsheng appeared on the balcony, the Secretary Jin in his hand had already cracked.

"Xiao Yuan, there's another set here, what should we do with these two sets of skin clothes?"

"Collect them first, and burn them in the workshop furnace tonight."

"Okay."

"Runsheng bro, move the ladder."

"What for?"

"To go up to the roof."

"Right, I almost forgot, our things are still up there." Runsheng placed the ladder properly and climbed up first. When Li Zhuiyuan climbed up, he turned back and reached out to pull him up.

The two sacks packed with array flags and tools were all still there. Beside them on the ground lay Runsheng's one-person-high Yellow River shovel.

"Xiao Yuan, I'll move them down."

"Runsheng bro, don't move yet."

"Oh, okay."

Li Zhuiyuan walked to the sack packing the tools, squatted down, opened the mouth of the sack, and saw a black-covered ancient book placed inside.

This was... the method it left for him.

He took out the book. There was no book name on the cover.

It hadn't mentioned the word "book," only method, so this should be similar to handwritten study notes.

Without hesitation, he directly flipped the page.

Then, Li Zhuiyuan was stunned. This good-looking handwriting was so familiar he couldn't be more familiar.

He immediately flipped through several pages continuously, and finally, confirmed a fact.

Holding the book, he stood up and looked at the fish pond below.