Chapter 38: Ghost Soldiers

Tao Jiang had lost contact with Qiao Ruyi just like that, in the blink of an eye. One moment Qiao Ruyi had turned to reach for the tent, and Tao Jiang had only turned her head for a second, but when she called out again, there was no answer.

Tao Jiang felt as if her scalp were about to burst, her mind reeling with a dull roar. She scanned her surroundings, but all she could see was black mist and a deathly, suffocating silence.

"Ruyi?" she called out.

There was no response.

Tao Jiang did not descend into hysteria.

Long Xiao had also gathered his wits by now. The moment he saw the golden-eyed wolf demon trembling on the ground, his expression shifted instantly.

That morning, upon learning that his young master was scouring the world for Su Momo, he had rushed over to offer comfort. Yet, his words were so feeble; the young master’s anxious expression remained undimmed, and it pained him just to look on.

Furthermore, there were drawbacks to involving Old Damu. If Old Damu had wanted to see Pros, he would not have hidden away in the mountains to live as a simple fisherman. This suggested that Old Damu had no desire to meet Pros, or perhaps he simply wished to avoid these matters entirely and live out his days in peace.

When Emperor Jinxuan received word that the Marquis of Zhenbei sought an audience, he subconsciously glanced at the weather outside the palace. True enough, the sun was shining brightly, and there were no strange phenomena to be seen.

Following the order, several bailiffs rushed forward aggressively, intent on dragging them away.

It was not until she saw Master Jile that she realized the gravity of the situation; even Jile wore a grave expression. Without a moment’s hesitation, he had led her directly to the back hall, and she had heard nothing since.

Dong Li’s entire body went rigid. Something foreign began to slowly probe into her most sensitive parts, and her body reacted immediately, instinctively trying to push it away. She wanted to clamp her legs shut, but found it impossible; opening them further felt even more humiliating. At a loss for what to do, she became so anxious that tears began to fall.

She had heard that ever since the incident a year ago, the relationship between Shi Hao and You Fen had only grown closer.

From top to bottom, the Qing government was suffering a crushing defeat in the war of propaganda. The Three Bonds and Five Constant Virtues were no match for the Three Principles of the People; the Qing officials sitting in their palanquins could not compare to the revolutionary radicals who held the world in their hearts. Consequently, the situation in the Shanghai Bund began to show signs of spiraling out of control.

Seeing the Ghost King Jiang Fan unleash his erratic and unpredictable "Hundred-Change Ghost Palms," Shen Feng sneered inwardly, then bellowed once more for his "Heavenly Soldiers" to strike.

Carrying the weight of his unease, Li De-yi’s hands trembled. Holding the bag containing ten thousand taels, he found himself at a loss for words.

"There is plenty of food—large fish, and a variety of wild beasts, including predators. You know, we of the Crane Clan are not skilled at hunting," He Zhao said, a hint of shyness creeping into his voice as he spoke.

But then, he thought to himself: if I mend it, wouldn't that lower the status of the official uniform? It wouldn't be fit to be seen in public. He patted his large belly, deciding his own suggestion had been ridiculous.

Their entire bodies were shaking, whether from excitement or terror, they could not tell. Their faces turned from pale to flushed; they didn't know what they were thinking, and perhaps they were unaware of it themselves.

When he had first entered the room, Zhu Hao had placed the axe and the torso frame belonging to Old Wang beneath the coat rack in the corner. Hearing Old Wang’s instruction, he walked over, retrieved the axe, and handed it to Old Yi. Old Yi took the axe and channeled his inner energy into it to sense its properties.

Lin Qingyue watched the changing expressions on his face, growing increasingly entranced. Her smooth, jade-like arms wrapped around his neck, and she rested her head gently on his shoulder, savoring this unprecedented peace.

How was Liu Shuang supposed to answer that? To say he was here to report for duty? That certainly wouldn't do. Although he was a gang leader, he was now a member of Team A, and he had to maintain a certain image, especially within this nation’s most mysterious department.

The children knew about the big-mouthed fish as well and had hoped to see one for themselves, but it seemed they had missed their chance.