Chapter 33: The Blood Lotus of Corpse Fragrance

Twenty minutes later, on the eastern outskirts of Maple Leaf City.

The Bugatti Veyron came to a slow halt, and Jiang Hao and Zhao Ziyun stepped out of the car together.

What lay before them was a stunningly luxurious villa, occupying more than five thousand square meters. The main building rose five stories high, exuding an air of utmost grandeur.

This villa was certainly not of the thirty-million class—Zhao Ziyun’s claim that the original price was seventy million seemed entirely credible.

If it weren’t for the rumors of hauntings, Jiang Hao would never have been able to purchase such a residence for thirty million.

“The exterior is impressive. How about the interior?” Jiang Hao inquired.

“You’ll be more than satisfied,” Zhao Ziyun replied confidently.

He took out a key, opened the villa’s gate, and led Jiang Hao into the main building.

The moment they entered the first-floor hall, a wave of opulence washed over them. Jiang Hao felt as though he had stepped into a palace reserved for European royalty.

“Well? Satisfied?” Zhao Ziyun asked with a hearty laugh.

Jiang Hao nodded. If he could find fault with such a villa, it would be unreasonable.

This was, without a doubt, the most luxurious and expensive villa in all of Maple Leaf City.

Zhao Ziyun continued, “I’m not lying—this is the finest villa ever built by the Zhao Real Estate Group. That’s why my father kept it for himself instead of selling it. If it weren’t for the hauntings, the asking price would be seventy million, not thirty!”

“I don’t believe in ghosts,” Jiang Hao replied calmly.

“Neither do I, but my father is still lying in bed like a vegetable…” Zhao Ziyun gave a heavy sigh, his tone bleak.

Jiang Hao didn’t pursue the topic further and began to inspect the villa.

There were five floors in total. The first floor had only three rooms, but the other levels each had five or six, and every room was spacious—at least fifty square meters.

Any one of these rooms could rival the total area of a two-bedroom apartment.

The villa was not only opulently decorated, but also fully furnished with top-brand, expensive items.

Dozens of genuine leather sofas, a massive ultra-large LCD television over a hundred inches, sparkling crystal chandeliers, a state-of-the-art smart kitchen—every detail bespoke luxury, far beyond the reach of an ordinary household.

With such complete furnishings and appliances, Jiang Hao could move in with nothing but his luggage.

“My father and his mistress lived here, so everything you need is here. You won’t need to buy much else—just some bedding,” Zhao Ziyun said, following close behind.

Jiang Hao nodded absently and resumed his tour.

“There’s a swimming pool in the back, but it’s empty since no one’s been living here,” Zhao Ziyun pointed out.

Jiang Hao glanced out an upstairs window and indeed saw a small pool of over fifty square meters in the backyard.

“There’s also an underground garage. Want to take a look?” Zhao Ziyun asked.

Jiang Hao shot him a glance. “You’re not here to show me around—you want to investigate these hauntings, don’t you?”

“Sorry—occupational hazard. I started as a junior sales rep,” Zhao Ziyun said with self-deprecating humor, then grew serious. “Mr. Jiang, have you noticed anything unusual?”

“I’m still looking.”

As he spoke, Jiang Hao summoned his inner strength; a warm current surged from the Red Jade Ring and coursed through his body.

He focused the warmth into his eyes, and immediately his vision changed dramatically.

Every object in the villa was magnified countless times in his eyes; their textures and even their deeper structures became crystal clear to him.

But such detailed inspection was slow—painstakingly so.

Yet, at present, there was no alternative.

Room by room, Jiang Hao examined the villa, gradually feeling exhausted.

In the past, activating the Red Jade Ring and harnessing its energy took only moments—he’d never had to sustain it for this long.

Now, for the first time, he felt a deep fatigue and a dizzying haze clouding his mind.

Was this the side effect of overusing the Red Jade Ring’s power?

Caution stirred in Jiang Hao’s heart. Clearly, neither the ring nor he himself was invincible. He would have to be careful not to use his powers for too long in the future.

Just then, Zhao Ziyun suddenly said, “My father’s mistress lived in the southeast corner room on the second floor.”

“You could’ve mentioned that earlier!” Jiang Hao glared at him in annoyance.

“Sorry, I forgot,” Zhao Ziyun replied awkwardly.

Jiang Hao quickened his pace to the second floor, making his way to the southeast corner.

He had to admit, Zhao Ziyun’s father’s mistress had an eye for comfort. The room was on the second floor—not too high or too low—and the southeast corner caught the most sunlight.

Even in the afternoon, sunlight streamed in, making the room bright and the atmosphere pleasantly warm, even without lights.

But Jiang Hao’s attention was drawn to an object.

It was a potted plant on the windowsill.

At first glance, there was nothing remarkable about it. But, since the villa had been vacant for so long, the other potted plants were all withered and drooping, clearly neglected.

This one, however, thrived—a vivid green with a fiery red bloom.

The flower atop its lush leaves blazed as bright as a midsummer sun, its color as red as blood.

Jiang Hao sniffed the air lightly. Instantly, a peculiar fragrance from the flower struck him, sending a chill down his spine.

“Corpse-Scented Blood Lotus!” Jiang Hao blurted out.

From the legacy of the Flame Emperor’s Medical Arts, he remembered the Corpse-Scented Blood Lotus—a mysterious and now-extinct flower. Most lotuses were symbols of purity, but not all were unsullied.

This particular lotus fed on flesh and blood, and when mature, its petals turned a vivid, blood-like red and emitted an extraordinary fragrance.

It was a toxic flower.

The Corpse-Scented Blood Lotus absorbed nutrients from flesh and blood, blooming for a year or even several years. As long as it was nourished, it could bloom all year round, impervious to the seasons.

Most importantly, its scent was lethally poisonous.