Deep in the Living

Chapter 702 Transformation
The slender butler led the six newlyweds away from the central mansion and along a side path to other areas of the Jiang residence.

Unlike the other five newcomers, Roddy was assigned a private room.

Red paint, white bricks, and a gable roof, along with a small courtyard—this kind of treatment is almost the ultimate for a newlywed.

Even if Luo Di himself were to visit the Jiang family as a formal resident of Whirlpool Town, he would probably only be provided with the same kind of housing.

The butler spat out a worn, bronze key and handed it over.

"This is the room that the master has arranged for you. You will stay here from now on."

There are also a few points you need to pay attention to, and please remember them carefully, as there will be very serious consequences if you violate them.

1. No one may set foot in the central residence without the master's permission.

2. Do not be curious about any sounds heard within the Jiang residence, and do not trace their origin.

3. Three meals a day will be delivered to your door on time. You must eat them all within half an hour and not waste any.

4. All changes that happen to you are normal phenomena; accept them sincerely and do not resist them.

5. During your stay at the Jiang residence, you must not contact the outside world or leave without permission.

"Um, will I turn into... a zombie?"

Uncle Bo's sallow face fell. "You came here to dissolve the zombie, didn't you? The Jiang family mansion is a place of great importance to the dead; the living enter and the dead leave. Only by dissolving the zombie can you become a true member of the Jiang family mansion."

You will then witness the magnificence of the "Jiang Family Corpse Refining Technique."

"understood."

Dinner will be delivered in an hour, and you will need to go to sleep afterward.

I will personally check on your physical condition first thing tomorrow morning. You've only just sprouted; the transformation will be rapid. Don't disappoint the master.

"Ok."

The tall, thin butler, known as Uncle Neck, turned and left, closing the courtyard gate behind him.

Roddy turned to look at his own room, where two white paper lanterns hung from the red wooden beam at the entrance, providing extremely dim light.

Creak! The door opened.

Surprisingly, the interior was unusually clean, as if it were cleaned by a professional, or perhaps someone had lived there not long ago and just happened to "move out" when Roddy arrived.

but,

There was no bed in the room, only a black wooden coffin. Unlike the coffins at the previous inn, this coffin was made of significantly better materials and was much heavier.

Moreover, the inside of the coffin was filled with soil, and the bottom of the coffin seemed to be rooted and completely fixed in place.

It's as if this side room was built based on a coffin...

Although the housekeeper didn't say it explicitly, it's highly likely that he'll have to sleep inside.

Light the candlestick,

Roddy sat on an ebony bench.

He opened his left palm, and as the tongue inside protruded out, a damp sensation instantly enveloped the room.

Although they could see the firelight inside through the paper window and sense that Luo Di was inside, they could not hear any sound.

"Senior, what do you think?"

Roddy cast the question that had been nagging at his palm.

The sound transmission appears to be delayed, perhaps due to the influence of the area where the Jiang residence is located.

After a short while, the tongue began to move slowly, and the sound was relatively soft, but it was still audible.

"The Jiang family is well hidden!"

Your journey here has brought back so many memories for me.

I had originally intended to go to the Jiang residence, but I got lost in the woods ahead. Just as I used my taste buds to find the right direction and could see the Jiang residence's archway, I immediately foresaw my death.

Back then, I was no match for that old zombie; if I faced it head-on, I would be sucked dry.

But things are different now. This guy's in big trouble, while my tongue is getting stronger and stronger... Wahahaha!

"what is the problem?"

"Didn't you notice? This guy's physical body is gone, and the integrity of his soul is also damaged. He's currently in a state of 'borrowing a corpse'."

Such frequent recruitment of new people, and the requirement that they be of Chinese descent and strong men, is nothing short of a constant cycle of resurrection.

The corpse you saw that [Master Jiang] had probably only recently been borrowed. When this corpse is about to give out, it will be replaced by the next one.

Roddy, the fact that you were placed here clearly means they have high hopes for you.

Once your plant grows and your body completely transforms into a zombie, it should attach itself to you.

And... this Jiang residence is so deserted!
"I thought it would be a large, densely populated organization, but it turns out they've all become corpses to prolong this old man's life." Roddy was puzzled: "No physical body, and his soul is also damaged... Wasn't this guy not involved in the extraterritorial war? Could it be that the Lame Ones attacked the Jiang residence without our knowledge?"

His tongue twitched, saliva splattering everywhere. "Impossible! A place attacked by the limping man couldn't possibly leave no trace."

My tongue was tasting along the way; it had no porous structure and no taste of tadpoles or frogs.

This guy's injuries didn't come from beyond the realm; he'd been like this for a while. This old bastard was too arrogant and too impatient! He was too eager to reach the depths of this corner, and that's why he ended up like this.

"Go to the deepest corner?"

Yes, that's the only possibility.

Guess why I haven't used my qualification after all this time? One reason is that I want to stay in the middle zone and taste all kinds of flavors, but the core reason I fear most is the danger.

I don't want my tongue to die before I've had my fill of the taste.

This old man isn't qualified yet. If he wants to go deeper, he can only go through the dungeon. But getting through the deepest part of the dungeon isn't easy.

Even Teacher Ma didn't dare to act rashly. I had talked to Teacher Ma before, using my position as a teacher. He and his wife were also trying to conquer the deepest part of the dungeon. They would never act rashly without making full preparations.

This old guy probably relied on his own strength to try to go to the deepest part, but unfortunately he failed.

Not only did they lose their physical bodies, but they also ruined their souls.

If it weren't for his unique corpse-refining technique, he'd probably be dead down there already. That old geezer, why doesn't he just die already? That way, my plant ranking would move up.

But it must be said, that old codger is indeed quite capable. He managed to return alive after his defeat and continue guarding the Jiang residence, making the organization appear to be functioning normally.

"The deepest part of the dungeon... is it really that difficult?"

"Ascending to godhood is no child's play. It is absolutely the most difficult step in the Corner system. Only those with complete and independent divinity are allowed to go deep into the Corner."

"To become a god? To possess independent divinity? Like the lame man?"

"I don't know about that. I guess it's not that perfect... After all, the system in the corner is very special. Whether the arm of that great being can grant complete divinity to everyone who goes to the depths remains to be verified."

I've already started preparing, so stay tuned for my update.

Regardless, if successful, the divine essence will be solidified.

We've gone off on a tangent! You should focus on the present; the smell will appear soon! Let's stop here for now. There are many secrets hidden in the Jiang mansion; the yin energy conceals the scent. You should explore more when you have the chance.”

The tongue in the palm quickly retracted.

By the candlelight, Luo Di looked toward the doorway and saw a thin figure, resembling a woman, flash by.

Roddy guessed what it was.
I pushed the door open and took a look.

His dinner, which was very simple, was laid out on the ground by the door.

A bowl of black rice,

A bowl of crow's blood,

The blood should have been freshly drawn, as it was still warm.

Just as Roddy bent down to bring the food into the house, a drop of wax fell... right onto the back of his hand.

It's not hot; it's roughly at body temperature.

Look up.

A maid was seen lying on the door lintel, her face painted with yellow wax slowly melting, with wax dripping continuously.

His sunken eye sockets were fixed on Roddy below.

She held a burning incense stick in her hand, which corresponded to the mealtime. If the bowl of rice was not taken out before the incense burned out, Roddy would encounter a very terrible event.

Roddy asked somewhat timidly, "Can I take it inside to eat?"

The maid did not respond, but simply watched him silently.

Having no other choice, Roddy ate at the doorway, mixing the rice with the crow's blood and finishing it all in less than ten minutes.

There was no warmth or satisfaction after a full meal; instead, it was more of a feeling of nausea and chill.

Furthermore, it can be observed that the color of the fingernails has slightly darkened, and both the thickness and length have increased.

The maid slowly floated down, her skeletal body covered by a cloth robe, the hem of which was still covered in mud, and bluish-gray lividity was visible on her neck.

She put away the porcelain bowl but didn't leave immediately. Instead, she used her fingers to remove the remaining grains of rice and held it out to Roddy, as if she wanted him to eat it all.

The latter had no choice but to open its mouth and suck off the rice grains.

The moment his tongue touched the maid's fingers, she trembled slightly, quickly withdrew her fingers, and hurriedly left with the porcelain bowl in her hands.

Luo Di retreated to the side room, feeling the yin energy flowing within his body, and smiled.

"Zombies, huh? I really miss them."

(End of this chapter)