Nine Chapters of Strange Cases

Chapter 342 Acquaintances in the Water
"Watch out, Ah Huang!"

Zhou Zhao shouted, and Ah Huang suddenly looked down. He saw a pale, large hand suddenly emerge from the lake, grab his ankle, and pull him forcefully into the water.

His hands, which were swollen from being soaked, had veins bulging, but Ah Huang remained completely still.

When the "water ghost" couldn't pull him with one hand, it stretched out its other hand and used both hands to grab Ah Huang's ankles, using all its strength, but Ah Huang still didn't budge.

Although the occasion was inappropriate, Zhou Zhao couldn't help but burst out laughing.

Ah Huang is born with superhuman strength. If it comes down to strength, who can beat him?
"Ah Huang, catch this water ghost!"

Ah Huang tapped his straw hat, bent down and lifted it, pulling a wet person directly out of the water. This person was also dressed in night clothes, completely covered up, but his eyes were a normal color, indicating that he had not taken any drugs.

The instant Ah Huang made his move, Zhou Zhao also felt a chill on his ankle.

She originally intended to fall into the river and kill the people inside, but remembering Su Changying's repeated instructions not to let her go into the water, she unceremoniously stabbed the dagger into her ankle, piercing the water ghost's palm.

As she turned, two more coffin nails shot out, instantly turning the water crimson.

Zhou Zhao looked up and saw Ah Huang suddenly relax his grip, and the water ghost slid into the water and disappeared without a trace.

"Ah Huang?"

Ah Huang turned to look at Zhou Zhao, "I think I recognize him. He feels very familiar to me."

Upon hearing this, Su Changying suddenly plunged into the water. The water was a deep crimson, filled with blood and gruesome corpses. Su Changying searched the area before emerging from the water and shaking her head at Zhou Zhaotong and A Huang, "They're gone."

This person has an exceptionally good temperament. Where have you seen him before, Ah Huang? You had contact with him just now; did you notice anything special about him?

Ah Huang closed his eyes. "The calluses on his hands from years of sword practice made me realize that he had a long sword on his back when I picked him up."

I grabbed his arm. He was young, still a teenager, probably around the same age as me and Ah Zhao.

When our eyes met, I sensed a distinct surprise flash across his eyes. He was astonished, but there was no murderous intent in his gaze; he must have recognized me.

Su Changying stayed in the water, looking at the straw hat on Ah Huang's head.

He really wanted to know how Ah Huang managed to make eye contact with people through that straw hat and on that pitch-black lake surface...

He pursed his lips, but didn't ask a question. He dove into the water, swam behind Zhou Zhao, and pulled a corpse out of the lake.

Upon seeing this, Ah Huang quickly reached out to take the body and placed it on the three people's small boat.

Then he reached out to Su Changying and gently pulled her up as well.

Zhou Zhao looked at him, reached out and yanked off the mask covering the man's face. Upon seeing it, he couldn't help but frown. The man's face was covered with pustules, making him look like a toad, completely disfigured.

"We can't exactly return a corpse to heal a face, can we?"

Hearing Zhou Zhao's words, Ah Huang thought for a moment and shook his head, "It can't be cured, but we can try to restore his face, and the body is still here, right? We can still perform an autopsy."

Zhou Zhao looked thoughtfully at the corpse on the boat.

"These two water ghosts didn't use any drugs, nor did they dispose of the bodies. There are two possibilities: either they weren't part of the group we encountered before, or they were deliberately released to mislead us. This lake is quite large; we didn't notice anyone hiding in the water when Changying was retrieving treasures from the bottom. This shows that these two are excellent swimmers. Chang'an is in the north, and while there are many people who can swim, few are as proficient as them."

If we follow this clue, we may very well find a corpse retriever.

At the princess's residence, after the siege and killing of the Northern Army commander, the officials of the Court of Justice, and even His Highness the Prince of Chu, someone had to be found to take the blame and provide an explanation.

Zhou Zhao shook his head as he spoke, "Let's row ashore first, maybe there will be another wave of fish waiting."

On the way back, Ah Huang rowed the boat, while Su Changying and Zhou Zhao stood guard one in front and one behind. The lake was calm and they didn't encounter a single person.

As soon as the boat docked, Su Changying's eyes sharpened immediately. "They're here!"

Just then, a dense rain of arrows shot towards the three of them. Zhou Zhao glanced around and saw a total of twelve people on and under the tree, all dressed in black and almost blending into the night. They held longbows and kept shooting arrows.

Su Changying took the lead, wielding his longsword with impenetrable skill, almost single-handedly withstanding all the arrows.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Zhou Zhao vanished from the spot in a flash.

She used a dagger, which was more suitable for an assassin. Before the archers could react, three of them had their throats slit in an instant, without even a cry.

Su Changying's swordsmanship remained steady, but her eyes were fixed on Zhou Zhao. She was like a dark elf, appearing and disappearing unpredictably behind the archers, relentlessly reaping lives.

Gradually, the rain of arrows lost its power.

Su Changying and Ahuang exchanged a glance, then immediately rushed towards the remaining people.

"Leave one alive."

As soon as Zhou Zhao finished speaking, he saw a spurt of black blood seep from the corner of the last man in black's mouth, and then his eyes widened as he died.

She sighed softly and ripped off the mask from the face of the corpse closest to her, revealing an unremarkable face beneath it.

Not only this one, but the other eight people were also unfamiliar faces.

"They're all assassins; it'll probably be hard to find out who's behind them."

Seeing this, Su Changying shook her head at Zhou Zhao.

Zhou Zhao was not disappointed. She stood up and looked ahead.

Two familiar figures were hanging under a large tree not far ahead.

Fan Lishen and Uncle Fu were hung on the tree like two silkworm cocoons, their mouths gagged with cloth, unable to speak.

Zhou Zhao's face darkened. He took a few steps toward the big tree, then raised his hand to stop Su Changying and A Huang.

"Put the items on the ground and the three of you leave. Our master has no intention of killing Young Master Fan. But if you don't put them down, the crossbows will immediately pierce their foreheads. No matter how fast your lightness skills are, they can't outrun a crossbow, can they?"
We just want the goods, we don't want to kill anyone. Lord Zhou is a smart man, he should understand this perfectly well.

This thing is not important to you at all, is it?
If Lord Zhou is willing to make this deal, our master will remember it and reward you all in the future.

I will count to three, then two, one. Please put down your belongings and leave the princess's residence.