Starting as pearl divers, they have endless jobs.

Chapter 137 Puppet, Bride, and Goddess of Happiness Makeup
"Damn it..."

Cong Bo looked at the corpses scattered throughout the village, his face turning ashen.

Chen Ye dismounted and walked calmly into the village.

His gaze swept over the lifeless villagers, over the rotting food and wine, and finally settled on the sky above the village.

"Grim visuals!"

Chen Ye silently recited a phrase in his mind.

The next moment, the world before my eyes was instantly stained with a layer of blood.

In this blood-red world, the scene in Wangjia Village became even more terrifying.

All that could be seen was a layer of gray-black curtain, invisible to the naked eye, formed from countless resentments and death energy, like a giant pot lid, enveloping the entire village.

Every corpse in the village emanated strands of resentment, finer than a strand of hair.

These threads did not dissipate into the world as usual, but twisted and struggled, then were bound by an invisible force, swirling and intertwining above the village.

They came together to form an impenetrable web of resentment.

The center of this net seems to be pointing in the direction of the Muramasa family.

Chen Ye took a deep breath and then asked, "What about Li Xiuwen's bride?"

"I just checked at the stone bridge, and the sedan chair was empty. I don't know where it went," a member of the Demon Slayer Division reported.

really.

Chen Ye strode towards the depths of the village. "Come with me, I know where the bride is."

Cong Bo dared not delay and immediately waved for his men to follow. The group carefully crossed the threshing ground filled with corpses and arrived at the gate of the village head's courtyard.

The courtyard was also in a mess, with several corpses lying on the ground, which appeared to be from the village head's family.

The main door of the house was wide open, and an even stronger stench of corpses wafted out from inside.

Without the slightest hesitation, Chen Ye stepped inside.

The room was dimly lit and simply furnished, but all the furnishings were decorated with large red "double happiness" characters.

The corpse of a woman, dressed in a bright red wedding gown and covered with a red veil, was sitting upright in a chair.

She was the bride that Li Xiuwen found in the bridal sedan chair.

Even from a distance, you could see that her exposed feet were bruised and swollen, covered with dark lividity.

Upon seeing this, everyone gasped in shock.

Li Xiuwen wouldn't lie; they must have indeed carried the bride to the stone bridge outside the village. But unexpectedly, after they were scared away, the bride actually came back and sat quietly in the wedding hall. The scene was incredibly bizarre.

Cong Bo's expression turned serious. He waved his hand, signaling his men to keep watch outside.

"Be careful, something's not right with this thing," Cong Bo warned in a deep voice.

He sensed an even stronger, more sinister aura emanating from the female corpse than all the other corpses combined.

Chen Ye nodded, his bloody vision now seeing things more clearly.

Countless threads of resentment were spreading out from the woman's body, connecting with every corpse in the village, and supporting the enormous net of resentment in the sky.

The convergence point of all the threads was at the female corpse's head.

Chen Ye walked up to the female corpse, drew his knife, and used the tip of the knife to lift the veil.

Beneath the veil was a rotting face.

The female corpse had her eyes closed, her skin was sallow, her lips were bluish-purple, and a strange smile was frozen on her face.

However, what is most striking is the extremely complex and exquisite mark drawn with cinnabar on her forehead.

The mark resembled a blooming blood-red lotus flower, or a strange eye, emitting a faint red glow.

All the threads of resentment in the village stemmed from this small mark.

It is the core of the entire evil ritual!

"What... what kind of curse is this?" Cong Bo looked at the mark and felt a chill run down his spine. His expression grew increasingly solemn.

Chen Ye did not answer. He simply reached out his finger to touch the mark and carefully sense the power contained within it.

But just as his fingertips were about to touch the woman's forehead...

A sudden change occurred!

The woman's tightly closed eyes suddenly opened!
Those were eyes without pupils, pitch black, filled with endless resentment and coldness.

At the same time, the entire Wangjia Village seemed to come alive!
Click... Click...

Outside, on the threshing ground, and in the courtyard, the corpses of the villagers, who had been sitting stiffly or lying on the ground, simultaneously emitted a sickening sound of bones dislocating.

They stiffly, inch by inch, twisted their necks, turning their rotting faces toward the direction of the Muramasa Mansion.

Then, two eerie green flames seemed to ignite in their dark eye sockets.

"They...they moved!"

The demon-slaying captain guarding the door let out a scream.

"Roar--!"

The next moment, all the corpses, like wind-up puppets, stood up slowly and in unison from their seats.

They opened their rotting mouths and let out inhuman roars, then with stiff steps, they fearlessly pounced on Chen Ye and Cong Bo's location.

Despite their alarm, the demon-slaying captains outside remained calm and immediately formed a battle formation, brandishing their standard longswords to meet the surging tide of corpses.

Ding-ding-ding-ding!

The knife struck the corpses, producing a sound like the clang of metal on metal.

Although these corpses moved stiffly, their bodies were as hard as steel and possessed immense strength.

Ordinary swords could only leave a faint white mark on them.

In a single exchange, two demon-slaying captains were sent flying by the immense force of the corpses, coughing up blood.

"Damn it, what the hell are these things?"

Upon seeing this, Cong Bo's expression changed. He no longer cared about the female corpse in the room. He shouted loudly, and his body suddenly erupted with the powerful aura of the Sea Condensation Realm!
"Get out of my way!"

He struck out with his palm, and his powerful internal energy transformed into an invisible giant wave that slammed into the corpses that rushed in.

boom! boom! boom!
Under this immense force, those incredibly tough corpses were instantly shattered into pieces, as if struck head-on by a battering ram, with fragments of bone and flesh flying everywhere.

However, even more corpses continued to charge forward fearlessly.

They felt no pain, no fear; their sole purpose was to tear apart the living person before them.

"Damn it, it's never going to end, is it?"

Cong Bo cursed angrily, preparing to strike again and blast these disgusting things into dust.

Just then, Chen Ye, who was beside him, moved.

Chen Ye's goal has always been the same.

That was his bride, who had already stood up, opened her arms, and wanted to embrace him!
"Pretend to be a ghost."

A cold glint flashed in Chen Ye's eyes, and he drew his long sword.

A cold, sharp light flashed in the dimly lit room. Cong Bo felt a chill run down his spine and was startled.

What a quick knife!

puff!

Accompanied by a soft sound.

The bride's movements stopped abruptly, and then a head fell off.

The headless corpse then swayed and fell heavily to the ground.

And at the moment her head was separated from her body.

The zombies outside, which had been attacking frantically and fearlessly, seemed to have all their strength drained away in an instant.

The invisible threads of resentment emanating from them also snapped at the same time!

Thump... thump...

All the corpses were like puppets with broken strings, collapsing to the ground one after another, turning back into a pile of harmless rotten flesh.

The entire village returned to a deathly silence.

Only the two wounded demon-slaying captains were groaning in pain.

"What the hell is this thing?"

Cong Bo looked at the corpses scattered all over the ground, then at the head rolling at Chen Ye's feet, his face filled with utter bewilderment.

"If you call it a zombie, it doesn't have that strong corpse aura, and it's not afraid of sunlight."

"They say they're possessed by ghosts, but I just checked them, and they're completely clean, without a trace of a ghost."

He scratched his head, feeling that all his experience dealing with demons and monsters in the past half of his life had been wasted today.

These things were completely beyond his comprehension.

Chen Ye ignored his confusion and simply used the tip of his knife to gently nudge the head on the ground, turning it face up.

He noticed that as the head was removed from the body, the cinnabar mark on the forehead, which had originally emitted a faint red glow, had become dim and almost invisible.

"They are neither zombies nor demons."

Chen Ye sheathed his longsword and spoke calmly.

"They are puppets."

“Puppet?” Cong Bo repeated the word, his brows instantly furrowing into a knot.

Because the word reminded him of some very bad rumors.

"That's right, it's a puppet."

Chen Ye pointed to the mark on the head.

"This is the control core."

"All the dead people in the village are connected to this core by invisible threads. As long as the core is not destroyed, they will be relentless killing machines."

"And since I severed their core, they naturally can't move."

After hearing Chen Ye's explanation, Cong Bo's expression became extremely serious, even solemn.

He walked quickly to the head, squatted down, and carefully examined the faded mark.

The more he looked, the stronger his unease became.

"As expected, this is the work of the Puppet Sect." Cong Bo's voice trembled slightly.

"What Puppet Sect?" Chen Ye asked.

Although he knew they were puppets, he knew nothing about this so-called Puppet Sect.

Cong Bo stood up, took a deep breath, and said in a deep voice, "An evil sect that was wiped out many years ago."

"The people of this sect are best at crafting all sorts of bizarre puppets. The most vicious of them is to use the souls and resentment of living people to create blood soul puppets."

"Wherever they went, they would often massacre villages and destroy cities, leaving no one alive. The cruelty of their methods was simply appalling."

"Shouldn't they have been wiped out long ago? How could... how could they reappear in Yuhuo County?"

A fine layer of cold sweat appeared on Cong Bo's forehead.

If it really is the work of remnants of the Puppet Sect, then the seriousness of this matter will far exceed his imagination.

This is no longer a simple case of murder committed by evil spirits.

This could be a sign that a long-dormant cult has resurfaced!
As Chen Ye listened to Cong Bo's story, his heart stirred slightly.

It seems I've stumbled upon a big fish by accident this time.

He glanced at the rotting head on the ground, whose features were still vaguely discernible, and sighed silently.

What a wonderful girl, and she became a victim of evil magic.

"rest in peace."

"If I get the chance, I will find the mastermind behind this and avenge you," Chen Ye thought to himself.

Chen Ye then used a knife to peel off the skin between the woman's eyebrows, wrapped it in cloth, and prepared to go back and ask Li Xiuwen to see if he could find more clues.

Cong Bo then led his men to pile all the corpses in the village onto the threshing ground and set it on fire.

A raging fire shot into the sky, quickly burning away all the evil and resentment in the entire village.

……

Return to the Demon Slayer Division in Yuhuo County.

Li Xiuwen was still tied to the pillar, his eyes vacant, muttering incoherently.

His spirit had been completely destroyed by that horrific day.

Chen Ye walked up to him without saying a word, but simply unfolded the blood-stained, marked piece of skin in front of him.

"Look at this, do you recognize it?"

Li Xiuwen, who had been staring blankly, suddenly narrowed his eyes the moment he saw the mark!
He felt as if he had been pricked by a needle, and his whole body began to tremble violently.

A memory buried under fear and chaos surged into his mind like a flood breaking through a dam.

"It was him! He drew it!" Li Xiuwen suddenly shouted excitedly, tears and snot streaming down his face.

"I remember! I remember!"

"Just a few days before the wedding, a traveling puppeteer came to Wangjia Village!"

"He said... he said his puppet shows could bring good luck, and... he could also do a very beautiful makeup, something called the God of Happiness Makeup, which could add to the festive atmosphere!"

"Many girls in the village went to him to paint, including Xiao Cui... Xiao Cui went too."

"Yes, that's it, that's the design! He drew this on Xiao Cui's forehead!"

"He said it's a symbol of good fortune! A symbol of good fortune!"

Li Xiuwen's voice was filled with endless regret and pain.

Chen Ye and Cong Bo exchanged a glance, both seeing a knowing look in each other's eyes.

really!

That so-called puppeteer is the mastermind behind it all!
"What does that celebrity look like? What are their features? Think carefully, don't miss a single detail!" Cong Bo immediately pressed, his voice urgent.

This is our only lead right now, we absolutely cannot let it slip by.

Although Li Xiuwen was emotionally agitated at this moment, his mind was clearer than ever before.

He would never forget that face that brought him utter destruction, not even if he turned to ashes.

Then, suppressing his grief, he began to describe it in fits and starts.

"He...he looks very young, probably not even thirty years old."

"He was very handsome, fair-skinned, and spoke softly and gently, not at all like a rough man who travels the world."

"By the way, he always wears a long blue robe and carries a large wooden box on his back, which should contain his puppets."

"And...his fingers, his fingers were so long and so white, just like...just like a woman's hands."

"When he smiles, there's a very small mole on the corner of his mouth."

Li Xiuwen tried his best to recall every detail, piecing together the image of that demon bit by bit.

Chen Ye listened quietly from the side, while taking out paper and pen. As he listened to Li Xiuwen's description, his wrist flew as he quickly sketched on the paper.

Although his painting skills were not considered superb, thanks to his strong spirit and control, the portraits he painted were somewhat lifelike.

Before long, the image of a handsome man in a blue robe with a mole on the corner of his mouth and a hint of evil in his eyes appeared on the paper.

"It's him! It's him!"

Upon seeing the portrait, Li Xiuwen lost control of his emotions again, pointing at it and screaming.

Chen Ye handed the portrait to Cong Bo.

Cong Bo took the portrait and looked at the gentle and refined man on the paper, his eyes so cold they seemed to freeze over.

"What a hypocritical beast!" he said through gritted teeth.

"Wearing a human skin, yet doing things that are worse than those of animals!"

"Somebody come!"

Cong Bo shouted loudly towards the door.

"grown ups!"

Two demon-slaying captains immediately rushed in.

"Go find the best painter in the city right now and make me a hundred copies of this portrait! No! A thousand copies!"

"Today, I will make sure that every street and alley, every village and town bulletin board in Yuhuo County is covered with this wanted poster."

"Furthermore, immediately dispatch people at full speed to inform all surrounding counties of the sketch and case details, so that they can also cooperate in the investigation!"

"Tell them that this person is extremely dangerous, a remnant of the evil Puppet Sect. If they discover any trace of him, they must not act rashly, but must report it immediately."

"A bounty has been issued, with an amount of... one thousand taels of silver!"

Cong Bo issued a series of orders in one breath, his voice filled with a swift and decisive aura.

Don't underestimate the price of a thousand taels of silver. With gold and silver prices so high these days, this price is enough to drive bounty hunters throughout Yuhuo County and even the surrounding areas crazy.

"Yes!"

The two captains, not daring to delay in the slightest, took the portrait and left quickly.

After finishing these tasks, Cong Bo let out a long breath, turned to look at Chen Ye, and his face showed a mixture of gratitude and relief.

"Brother, thanks to you again this time."

He patted Chen Ye on the shoulder, his tone sincere.

"If it weren't for you, we wouldn't have been able to find the murderer so quickly."

Chen Ye shrugged noncommittally.

"Stop saying all that nonsense, just make sure my payment isn't less than what I promised."

He had no interest in such pleasantries; he only cared about what he deserved.

Cong Bo was taken aback when he heard this, then burst into laughter.

"You're still so direct!"

"Don't worry, I, Cong Bo, always keep my word. What I say, I mean. You'll definitely get your share!"

Through these interactions, Chen Ye knew that Cong Bo was always trustworthy, so he didn't say anything more.

"Alright, we've questioned the people and found the clues. The rest is up to your Demon Slaying Division."

Chen Ye stretched and turned to leave. "I have no interest in playing this city-wide manhunt game with you guys. I need to go back and catch up on some sleep."

(End of this chapter)