I'm modifying myself into the ultimate demon.

Chapter 136 Fall, Greetings, Red Lantern Lady!
When Chen Mo first saw Chen Ashui outside the door, he had a feeling that something was wrong.

But Chen Mo couldn't quite put his finger on what was wrong.

He possesses ghost bones within him, and is a Yellow Pages Ghost approaching the level of seven incense sticks of cultivation. If Chen Ashui were a ghost, Chen Mo could sense it.

So, Chen Mo opened the panel and analyzed Chen Ashui.

【Name: Zombie】

[Type: Shadow Zombie]

[Level: Low-level purple zombie with transparent life energy, belonging to zombies that are not controlled involuntarily, also known as corpse puppet or zombie puppet]

[Note: This creature was created by a white zombie taking a bite and infusing it with corpse energy.]

[Classification: Corpse puppets live by attaching themselves to zombies, similar to pet imps kept by humans. Both their souls and bodies are controlled by their masters.]

[Hint: This white-colored corpse puppet, though low-level, has been infused with its master's corpse energy, possessing some of its master's corpse poison and power. Its combat strength is astonishing and should not be underestimated.]

[Description: The corpse puppet will completely obey its master's will and can speak to deceive. However, this corpse puppet has a strong will and resists its master's will. It may be deliberately remaining silent to attract attention.]

That was enough for Chen Mo.

"Corpse puppet" is a very technical term, so Chen Mo immediately used "zombie" to remind Tang Peng.

But, it's still too late.

boom!
Tang Peng heard Chen Mo's shout and instinctively stopped, only to see Chen Ashui suddenly reach out and grab him. Her fingernails were long, hard as iron, and she possessed immense strength.

In his haste, Tang Peng didn't have time to draw his sword, nor even to circulate the true fire within his body. He could only hastily raise his hand to block. But it was as if he had been struck by a mountain; he was sent flying backward for more than ten meters. He crashed heavily through the courtyard wall and continued to slide for dozens of meters after landing before coming to a stop.

Wherever it passed, a striking scorch mark was left on the ground, with rocks flying everywhere and dust covering the ground.

puff!

Tang Peng coughed up a mouthful of blood. Just as he was about to stand up, he discovered that several of his ribs were broken, and there was a conspicuous bloodstain on his chest from his fingernails, with blood gushing out.

"Hoho~"

Tang Peng lay back down, suddenly opened his mouth, and blood flowed down his face.

"Brother Peng!"

Chen Mo rushed over immediately and helped Tang Peng up. "How are you feeling?"

puff!

Tang Peng coughed up a mouthful of blood, his face turning deathly pale, his vision blurring, and blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. He managed to utter a hoarse voice, "Brother Mo, I... I can't catch my breath, am I going to die...?"

"What nonsense are you talking about? You're so healthy! You won't die," Chen comforted him, then saw the flesh around the fingernail wound on Tang Peng's chest rapidly decaying.

Zombie poison?
The effect is that terrible?
Chen Mo hurriedly said, "Brother Peng, the wound on your chest is rapidly decaying. Quickly try to use your true fire to suppress this corpse poison."

"I'll fucking kill you!!"

Tang Peng glanced at his chest and clearly saw that the flesh near the fingernail scratches was rapidly rotting and turning black, while also drying out.

boom!
Tang Peng immediately suppressed the pain and tried to suppress it with his true fire, but found it was useless.

The wounds around the scar are still rapidly decaying and drying, and there is a tendency for them to spread.

"Brother Mo, I can't hold it in! Quick, help me cut off these three pieces of flesh. If the corpse poison has seeped into the ribs, dig them out too! Help me!!"

Chen Mo saw the fear, and the determination, in Tang Peng's eyes!

Is a character.

"Brother Peng, please forgive me. Please bear with it."

puff!

Chen Mo immediately used his knife to cut off three large, rotten pieces of flesh from his chest.

"what!!"

Tang Peng screamed in pain, gripping Chen Mo's arm tightly, his forehead covered in sweat. Before Tang Peng could recover, things got even worse.

The decay had seeped into the ribs...

Although Chen Mo felt a little reluctant, he still reminded him, "Brother Peng, two of your ribs are also rotting."

Tang Peng yelled frantically, "Help me dig it up!!!"

"Bear with it."

"Crack!"

Tang Peng bit Chen Mo's shoulder and mumbled, "Come on, draw your knife and dig!"

Click!

Chen Mo was ruthless; he directly dug out the two ribs. When the ribs fell to the ground, they emitted thick smoke and immediately began to decompose and turn black.

Hu Hu Hu.

Tang Peng released his grip on Chen Mo's neck, panting heavily, his breath becoming extremely weak. "Brother Mo, I'm afraid I'm going to die. I... I want to see my father one more time. I have something to say to him, I fucking want to lie in his arms."

Chen Mo was genuinely moved. He pulled Tang Peng into his arms, then glanced at Chen Ashui in the courtyard. Chen Ashui didn't continue attacking but returned to his chair to continue weaving bamboo baskets.

However, his body was trembling, and he looked to be in great pain.

It seems the cheat code was correctly deconstructed; it is resisting its master's will.

Chen Ashui's deliberate silence was a way of resisting his master's will and attracting the attention of the Green Wolf Gang.

From Chen Ashui's perspective, he had done more than enough. He had done everything he could. But... it was still too slow.

"Zhang Kuang, retreat first."

Chen Mo quickly retreated while carrying Tang Peng. Just then, he saw Tang Lei and Tang Mei hurriedly leading their men over. When they saw Tang Peng in Chen Mo's arms, both of them showed expressions of shock.

"Young Master!!" Tang Lei quickly rushed over and saw the flesh and ribs ripped from Tang Peng's abdomen, gasping in shock. He wanted to reach out and hug Tang Peng, but didn't know how.

Chen Mo said, "Brother Peng misses Master. But Brother Peng's injuries are too severe, and he can't withstand the bumpy ride. Please, Third Elder, go to the Green Wolf Gang as quickly as possible to inform Master to come here. Be quick, Third Elder, I beg you!"

For the first time, Tang Lei did not refute Chen Mo's words. He nodded, immediately transformed into a wisp of green smoke, mounted his horse, and rode away in a cloud of dust.

"Elder Tang Mei, the one who made the move was Chen Ashui from the courtyard. He's a zombie. Have someone keep an eye on him. Also, send people to surround Chen Ashui's house. I'm taking Brother Peng to get treatment."

After giving him a few instructions, Chen Mo carried Tang Peng to the fire, quickly placed him on the grass, and held him down. At the same time, he circulated the True Fire of the Aristocratic Family, transferring it to Tang Peng.

Tang Mei, having arranged for her men to surround Chen Ashui's house, also rushed over to check on Tang Peng's injuries. "It's the corpse poison of a zombie, and this corpse poison is exceptionally potent. Although the flesh has been removed and the bones cut, the corpse poison hasn't been completely eliminated. The corpse poison is still spreading to the internal organs."

Chen Mo asked, "Is there any way to help Brother Peng suppress the corpse poison in his body?"

Tang Mei said, "The power of aristocratic bloodlines at the Blood Mist level might be useful, but the young master's body is too weak. He simply cannot withstand my excessive Blood Mist power. Young Master Mo, why don't you and I work together to give the young master the power of excessive True Fire?"

"it is good."

Chen Mo readily agreed.

In this way, the two men held Tang Peng's hands on either side, transferring the true fire power to him.

But it didn't work.

It is completely impossible to slow down the spread and decay of the corpse poison.

Within just a few breaths, the corpse poison had spread throughout Tang Peng's internal organs.

"Hoho~"

Blood kept spitting from Tang Peng's mouth. As if sensing something, he laughed bitterly, "Aunt Mei, Brother Mo, don't waste your energy. I can feel that my internal organs are already rotting. True fire can't suppress the zombie's corpse poison at all."

Tang Mei, who had watched Tang Peng grow up, refused to give up. "Young Master, don't give up! You absolutely mustn't give up! It will definitely work. Tang Lei has already gone to call the Master. We must hold on until the Master arrives. The Master is all-powerful; he will find a way."

ho ho~
More and more blood flowed from Tang Peng's mouth. He felt his life slipping away irreversibly and knew his fate was sealed. After a long sigh, he gritted his teeth and said, "Aunt Mei, I'm afraid I won't be able to learn martial arts from you anymore. I remember when I was six years old, because I was playing, I secretly took the magic artifact that guarded our Tang Family Fortress to go fishing. My father severely punished me. At that time, I didn't know what a magic artifact was and thought my father was heartless. So I ran away to the mountains by myself, intending to run away from home. It was Aunt Mei who found me and talked to me a lot. In the end, she persuaded me to come back. I remember it all, Aunt Mei. Thank you for always teaching me so patiently, for tolerating me, and for encouraging me. That's how I grew from a naughty child into a sensible one."

With tears welling up in her eyes, Tang Mei tightly grasped Tang Peng's left hand, her mind filled with the image of that chubby-cheeked six-year-old boy who had packed his bags and was about to run away from home.

Those sweet, childlike calls of "Aunt Mei" still ring in my ears.

She tried hard to control her emotions, forcing a gentle smile. "Which boy doesn't act recklessly when he's young? The young leader was just a bit too bold. He actually took the clan's magic-sealing artifact to fish, and even got it covered in fishy smells. It made the young leader and the fortress master furious. They even hung you from the roof beam and whipped you. Our Tang Family Fortress has been around for almost a hundred years, and we've never had anyone as bold as the young leader. Since then, who in the family doesn't know the young leader's name?"

"Hahaha... Hehe." Tang Peng laughed heartily upon hearing the past events. But his laughter aggravated his internal organs, causing him to cough up blood violently. After catching his breath, he said, "Yes, Aunt Mei remembers everything. It's a pity, everything that happened before is now in the past. Later, I realized the importance of that magical artifact and understood my foolishness. From then on, I resolved to cultivate diligently and become a leader of a gang, inheriting the Tang Family Fortress's legacy with dignity. Then I could finally hold the magical artifact in my hands. Alas, my fortune is too poor; I won't live to see that day."

Tang Mei said with tears in her eyes, "Young Master, don't be discouraged. The Master will be here soon. He has experience dealing with zombies before and has studied them for many years. He will definitely have a way to cure you."

Tang Peng didn't speak, but turned his head to look in the direction of the Green Wolf Gang.

It was quiet there, with dark clouds shrouding the moon in the sky, creating a suffocatingly gloomy atmosphere.

Tang Mei said, "Aunt Mei has seen all of the young leader's hard work, diligence, and magnanimity over the years. You've worked so hard and desperately wanted to inherit Tang Family Fort. Heaven will surely not let you down."

Tang Peng didn't speak, he just stared in the direction of the Green Wolf Gang.

It started with high expectations.

But gradually, Tang Peng felt the decay spreading across his body, and he despaired. He turned around with difficulty, gripping Chen Mo's hand tightly. "Brother Mo, I truly admire you. Before meeting you, I never thought there were many young people in Nanyang Prefecture who could catch my eye. I was even a little smug, thinking myself quite remarkable. It wasn't until I met you that I realized there are always people more capable than me. I was genuinely happy that my father accepted you as his disciple. I just consider you an older brother in my family. Can I ask you for a favor?"

Chen Mo said, "Go ahead."

Tang Peng said, "My father was not blessed, and I am his only son. I regard you as my elder brother. Now that I am about to leave, there will be no one to care for my father in his old age and see him off in his final days. You are my father's only disciple, so could you please ask Brother Mo to see my father off in my stead?"

Chen Mo didn't speak.

Tang Peng's body grew even weaker, and his voice became even softer, "Father seems strong on the surface, but he's actually a bit brain-dead. He created that rubbish calligraphy, and he's so enthusiastic about it. The reason I didn't refute him is because I know why he's like that. Because Mother loved calligraphy, and when she was alive, she often wrote calligraphy samples for Father to see, but Father was always busy practicing martial arts and didn't pay much attention. In the end, Mother died not long after giving birth to me. Father felt guilty, so he started to dabble in calligraphy. I know, Father is also a pitiful person. Brother Mo..."

Chen Mo felt that Tang Peng's body had lost its temperature, and the corpse poison had already corroded his entire body... He didn't have much time left to live.

He then smiled and said, "Brother Peng, don't worry. The relationship between master and disciple is like that of father and son. My master has treated me well, so it is only right that I take care of him in his old age."

Hehe~

"Thank you, Brother Mo!"

Tang Peng thanked him with tears in his eyes, then turned his head to look in the direction of the Green Wolf Gang again.

The mountains and fields were quiet, a gentle night breeze blew, and it was pitch black.

His dim, lifeless eyes seemed to be anticipating the arrival of someone.

He gritted his teeth and persevered.

I always want to hold on a little longer.

But I'm so tired.

Really tired.

He felt like he couldn't open his eyes anymore; his eyelids felt as heavy as iron. With his last bit of strength, he lifted his head and looked at the dark, cloud-covered sky.

"Father, I really can't hold on any longer. Please take care of yourself!!!"

With a roar, Tang Peng's body stiffened completely and went cold. He slowly lowered his head and closed his eyes.

"Young Master!!"

Tang Mei suddenly collapsed to the ground, burying her head next to Tang Peng's head, and let out a shrill scream, "Young Master, don't go! The Master is on his way. Aunt Mei really can't bear to part with you, my good child."

……

The Green Wolf Gang.

Other courtyard.

The night is deep.

Tang Binghu, dressed in a brown robe and wearing a purple crown, sat at a long table and wrote a newly created scroll of calligraphy. He looked at it from left to right and was quite satisfied with it. Finally, he took the scroll to the back hall.

This back room wasn't the same place where Chen Mo had been taken to become an apprentice; it was a different room. This room was also furnished very solemnly. There was an incense table in front, with an incense burner on it, and behind the burner was a memorial tablet. Next to the tablet was a portrait.

The portrait depicts a beautiful woman in a white dress, holding an umbrella, exuding gentle charm.

The memorial tablet next to it reads: Memorial tablet of Wei Lijuan, wife of Tang Binghu.

A thick layer of calligraphy paper scrolls had already been stacked on the incense table. Tang Binghu then stacked the newly created scrolls on top of it, and then looked at the portrait with a bright smile.

“Juan’er, you loved calligraphy in your younger days, and you would always show me your calligraphy samples. But I was busy practicing martial arts and neglected you. I always thought we were still young and should do great things. I always thought we had a long life ahead of us. But I never expected that you would leave us after Xiao Peng was born.”

"Over the years, whenever I think back to how I neglected you, I am filled with remorse and my heart aches like it's being torn apart. We can't always look forward; the present is what matters. Juan'er, it's my fault for making you suffer. If I hadn't neglected you so much, you would have left much happier. You wouldn't be so melancholy..."

Tang Binghu rambled on about these things, becoming increasingly detailed as he went on, recounting everything from the past to the present. "Fortunately, Xiaopeng is sensible and has now become the young leader of the gang. Although he's not as good as my newest disciple, he has a broad vision and a generous spirit. He'll definitely be able to inherit our family business in the future... It's just that I seem to have been a bit too strict with him. I always give my smiles to Chen Mo. But in my heart, I treat Xiaopeng like my own son, so I'm stricter with him. It's all for his own good. If Juan'er were still here, I could play the strict role and you could play the gentle role, so that Xiaopeng could receive more maternal love, striking a balance between leniency and strictness... But Xiaopeng is truly sensible. He understands my good intentions when I'm strict. Juan'er, don't worry."

Just then——

bump!
The courtyard gate was smashed open with a loud bang.

But Tang Lei rushed in, shouting from outside, "Chief, something terrible has happened!"

Tang Binghu, who was in the room, composed himself, wiped away the tears from the corners of his eyes, and smiled at the portrait, saying, "Today I created a piece of cursive script. Please have Juan'er take a look. I'll come to see Juan'er again later."

After saying that, Tang Binghu stepped out of the room, glanced at the panicked Tang Lei outside the door, and said coldly, "What's all the fuss about?"

Tang Lei, panting, said, "The young master is in trouble. He was injured by a zombie..."

"What?! Zombies!!"

Tang Binghu roared and hurried outside, "Where is he? Did you bring him back?"

Tang Lei said, "The young leader was scratched in the chest by a zombie. That zombie carries an extremely terrifying corpse poison that even True Fire can't suppress. The young leader had the Fifth Elder cut out three pieces of flesh and two ribs... but it still didn't stop. The young leader's injury is too serious, and I was afraid that the bumpy journey would aggravate the injury, so I asked the young leader to stay in Daze Township and I rushed back to report."

boom! !

Tang Binghu rushed out of the courtyard, leaped onto his horse, and shouted, "Give the order to send someone to inform Father. Tell him to take the Demon-Subduing Pestle to Dazexiang, and be quick!!!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Tang Binghu spurred his horse and charged off.

Tang Lei immediately ordered a servant to go to Tang Family Fort in the prefectural city, then asked for a horse and quickly followed Tang Binghu.

Perhaps sensing the overwhelming anger emanating from Tang Binghu, Tang Lei spoke cautiously, "Chief, please don't be anxious. The young chief is young and has a strong ability to recover. Moreover, he has cultivated to the True Fire level. With Tang Mei and the Fifth Elder guarding him, nothing should happen."

drive!!!
Tang Binghu, dressed in a brown robe, spurred his horse wildly forward, turning into a brown afterimage as he galloped ahead, muttering, "Why are there zombies out here all of a sudden?"

Tang Lei recounted the entire incident in detail, concluding, "At first, we didn't think much of it, assuming it was just an ordinary ghost. We hadn't found any trace of it. It was the Fifth Elder who discovered a problem with the interrogation records and became suspicious of Chen Ashui. It was also a moment of madness on my part to suggest that the Fifth Elder go and question him. After all, I wanted to give him some experience. The Young Master and Zhang Kuang also said they would go to Chen Ashui's house to question him. But as soon as we approached the courtyard, when the Young Master went to question Chen Ashui, he was attacked by him. Although the Fifth Elder immediately warned the Young Master to be careful, that the opponent was a zombie, it was too late..."

Hearing this, Tang Binghu became even more anxious to continue his journey. "Chen Ashui? How could he have turned into a zombie?"

Tang Lei said, "This subordinate does not know."

drive!!!
Tang Binghu had seen zombies before and knew how powerful they were.

Back when he was still a young gang leader, he went to Dazexiang and saw that black-clad zombie. Although Tang Binghu was much stronger than Tang Peng is now, he still took the family's demon-subduing pestle with him.

Even so, he was seriously injured before he managed to escape.

If it weren't for the Vajra Pestle, he would probably be dead too.

Now Tang Peng... has suffered the consequences.

Tang Binghu wished he had two more legs so he could hurry up even faster.

They rode their horses all the way and soon arrived at Chen Ashui's house.

The surrounding men all bowed and greeted them.
"Gang leader!"

"Gang leader!"

drive! !

Tang Binghu ignored everyone, galloped all the way to the fire, dismounted, and hurried towards Tang Peng.

How is my son?

Chen Mo, still holding Tang Peng's cold body, spoke, "Master..."

Tang Mei, however, burst into tears very early on.

Tang Binghu immediately realized what was happening, his steps faltered, and after taking two steps he fell to the ground with a thud. He then stumbled to his feet and reached Chen Mo, where he saw Tang Peng, who was rotting and turning black, in Chen Mo's arms.

Chen Mo placed the body into Tang Binghu's arms with both hands, and immediately noticed that his master seemed to have aged a lot. He was also moved, "Master..."

Tang Binghu ignored Chen Mo, instead holding Tang Peng tightly in his arms, slowly kneeling on the ground, his whole being like a wounded lone wolf, burying his head in Tang Peng's chest, howling hysterically.

"Xiao Peng..."

Dark clouds shrouded the moon, and the mountains and fields were silent.

Only Tang Binghu's mournful sobs could be heard.

……

The men gathered around, silently watching the lone wolf kneeling on the ground, sobbing. Some of the older members of the gang couldn't help but shed tears.

In their minds, Tang Binghu was always an invincible gang leader with unparalleled power, almost omnipotent. But now, for the first time, they saw their gang leader so vulnerable.

puff.

Tang Lei suddenly knelt on the ground: "Chief. I'm sorry! I didn't take good care of the young chief."

Tang Mei was already in tears.

Chen Mo stood not far away watching, feeling very uncomfortable.

Everything that just happened was too sudden.

Zombies.

Chen Ashui.

Clang.

Chen Mo silently drew his sword and walked silently toward Chen Ashui's house.

They walked step by step, with unwavering determination.

Chen Mo had always considered himself a rather "self-centered" person. He had neither the ambition to change the world nor the desire to benefit anyone. He only thought about becoming stronger and having the ability to protect himself.

But today, Chen Mo felt he should do something.

The main reason is that my master has been really good to me.

Moreover, Chen Mo really likes Tang Peng.

After taking a few steps, he heard Tang Binghu's hoarse voice behind him, "Come back! That's a zombie. I've already lost Xiaopeng, but I can't lose you too." Chen Mo felt a surge of warmth in his heart, "A zombie is fine. He must die. I need to take his head as a sacrifice for Xiaopeng."

"Are you going to disobey your master's orders?!"

Tang Binghu behind him let out a hoarse roar.

Chen Mo stopped and turned around, saying, "This disciple dares not."

He knew that the louder his master roared, the more concerned he was about him.

"Xiao Peng~"

Tang Binghu held Tang Peng and sobbed for a long time before slowly regaining his composure. He handed Tang Peng's body to Tang Mei and said, "Take Xiao Peng back to Tang Family Fort. Give him to Father. Tell Father to have someone properly prepare Xiao Peng's body for burial."

Tang Mei took Xiao Peng's body, didn't dare to ask any questions, nodded, then mounted her horse and rode away.

Tang Binghu watched Tang Mei's departing figure, his eyes brimming with tears, two streams of tears uncontrollably sliding down his cheeks. Just as he was about to turn around, his body swayed, and he almost fell over.

"Master, please take good care of yourself."

Chen Mo hurriedly stepped forward to help Tang Binghu, but Tang Binghu pushed him away, saying, "I'm not old yet. I can walk. Chen Ashui, I want to ask him myself!"

Chen Mo quickly gave Tang Lei a wink, and Tang Lei didn't object, nodding in agreement. Then, carrying his knife, he and Chen Mo flanked Tang Binghu.

Fearing that Tang Binghu's blood and qi would overwhelm his mind, causing him to make a misjudgment and underperform, thus falling victim to the zombie's scheme once again.

Even top-level experts can easily get into trouble if they lose their composure.

Tang Binghu clearly understood this principle. After only a few steps, he regained his composure and steadied his steps. He quickly walked to Chen Ashui's house, kicked open the door, and glared angrily at the old man sitting on a bamboo chair in the yard weaving fish baskets:

"Chen Ashui, I personally went to Dazexiang to deal with that zombie for you. I was even injured in the process, and afterwards, my father and I stayed here for a month. Afterwards, seeing that you were having a hard time, I asked the gang members to take good care of you. Is this how you repay me?! Huh?!!"

Chen Ashui was shocked when he heard these words.

Then he slowly turned his head and looked at Tang Binghu.

His face was contorted in pain. He clearly wanted to speak, but couldn't.

Chen Mo knew that Chen Ashui was struggling with her master and resisting her master's will.

Tang Binghu glared at him angrily: "Say something!!"

Faced with Tang Binghu's repeated questioning, Chen Ashui was in even greater pain, his whole body trembling. He struggled to his feet, staggered forward two steps, and then collapsed to the ground with a thud.

Click!

His body was cracking open, countless spiderweb-like fissures appearing on his skin, the cracks widening over time. Countless drops of blood seeped from the fissures, emitting a pungent, foul stench.

Even so, Chen Ashui still struggled fiercely, crawling little by little toward Tang Binghu.

No one knows how desperate and grief-stricken Chen Ashui is at this moment.

He wanted to speak.

Unable to speak.

He was filled with remorse and regret, but he couldn't express it.

They don't even have the ability to say sorry.

He resisted his master's will, causing his body to crack and bleed.

But he still chose to resist.

They resisted fiercely.

He knew that resistance would lead to death, but he still chose to resist.

Click click click.

Chen Ashui used all his strength to continue crawling forward, and just as his body was about to be completely broken into pieces, he suddenly raised his hand, pointed behind him, and said two words.

Because his body split open so quickly, he didn't even finish uttering those two words before, with a loud "boom," he shattered into countless fragments, leaving behind a mess of blood and flesh, and a pungent stench.

Blood mist flew everywhere, scattering across the ground.

This happened too fast and too suddenly.

Everyone was a little confused.

Even Tang Binghu was stunned.

Only Chen Mo knew that Chen Ashui was risking his life to send a message to Tang Binghu, but unfortunately, his abilities were limited. He didn't point clearly in the right direction, nor did he explain his words clearly.

So I went.

This is the consequence of resisting one's master's will.

But Chen Ashui still made the choice with his life.

After a long while, Tang Lei said, "Chief, it seems that Chen Ashui is being controlled by something. There must be a reason why he turned into a zombie. His last action seems to be trying to convey some message?"

Tang Binghu waved his hand and said, "Dispatch men and seal off an area within a five-mile radius. No one is allowed to enter or leave."

Tang Lei immediately agreed: "I'll take care of it."

After Tang Lei left, Tang Binghu led Chen Mo into Chen Ashui's house to search for him.

"Chen Ashui wouldn't have turned into a zombie for no reason; there must be other zombies causing trouble here."

The two searched Chen Ashui's house thoroughly but found nothing unusual.

Tang Binghu then said to Chen Mo, "I need to go back to Tang Family Fortress. You stay here and remember to follow Tang Lei's instructions. If you encounter zombies, don't act rashly; preserving your life is the most important thing."

"Yes."

……

Tang Lei mobilized a large number of Green Wolf Gang disciples to surround all the households within a five-mile radius of Daze Township. He then ordered his disciples to go door-to-door questioning everyone about any strange occurrences that might have happened recently.

They also set up simple tents on a nearby road.

Clearly, they intend to stay here permanently. We must find out what's behind Chen Ashui.

After everything was arranged, Chen Mo sat in the main tent and looked through the interrogation records that had been brought to him.

Tang Lei was a rough man and not very good at writing, so he asked from the side, "Elder Chen, have you noticed anything?"

Chen Mo carefully reviewed all the contents of the booklet, and finally shook his head: "Everything is normal."

Tang Lei was furious. "This is really strange. Chen Ashui was fine just a while ago, how did he suddenly turn into a zombie? There must be other zombies behind Dazexiang. Could it be that this zombie ran away overnight?"

Chen Mo neatly arranged the messy pages: "That possibility cannot be ruled out."

Tang Lei said, "Now that the young leader has passed away, the leader is exhausted and still needs to go to Tang Family Fort to report to the fort master. Let's stay here and wait for the leader to return before we talk about it."

Chen Mo felt there was nothing wrong with the arrangement, so he agreed, "That's only right. I'll go for a walk."

"be careful."

"know."

Chen Mo left the tent carrying a mirror and a large broadsword.

Outside, Green Wolf Gang patrolling disciples could be seen everywhere, and torches were everywhere. They patrolled in pairs, each disciple carrying a signal flare, ready to pull the flare immediately if they spotted anything amiss.

This arrangement is quite prudent.

Chen Mo didn't think there was anything wrong. But the direction Chen Ashui pointed and the two words he uttered before he died kept flashing through his mind.

Although the words weren't spoken, the basic mouth movements were conveyed.

Unfortunately, there was no sound, and it was really hard to tell just by looking at the lip movements.

After all, Chen Mo wasn't an expert in lip-reading.

If we could find an expert who knows lip movements, we might be able to glean some information.

Thinking of this, Chen Mo beckoned Zhang Kuang over, "Go and ask all the gang members and the villagers nearby. See if there is anyone who is mute or skilled in lip reading. If there is such a person, bring them to me."

"Yes," Zhang Kuang replied and left.

After watching Zhang Kuang leave, Chen Mo strolled along the nearby road and unknowingly arrived at Chen Ashui's house again, where he found a disciple acting suspiciously in the courtyard.

Clang.

Chen Mo immediately drew his sword, strode to the courtyard gate, and shouted inside, "What are you doing sneaking around in there?"

The disciple was startled, but walked over reluctantly after seeing that the person was Chen Mo.

After Chen Mo clearly saw the disciple's appearance, he was taken aback: "Xiao Ye? Why are you wearing the robes of my gang's disciples?"

At this moment, Xiaoye was wearing a loose gray robe and was dressed as a woman.

It's outrageous.

Xiaoye said sullenly, "I am a scion of a prominent family in the capital. With such a big incident here, I sneaked over to take a look. I just knocked out a disciple, stripped off his clothes and put them on myself before I got in."

Chen Mo disregarded the difference between men and women, grabbed Xiao Ye's arm, and dragged her out, saying, "This place is very dangerous, it's not a place for you. You should leave with me right now, I'll have someone take you back to the gang."

Seeing Chen Mo's strong hand and rough movements, Xiao Ye pushed Chen Mo away forcefully.

Chen Mo was surprised. He hadn't expected that Xiao Ye, who looked so frail, would actually be quite strong. He said angrily, "You are the personal maid I found to serve in the gang. Don't cause trouble. The gang leader has lost his son and is furious right now. If he finds out that you've sneaked in, he'll probably punish you severely. Come with me now."

As he spoke, Chen Mo reached out to grab Xiao Ye's arm again.

Xiaoye took a step back: "I've discovered an important clue."

Chen Mo paused slightly in his work: "You can find important clues? Don't be ridiculous."

Xiaoye said, "Does the young master look down on me so much?"

Seeing Xiao Ye's stubborn expression, Chen Mo breathed a sigh of relief: "Alright, then tell me. What clues did you find?"

As he asked questions, he slowly approached Xiaoye. He planned to knock her unconscious by striking her on the back of the head when he was within arm's reach, and then take her away.

As for finding clues?

Chen Mo thought... how could this be?

Xiao Ye had been following him since Ningdu County, spending several months together. Chen Mo knew perfectly well what kind of person she was.

As Xiaoye backed away, she said, "Young master, are you planning to knock me unconscious and take me away when I'm not paying attention?"

I'm weird...

Does this work too?
Chen Mo stopped and smiled innocently, "What are you saying, Xiao Ye? I'm not the kind of person who would take advantage of someone when they're not looking. Tell me, what did you discover?"

Humph.

Xiao Ye snorted and said, "I come from the Demon Clan of Jingzhen. Although my strength is not as great as yours, I am proficient in some secret techniques. I can sense the traces of the aura left by zombies."

Chen Mo glanced around.

The courtyard was spacious, and strong winds blew in from all directions. Even if the zombie left behind its aura, it would have long been dispersed by the wind. Even with my six senses so sharp, I couldn't perceive it.

But it doesn't hurt to listen.

"You go on."

At the same time, Chen Mo took another step closer to Xiao Ye.

Xiaoye said, "A zombie once appeared here. It bit Chen Ashui and turned him into a corpse puppet. Before he died, Chen Ashui wanted to send you a message, but because of this, he was killed by his master's will."

"Being able to name a corpse puppet shows that you, a young lady from a prominent family, are quite capable. Continue."

Xiaoye looked around and said, "But after that zombie left, I don't know where it went."

"Can't you sense the presence of zombies? Just follow the scent, won't you?"

Xiao Ye shook her head: "The aura of zombies varies in strength. When a zombie attacks, the aura it leaves behind is stronger and takes longer to dissipate. When a zombie doesn't attack, the aura it leaves behind is very weak and dissipates quickly, making it difficult to detect. By the way, I was standing far away when Chen Ashui died, so I didn't see clearly what he did before he died. You were there at the time, could you tell me?"

Chen Mo took another step closer. "Sure. Back then, Chen Ashui pointed east and said two words. He didn't say the two words clearly, and the direction he was pointing wasn't fixed, before he was gone."

After saying that, Chen Mo suddenly raised his hand and knocked Xiao Ye on the back of the head.

This woman is causing too much trouble; she must be knocked unconscious and taken away.

click!
Just then, Xiao Ye suddenly raised her hand and grabbed Chen Mo's hand, preventing him from knocking.

At the same time, Xiao Ye suddenly turned around and looked at Chen Mo: "Young master, you are so mean, saying one thing and meaning another. But I am from a noble family, and I am not so easy to bully."

Chen Mo was taken aback.

I was already fast enough, how could she react in time?

He's got some skills.

Ha ha.

Xiao Ye sneered, glaring at Chen Mo, but didn't say anything, "Where was Chen Ashui pointing at that time, and what were his lips moving?"

"You understand lip reading?"

"Understood."

Seeing that Xiao Ye was difficult to control, and hearing that she knew the lip movements, Chen Mo squatted down where Chen Ashui had been lying and repeated Chen Ashui's gestures and lip movements.

To the east was a courtyard, completely empty. Further away were other people's houses.

Chen Mo was just mimicking the lip movements; he didn't know what he was saying.

After finishing his imitation, Chen Mo stood up: "That's exactly how it was back then."

brush.

Xiaoye looked around, her eyes fixed on the backyard.

Chen Mo leaned closer: "Did you find anything?"

Xiao Ye turned to stare at Chen Mo: "Chen Ashui only pointed halfway; he meant to point to the backyard. Repeat the lip movements again."

Chen Mo repeated it.

Xiaoye frowned: "Repeat it again."

Chen Mo repeated it again.

Xiao Ye then repeated it to herself, and suddenly said, "Chen Ashui is talking about the cellar. The direction he's pointing is the backyard... there should be a hidden cellar in the backyard!"

As soon as she finished speaking, Xiaoye ran to the backyard.

"Hey, if that's really the case, the backyard is in danger." Chen Mo pulled the flare, then grabbed his knife and chased after Xiao Ye.

The backyard was quiet, with one half being a vegetable garden and the other half piled with miscellaneous items. In the southeast corner, there was a chicken coop made of stones. The coop wasn't big, about five or six square meters, and no more than four feet high.

Two roosters were fighting with two ducks, chasing the ducks and making them quack loudly. The ducks were pecked all over the ground, and one duck was in particularly bad shape, its head almost pecked bald by the roosters...

Xiaoye searched around the backyard and finally came to the chicken coop, looking at the three-foot-high chicken coop door.

Chen Mo hurriedly picked up his knife and went over, smelling a pungent stench of feces.

"I need your help." Xiao Ye reached out her hand to Chen Mo.

Chen Mo followed along and felt that Xiao Ye, this scion of a noble family, might actually be quite capable, so he handed him the broadsword.

Xiaoye took a knife and then cleaved open the chicken coop with one stroke.

The rocks scattered, freeing two ducks, which immediately flapped their wings and darted away. However, they couldn't escape the pursuit of the two roosters; it's unclear what deep-seated hatred existed between them.

"look."

Chen Mo heard Xiao Ye call him, so he went over to look and sure enough, he saw a wooden door to a cellar under the chicken coop, with an iron handle on it. He saw Xiao Ye take a knife, stick it into the handle, and forcefully pry it off.

Clang!

The wooden door was lifted up.

A large entrance was revealed.

Without waiting for Chen Mo to speak, Xiao Ye rushed into the entrance.

Is she really a daughter of a prominent family?
Chen Mo was also curious when he saw Tang Lei rushing over with his men.

"Elder Chen, why did you sound the signal flare?"

"The zombies might be hiding in the cellar. Come with me and take a look." Chen Mo said this and immediately followed. Tang Lei was big, but fortunately the entrance was also big, so although it was a bit difficult, he managed to keep up.

I thought the cellar was just a small space, but it turned out to be a large area that had been dug out. It was like an underground cave.

As you walk along the slippery road, the space ahead becomes larger.

Before long, the sound of water could be heard; it was an underground river.

No wonder they were able to dig such a large hole.

At Chen Mo and Tang Lei's level, even in complete darkness, their vision is not greatly affected.

After walking several dozen meters, Chen Mo suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.

That familiar, extremely chilling feeling returned.

Red Lantern Lady?

Or do all the other zombies feel this way?

Xiao Ye ran fast, and Chen Mo and Tang Lei quickly followed. When they turned a corner, Xiao Ye suddenly stopped and stared intently ahead.

Chen Mo leaned closer and looked ahead.

What I saw was a large underground stone cave, filled with cold water and an underground river flowing forward. It was probably due to its proximity to the Huai River that the area was crisscrossed with underground rivers.

At the end of the cave, a red glow emanated.

A woman in red sat on a coffin, her hands supporting her chin.

The woman in red was none other than the Red Lantern Goddess.

(End of this chapter)