Chapter 152: The Sealing of the Ma Family Estate

Crows from unknown places circled above my head, emitting harsh cawing sounds.

Leaning against the entrance of the cave, I gazed at the ground drenched in rivers of blood and the corpses that still retained their warmth, unable to suppress a sigh.

Not a single member of the Golden Cicada Society had a weak backbone; that came as quite a surprise.

Initially, I thought that man was truly terrified of death, which was why he agreed to lead me to the Corpse Pool.

Never could I have imagined that his compliance was merely a facade to prevent anyone from betraying the Golden Cicada Society, and to smoothly eliminate the rest of his companions.

His actions were actually aimed at silencing witnesses, out of fear that someone might break under my interrogation and reveal the secrets of the Golden Cicada Society to me.

After finishing off the very last person, he suddenly smiled.

When he looked at me, there was not a trace of fear left in his gaze.

He appeared utterly at peace. Cupping his fists in a salute to me, he said, "Your reputation is well deserved indeed. It is no wonder that several of our skilled operatives from the Golden Cicada Society fell into your hands."

I narrowed my eyes and replied, "I have no interest in listening to your nonsense."

Indifferent to my hostile tone, the man sneered and said, "I am sorry, but I am afraid you will never find the Corpse Pool or Granny Lin Feng."

Before I could even react, he snapped his own windpipe.

He died right there before my eyes, a faint smile still lingering on his face.

I watched this scene with cold detachment until the life completely faded from him, after which I slowly walked up to his lifeless body.

Without a second word, I delivered a sharp slap across his face.

The corpse toppled to the ground from the impact, and immediately after, I slapped a talisman directly onto his chest. "You have an immense amount of nerve, attempting to deceive even me, Jiang Huai. Do you truly believe that death will shield you from my methods? Rest assured, I will ensure you never attain reincarnation!"

My hands shifted through a series of mudras, pointing two fingers like swords straight at the talisman. "By the decree of the grand statutes, obey immediately!"

The moment my voice fell, raging flames burst forth, devouring the corpse and reducing it to a dried husk at a speed visible to the naked eye!

The Soul-Incinerating Curse does not simply burn away the soul; rather, it transforms the corpse into a sealed vessel meant to imprison the soul.

The sealed spirit is condemned to experience the agonizing torment of death within the vessel day after day.

The dark clouds overhead eventually dissipated, and brilliant moonlight bathed the earth.

The crows that had been circling earlier fluttered down into the cave, landing upon the dried corpses and pecking at them incessantly.

I pulled out a cigarette, smoked it in dead silence, and then re-entered the cave.

Walking up to the men and women locked inside iron cages, I said, "Do not be afraid. The police will be here shortly, and the bad people are all dead."

Having suffered severe psychological trauma, these people instinctively shrank backward the moment I drew near.

I knew that saying anything more was futile. I could save them, but I could not restore their minds to how they were before, nor could I erase this period of dark memory from their hearts.

I cast a special glance toward Xiaoxiao. I initially wanted to say something, but as soon as my lips parted, the words swallowed themselves back down.

I dialed Wang Zihao's number. Having just had his wounds bandaged, Wang Zihao answered my call immediately; though unable to come in person, he had dispatched every single one of his subordinates to the scene.

I sat at the cave entrance waiting. The first person to rush up to me was not one of Wang Zihao's men, but Yin Cheng.

"Xiaoxiao! Have you found Xiaoxiao? Is Xiaoxiao inside?!"

He grabbed my shoulders with both hands and shook me frantically.

Looking at him, I offered a faint smile. "She is inside. But you must not trigger her trauma."

With a face full of gratitude, Yin Cheng muttered a quick word of thanks before charging wildly into the cave.

Moments later, a heartbreaking, soul-rending cry echoed from deep within the cave.

"Mr. Jiang! What is happening inside?"

The person approaching me now was none other than one of Wang Zihao's colleagues.

I shook my head and asked, "How are you all? Are your injuries holding up?"

They assured me they were fine, adding that only Wang Zihao had sustained slightly heavier injuries.

"Very well. Take everyone inside away with you, and leave Mazhuang village before nightfall, understood?"

"Understood! Brother Hao instructed us to follow Mr. Jiang's lead in everything. What about the members of the Golden Cicada Society?"

I pointed a finger toward the interior. "The dried corpses on the ground are them. You do not need to deal with them; just take the rescued captives and leave."

"Understood!"

As they departed, Yin Cheng held Xiaoxiao tightly in his arms, weeping uncontrollably.

The days they had been separated felt like a span of many years.

After everyone had completely cleared out, I thoroughly inspected the cave once more, but regrettably found nothing out of the ordinary.

Returning to my lodging, Yin Cheng and the others were gone, and Wang Zihao's crew had likewise evacuated Mazhuang village.

Inside my room at the Xingfu Hotel, I lay down alone on the bed and slowly closed my eyes.

The next morning, I was jolted awake by a commotion downstairs.

Running my hands through my messy hair, I walked over to the window and looked down to see throngs of tourists gathered in the streets, chattering animatedly about something.

However, all the vendor stalls that had previously lined the streets were completely deserted.

Right at that moment, someone walked by beating a bronze gong and shouting at the top of their lungs, declaring that a massive catastrophe had struck Mazhuang village and numerous people had died in the ancestral hall!

I also managed to catch another crucial piece of information: starting today, Mazhuang village was to be temporarily sealed off, and all visiting tourists were instructed to leave immediately.

Yawning, I gathered that the members of the Golden Cicada Society from the previous night were not the only ones hiding in Mazhuang village.

Yet, their decision to seal the village worked to my advantage; with the village closed off, no innocent people would be present, leaving me with far fewer reservations.

While everyone else was fleeing, I had no intention of leaving. Pondering the situation for a moment, I decided to go back to sleep.

When I woke up again, it was already afternoon. Looking out at the street once more, not a single ghost of a shadow was to be seen.

It was a complete and absolute contrast to the bustling scene I had witnessed that morning.

After washing up, I strapped on my backpack and stepped out of the Xingfu Hotel.

I had no idea where the Mazhuang village ancestral hall was located. Hoping to ask someone for directions, I found only a scattering of tourists hurriedly preparing to depart along the roads.

Just as I was wondering which way to go, a hand suddenly clapped down onto my shoulder.

A frown etched across my brow, my instincts took over as I grabbed the hand and twisted it forcefully!

"Ouch, ouch, ouch! It is me, it is me! It hurts, it hurts!"

"Yin Cheng?"

I never could have expected him to show up by my side.

"Should you not be staying by your girlfriend's side at a time like this?"

Taking a deep breath, Yin Cheng reached into his backpack and pulled out a Tang sword. "I am going to seek revenge! The fact that you have not left proves that those scoundrels are still around! I am coming with you!"

I froze. "Put that away immediately. What revenge are you talking about? Murder is a crime; hurry back and take care of your girlfriend."

Yin Cheng showed not the slightest intention of turning back. "Are you heading to the Mazhuang village ancestral hall? I know where it is."

Seeing the dead seriousness written all over Yin Cheng's face, I helplessly shook my head. "Fine, lead the way then. But let this be clear first: I did not ask you to follow me, and whatever happens, I will not be responsible for you."