Seeing the crowd’s reaction, Chunsheng’s eyes filled with smugness, though he maintained a look of feigned hesitation.
“Oh dear, that tiger eats men. It might not have gone far yet. I think it would be better if we hurried down the mountain.
It won't be too late to come back for those gold and silver treasures once the sun comes up tomorrow.”
As he spoke, he intentionally adjusted his robes, making sure everyone present could see a glint of gold hidden within the fabric.
“Gold!!”
Someone with sharp eyes pointed at the gold in Chunsheng’s arms and shouted, “There really is gold! This fellow actually wanted to keep it all for himself!!”
One of the quicker men stepped forward and grabbed Chunsheng’s arm. He felt a wave of icy cold and shuddered involuntarily.
But greed had blinded his eyes, causing him to ignore the abnormality. He pulled open the front of Chunsheng’s robes on his own—
Three or four gold ingots tumbled out, rolling onto the ground.
One bailiff, ignoring the dirt clinging to the ingots, picked one up and bit down on it. A look of pure ecstasy immediately crossed his face.
“It’s soft! It’s gold!”
“It really is gold!”
“This fellow wasn't lying!”
Other bailiffs reached out to pull at Zhou Dalang, and sure enough, several glittering gold ingots fell from his sleeves as well.
Gold.
Not far from them lay a massive pile of unclaimed gold and silver, sitting in the mud, waiting for someone to take it.
With this much money, who would want to be a poor bailiff anymore?
They could buy a few acres of land, a few head of cattle, and marry a wife...
The men’s breathing grew hot, and their eyes felt as though they were burning.
Even Zhang Long had only one thought in his mind when he saw those glittering ingots.
Someone swallowed hard and shouted at Chunsheng and Zhou Dalang, “We’re brothers who’ve faced death together! How could you two be so disloyal?”
Another chimed in, urging, “Exactly! You took your share and then tried to trick us into going down the mountain. Who knows if you were planning to wait until tomorrow and bring people back secretly to take the rest?”
“Stop all this nonsense. Whether it’s true or not, won't we know once you take us to see it?”
“That’s right! Brother Chunsheng, Dalang, we all came up the mountain to hunt the tiger together. We should all have a share of this gold and silver!”
The crowd stared at Chunsheng and Zhou Dalang like wolves, clamoring for the two of them to lead the way immediately to find the place where the bandits had divided the treasure.
“I was only worried the tiger would return, but I also feared you wouldn't believe me, which is why I haphazardly grabbed a few gold ingots and stuffed them in my sleeves.”
Chunsheng demurred several times, putting on a helpless act. “Why don't we head down the mountain first? It won't be too late to look for it at dawn.”
“What is there to fear?”
Zhou Dalang raised his head, his pale face toward the crowd as he slowly squeezed out a strange smile.
“Constable Zhang shot that tiger in the left leg earlier today. Thinking about it now, it’s nothing special. With so many of us, are we really afraid of a tiger with a wounded leg?”
He tossed the ingot in his hand, his tone half-tempting and half-provoking.
“If you don't have the guts to take it, those gold and silver treasures won't be ours once the news gets out tomorrow—
Wouldn't it be better to take advantage of the night while no one knows? We can go and divide the treasure quickly. It’ll save us from any further complications. Wouldn't that be wonderful?”
With the two of them playing off each other, how could the crowd still have any doubts? They immediately packed their things, ready to follow and search.
Fools!
They were all a bunch of fools blinded by gold and silver!
Where would bandits have come from in the Wen County area?
Not to mention, there hadn't been any news of a wealthy family being robbed.
Unclaimed treasure in the deep, old forest.
How could it be so coincidental that they just happened to stumble upon such a windfall?
And then there was Chunsheng. He was clearly a hunter, so why wasn't he excited at all after seeing this gold? Instead, he was generously telling them where it was hidden.
There was definitely something wrong with this hunter!
Zhang Long’s gaze swept over them. Sure enough, in the flickering firelight, everyone had a shadow at their feet except for Chunsheng and Zhou Dalang.
They really were ghosts!
The Nan family’s eldest daughter had guessed correctly!
Anxiety filled Zhang Long’s heart. He desperately wanted to call out their identities, but remembering Nan Zhi’s instructions from earlier, he hesitated.
It was that slight hesitation that allowed Chunsheng to notice something was amiss.
“Constable Zhang.”
Chunsheng’s eyes slowly landed on Zhang Long, a simple and honest smile spreading across his rustic face.
“That tiger just ate quite a few people. It’s likely drowsy and full right now, without the energy to bother us.
I’ll lead the way and take you there. We’ll grab the gold and silver quickly, then head down the mountain together!”
“This...”
Zhang Long didn't know how to answer. His gaze darted around, trying to find Nan Zhi’s figure.
But the forest was pitch black. Countless tangled branches and leaves almost blotted out the sky, with only occasional glimpses of the divided night sky visible through the lush greenery.
Oppressive and cold.
It felt as if a demon with a gaping, bloody maw was lurking within.
In the forest, birds were startled awake by the firelight, their wings flapping as they tried to take flight. A cuckoo called out softly, letting out several “cuckoo, cuckoo” cries.
This was the signal he had agreed upon with Nan Zhi.
“I was just thinking about which wealthy family those outlaws robbed. If we really can find that gold and silver today, I’ll definitely put in a good word for you with the Magistrate when I get back.”
Zhang Long’s heart settled. He laughed and patted Chunsheng’s shoulder.
“Then I’ll trouble Brother Chunsheng to lead the way!”
“Think nothing of it!”
Chunsheng also laughed. The man and the ghost looked at each other, both harboring their own hidden agendas.
...
...
The power of money was infinite.
In the darkness, Nan Zhi moved through the trees as lightly as a cat.
The branches swayed slightly and the leaves trembled, as if only a gentle breeze had just passed through.
Thanks to the Paper Skin Garment, Nan Zhi’s constitution attribute had nearly doubled.
With forty points of constitution, she was likely equal to a first-rate martial arts master, specifically those with exceptional lightness skills.
Fearing Chunsheng might notice her, she didn't dare follow too closely, trailing far behind the bailiffs.
Rustle...
Nan Zhi landed on a tree and carefully pushed aside the bushes in front of her.
She had seen it clearly just now. What Chunsheng had taken out in front of everyone wasn't gold ingots at all.
They were clearly mud balls formed from earth, with a glamour cast over them.
Unfortunately, the men, whose eyes were clouded by ghosts, couldn't see through it. They followed Chunsheng foolishly, being led all the way into the depths of Wenshan.
Zhou Dalang also looked a bit off.
Nan Zhi was about to follow when she suddenly noticed something moving in her field of vision.
Her heart stirred. She cast a glance at Zhang Long and the others, then drifted toward that spot.
Soon, Nan Zhi found the source of the sound.
Tap, tap...
Tap, tap...
Tap, tap...
Extremely faint sounds drifted on the wind, very regular and rhythmic.
Nan Zhi slowly looked up.
This was a corpse forest.
Over a dozen corpses were hanging from the trees—men and women, old and young.
Some corpses were severely weathered, their original features completely unrecognizable. One could only judge their gender by their tattered clothing.
Among these corpses were village women, merchants, scholars, and woodcutters or hunters.
Every single corpse, without exception, was hung from the trees by vines.
And in the spot closest to her, a pair of large feet wearing official boots dangled from a tree covered in vines.
A male corpse wearing white inner robes was suspended from the tree by rope-like vines.
The corpse had no eyes, leaving only a pair of dark, hollow sockets.
Half the head was crushed, with red and white brain matter smeared across the face. Both arms were missing, and the internal organs had been hollowed out completely.
As the night wind blew, the owners of these feet swayed gently. Their toes knocked against the tree trunks, making a soft “tap, tap” sound.
Just like wind chimes.
Nan Zhi was surprised she hadn't cried out.
Looking at this fresh male corpse with its hollowed-out organs, she had a vague suspicion.
This was likely something like the white tiger’s “larder”?
After eating the meat and organs, it hung the bones of these people on the trees. The parts it hadn't finished were hung up to be eaten later?
It was quite meticulous.
Would Chunsheng’s corpse be here too?
Nan Zhi searched around but couldn't identify which set of white bones belonged to the hunter.
In many films and stories, burning the remains could destroy a vengeful ghost.
If Chunsheng hadn't been leading the way today, she wouldn't have stumbled upon this place by accident.
Nan Zhi naturally wouldn't let such a good opportunity pass.
Since she couldn't identify him, she would just burn them all.
They were all chang ghosts that harmed people anyway.
After death, it was all just a pile of ash. When the time came, she could gather some ash to bring back to the Ma family. It would be some small comfort to the ghost of Chunsheng’s mother.
Nan Zhi raised her index finger, which held a faint glint of flickering electricity.
A fire on the mountain—the station chief will love me for this.
Rate on N.U.
