Qi Family Gang (10)

Zhu Xi Ning woke up drenched in sweat, cradled in Nan Yue's arms.

Nan Yue had realized something was wrong in the middle of the night as Zhu Xi Ning seemed to be gripped by a nightmare.

She held Zhu Xi Ning, but no matter how she called, the girl wouldn't wake.

Even Jiang Siyan's white mist failed to rouse her.

Just as Nan Yue was hesitating whether to use the power of pollution, Zhu Xi Ning took a deep breath and opened her eyes.

Freshly awake, Zhu Xi Ning looked dazed and panicked, as if wanting to flee, but her limbs were weak.

She was held in a warm embrace, with someone gently patting her back.

"It's okay. You're safe, Xi Ning."

The faint scent of the laundry detergent she liked drifted from Nan Yue.

Zhu Xi Ning calmed down as Nan Yue continued to pat her gently, feeling that the girl's clothes were mostly soaked.

No one rushed her during this process; everyone stood around them in silence.

Zhu Xi Ning quickly regained her composure and looked up, her words concise.

"I saw a death foresight."

"I think it was underwater. I saw an eye."

The others only had a vague understanding of their abilities from before they set out, so they didn't have a clear grasp of what Zhu Xi Ning meant by death foresight.

"You mean we'll be killed by an eye?"

Zhu Xi Ning shook her head and explained to Chi Yu, "What I see isn't necessarily the moment of our death. It could be the most threatening thing."

"In typical missions, I judge the danger level through feelings or deduce the rules by seeing someone's death process."

"This is the first time I've directly seen the most dangerous existence in a mission."

Yin Qian said, "But to be precise, you only saw one eye."

"A single eye is plenty terrifying!"

Jiang Yuhao was a staunch supporter of Zhu Xi Ning because she had once saved his life.

He immediately explained, "We've been worried that the danger comes from those white figures, but it looks like we might be looking in the wrong direction."

Zhu Xi Ning nodded. "That eye definitely wasn't human."

And the white figures were likely human when they were alive.

"Why?"

Yin Qian asked curiously.

Zhu Xi Ning looked at him with a profound expression.

"Because that eye was about the same size as me."

A cold wind blew through the jungle, making everyone feel a chill down their spines.

"An eye as big as you? What kind of thing is that? Just how massive must it be!"

The more Yin Qian thought about it, the more creeped out he became. What kind of boss was in this pollution world?

"The eye was moss-green with a blood-red vertical pupil."

Hearing this, Jiang Yuhao shook his head.

"No such creature exists. At least, no normal creature has an eye like that."

So it probably wasn't just a giant version of an animal.

"Was there anything else in the water?"

Zhu Xi Ning frowned as she recalled Nan Yue's question.

That fear still reached her very marrow. In truth, she hadn't even seen the thing clearly, but the sense of oppression lingered in her mind.

She endured the discomfort and thought seriously.

"The water was very dark... there was no light. I only noticed it because the eye glowed."

"Whatever it was, it was fast."

The eye had suddenly vanished and reappeared in front of her. It might have just been a blink, but to move so quickly in the time it takes to blink was staggering.

"Also... the water seemed off."

It was too fishy and murky, filled with impurities, and it felt viscous against the skin.

"Was it like the water in the goatskin bags?"

Zhu Xi Ning nodded. "Similar, but even more viscous and foul-smelling."

Water.

So far, the only thing they could be certain was problematic was the water.

This was troublesome because water was the most indispensable resource. One could last a few days without food, but not without water.

Not to mention having to face supernatural threats and flee for their lives while dehydrated.

"How much water do we have left?"

Jiang Siyan ignored the others and only checked his and Nan Yue's water skins. "Enough for you for two days."

Jiang Siyan hadn't factored in his own needs, meaning it was one day's worth for each of them.

Even with a healing ability, Nan Yue wouldn't let Jiang Siyan suffer without water.

"Get some rest."

Nan Yue remained silent for a long time before telling everyone to sleep. There were many clues and dangers everywhere, but no clear direction.

The strange jars, the skeletons inside, the disappearing stream, the rotting fish...

And the white figures that seemed to be blocking them from Fish Fry Village.

Everything hung over them like a thick fog.

Everyone rose as soon as the sky paled the next morning. They all wanted to reach Fish Fry Village as soon as possible, unload the cargo, and put an end to this eerie business.

"You lot, go find a water source nearby."

Headman Qi brandished his horse whip. "Shaman Zhu and Manager Wu, go with them."

It seemed Headman Qi had also noticed the water issue; it was indeed a pressing problem.

It took about an hour for the scouts to return. They had found water, but after yesterday's events, no one dared to drink it immediately.

"There's a spring there. A pool of mountain water with moss and water spiders nearby. It should be fine."

This came from Gu Xiang Kai.

"The spring water shows no abnormalities," Zhu Xi Ning added.

The group felt slightly relieved. Manager Wu tasted it and confirmed it was water with no strange aftertaste.

With a water source, everyone felt more at ease as they packed up and headed toward Fish Fry Village.

They should arrive by evening on this final stretch, and at the latest, they could head back tomorrow. Everyone's spirits rose.

"If you ask me, this village is just isolated and has some weird rituals, which is why they have these things brought in from outside."

"Yeah, some remote villages do sacrifice to strange things. Nothing's surprising out here."

Nan Yue listened to the two horsemen talking behind her, and a flash of inspiration hit her.

If... they were right.

If the village really did have some strange sacrifice or custom that required someone from the outside to deliver the sacrifices...

But...

A chill ran through Nan Yue's heart. She feared the so-called sacrifices might not be those five large jars.

From the moment the Qi Family Gang took this job, everything had been bizarre.

The beggar could be explained as a middleman for someone who couldn't show their face.

This proved that someone had been watching the Qi Family Gang all along.

They knew exactly when and where they would arrive and rest, which was why they could move the five jars directly outside their inn.

But even if the contents of the jars were abnormal, was it necessary to go to such lengths?

With the banknotes the beggar held, plenty of people would have been willing to do the job.

As long as the pay was high enough, people would take even the most dangerous risks.

Why did it have to be the Qi Family Gang?

A thought occurred to Nan Yue.

Could it be...

That transporting the five jars was secondary, and the most important thing was for the Qi Family Gang itself to make the trip?