Nightmare Apostle

Chapter 871: Chapter 634: The Transaction_2

Chang Chuchu looked utterly despondent, as if the next phase for her would be taking revenge on society, since she was doomed anyway.

"Chang Chuchu, you can’t count on that damned Xiang Fengchen anymore, but I can save you," Nalan Shuo said.

Chang Chuchu was stunned for a moment, then slowly raised her head, her eyes which were tending towards collapse slowly becoming focused, "You?"

"Heh." Nalan Shuo let out a cold laugh, looking down at her from above, "What, you think I can’t do it?"

"You can cure Corpse Poison?" Chang Chuchu clearly didn’t believe Nalan Shuo’s words.

"Mr. Nalan is the legit Director of the Patrol Defense Office, the resources and connections he can mobilize far exceed your imagination. If an Evil Mage can do it, of course the Director can too. How about the strong Evil Mage Xiang Fengchen? Wasn’t he chased by Mr. Nalan like a dog that lost its home, not daring to show his face in the world of martial arts for a decade?" Yang Xiao stepped forward at just the right moment to support Nalan Shuo, "Whatever Xiang Fengchen can do, the Director can do it; what Xiang Fengchen can’t do, the Director can do it too!"

Hearing this, the light gradually returned to Chang Chuchu’s eyes, but she was still full of caution, "Mr. Nalan, what do you need me to do?"

"I’ll cure your Corpse Poison, and you help me kill two people," Nalan Shuo set the price, as if this was a deal.

"Who?" Chang Chuchu asked in a low voice.

"Don’t worry, just two ordinary people," Nalan Shuo said casually, "Two old folks living in the countryside."

"Ordinary people..."

"Yes," Nalan Shuo nodded, "Xiang Fengchen’s damned parents. Xiang Fengchen and I have irreconcilable enmity. It’s not convenient for me to take action with my status, so you do it for me. Do it cleanly—either burn them alive at night or stage it like a suicide, just do it cleanly. Can you do that?"

"But after all, I have taken Xiang Fengchen as my master, such actions would be..."

"Can you do it?" Nalan Shuo interrupted her directly, his tone growing impatient.

Fully aware that this was her last chance, the previous scene was but an attempt to cast herself as someone who would repay kindness, "Yes. I am willing to work for Mr. Nalan and rid the public of harm!" Chang Chuchu promptly agreed, straightening her body and giving Nalan Shuo a respectful bow.

Let alone two people, she would agree even if it were twenty; for now, she just needed Nalan Shuo to cure the Corpse Poison in her. As for the aftermath... heh, what if she couldn’t do it? She could simply run away. With the world so vast, could Nalan Shuo really cover the sky with one hand?

Footsteps were heard outside the courtyard. Soon, Steward Wu, accompanied by several Protectors, entered. Upon seeing them, Yang Xiao’s pupils couldn’t help but shrink. Steward Wu and the others were all wearing white hemp mourning clothes. The leading Steward Wu looked utterly soulless, needing someone to support him as he walked.

"Steward Wu, what happened?" Nalan Shuo stepped forward to meet him.

Steward Wu’s face was ghastly pale, and his eyes were red-rimmed, clearly having cried not long ago. When he spoke, his voice was surprisingly hoarse, and the news he delivered shocked everyone, "All the guests, I’m afraid... I’m afraid our Ancestor might soon pass away!"

"What?!" ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm

Steward Wu explained in fits and starts, saying that after they helped to bring back the Ancestor last night, the Ancestor had been in an unawakeable sleep. Renowned doctors were invited to examine him, and the situation was very dire; the Ancestor might be in a thousand-year slumber with no hope of awakening.

The doctors had already hinted that their efforts were futile, and they should start preparing for the aftermath.

This news indeed startled everyone, while also dealing them a heavy blow. This was not good news. They didn’t really care about the Ancestor’s life or death; after all, whether the thing was alive or dead didn’t make much difference, and as an evil being, it wouldn’t really die.

But what they were worried about was that if the ancestor were to be declared "dead," their existence would lose its purpose. After all, they were guests invited for celebrating longevity, and now with the longevity star deceased, their fate was foreseeable.

"That... the ancestor is blessed with a boundless lifespan, how could it possibly be that he has suddenly passed away?" Yang Xiao argued indignantly, "It’s fake, it must be fake, this damned incompetent doctor!"

"We hope so too, and may the ancestor turn misfortune into fortune, and disasters into blessings. He is the mainstay of the Earl Mansion, the house protecting immortal!" Steward Wu wiped away his tears, performing an act of deep servant-master affection.

"Ladies and gentlemen guests, please rest assured that no matter whether the ancestor makes it through or not, the Earl Mansion will not shortchange you. We will honor the promised benefits without skimping, and there will also be a generous gift for all of you," said Steward Wu.

"Working for the Earl Mansion is a blessing for us," Nalan Shuo said with a cupped-hands gesture, all too aware of what kind of deadly gift this might turn out to be.

Waving his hand, Steward Wu motioned everyone to listen to him finish, "Ladies and gentlemen, my lord only has one request. If the ancestor turns misfortune into blessing, then that would naturally be the best. But if by chance an accident happens, we ask you to help send him off on his final journey. Please."

Under the current circumstances, they had no choice but to agree. As they offered their polite assurances, Nalan Shuo took the opportunity to suggest leaving the mansion to purchase some items necessary for funeral purposes, just in case.

"Of course," Steward Wu agreed promptly and immediately arranged for several Protectors and martial masters to accompany them out of the mansion.

This time they left through a secluded side gate, and there were six of them together. It seemed the Earl Mansion had relaxed its control over them.

Today’s mission was especially critical. They had to visit Cangchun Pavilion to find someone, to find the Great Mage. Judging from the information brought by Steward Wu, there was sure to be an important action in the Earl Mansion tonight, and there was no telling what kind of trouble they might stir up.

"Mr. Nalan, did the ancestor really die?" Fang Zhou approached respectfully to ask.

Nalan Shuo shook his head and sighed, "That thing is not human; it’s an evil being that has lived for over a hundred years. It won’t die so easily. This is just an excuse from the Earl Mansion."

"Can it be hurt then? Could it have been Xiang... did Xiang Fengchen do it?" Fang Zhou wanted to say the blow struck just before death. In his eyes, Xiang Fengchen’s abilities were extremely formidable, it wouldn’t be too much to consider him a demi-god.

But his fantasy was quickly shattered. Nalan Shuo shook his head again, "No, he couldn’t do it. The way he died last night was horrific, you weren’t there, you don’t know how formidable it was."

Yang Xiao saw it very clearly the night before; in front of that entity, Xiang Fengchen had no chance to struggle. He could only use the Life Burning Incense to desperately hang on. The incense hadn’t even finished burning when he died, his death was stiff and terrifying.

Later, he asked Nalan Shuo; the first incense stick equated to 3 years of life, the second to 6 years, three sticks to 12 years, four sticks to 24 years. How exactly did this work? Were they to burn one after another in succession to add up, or did it repeat with each stick burned independently?

Nalan Shuo explained to him that it would work only if it burned consecutively. If one were burned separately, one stick a day, for three days in a row, it would cost 9 years of life. But it’s not absolute; after all, people have different fates, and the quality of Life Incense varies, leading to different outcomes. It is always something that costs lives, and unless absolutely necessary, no one would touch it.

"What are you thinking about?" Nalan Shuo asked, noticing Yang Xiao’s frowning.

"Director, I remember that rashly moving an object set to suppress evil will result in a backlash, right?" Yang Xiao suddenly asked.

"Yes," Nalan Shuo nodded.

"Then it’s strange. Think about it, the purpose of Xiang Fengchen leaving that finger behind was to deceive the Earl Mansion’s Feng Shui Master, making him believe that the finger was the object of suppression. Using flesh and blood as a suppressing charm is a rather common tactic in the Feng Shui business, but the Feng Shui Master simply dug out and took the finger away. How come he was so bold? Wasn’t he afraid of the backlash?"

"You know, the object being suppressed was the well right beside it. Inside that well lies an actual Fierce Ghost, and a single misstep could lead to sudden death. How could he be so sure that the item buried underneath was a fake?"

"Could it be... he knows that the Divine Turtle Shell is in our possession?"