Chapter 37: Each With Their Own Thoughts

Thanks to the strength and professionalism of the Demon Suppression Bureau, although the journey was slow, it was very safe.

There was no need to worry about wild gui attacks at night, and everyone rested well during the evenings without having to reverse day and night.

Seven days later, at noon, the group finally arrived at the gates of the Bobai military town.

At this moment, the gates had been closed once more.

Moreover, there seemed to be people standing guard on top.

“What’s going on? Border troops have already been deployed here so quickly?” Bai Liwei’s expression was very strange.

Zhang Minsheng walked over and shook his head.

“Impossible! Without an altar, it would be impossible for border troops to be stationed here.”

That was indeed true.

The more remote and wild a place was, the more wild gui there would be.

At the beginning, overwhelming numbers and vigorous qi and blood might be enough to keep the wild gui from approaching.

But as time passed, the yang energy and blood energy within people would gradually be consumed.

The “circle” formed by yang energy would become smaller and smaller.

Then the wild gui would slowly draw closer.

“But there are definitely people up there!” one of the Demon Suppression Bureau members said.

Bai Liwei added, “Before we escaped last time, the gates were open.”

Zhang Minsheng nodded and shouted upward, “Deputy Commander Zhang Minsheng of the Demon Suppression Bureau, under the Southern Pacification Military Governor, is here under orders to escort an altar to this location. May I ask which border army unit the brothers above belong to?”

His voice echoed through the area.

But the people above gave no response.

Zhang Minsheng frowned and shouted again.

There was still no response.

The figures did not even move.

“Something’s wrong.”

Zhang Minsheng signaled to a short fellow from the Demon Suppression Bureau.

“Go up and take a look.”

The skinny dwarf also took out a grappling hook similar to Old Hou’s.

He threw it onto the wall and swiftly climbed up.

Under everyone’s expectant gaze, the skinny dwarf shouted, “Those things up here aren’t people!”

Then a humanoid object was thrown down.

It swayed as it descended and landed on the ground.

Everyone looked and discovered that it was actually a paper effigy dressed like a soldier.

It was painted somewhat like a human, yet not quite enough.

As a result, it looked particularly unsettling.

“A paper effigy?” Zhang Minsheng narrowed his eyes for a moment before looking toward the Spirit Hunters in his team. “Any thoughts?”

One of the Spirit Hunters from the Demon Suppression Bureau stepped forward and said, “It might be an evil technique. I can sense a trace of resentment on it.”

“Bring it inside first.”

Zhang Minsheng looked toward the top of the wall.

“After we enter, collect all the paper effigies and burn them.”

The members of the Demon Suppression Bureau nodded repeatedly.

Soon the gates were reopened and everyone entered the fortress.

Looking at the white bones scattered all over the ground, the Demon Suppression Bureau members all frowned.

Zhang Minsheng turned to Bai Liwei and asked, “You didn’t clean up this fortress during your last visit?”

“When would we have had the time?” Bai Liwei smiled bitterly. “When we arrived here, it was already past noon. We had to investigate whether there were any survivors and search for clues. Both took time. We had no opportunity to do anything else. Then trouble broke out that very night.”

Zhang Minsheng nodded slightly to indicate understanding.

Then he waved at his subordinates.

“You all, search this place again. Every corner must be examined thoroughly. If you find paper effigies, drag them back here.”

The Demon Suppression Bureau members set down the forbidden altar and dispersed in all directions.

Because it was daytime, the True Lord within the altar did not like coming out and remained inside “sleeping.”

At this moment, Zhao Hao walked over to Zhang Minsheng and asked with a smile, “Commander Zhang, is there anywhere we can help?”

“There actually is.”

Zhang Minsheng pointed at the altar.

“This True Lord hasn’t received a blood energy offering for several days. Could one of you feed it a little blood energy to fill its stomach?”

“I’ll do it.”

Zhao Hao laughed loudly and patted his chest.

“I’m not boasting, but among all the Spirit Hunters in Yulin County, my blood energy is the most vigorous. I guarantee the True Lord will be satisfied after eating.”

Zhang Minsheng’s face twitched slightly.

He felt that Zhao Hao was somewhat foolish.

“Then I’ll trouble Patrol Hunter Zhao.”

“You’re too polite.”

After speaking, Zhao Hao walked to the altar.

Following a bout of gesturing and movement, the red-furred ape-like True Lord appeared.

Then Zhao Hao began supplying blood energy.

The red-furred ape-like True Lord held Zhao Hao’s right arm and sucked greedily.

Clusters of red light appeared and fell into that huge black mouth.

At a glance, it was obvious that massive amounts of blood energy were being drained away.

Zhao Hao’s face seemed to twitch.

Comparing the two, Li Lin could clearly feel how gentle the Tree Immortal Lady had been when drawing away his essence energy.

A moment later, the red-furred ape-like True Lord wiped its mouth and returned to the altar.

Zhao Hao walked back.

His face was somewhat pale, yet he still laughed heartily.

“It filled up immediately. Impressive, right?”

The other three instinctively clasped their fists.

“Impressive, impressive.”

After thinking for a moment, Su Huafang took out a small bottle from his pocket.

“Young Master Zhao, these are Yang-Replenishing Pills I refined myself. Have a few.”

Without hesitation, Zhao Hao accepted the bottle, pulled out the stopper, and poured the pills directly into his mouth.

At this moment, Zhang Minsheng had already walked away.

As Zhao Hao chewed the pills, he whispered, “That True Lord is very wrong. Zhang Minsheng is a bit off too. Be careful.”

The expressions of Li Lin and the other two remained unchanged, as though they had heard nothing.

Not long afterward, the people searching throughout the fortress all returned.

They all shook their heads at Zhang Minsheng.

They had found no noteworthy clues or objects.

However, they had gathered all the paper effigies and thrown them onto an open patch of ground.

All of these paper effigies were shaped like soldiers.

Everyone formed a circle around the paper effigies and stared at the figures whose cheeks had all been painted bright red.

Someone was preparing to light a fire and burn them all.

Li Lin suddenly spoke up.

“How many paper effigies are there here?”

“No one counted.”

Li Lin said, “I think we should count them.”

Zhang Minsheng thought for a moment.

“It’s not like we’re in a rush. Let’s listen to Patrol Hunter Li and count them first.”

Very quickly, the number of paper effigies was determined.

“One hundred and thirty-six.”

The expressions of Li Lin and Bai Liwei immediately changed slightly.

Zhang Minsheng noticed this and asked, “Does that number mean something?”

Li Lin said, “When we came here last time, we saw the roster. There were a total of one hundred and thirty-seven soldiers. But we only found one hundred and thirty-six skulls. Now there are also one hundred and thirty-six paper effigies here.”

There was obviously some connection between the two.

Zhang Minsheng nodded.

His expression became somewhat subtle.

“I did indeed read about that in the report submitted by Magistrate Huang. Spirit Hunters really do have better brains. I genuinely didn’t connect the number of paper effigies with the number of soldiers. So, Patrol Hunter Li, what advice do you have?”

By the end, there was a hint of coldness in his tone.

Li Lin waved his hand.

“I was only asking casually. Commander Zhang is the one in charge of this operation.”

Bai Liwei also clasped his fists from the side.

“Before we departed, Magistrate Huang instructed the four of us to follow Commander Zhang’s orders.”

Zhang Minsheng was very satisfied with their responses.

Only then did he smile and wave his hand at his subordinates.

“Burn all the paper effigies. Also, begin setting up the boundary ward.”

“Chief, it’s only just past noon. Isn’t it a bit early to start setting up the boundary ward?”

“The earlier the better. Go.”

Then Zhang Minsheng led the Demon Suppression Bureau members off to get busy.

The four Spirit Hunters from Yulin County gathered together.

Bai Liwei lowered his voice and said, “This Zhang Minsheng really does seem to have some problems.”

Zhao Hao chuckled twice.

“Don’t worry. If anything really happens, I’ll protect all of you.”