Chapter 38: The Mask Proves Its Worth
The members of the Demon Suppression Bureau searched throughout the fortress, but still failed to find anything worth mentioning or any useful clues.
Soon, everyone gathered together again.
“The altar has already been established. Since there are no other clues, we’ll return tomorrow.” Zhang Minsheng spoke in an indifferent tone.
The members of the Demon Suppression Bureau all relaxed and smiled.
After all, this place looked sinister, and nobody wanted to stay any longer than necessary.
On the other hand, the Spirit Hunters from Yulin County did not look nearly as happy.
After thinking for a while, Bai Liwei walked over and said, “Commander Zhang, since you’ve read the report we submitted, then you should know that at night, a kind of black resentful mist appears here.”
“Of course I know that.”
Zhang Minsheng smiled and said, “Don’t worry. We’ve come prepared.”
After saying that, he called to the side, “Zhang Zuoqing, come here!”
Then a gloomy man emitting yin energy walked over.
He gave off a distinctly unpleasant feeling.
“It’s almost dark. Time for you to show what you can do.”
The man named Zhang Zuoqing smiled, walked to the four corners of the fortress, and pasted a yellow talisman onto each wall.
The talismans immediately connected into a square formation.
Afterward, the surrounding resentment seemed to be swept away entirely.
Su Huafang quietly said to Li Lin, “The True Martial Four Saints Formation. Those four talismans should bear the images of the four auspicious beasts.”
“You know about that too?” Li Lin asked curiously.
“When you’ve lived long enough and seen enough things, nothing seems particularly strange anymore.”
While the two were talking, Zhang Minsheng walked over.
Stroking his beard, he smiled and said, “Now the four of you can rest easy, right?”
Bai Liwei immediately clasped his fists and said, “At ease, at ease. Every one of the Demon Suppression Bureau’s members possesses unique skills. Bai is deeply impressed.”
Zhang Minsheng burst into laughter.
“Everyone can relax. With our Demon Suppression Bureau here, absolutely nothing unexpected will happen during this assignment.”
Naturally, Bai Liwei and the others offered repeated compliments.
With a pleased expression, Zhang Minsheng modestly deflected the praise.
The two sides appeared entirely harmonious.
Afterward, Zhang Minsheng returned to his own group, while the Spirit Hunters sat off to one side eating dry rations.
For a time, silence prevailed.
After quite a while, Bai Liwei said, “Although the Demon Suppression Bureau’s precautions are excellent, and there’s even a True Lord here, I still feel uneasy.”
Su Huafang smiled.
“You’ve been bitten by a snake once and now fear every rope for ten years. This time, everyone here is an expert. There won’t be any problems.”
“There wasn’t a single weak person among the sixteen of us last time either.”
That left Su Huafang with no reply.
Zhao Hao forcefully patted his chest.
“The three of you can relax. If something really happens, I’ll cover the rear.”
Li Lin suddenly remembered something.
He pulled a mask from inside his clothing.
The mask was silver-white and very attractive.
Sooner or later, people were bound to see it anyway.
There was no harm in taking it out now, especially since its origin was legitimate.
Unlike the Shengxi Pills, which were far more valuable than this mask.
The other three were momentarily stunned when they saw the mask in his hand.
“A gui artifact!” Zhao Hao exclaimed in surprise.
The other two also stared fixedly at the mask.
They felt it looked somewhat familiar.
Then Su Huafang asked, “Could that be the Tree Immortal Lady’s mask?”
Li Lin nodded.
“That’s right. She gave it to me.”
“She gave it to you?”
All three cried out in unison, then looked at one another.
Li Lin looked at them and asked, “Is there something strange about that?”
Su Huafang looked at Li Lin with some admiration.
“This is the first time I’ve ever heard of a True Lord showing such a human side.”
Bai Liwei repeatedly nodded from the side as well.
“Don’t you get along with your own patron True Lords as friends?”
The expressions of the three men were as though they were looking at a freak.
“Forget it.”
Su Huafang helplessly shook his head.
“Everyone has their own fate. Such things can’t be forced. Does your mask have any special properties?”
“It can see wild gui...”
As Li Lin spoke, he put on the mask.
“As for whether it has any other uses, I’m still testing it.”
That cool sensation once again flowed into his eye sockets.
Li Lin looked around.
Because of the boundary ward and the presence of the True Lord guarding the area, there were no wild gui nearby.
Everything was very clean.
But then Li Lin narrowed his eyes.
“What is it?” Su Huafang asked.
The other two also looked at him.
Li Lin removed the mask, tucked it back into his clothing, and pointed toward a nearby vegetable plot.
“Something is very wrong over there. There seems to be something hidden underneath.”
In his eyes, a faint trace of black qi was rising from that spot.
It was very different from the surroundings.
The three looked over.
It was a vegetable plot planted with green vegetables.
Although nobody maintained it anymore, the crops were growing exceptionally well.
“A vegetable plot...”
Zhao Hao laughed.
“I trust Patrol Hunter Li. How about we dig it up together?”
“Alright!”
The Spirit Hunters of Yulin County were fairly united.
Though there had been traitors like Xu Saifeng among them.
The four walked over.
Beside the vegetable plot were iron shovels and spades.
The people of Great Qi were naturally fond of farming.
In a fortress where people remained stationed for long periods and were not allowed to leave, farming became an excellent pastime.
It could also solve part of the food supply problem.
It served several purposes at once.
Therefore, farming tools were always kept nearby.
Very quickly, the four picked up the tools and began digging rapidly at the spot Li Lin had indicated.
Naturally, this commotion attracted the attention of the Demon Suppression Bureau members.
While eating, they watched the Spirit Hunters working.
Not long afterward, Zhao Hao’s hoe struck the ground heavily.
Yet it produced a clear metallic clang.
Clang!
The four exchanged glances and increased their digging speed.
Before long, an iron trapdoor appeared before them.
At this point, Zhang Minsheng also arrived with his men.
“There’s actually a secret passage here?”
Zhang Minsheng looked at the four of them.
“How did you suddenly discover it?”
The other three all looked at Li Lin.
Li Lin remained calm and said, “I’ve always been particularly sensitive to resentment. I kept feeling something was wrong here, so I brought my colleagues over to dig around. I didn’t expect we’d actually uncover something.”
Looking at the secret passage, Zhang Minsheng smiled.
“The real Spirit Hunters are indeed more alert. The four of you, please step back. Men, open it and take a look.”
His meaning was clear.
The Demon Suppression Bureau intended to claim the credit for itself.
After all, discovering a strange secret passage inside a fortress would most likely lead to some kind of reward.
Zhao Hao frowned and was about to step forward and argue.
But Li Lin pulled him back.
Zhao Hao immediately understood.
Laughing loudly, he said, “Commander Zhang, do you need our help?”
“No need. Just watch from the side.”
Li Lin and the others obediently retreated.
Then they watched as the Demon Suppression Bureau members pulled open the iron hatch of the secret passage.
Immediately afterward, the group scattered in all directions.
The stench...
It was unbelievably foul.
Even from such a distance, Li Lin and the others could smell it.
“Something down there is very wrong.”
Li Lin quietly said to the three colleagues beside him.
“Be careful. If anything happens, we’ll be prepared.”
The other three nodded lightly.
After a while, one of the Demon Suppression Bureau members descended carrying a lantern.
A short time later, he hurriedly climbed back out.
“Disgusting. It’s too disgusting down there.”