SWDnovel Chapter 57 Chengjiang City
Chapter 57 Chengjiang City
As dusk fell, the sun shone through the clouds, its radiant light streaming down through the gaps in the clouds.
Tall pines and cypresses clustered together, shielding the blazing sun. Dense clumps of trees nestled among the trees, shrouded in a light mist, clung to the mountainside.
A chilling breeze swept across the three men's faces, ruffling their hair and beards.
More than half a day had passed since the two woke up, and the swordsman did not hide anything from them, but told them everything.
Following the guidance of the withered branches, the three of them wandered around for a long time before finally managing to get here from the miasma. At this moment, Chen Qinghe could no longer walk.
"That fellow's legs are far too nimble..."
"We're not far now; the direction indicated by the withered branches hasn't deviated from our path for a long time. It seems that Tian Guangzu is just ahead."
Jian Shiqing, wielding a steel knife, cleared a path for the three, cutting through the thorns and brambles.
Fang Hongxuan walked to the back, holding a knife and keeping watch on his surroundings. Only Chen Qinghe, who was in the middle, seemed to have nothing to do.
"I will first teach you a basic breathing technique. Using this method, you should be able to travel through mountains and rivers with a little more ease."
Jian Shiqing made no attempt to conceal anything and openly revealed the method. In his view, Fang Hongxuan, who was also from the Demon Suppression Division, would naturally know it as well, so it wouldn't violate the rules.
However, Fang Hongxuan kept it firmly in mind, waiting for his meridians to recover so that he could verify it with the scriptures taught by Master Huikong.
The three climbed to the top of the mountain and looked down. They happened to discover a town still surrounded by city walls at the foot of the mountain.
Even the withered tree pointed straight at the direction the three of them were looking.
"Looks like we'll have to make a trip here..."
'Sha...'
A zombie with bloodshot eyes and red fur suddenly sprang from the bushes. Its face, covered in pustules, was particularly horrifying.
It stared intently at the three of them, its mouth spewing out a mixture of salty water and foul blood.
"Go down the mountain..."
Jian Shiqing led the way, his steel knife swinging faster and faster, cutting down thorns and bushes along the way, leaving only a narrow path barely wide enough for one person to pass.
There was no way to be in a hurry; after all, past mistakes should serve as lessons for the future. If Wu Qi hadn't carried the two of them all the way last time, Jian Shiqing would probably have become one of them long ago.
"How...how did they get here!"
Fear gripped Chen Qinghe's entire body; he had personally witnessed just how insane these inhuman zombies could be.
This time, no horses could carry them away from here; they could only rely on their own speed to widen the distance between them.
A swarm of heads emerged from the bushes, each one greedily eyeing the three men's intact necks.
As the approaching zombies drew closer, Fang Hongxuan could only sigh slightly. Just as he drew his sword, preparing to cover their retreat in the same manner, he realized that...
But then the withered tree floating in his palm emitted a dazzling emerald light, and the bloodthirsty and ferocious walking corpses instantly scattered like birds and beasts.
"What...what's going on here...?"
"Could it be that it sensed the pressure from the tree spirit?"
"Is it the power of the withered branch... or the aura of the toad venom encased within?"
The two, who had been like frightened birds, were completely at ease. The three of them took turns leading the way until the sun began to set, when they finally saw the shadows of villages and towns ahead.
The towering buildings, resembling city walls, completely envelop the village and town, with even the city gates on all four sides opening into the air.
Entering and exiting both require going down and up through a special passage, a sight that amazed Chen Qinghe.
"Could this be the legendary mechanical city?"
...
"Who goes there?"
On the city wall, armored soldiers with gloved mouths coldly watched the three men. The burly man at the head of the group shouted angrily at them.
Dozens of crossbow bolts were aimed at the three men, and if they made any sudden movement, the soldiers would unleash a torrential downpour of arrows upon them.
"The Demon Suppression Division, Demon Extermination Captains Jian Shiqing and Fang Hongxuan, have come to thoroughly investigate the matter of the walking corpses... We hope you will grant us your assistance!"
Jian Shiqing responded loudly, while gesturing for Fang Hongxuan to produce the intact Demon-Suppressing Token. After all, he only had half of it himself, and it would be difficult to convince the crowd if he produced it.
"Hmm... it really is the Demon Suppression Order. Three Demon Extermination Captains, please come in quickly... Chengjiang Town has been waiting for you for a long time."
'Buzz'
As the gears inside the wall turned, a massive chariot, large enough to hold ten people, was lowered down by iron chains. Three armored soldiers were huffing and puffing as they turned the wheel.
"Oh no, they're surrounding us again!"
"Rockets ready!"
The horde of zombies rushed toward the city wall, their eyes fixed menacingly on the firelight and the soldiers scrambling about.
"What's going on now?"
"In response to your question, sir, the surrounding villages have recently been afflicted by this unknown plague. Men, women, children, the widowed, the orphaned, and the lonely have all turned into those hideous walking corpses."
"In just a few days, they will gather at the foot of the city, attempting to breach the city walls and devour people."
"This seems to be different from the walkers we know."
Jian Shiqing's expression darkened slightly, and he asked aloud.
"My lord, you truly have discerning eyes; even the walking corpses here retain a glimmer of wisdom..."
"Going upstream along the Sihua River leads to Sishui County. The local plague was rampant, and tens of thousands of people died or were injured in the epidemic."
"The officials of the Demon Suppression Division are exceptionally powerful, and they have severed all of the plague demon's left and right arms."
"However, the problem was that the severed arm floated downstream. The people downstream also suffered as a result..."
"You mean... these walkers obey those two arms?"
"That's what's rumored."
The burly leader, clad in armor and armed with weapons, bowed and replied, but he himself found it quite absurd, so he did not look up at the three men.
What is the basis for this claim?
Fang Hongxuan suddenly spoke, interrupting Jian Shiqing, who was somewhat angry.
"Twenty li west of here lies Guanjiang Village, according to the people who fled here."
Those arms traveled along the Sihua River, passing through Shenmu Village... and finally drifted to Guanjiang Village.
"And bring those who know the inside story before him."
Chen Qinghe watched this scene silently, absorbing the experiences from Fang Hongxuan and Jian Shiqing like a sponge.
...
"Hey, what are you doing?!"
Fearful cries echoed from inside the gambling den, reverberating along the street.
Two burly men with menacing faces and sticks dragged the person who made the voice out the door.
"You damned soldier, you dare to gamble when you have no money? You're asking for trouble!"
"I didn't lose! Why are you denying it? If you don't pay, I will beat the drum to appeal for justice."
"Have the constables arrest all the heartless men here!"
"Hahaha..."
The two burly men burst into laughter, tears streaming down their faces, and they almost couldn't straighten up.
"Did you hear that?"
"It's unbelievable that we've run into such a naive person."
"Are you perhaps trying to say that fortunes change every thirty years, and one shouldn't underestimate a middle-aged person's poverty?"
His flippant tone drew laughter from the onlookers.
The crowd that had gathered also pointed and whispered among themselves at the thin man.
This made the already thin man, who couldn't hold his noodles, blush even more.
He grumbled and disappeared into the crowd.
However, unnoticed by everyone, Tian Guangzu, wearing a bamboo hat and a black robe, quietly followed them.