SWDnovel Chapter 6 Killing Gate
Chapter 6 Killing Gate
The entrance to the secret passage behind the artificial hill was wide open, and a strong, pungent, fishy, and putrid stench was constantly rising from it.
Zhang Ping stood at the edge of the cave entrance, the stench making him feel nauseous.
"Boss, should we go down and take a look?"
Zhou Zheng leaned closer, his eyes involuntarily glancing into the dark hole.
Upon hearing this, Zhang Ping looked at him with a helpless expression.
I wonder what's coming next. It seems like this week he's even more courageous than Li Changzai!
Although he currently possesses some strength and even has a health-boosting ability, he won't be reckless. Moreover, the terrain of this underground chamber is narrow, and if he encounters something, he might be at a disadvantage due to the lack of space to maneuver.
Thinking of this, Zhang Ping waved his hand and said, "We don't know what's hidden below this secret passage. If we go down rashly, there will definitely be danger. No rush."
He then stayed there and instructed Zhou Zheng to question the servants again to see if they were hiding anything.
Zhou Zheng nodded, but returned shortly afterward, shaking his head and saying, "The servants said they had never seen this secret room before."
They waited for about an hour, but there was still no movement from below.
Now that we've discovered this secret room, we naturally have to go down there.
After thinking for a long time, Zhang Ping turned back to Zhou Zheng and instructed him, "Pick a few daring and ruthless men, bring your weapons, and come down with me."
Zhou Zheng responded and turned to run to the front yard.
Before long, he brought over five constables, all of whom were seasoned veterans who had worked with Zhang Ping on many cases and had seen bloodshed.
Each person had a broadsword tucked into their waistband and carried an oiled paper lantern in their hand. The tinderbox was already lit, and the orange flames flickered in the wind.
"Stay close to me. Once we're down there, don't touch anything and don't fall behind." Zhang Ping glanced at the group, his tone not harsh.
But everyone understood the meaning in those eyes; this was no joke.
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Zhang Ping then turned around, looked at the cave entrance, took a deep breath, and stepped onto the downward steps.
The steps were made of bluestone, but because they were not exposed to sunlight, a layer of slippery moss had grown on them, making them wet and slippery to walk on.
However, this is nothing to those of them who have a foundation in cultivation.
Zhang Ping walked slowly, his left hand supporting him against the wall, his right hand already gripping the hilt of his broadsword, ready to draw it at the first sign of danger.
But the further down you go, the stronger the stench becomes.
And it's no longer just smelly.
After taking a breath, it looked like a pot of swill that had been simmering for half a month had been stuck to his nose.
Behind him came a constable's suppressed retching sound, but it was quickly swallowed back down.
The steps wind downwards, and a rough count reveals at least fifty or sixty steps.
After walking for about the time it takes to brew a cup of tea, the area ahead gradually opened up, and the outline of a space could be seen in the dim light.
And it doesn't seem to be dangerous.
The crowd dispersed, raised their lanterns and shone them forward, the orange glow spreading out and illuminating the entire secret chamber.
Everyone was stunned.
The underground chamber was the same size as the inner courtyard above.
The walls are made of blue bricks, the ground is paved with neat stone slabs, and there are beams on the top, showing that a lot of effort was put into its construction.
In the very center of the secret room stood a large, carved bed.
The bed is made of mahogany with exquisite craftsmanship. The bedposts are carved with intricate auspicious patterns, and the curtains are made of the finest silk. It is evident that a considerable amount of money was spent when this bed was purchased.
But now, this luxurious bed is covered in shocking bloodstains.
Dark red bloodstains spread from the sheets to the floor; some had dried and turned black, while others remained a dark red, as if they had only been splashed recently.
And scattered around the bed were even more chilling things.
Those are human remains.
Severed hands, severed feet, a torn torn body, and several human heads rolling on the ground.
Their faces were contorted, their eyes wide open, and their mouths agape, as if they were letting out a final scream before they died.
"one two three……"
Zhou Zheng's voice trembled slightly as he counted the number of limbs that could be pieced together, "Thirteen... at least thirteen corpses."
The accompanying constables were just ordinary constables from Fenggu City, who usually handled minor cases of theft and brawls. Even though they had worked on murder cases with Zhang Ping, they had never seen such a horrific and disgusting scene.
In the blink of an eye, two of the constables could no longer hold back and bent over to vomit violently, almost bringing up bile. The rest of them were also pale and their stomachs were churning. They barely managed to keep from losing their composure.
Even Zhang Ping felt a churning in his stomach.
He gritted his teeth and forced himself to swallow the nausea.
"It seems this is where that rat is hiding. And the people here are its prey."
Zhang Ping's voice echoed in the empty, secluded room.
"That's fucking inhuman."
Zhou Zheng cursed fiercely.
He had seen villains and ruthless bandits, but he couldn't even imagine feeding people to monsters like livestock.
"Boss, there are still people here!"
A moment later, the voice of a yamen runner came from a corner.
Zhang Ping then quickly walked over.
In the innermost corner of the secret room, an iron cage was discovered.
A large iron cage, big enough to hold twenty or thirty people.
Inside the cage, a small, thin figure was curled up.
Only when I got closer could I see that it was a woman.
She looked to be in her early twenties, wearing a dress whose original color was no longer recognizable, her hair was a messy smear on her face, her exposed arms were as thin as twigs, and her skin was deathly pale.
She lay curled up in the cold iron cage, motionless, her breath barely perceptible, as if she might die at any moment.
There's still blood here, so how did that dead rat manage to escape?
Zhang Ping had some questions, but he didn't think too much about it, since saving lives was the priority.
Without the slightest hesitation, he drew his broadsword and cleaved the iron gate open.
He then ordered someone to bring the woman out and take her to the yamen (government office).
He followed the people uphill.
After all, there's nothing worth staying here.
"Zhou Zheng!"
As he left, he turned and ordered, "Properly dispose of these corpses in the secret room and register them so that their identities can be verified!"
"And search the Changyun Escort Agency thoroughly, leaving no stone unturned."
Zhou Zheng nodded upon hearing this.
Just as Zhang Ping was leaving the escort agency, he was surprised to find two men in black standing among the dense branches of a large tree in the distance.
One of them said with admiration, "I didn't expect this person to be so capable. Not only did he kill Hei Sha, but he also managed to find Hei Sha's lair so quickly."
Another person replied, "The town lord said to let us observe him for two more days to see if he is qualified to join the Killing Sect."
As soon as he finished speaking, the man replied, "It's just that he's a bit too old, otherwise he would be qualified to kill Black Fiend."