90: Chapter 87: Traces of Family…

90: Chapter 87: Traces of Family…

Nanyang City:

All seven provinces along the river had suffered attacks, but the most ferocious assault was undoubtedly on Nanyang City!

Since Nanyang had been under attack by the undead, the counterattack was the most decisive and swift.

In the face of the demon evil, the Shen Family activated numerous defense techniques outside the city, and almost without expending a single soldier, they wiped out the first wave of tens of thousands of the undead completely.

This had allowed General Hong Rui, stationed here, to finally breathe a sigh of relief.

The reason was nothing other than a shortage of troops and not enough confidence!

Among the seven provinces, Nanyang covered the largest area, but the Imperial Court had stationed the fewest troops there, partly reflecting trust in the Shen Family and partly because it was unnecessary.

Neither foreign powers nor bandits dared to cause trouble on the Shen Family’s territory.

But because of this, Nanyang was now in the most awkward predicament…

Atop the city walls, watching the sunrise cause the undead horde to retreat like the tide, Hong Rui almost went weak at the knees and sat down on the ground.

Unlike the relief he felt after the first wave of attacks at night, he now felt a strong sense of fear after the fact.

Not just him, but even the Shen Family members on the city walls were still feeling the fright.

The numbers were too exaggerated.

Just by looking at the bodies below the city, it was obvious that the undead slain by the Shen Family’s techniques were countless, piled up like mountains of flesh.

It was quite a spectacle, especially during the last wave at night—Hong Rui estimated there were at least two hundred thousand of them!

A dark tide, vast and overwhelming, rolled toward them like a flood.

At that moment, he was so terrified he almost wet himself!

Poor thing, although he was a member of the Hong Family, he had never been on a battlefield due to his elder’s indulgence.

His posting in Jiangnan was also a result of his family’s efforts on his behalf—it was intended for him to gain some experience in a local post for a few years, to have an excuse to hold a significant but idle rank in the Capital City.

Unlike Weichi Peng, who was sent to Jiangnan to be suppressed because of his outstanding abilities, Hong Rui truly lacked any real talent…

After all…

the Imperial Court wouldn’t have stationed anyone capable on the land of the Shen Family.

“General, you have worked hard…” A hoarse voice came, belonging to an elegantly dressed middle-aged man sitting in a wheelchair, pale in complexion.

It was Shen Lao San (Third Elder Shen): Shen Yimiao.

“Now that the undead have retreated, would you like to return to the city for some rest?”

“It’s fine, it’s fine…” Hong Rui managed a forced smile, which sounded somewhat guilty.

What hard work had he done?

He had watched a show the entire night.

Although the show was somewhat thrilling, it didn’t involve him…

“Mister Shen San…” Hong Rui swallowed and asked: “With the current situation…

should we request reinforcements from the Imperial Court?”

In Nanyang, the Imperial Court’s troops were more of a symbolic presence, numbering only five hundred.

Since there was basically no risk, enlisting was tantamount to slacking off while receiving military pay.

Nearly all those who could enter the Nanyang barracks were related to someone influential, and they had no combat strength whatsoever.

They were even less reliable than him on the city walls; scared out of their wits, they ran down the walls at the third wave of attacks.

According to military law, they all deserved to be executed!

The magic arrays of the Shen Family seemed powerful indeed, but if the situation continued like last night, it was doubtful they could hold.

“Request reinforcements?” Shen San let out a rare bitter laugh and shook his head: “If only we could ask for reinforcements…”

Yesterday, when the Azure Dragon Heritage appeared, six leaders of the Shen Family had set out but ended up wandering aimlessly in that mist for a long time.

The mysteries inside were beyond belief.

The six leaders tried all sorts of methods but couldn’t find their way out of that fog and ultimately had to return in disappointment, their grand declarations before leaving turning into a joke.

As of now, it seemed that the mist was not a tactic of the Imperial Court.

Whether it had something to do with Yundu remained to be observed.

“If that’s the case, I will go back for some rest,” Shen San smiled and said: “If there’s any situation, please inform me promptly, General.”

“Sure, sure, Mister Shen San, you’ve worked hard; let me escort you…”

“No need to trouble yourself, General.

You should also find time to rest—you’ve been standing all night after all.”

“Haha, not at all…” Hong Rui immediately waved his hands in feigned modesty, feeling guilty.

Shen Yimiao didn’t bother with further politeness.

Metal claws appeared from his wheelchair like those of an eight-legged spider, and in a most peculiar manner, he leapt down from the city wall right before everyone’s eyes.

Hong Rui could see that Shen Yimiao wasn’t heading back to rest, but clearly toward the river, to meet up with the few leaders who had just pursued the enemy.

He didn’t take it to heart, knowing he was just a nominal general without the right to participate in the defense of Nanyang.

What he needed to consider was how to escape without being held accountable by the authorities should the Shen Family fail to hold the city.

And now, he couldn’t flee alone because he still had an unfulfilled task…

About half a month ago, while returning from the north, his older brother Hong Lie had written him a letter asking him to escort a civilian official’s family to Jiangnan.

Treating it as a leisurely journey, he took the scenic route by water through Lijiang, but he hadn’t expected to get trapped just upon reaching Nanyang.

Now it was a fine mess.

If those horrifying undead had stormed into the city yesterday, would he have had to abandon those countrywomen and children and flee?

His brother would probably break his legs, right?

After all, the letter said very seriously that he must ensure their safety, mentioning that this Chen was a dear friend of the Hong Family, someone who had once saved his brother’s life.

He was to make sure the man’s family was well settled…

But if he had to carry that burden…

with his own meager skills, he feared he might not survive in Nanyang…

Alas…

With this thought, Hong Rui’s face showed his distress, and he could only pray that the Shen Family would be strong enough.

After all, they were a thousand-year-old Sorcerer Family.

—————————————–

“Has Third Brother arrived?”

At this moment, several heads of the Shen Family were by the riverside, closely observing the retreating undead.

“Have you figured anything out?” asked Shen Lao San.

“These undead are controlled by insects.”

The speaker was none other than the current clan leader of the Shen Family: Shen Yixin.

“Insects?”

“Third brother, look…” Shen Yixin took out a transparent box, which contained a few white threadlike worms as thin as strands of hair.

“Are these…

inside the undead bodies?”

“Yes…” Old Qi said grimly from the side, “These undead only lose the ability to move when their bodies are completely blown apart, or their brains are damaged.

We thought it was strange at the time, but after close observation, sure enough, we discovered that after the undead lose the ability to move, these kinds of worms burrow out from the top of their heads!”

“Insects…

controlling corpses…” Third Elder Shen frowned, his eyelids twitching as if suddenly reminded of something!

“You thought of something, right, third brother?” Shen Yixin said solemnly.

“Ah, father once…” Third Elder Shen suddenly recalled a period in the past when his father, the Old Ancestor Shen, seemed to be madly experimenting in this area, working on a project that used Gu Insects to control living people.

The experiments were so frantic that he remembered that tens of thousands died during them!

If it had not been for their mother’s persuasion before her death, father might have continued.

Old Jiu was born against this backdrop, publicly proclaimed as a Poison Sorcerer, but in actuality, he was an Insect Sorcerer!

“Could these things…

possibly be father’s doing?” Old Shi’er asked in astonishment.

“Shut up!” Third Elder Shen unusually snapped with severity.

There must be hundreds of thousands of these landed undead, and judging by the waves after waves, who knows how many more are lurking in the water.

An initial estimate puts it in the millions.

If Old Ancestor Shen really did this, no matter how powerful he was, he would be viewed as a demon by others, and the Shen Family would be pushed to the brink of disaster!

“Third brother, this is more serious than we thought…” Shen Yixin said while holding the transparent box, “These worms, upon contact with flesh, can miraculously split into millions, completely altering the structure of a living person, forcibly transforming ordinary people into demons.”

“Isn’t that just like the Insect Demon?” Old Shi’er muttered.

“Not the same…” Shen Yixin shook his head, “It’s much more troublesome than an Insect Demon.

The Insect Demon merely controls living people as containers, but this thing changes living people, turning them directly into demons, and because of this terrifying ability to split, these undead likely have extremely strong contagion abilities, with a mere scratch or bite carrying the risk of turning into this kind of monster.”

Third Elder Shen’s pupils contracted sharply upon hearing this, and he abruptly looked towards the river.

“It seems you’ve thought of it too, third brother.” Shen Yixin said somberly, looking at the river, “The river of Nanyang Prefecture connects more than seventy counties, all densely populated areas, with over a million living people…”

Third Elder Shen: “…..”

After a moment of silence, Third Elder Shen finally spoke up, “We should split up and act separately, try to save as many as possible.

Secondly, this matter must have nothing to do with father.

Any rumors related to this must be obliterated!”

“Of course…” A fierce light shone in Shen Yixin’s eyes, even if the people of Nanyang were to be wiped out, he couldn’t let this matter be associated with their father in any way!

——————————————–

“Sir, is there anything I can help with?”

Inside the government office of Lyuzhou Prefecture, Chen Ying stepped forward and asked proactively, watching Chen Qing preparing to personally lead a team.

“Just get a good grasp of what I gave you,” Chen Qing glanced at Chen Ying, “Right now, you’re of no help.”

Chen Ying: “….”

Has this guy always been so irritating when he speaks?

“Then why are you taking me out of the city with you?”

“I’m afraid you might die in the city!” Chen Qing glanced at her, “Have you forgotten that Ninth Elder Shen is still hiding in the city?

If I’m not around, do you think he won’t come for you?”

Chen Ying shuddered at the thought, still vividly remembering the gaze of Ninth Elder Shen looking at her from the shadows onboard the ship!

“I don’t know why…” Chen Qing furrowed his brow, “That Ninth Elder Shen seems to be quite fixated on you.”

“On me?” Chen Ying was taken aback, but then she too found it strange.

Among the many people on the merchant ship, why did he single her out?

While they were talking, a cute voice suddenly came through.

“Daddy…”

Chen Ying, who was about to ask a question, was taken aback, turning to look and feeling her heart melt at the sight of the beautiful child.

Wait…

did he just call him daddy?

This man Chen had a child already?

A wave of discomfort washed over Chen Ying for no apparent reason…

“Awake?” Chen Qing suddenly said with a gentle smile.

He had expected Ghost Doll to wake up these past two days.

With him to guard Lyuzhou, the trip would be more assured.

“Sir…” Wei Gongcheng walked in from outside, “I’ve brought the people.

Should I call them in now?”

Wei Gongcheng didn’t understand why Chen Qing had to personally choose who to take and who to leave behind.

Was it really necessary?

“Yes…” Chen Qing placed the mirror that was in his arms onto the desk in front of him without any change in expression and said indifferently, “Call them in.”

This small action didn’t seem like much to others, but Chen Ying was slightly taken aback.

That mirror…

why does it look familiar?