Chapter Forty-Seven: The Ghostly Army Assembles

In the end, I decided not to rely on Old Zhao for the blood lingzhi for the time being. Who knew what he wanted seven corpses for? If he really intended to use female corpses for some unspeakable act or even as food, that would be disastrous. Without him, we could try to find the blood lingzhi ourselves.

When I shared my thoughts with Wei Qi, he wrapped an arm around my shoulder and said, "No problem. However you want to handle this, I'm with you all the way."

His words warmed my heart. If he ever needed my help in the future, I would give everything I had without hesitation.

When Li Danian heard that Zhao Wuji wanted seven beautiful female corpses, he was shocked too. "What does he need so many female bodies for? Is he planning to raise a ghostly army?"

It was the first time I’d heard the term "ghostly army," but Wei Qi’s eyes widened immediately. "Master Li, that can't be possible!"

Li Danian shook his head. "It's not impossible. Zhao Wuji has always been an oddball among those who walk in the shadows. If he really is practicing the art of the ghostly army, it will be a disaster—the villagers nearby will suffer."

I quietly asked Wei Qi what the ghostly army was. He explained that it was the counterpart of raising little ghosts. Raising little ghosts involves nurturing spirits, which usually feed on the blood of their keeper. The ghostly army, however, is different; it involves raising corpses. These corpses are like zombies, soulless, mindless, moving at the keeper’s command.

It was strange—why would someone as young as Old Zhao want to raise a ghostly army? He had arms and legs of his own.

Wei Qi explained that the ghostly army serves its keeper and can do anything, even intimacy. Of course, that’s not the main reason for raising them. Their real purpose is that they can perform many tasks—anything a living human can do. But the most terrifying part is that a ghostly army must feed on the flesh and blood of corpses.

Hearing Wei Qi’s explanation, I finally understood. The constant aura of death in Old Zhao’s house suggested it was anything but clean. Clearly, this man was up to no good. It’s a shame that such scum exists in the world of shadow-walkers.

Li Danian’s words stunned both Wei Qi and me. "You two go find the corpses. Once you have all seven, let me know."

"Master Li, if we help Old Zhao get seven corpses, aren’t we aiding a villain?" Wei Qi protested.

"We have no choice. He needs seven corpses. Don’t you want the blood lingzhi?"

"We’ll think of another way to get the blood lingzhi. We don’t want to hand him female corpses. If he really is practicing the ghostly army, we’d be harming him and the villagers," I said, resolved that, no matter how hard the search, I’d find the blood lingzhi myself rather than provide him with corpses.

Li Danian nodded approvingly. "You boys still have some compassion. Here’s my thought: bring the corpses but don’t give them to him immediately. Have him help you find the blood lingzhi, then hand over the bodies and see what he does. If he’s really raising a ghostly army, we’ll unite our peers and get rid of this scum together."

Li Danian’s approach felt a bit like setting a trap, but it was reasonable. If Old Zhao really succeeded in raising a ghostly army, it would be a disaster for everyone.

At this point, my mind wasn’t really on whether to eliminate Old Zhao or not—it didn’t concern me much. All I cared about was the blood lingzhi. “All right, Master Li, we’ll go look for the corpses, but we’re only responsible for finding them. Whether you deal with Old Zhao or not isn’t our concern. Also, I hope you’ll guarantee the safety of the female corpses so Old Zhao can’t abuse them.”

Li Danian nodded with a smile. “Don’t worry. Before the ghostly army is formed, these bodies are just corpses—they can’t move and won’t obey commands. He won’t be able to do anything to them. If I discover he’s really attempting to raise a ghostly army, I’ll intervene in time.”

Returning from Li Danian’s, I felt conflicted, as if tangled in a web of confusion. I didn’t know if finding corpses for Old Zhao was right. When I discussed it with Wei Qi, he admitted he was at a loss too. The priority was finding the blood lingzhi; with our abilities, that would be extremely difficult. Compared to that, finding seven corpses was much easier.

Back home, I checked in on Wang Ying and her possessed body, still lying on the bed. Shangguan Wan’er had been diligent, keeping the house tidy. Seeing Wang Ying’s body, my resolve hardened. There was no time to hesitate—saving Wang Ying was the priority.

Wei Qi supported me, and we set off again in the Happy Prince. This time, I decided to return home for a visit. After all, Wang Ying’s soul was sealed by the blood amber and wouldn’t cause any trouble.

Of course, I wasn’t just going home to see my mother and uncle; my main goal was to find Zhao Dongsheng and see if he had any suitable female corpses on hand.

Driving Wei Qi’s car, we drew closer to my hometown. As we turned onto the dirt road leading to the village, nostalgia flooded me. I hadn’t been gone long, but my fate had completely changed. If not for arranging a ghost marriage for Li Jun’s nephew, I’d probably still be helping my uncle with shadow-walking jobs. Now, I was running all over to save Wang Ying.

I missed my mother after all this time.

When we drove up to my house, I saw the front gate was secured with an iron lock. Wei Qi and I waited there. The second sister-in-law from next door saw me and said, smiling, that my uncle and my mother hadn’t been seen for a long time—the gate had been locked for ages.

Her words sent a chill through me. How could that be? Where had my mother and uncle gone? I asked her to confirm, and she swore she wouldn’t joke about such things; the house had been locked for almost a month.

My mind went blank. Could they have left just because I did? Why would they leave? Were they afraid of Wang Ying’s revenge? That didn’t make sense—I’d already taken Wang Ying away. So what had happened?

"Uncle Qi, you called my uncle before, didn’t you? Didn’t he mention anything?" I asked, worried about my mother.

Wei Qi smacked his lips. "We talked twice—once he called me, once I called him. He only told me to take good care of you and said nothing else."

Suddenly, I remembered and pulled out my phone to call my uncle, only to find his number was no longer in service. With no other option, I found some tools and broke the lock. The house was tidy but empty—no one there.

I searched every corner, but found no clues.

"Uncle Qi, what’s going on?" I asked, grief-stricken.

Wei Qi gave a wry smile. "Could it be your mother and uncle had an affair? Maybe they were worried about village gossip and decided to run off together now that you’re grown up, to live a happy life elsewhere."

I shot him a glare. Honestly, it wasn’t the first time I’d thought about my mother and uncle being together. After my father left us, my uncle had shouldered all the responsibilities. It wouldn’t be surprising if feelings had developed over time. It might not sound nice, but I even hoped they’d eloped; it would mean they were alive and well, living a new life somewhere else.

Thankfully, I found Wang Ying’s body in the freezer. At minus one degree, she was still as delicate and lovely as ever. Compared to the older woman’s corpse, Wang Ying’s beauty was far greater.

Wei Qi looked at Wang Ying’s body and shook his head. "You’re a lucky man, you know!"

But I was too preoccupied with thoughts of my mother and uncle to joke around.

I called their numbers multiple times, but every attempt failed—the phones were out of service. With no other options, we had to leave. Before we left, I carried Wang Ying’s corpse into Wei Qi’s car. Though the space was small, her body was still flexible enough to sit like a living person.

Leaving my home, my heart was heavy with worry. Wei Qi suggested that when we returned tomorrow, we could ask Yu Fang for help. Even if it wasn’t a police matter, as an officer, she might be able to find out where my uncle and mother had gone. That comforted me somewhat.

Under the cover of night, we headed straight for Zhao Dongsheng’s house. The main purpose of this trip was to find corpses. I felt a little awkward about seeing Zhao Dongsheng again, since last time he and my uncle had a huge argument over Wang Ying’s body.

But business is business—personal matters aside, there was work to do. I’d contact him first, then find a place to borrow some money.

When we arrived at Zhao Dongsheng’s house, something felt off. Usually, since he ran a funeral shop, the entrance would be lined with paper effigies, horses, and funeral wreaths. But now, the area was deserted.

I knocked on the door a few times. "Uncle Zhao, are you home?"

After a long while, the black door finally creaked open. Zhao Dongsheng stood there like a stick, his face deathly pale, drool trickling from his mouth, his eyes glazed and vacant. If he wasn’t moving and drooling, you’d have thought he was a corpse himself.