The crowd was thrilled and delighted.
Seeing this, Fang Zhixing’s brow furrowed slightly.
Soon, Luo Kezhao led his seven hundred infantry, moving out magnificently and disappearing into the distance.
Ding Zhigang and Lv Peipei amongst others also wanted to follow.
However, Fang Zhixing silently stood in place, unmoving.
Xigou crouched next to him, looking up at him.
A look of surprise crossed Fang Zhixing’s face.
Xigou replied, "Yes, I’m sure! After that Demon revealed its true form, I recognized the scent it emitted; I’ve smelled it before."
Fang Zhixing asked, "Where, on whom did you smell it?"
Xigou answered, "Do you remember the large suitcase that Sun Gongchang always carried with him?"
Sun Gongchang, it was him again!
Suddenly, Fang Zhixing’s face changed. He recalled Xigou’s interest in the suitcase on the merchant ship, noting the smell of blood, specifically human blood.
This meant that the living creature inside the suitcase at that time was this hundred-legged centipede!
Sun Gongchang accompanies a Demon?!
Did that mean he too was a Demon?
Taking a deep breath, Fang Zhixing’s thoughts raced, and his expression gradually hardened.
Three hundred Archers quietly awaited instructions.
After a long while, Huang Dashun couldn’t help but speak up, "Sir, are we not going?"
Fang Zhixing shook his head, "No, you will still spend the night outside the town tonight. Do not disturb the townspeople."
Huang Dashun and others looked at each other, each deep in thought.
But an order was an order.
No one dared disobey!
At that moment, Ding Zhigang and Lv Peipei returned, surprised, "Brother, why aren’t you moving?"
Fang Zhixing hesitated a moment before replying, "I suspect that there is more than one Demon lurking in Three-fork Town."
Ding Zhigang and Lv Peipei exchanged glances, their astonishment evident.
Both were momentarily stunned.
Ding Zhigang blinked, his expression solemn, and asked cautiously, "What do you mean by that? Don’t scare me."
Lv Peipei also frowned, "That’s highly unlikely. Demons have a strong territorial sense; it’s almost impossible to find two Demons in the same area."
Fang Zhixing naturally could not provide a rational explanation, stating directly, "The centipede alone has consumed more than a hundred people, but only about a dozen people have gone missing from Three-fork Town. Don’t you find that strange?"
Ding Zhigang spread his hands, "Maybe it ate people in other places."
Fang Zhixing countered, "Where then? So many people died, why has no one reported it?"
Ding Zhigang had no answer.
Lv Peipei furrowed her brow, pondering, "Speaking of which, I too find it a bit strange.
Not long ago, I heard that ’Shadowless Leg’ Meng Congguang challenged ’Whip Kick’ Ren Yimai.
Both adept in leg skills, neither conceding to the other, they agreed to settle their rivalry in a hundred days.
Consider the timeline; it’s only been a month and a half, so when exactly was Meng Congguang killed?"
Fang Zhixing continued, "I also noticed a detail, those eaten by the centipede were mostly younger individuals, predominantly women and children."
Ding Zhigang thought carefully about it, and indeed it was true!
He couldn’t help but furrow his brow in confusion, "What are you suggesting, brother?"
Fang Zhixing pondered, "The centipede might have an accomplice, and that accomplice could be a Demon or even a human."
Ding Zhigang turned pale and licked his lips, "Are you saying someone is secretly feeding a demon?!"
Fang Zhixing nodded, "The demon’s accomplice spent money to buy women and children, continuously feeding it, allowing it to consume over a hundred people without external discovery."
Ding Zhigang and Lv Peipei couldn’t help but hold their breath, horror struck in their hearts.
Indeed, given the chaotic times, human lives were cheap; human trafficking was rampant, and it took little money to buy many women and children.
Moreover, even if they went missing, no one would notice or care.
Lv Peipei’s scalp tingled, and she said in horror, "Who would do such a thing? Aren’t they afraid the demon might turn on them?"
Fang Zhixing pondered, "Before the demon was out of control, it was also human, and humans have families and loved ones.
I believe, before this demon lost control, its family never deserted it and might have tried to save it and after failing, they never gave up but secretly bought people to feed it."
This deduction could indeed make sense, barely plausible.
Some parents overly dote on their children, regardless if their child turns bad or even becomes a demon, they still love their children deeply, willing to do anything, even possibly whatever madness it takes.
Ding Zhigang took a deep breath, "If this is true, then the accomplices of the centipede demon must still be in Three-fork Town."
Lv Peipei hesitated, "Even so, how do we find that person?"
Ding Zhigang was distressed, "Most likely the person is human, not a demon, which makes the investigation even harder, and possibly a local, making it impossible to start."
Lv Peipei thought the same, then glanced at Luo Kezhao and others striding into the town, shaking her head, "Once Second Young Master Luo enters the town, he will show off extravagantly. The culprit will hear the news, possibly hiding deeper or simply run away."
Fang Zhixing sighed, "I have no definite evidence, just some suspicions and conjectures, and since the Second Young Master dislikes me greatly, that’s why I haven’t shared these thoughts with him."
Ding Zhigang expressed full understanding; Luo Kezhao was stubborn and quick to show his emotions; speaking to him would have been futile.
The three of them quickly reached an unspoken agreement—none would enter Three-fork Town.
"Second Young Master, Fang Zhixing and the others seem to have not followed us."
Wen Yudong turned back and frowned, filled with confusion.
Logically they had successfully killed the demon, a cause for celebration; they should be celebrating properly.
Luo Kezhao turned back and his face darkened instantly, snorting angrily, "What the heck! I kindly invite them to celebrate, and they dare not come?"
A subordinate seized the opportunity to stir the pot, "They are too arrogant. They don’t give any respect to you, Second Young Master. It’s clear they don’t regard you at all."
Luo Kezhao, frustrated and embarrassed, sneered, "Forget them, tonight we will drink abundantly and eat heartily, consort with many women, just let them watch enviously, dying of jealousy."
A group of infantry, unable to contain their joy, strutted forward with disrespectful steps, bursting into Three-fork Town.
Soon, the townspeople of Three-fork Town learned that the prime culprit behind the recent disappearances had been dealt with.
The townspeople, naturally, all breathed a sigh of relief.
The aunt of the town soon lifted the martial law, and the town returned to liveliness.
Luo Kezhao led seven hundred infantrymen, first indulging in drinking and eating at a restaurant.
Later many infantrymen ran to the brothel to have fun.
Others, not to be outdone, wandered the streets, taking advantage of their drunkenness, broke into several homes, stole some valuables, and assaulted several women.
In a dark alley, two infantrymen got up, grinning as they pulled up their trousers.
A young girl lay unconscious on the ground, bleeding profusely.
"Hungry at all? Come on, let’s grab some midnight snacks."
The two infantrymen linked arms, barely taking a few steps.
Suddenly one of them said, "Hold on, I need to relieve myself."
He looked left and right, unable to find a latrine.
The other infantryman mocked, "You’ve really drunk too much, who needs a latrine? Just pee anywhere."
The infantryman paused, then realizing, faced the wall and relieved himself.
Turning back, he was suddenly stunned, seeing his buddy clutching his neck, blood oozing between his fingers, then collapsing rigidly.
The infantryman turned ashen, suddenly a large hand emerged from the darkness, grabbed his neck, and slammed him onto the ground.
He felt the ground not cold but somewhat warm, a bit wet...