The ghoul was incinerated by the Qilin Fire, and the wronged souls within finally found freedom, no longer trapped in endless resentment.
"Xiao Ge, are you alright?"
Seeing that everything had calmed down, Wu Tianzhen, relieved, also worried if Zhang Qiling had been injured just now.
Zhang Qiling shook his head slightly, seeming to want to say something but stopping.
As the time spent together grew longer, both Wu Tianzhen and Fatty had gained a thorough understanding of Zhang Qiling's unique way of expression. They had mastered the art of interpreting Zhang's micro-expressions and mannerisms to perfection!
For instance, at this moment, Wu Tianzhen could tell at a glance that Zhang Qiling was bothered by his jacket being burnt, and he immediately chuckled.
"It's fine, I'm not cold at all, hahaha!"
"It seems the reason this place is so desolate and the air is poisonous is because of the resentment that has permeated from this ghoul over the years..."
"Now that it's eliminated, this place should be much safer."
Seeing this, Zhang Qiling seemed a little more relaxed. He sheathed his saber and looked at Fatty.
"You just now..." he stared intently at Fatty's abdomen, pondering, "shouted 'Go you'."
Fatty: ???
...Well, shouldn't I have shouted that?
Fatty was momentarily bewildered, but seeing Zhang Qiling's serious expression, he felt this must be something important.
After thinking it over and over and failing to understand, he hesitantly repeated it.
"Go... Go you?"
Now Wu Tianzhen also realized the problem. He listened again in disbelief and was instantly delighted!
"Holy crap! Fatty, listen carefully, the answering insect isn't speaking anymore!!"
Fatty: !!!!!
"Holy hell! Is that true or false?!" Fatty exclaimed in shock, even suspecting the answering insect had fallen asleep. He bounced up and down a few times, trying to wake it with the undulating movement of his large belly.
"...Speak! Speak again? Are you going to speak or not?! If you're going to speak, hurry up!"
After several attempts, the answering insect remained silent. Fatty felt as if all the frustrations of the day had been released, and he was incredibly pleased. He stood still and spat at his belly,
"Coward, you little turtle's son!"
The answering insect, scared into silence by the antidote: ...Do you think you're funny?
"Alright Fatty, stop playing, hahaha!" Knowing the antidote was nearby, Wu Tianzhen was also happy, but the longer they delayed, the more problems could arise. He felt it was best to find the antidote quickly.
"Let's search first, before any more trouble happens."
"Damn it, don't even mention that!" Fatty couldn't stand such ominous words now. He eagerly ran off to find the antidote, muttering, "Tianzhen, be careful. If you're a jinx, my antidote won't be safe!"
"No, why am I a jinx?" Wu Tianzhen retorted indignantly. "I'm perfectly normal, aren't I?!"
Zhang Qiling also dispersed to search for what might be the antidote. Hearing their conversation at this moment, he couldn't help but recall the scene when he first encountered Wu Tianzhen.
...It seemed he had initially treated Wu Tianzhen as a trigger for strange occurrences...
Zhang Qiling: ...
He immediately lowered his head and quickened his pace in searching for the antidote!
Although he wouldn't voice it like Fatty, in that instant, he had a sudden bad premonition.
Perhaps because Fatty's intentions were so sincere and his desire so strong, while they searched in vain, he had already discovered the antidote!
The antidote, a yellowish-brown spherical object with a rough surface resembling fibrous texture, lay quietly on the ground amidst the shattered coffin boards, appearing to be a burial item for the young female ghoul.
Actually, when Fatty had touched this area earlier, he hadn't thought of checking the coffin. But in that very moment, the treasure-sensing instinct deeply rooted in his heart suddenly surfaced, prompting him to subconsciously glance at the coffin boards.
Then, as their eyes met, he felt the answering insect in his belly tremble violently.
Fatty: Oh ho~
Soon, Zhang Qiling and Wu Tianzhen, hearing the shout, gathered around. The three of them analyzed it thoroughly but couldn't figure out what this antidote was.
Of course, to be precise, it was Wu Tianzhen and Fatty who were analyzing heatedly, quoting classics and arguing fiercely.
As for Zhang Qiling, he was currently in a state of existential contemplation.
This thing was indeed the antidote; the reaction of the answering insect was proof.
He had actually discerned the true nature of this object.
...The dried and shriveled body of a Jiuxiang worm.
Although called "nine fragrances," it was merely a little trick of the ancients. Nine represented extremity, and at the extreme, things reversed. Jiuxiang worm actually meant—an incredibly foul-smelling insect.
Although it was a medicinal ingredient, generally, no one would be willing to try it.
Moreover, judging by its appearance, this one was likely not prepared.
Zhang Qiling: Caught in a dilemma of whether to speak.
But clearly, Fatty no longer cared what it was. He even fearlessly ignored its past intimate contact with the ghoul.
Gritting his teeth, his eyes widening, and extending his trembling arm, he was determined to forget all its past unpleasantness and generously accept it in its entirety.
Wu Tianzhen cheered him on from the side, while Zhang Qiling turned his head away, unable to bear watching.
Then, just as his hand was about to reach the antidote—
The ground beneath the antidote, which lay quietly on the ground, actually opened its mouth?!!!
With a single gulp, it instantly swallowed the antidote!
Fatty: ??????!!!
"Holy hell! What the hell is this thing?!"
He instantly lost his composure, even suspecting he was hallucinating.
Just as he was about to dive down to see if an Alice-like rabbit hole was hidden beneath, the ground twisted strangely, and a square fleshy mass, almost identical to the soil, shot out!
Zhang Qiling abruptly grabbed the backs of their collars and retreated several meters instantly!
The fleshy mass was enormous, like a recumbent refrigerator, its surface covered with rings of fleshy tendrils and protruding fleshy granules. On its skinned-like surface, mucus occasionally oozed out.
When the mucus dripped onto the ground, the ground was immediately corroded!
This intense toxicity!
It wasn't the ghoul's resentment that was destroying this patch of land, but the poisonous gas from this fleshy mass!
It opened its disgusting, gaping maw, and under the flashlight's beam, the familiar yellowish-brown Jiuxiang worm flashed by.
...Thinking on the bright side, at least this indicates its body is not toxic.
The antidote should still be usable once retrieved.
Amidst Fatty's furious shouts, Zhang Qiling suddenly learned a vast array of novel curse words.
Then, a sentence suddenly flashed through his mind:
...As expected, the anomaly detector is still effective.