Chapter 83: Chapter 83: A Beheaded Evil Ghost Wanders in Rooster Crow Temple_1
"There really are quite a few people," Wang Linchi observed, taking a glance. Xu Sui was quite reliable. Besides the Xiongwei Martial Arts Hall, there were people from the Zhenyuan Escort Agency of Black Rain City, the low-ranking Mud Gang, and he had even persuaded the government to participate.
In total, there were over five hundred men, each looking robust and strong, and each equipped with a long knife forged jointly by the city’s three best blacksmiths.
"Wasn’t the money you spent worth it?" Xu Sui asked, feeling rather complacent.
With money as his key, there was no door he couldn’t open in Black Rain City. Nevertheless, the expenditure pained him deeply. In the span of three days, around three thousand liang of silver had flowed away like water. How could it not pain him?
However, these expenditures were necessary. He had cashed in the gemstone with seven colors for fifteen thousand liang of silver. This far exceeded his initial plan, which was why he orchestrated a larger spectacle to display his might.
"Whether it’s worth it isn’t about the number of people, but whether you can fulfill the agreement. If you can’t fulfill it, then no matter how grand your display, it will be useless," Wang Linchi spoke, his tone harsh.
This was because, despite the large numbers, most of them were a disorganized mob. Only the Door People of the Xiongwei Martial Arts Hall and the dart masters from the Zhenyuan Escort Agency were somewhat disciplined. The rest had little fighting power.
Most Government Officials were bullies, and the Mud Gang, despite its name, was just a group of hooligans. Otherwise, how could they be considered among the dregs of society? The rest were idle loafers and ruffians from various villages who struggled even to lift their long knives. They looked imposing now, but it would be quite a sight if they were routed at the first clash.
Stung by Wang Linchi’s words, Xu Sui’s mood soured somewhat. Yet, he maintained his composure and didn’t turn hostile towards Wang Linchi just because the money was already secured. However, he decided to ignore Wang Linchi for the moment and ordered everyone to set off.
Over five hundred men marched imposingly out of Black Rain City through the South Gate.
During the journey, they encountered no demons or ghosts, and soon arrived smoothly at Rooster Crow Temple.
From a distance, Wang Linchi could see the plaque of Rooster Crow Temple. Apart from its age, the characters on it were clearly legible at a glance. The surroundings of Rooster Crow Temple were desolate, with weeds growing tall.
"Everyone, we..."
Up front, Xu Sui was giving a pep talk to the men, while Wang Linchi lagged behind, ready to flee at the slightest hint of trouble. Wang Linchi wasn’t counting on this group to complete the Secret Realm mission. Instead, he saw them as cannon fodder to test the waters at Rooster Crow Temple. If they succeeded, it would naturally be a joyous outcome for all. If they failed, it would still provide Wang Linchi with valuable experience. To exchange an item polished from a glass bottle for this operation, Wang Linchi felt it was incredibly worthwhile.
Once the pep talk ended, Xu Sui took the lead and charged into Rooster Crow Temple, with the more than five hundred men following in a vast wave.
Wang Linchi, however, didn’t move. Instead, he found a place to hide.
Immediately, the sounds of battle and cries of agony and pleas for mercy erupted.
That rabble has been routed.
After a few minutes, numerous headless corpses were flung out from within the courtyard walls of Rooster Crow Temple.
The battle, however, was not over. The Dart Bureau Dart Masters and the Martial Arts Hall Door People were holding their ground. The dart masters, in particular, were unfazed; having traveled far and wide for years and fought numerous demons and devils, they were no strangers to such encounters.
Wang Linchi knew the members of these two factions were still fighting because they wore distinctive uniforms. By examining the clothing on the corpses being thrown out, he could see they weren’t from the Dart Bureau or the Martial Arts Hall.
The battle at Rooster Crow Temple seemed to have reached a fever pitch. Only then did Wang Linchi cautiously approach and climb the courtyard wall to observe. He had no intention of charging in while the situation was unclear.
After climbing the wall, he saw the state of the battle.
The number of Headless Ghosts was not large, only thirty-two in total, each draped in an old, tattered Kasaya, and headless. However, their bodies were incredibly black, exactly like the reanimated corpse of the dart master from the Xing Far Dart Bureau in the ruined temple.
But unlike that frail reanimated corpse, these Headless Ghosts were incredibly sturdy. Even long knives enchanted to slay evil could only leave white marks on their bodies, failing to inflict any real harm on the Headless Ghosts. The Headless Ghosts not only had sturdy bodies but also possessed incredible strength. If not for their obsession with tearing off heads, a single punch from them could kill a man. It was precisely due to this obsession that the Zhenyuan Escort Agency and the Xiongwei Martial Arts Hall fighters were able to fight them to a standstill.
Xu Sui has messed up, Wang Linchi thought, having no intention of lending a hand.
To put it bluntly, a single Headless Ghost, if not for its obsession with heads, would be even stronger than the Tiger Demon he’d encountered. And now, this small Rooster Crow Temple housed thirty-two of them. A direct assault was out of the question since they couldn’t even breach their defenses. Unless one possessed higher-grade weapons capable of slaying evil, the only option was for someone like Wang Linchi to pick them off stealthily, one by one.
By the end, Xu Sui couldn’t hold out any longer. The Headless Ghosts seemed tireless, but Xu Sui and his men were human; they couldn’t fight indefinitely. If they continued until they were exhausted, none of them would escape alive.
"Everyone, retreat!" Xu Sui had no choice but to unwillingly order a retreat.
The group retreated in an orderly fashion. Fortunately, the Headless Ghosts did not pursue them out of Rooster Crow Temple, stopping at the entrance before dispersing back into the temple grounds.
"You capsized in a ditch, didn’t you? I told you to be more cautious, but you wouldn’t listen," Wang Linchi said, rubbing salt in the wound without hesitation. If Xu Sui messed up, couldn’t others point it out? Failure was common without proper investigation and preparation beforehand. And it wasn’t as if Wang Linchi had given too little; Xu Sui had received real silver from the sale of the item, so he wasn’t the one at a loss.
The men were in a sorry state, and Xu Sui’s face was grim. "I mishandled this. In a few days, I will definitely raze Rooster Crow Temple to the ground," he declared.
Hearing this, however, the few survivors behind him showed expressions of dread. The Zhenyuan Escort Agency would not take on such a job again, and the Door People of the Martial Arts Hall were also apprehensive. If Xu Sui truly tried to compel them, they would most likely terminate their contract and leave. No one was willing to undertake a suicide mission.
"As long as you’re confident," Wang Linchi said, choosing not to press further, stopping there. This time, it wouldn’t be so easy to gather people for another attempt. It’s easy to rally people with initial enthusiasm, but after hitting a wall like this, everyone would realize that this money wasn’t so easy to earn.
"We’ll return and regroup first!" Xu Sui had initially wanted to give another pep talk to boost morale, but seeing the expressions of the thirty-odd survivors, he ultimately couldn’t bring himself to say it. Trying to rally them now would only be counterproductive.
The thirty-odd survivors dejectedly returned to Black Rain City, all their earlier bravado gone.