Chapter 60
Chapter 60
The group kept moving deeper into the cave. At the very end of the murals was a strangely shaped creature:
It had a human-like face, and it held a dripping-bloody human head in its mouth.
Its torso was covered in yellow tiger-like stripes, and an intestine dangled from its leg.
Crowds of people in bizarre clothing surrounded the monster, kneeling and worshipping it without end.
Hua Jiunan said grimly, “So it really is that thing-the Jiao from the Shan Hai Jing!”
Chen Daji asked in curiosity, “Big Brother, you know this monster?”
“What the hell is it, exactly?”
With Hua Jiunan’s reminder, Professor Ma also recalled where this creature came from.
The Shan Hai Jing, in the Northern Classic of the Seas, records:
“Jiao: it has a human face, tiger stripes, and an intestine on its shin. It is north of the Kunlun Ruins, east of the Qiongqi.”
Put into modern language, it meant:
Near the Kunlun Mountains, east of the territory of the ferocious beast Qiongqi, there lived an ancient exotic beast called the Jiao.
Chief Zhou’s expression turned extremely serious.
“Jiunan, are you saying the three staff members who died yesterday were killed by this kind of monster?”
Hua Jiunan shook his head.
“No, not that.”
“The Jiao is only a legendary ancient beast. It’s never appeared in real life.”
“But later, some Fangshi who cultivated sinister arts refined a kind of Gu Worm.”
“It resembles the Jiao, so it’s also called a Jiao Worm.”
“Even though it’s only about the size of a fingernail, it’s incredibly tough.”
“Knives and axes can’t harm it, and it isn’t afraid of water or fire either.”
Hua Jiunan paused briefly before he went on.
“Jiao Worms are vicious by nature. They’ll attack any living thing that comes near.”
“What they love most is human brains.”
“They drill in through the roof of a person’s mouth, suck the brain dry, and then lay their eggs inside.”
Chief Zhou panicked when he heard that.
“Then you’re saying the three comrades who died yesterday have already been parasitized by these things?”
“No, we have to go back-now!”
“Before the monsters finish growing, we need to find a way to kill them!”
Hua Jiunan grabbed Chief Zhou, stopping him as he turned to leave.
“Uncle Zhou, there’s no need to rush.”
“Jiao Worms are hard to deal with, but their growth cycle is extremely long.”
“For the eggs to grow into adults, it takes at least ten years.”
“And the eggs themselves are very fragile-easy to kill.”
Only then did Chief Zhou relax. The group continued onward.
Professor Ma warned them:
“The Corpse Wall is up ahead.”
“It’s… it’s horrifying. Most people can’t handle it the first time they see it.”
“Be prepared.”
Chen Daji, on the other hand, didn’t take it seriously at all.
“Don’t underestimate me, old Professor.”
“I’m a guy who’s seen some things!”
“I’ve punched evil ghosts, kicked Living Corpses, and even fed spicy strips to a pretty female ghost big sister…”
But right as he was bragging, Chen Daji suddenly felt an icy chill run over his whole body, and he couldn’t help shuddering.
He jerked his head up-and there it was.
A terrifying “wall.”
On its surface, one ferocious human face after another bulged out.
They were dried and shriveled, wrapped in a layer of something like slurry-mud.
Every one of them had its mouth stretched wide open-like they were begging for help, or screaming in misery.
Some even had arms reaching out from inside the wall, as though trying to grab anyone who came close.
“Holy shit-what kind of freaky hell-thing is this?!”
Chen Daji sprang behind Hua Jiunan in one jump, only daring to stick out half his head as he stared in fear.
Even though he’d been to the Corpse Wall more than once, Professor Ma clearly still hadn’t gotten used to a sight this horrifying.
“From what I’ve studied these past few days, these people were sealed into the wall while they were still alive.”
“Based on the excavation so far, the wall is at least three meters thick and ten meters high. As for the length…”
“The length can’t be estimated yet.”
“But we’ve already cleared out more than five hundred meters of it!”
Chen Daji sucked in a sharp breath.
“Damn… who could be this ruthless?!”
“How many people did they kill?!”
Professor Ma let out a long sigh.
“By our current count, there are at least two thousand dead sealed into this wall…”
Hua Jiunan frowned deeply and took out his luopan, a geomantic compass. The needle began spinning at a constant speed.
Chen Daji leaned in to look.
“Well, Big Brother? Find any ghosts?”
Hua Jiunan shook his head.
“No.”
“This means the Yin energy around here is extremely heavy, but there are no filthy things.”
Chen Daji muttered under his breath.
“With this many people dying violent deaths, it’d be weird if the Yin energy wasn’t heavy!”
“If there are no filthy things, then the ones killing people must be those worms you mentioned, Big Brother.”
“In my opinion, we should just use dynamite and blow this place flat-one and done!”
Professor Ma gave a bitter smile.
“If there truly isn’t any other option, then that’s all we can do!”
“That’s also why I didn’t report it yet, and asked you to come take a look first.”
Just then, startled cries suddenly rang out from outside the cave.
“Look! There’s something flying in the sky!”