In the cave, the flicker of firelight cast a warm glow.

"Ah, Pi San," Brother Chen asked, "tell me, do you believe that a corpse can really come back to life?"

"I don't know, Brother Chen," Pi San replied, "but this whole business seems rather sinister to me. Just think about when we took that thing out of the Golden Coffin and Silver Outer Coffin. We saw it with our own eyes, didn't we? The corpse was shriveled up, its teeth bared like rabbit teeth, and the flesh on its face was still supple. It was damn unsettling."

I was hiding at the entrance of the cave, surreptitiously observing and eavesdropping on their conversation.

Chen Jiansheng and a man named Pi San were engaged in a casual chat. In front of them lay a huge, semi-transparent plastic crate filled with a liquid that resembled pale-colored milk, though its exact nature was unclear.

I noticed something else.

Dimly, within the liquid of the large plastic crate, there was a silhouette submerged, its outline against the light suggesting the shadow of a person...

"Don't touch that! Are you out of your mind? Don't you dare touch that water!" Chen Jiansheng suddenly barked with a stern voice.

"Heh heh..." Pi San scratched his head, "I was just curious. By the way, there's something else I need to tell you, Brother Chen. After we get out of here, I should get a share of Chen Zhiguo's belongings, right? After all, it's just the two of us left. I'm not greedy, just give me thirty percent." The man held up three fingers.

Chen Jiansheng's face bore a smile, "Of course, you've done your part too. I promise you, thirty percent it is."

"That's great! You're a true brother!" Pi San couldn't hide the excitement in his eyes.

"Pi San, since you're so curious about this thing, you can take a look, but be careful and just one glance, agreed?" Chen Jiansheng said, pointing to the plastic crate.

"Really? I can take a look?"

Chen Jiansheng nodded, "Go ahead, just don't touch the water."

With permission granted, the man tiptoed over, approaching the large plastic water tank with caution.

As he peered in, he called back without turning his head, "Brother Chen, this water is white and cloudy like milk. I can't see clearly. Where is it?"

"In the middle, look closer," came Chen Jiansheng's deep voice.

"The middle?"

"I don't see anything."

What happened next, I witnessed from my shadowy vantage point.

Chen Jiansheng silently picked up a round stone from the ground, moving with stealthy steps.

"Pi San!" Chen Jiansheng suddenly shouted.

"Eh? What?" Pi San turned around.

"Thud!"

In a flash, Chen Jiansheng, with the stone raised high, struck Pi San squarely on the forehead!

A second later, twin rivulets of crimson blood trickled down from the stone.

Pi San opened his mouth, then collapsed to the ground with a thud, his forehead a mangled mess.

"Ptui!" Chen Jiansheng tossed aside the bloodied stone, looking down at Pi San, whose head was split open, and spat, "Thirty percent? You dare to ask me for thirty percent? What are you worth? Not even five percent! It all belongs to me, Chen Jiansheng! Ptui!"

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Chen Jiansheng nudged Pi San, who showed no reaction, then twisted his head to survey his surroundings.

I quickly withdrew and hid myself.

That was close; I was nearly discovered.

Chen Jiansheng then dragged Pi San by the feet towards a plastic crate.

"San'er, go in peace," he said. "I'll keep your share safe for you, Brother Chen. Rest assured, when you meet our brothers down below, the cook and logistics, pass on a message for me. Tell them I'll burn offerings from Villa Beauty for them during the holidays." After speaking, Chen Jiansheng lifted his upper body, clearly intending to dispose of him in a large leather frame!

Witnessing a murder unfold before my eyes, I felt a wave of panic.

Pi Saner, around 175 cm tall, was robust. Perhaps Chen Jiansheng's grip slipped, for he didn't manage to get the body in and instead dropped Pi Saner back to the ground with a thud, his head striking the earth.

Unexpectedly, the blow awakened Pi Saner—he wasn't dead!

"Damn you to hell!" Pi Saner, his face covered in blood, suddenly struggled to rise.

Chen Jiansheng panicked and pinned Pi Saner down, his hands tightly clutching his throat!

Pi San's legs kicked wildly, his struggles scratching Chen Jiansheng's face.

"Die! Die! Just die!" Chen Jiansheng's forehead veins bulged, his visage demonic.

In just a minute or two, Pi Saner's face turned from red to purple. As Chen Jiansheng's grip tightened, it darkened to the color of liver, and the sounds from his throat resembled phlegm stuck in his windpipe.

At that moment, Pi Saner's neck twisted around.

His face, the color of liver, met my gaze directly.

He looked at me, and I at him.

In that instant, Pi Saner's eyes seemed filled with terror, rage, and fear. He raised his left arm high, pointing in my direction.

"Die! Just die!" Chen Jiansheng, as if possessed, paid no heed to Pi San's gesture.

Three minutes later, Pi Saner's legs relaxed, his struggle ceased, his bulging eyes still fixed on me!

His eyes would not close in death.

Chen Jiansheng climbed off the body, wiping the sweat from his face, breathing heavily.

After a short rest, he flipped the body into the leather frame.

With a soft plop, I witnessed the transformation. In mere seconds, the milky liquid began to boil and bubble like water in a frenzied heat.

A foul stench assaulted my nostrils.

Before my eyes, Pi Saner's body seemed to soften and disintegrate, dissolving bit by bit!

Flesh, hair, bones... everything, the entire process lasted no more than ten minutes.

A living, breathing person was reduced to nothing, not even a trace remained!

The liquid was still as white as milk. Perhaps my eyes deceived me, but for a moment, I thought I saw a dark shadow within it, and its head seemed to move!

This was the perfect eradication of evidence.

Chen Jiansheng, observing his handiwork, allowed a slight smile to cross his lips, then quickly concealed it.

Covering the plastic container with cloth, Chen Jiansheng clapped his hands together, whistled casually, and strolled towards me with an air of ease.

He was about to leave the cave!

I quickly stepped back, hiding behind a protruding rock. Being thin, and sucking in my stomach with all my might, I managed to conceal myself just as he emerged.

That was close; he barely missed seeing me.

Chen Jiansheng hummed a tune as he walked, the song was Zheng Zhihua's "The Sailor."

"When bullied and tormented, I always hear the sailor say, 'What's this pain amidst the storm? Wipe your tears, don't be scared. At least we still have dreams...'"

His voice faded into the distance, and I cursed under my breath at this sick maniac. Then, hugging the cave wall and crouching low, I followed.

My curiosity was piqued by that Large Leather Frame in the cave; I knew it hid a secret. But there was no time to investigate now, I had to follow Chen Jiansheng. Only by trailing him would I find a chance to locate Red Sister and the Sun Family Brothers, who I surmised were separated and locked up after being rendered unconscious.

"Chen the Earthworker," someone suddenly spoke up ahead.

Peeking out, I saw it was one of the middle-aged men who accompanied the Dwarf Old Man.

"Brother Jian," Chen Jiansheng hastily bowed.

"Chen the Earthworker, where's that young fellow with you? Weren't you two together just now?"

Chen Jiansheng's expression remained natural. He slapped his forehead and chuckled, "Oh, Brother Jian, you mean Saner? Alas, the Lazy Donkey's caught up Grinding Feces and Urine. He's got a stomachache, taking care of big business. Judging by his condition, it won't be quick; probably ate something bad. Let's not wait for him, Brother Jian."

Hearing Chen Jiansheng's explanation, the middle-aged man nodded.

"What's wrong, Brother Jian? What are you looking at?" Chen Jiansheng followed his gaze.

I pressed myself against the stone wall, not even daring to breathe, sweat beading on my forehead!

"Nothing, probably just my imagination. I've been getting paranoid lately," the middle-aged man said.

Chen Jiansheng, harboring his own demons, forced a smile and urged, "I think it's nothing too. Let's hurry, Brother Jian. We should prepare for the next step." (To be continued)

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I have also posted the following more chapters [All free]: https://https://www.readgates.com/article/7b136c