Gu Rong hopped over behind Huang Daoren.

At this moment, Huang Daoren was shaking his bell, chanting incantations, herding the seven captured Jiangshi.

Gu Rong was too small, and his footsteps were masked by the other large Jiangshi. For a moment, Huang Daoren didn’t even notice him.

“Daoist Priest Grandpa!” Gu Rong called out in his tender, childish voice.

Huang Daoren turned around, then looked down. Seeing this Little Jiangshi cub hopping along behind him, he paused, then raised his eyebrows: “You little wild Jiangshi, what are you doing hopping after me? Be careful, so I don’t step on you.”

Gu Rong stretched out his short little arms towards him: “Daoist Priest Grandpa carry!”

Huang Daoren stroked his small goatee and scoffed: “Daoist Priest Grandpa is just a pile of old bones. How can I possibly carry a little meat dumpling like you?”

Gu Rong huffed, crossed his little arms, thought for a moment, then turned around and hopped towards Zhuang Yu and the others.

Seeing the Little Jiangshi run off so quickly, Huang Daoren clicked his tongue, instantly regretting his words.

He just wanted to tease the Little Jiangshi a bit. Who knew one sentence would make him run off?

Who knew that Gu Rong wasn’t running away, but had gone to get the bamboo basket from Zhuang Yu?

The bamboo basket was about the same size as him, maybe slightly shorter. Strapped to Gu Rong’s back, it looked very heavy and clumsy.

Gu Rong, carrying the bamboo basket, hopped back in front of Huang Daoren: “Daoist Priest Grandpa, use bamboo basket carry Zaizai!”

Huang Daoren: “…” Fine!

This bamboo basket was indeed the one Huang Daoren had specially ordered to carry the little wild Jiangshi. Previously, to pretend he didn’t know the Little Jiangshi in front of Wu Sandeng, others had always carried the cub.

Only now did he have the chance to use this bamboo basket to carry the Little Jiangshi cub himself.

Huang Daoren complained while lifting Gu Rong onto his back: “Only you, little wild Jiangshi, need someone to carry you. Which other Jiangshi doesn’t hop on its own?”

Gu Rong had heard Huang Daoren say this before. He was squatting in the basket, facing Huang Daoren. He reached out his small hand and tugged his ear: “Daoist Priest Grandpa said that already!”

Huang Daoren: “…”

Gu Rong wasn’t just trying to get Huang Daoren to carry him; he was trying to gather information. The cub didn’t beat around the bush, asking directly: “Daoist Priest Grandpa, where did these big Jiangshi come from?”

Huang Daoren didn’t think much of it. Carrying Gu Rong, shaking his bell, he continued herding the Jiangshi forward: “You little wild Jiangshi, why are you asking this?”

Hearing “little wild Jiangshi” repeatedly, Gu Rong pouted: “Zaizai is not a wild child!”

Huang Daoren faltered. Thinking about Gu Rong dying so young and turning into a Jiangshi, he felt a pang of pity. After a moment of silence, he returned to the previous topic: “These Jiangshi are the ones Mayor Wu entrusted me to herd to Jiangshi Town. And you ask? If it wasn’t for buying a bamboo basket for you, Little Jiangshi, would these Jiangshi have escaped? We haven’t even caught half of them back yet!”

Gu Rong huffed: “Zaizai didn’t ask you to buy bamboo basket!”

Huang Daoren: “…” Alright, indeed, couldn’t blame this Little Jiangshi cub. It was his own negligence.

Huang Daoren asked: “Are you the Little Jiangshi King?”

Gu Rong thought of his Little Jiangshi King card and nodded his little head: “Yes, Zaizai is Little Jiangshi King!”

Huang Daoren said: “Then Daoist Priest Grandpa asks you a favor. If we still haven’t caught those Jiangshi by tomorrow night, can you help Daoist Priest Grandpa summon those Jiangshi out?”

Gu Rong asked: “Summon them out for what?”

Huang Daoren thought for a moment. Like Wu Sandeng, he didn’t guard against this Little Jiangshi at all and said: “These Jiangshi, it’s said that before they died, they were all old acquaintances of Mayor Wu, like sworn brothers, with very good relationships. But later, all these brothers of the Town Mayor were murdered. Before Mayor Wu came to Jiangshi Town, he buried them.”

“But who knew that, because they were murdered, their resentment couldn’t dissipate, and they turned into Jiangshi. Mayor Wu asked me to herd them to Jiangshi Town precisely to give them a proper burial.”

Gu Rong asked: “Then who killed them?”

Huang Daoren: “Don’t know. They had many enemies; it could have been anyone. Mayor Wu and these brothers… uh, used to be bandits, robbing people. Mayor Wu’s eye was blinded by a gunshot during a robbery once, almost died.”

No wonder Mayor Wu had such a thuggish aura and looked more like a bandit; he actually came from a bandit background.

Huang Daoren hadn’t dared reveal the reason he lost the Jiangshi earlier partly out of fear of Wu Sandeng; the man might really shoot him.

Gu Rong’s little face showed surprise. He even knew to lower his voice, whispering: “One-eyed Uncle was a bandit?” Then, puzzled, “What’s a bandit?”

Huang Daoren: “…” What a waste of breath.

Only then did Huang Daoren belatedly realize he was talking to a two-year-old cub on his back; otherwise, he wouldn’t need to carry him.

Huang Daoren didn’t want to say more, continuing to shake his bell and herd the Jiangshi.

Gu Rong was adept at grasping the key points. Seeing Daoist Priest Grandpa fall silent, inspiration struck him, and he thought of Wu Sandeng’s gold vault.

He poked Huang Daoren with his small hand: “Daoist Priest Grandpa.”

Huang Daoren felt a tickle on his neck from the poke: “Speak.”

Gu Rong’s voice was crisp and tender: “Daoist Priest Grandpa, Big Black Dog took Zaizai to One-eyed Uncle’s gold vault. Was that stuff One-eyed Uncle stole?”

Huang Daoren knew Wu Sandeng always gave out gold bars, extremely wealthy. Hearing Gu Rong say he had actually been to the gold vault, his tiger-like body shook: “Gold vault? Did you steal a few pieces while you were there?”

Gu Rong said: “Zaizai doesn’t steal! Can’t eat it anyway.”

Huang Daoren: “…You Little Jiangshi, young and don’t know the value of goods. If you had just taken a few gold bars, you could buy as much yummy food as you want.”

Gu Rong looked meng meng dong dong (ignorant/naive), truly not understanding the value.

Huang Daoren shook his head and sighed, feeling sorry for Gu Rong.

–

Around noon, the large group arrived at the mountain peak.

Unexpectedly, there were houses on the peak, along with a group of burly men. In front of them were dozens of coffins.

Seeing the scene before them, the players were all shocked.

What was going on?

Who knew, upon seeing Wu Sandeng, the burly men smiled simply, their dark faces showing fawning smiles: “Third Master, we’ve delivered the goods.”

It turned out Wu Sandeng had ordered people to carry these coffins up the mountain in advance before setting off for Yin Mountain.

Roughly counting, there were a full twenty coffins before them. It was unknown what these coffins contained. Why carry these coffins up the mountain?

Could they be for holding these Jiangshi?

006 said: [Little host, Daoist Priest Huang said Mayor Wu brought the Jiangshi to Yin Mountain to bury them. Presumably, these coffins are for burying them.]

Gu Rong asked: [Then why carry Lord Devil’s coffin up the mountain?]

006 was also a bit puzzled.

Indeed, Lord Devil’s coffin was initially placed in the Yi Zhuang. But when Wu Sandeng went to the Yi Zhuang, out of so many coffins, he specifically chose this one to carry back, and now even carried it up the mountain.

Lord Devil lay inside the coffin, so it was naturally special. But these NPCs couldn’t even open the coffin, so it was impossible to know who lay inside. Most likely, Wu Sandeng had seen this coffin before and recognized it.

Gu Rong didn’t think that far. He just thought, if One-eyed Uncle hadn’t carried Lord Devil up the mountain, Lord Devil wouldn’t want to eat Zaizai! Hmph!

Wu Sandeng looked at the burly men and said, “Each person takes one gold bar. Go behind the house and dig twenty-one holes. Once the holes are dug, each person can receive another gold bar.”

There were several dozen burly men. Unexpectedly giving each person two gold bars – this wasn’t ordinary generosity!

The players were all stunned.

They remembered Zhao Jiuquan merely hitting a Jiangshi’s leg earlier and being offered two gold bars. How many gold bars did this guy have?

The burly men happily went behind the house to dig holes.

At this time, the players’ attention was drawn to the houses before them.

Isn’t Yin Mountain supposed to be a Jiangshi nest? How come there are houses? Don’t Jiangshi usually live in Jiangshi caves?

Huang Daoren, having carried Gu Rong up the mountain, was panting heavily from exhaustion. He put Gu Rong down, sat his bottom on the ground, leaned against a coffin, gasping for breath.

Gu Rong gave Huang Daoren a back massage and shoulder rub with his small hands, very considerate.

Huang Daoren said, “You little cub, what did you eat to grow so heavy?”

Gu Rong said, “Eat food!”

In reality, this little zombie cub, if he had any ability, would have grown up drinking human blood.

Huang Daoren rested for a while, then pointed at the houses before them, whispering to Gu Rong: “See that? These houses are bandit nests. When Mayor Wu was a bandit before, it was here on Yin Mountain. Now he’s bringing his gang of brothers back to their old lair to be buried.”

Gu Rong: “Huh?”

Laifu ran around excitedly. After turning into a Jiangshi dog, it was still timid. It seemed to have an innate fear of the Jiangshi and didn’t dare approach them. Seeing Gu Rong always sticking with Huang Daoren, and Huang Daoren having Jiangshi nearby, it didn’t dare to come forward and play with Gu Rong.

Laifu just ran back and forth nearby, tongue lolling out, looking eagerly at Gu Rong, even barking twice, calling Gu Rong over.

The cub and dog, it was unknown how they communicated, but they communicated without language barrier. Gu Rong actually understood Laifu’s meaning, stood up, and hopped towards Laifu.

Seeing Gu Rong coming over, Laifu was so happy it jumped three feet high, its tongue hanging out like a wet rag, its big eyes foolish yet clear.

Behind them, Huang Daoren scoffed: “Silly dog.”

Gu Rong hopped in front of Laifu, patting its dog head with his small hand.

Laifu was even happier, turned around, and happily ran dadada in front, wanting to lead Gu Rong around.

As if it were very familiar with this place, having returned to its old home.

Wu Sandeng glanced sideways but ignored them.

Led by Laifu, Gu Rong wandered around the houses. Laifu acted entirely like a host.

006 said: [Little host, Daoist Priest Huang was right. It seems this really is Mayor Wu’s old bandit hideout. Laifu must have lived here before; otherwise, it wouldn’t be so familiar.]

The houses were all dilapidated, covered in dust, and crudely equipped.

Gu Rong didn’t know what was worth seeing. After wandering for a while, he lost interest.

Laifu darted here, dug a hole there. After a round, its body was covered in cobwebs.

But its tongue was lolling out, looking very happy.

Coming outside, Gu Rong heard fighting sounds from afar.

Laifu ran ahead, let out a howl, leaped into the air, and then shua, ran behind Gu Rong to hide.

What could be seen was that at some unknown point in time, those Jiangshi, the yellow talismans on their foreheads had disappeared, and they had woken up.

At this moment, humans and Jiangshi were engaged in a chaotic battle.

Wu Sandeng clutched his left arm; there were three scratch marks on it, seemingly injured by a Jiangshi, his expression slightly gloomy.

006 said: [Little host, good opportunity! Let’s take the chance to pull out those two Jiangshi teeth too.]

Gu Rong nodded: [Okay!]

Gu Rong immediately equipped the [Little Jiangshi King] card, mentally summoning the two Jiangshi that still had their teeth to come over.

The two large Jiangshi immediately hopped towards Gu Rong. Their speed was swift, reaching Gu Rong in just two hops.

Then, “Kacha!”, they simply and brutally broke off their Jiangshi teeth, knelt prostrate on the ground, and offered them up with both hands.

For a moment, everyone’s gaze shifted over in unison.

“…”

Oh, the truth was revealed. So it was this Little Jiangshi King stealing the teeth all along.

Wu Sandeng’s face instantly turned cold.

Gu Rong reacted flexibly. Taking the teeth and storing them in the system backpack, he immediately hopped away, turning to flee.