I Only Want to Lie Flat But Am Forced to Cultivate Immortality-Chapter 118 - 83 Water Monkey, Playing Dead_2

After the forensic room was empty, Xu Qing looked at the corpse of Old Lady Cao on the cold bed and couldn’t help but lick his lips.

This was his first case after two months of closed-door training.

The legendary female Salt King now had gray hairs, and when Xu Qing held her hand, it was rough to the touch.

Like grains of salt.

Xu Qing didn’t mind, holding the old lady’s hand, reminiscing about the past together.

Fifteen years ago, Cao Xiuying was still a nursemaid at the Grand Commandant’s Mansion, responsible for the daily care of the young officer.

When the young officer grew up, Cao Xiuying, deeply trusted by the Grand Commandant, was sent to Linhe to begin handling the Salt Gang’s affairs.

At that time, there was a Salt Smuggler in Linhe named Xin Lao San, a man who lived on selling illegal salt and licking blood from the knife’s edge.

During her time trying to establish herself in Linhe, Cao Xiuying was often harassed by Xin Lao San. The Grand Commandant’s Mansion initially didn’t take it seriously, believing that Cao Xiuying was just a woman, and if she couldn’t handle the salt affairs, they could always replace her with someone else.

But no one expected a woman in her forties to lead a dozen people and take down Xin Lao San’s stronghold of over a hundred men.

The salt piles drying in the fields were all stained red with blood.

This was the notorious blood salt case that shocked Jin Sect!

Due to this, the Salt Gang along the Jianghuai secretly gave Cao Xiuying a nickname, ’Female Salt King.’

Some even called her ’Blood Salt King.’

Xu Qing was puzzled as he read on.

In the revolving lantern, Cao Xiuying was not just an ordinary woman but a practitioner who had trained in martial arts in the Capital Garrison, skilled enough to reach the Meridian Realm, though not as powerful as a Martial Master.

Her skills in the Jianghuai made her a top-tier expert, so how did she end up drowning inexplicably at home?

Looking further, Cao Xiuying married the Salt Smuggler Ren Yutang, and from then on, she managed two branches of the Salt Gang.

Of the sixteen branches of the Salt Gang along the Jianghuai, Cao Xiuying alone controlled two, shocking the Grand Commandant and prompting him to pave the way for Cao Xiuying to expand further.

By the age of fifty, Cao Xiuying had become the leader of four branches of the Salt Gang.

In Jinmen Prefecture, there were six branches, but Cao Xiuying controlled four and had plans to expand further.

It was around this time that the Jinmen Gang received an invitation.

The fifty-year-old Cao Xiuying planned to celebrate her sixtieth birthday early, inviting all the salt merchants and smugglers to a grand feast.

Celebrating a sixtieth birthday at fifty signaled to others her intention to dominate all six branches of the Salt Gang in Jinmen Prefecture.

On the eve of the feast, Cao Xiuying discussed the salt affairs of the Jianghuai with her husband and children at home.

The Cao Mansion was brightly lit that night, and after the Cao family members worshipped the Salt God, they headed to the front hall to hear Old Lady Cao’s words.

Cao Xiuying was seated high on the Master’s Chair, just beginning to talk when she noticed two figures outside the hall.

One was tall and skinny like a bamboo pole, holding a black water banner.

The other figure appeared childlike, only three feet tall, naked, with a long green tail and grayish-white skin. Its small fierce eyes and webbed hands and feet with sharp claws made it look inhuman.

Cao Xiuying seemed to recognize them, leaning on her Snake-Headed Walking Stick, and smiled, "Who would have thought it was the Waterwork Daoist. Aren’t you supposed to be practicing in Qingshui Huo, what brings you to Shakou Dam? Are you out of salt at the temple and come to buy some from this old woman?"

The tall young Waterwork Daoist chuckled, touching the child-like creature beside him, "Someone offered a high price for your family’s lives. I didn’t want to come, but they gave me a treasure, and I couldn’t refuse."

Cao Xiuying narrowed her eyes, raising a hand to stop her advancing family members, "I’ve heard of the Watercraft Daoist Art of Celestial Wu Temple. You rely on this Water Monkey."

"But as I understand, this little monkey’s abilities diminish when away from water. Using it to harm my family won’t work well."

"If you tell me who’s behind this, I can spare you and leave your body intact..."

The tall Daoist didn’t respond. Instead, he took out a bowl covered in green moss from his robe and placed it on the Water Monkey’s head.

The lethargic Water Monkey instantly revitalized, its webbed hands becoming moist.

Cao Xiuying’s voice abruptly halted as acrid water started to flow from the Water Monkey.

The Daoist looked down at the overflowing bowl and smiled, "Lady Cao, this bowl is called the Water-Soaked Bowl, capable of drawing water from within ten miles of the river."

"Your mansion happens to be ten miles from the riverbank. Isn’t that convenient?"

As the Daoist finished speaking, everyone in the hall suddenly appeared as if they were drowning, thrashing about, while water smelling of river stench burst from their eyes, ears, noses, and mouths.

Some had water plants emerging from the corners of their eyes, sticky and hanging on their faces.

Others kept vomiting small fish and river sand.

Soon, the entire hall was enveloped in heavy river stench.

Old Lady Cao held out the longest, trying to draw the sword from her Snake-Headed Walking Stick to kill the Daoist outside.

But before she could leave the hall, mud and water plants spouted from her seven orifices.

The closer she got, the more water and mud she choked on.

Stumbling towards the Waterwork Daoist, a large amount of mud gushed from her mouth, mixed with bits of her internal organs.

And that was how the Female Salt King was choked to death at home by muddy river water.

Xu Qing was stupefied, thinking, what kind of Divine Technique was this? A single bowl of water could drown an entire household?

As he snapped back to reality, Xu Qing looked at Old Lady Cao’s corpse. The Sutra of Salvation evaluated her as ’Medium Grade for Humans.’

The reward was a Water Technique.

River salt transportation relies on water transport, which relies on boats.

But the Water Technique can free one from the confines of boats, enabling one to walk on waves as if on solid ground.

This is excellent! Linhe District is close to the river, and Jin Sect is also the Water Mansion; I might use this technique soon.

Coming to his senses, Xu Qing looked at the dry floor covered in lime powder, dispelling any thoughts of trying the Water Technique.

A commotion from afar caught his attention, and he turned to the black cat sitting at the door, asking, "What’s happening outside, where’s Senior Brother Wang?"

Xuan Yu responded enthusiastically, "Some people are trying to get in, but Senior Brother Wang won’t let them. They’re about to fight at the courtyard gate!"

...

Xu Qing’s heart tightened, and he stopped considering the remaining corpses.

He took out the Corpse-Driving Bell, recited the Corpse Exorcism Spell, and summoned all the corpses except Old Lady Cao.

Looking at the already exorcised old lady, Xu Qing hesitated for a moment, then suddenly turned to Xuan Yu, asking, "Profound Jade Immortal Family, there’s a job to be done, would you like to do it?"

...

Though the Patrol Office lacked visible officials, the cohesion of the clerks and Government Officials was extraordinary.

They saw each other daily and were familiar, and now Wang Lingyuan had united the Civil Office Steward to block the Salt Officials outside the Civil Affairs Office Courtyard.

Though he hadn’t explained the reason to the Civil Office Steward, he promised that if they could delay for the time of an incense stick to burn, they would have a chance to overturn the current situation.

Zhao Zhonghe, who arrived midway, was confused but saw his own office people blocking the way, and joined in.

Now, the groups were arguing loudly outside the Civil Affairs Office Courtyard.

The Salt Inspection Imperial Censor wanted to transfer the corpses to the Salt Transport Bureau for storage, but Wang Lingyuan insisted the examination was at a critical point and progress would soon be made.

The Linhe County Captain shouted for them to make way, but kept pulling the Salt Inspection Imperial Censor outside. freewёbn૦νeɭ.com

Though he didn’t know what his forensic doctor was up to, he guessed they were onto a breakthrough in the case.

The crowd argued incessantly, and just as things were about to get out of control, a clerk rushed out of the Civil Office, shouting:

"Something’s wrong! Something’s really wrong!"

The crowd instantly fell silent, and the Civil Office Steward frowned, "What are you shouting about, what’s so wrong?"

The clerk’s face was pale, "Corpse, corpses are reviving!"

"Reviving? Which corpses?"

"All the corpses in the forensic room are reviving!"