The Corpse Clothes of the Green Bag [Complete] - 31

Chapter 394

Low-hanging clouds filled the sky as a U.S.-made UH-1D helicopter flew low over the border mountains between Thailand and Luang Prabang, Laos, heading northwest towards the Inthanon Mountains, where Chiang Mai province borders the Shan State plateau of Myanmar.

Pilot Blair and Major Martin sat in the cockpit. They were former officers of the 229th Helicopter Assault Team of the 1st Cavalry Division of the U.S. Army, seasoned veterans who had spent many years in Southeast Asia. Now that the war was over, neither wanted to retire and return to their hometown of sunny Orlando, Florida—a paradise for the wealthy. A Hong Kong businessman, Mr. Lu, had contacted them through an agent, offering $1 million to organize a mercenary force to rescue a baby girl. Mr. Lu would also provide weapons, ammunition, communication equipment, and the helicopter. Compared to the previous battles with the Viet Cong, this mission was practically a relaxing vacation. A mere folk sorcerer was easily dealt with with a simple Uzi submachine gun; a million dollars would be a piece of cake. When they returned to the Florida Sunshine Coast, they'd be considered wealthy, and who would dare underestimate them? Thinking this, Major Martin chuckled slightly.

"Martin, the straight-line distance from Udon Thani to Chiang Mai's Da Nan Ling is [number] miles. Inthanon Mountain's altitude is 8481 feet. That old Thai monk wants us to land near Ong Khao on the Inthanon Riverbank. We'll arrive there in about an hour," Blair said, pointing to the coordinates on the flight map.

"Understood." Martin unbuckled his seatbelt, grabbed the map, and got up to enter the cabin.

"Master, please tell me the exact landing location and the ground conditions you know," Major Martin said, approaching the old monk, Chongdi

. Master Tiger glanced at the map, then pointed to a flat area in the river valley and said, "Land here. It's less than five kilometers from Mong La Chaong. Bing's palace."

Martin looked at it and asked, "Master, why don't we just fly directly over the palace and launch a surprise attack? With our current weaponry, attacking a small town wouldn't be a problem."

Master Tiger said with a very serious expression, "Chiang Mai was historically the capital of Siam. This palace, built hundreds of years ago, is hidden deep in the mountains and forests. It's said to be full of traps and mechanisms, and outsiders can't figure out the way. Finding a baby in hundreds of rooms is no easy task. A helicopter would be too conspicuous and immediately expose our intentions. We need to send someone infiltrate the palace first, find out where the baby girl is hiding, rescue her when the opportunity arises, and then notify the helicopter for a pickup. Only then can we succeed."

"Are there armed guards inside the palace?" Major Martin asked

. Master Hu shook his head and said, "I don't know the specifics, but it's certain that there are guards inside and outside the palace. Those sorcerers who disappeared in Southeast Asia and the South Seas are very likely being driven by Mong La Cha Wong Bing and have become our enemies."

"Sorcerers again," Major Martin frowned and said, "Alright, let's consider the next course of action after landing."

An hour later, the UH-1D helicopter landed on the bank of a wide river in the Inthanon Mountains.

Northern Thailand's mountainous region is characterized by rolling mountains, lush primeval forests, clear rivers, and sparse population.

"These are US Army Motorola PRC-6 field walkie-talkies. Maintaining communication with helicopters within twenty miles is absolutely no problem," Major Martin said, taking out two handheld radio walkie-talkies and checking the batteries and channel switches.

Chong Di. Master Tiger pondered, "The journey to the palace is extremely dangerous. Let the child stay on the helicopter."

Han Sheng reassured the master, "Shen Caihua has the special sense of smell to find Mo Mo. Master, please rest assured, the baby will be perfectly safe with me."

"I want to ride 'Big Cat'!" Little Caihua giggled as he climbed onto the Bengal tiger's back, grabbing the long fur on its neck.

Master Tiger could only helplessly say, "This tiger is very docile; you can ride it."

Dudu flapped its wings and landed on the tiger's head, shouting, "Alice, Alice Operation begins!"

Martin shook his head. This was hardly a secret military operation in the jungle; it was practically a picnic for the elderly and children... He smiled wryly and turned to Blair.

Blair shrugged, indicating indifference, secretly fidgeting with his fingers as if counting money, then grinned.

Major Martin, the leader of this ragtag rescue team, quickly deployed his forces based on years of jungle warfare experience. Aside from leaving pilot Blair and one Thai and one South Vietnamese team member on the helicopter for support, the remaining six were fully armed, all armed with Uzi submachine guns to protect Chong Di. Master Tiger, Feng Sheng, Han Sheng, Shen Caihua, and the rest of the animals proceeded on foot to Menglachaweng, Bing's palace.

Major Martin retrieved a pre-prepared waterproof bag from the helicopter's equipment, ordered his team to empty the pubic lice from the earthenware pots into the bag, tied the opening, and carried it in the backpack of one of the Thai team members. "

What use are these little bugs? The real solution lies with submachine guns," Martin thought dismissively.

The team set off, with Major Martin and the old monk leading the way, followed closely by three commandos. Han Sheng and Feng Sheng, carrying a Bengal tiger, walked in the middle of the group. A majestic green parrot named Dudu perched on the tiger's head, and Shen Caihua, carrying a suction cup, sat on its back. The remaining two team members, carrying Uzi submachine guns, brought up the rear; one of them was the Chinese young man from Yancheng.

They trudged along the rugged, bushy mountain path, occasionally spotting wild rabbits darting through the undergrowth, and sometimes a pangolin or two slowly crawling across the path ahead.

Two hours later, they reached the top of a small hill. Through the dense foliage, they could see a large, pale blue lake shrouded in mist below. In the center of the lake was an island, upon which stood a magnificent palace from the Lanna Dynasty.

"That's Monrachaong Bing's palace," Master Hu murmured.

Major Martin grabbed his binoculars and, using the soft afternoon sunlight, carefully observed the palace on the island in the lake.

Through the lens, the palace was a cluster of buildings arranged in a staggered pattern, surrounded by white walls. The courtyards were not only covered in lush green grass but also planted with ancient Bodhi trees and tropical flowering trees of various shapes. The central palace was magnificent and splendid, its pagoda-like spire and fish-scale-patterned blue glazed tiles reflecting strange colors.

Major Martin noticed several people dressed in yellow monk robes and white linen garments appearing and disappearing among the swaying shadows of the trees; some carried crossbows and blowguns. The major recognized these as primitive weapons, seemingly short flutes that could be played as musical instruments, containing poisoned needles that, when blown forcefully, could injure someone within ten meters. He shook his head, grinned, and thought, "We've already entered the nuclear age, and this palace is still guarded with such primitive equipment. It's absurdly vulnerable. Once Blair's helicopter roars down, won't these people be completely dumbfounded?"

Major Martin slowly moved the camera towards the tower atop the palace, his mocking face gradually freezing... A figure in white linen clothing appeared on the tower, carrying an SA-7 man-portable air-defense system (MANPADS) on his shoulder... The SA-7 (SA-7) Grell anti-aircraft missile entered service with the Soviet Army in 1968. It's a man-portable air-defense system, extremely convenient for individual soldiers, using infrared homing guidance. The missile is 1.35 meters long, 7 centimeters in diameter, and weighs 9.2 kilograms. Its maximum range is 10 kilometers, minimum range 1 kilometer, maximum operational altitude is 4 kilometers, and minimum altitude is 50 meters. It has a speed of Mach 2 and is shoulder-fired, making it a deadly killer of low-flying aircraft.

Fortunately, he listened to the old monk and didn't let Blair's UH-1D helicopter fly over directly, otherwise... Major Martin's forehead was covered in cold sweat.

"Damn it! How come there are SAM missiles here?" Major Martin cursed. It seemed the entire operation plan had to be changed.

"Is there something wrong?" Lu Taiguan asked suspiciously.

"The palace is equipped with Soviet-made SAM surface-to-air missiles," Major Martin said, frowning.

Lu Taiguan was also shocked. Throughout the Vietnam War, Viet Cong guerrillas had used shoulder-fired SAM-7 missiles to destroy many American warplanes and attack helicopters.

"Hmm, so the missiles have already posed a threat to Blair's helicopter. It seems we have to infiltrate the palace by ourselves," Lu Taiguan said thoughtfully.

"But there are no boats in the lake, and we don't have any rubber boats in our equipment. How are we going to cross the lake?" Major Martin was at a loss.

Lu Taiguan gathered everyone to discuss countermeasures. Major Martin offered his opinion: the only solution was to order Blair to fly back to Udon Thani and try to get some rubber boats. Of course, the original operation plan would be postponed.

“It seems this is the only way. It's just that I, this old monk, don't know enough about the area around the palace,” Master Hu said apologetically.

Han Sheng looked at Shen Caihua on Hu's back and said solemnly, “Tonight we can sneak into the palace in batches under the cover of darkness.”

“Swim across?” Major Martin asked suspiciously.

“No, we have boats,” Han Sheng said with a mysterious smile.

(Major Martin and his comrade Blair from the 229th Helicopter Assault Battalion of the 1st Cavalry Division of the U.S. Army):

Chapter 395

Major Martin looked at Han Sheng in surprise and asked in confusion, "Boat? What boat? Where?"

Han Sheng took two steps forward, pointed to the suction tube in Cai Hua's arms, and said with a smile, "This is it, this suction tube from the Nmai River. When it unfolds in the water, it's like a mat. It can carry three or four people across the lake at a time, silently and very secretly."

Everyone was amazed and gathered around the suction tube, reaching out to touch it. They had been wondering what this thing was all along the way.

"'Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated.' Hmph, Dudu is going to scout." Seeing the envious looks on everyone's eyes as they stared at the suction tube, the big parrot Dudu felt very displeased. So it flapped its wings and "whoosh" soared into the sky, flying towards the palace in the distance below the mountain.

The setting sun slowly descended, and in a short while, the palace was already shrouded in a golden afterglow.

"Help! Help..." A terrified scream suddenly rang out from mid-air.

Everyone looked over and saw Dudu, the blue-and-white macaw, frantically fleeing towards them in the sky above the lake. A huge, ferocious, dark brown eagle with a black fan-shaped crest on its head was hot on its heels, emitting a loud, mournful cry.

"That's Dudu!" Shen Caihua exclaimed in surprise, standing up from the tiger's back.

Dudu seemed utterly exhausted; its scattered feathers shimmered like jewels in the setting sun. With its last breath, it called out, "Caihua..." before plummeting headfirst from the sky.

Little Caihua couldn't help but let out a shriek of "Ahhh!"

Han Sheng's fly-like eyes suddenly opened, and with a swift movement, he dashed down the steep mountainside like lightning... By the time people could see clearly, Han Sheng had already caught the falling parrot, Dudu, in his arms. The ferocious eagle still wouldn't let go, its two sharp talons aimed directly at Han Sheng's eyes... Han Sheng's fly-like eyes reacted with incredible speed; with a slight sway, he grabbed the eagle by the neck. The eagle kicked wildly, uttering intermittent threatening sounds. Han Sheng carried it back to the mountaintop and gently placed Dudu in Shen Caihua's arms.

Major Martin was now completely impressed; the young man's speed was simply unbelievable. If he served in the special forces, he would definitely be an outstanding soldier.

Chong Di. Master Hu reached out and took the old eagle, exclaiming in surprise, "This is a serpent eagle, also known as a crested eagle, or 'snake catcher' by the mountain people."

"Oh, so this is a serpent eagle," Han Sheng said thoughtfully.

"Indeed, look at its relatively short and thick claws, like steel pincers, capable of firmly and powerfully gripping the slippery, slender body of a snake. Its tarsi are covered with hard, shield-like scales, and thick feathers envelop its body, making it difficult for sharp fangs to penetrate. Especially its jaw muscles are incredibly powerful, capable of crushing a snake's head in one bite," the master explained.

"In the Central Plains, there is a poisonous bird called 'zhen,' with a black body and red eyes, that eats vipers and wild kudzu. Its feathers are said to dissolve in wine, and those who drink it die instantly. It is said to be the serpent eagle, adept at eating poisonous snakes, and over time its feathers contain potent venom," Han Sheng said.

Chong Di. Master Hu nodded and said, "This eagle is indeed your Central Plains' 'poison bird,' but it's been cursed. It seems to have been used as an aerial guard for the palace." With that, the master took a small, milky-white pill from his robes and placed it in the eagle's mouth.

"What is this?" Han Sheng asked, puzzled.

"A corpse oil pill, specially concocted by this old monk to dispel curses," the master said with a slight smile. He then flicked his hand, and the eagle flew into the air with a "whoosh," circling above the master's head a few times, chirping merrily, before flying off into the distant deep forest.

"Dudu..." Shen Caihua stroked Dudu's chest feathers with her small hands, tears welling in her eyes as she called out to the large parrot with its eyes tightly closed.

After a long while, Dudu slowly opened its eyes and said with difficulty, "Caihua, Caihua, I've gathered so much information..."

"Dudu, what did you see?" Han Sheng asked.

“Crocodiles, so many crocodiles in the lake! Vipers, so many king cobras on the shore! Babies, and so many little babies!” Dudu gasped.

“So many babies?” Hansheng exclaimed in surprise.

Naison translated Dudu’s Mandarin to Chongdi. Master Hu listened.

The master’s face was grave as he gazed at the palace under the twilight and sighed, “That evil Monracha Ong. Bing…”

“Everyone, start eating now. We’ll set off after dark,” Major Martin ordered.

Dinner consisted of canned luncheon meat from the Vietnam War era, along with chocolate and sealed sandwiches, which were quite palatable.

Night fell, but the moonlight was cool and bright. The group quietly descended the mountain to the lakeshore.

Han Sheng gently placed the suction cup into the water, and it slowly expanded to the size of a double-sized straw mat. Its grayish-white underside was covered with suction cups. Shen Caihua leaped onto it, gripping the two large suction cups on the suction cup head. Only he could control this amphibious creature from the Nmeyqai River.

Major Martin tested it lightly with his toes, finding it very stable and not sinking. Fully equipped, he stepped onto it, finding it soft and comfortable under his feet. Dudu had mostly recovered and stood on Han Sheng's shoulder as it climbed onto the suction cup's underside. It timidly gazed at the dark sky, still shaken, knowing it would never dare to fly away again.

Major Martin was burly, weighing more than two Asian men, so Han Sheng had to leave the others on shore and cross the lake in batches.

Chongdi. Master Tiger made a gesture, and the Bengal tiger named "Friend" jumped into the water without hesitation. Master Tiger leaped into the air and sat cross-legged on the tiger's back; it turned out this tiger could swim.

"Let's go," Han Sheng instructed Shen Caihua, then gestured for Major Martin to sit on the belly of the suction device.

The little ghost baby stuck out its bottom, pounded the suction tube twice, then twisted the suction cup, propelling the suction device away from the shore. The Bengal tiger, not to be outdone, swam closely behind.

Under the hazy moonlight, the group silently swam towards the palace in the center of the lake.

Floating on the lake were sections of "dead wood," gradually closing in on them. Upon closer inspection, Han Sheng discovered that these dark brown "logs" were actually enormous crocodiles… "Freshwater crocodiles!" Major Martin's expression changed drastically. He gripped his Uzi submachine gun tightly, his index finger nervously on the trigger.

Thai freshwater crocodiles are medium-sized crocodiles, three to four meters long, with dark brown scales. They are large and ferocious, mainly inhabiting the floodplains and swamps around Tonle Sap Lake in the upper Mekong River.

With a splash, several crocodiles suddenly opened their massive jaws and bit at Sucker and the person on their abdomen, their rows of huge teeth gleaming coldly in the moonlight.

Ghost Infant Shen Caihua remained calm under pressure, sharply pulling on the suction cup. Sucker accelerated and soared into the air, flying above the crocodiles and leaving them behind.

Major Martin was almost thrown into the water, but Han Sheng, whose eyes had already opened, grabbed him—a close call.

The crocodiles, missing their first attack, pounced on the Bengal tiger behind them.

Seeing this, Master Tiger quickly pulled out a handful of "corpse oil pills" from his pocket and tossed them one by one into the crocodiles' gaping mouths. The freshwater crocodiles that swallowed the pills sank into the water and didn't resurface.

"Danger!" Major Martin suddenly shouted.

Three or four huge crocodiles formed a horizontal line and leaped out of the water simultaneously, forming a high wall under the moonlight, or a volleyball net, blocking the suction device's path... Shen Caihua twisted the suction cups sharply, and the suction device, in a split second, swerved to the right, dodging the attack... Cold sweat beaded on Major Martin's forehead; he had almost fired his gun in nervousness.

The crocodiles swarmed around the Bengal tiger. Master Tiger calmly fed the "corpse oil pills" into the gaping mouths. Soon, the crocodiles on the lake surface disappeared underwater, and after a few ripples, the water returned to calm.

Upon reaching the island in the middle of the lake, Major Martin leaped ashore, immediately kneeling on one knee, his submachine gun in hand, cautiously surveying his surroundings.

"First, we need to establish a bridgehead to cover the landing team," he instructed, following the American military manual exactly.

"Caihua, the crocodiles in the water have been subdued by the master; the danger is gone. Could you go and fetch the people from the other side?" Han Sheng gently asked Shen Caihua. Sigh, such a difficult task was entrusted to a one-year-old infant; it was truly inappropriate.

Without a word, little Caihua turned and sped off in his suction dart towards the other side, leaving a white trail in his wake.

Soon, the dart brought back a second group of team members, including Lu Taiguan, Nai Songcha, and Feng Sheng. Shen Caihua then tirelessly returned to the lake.

"Master, were those crocodiles also under a curse?" Han Sheng whispered to Chong Di. Master Hu replied, and Nai Songcha translated.

The master nodded and said, "These are all ordinary animal curses, probably cast by those kidnapped sorcerers. They can be dispelled with 'corpse oil pills.' But if it's a blood curse from Menglachawong Bing, I have no way to counter it."

The cool moonlight shone on the white palace walls, which appeared to be at least five meters high. All was quiet; it seemed the palace guards hadn't noticed anyone had secretly landed.

"Once the rescue team is assembled, we'll begin scaling the wall," Major Martin ordered.

Master Hu took out a small bamboo tube from his person, opened the cap, and poured out a small golden beetle.

"A thousand-mile-long, kowtowing bewitching insect?" Han Sheng asked.

The master smiled slightly and said, "Not bad, this little thing can track the blood fleas. Once we find their location, we can discover where Mong La Cha Weng is hiding. Then we can release the pubic lice. Once the blood fleas are eliminated, half of the power of this Southeast Asian number one sorcerer will be gone." With that, the master released his hand, and the thousand-mile-long, kowtowing bewitching insect landed on the ground. Its long antennae swayed a few times before it crawled straight towards the palace wall.

In less than half an hour, the assault team on the opposite bank had all arrived fully armed, and the bag of pubic lice had also been brought.

"Caihua, you must be exhausted?" Han Sheng reached out and wiped the sweat from the baby's forehead, saying with concern.

"Daddy Han Sheng, I smell it, Mo Mo is here..." Shen Caihua said nervously, tears welling in his eyes, his little chest heaving.

"Hiss..." A strange sound came from nearby.

"King Cobra!" a Thai team member exclaimed softly.

Under the moonlight, dozens of large, yellowish-brown cobras had already surrounded them.

"This is the most venomous snake on Earth, the Thai king cobra. Its only difference from other cobras is the large crown pattern on the back of its head..." The large parrot, Dudu, recited from the textbook at the opportune moment.

Chapter 396

"Be careful! The king cobra is the most venomous cobra in the world. It feeds on various cobras, accumulating venom, and can spray neurovenom up to four or five meters away; if it gets into a person's eye, they will be blinded." Chongdi. Master Tiger warned nervously.

The king cobras had already raised their heads, staring at the group expressionlessly, but did not immediately attack. The assault team members nervously aimed their Uzi submachine guns at them, remaining in a stalemate.

"Don't shoot! The king cobras are under the control of a sorcerer; their goal is to surround us and wait for their master to arrive." Chongdi. Master Tiger said, taking a short vertical flute from his monk's robe pocket and gently playing it.

It was a gentle serenade, its melody melodious and desolate, imbued with a South Asian flavor, sounding particularly eerie in the quiet night.

A large king cobra shook its head, then its raised upper body swayed to the rhythm of the music. Immediately afterward, dozens of venomous snakes also began to sway, dancing to the changing notes, appearing like a swarm of ghosts in the cool, pale moonlight.

Master Tiger, seated on the back of a Bengal tiger, played his flute while gesturing to Major Martin that they could now scale the palace wall. He then rode his tiger companion directly around the towering white wall, followed closely by the dancing snakes.

Major Martin, seeing that Master Tiger had lured the snakes away, breathed a sigh of relief, his stiff finger leaving the cold trigger, and whispered an order for his men to begin scaling the wall.

The quick-witted young man from Yancheng took out a climbing rope with an iron grappling hook from his backpack, swung it in an arc, and tossed it onto the top of the wall. He pulled hard, ensuring the grappling hook gripped the wall firmly, and then nimbly climbed up the wall using his hands and feet. He first quietly observed the movements inside the palace walls, then took out another climbing rope from his backpack, hooked it onto the outside of the wall, waved it off, and slid down the rope into the courtyard. He then crouched down at the corner of the wall, gun at the ready.

Major Martin led his men and Feng Sheng over the wall one by one. Lu Taiguan, being a blood corpse, was extremely agile. With a light pull of the rope, he leaped up and flew over the wall.

Han Sheng, embracing his talent, had already activated his "Hysteria Divine Skill." His body slowly rose, swaying and floating to the top of the wall, when he suddenly saw Chong Di. Master Tiger, riding his "Tiger Friend," was hurrying towards them. The flute music had stopped, and the king cobras were angrily chasing after him, hissing and spraying venom at his back from time to time... "Master, get on quickly!" Han Sheng shouted anxiously.

"Big Cat, run!" Shen Caihua waved his little hands and called out loudly from Han Sheng's arms.

In an instant, Chongdi. Master Tiger was already there, muttering incantations before suddenly slapping the tiger's rump. The tiger leaped up and cleared the five-meter-high wall... Under the Bodhi tree inside the palace walls, Major Martin ordered the young man from Yancheng and the South Vietnamese soldier to sneak up to the highest point in the palace—the tower—to destroy the SA-7 SAM surface-to-air missiles and eliminate the threat to Blair's helicopter. The rest of the men were to storm the central hall of the palace, search for and rescue the baby girl, and, if necessary, shoot the sorcerers.

Chongdi. Master Tiger held a bunch of strange green grass resembling a bird's tail in his hand. Han Sheng recognized it as the "Windless Swaying Grass" planted in the courtyard of the Bangkok Master.

"The Thousand-Mile Kowtowing Charm Insect is chasing the Blood Flea's whereabouts, look, it's crawling right ahead..." Chongdi. Master Tiger observed the reaction of the "Angelica pubescens," then raised his eyes to search.

Under the moonlight, the small golden beetle cautiously made its way along the cobblestone path, its two long antennae swaying incessantly. Its golden armor reflected the moonlight, making it quite conspicuous.

"Let us go!" Major Martin commanded in a low voice.

Just then, a small, naked infant, only about two inches tall, suddenly appeared in the moonlight. With a "whoosh," it leaped in front of the "Thousand-Mile Kowtowing Enchanting Insect," grabbed the beetle with its tiny hand, and stuffed it into its mouth, crushing it with a "crunch" before swallowing it… Chong Di. Master Tiger snapped the "Angelica pubescens" leaf in his hand shut, having lost its target.

Everyone stared in astonishment at the tiny infant, barely two inches tall, unable to believe their eyes… The infant turned around, its eyes gleaming with an evil green light. Its bald head, covered with a few sparse yellow hairs disproportionate to its body, had unusually large, withered hands with bulging veins, like an old man's, and a small, pointed penis between its legs.

"Little devil!" Chong Di exclaimed. Master Hu gasped softly.

"I told you, there are a lot of babies here..." Dudu complained, perched on Han Sheng's shoulder.

In Southeast Asia, raising child ghosts is a prevalent form of black magic, most notably in Siam. Siamese black magic originated in the Miao region of southwestern China. After spreading to the Indochina Peninsula, it merged with local witchcraft and Hinduism, gradually developing into the black magic we know today.

Child ghosts are generally obedient, easy to control, and unlikely to rebel, thus attracting many to this practice. First, the black magic practitioner must select a recently deceased child, no older than ten. More reputable practitioners typically exchange the body for a high price from the family; usually, only poor families engage in this transaction. However, evil black magic practitioners are usually unwilling to spend large sums of money on this trade. Instead, they secretly dig up the child's grave at night, retrieve the body, and immediately perform the ritual. The usual method is for the sorcerer to hold a burning candle stick and heat it on the chin of the child's corpse for about twenty minutes. Human oil will then begin to drip from the child's chin. The sorcerer will then hold a porcelain bowl to collect the oil, continuing to heat the bowl and collect the oil until it runs out. Next, a small coffin (about a few centimeters long) will be taken out, and inside the coffin will be placed a child's image carved from a yin-yang tree from Southeast Asia, while the sorcerer continuously chants incantations. After ninety-eight consecutive days, the prepared child-cursed oil is poured into a small coffin. Usually, by the seventh day, wisps of white smoke will rise from the small coffin... At this time, the sorcerer immediately puts the child ghost image and the cursed corpse oil into the same transparent glass bottle, seals it, and places it on the altar, chanting the birth incantation for the child ghost: "Vast and mysterious, scattered becomes air, gathered becomes spirit, Namo Pusato, Ulinawa, Akadi Maya, Idi Bakaya, Wang Peng..." The meaning of the incantation is: The spiritual energy of heaven and earth is revered by all gods; I emit spiritual energy, creating something from nothing; compared to parents, ghosts and gods all despise you; I gave you life, I created you; as a child, obedience is paramount. If you disobey, I will no longer provide for you. This is my order, remember it forever… The little demon has been born, about two or three inches tall, like a miniature infant. The little demons raised by powerful sorcerers will be larger, but so far, no one exceeding four inches in height has been found in the Indochina Peninsula.

Little demons are usually more evil than good, such as acting as child ghosts to transport wealth for gamblers, taking away other people's money, or helping sorcerers perform bewitching spells to make handsome men or women willingly offer themselves to satisfy the sorcerer's lust and engage in immoral sexual acts. Usually, there are many young women around powerful Thai sorcerers, clinging to them like flies to dung, earning money to support the sorcerer; this is the work of little demons.

The little demons that have appeared in the palace now must be raised by those sorcerers who were kidnapped, Somdej. Master Tiger pondered.

At that moment, the little devil who had bitten the Thousand-Mile Kowtowing Slug suddenly grinned, revealing two rows of tiny, white sesame-seed-like teeth, and let out a shrill whistle.

With a series of "plop plop plop" sounds, dozens of tiny devils, each about two inches long, leaped out from the branches and bushes. All were naked, some male, some female, and even a few black and white devils among them, standing in the cool moonlight, their eyes gleaming with an evil green light, staring menacingly at the group.

"This…" Major Martin, though a ruthless killer during the Vietnam War, felt helpless facing these unarmed infants. Frankly, if he were to step on them with his large leather boots, those children would surely be crushed, their bellies spilling out, and turned into meat patties.

As the team hesitated, watching Major Martin, the little devils suddenly roared, bared their sharp teeth, and launched a frenzied attack… Major Martin, startled, suddenly felt a sharp pain in his toe. Looking down, he saw a wrinkled, orange-skinned little devil grinning maliciously, gnawing on his leather boot. Its sharp little teeth had already pierced the thick suede toe, and blood seeped onto the shoe.

Enraged, Martin kicked the little devil away, but the creature somersaulted in the air and pounced again before landing.

Several little devils had already swarmed onto the South Vietnamese soldier. One of them, with dark skin, had bitten his neck, and a large-eyed devil extended its hard, withered fingers, gouging out both of his bloody eyeballs. The soldier fell to the ground with a long, piercing scream; he was clearly dead.

Two little ghosts, their genitals exposed, leaped into the air, baring their tiny teeth as they pounced on Han Sheng… Enraged, the ghost infant Shen Caihua leaped from Han Sheng's arms to meet them, grabbing the first ghost and, without hesitation, biting its little head in two, blood and brains splattering everywhere. The other, a white-skinned foreign ghost, seeing the situation was dire, tried to escape, but Shen Caihua grabbed it from behind and bit it, severing its arm in one bite, causing the ghost to cry out in pain… “Kill!” The large parrot Dudu, perched on Han Sheng's shoulder, cried out loudly, cheering on the crowd. At that moment, a female ghost stealthily leaped into the air, preparing to ambush Han Sheng, but Dudu flapped its powerful wings and decisively knocked her down.

The young man from Yancheng wielded his submachine gun with impenetrable skill, fending off the attacks of the little devils. Unexpectedly, a little devil with rouge on her face attacked from behind, leaping onto the back of his neck and swiftly biting off a piece of his scalp along with the hair.

Two Burmese Shan State soldiers, skilled with knives, could not use firearms in such a chaotic battle to avoid accidentally injuring their own men. So they drew their short knives and engaged the little devils in close combat. However, the little creatures were surprisingly agile, and the wielding blades could not touch them at all; instead, the little devils frequently bit them.

Chongdi. Master Hu took out a thick bamboo tube from his pocket, opened the lid, and a little devil, about four inches tall, with a resolute square jaw, wearing red triangular shorts, and exuding an aura of righteous indignation, emerged from it… The master chanted an incantation, and the little devil bowed to him before suddenly leaping up and joining the battle.

Chongdi. The little devil raised by Master Hu was not only tall and mighty, with a strong physique, but also agile and skilled in Muay Thai. It used its fists, feet, knees, and elbows, throwing several jabs, hooks, kicks, and back kicks, flying knees and smashing elbows, and the little devils fell to the ground one after another... "Whoosh whoosh whoosh" The sound of crossbows rang out, and "Pfft pfft pfft" The sound of blowguns suddenly arrived. Several poisoned arrows and needles flew towards the group. It turned out that the sorcerers dressed in yellow monks' robes and white linen clothes had arrived...

Chapter 397

Major Martin roared and pulled the trigger first. The 9mm bullets of the Uzi submachine gun gushed out, and two or three sorcerers were immediately hit and fell down.

At the sound of gunfire, the team members opened fire, and several more men in yellow robes and white linen clothes fell into the grass. Major Martin, while firing, ordered the young man from Yancheng to rush to the tower. The South Vietnamese soldier was already dead. The quick-witted young man from Yancheng reached out, pulled off the little girl with rouge on her face, and slammed her to the ground. Then, he forcefully crushed her to death with his combat boot. He composed himself, then crouched down and disappeared into the bushes, making his way towards the tower, the highest point in the center of the palace. Destroying the SAM missiles was crucial to the rescue team's safe return, and the young man from Yancheng knew the weight of his responsibility.

Under the moonlight, Feng Sheng stood with his legs apart, firing his pistol at the little girls running around on the ground in the unique one-armed gun-holding posture of a police officer, one shot, one kill, he was in high spirits. Unbeknownst to them, two crossbow bolts were already flying towards Feng Sheng in the darkness, one aimed straight for his neck, the other for his chest… Han Sheng's eyes snapped open, and without thinking, he rushed forward, grabbing Feng Sheng just before the bolts pierced his flesh… It was a close call; both he and Feng Sheng broke out in a cold sweat.

But the others weren't so lucky. A poisoned arrow pierced the throat of a Thai soldier; the venom was lethal upon contact with blood, and he collapsed dead before he could even cry out.

Two poisoned needles struck the face of a young man from Shan State, Burma. Fortunately, they didn't penetrate deeply, but his entire face was numb. He didn't notice a little devil suddenly leaping from the bushes to ambush him. The little guy jumped up and slapped the needles twice, forcing them deep into his skull. The young man's body went limp, and he slowly collapsed.

The imp, having landed a successful blow, leaped excitedly, turning sharply in mid-air to pounce on another Shan soldier wielding a knife. However, the soldier's blade was incredibly fast; a flash of cold light, and the imp's waist was severed, instantly cutting him in two.

Nai Songcha's Uzi submachine gun spat fire, felling two sorcerers in quick succession. He then opened fire on the naked imps running around on the ground, tearing them to shreds.

The powerful firepower of the Uzi submachine gun had nearly wiped out the sorcerers; no more crossbow bolts or poison needles were fired. The remaining few men in yellow and white robes retreated hastily into the depths of the palace, and the surviving imps also fled without a trace.

Major Martin quickly assessed the situation: one South Vietnamese soldier, one Thai soldier, and one Burmese Shan soldier were dead. His side consisted of himself, Nai Songcha, and a Burmese Shan soldier bitten by an imp, Chong Di. Tiger Monk, Han Sheng, and Feng Sheng are all fine. The key is that Lu Taiguan is safe and sound. This is very important because half of the commission has not yet been paid, and it can't just die like this.

"Hey, where did Caihua go?" The big parrot Dudu suddenly said on Han Sheng's shoulder.

(Uzi Gale, the designer of the Uzi submachine gun) Han Sheng was startled by the words and hurriedly opened his fly-like eyes to look around. The ghost baby was indeed gone.

"Where did the ancestor go too?" Lu Taiguan stretched his head and looked around, muttering unhappily.

Could it be that Old Master Wu and Little Caihua discovered Mo Mo's whereabouts and went to track her down? Han Sheng thought anxiously, so he hurriedly said, "Mr. Lu, I have to go first. You can follow me later."

"Don't act on your own!" Major Martin hurriedly stopped him, but before he finished speaking, he felt a blur before his eyes, and Han Sheng had already disappeared.

Inside the royal palace, Yan Cheng, carrying a Uzi submachine gun, cautiously made his way through the maze-like alleys.

The Chiang Mai royal palaces are typical of northern Thai architecture, primarily featuring stilted wooden structures with multi-eaved roofs, ancient and antique. After navigating several deserted narrow alleys, he finally arrived at a palace. The main hall's doors and the tower-shaped ornaments atop them were painted gilded, appearing particularly solemn, majestic, and mysterious under the moonlight. The main hall had a four-tiered, multi-faceted wooden roof, topped with a four-sided pyramidal spire—presumably the tower housing the SA-7 missiles. Yan Cheng thought to himself as he carefully crept towards the hall.

A flicker of dark red light appeared in a dark corner to the left of the hall's entrance. He knew someone was smoking, so he crouched low and crept along the wall.

The young man from Yancheng slung his Uzi submachine gun over his shoulder, then drew a dagger from his waist and lunged at the white-clad figure. He grabbed the person's neck, the sharp blade pressed against their throat. "Don't move!" he growled in a low voice in Dai.

The languages of several countries in the Indochina Peninsula are largely similar, hence the saying, "Learn Dai, and you can travel all over Southeast Asia." The young man from Yancheng was a descendant of the 93rd Division of the Nationalist Army and had lived in the Golden Triangle region bordering Myanmar, Thailand, and Laos since childhood; he was fluent in Dai.

The woman in white was tall and slender, with a delicate, feminine air. It was only when the young man's arm touched her high breasts that he realized she was a young woman.

The young man dragged her from the shadows under the eaves into the moonlight. Looking closely, he saw a woman with bright eyes and white teeth, exceptionally beautiful, and he involuntarily released his grip.

"Who are you?" the woman asked in terror, her voice rough.

The young man was startled again. Upon closer inspection, he noticed a large Adam's apple on the woman's neck. "Are you a transvestite?" the young man from Yancheng asked suspiciously.

The woman smiled sweetly and said softly in a hoarse voice, "I'm Sanni, you're hurting me..." She then reached out and touched the young man's crotch, giggling.

The young man reflexively pulled his buttocks back, brandishing his dagger, and snapped, "Don't mess around! Answer me honestly, is the tower housing the SAM missiles accessed through this hall?"

Sanni nodded, not daring to move again.

The young man switched the dagger to his left hand, grabbed the Uzi submachine gun with his right, and ordered, "Take me up there, don't make a sound, or I'll kill you!"

Sanni pouted, gently stubbed out her cigarette, then swayed her hips and walked into the dimly lit hall, the young man following behind with his gun.

Four statues of Hercules stood on each of the four sides of the main hall, half-crouching, half-standing, their hands raised high. A wooden staircase led to the roof, the ceiling painted with colorful patterns of Garuda catching snakes, while the gable walls of the hall were decorated with reliefs of Vishnu riding Garuda.

With the creaking of Sannie's high heels on the wooden floorboards, the young man from Yancheng climbed the tower step by step.

"Sannie, the Thai ladyboy :)" At the top of the tower, the intense gunfire from the palace echoed in the night sky. A sorcerer dressed in white linen picked up an SA-7 missile, gripped the firing handle tightly, his eyes fixed intently on the night sky, his ears straining to hear the roar of airplanes.

"Knock, knock, knock," came the familiar knocking from the tightly closed wooden door of the tower.

"Is that Sannie?" the white-clad sorcerer asked in Thai.

"It's me, open the door." "It was Sanni's sweet, coquettish voice.

The sorcerer put down the missile launcher, walked over, and opened the wooden door of the tower

. In the moonlight, Sanni's face, seemingly smiling yet not smiling, was revealed. "Hands up! Step back!" Suddenly, a young soldier in camouflage, holding a submachine gun, appeared behind Sanni, the black muzzle pointed directly at the sorcerer's chest.

"You, who are you?" the sorcerer asked, his face pale with shock.

"Enough nonsense, how many SAM missiles are there in the palace?" the young man from Yancheng asked sharply in Dai language.

"Only this one launcher." The sorcerer understood Dai language, his eyes flickering, and answered cunningly.

"Don't lie to me, tell the truth!" "The boy stepped forward, staring intently at him and pressing him for answers.

"I'm not lying, look into my eyes if you don't believe me..." The sorcerer said, widening his eyes, his gaze hazy and deep, as if there were tiny sparks flickering in the endless darkness.

The boy from Yancheng suddenly felt his mind go blank, his eyes fixed on the other person's eyes, as if his whole body was about to float into those dark eye sockets... The sorcerer smiled slightly, gently approached, and blew a breath into each of the boy's ears, then began chanting a "magic spell." A series of indistinct notes slowly became clearer in the boy's ears, and he felt a great sense of familiarity, as if he had returned to the Golden Triangle, with poppies blooming all over the mountains before his eyes, and a pretty little girl standing in the pink flowers... "Little Yangmei..." The boy's mind was hallucinating, and his childhood sweetheart, the girl next door, appeared vividly before his eyes, as if she were right in front of him.

With a clatter, the dagger fell to the ground. He walked slowly, obsessively, towards "Little Yangmei," muttering, "Didn't you marry into Bangkok..."

Sanni smiled, puffing out her chest, letting the delirious Yancheng boy hug her tightly. Then she reached out and lifted his head, forcefully pressing her lips to his... "No!" the sorcerer cried out, pulling them apart. Pointing to the tower below, he softly said to the Yancheng boy, "Look over there..."

The poppies before the boy's eyes vanished. He saw a girl in red waving at him from below the tower. It was Little Yangmei, being pushed into a car by two burly men... "Boy, save me! I don't want to marry into Bangkok..." Little Yangmei cried uncontrollably, kicking her legs wildly, her high heels falling off.

"Don't be afraid, kid, I'm coming!" The dazed Yancheng boy stumbled over the wooden railing of the tower, arms outstretched, one foot slipped, and he plummeted straight down from the tower...

Chapter 398.

The cool moonlight shone on the rows of rooftops of the palace. A figure wearing a yellow military cap and Qing Dynasty court attire skipped and hopped across the rooftops, spotting the Yancheng boy about to fall from the tower. He exclaimed "Eh!" and then leaped over with lightning speed, grabbing the boy's ankle... Just as the boy lost his footing and fell, he suddenly regained his senses, letting out a startled cry of "Ah!" But it was too late. His body plummeted rapidly, the Uzi submachine gun hanging around his neck slipping from his grasp. He closed his eyes, thinking, "It's over..." Suddenly, his body sank, his ankle was grabbed, and a powerful force lifted him up, slamming him heavily onto the tower's wooden floor.

"Outrageous! To commit suicide for a woman!" Old Master Wu, the flying zombie, looked at Shanni with disdain and scolded, "Hey, kid, it seems you don't understand the art of judging women at all."

The young man from Yancheng sat on the ground, still shaken, looking at the unassuming blind old man. So he was the one who saved him. What happened just now? He must have been cursed.

"And who are you, daring to ruin my plans?" the white-robed sorcerer said angrily.

"Hehe, where did this blind old monster come from? He looks more like a theatrical performer..." Shanni covered her mouth and giggled.

Old Master Wu didn't understand Thai. He pointed at Shanni standing beside him and continued to lecture the young man from Yancheng: "In my opinion, this woman has a foxy figure, talks and laughs a lot, has sloping shoulders, smooth and cold flesh, thick and coarse hair, cloudy eyes and a broken voice. She is a woman of the ten lowest virtues."

"She's a transvestite," the young man from Yancheng told the old man.

"What transvestite? He's clearly a demon!" Old Master Wu pointed out righteously.

The white-robed sorcerer, having witnessed the old man's agile movements, knew he had encountered a martial arts master and dared not act rashly. He used the same method again, employing his "fantasy sorcery." He leaned close to the old man's face and said softly, "Look into my eyes..."

In the moonlight, the old man's two deep-set eye sockets had no pupils, only cloudy, grayish-white spheres. Oh no, this old fellow was blind.

"Be careful! He's going to use sorcery again." The young man from Yancheng quickly warned the old man, reaching for the dagger on the ground.

The flying zombie Old Master Wu chuckled coldly, "Sorcery? How could it possibly deceive this admiral?" With that, he lowered his head and removed his yellow military cap.

In the pale moonlight, a dent could be clearly seen on the old man's bald head, revealing two large, blood-red eyes, devoid of eyelids and eyebrows… The white-robed sorcerer cried out in alarm, staggering backward. With a sudden leap, he tumbled headfirst from the waist-high railing of the tower, landing with a loud thud on the stone pavement more than ten meters below. His bones were broken, tendons severed, and his brains splattered.

“A monster…” Sunny trembled violently, her terrified eyes fixed on the old man's strange eyes. Trembling, she leaned against the wall and collapsed to the ground, her crotch soaked.

The young man from Yancheng was utterly astonished to see that the old man had eyes on his bald head. "You...you are..."

Old Master Wu puffed out his chest and said loudly, "Hmph, I am Wu Jiabang, the first-rank official of the current court and the admiral of the Yangtze River Navy. These petty thieves are nothing to this admiral. Young man..."

"What are your orders, sir?" the young man from Yancheng quickly replied.

"What kind of weapon is this?" Old Master Wu asked, pointing to the SA-7 missile.

"This is a SAM surface-to-air missile, which poses a great threat to our helicopters, so Captain Martin sent me to destroy it," the young man from Yancheng explained.

"This thing is also a foreign gun? Hmm, maybe the Emperor will like it..." the old man muttered, reaching out to sling it over his shoulder, and then said, "This admiral bestows this vixen upon you."

"Sir, he's a man," the young man from Yancheng said with a wry smile.

"A man?" the old man asked curiously, then bent down and reached under Shanni's pants, grabbing a limp penis. "Oh, truly a 'human ailment' that's neither male nor female. I'll kill him." He raised his hand.

"Don't kill him!" the young man from Yancheng quickly stopped him, then explained to the old man, "I still have some questions to ask. The transvestite Shanni must know the whereabouts of Menglachaweng Bing."

"Where is Menglachaweng Bing?" the young man from Yancheng asked in Dai language.

Shanni still stared fearfully at the old man's bald head. The old man's head drooped, his two large, bloodshot eyes fixed on Shanni with a fierce gaze.

"Don't go to the master, you'll die if you do." Shanni's facial muscles twitched a few times, and she gave the young man from Yancheng a pitying look.

"Tell me now!" the young man snapped.

“He…he’s at the ‘Ximu Temple’ in the back garden of the palace,” Shanni stammered.

“Ximu Temple?” Yan Cheng knew that the ‘Ximu’ was an extremely rare short-haired Siamese cat, covered in seal spots, its cry like a baby’s wail, tender and melodious, captivating and soul-stirring. In the past, only royal palaces and grand temples kept them; they were rarely seen in the common people.

“Lead the way to the Ximu Temple,” Yan Cheng said, pulling Shanni up.

Shanni had no choice but to cautiously lead the way, descending the tower and exiting the main hall.

The young man bypassed the white-robed sorcerer’s corpse, picked up his Uzi submachine gun from the ground, and led Shanni towards the back of the palace. Old Master Wu, wearing his yellow military cap with holes in it, shouldered his SA-7 missile and followed behind with measured steps.

A winding stream lay before them, spanned by a small stone bridge. On the opposite bank grew enormous, exotic flowers. Deep within the garden, a round, golden tower top emerged, upon which sat a giant cat sculpture with blue spots. Its enormous eyes reflected two shadowy shadows in the cool moonlight, giving it a ghastly and eerie appearance.

“That’s ‘Wat Phra That Doi Suthep,’ a forbidden area of the palace. No one who dares to trespass has ever returned alive. I dare not go there,” Shanni said quietly, stopping at the bridgehead.

The young man from Yancheng translated Shanni’s words to Old Master Wu, who scoffed and resolutely walked onto the small stone bridge.

“Where is your home? Go home quickly,” the young man said to Shanni, then picked up his Uzi submachine gun, preparing to follow the old man across the bridge.

“My home is in Bangkok, Myanmar…” Shanni smiled tenderly, her expression filled with sorrow.

The young man knew that in Thailand, most transgender people were boys from poor families, forced into this path by poverty, and their lives were usually short. So he waved his hand, letting her go.

“You should leave this evil place quickly,” the young man from Yancheng said loudly, then walked confidently onto the small stone bridge.

Grandpa Wu and the young man from Yancheng entered the garden. A strange, foul stench filled the air. The young man sniffed and discovered that the nauseating smell was emanating from the strange flowers.

Under the moonlight, each enormous flower was a vibrant red, shaped like a gourd, with a large, dark hole in the center of its open petals, partially concealed by a red leaf. Grandpa Wu had never seen such large and beautiful flowers before; they were definitely not found in the Central Plains.

"Such beautiful flowers, why doesn't the King of Siam offer them as tribute to our Great Qing?" the old man muttered discontentedly.

"These are 'flowers without stamens,' the man-eating flowers of the Chiang Mai rainforest." The young man from Yancheng took two steps back, his face suddenly changing color.

"Rustle..." A strange sound came from beneath the flower stems.

"Look! What's that?" the young man suddenly cried out in panic.

Dozens of large, hairy, brown spiders, each as big as a washbasin, crawled out of the shadow of the flower without a stamen and quickly surrounded the two of them… The giant brown spiders actually worked together, using their long, hairy legs to pull up several large webs of silk, carrying them towards them, seemingly intending to trap their prey in the tough webs before slowly devouring them.

The young man from Yancheng panicked and tried to grab his submachine gun to fire, but his hands were too weak to lift. He then felt a tingling numbness throughout his body, losing all strength, and began to yawn repeatedly.

“This man-eating flower smells poisonous!” the young man shouted with all his might.

Grandpa Wu, the flying zombie, was completely unaffected by the man-eating flower's poisonous fumes. He looked down at the situation, sensed something was wrong, and with a leap, jumped out of the circle. Looking back, the Chinese boy was still surrounded by giant spiders. The spiderwebs had closed in and were enveloping him, and the spiders had even eagerly extended their sharp mandibles, ready to pierce their prey's body.

At this moment, the boy from Yancheng was trembling with fear. He never imagined that joining the mercenary army would not only fail to earn him money, but would also leave him like a moth drawn to a flame, sucked dry by the spiders, leaving only his skin behind. In this

critical moment, the chivalrous heart of the Qing Dynasty's Yangtze River Navy Admiral arose spontaneously. With a loud shout, he leaped into the air, grabbed the boy from the collar, and threw him away with all his might, then jumped out of the encirclement himself.

The boy from Yancheng was thrown heavily into the air, flying in an arc before tumbling and landing atop the Siamese cat statue atop the round pagoda of the Ximu Temple… The giant spiders, their prey having escaped, were instantly enraged, turning around and aiming their abdominal "silk warts" at Old Master Wu… Spiders have six types of glands on their abdomens, called spinnerets, each producing different types of silk. At the top of each gland is a spinneret (silk wart), with thousands of tiny pores. The sprayed liquid solidifies upon contact with air, forming highly viscous and tensile spider silk. Spider silk is composed of a type of fibroin protein, and for its specific diameter, its tensile strength is greater than that of steel wire. Just

as the brown giant spiders were preparing to shoot their silk, they suddenly felt the ground tremble. A group of people came running across the small stone bridge, led by Major Martin, followed closely by Chongdi riding a Bengal tiger. Master Tiger, Official Lu, Feng Sheng, and the surviving Nai Songchai and another lightly wounded Shan State soldier from Burma.

The giant brown spider, with eight eyes on its head—four for daytime and four for nighttime—was overjoyed to see so many prey arrive and quickly began to spin its webs to intercept the new prey.

Official Lu spotted Old Master Wu in the garden and immediately shouted, "Grandpa, why are you running around like this?"

Master Tiger's nose caught a strong stench of decay, and he saw the rows of man-eating flowers without stamens. He cried out urgently, "Be careful! These man-eating flowers are poisonous..."

"It stinks..." Major Martin frowned.

A "thump" sounded, and someone behind him had already fallen. In the midst of the chaotic battle

in Chapter 399

, the ghost infant Shen Caihua suddenly appeared. His size was already several times larger than the other ghosts, and coupled with his rich fighting experience and ruthless nature, he broke the limbs of several ghosts, even biting off two heads, his eyes turning bloodshot, blood dripping from his mouth—a truly terrifying sight.

Taking advantage of Shen Caihua's momentary lapse in attention, a female ghost circled around to his rear and bit him lightly, then quickly turned and ran. Enraged, Shen Caihua grunted and gave chase, only to trip over a suction tube that had rolled to his feet. The ghost infant grabbed the suction tube and staggered after it.

The female ghost ran desperately ahead, and Shen Caihua pursued relentlessly. His nostrils flared as he caught a faint, familiar scent emanating from the ghost—the unique scent of Mo Mo. This little ghost must have picked up its scent from being with Mo Mo. The ghost infant felt a surge of warmth and quickened its pace, leaping into the air as it caught up, reaching out to grab it… Ahead lay a wide river, its green surface reflecting the clear moon. The little ghost plunged into the water and disappeared, leaving a trail of bubbles and ripples on the surface.

Shen Caihua and the suction tube also fell into the river. The suction tube quickly opened its belly upon contact with the water, and the ghost infant climbed out, frowning slightly. Its bottom still hurt from being bitten by the little ghost.

Under the moonlight, the suction tube swam slowly on the surface. The ghost infant sniffed and peered into the water. Strange flowers and plants grew on the riverbank, emanating a faint, foul odor.

The little ghost still hadn't surfaced, arousing Shen Caihua's suspicion. After a moment's thought, he finally made up his mind, took a deep breath, pressed the suction tube, and submerged.

The river was surprisingly deep and dimly lit, its waters chilling to the bone. The ghost infant opened its eyes, its pupils dilating, catching a glimmer of orange light shimmering on the water's surface. It manipulated its suction cup to swim towards the light, eventually discovering an underwater tunnel from which the light emanated. The ghost infant twisted the suction cup and plunged straight towards the light.

At the end of the tunnel, several dozen meters long, lay a pool of water. Looking up, the surface was like a mirror, the orange light projected from above. The ghost infant pulled the suction cup, and the suction cup silently rose to the surface.

After two ripples, Shen Caihua's small head slowly and quietly emerged from the water, his pupils contracting sharply, his nose catching that familiar scent again.

It was a magnificent, golden palace, its walls covered in golden reliefs, and more than ten oil lamps hanging from the wooden beams, emitting a soft, orange glow. In the center of the hall stood a square, carved altar, taller than two people. At each of the four corners sat a large, short-haired Siamese cat with blue spots. The two Siamese cats facing the pool noticed Shen Caihua, their sharp eyes fixed on him with a menacing, eerie green light.

Atop the altar were colorful lotus petals, and in the center sat a naked little girl, her gaze fixed and motionless. She was none other than the Ancestor's daughter—Mo Mo.

"Mo Mo…" Shen Caihua, tears welling in his eyes, crawled out of the pool, enduring the pain in his bottom, and staggered towards the altar.

"Meow..." The manes of the Siamese cats crouching at the four corners of the altar suddenly bristled, their jaws snapping open to reveal gleaming white canines, emitting a mournful cry like that of a baby.

Shen Caihua approached the altar step by step, fearlessly climbing upwards.

The fish on the surface of the pool blinked, sensing the danger, and leaped high from the water... A green glint flashed in the eyes of the four Siamese cats, and they launched a simultaneous attack. Two lunged at the ghost infant's left and right arms, while the other two opened their blood-red mouths to bite his two tender white legs.

Shen Caihua stared blankly at Mo Mo on the altar, seemingly oblivious.

Just at this critical moment, the sucker, dripping wet, descended from the sky, bravely opening its belly to shield the Siamese cats… “Plop plop plop plop”—four sounds rang out in succession as the Siamese cats’ sharp teeth pierced the sucker’s flesh, while their sharp claws dug into its grayish-white belly. The sucker, enduring the excruciating pain with a muffled groan, closed its belly tightly around the four ferocious short-haired cats, pressing over a hundred large and small suction cups onto them, their fine needles piercing their bodies, before tumbling and falling to the ground together.

The four Siamese cats struggled desperately, twisting and turning, while the sucker tightened its belly with all its might. “Meow… hiss… whimper…” The Siamese cats slowly went numb, their growls gradually turning into mournful cries.

The sucker was also badly injured, its abdomen bitten and scratched, bodily fluids slowly flowing out. But to protect its little master, it gritted its teeth, trembling all over, and persevered. Its two vacant little round eyes blinked weakly at Shen Caihua.

At this moment, Shen Caihua only had Momo in his heart. His dark eyes were fixed on the baby girl sitting in the lotus petals. He climbed onto the altar.

"Momo..." the ghost baby murmured.

The baby girl's eyes were still staring blankly ahead, without any reaction. Shen Caihua reached out his little hand and gently shook it, calling to her... This altar was the back hall of "West Mother Temple", the most mysterious and eerie place in the Chiang Mai Palace, a forbidden zone that no one in the entire palace was allowed to approach.

At this moment, in the main hall of the Ximu Temple, stood an old man with a turban, bare feet, and dark skin, his gaze fixed straight ahead. A red blood flute was held in his mouth, and a gigantic Siamese cat, the size of a three- or four-hundred-pound fat pig, crouched at his feet, glaring menacingly at Han Sheng, who stood two zhang away opposite him.

Many oil lamps hung on the walls of the hall, their orange light illuminating Han Sheng's tightly pressed lips and unusually serious face.

Since discovering the baby was missing, Han Sheng had opened his fly-like eyes and used his supernatural powers to search the palace, finally finding the Ximu Temple and the old, turban-wearing, barefoot sorcerer. He vaguely recognized him as Menglachaweng. "Menglachaweng. Bing, where is the baby girl you kidnapped?" Han Sheng

demanded sharply.

Bing's gaze was vacant, no longer bearing the cunning look he had in the Burmese jungle, nor the gleam in his eyes. He showed no reaction to Han Sheng's question.

"Mong La Cha Ong. Bing, where have you hidden the baby girl?" Han Sheng shouted angrily.

The old sorcerer mechanically reached out and ripped off the white cloth covering his head, releasing a swarm of blood fleas like a red mist.

Han Sheng stood firmly on the main hall, motionless. He knew the blood fleas had no effect on him. Sure enough, the blood fleas used each other's momentum to fly towards him, but none dared to approach his body. They all cautiously kept their distance, then tumbled out of the Ximu Temple gate.

Just then, from the cluster of exotic flowers outside the Ximu Temple, a series of chaotic submachine gun shots rang out, interspersed with the painful screams of humans… Major Martin was surprised to find that under the moonlight, many giant spiders were pulling large webs towards them. He picked up his Uzi submachine gun, but at that moment he felt extremely tired, his legs trembling.

“Catch! Eat it quickly…” Master Chongdi shouted, throwing over a “corpse oil pill,” and at the same time tossing several more towards Lu Taiguan, Feng Sheng, and the soldiers.

Although Major Martin didn’t understand Master Chongdi’s words, he understood his intention, so he reached out and caught the pill and put it in his mouth. A strong, sour smell of human sweat filled his mouth, making him nauseous, but strangely, he immediately felt refreshed.

"Rat-a-tat-tat..." His Uzi submachine gun fired, and the 9mm bullets, like a storm, mercilessly tore through the bulging abdomen of the giant brown spider, sending limbs flying and sap flowing everywhere.

Feng Sheng and Nai Songchai received and ate the corpse oil pills, and their guns also opened fire on the giant spiders. The already wounded Burmese Shan State soldier had fallen to the ground earlier, and immediately seven or eight giant brown spiders covered him with their webs. Then, seven or eight finger-thick, sharp mouthparts pierced his body, and the injected venom rapidly dissolved his flesh and internal organs, then sucked them back in. The soldier let out a series of shrill screams, and his body gradually withered away... Old Master Wu rejoined the battle, and with a "plop plop" of applause, the giant brown spiders were ripped open, their intestines spilling out, and they fell dead to the ground.

The bloody battle between humans and spiders had ended. Dozens of giant brown spiders were wiped out, their corpses littering the ground, pools of yellowish-brown slime emitting a foul stench.

The young man from Yancheng clung weakly to the neck of a Siamese cat statue atop the tower, trying to avoid falling. "I'm here..." he weakly cried out for help.

Just then, under the moonlight, a cloud of blood mist drifted out of the Ximu Temple's gate, flying directly towards the still-shaken crowd.

"Blood fleas!" Chongdi. The old monk Hu was terrified and hurriedly shouted, "Quick! Release the pubic lice!"

Naisongchai, hearing this, hastily untied the bag containing the pubic lice and poured them all out onto the ground. Under the cool moonlight, the white pubic lice began to slowly wriggle.

Tens of thousands of blood fleas flying in the air, attracted by the scent of the pubic lice, swarmed down, eagerly clinging to the lice's bodies and frantically sucking their bodily fluids.

Chongdi. Master Tiger watched nervously as the ugly little creatures fought amongst themselves. "Quick, quick, suck them up..." he murmured repeatedly.

The blood fleas cultivated by the great sorcerer, Monrachaong, who had intimidated the entire Indochina Peninsula, finally collapsed beside the pubic lice, dying from poisoning.

"This old monk has finally eradicated the blood fleas! This old monk has won..." Chongdi. Master Tiger excitedly spread his arms, looked up at the night sky, and shouted loudly, his voice carrying far and wide.

"Put me down..." On the Siamese cat statue, the boy from Yancheng weakly called out, finally unable to hold on any longer, and tumbled down.

Old Master Wu snorted, reached out and caught him, then casually tossed him to the ground.

"Monrachaong. Bing must be in this temple!" Chongdi. Master Tiger pointed to the mountain gate from which the blood fleas had flown out.

"Surround this temple." Major Martin waved his arm and led the charge into the West Temple.

Chapter 400

“Monglachawong. Bing, why aren’t you saying anything?” Han Sheng asked him suspiciously.

The old sorcerer Monglachawong. Bing reached out and removed his white linen robe, revealing half of his black tattooed upper body. Then he raised his hands high and muttered, “?；?；?；?；?；?；?；?；?；?；（晒亚洒）…”

“What did you say?” Han Sheng frowned. “?；?；?；?；?；?

；?；?；?；?；?；?；?；?；?；?；?；?；?；?；?；?；?；?；?；?；?；?；?；?；?；?；?；?；?；?；?；?；?；?；?；?；?；?；?；?；?；?；?；?；?；?；?；?；?；?；?；?；?；?；?；?；?；?；?；?；?；?；（吐匡，吐他昆晒，亚赏，拍，拍）…” Monglachawong. Bing recited, looking up at the sky.

Han Sheng was astonished to see the giant cat crouching there suddenly shudder. Its eyes flashed with green light, and like a ghost, it raised its massive head, hissing, "Meow..." Its fat back arched abruptly, and it lunged at Han Sheng with a stench.

Han Sheng, with his tiny, squint-like eyes, saw the cat slowly approaching, drool dripping from its mouth... "Han Sheng, danger!" A scream came from the entrance of Ximu Temple. Han Sheng turned and saw Chong Di, Master Hu, with Major Martin and Lu Taiguan standing beside him.

When Han Sheng turned back again, the cat's two massive claws were already inches away. He quickly dodged to the side.

"Friend!" Chong Di. Master Hu patted the Bengal tiger's head, and the tiger roared and charged at the Siamese cat.

"Tiger Friend" is a strong Bengal tiger (also known as an Indian tiger), with a yellowish-brown coat, a series of narrow black stripes, and black ears. It measures about 3 meters long from head to tail and weighs over 500 kilograms.

The Siamese giant cat, on the other hand, resembles a large, fat pig, weighing three to four hundred kilograms. Although both are carnivores, its wildness is far less than that of the "King of Beasts," the Bengal tiger.

An ancient saying goes: "First roar, second pounce, third tail wedge." This "Tiger Friend" is no exception. It first roars fiercely, enough to intimidate anyone. The Siamese giant cat, also a feline, doesn't back down, meowing, but its momentum is much weaker.

Then, the two enormous creatures pounce simultaneously, the Siamese giant cat below and the Bengal tiger above, passing each other, both raising their tails, their movements like steel whips, clanging and clashing.

"Tiger Friend's" tail was noticeably thick and hard. With just a few snips, it broke the Siamese cat's tailbone. Then, it leaped backward, straddling the cat's back, and with a "crack," bit off half of the Siamese cat's rear end, tail and all... "Meow... Waaah..." The mutated Siamese cat finally couldn't hold on and collapsed with a thud.

Major Martin raised his Uzi submachine gun and shouted, "Montrachaion. Bing, hand over the baby girl immediately!"

The old sorcerer seemed not to hear, still ignoring him.

Han Sheng was furious and grabbed the old sorcerer, only to feel something strange in his hand; he had easily lifted him up. Montrachaion. Bing's weight was less than that of the ghost baby Shen Caihua.

Chong Di. Master Hu seemed to sense something was amiss and rushed closer for a closer look. Finally, he exclaimed in astonishment, "He's not Monglachawong. Bing!"

Inside the Ximu Temple, the suckers slowly stretched out their bellies, panting. The four Siamese cats had become shriveled corpses, their bodily fluids drained by the hundred-odd suckers.

On the altar, Shen Caihua stared blankly at the expressionless baby girl, smelling her familiar scent. He couldn't understand why Momo ignored him; he had gone through so much hardship to find this place.

"Momo, let's go home..." Shen Caihua, tears welling in his eyes, opened his arms and tightly embraced the baby girl.

The baby girl nestled on Caihua's shoulder, her tiny mouth opening almost imperceptibly, revealing two rows of sharp, white teeth. Suddenly, with a "snap," she bit down on Shen Caihua's neck, blood gushing from between her teeth… "Mo Mo… why…" The astonished Shen Caihua remained holding the baby, neither pushing her away nor loosening his grip, only feeling utterly bewildered and wronged.

The baby girl's teeth continued to clench, sucking forcefully, warm blood slowly flowing into her mouth… In the main hall, Han Sheng stared suspiciously at the old sorcerer he held in his hand. He wasn't Menglachaweng. Bing? But he clearly recognized him… "Master, how can you be so sure he's not Menglachaweng? What about Bing?" Han Sheng asked doubtfully, while Nai Songcha translated.

"He is a Yin-Xiang person," Chong Di. Master Hu said hesitantly.

"'Yin-Xiang person'? What's that?" Han Sheng asked, puzzled.

Chong Di. Master Hu then explained, “This is an extremely profound form of black magic, said to have been lost during the Thonburi Dynasty, more than two hundred years ago. I never imagined I would witness it with my own eyes today. This so-called ‘yin-xiang person’ is not the real body, but can substitute for the real body for cultivation.”

“Then where is Mong La Cha Weng Bing’s real body?” Han Sheng asked anxiously.

“Generally, it needs to be somewhere exactly 500 kilometers away. Too close and it will be interfered with; too far and it cannot be controlled,” Chong Di said. Master Hu said.

“What a depravity! Such a small infant is so unrestrained!” Just then, the angry shout of Old Master Wu, the flying zombie, suddenly came from the inner hall.

It turned out that the old man, seeing the tiger and the big cat fighting, felt bored, so he strolled around to the inner hall behind the main hall. He immediately caught sight of Shen Caihua, naked, embracing a naked baby girl and molesting her on the high altar. He then shouted loudly in righteous indignation.

Han Sheng, standing in the main hall, was stunned upon hearing this. He rushed into the inner hall, only to be shocked by what he saw... On the altar, bloodstains stained the snow-white lotus petals. The ghost infant Shen Caihua leaned weakly against Mo Mo, while the little girl's eyes glowed green as she viciously bit at Caihua's neck, frantically sucking at him. Bright red blood dripped from Mo Mo's teeth and mouth... With a "whoosh," Han Sheng leaped up, reaching the altar. He scooped up the nearly unconscious Shen Caihua and landed back on the ground, trying to separate the two infants. However, the little girl's mouth remained firmly on Shen Caihua's neck, and her small body floated up gently... "Another 'Yin Xiangren'!" Chong Di, who had rushed into the inner hall after him, shouted.

"What did you say? This isn't Mo Mo's true form?" Han Sheng asked in astonishment.

"No, look at her, she's just like that fake Menglachaweng. Bing, extremely light, without mass, therefore definitely not the real one," Chongdi said. Master Hu said seriously.

Han Sheng inserted his fingers into the baby girl's mouth, forcefully prying open the two rows of sharp teeth, separating the two infants.

A spurt of blood gushed out; it turned out the baby girl's sharp teeth had severed Shen Caihua's right carotid artery, and the pressure of his heart was pumping blood out continuously. Han Sheng was horrified and quickly pressed his fingers against the lower part of the carotid artery, temporarily stopping the bleeding.

Western medicine only has two emergency treatments for a severed carotid artery: suturing or transplanting a blood vessel, but neither is possible now. What to do? Han Sheng's fingers continued to press on the ghost infant's right carotid artery, beads of sweat rolling down his forehead.

Just then, Han Sheng suddenly felt a piercing pain in his finger. Looking down, he saw that the dark "yin-faced person" was biting his other hand, his finger already bitten through by sharp teeth, and the baby girl was sucking on it with a "sizzling" sound.

Chongdi. Master Hu stepped forward, a pill of corpse oil between his fingertips, and offered it to the baby girl. "Yin Xiangren" Momo paused, sniffed, then released her mouth and lunged for the pill, rescuing Han Sheng from his predicament.

Han Sheng shook his fingers, not caring about anything else at the moment. He quickly reviewed the healing techniques from the *Qing Nang Jing* and *Shi Yi Jing*, but found no suitable method. Cai Hua, having lost too much blood, was in a semi-conscious state. His dark eyes had lost their former luster, and he was still murmuring Momo's name.

"Little Cai Hua, you can't be hurt..." Han Sheng held the ghost baby tightly in his arms.

Suddenly, something poked him in his inner pocket... That's right, it was that bottle of "Han Qing"!

Han Sheng quickly reached into his robes, pulled out the small blue-and-white porcelain bottle, bit off the stopper, and carefully poured a little liquid onto the severed blood vessel in Shen Caihua's neck. He then pieced the vessel back together… The blue liquid hissed slightly upon contact with the blood, releasing a faint blue mist, and a pungent, sweaty odor filled the air. A miracle occurred; the "sweat-blue liquid" acted like superglue, binding the severed blood vessel together… Only after a long while did Han Sheng dare to gently release his fingers.

Chapter 401

Somdej. Master Hu told Han Sheng about the origin of the "Yin Xiang Ren" (a term

referring to a person with a dark past). In December 1767, Phraya Taksin, originally named Zheng Xin, whose ancestral home was Chenghai County, Guangdong, was thirty-three years old when he was crowned King of Siam. He established his capital in Thonburi, historically known as the Thonburi Dynasty, and Zheng Xin was thus called "Phra Chao Khong Thonburi."

A feudal lord of the former Ayutthaya Dynasty, the fake monk Elder Fang, secretly rebelled against the Thonburi Dynasty. He had a notorious army of red-robed monks who, despite their name, drank alcohol, ate meat, married women, frequented prostitutes, and committed arson, murder, looting, and all sorts of atrocities. Zheng Xin sent Phraya Phraya and Boon Ma by land, while he himself led the navy up the river and captured Nakhon Sawang. Seeing that the situation was hopeless, Elder Fang fled to Chiang Mai in northern Siam and sought refuge with the Burmese.

In November 1770, the Thonburi Dynasty unified all of Siam. General Phraya Phichai captured and executed Elder Fang at the Chiang Mai Palace. However, only a sorcerer was killed; Elder Fang's true identity disappeared without a trace. This was the last recorded "sorcerer" in Siamese history. For the next two hundred years, "sorcerers" never appeared again, and the entire Thai sorcery community believed that this kind of magic had been lost since the Thonburi Dynasty.

"So, this Monglachawong Bing actually knows Elder Fang's 'sorcerer' sorcery from two hundred years ago," Han Sheng said thoughtfully.

"Yes, if that's the case, it's truly terrifying," Master Chongdi said worriedly.

Han Sheng thought for a moment, then asked, "Master, although these 'Yin Xiangren' are extremely light, they still appear to be made of flesh and blood. Are they still human?"

The master smiled bitterly and said, "They are not human, but corpses."

"Corpse transformation?" Han Sheng recalled that there were eighteen types of corpse transformation in the Central Plains. He wondered which category these "Yin Xiangren" belonged to.

"The witchcraft of 'Yin Xiangren' has long been lost, but I have heard of it. It is said that when a sorcerer finds someone with a similar build and appearance, he poisons that person, then applies a special corpse oil within seven days, and performs procedures such as soul possession and corpse resurrection. The specific methods are unknown. Afterwards, the true body can command the 'Yin Xiangren' to replace them in cultivation, while the true body remotely controls it from 500 kilometers away," Master Chongdi explained.

"Master, according to what you said, these 'Yin Xiangren' are like substitutes. Is there any way to trace back to the true body 500 kilometers away?" Han Sheng asked anxiously

. Master Hu pondered for a moment and slowly said, "It is said that when 'Yin Xiangren' (a type of spirit or demon) practice, their third eye must be facing the direction of their true body in order to communicate over long distances. In modern terms, this is probably some kind of magnetic field remote sensing."

Han Sheng nodded, looked up at the lotus seat on the altar, and pointed, saying, "Master, when I came in just now, the baby girl's face was facing this direction."

Master Hu looked at it and pondered for a moment, saying, "Slightly east of due south, about 500 kilometers away... that's Bangkok."

Lu Taiguan pointed at the "Yin Xiangren" Momo and said, "What should we do with these two fake bodies?"

Master Hu gritted his teeth and said, "They must be killed, otherwise if they continue to practice, they will increase the evil power of the true body, and when we find Menglachaweng Bingshi, it will be even more difficult to deal with them."

"But the ancestor's daughter..." Han Sheng looked at the "Yin Xiangren" baby girl who looked so much like Momo and said hesitantly, he really couldn't bear to do it.

"Kill her! She's already a walking corpse. Only this way can we prevent the baby girl's true form from becoming an evil sorcerer. Don't hesitate any longer!" Chongdi said decisively.

A cunning green glint flashed in Mo Mo's eyes, then tears streamed down her face as she looked at Han Sheng with a deeply aggrieved expression.

Han Sheng's heart ached.

"Friend..." Chongdi said. Seeing Han Sheng's still indecisive expression, Master Tiger slammed his right hand on the Bengal tiger's head, issuing the killing command.

With a "whoosh," the tiger opened its blood-red maw and pounced with lightning speed... Mo Mo, realizing the situation was dire, turned and ran in panic.

With a "crack," blood splattered everywhere, and the baby girl was bitten in two... Han Sheng, holding the unconscious Xiao Caihua in his arms, silently looked at the baby girl's severed body, his heart filled with extreme sorrow.

The baby girl's upper body lay at Han Sheng's feet, but she still managed to lift her head with difficulty, her eyes revealing an extremely venomous look. Her mouth opened, and two rows of blood-stained teeth clenched and unclenched a few times in a threatening manner towards Han Sheng, before her lips closed again, and she died.

Han Sheng sighed deeply, bent down beside the dying sucker, and examined its injuries. The sucker only blinked weakly.

Four large holes were exposed on the sucker's grayish-white abdomen, with scratches from Siamese cat claws nearby. The suckers were also damaged, and bodily fluids were still slowly seeping out.

Han Sheng reopened the blue-and-white porcelain bottle and applied the "Sweat Green" liquid to the sucker's wounds. As a faint blue mist rose, the damaged abdominal skin began to slowly grow and heal... "It's simply amazing!" Chong Di, Master Hu, exclaimed in amazement.

"Its injuries are too severe; it probably can't continue traveling with us. Only by returning to its familiar homeland, the Nmai River, does it have a sliver of hope for survival," Han Sheng said softly. He knew the suction tube couldn't withstand any more travel on land. "We need to get it back to Myanmar as soon as possible." Han Sheng carefully rolled up the suction tube and held it close to his chest. The suction tube blinked gratefully.

The group left the inner hall and entered the main hall. Feng Sheng and the young man from Yancheng were guarding the tattooed "Yinxiang Man" (a man with a dark appearance).

"Friend..." Chong Di said softly, then pressed down on the tiger's head. The Bengal tiger pounced, biting the tattooed "Yinxiang Man" in two.

Seeing that the situation inside the palace had been resolved, Lu Taiguan said to Major Martin, "Captain Martin, you can call the helicopter now."

Major Martin nodded, took out his Vietnam War-era Motorola PRC-6 field radio, pressed the switch to call Blair, who was waiting 10 kilometers away, and ordered the helicopter to take off immediately and come directly to the palace for support.

Ten minutes later, the roar of engines filled the night sky as the UH-1D helicopter slowly landed.

The helicopter took off carrying the surviving rescue team members, heading northwest towards Myanmar as instructed by Han Sheng. Although Xizi wasn't human, it had repeatedly saved Caihua and was loyal and righteous; as long as there was a glimmer of hope, Han Sheng hoped it could survive.

"Wow, finally out of danger!" the big parrot Dudu said with a sigh of relief.

The helicopter crossed the Inthanon Mountains, crossed the Salween River on the Thai-Myanmar border, entered Myanmar, and then turned north towards Myitkyina.

On the plane, Han Sheng sat there silently, deep in thought, clutching Shen Caihua and the suction tube tightly in his arms.

In this battle, although some minor demons and sorcerers were eliminated, four of Lu Taiguan's nine mercenaries had died, and they hadn't even rescued Mo Mo, let alone seen the baby girl or Meng Lachaweng. The loss was too great.

"Terminate Operation 'Alice'," Han Sheng suddenly said.

"What? Terminate the operation?" Lu Taiguan asked, stunned.

Han Sheng said resolutely, "The rescue operation must be terminated. Our losses are too great. These four team members all have families and loved ones; we can't let more die trying to save a baby."

"Han Sheng, being a mercenary is a dangerous job. It's either a large sum of money or death. They all know this very well, and they've already signed contracts," Lu Taiguan explained.

"But those four young men from South Vietnam, Burma, and Thailand are all living, breathing people..." Han Sheng said with a worried expression, "Let's terminate it."

Lu Taiguan hesitated before relaying Han Sheng's words to Major Martin. Martin hesitated for a moment, then said thoughtfully, "Mr. Lu, Han Sheng is right. Bangkok is the capital of Thailand. Our helicopters and weapons cannot be used there. The mercenaries can still operate covertly in the northern mountains of the Indochina Peninsula, but in the capital, Bangkok, the danger is too great. Operation 'Alice' can be put on hold, but there's still that 50% commission..."

"Major Martin, I will pay the commission in full. Alright, I agree to terminate the rescue operation." Lu Taiguan thought for a moment, and finally had no choice but to say it helplessly.

Just then, a piercing shriek cut through the night sky.

In the cockpit, Blair cursed loudly, "Damn it, Burmese Air Force jet fighters!"

Major Martin was startled upon hearing this and hurriedly returned to the cockpit, looking up at the night sky. Under the moonlight, a small, silver-gray jet fighter had already flown directly above the UH-1D helicopter.

A few words of Burmese came through the radio, spoken in a stern tone.

Major Martin grabbed the receiver and said in English, "Please speak English. Please communicate in English."

A broken English command came through the radio: "UH-1D helicopters, listen up! You have violated Burmese airspace. You are ordered to immediately make an emergency landing at Myitkyina Airport. I repeat, you have violated Burmese airspace. You are ordered to immediately make an emergency landing at Myitkyina Airport!"

Major Martin pressed the button and calmly replied, "This is the 229th Helicopter Assault Team of the U.S. Army. I repeat..."

"Nonsense! The Vietnam War is long over. American soldiers have all gone home. Who are you?" the other party snapped impatiently.

"I am Major Martin, 229th Helicopter Assault Team, 1st Cavalry Division of the U.S. Army. Please watch your manners." As Major Martin spoke, he signaled Blair to lower the altitude.

"Rat-a-tat-tat..." The other party flapped its wings, and several bursts of tracer rounds swept past the side of the helicopter, issuing a warning.

Blair glanced at Martin and said helplessly, "Martin, this is a Chinese-made J-6 jet fighter. It has three cannons, two air-to-air missiles, and a range of two thousand kilometers. We can't beat it..."

Chapter 402

"Blair, descend quickly, go into the ravine, and perform evasive maneuvers." Major Martin gritted his teeth and hurriedly ordered.

Blair pushed the control stick, and the UH-1D helicopter plunged down, heading straight for a narrow valley.

"UH-1D helicopter, listen up, we are ordered to shoot you down, hehe..." came the triumphant laughter of the radio pilot.

"Rat-a-tat-tat..." A series of dense machine gun fire swept from behind and above, the jet emitting a piercing shriek as it swept across the sky.

Blair, a seasoned helicopter pilot, jerked the control stick, causing the helicopter to swerve to the right, dodging the hail of bullets. Even so, two 20mm cannon shells pierced the fuselage, tearing off the left-side cabin door, and a rush of cold air filled the cabin.

"Someone's been hit!" Feng Sheng screamed.

Han Sheng hurriedly handed the baby and vacuum cleaner to Feng Sheng, glancing down to see that the Thai soldier beside him had been pierced through the back of his neck and was instantly dead.

"Major Martin, let's surrender, or we'll crash and die!" Lu Taiguan shouted hastily in English.

"How dare you! I, the Admiral, am here! Who dares to be so disrespectful?" Old Master Wu, the Flying Zombie, slammed his fist on the table, sticking his head out of the cabin door and shouting at the night sky.

"Danger! Ancestor, come in quickly..." Lu Taiguan cried anxiously.

"Let me tell you, this admiral also has a musket..." Old Master Wu angrily took the man-portable SA-7 SAM missile from his back, hooked one hand on the hatch, leaned out most of his body, shouldered the launcher, and roared as he watched the passing fighter jets, his other hand gripping the trigger. Before he could even lower his head to aim, the fuselage suddenly shuddered, and his fingers tightened involuntarily. With a deafening "boom," a burst of scorching flame shot backward, and an SA-7 surface-to-air missile "whooshed" out... The old man was startled and lost his grip; the launcher sprang off his shoulder and fell into the air.

The J-6 jet fighter was a copy of the Soviet MiG-19, with a maximum speed of 1490 km/h and a large turning radius. As the Burmese pilot proudly flew over the American-made UH-1D helicopter, he glanced back and saw a flash of light at the middle door of the cornered UH-1D – a missile was tailing it. He was terrified, his hair stood on end, and he frantically slammed on the rudder, swerving sharply to the right and pushing the throttle to maximum… But the SAM missile, propelled by a dual-thrust solid-propellant engine, could reach Mach 2, equivalent to 2448 km/h, far exceeding the MiG's speed. The infrared-guided SAM-7 missile quickly caught up, penetrating the fuselage from the tail. The three-kilogram warhead exploded, and with a deafening roar, the MiG's tail section was ripped off. The jet fighter immediately entered a spiral and plummeted into the night sky.

"Yes!" Major Martin shouted excitedly, pumping his fist.

Blair breathed a sigh of relief and piloted the helicopter along the valley.

"Next is the Nmai River in northern Myanmar," Blair said softly.

Under the cool moonlight, the UH-1D helicopter, like a giant black bird, slowly landed on the riverbank. Blair shut off the throttle, and the propellers stopped spinning.

Han Sheng, carrying the suction cup, jumped out of the cabin and walked to the water's edge, gently placing the suction cup into the cool, clear river water.

"Caihua, Caihua, wake up! The Nmai River originates in southeastern Tibet, China, flows through Yunnan and is called the Dulong River; it is the true source of the Irrawaddy River," the large parrot Dudu shouted loudly into the ghost baby's ear.

"Momo... Sucker..." Shen Caihua slowly woke up, calling softly.

Feng Sheng carried him silently to the riverbank.

"Sucker, this is your hometown, the Nmai River. Thank you for saving us so many times, but you and Caihua must part ways," Han Sheng said, his eyes slightly moist.

"I want Sucker..." Shen Caihua opened his eyes and reached out his hand.

Han Sheng took the baby and squatted by the water's edge, letting Shen Caihua's little hands stroke the suction cup. He softly said, "Caihua, the suction cup must return to the Enmai River to heal. I'll bring you to see it again when it's fully recovered."

The suction cup slowly and laboriously stretched out its abdomen, revealing that the wounds inflicted by the Siamese big cats had begun to heal, but it had lost too much bodily fluid and was still very weak.

The ghost baby wept, its little hands caressing the suction cup's grayish-white abdomen, gripping the suction cup tightly for a long time... The suction cup blinked, its eyes also seemingly brimming with tears, and after one last look at its little master, slowly sank into the river, leaving a few ripples on the surface before they gradually disappeared... The ghost baby cried sadly.

Han Sheng stood up and said to Lu Taiguan, "Mr. Lu, I am deeply grateful for everything you have done for me. We part ways here, and we will meet again in the future."

"You... are you going to stay here?" Lu Taiguan asked in surprise.

“Yes, Caihua’s injuries can’t withstand much more stress. I’ll take him to the mountain stronghold of Ganbaidi to recuperate for a few days; it’s territory formerly controlled by the Kuomintang’s 93rd Division. Afterwards, I’ll take Caihua to Bangkok to find Momo; it might be more convenient with fewer people there,” Hansheng explained.

Master Hu stepped forward, clasped his hands, and said, “This old monk will be waiting for you in Bangkok.” Hansheng returned

the greeting respectfully, saying, “With the Master’s assistance, that would be the best.”

"The 93rd Division?" the young man from Yancheng interjected enthusiastically. "I'm from the 93rd Division. I know the situation there best. I'd love to go with you."

Han Sheng couldn't refuse and had to agree. He turned to Feng Sheng apologetically and said, "Feng Sheng, I have something I'd like to ask you to do."

"Please go ahead," Feng Sheng replied readily.

"I'd like you to go back to Wuyuan and tell Lan'er and Uncle Shanren that I'm going to Bangkok. Once I find Mo Mo, I'll return home immediately. Tell them not to worry," Han Sheng said.

"Okay, I'll go. I'll wait for you in Nanshan Village," Feng Sheng agreed.

"No need to wait. You've been out for so long; it's time to go home," Han Sheng said gratefully, grasping his hand. He didn't want Feng Sheng to risk his life for him anymore; after all, Feng Sheng was a government official, unlike himself, a mere villager.

Blair started the engine, the huge propeller slowly began to turn, and the UH-1D helicopter took off, carrying Lu Taiguan's mercenaries towards the Thai border, gradually disappearing into the night sky.

In the quiet mountains and forests, a gentle breeze blew, and only the moon shone brightly on the river.

Han Sheng held Shen Caihua in his arms, while the boy from Yancheng carried his Uzi submachine gun, its barrel circling overhead. The group silently walked along the banks of the Nmai Khai River towards the town of Ganbaidi.

At dawn, Han Sheng and his group finally arrived at Amin's mountain village. Mist shrouded the valley, and in the tall, dense bamboo forest, several early-rising yellow cattle grazed on newly sprouted bamboo shoots. In the morning light, rows of stilted bamboo houses could be vaguely seen, and the stream in the middle of the village still flowed gently, creating a sense of tranquility and peace in the mountains.

The bamboo door creaked open, and Amin stretched and came out. He glanced at Hansheng, paused for a moment, then exclaimed joyfully, "Brother Hansheng! It's you..."

Hansheng smiled slightly and said, "Amin, hello there! Has Father recovered?"

"Ah! It's the miracle doctor, my cousin, back!" Amin's father came out upon hearing the sound, smiling broadly at Hansheng.

"Come in quickly," Amin said happily, pulling Hansheng along. "Father is completely healed and can even go hunting in the mountains now."

The father was overjoyed to see Hansheng, holding his hand tightly and quickly instructing Amin to start a fire and prepare breakfast. Hansheng touched his father's wrist; the meridians and blood vessels were very clear, indicating good health.

"And this is..." the father asked, looking at the young man from Yancheng.

Hansheng introduced them.

"I am also a descendant of the 93rd Division, and my family lives in Mae Salong," the young man from Yancheng said.

"Oh, at the Golden Triangle Division headquarters. There are some cousins from our hometown there too," the father said, warmly brewing tea.

The large parrot, Dudu, stood on the headboard, looked at everyone, and muttered to itself, "Oh, so it's the 93rd Division that grows opium..."

Han Sheng placed Shen Caihua on the bed, gently covered him with the blanket, and let him sleep. Then he sat down and told his father the purpose of their trip.

"No problem, this is your home. You can stay as long as you want. But you and the child are going to Bangkok alone to find your relatives. Won't it be dangerous? I can have Amin bring a team of men to go with you," his father said worriedly.

Han Sheng declined his father's offer.

Not long after, Xiaoqin and her father, Yang Mupin, also arrived after hearing the news.

"Little cousin, have you found any clues about that half of the Qingnang Burial Ruler Scripture?" Yang Mupin asked with a chuckle.

"Hmm," Han Sheng thought for a moment, then said truthfully, "Uncle Yang, I still can't understand that half of the *Burial Ruler Classic* for now; I can only try to figure it out slowly."

Yang Mupin said wistfully, "That's understandable. Since our ancestor Yang Yunsong passed away before finishing the deciphering, I'm afraid no one in the past generations will be able to decipher it..."

The ghost infant Shen Caihua seemed to be able to... Han Sheng thought to himself, but didn't say it aloud.

In the following days, Shen Caihua, who had lost a lot of blood, slowly recovered his strength. During this time, Han Sheng took him to the mountains and caught a deer, letting him drink its fill of blood.

The ghost infant can't stay like this forever; he should return to normal eating habits. Han Sheng pondered deeply, wondering what special treatment could achieve this.

That morning, Han Sheng, along with Shen Caihua, Dudu, and the boy from Yancheng, bid farewell to A Ming and his son, as well as Yang Mupin and his daughter, and set off for Bangkok, the capital of Thailand.

Chapter 403

Heize and the others hadn't shown up in Nanshan Village for several days. Wu Chushan's heart was filled with unease. Mao Yishi, the Undying Bone, hadn't left either, temporarily settling in the newly built thatched house. Every night, he would drink and talk with Wu Chushan, recounting anecdotes from the previous dynasty, quite enjoying himself.

Old Ye had caught several hundred robust crickets in the peanut field, their daily appetite astonishing. But where was Mao Shi? Old Ye had been unable to eat or sleep for days.

That night, a bright moon hung high. Wu Chushan and Mao Yishi sat in the courtyard, enjoying the moon and drinking wine. Lan'er sat silently on the threshold, gazing at the bright moon, a faint longing lingering in her heart… Alas, Hansheng, the moon is full again, but where are you now? Have you and Caihua found Momo?

"May we all live long and share the beauty of the moon, though separated by a thousand miles..." Old Master Ye quietly sat down beside Lan'er, humming softly.

Lan'er stared wide-eyed at the sky, sighing softly, "Old Master Ye, where is he?"

Old Master Ye was also lost in thought, "Yes, Mao Shi, where on earth have you gone to be lounging around..."

"Mao Shi?" Lan'er was taken aback.

Old Master Ye chuckled sheepishly, stood up, and walked out of the courtyard, wandering alone in the moonlight.

"Hey Old Master Ye, when are we going back to Guandong?" Old Cuihua asked, perched on Old Master Ye's back, her tone quite displeased.

"Old Cuihua, you're awake again? After I find Mao Shi, feed her some crickets, and find out who she is, and where is Old Master Huang? Then we'll go back to Huanglong Mansion, otherwise we'll be racking our brains for the rest of our lives," Old Master Ye replied.

Old Cuihua sighed and said, "Then how long are you going to wait? What if that hairy corpse never comes back?"

"Yes," Old Ye slapped his forehead and said anxiously, "What if that hairy corpse really doesn't come back? Wouldn't we have to wait until the monkey month or the horse month? No, I have to go find her."

"That's right, you take the cricket cage and let's go find her and ask her what's going on." Old Cuihua urged Old Ye.

Old Ye then pretended to be nonchalant and strolled back into the house, quietly hiding the cricket cage behind his back, and slipped out the back door.

"Where should we look for the hairy corpse?" Old Ye scratched his head, troubled again.

"Let's go to the Taiji Yin Yun place where the hairy corpse is buried first, maybe the hairy corpse has gone back." Old Cuihua suggested.

"That's true." Old Ye tiptoed around half the village and took the path leading to the Linggu Cave in Nanshan.

The night sky was silent, the bright moon hung high, and the air was cool and refreshing. Old Ye walked enthusiastically through the bamboo grove, the crows merely peeking out at him before ignoring him.

Old Ye crouched low and slipped into the bushes, arriving at the Taiji Yin Aura.

In the cool moonlight, the pit within the Taiji Yin Aura remained, the very pit left by Old Ye when he secretly dug up the corpse that night.

"Old Cuihua, the corpse hasn't returned," Old Ye said disappointedly, looking at the empty pit.

"Oh yes, Mao Shi hasn't returned. The mountain man said she was captured by the Japanese devils. Could she have been taken to Japan?" Old Cuihua analyzed, thinking that would be best, so she could return to her hometown in Guandong.

"What do the Japanese want Mao Shi for? Hmm, they must have found her very handsome, so..." Old Ye muttered dejectedly.

"Shh... someone's coming, right by the cave..." Old Cuihua whispered a warning.

Old Ye gently parted the bushes and looked towards Linggu Cave.

In the moonlight, a ragged, bald man was tiptoeing out of the cave entrance, looking very alert.

"Mao Shi?" Old Ye thought, who else could it be but Mao Shi appearing in the middle of the night in the wilderness? And he was even wearing tattered clothes… Old Ye happily picked up the cricket cage, emerged from the bushes, and called out, “Mao Shi… Mao Shi…”

The bald man was startled by Old Ye’s sudden appearance. He carefully examined the gaunt Old Ye by the moonlight and asked in surprise, “What kind of corpse are you talking about?”

It was a woman’s voice. Wasn’t Mao Shi a woman? Old Ye’s heart warmed, and he quickly took two steps forward, also scrutinizing the bald woman. He found her quite attractive. Although she had no hair or eyebrows, she was still much prettier than Old Cuihua.

“Eh, how can Mao Shi talk? It sounds like Japanese! I know, Mao Shi is Japanese!” After a series of questions, Old Ye finally made a definite deduction.

“Mine, not a hairy corpse, it’s not…” the bald woman said seriously.

“Foolish old man, she’s not a hairy corpse. This hairless strange woman must be what Wu Chushan said, she’s in cahoots with that Japanese devil Kurosawa.” Old Cuihua had already disappeared into Old Man Ye’s body, her voice directly reaching his eardrums. Old Man

Ye was half-believing, half-doubting, but still looked at the woman with a smile.

Liangzi’s nose twitched slightly. She discovered that the withered old man in front of her was actually an ancient corpse, and her stomach immediately started rumbling.

“You, very handsome, what’s your name…” Liangzi saw the admiring look in Old Man Ye’s eyes and stammered out broken Chinese.

“Old Man Ye, my name is Old Man Ye, am I really handsome?” Old Man Ye asked happily.

“She’s lying to you…” Old Cuihua kindly reminded Old Man Ye from within her body.

"A kiss, would you be willing?" Liangzi winked, her hips swaying seductively as she asked in a soft voice.

"A kiss?" Old Ye was taken aback, bewildered. "What's a kiss?"

"It's a kiss on the lips, how silly!" Old Cuihua blurted out, but immediately regretted it.

"A kiss, huh? This old monk would be more than happy to." Upon hearing this, Old Ye felt dizzy, and in a daze, he leaned towards the woman, with a kind of heroic spirit of going to his doom.

Liangzi thought to herself, "Hmph, you're courting death, letting me taste the ancient corpse stench of the Central Plains.

" Old Ye closed his eyes in embarrassment... Liangzi smiled sinisterly and pressed her lips forcefully against his... "Stop!" A shout suddenly came from behind Old Ye.

Startled, Old Ye quickly opened his eyes and looked back... Standing in the moonlight were two people, Wu Chushan and the Undying Bone-Piercing Mao Yishi.

"This old monk, it's just..." Ye Lao blushed, muttering awkwardly.

Wu Chushanren's sharp gaze fixed on Liangzi, and he said in surprise, "You've finally shown up. Where's Kurosawa? And where are your hair and eyebrows?"

Liangzi glared angrily at Wu Chushanren, and sneered, "Chinese bats, their consciences are utterly wicked."

Upon hearing this, the monk laughed heartily, "So it was the Yin Bats who did it. In that case, you took the Hairy Corpse and hid in the Linggu Cave."

"Is this Japanese Yin Man the one you mentioned who kidnapped the Hairy Corpse?" Buhuagu Mao Yishi asked Wu Chushanren.

“Indeed,” the mountain man replied, then turned to Elder Ye and scolded, “Elder Ye, luckily Lan’er discovered you slipped out the back door and told us, otherwise you would be dead tonight.”

Elder Ye lowered his head and murmured, “This old monk thought she was a hairy corpse.”

“You wanted to molest a hairy corpse? Alas, a knife hangs over a die, even a thousand-year-old skin corpse cannot escape it…” Old Cuihua sighed softly. Liangzi

raised her nose and sniffed, thinking to herself, this newcomer is another ancient corpse from the Central Plains, the scent is really very pure.

Thinking of this, Liangzi smiled charmingly, her eyes sparkling, and said softly, “Yours, very handsome…”

Undying Bone Mao Yishi unbuttoned his clothes and began to take off his pants.

“Brother Mao, what are you doing…” Wu Chushanren asked in surprise.

“After I wipe out this Japanese ghost,” Mao Yishi said righteously.

"Wait, let's not kill her yet. Let her lead the way to the Mao Shi," Wu Chushan hurriedly advised.

Liangzi knew she was no match for these people, so she suddenly turned around and ran into the Linggu Cave.

Mao Yishi leaped up, letting out a shrill "meow," and followed closely, grabbing Liangzi's neck from behind... "Where is the Mao Shi?" Wu Chushan stepped forward and shouted sharply.

Liangzi snorted and didn't answer.

Mao Yishi tightened his grip, and Liangzi's neck bones cracked, tears streaming down her face. Finally, unable to bear it any longer, she said, "Inside, in the valley."

"Wolong Valley?" Wu Chushan was startled and said, "Brother Mao, so they're hiding in Wolong Valley. You can reach the valley by going through the Linggu Cave."

"Good, then let's go and wipe them all out," Mao Yishi said arrogantly.

Wu Chushanren turned to Elder Ye and said, "Elder Ye, Brother Mao and I are going to Wolong Valley. You go home and look after Lan'er. We'll bring Mao Shi back before dawn." With that, he and the Undying Bone Mao Yishi escorted Liangzi into the Linggu Cave.

Elder Ye stood in the moonlight for a long time, finally unable to contain himself, muttering to himself, "No, I still have to follow, because the cricket is still here with me." He thought for a moment, concluding his reason was sufficient, and happily entered the Linggu Cave.

Chapter 404

Inside the Linggu Cave, the red-eyed Yin Bats noticed someone passing by again and excitedly signaled to attack. In an instant, a gust of yin wind swept over them, and the Undying Bone Mao Yishi, walking at the head of the group, was the first to be attacked.

"What kind of demon dares to ambush me?" Mao Yishi shouted loudly.

Before he could finish speaking, a tingling pain shot through his head and face in the darkness. He touched it and found all his hair gone… A sudden stinging sensation filled his nostrils; several long nose hairs that had grown there for over a hundred years were also gone. Mao Yishi flew into a rage, hastily unbuttoning his shirt and letting out a "meow," about to attack when a sudden pain shot through his chest. His prized, thick chest hair had been ripped out completely.

Seeing that Liangzi had no hair to pluck, the Yin Bats rushed towards Wu Chushanren, who was walking behind. "Squeak…" The Yin Bat leader recognized the man and gave an urgent whistle to stop him. Even so, two young Yin Bats managed to pluck a few more strands of his hair. "

Brother Mao, it's alright, the bats are all on our side," Wu Chushanren said, rubbing his head, quickly telling Buhua Gu, but it was too late.

"On our side?" Mao Yishi, touching his bald head and chest, was completely bewildered.

"These red-eyed shadow bats' greatest hobby is plucking feathers. They are Han Sheng's friends and won't intentionally harm people..." Wu Chushan explained at length before Mao Yishi's anger gradually subsided. After all, it was like a cat catching a mouse or a dog eating excrement—a natural phenomenon.

In Wolong Valley, the moon was bright and the stars were few, all was quiet, and the camphor forest exuded a faint fragrance of esters, truly a secluded place. The moonlight was cool and watery, and the earthen house still stood there quietly, unchanged from before, but everything had changed. Wu Chushan recalled the years he and Jiang Lao Er lived in the valley, and his heart ached.

Under a camphor tree in the forest, a short, white-haired person was bound—it was Mao Shi, who had been held captive for several days.

Approaching the familiar earthen house, he heard soft snoring coming from inside. Wu Chushan stepped into the house, and the moonlight slanted onto the face of a sleeping, eyebrowless, bald man on the bed—it was Hei Ze.

Mao Yishi pushed Liangzi, who stumbled into the house. Kurosawa woke up with a start.

"Kurosawa, so you've been hiding in Wolong Valley..." Wu Chushanren said with a sneer.

Kurosawa sat up, took in the situation, glanced at Liangzi, his brows furrowed, but then a smile appeared on his face. He greeted her warmly, "Ha, it's Wu Chushanren! Welcome, welcome! Did you come to inform me that Hansheng has returned?"

"Kurosawa, where are Huang Jianguo and your other accomplices?" the man asked.

"You mean Wuyuan Taro?" Kurosawa's mind raced, and he immediately realized that Wu Chushanren didn't know Huang Jianguo was dead. He chuckled and said, "They have another mission. What, do you need him for something?"

Mao Yishi snorted and said impatiently, "I'm here to wipe out all of you Japanese scoundrels in one fell swoop."

"Wu Chushanren, this gentleman has a distinguished bearing and a samurai-like air. Who is he?" Kurosawa's face showed a fawning smile.

"I am Mao Yishi, the first disciple of Gan Fengchi, the great hero of Jiangnan during the Yongzheng era, a man renowned throughout the martial world for his unyielding spirit," Mao Yishi declared proudly.

Hei Ze was taken aback, thinking to himself, "Another old corpse," but feigned surprise, saying, "Could this hero be the highly skilled disciple of Gan Fengchi, the close friend of the heroine Lü Siniang who assassinated Emperor Yongzheng?" Hei Ze was well-versed in the tales of the martial world throughout history, so he went to great lengths to flatter him, his mind racing as he calculated a way to escape.

Mao Yishi nodded and snorted, "You do have some insight."

At that moment, Elder Ye quietly slipped out of the stone cave and tiptoed into the camphor forest. He secretly untied the rope binding the hairy corpse and then said softly, "Hairy corpse, don't make a sound, this old monk has come to save you..." Under

the bright moonlight and gentle breeze, Elder Ye pulled the hairy corpse along the stream towards the valley's edge. "We won't go through the cave anymore. Those Yin bats especially like to pluck feathers. When they see your beautiful white fur, they'll definitely tear it all off," Elder Ye said to the hairy corpse with heartache.

"Oh no, the hairy corpse is gone!" Wu Chushanren hurriedly walked in and said. He had just gone out of the house to untie the hairy corpse, but he only found a rope lying on the ground under the camphor tree, and the hairy corpse was nowhere to be found.

"So, there are still Japanese Yin people in the valley," Mao Yishi said.

Wu Chushan nodded, then asked Kurosawa, "Was it Huang Jianguo who did it?"

Kurosawa was also puzzled. Strange, there was no one else in the valley. But he calmly replied, "Oh, I already expected you to find this place, so I arranged for Wuyuan Taro to ambush us in the forest. If things went wrong, they would take the Mao Shi hostage. You are Hansheng's father-in-law, and I am a Japanese diplomat. I don't want any conflict between us. Besides, the Deputy Consul General in China enjoys diplomatic immunity. Wu Chushan is a knowledgeable scholar; he wouldn't make things difficult for me and cause a diplomatic dispute between our two countries, would he?"

Wu Chushan thought to himself, his goal was to rescue the Mao Shi, find out its origins, and locate Old Master Huang's body. There was no need to actually kill this Japanese Deputy Consul General, which would bring endless trouble to Hansheng and Lan'er's lives in the future.

"Hand over the Mao Shi, and I'll release you both," Wu Chushan said calmly.

Kurosawa's eyes darted around, and he suggested, "They've already left the valley. How about this, tomorrow night at midnight, I'll take Wuyuan Taro and Mao Shi to the Linggu Cave in Nanshan Village. I hope Han Sheng can be there for a while."

Wu Chushanren smiled slightly and said, "Mr. Kurosawa is quite adept at slipping away unnoticed."

Kurosawa chuckled and said nonchalantly, "If you don't trust me, you can take Ryoko with you as a hostage. We can exchange her for Mao Shi when we meet tomorrow night."

Wu Chushanren hesitated upon hearing this, glancing at Mao Yishi.

"Brother Shanren, this cunning man's words are not to be trusted. Look at his cunning eyes and evasive words. Let me eliminate him first." Mao Yishi, the Undying Bone, said, preparing to unbutton his clothes.

"Brother Mao, this Japanese man enjoys diplomatic immunity. Killing him might be detrimental to Han Sheng in the future." Wu Chushanren pressed down on Mao Yishi's hand and said with a wry smile.

"What diplomatic immunity?" Mao Yishi asked, puzzled.

"It's about two countries granting each other's diplomats equivalent civil and criminal liability exemptions. This is a common practice among nations and protected by international law," Wu Chushanren explained.

Mao Yishi was still somewhat confused, but since Wu Chushanren had already explained, he couldn't very well take the initiative and had no choice but to give up.

"Alright then, we'll take this woman away. Tomorrow night at midnight, we'll exchange her for the Mao corpse in front of Linggu Cave in Nanshan Village," Wu Chushanren agreed to Kurosawa's conditions, prioritizing the overall situation.

Kurosawa turned to Ryoko and mumbled a string of Japanese.

"Yes...yes!" Ryoko's face turned extremely ugly. Although she was unwilling, she dared not disobey her leader's orders and could only obediently agree.

Wu Chushanren and Mao Yishi took Ryoko away and returned to Nanshan Village through the cave.

"Strange, how did this Mao corpse run away on its own?" Kurosawa muttered to himself, puzzled.

Under the hazy moonlight, Elder Ye walked ahead, while the hairy corpse followed behind, hopping and skipping backwards. After leaving the valley, they followed a mountain path.

Having left Wolong Valley quite a distance, Elder Ye stopped, turned to the hairy corpse, and said, "Let's rest for a bit, then I'll start feeding you crickets."

"Chirp, chirp, chirp..." The cricket in the hairy corpse's chest was still alive.

Elder Ye listened intently to her chest, then happily lifted the bamboo cage, saying, "Look, there are hundreds of crickets in here."

Elder Ye gently reached into the cage, plucked them one by one, and put them into the hairy corpse's mouth. Watching the chirping from her stomach grow louder and louder, like a grand chorus, he couldn't contain his joy.

Finally, the hairy corpse finished all the crickets and let out a satisfied burp.

"Who are you?" Elder Ye finally asked seriously.

"Chirp chirp chirp... Who are you?" The hairy corpse actually answered. Although its voice was different from a human's, it was extremely clear and pleasant, as melodious as the chirping of insects.

Old Master Ye was overjoyed and hurriedly said, "This old monk is Old Master Ye! Your voice is much better than Old Cuihua's. You must have been a beautiful woman in life, right?"

"Chirp chirp... Beautiful woman? Hehe..." The hairy corpse chuckled, its voice as melodious as silver bells.

Old Master Ye looked at her and chuckled foolishly.

"Chirp chirp, when I first got married, the villagers for miles around called me 'Beautiful Woman'... Chirp chirp," the hairy corpse admitted.

Indeed, a beauty, Old Master Ye thought, then asked nervously, "Beautiful Woman, how did you end up buried in the Taiji Yin Aura? And where did Old Master Huang's corpse go?"

"Chirp... Tai Chi Yin Aura? Old Master Huang? What are you talking about..." the hairy corpse said, puzzled.

Old Master Ye scratched his head, thinking he should ask some simple questions first, and said, "Beautiful lady, how old are you?"

"Chirp... Seventy-three." the hairy corpse replied.

Old Master Ye counted on his fingers, muttering, "Seventy-three, eighty-four, a thorn in the side of children, the King of Hell doesn't invite you but goes on his own..."

"What did you say? Chirp." the hairy corpse was dissatisfied.

"This old monk is saying that Confucius lived to seventy-three, and Mencius lived to eighty-four, both were hurdles in their lives..." Old Master Ye quickly explained, thought for a moment, and then continued to ask, "Beautiful lady, do you remember where you were originally buried?"

"My own grave, of course I remember, chirp." the hairy corpse said confidently.

"Was it in front of Linggu Cave in Nanshan Village?" Old Master Ye asked cautiously.

"No, chirp." the hairy corpse denied.

"Where?" Old Master Ye asked anxiously.

“At the foot of Wengong Mountain, chirp chirp,” the hairy corpse replied.

Strange, if the hairy corpse was buried at Wengong Mountain, how did it end up in the Taiji Yin Halo? Old Master Ye was increasingly puzzled; there must be something wrong here, he thought.

“Beautiful woman, could you take this old monk to Wengong Mountain to see your grave?” Old Master Ye asked.

He was determined to get to the bottom of this and make Wu Chushanren and Lan'er look at him with new respect. The Yelü family was a prestigious clan, not just some empty boast, Old Master Ye resolved silently.

“Let’s go, chirp chirp,” the hairy corpse said, then leaped backwards a great distance, its posture graceful, and in the cool moonlight, it hopped northwestwards.

Chapter 405:

Moonlit Night, Feng Sheng, weary from his journey, entered Nanshan Village.

After parting ways with Han Sheng in N'Mai Hlaing, Myanmar, he, along with Lu Taiguan and the rescue team, returned to the Udon Thani base in northeastern Thailand by helicopter. The next day, they drove to Bangkok, then flew back to Hong Kong, and rushed to Wuyuan, Jiangxi Province.

Lan'er was overwhelmed with emotion upon seeing Feng Sheng. While cooking, she inquired about Han Sheng's situation.

"So, Han Sheng and Cai Hua are both well. They can come back immediately after finding Mo Mo." Lan'er breathed a sigh of relief, her tense heart finally settling down.

As the Big Dipper slanted westward, Wu Chushan and Mao Yishi escorted Liangzi out of Linggu Cave, returning to their home in the east of the village under the moonlight.

"It's Feng Sheng! You're back! Where's Han Sheng?" Wu Chushan asked joyfully.

Feng Sheng recounted the perilous journey to Thailand and Myanmar to find the ancestor's daughter and conveyed Han Sheng's greetings.

"So, once things in Bangkok were settled, he and the baby returned directly to Jiangxi." Wu Chushan was relieved.

"Father, have you found Elder Ye?" Lan'er asked.

"What? Elder Ye hasn't returned yet?" Wu Chushan was shocked to hear this.

Lan'er said, "Yes, we haven't seen him at all."

Mao Yishi shook his head and said, "That thousand-year-old corpse is simple-minded and acts recklessly. He might cause some trouble again."

"So, Elder Ye didn't come home. Instead, he might have secretly followed us to Wolong Valley... Oh no, if he encounters Huang Jianguo, he'll be in danger. No, I have to go back to the valley immediately." Wu Chushan said anxiously.

"I'll go with you." Mao Yishi, the Undying Bone, stood up.

"No," Wu Chushan hesitated and said, "I'm worried about Lan'er. Please look after her, Brother Mao. Liangzi also needs someone to guard him."

"Don't worry, Shanren. With me, Feng Sheng, here, I will absolutely guarantee Lan'er's safety." Feng Sheng drew his pistol from his waist and said confidently.

“Very well, Feng Sheng, please be careful.” Wu Chushan nodded in agreement, then led Liangzi to the wardrobe in the west room, knocked him down, and locked him inside.

Wu Chushan and Mao Yishi hurriedly left the courtyard and headed straight for Linggu Cave. They then raced through the cave, returning to the valley in just over half an hour.

Wolong Valley was eerily quiet, shrouded in mist, with no sign of human presence.

Wu Chushan rushed into the earthen house first. Heize was nowhere to be seen; he had likely left the valley to meet Huang Jianguo and Mao Shi.

“Brother Mao, let’s leave the valley immediately,” Wu Chushan said hastily, then used his lightness skill to dash towards the valley exit, with the unyielding Mao Yishi silently following behind.

The entrance to Wolong Valley was also quiet, without a single person in sight. Wu Chushan hesitated slightly, then continued along the only mountain path.

“This is Elder Ye’s cricket cage,” Wu Chushanren muttered to himself as he found the empty bamboo cage at the fork in the mountain path. “It seems Elder Ye has already fed those crickets to Mao Shi.”

Buhuagu Mao Yishi bent down on the ground, sniffed the ground, then stood up and said, “I smell Mao Shi’s distinctive scent; he’s heading northwest.”

Wu Chushanren looked up at the eastern horizon and said urgently, “Dawn is almost here; we must hurry.”

The two of them raced down the mountain path to the northwest like the wind.

Wuyuan Wengong Mountain, originally named “Nine Elders Hibiscus Mountain,” is named after Zhu Xi, whose posthumous title was “Wengong,” as the mountainside contains the ancestral tomb of Zhu Xi. In the spring of 1150, the 20th year of the Shaoxing reign of the Southern Song Dynasty, Zhu Xi returned to his hometown to sweep the tombs and personally planted 24 fir trees, symbolizing the 24 acts of filial piety. Having withstood over 800 years of wind and rain,

these trees, now over three meters in diameter and more than thirty meters tall, still stand lush and verdant on the mountainside. Before dawn, in the dim light, Mao Shi hopped and skipped along the stone path of the ancient post road. Despite centuries of wind, frost, rain, and snow, the ancient road remains intact. This is because it was paved with stones in an inverted triangular pattern during its construction; with the patter of pedestrians, the stones become more compacted and firmly packed, thus preserving it to this day.

Looking at the verdant Wengong Mountain, Master Ye sighed, "I have lived beyond the Great Wall for a long time and have heard that the selection of the burial site for the ancestral tomb of Zhu Xi, the Neo-Confucian scholar of the Southern Song Dynasty, was quite complicated. Mao Shi, it is not easy for you to be buried in this mountain."

Mao Shi stopped in his tracks upon hearing this and asked in confusion, "Chirp... How complicated was the ancestral tomb of Zhu Xi?"

Master Ye cleared his throat and then replied, "I heard from Wu Chu Shan Ren that when Zhu Xi's great-grandfather was buried in the Southern Song Dynasty, a feng shui master named 'Lai Buyi' chose the time, and the burial could only proceed when four phenomena appeared simultaneously."

"Chirp... What are they?" Mao Shi asked with interest.

"First, a carp climbing a tree; second, an iron pot as a hat; third, rice served in a tile; fourth, a kudzu vine tied around the waist. Lai Buyi told the Zhu family to carry the coffin to the grave at a certain time on a certain day. The clansmen were skeptical, but they did as they were told. Around noon, a farmer carrying two carp arrived at the teahouse at the crossroads. He casually hung the fish on a tree and went inside to rest and drink tea—this was the carp climbing a tree. A moment later, the sky darkened and rain began to fall. A person carrying an iron pot on their head ran into the teahouse—wasn't that the iron pot as a hat? Because it was nearing noon, several farm women carrying earthenware pots..." On her way to deliver food to the fields, a peasant woman slipped and fell on the slippery road due to the rain. The earthenware pot she was carrying broke, and her belt snapped in the fall. Feeling sorry for the rice, she used a broken piece of earthenware to scoop it up and then casually broke off a kudzu vine to use as a belt. At that moment, the clansmen suddenly realized that four phenomena had indeed occurred simultaneously: a carp climbing a tree, an iron pot as a hat, a broken piece of earthenware for rice, and a kudzu vine tied around the waist. They were amazed and quickly buried the coffin in the tomb, thus giving rise to the great literary figure Zhu Xi. "Old Ye was quite pleased to have the opportunity to show off in front of the corpse.

" "Chirp... interesting." The corpse chuckled, its voice clear and sweet.

"Mao Shi, where exactly is your grave?" Old Ye chuckled awkwardly a few times, then seized the opportunity to ask.

"Chirp... right here." Mao Shi pointed to a mountain hollow beside the ancient post road, where a large mound stood, sheltered from the wind and facing the sun.

Old Ye approached for a closer look, then asked in surprise, "Mao Shi, what year did you die?"

"1966, chirp," Mao Shi replied.

"That was ten years ago, but this is a new grave..." Old Ye said suspiciously, looking at the fresh soil on the mound.

"Chirp chirp... right here, that's it," Mao Shi said confidently.

This was a new grave; the mound was barely sprouting grass. Old Master Ye circled it, but couldn't find a tombstone. He scratched his head and asked, "Why isn't there a tombstone?"

Mao Shi smiled and explained, "Chirp, chirp... People from other families who are buried on Wengong Mountain don't erect tombstones. It's been done this way for hundreds of years."

Light footsteps approached from afar, heading straight for them. Mao Shi, frightened, hid behind Old Master Ye.

"Mao Shi, don't be afraid. With me, Old Master Ye, here, no one can harm you." Old Master Ye spread his arms, resolutely protecting Mao Shi.

The sound of a night traveler's clothes reached them in an instant. Under the sparse starlight, stood Wu Chushan and the Undying Bone Mao Yi Shi... "Old Master Ye, you've made us search so hard," Wu Chushan said angrily.

Mao Yishi approached, his nose twitching, and chuckled, "This ordinary hairy corpse has no power; let's just wipe it out."

"Chirp, I'm scared..." the hairy corpse shrank back tremblingly.

Ye Lao puffed out his chest and shouted, "This old monk will absolutely not allow you to harm the hairy corpse!"

"Old monk, it's very dangerous for you to run around like this," Wu Chushanren scolded.

Ye Lao straightened his neck and argued, "This old monk fed the hairy corpse some crickets, and she led me to her tomb. This old monk will soon be able to unravel the mystery within the Taiji Yin Aura."

"Is this the hairy corpse's grave?" Wu Chushanren asked doubtfully.

"Chirp, it's mine," the hairy corpse peeked out from behind Ye Lao.

"Hmph, whether it's true or false, we'll find out once we dig," Wu Chushanren said, turning to Mao Yishi. "Brother Mao, I just passed a farmhouse; I'll go get a hoe and come back." With that, the mountain man vanished into the pre-dawn darkness.

"Old Master Ye, I've exterminated countless zombies in my life. You have no relation to this hairy corpse, so why are you protecting her?" Mao Yishi asked, puzzled.

"In the martial world, upholding justice, helping the weak and punishing the strong, and finding joy in helping others are my duty. How could I stand idly by? Besides, the hairy corpse is a beautiful woman who has suffered greatly," Old Master Ye said righteously.

"A beautiful woman? How do you know?" Mao Yishi asked in surprise.

"Listen to her soft Wu dialect, her graceful gait, her shy demeanor, and her charming gestures. How could I not recognize her?" Old Master Ye argued eloquently.

"Hmph, it's just a hairy corpse, not even any flesh," Mao Yishi said disdainfully.

"Waaah... Chirp chirp." The hairy corpse cried sadly. "

Undying Bone, this old monk will not allow you to insult a hairy corpse!" Ye Lao shouted angrily at Undying Bone.

Footsteps sounded again, and Wu Chushanren returned with an iron hoe in his hand. Without saying a word, he went to the burial mound and began to dig vigorously.

At this moment, the east was already showing the first light of dawn, and the mountain man had opened the tomb.

An old coffin lay quietly in the pit, it looked like it had been buried in the soil for many years, and most of the wooden surface had rotted.

"I'm going to open the coffin," Wu Chushanren said, and then he chopped the coffin lid with his hoe, and with a "crack," he pried up the coffin board.

In the morning light, a naked old man lay peacefully in the coffin, his skin had not yet rotted, it was none other than Old Master Huang...

Chapter 406

Bangkok, by the Chao Phraya River, the wooden house surrounded by flowers.

"You've finally arrived," Chongdi said. Master Hu warmly invited Hansheng, who was leading the baby, and the boy from Yancheng into the house. The Bengal tiger stretched out its long tongue and affectionately licked Shen Caihua's little bottom.

Little Caihua happily tugged at his "tiger friend's" ear and started playing around in the yard, while Dudu stood on the fence watching coldly.

"Master, Bangkok is so big, how can we find Mong La Chaweng Bing's whereabouts?" Hansheng asked anxiously.

"Hansheng, Bangkok is the second largest city in Southeast Asia, the capital of Theravada Buddhism, and is known as the 'City of Angels.' If translated into Latin, it's 167 letters long, meaning 'City of Angels, Great City, Abode of the Emerald Buddha, Indestructible City, World Metropolis Gifted with Nine Gems, Many Wealthy Palaces, Inhabited by the God of Authority, Metropolis Rebuilt by Buddha as the God of Architecture.' In 1971, it was merged into the Bangkok-Thonburi Metropolitan Area, called Greater Bangkok, with a population of over five million, about half of whom are of Chinese descent, and an area of nearly 2,000 square kilometers. In such a large area, finding a baby girl under one year old is like finding a needle in a haystack. Therefore, since returning from the Chiang Mai palace, I've been pondering that the surname of the royal relative, Mongrachawong, originally came from China. Perhaps he and the baby girl are hiding in the Chinatown area," the master said.

After listening to the young man from Yancheng's translation, Han Sheng suddenly asked, "Master, can Meng Lachaweng Bing sense that he and Mo Mo's 'Yin Xiangren' have been killed?"

"The 'Yin Xiangren' is dead, so his true form must have sensed it. Therefore, he's now even more secretive," Master Chongdi explained.

Han Sheng fell into deep thought. His experience in the martial world was far too limited. If Liu Jinmo were here, he would definitely have a way to force Meng Lachaweng Bing to reveal himself… Right, since he won't come out, we'll force him to… Han Sheng had an idea and said, "Master, I want to live in an area with a significant Chinese community. Do you know of any such places?"

"Of course, the area around Yaohuali Road and Shilongjun Road, built along the Chao Phraya River, is Chinatown, which has a history of hundreds of years," the master nodded. "

Alright, let's live in Chinatown then," Han Sheng said. When they parted ways at the Ngum Mai Kai River, Lu Taiguan had given Han Sheng some US dollars, enough to last him for a while.

"Wouldn't it be better to stay at my home? Why go to Chinatown?" Chongdi asked Master Hu, puzzled.

Han Sheng smiled and said, "I just want to see Meng Lachawong. Bing knows I'm looking for him, so I'm forcing him to show himself."

"Ha, is this the 'luring the enemy into the trap' strategy from the Central Plains? Good idea, but you'd better be careful. Here's what I'll do: write down my home phone number. If anything happens, I'll come immediately." The master nodded and said.

Han Sheng bid farewell to Chongdi. Master Hu, along with Shen Caihua, Dudu, and Yancheng boy, took a taxi straight to Bangkok's Chinatown.

(Han Sheng and his group stayed on the second floor of the building on the left in Bangkok's Chinatown): Chinatown is located in the western part of Bangkok's city center and is one of the city's most bustling commercial districts. It stretches for about 2 kilometers and stands in the west of the capital. It is formed by three main streets—Sampeng Lane, Yaowarat Road, and Charoen Krung Road—and many connecting alleys, and has a history of nearly 200 years. Although most of the houses here are quite old, the commerce is exceptionally prosperous, with almost all the business owners being Chinese. The rich Chaoshan

(Teochew) flavor is the biggest feature of Bangkok's Chinatown. Han Sheng and his group checked into a historic hotel with a large sign next to it that read: Chinatown of Bangkok.

The innkeeper, a woman in her forties, still possessed a certain charm despite her age. Originally from Hunan, she and the young man from Yancheng claimed to be from the same hometown. Upon entering the room, the young man stuffed his canvas travel bag under the bed; inside were his Uzi submachine gun and several magazines.

As evening fell, Han Sheng and his group went out for dinner. Walking along Yaowarat Road in Chinatown, lined with shops, they spotted a large restaurant ahead. They chose seats by the window on the second floor. Looking out, the city lights were just coming on, and the bustling crowds, speaking a cacophony of accents, created a vibrant atmosphere.

"Teochew is the second language in Thailand," Dudu explained.

"Want to try some Thai specialties?" the young man from Yancheng asked.

Han Sheng nodded absentmindedly, his mind preoccupied with finding Menglachawong and Bing's trail.

The dishes arrived. One dish, a white porcelain plate, contained golden eggs sprinkled with a layer of pale brown, pearl-like transparent spheres.

"What are these?" Han Sheng tasted two, finding them delicious, crisp, fragrant, and slightly sour, and asked.

"This dish is called 'Black Pine' in Thai, which is the egg of a large yellow ant found in the forest," the boy from Yancheng said with a smile.

Shen Caihua sniffed, reached out his little hand, grabbed a few, and popped them into his mouth, crunching loudly. Han Sheng watched him in surprise, thinking to himself, "This child seems to be slowly changing."

Having lived in the Golden Triangle for a long time, Yan Cheng Xiao Zi (a nickname) knows a great deal about Thai customs, culture, and cuisine. He explained in detail: "These yellow forest ants, locally called 'sour ants,' are quite large and build their nests high in the trees. These ants are fierce and aggressive; if disturbed, they will swarm and attack. The Dai people here smoke out the ant nests or wrap them in cloth. After the sour ants escape, they can collect the ant eggs. The eggs are washed with clean water, dried, and then stir-fried with eggs. It's incredibly delicious and a famous local dish."

The waiter brought out a cold dish: a large plate each of cabbage and water spinach, with a small plate of green sauce and a plate of fried green sauce strips in the middle.

Yan Cheng Xiao Zi demonstrated how to eat it. He first wrapped the crispy sauce strips in a cabbage leaf, dipped them in the green sauce, and ate it. The spicy, numbing, fragrant, crispy, and sour flavors were all present, making it irresistible.

"This green sauce is called 'Sadagong' by the Dai people, which means cricket sauce in Chinese. There's a type of cricket that lives underground in the northern mountains; it's about 10 centimeters long and as thick as an adult's thumb. The Dai people dig them out of the ground, remove their wings, limbs, and internal organs, then wash them clean, boil them briefly, and then mix them with a mixture of ground beans (called 'Mengnailin' by the Dai people) and 'Niusaben,' along with seasonings such as scallions, ginger, rice, minced garlic, cilantro, chili, pepper, and salt. That's how 'Sadagong' is made. And those green sauce strips are made by mixing cricket sauce with flour and frying it in oil. It's much tastier than peanuts or cashews; we ate it often when we were in the Golden Triangle," the young man from Yancheng explained as he ate.

The next dishes were golden-brown, crispy fried cicadas and cold-dressed earth bees, plump and white. Han Sheng felt nauseous at the sight, while Shen Caihua ate with relish. The large parrot, Dudu, was even more unreserved, pecking at the food with its curved beak like a pecking stick, devouring it in a whirlwind.

The last dish arrived, called stir-fried "Burmese ladybugs," small beetles with tiny round spots on their backs.

"Aren't these ladybugs? In the Central Plains, they're also called 'flower ladybugs,'" Han Sheng exclaimed in surprise, staring at the dish, no longer daring to touch it.

"Ladybug, Latin name: *Coccinellidae*, English name: ladybird, also known as: matchmaker, golden beetle, stinky beetle. There are over 5,000 species of ladybugs worldwide, of which only the seven-spotted ladybug is beneficial," Dudu boasted, reciting from the textbook.

"Burmese ladybugs..." The young man from Yancheng remembered the ladyboy, Shanni, in the Chiang Mai palace. He recalled Shanni saying that Shanni lived in Bangkok's Burmese ladybug area.

"Do you know a place in Bangkok called 'Mianyangye'?" Yan Cheng asked the waiter.

"You mean 'Mianyangye'? The Chinese call it 'Flower Sisters,' it's a place where ladyboys live," the waiter replied.

"Exactly. Where is it?" Yan Cheng asked.

"Not far from Chinatown, right by the Chao Phraya River." The waiter took out a pen, drew a simple map on the menu, and handed it to Yan Cheng.

"Han Sheng, in Chiang Mai's Mong Rachawong. There's a ladyboy named Sani in Bing's palace who lives in Mianyangye. He said he'd return to Bangkok after leaving the palace; she might know something about Mong Rachawong. And Bing's situation?" Yan Cheng speculated.

"Okay, let's go look for it after we finish eating," Han Sheng replied, a premonition rising within him that this trip would surely yield results.

After walking about two kilometers along the Chao Phraya River on Charoen Krung Road, they had left Chinatown and entered a dimly lit shantytown. Under the streetlights and at the entrances of alleyways stood heavily made-up "women" soliciting customers. Yancheng Boy told Hansheng that these were lower-level ladyboys, catering to Westerners seeking pleasure and excitement in Thailand.

As Hansheng and his group approached, the ladyboys came up to them, mostly speaking Thai.

"They said you're handsome, and they'll only charge you 200 baht, the lowest market price," Yancheng Boy translated.

"Be careful, it's easy to get STDs," Dudu warned, perched on Hansheng's shoulder.

"Do you know someone named Sunny?" Yancheng Boy asked in Dai language.

Hearing this, the ladyboys all looked nervous, exchanged glances, and quietly dispersed.

The young man from Yancheng paused, then ran up and grabbed the youngest-looking transvestite, asking gently, "Why are you running? You must know Sanni. Tell me, where is she?"

"I don't know," the transvestite stammered, her face paling, and she quickly broke free and ran away.

All the heavily made-up transvestites were gone, leaving the alleyway deserted.

"Why are they afraid to mention Sanni?" the young man asked, puzzled.

Han Sheng thought for a moment and said, "This Sanni is Mong La Cha Weng Bing's man. They're afraid of Mong La Cha Weng Bing. It seems that as long as we find Sanni, we have hope."

"Could Mong La Cha Weng Bing also be hiding in this Burmese shantytown?" the young man from Yancheng asked suspiciously.

"I'm afraid not. Mong La Cha Weng Bing is royalty; he even has his own palace in Chiang Mai. I don't think he would live in such terrible conditions with Mo Mo," Han Sheng analyzed.

Under the streetlights, a little boy, only seven or eight years old, walked cautiously towards them, constantly turning his head to look around. "Are you looking for Sister Sunny?" he asked softly.

"Yes, who are you? Do you know where Sunny is?" the boy from Yancheng asked quickly.

"I'll take you there," the little boy whispered.

Chapter 407

The little boy walked ahead, following the winding, dimly lit alleys for a long time, finally stopping in front of a dilapidated wooden house. He could faintly hear the sound of flowing water; they were on the banks of the Chao Phraya River.

The little boy held up the key tied around his neck, stood on tiptoe, and shakily unlocked a small padlock on the wooden door. Then he pushed open the door, went inside, and turned on the dim light.

Han Sheng smelled a strong odor of blood… The room was small, with a small bed against the wall. In the center of the room sat a large earthenware jar, inside which sat a woman with no hands or feet and disheveled hair. Hearing the door open, she weakly opened her eyes, staring blankly at the person who entered. When her gaze fell on the young man from Yancheng, a hint of relief flashed in her eyes. “You… came to find me…” she said weakly.

“You’re Shanni!” the young man from Yancheng exclaimed.

Han Sheng approached and examined the body closely in the dim light. He gasped in horror. The man's hands and feet had been severed, leaving only his torso stuffed into a jar filled with a brownish-red liquid.

"Sandy, who did this? How could they be so cruel?" Yan Cheng asked.

"The Grand Master," Sandy replied weakly.

"The Grand Master? Why?" Yan Cheng shook his head. He had never seen a living person in such a horrific state. Even the drug lords of the Golden Triangle wouldn't do this to a person.

"After you captured the palace, I secretly ran back to Myanmar because I had a younger brother in this house who needed my care. That very night, the Grand Master came with his men, cut off my hands and feet, and displayed me in this jar for ten days, saying it was a warning to all deserters. After ten days, I would die silently," Sandy said painfully. "

Who is the Grand Master? Why didn't you call the police?" Yan Cheng said indignantly.

“The Grand Master is Mong La Cha Wong Bing,” Sanni said, trembling.

“Mong La Cha Wong Bing!” the young man from Yancheng exclaimed softly.

“Yes, no one dares touch him. He is the greatest demon in Siam’s history. My brother and I told him to lock his sister up and die quietly, without letting anyone see…” Sanni gasped for breath, then continued, “There’s only one exception, a young Chinese man who speaks Tai. He might come to Myanmar. Although I don’t know what he does, I know very well that he and his friends are enemies of the Grand Master.”

“Yes, I came here to find Mong La Cha Wong Bing, determined to eliminate him,” the young man from Yancheng declared righteously.

After listening to the young man’s account, Han Sheng was deeply moved by the bloodthirsty cruelty of the demon Mong La Cha Wong Bing, and thought of Somdej. Master Hu, who said that no one in Thailand dared to oppose him, further strengthened his resolve to eliminate this evil sorcerer. At the same time, the unfortunate plight of the ladyboy Sanni touched the healer’s heart.

“Young man from Yancheng, ask Shanni. I want to try to treat her. Maybe it will succeed, maybe it will fail. Is she willing to cooperate?” Han Sheng said.

The young man from Yancheng looked at Han Sheng with surprise, then translated the words to Shanni with some skepticism.

Tears welled in Shanni's eyes. She shook her head and smiled bitterly, “I’m already like this, how could I…”

Han Sheng took out a blue-and-white porcelain bottle containing “Hanqing” and said, “Let’s try. Young man from Yancheng, please break the earthenware jar…”

The young man from Yancheng gently told Shanni not to be afraid, then picked up the wooden bolt on the top of the door behind it and smashed the jar. With a “crash,” the brownish-red medicine spilled onto the ground. Shanni was naked, her arms at the shoulders and thighs cleanly severed. Even more gruesome was the fact that her male genitalia had been gouged out, leaving a gaping hole. If it weren’t for the brownish-red medicine that kept her alive, Shanni would have died long ago.

“How many days has it been?” Han Sheng asked sympathetically.

“It’s been nine days since my sister was like this.” The little boy answered, trembling, unable to bear looking at Shanni’s miserable state.

“A day later would be too late. Yancheng boy, carry her to the bed,” Hansheng ordered.

Yancheng boy carefully lifted Shanni’s body with both hands and gently placed her on the small bed. Shanni was already on the verge of death, but she still forced a smile at the boy, which was heartbreaking.

Hansheng removed the stopper from the bottle and carefully poured the blue liquid inside the porcelain bottle little by little onto the wounds on Shanni’s limbs and groin. With a slight hissing sound, a faint blue mist rose… “Can Shanni survive?” Yancheng boy asked softly.

“As long as new limbs can grow, she can heal, but the growth will take a long time,” Hansheng replied thoughtfully.

“What will Shanni’s gender be?” Yancheng boy asked again.

Han Sheng pondered, "That's precisely what I'm unsure about. His genitals have been completely removed. While 'Han Qing' can supposedly help him regrow his reproductive organs, it requires the secretion and release of male hormones. The hormones that mature male sexual organs and maintain normal libido and reproductive function come from the testes, which continuously secrete testosterone. At least 4-9 milligrams of testosterone are needed daily to stimulate the growth, development, and maturation of male accessory sex organs such as the epididymis, prostate, penis, and scrotum, while maintaining secondary male sexual characteristics such as strong bones, well-developed muscles, a deep, resonant voice, a prominent Adam's apple, and a beard. But since his testes are gone, he'll need to take male steroids."

"Can Shanni become a real woman?" the Yan Cheng boy asked softly, his face flushed.

Han Sheng replied, "Then she needs ovaries to secrete estrogen to promote the development of the female reproductive system, causing subcutaneous fat accumulation and a fuller figure; breast hyperplasia. But Shanni doesn't have ovaries, so she needs to take estrogen steroids like estradiol and diethylstilbestrol to promote the growth of female reproductive organs."

"Will she be able to have children in the future?" Yan Cheng asked shyly.

"She can have a complete uterus as long as she grows one," Han Sheng answered confidently.

"Then let her become a real woman. I think that's what Shanni wishes for," Yan Cheng said solemnly.

"Yan Cheng, let's take Shanni and her brother back to the hotel. It's too dangerous to leave them here," Han Sheng said decisively.

"That's a good idea." Upon hearing this, Yan Cheng quickly tore off a blanket, wrapped Shanni in it, and carried her on his back.

"Little brother, what's your name?" Han Sheng asked the little boy affectionately.

"Nai Suo, I'm almost eight years old," the little boy said.

Han Sheng, carrying Shen Caihua, holding Nai Suo's hand, and with Dudu perched on his shoulder, walked out of Shan Ni's sparsely furnished wooden house. Yan Cheng followed behind, carrying Shan Ni on his back.

Han Sheng and the others emerged from the dimly lit alley and headed towards Chinatown. Neither he nor Yan Cheng noticed a dark figure following them from a distance.

The clever parrot Dudu, however, spotted the pursuer and whispered in Han Sheng's ear, "Be careful, someone's following us."

"What kind of person is it?" Han Sheng asked softly.

"Dudu, go check it out." The parrot flapped its wings and flew into the night sky, while Han Sheng and the others continued on their way.

A short while later, Dudu flew back and landed on Han Sheng's shoulder, telling him, "It's an ugly man in white clothes, hmm, around forty years old, and he has bow legs."

"Alright, let him follow. Only that way can we lure Meng Lachaon Bing out," Han Sheng said thoughtfully.

The night market in Chinatown had already begun, with a long line of stalls selling various barbecued snacks and fruit like mangosteens and durians. The aroma of smoke mixed with the sweet scent of tropical fruits filled the streets. People thronged the area, tourists of all skin colors jostling shoulder to shoulder like a swarm of locusts, creating a lively scene.

Yan Cheng carried Shanni into the room, gently placing her on the bed. He casually pulled the travel bag from under the bed and tossed it beside the pillow. Patting his Uzi submachine gun, he softly said to Shanni, "Shanni, from now on, no one will be able to hurt you."

Han Sheng gently opened the window, looked outside, and then said to the large parrot, "Dudu, go and keep an eye on that bow-legged guy. Come back and tell me immediately if anything happens, okay?" "

Yes, ma'am," Dudu happily agreed, flying out the window.

"Thank you..." Shanni said weakly, but a smile had already appeared on her face.

Han Sheng comforted him, saying, "It may take several dozen days for your limbs to grow back. During this time, you will need to take female hormones continuously to gradually become a girl."

"Sister, will you really turn into a woman?" Naisuo gently touched Shanni's face and asked happily.

"Naisuo, you haven't had dinner yet, have you? I'll go downstairs and buy you something to eat." Hansheng asked Yancheng boy to take care of Shanni and warned him to be vigilant. He hurriedly went downstairs to the night market to buy some cooked meat and other food, and then quickly returned to the hotel room.

Sunny watched her younger brother wolf down the fragrant cooked meat, tears welling up in her eyes… A long time passed before the sound of flapping wings finally came from the window. Dudu returned, covered in sweat… Its face was filled with panic, and it stammered, “Oh no! I saw Menglachawong. Bing…”

Hansheng, hearing this, was startled and grabbed Dudu, asking, “How do you know it’s Menglachawong. Bing? Where is he now?”

Dudu gasped for breath and said, “It’s… an old man, barefoot and with his head wrapped up, looking exactly like that ‘Yinxiangren’ in the palace. He even released a large crested eagle to bite me…”

“Tell me where he is quickly!” Hansheng urged anxiously.

“On…on a small island in the Gulf of Siam at the mouth of the Chao Phraya River, there’s a palace and a forest, and that ferocious old eagle…” Dudu looked out the window with lingering fear and said nervously, “I…I should close the window.”

Hansheng closed the window, and Dudu breathed a sigh of relief.

“Did you see the baby girl, Momo?” Hansheng asked anxiously.

“No, that big crested eagle was too scary, it almost caught up with me…” Dudu said, preening its feathers with its curved beak.

Hansheng thought for a moment, picked up the old-fashioned telephone on the table, and said to the boy from Yancheng, “Make a call and tell Chongdi about Master Tiger.”

The boy asked the operator to connect to the phone number left by the master.

“A small island in the Gulf of Siam at the mouth of the Chao Phraya River? That’s a sea palace from the Thonburi Dynasty, not open to tourists yet, and I’ve never been there. So Mong La Chaong Bing was hiding there…” Chongdi. Master Hu was astonished after hearing the young man from Yancheng's account.

"Tell the master, I'm going to investigate that sea palace tonight," Han Sheng instructed the young man.

(Chong Di) Master Hu pondered for a moment after hearing this, then said, "We need a small boat to reach the island. It's already night, and I'm afraid we won't have enough time. Let me make some preparations first, and tomorrow I'll try to get a boat and take 'Tiger Friend' with you to the island for a decisive battle with Mong La Chaon. Bing."

Han Sheng gestured to hang up the phone, then pondered for a moment before saying to Yan Cheng Xiaozi, "Mong La Chaon. Bing has already discovered us. Things might get complicated if we wait too long. He definitely won't expect me to sneak onto the island tonight, catching him off guard. Xiaozi, you stay at the hotel and take care of Shan Ni and her brother. I'll take Cai Hua and Du Du to the island tonight. If we haven't returned by noon tomorrow, you should take Shan Ni and Nai Suo and leave Bangkok immediately, heading back to our hometown in the Golden Triangle. It will be safer there... Remember to make sure Shan Ni takes her medicine on time."

After giving his instructions, Han Sheng took out some US dollars from his pocket and handed them to Yan Cheng Xiaozi, insisting that he accept them.

"But Xi Zi isn't here, so how will you cross the sea?" Yan Cheng Xiaozi reminded him.

Han Sheng smiled slightly and said, "It's alright, I have a way."

At midnight, Han Sheng, Shen Caihua, and Dudu took a taxi to the mouth of the Gulf of Siam.

The Gulf of Siam, now known as the Gulf of Thailand, is located in the southwestern part of the South China Sea, between the Indochina Peninsula and the Malay Peninsula. The waters along the shore are covered with coral reefs and mangroves, with an average depth of about fifty or sixty meters, and a faint fishy smell can be detected.

Han Sheng stood on the shore and gazed into the distance. The night was deep and quiet, a bright moon hung high, the sea was calm and still, a

scene of cool tranquility. "It's that small island with a few lights," Dudu pointed to a solitary island a few nautical miles away and told Han Sheng.

Han Sheng nodded, picked up Shen Caihua, and whispered, "Caihua, we're about to see Momo..."

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