The pile of opossum corpses stretched several meters high, extending like a city wall into the tunnel's depths. Every corpse bore completely identical expressions.
"You arrived quite quickly."
A hoarse voice came from behind the mountain of corpses, followed by a tall, emaciated man stepping forward.
What surprised Ren Qing was that the man's eyes were replaced by two mouths, with eyeballs growing between the teeth, it was an utterly grotesque sight.
Huang Ziwang whispered a reminder: "This is Jiang Feng. His technique also relates to eyes, but leans toward curses, he is able to make people drop dead on the spot."
Ren Qing nodded slightly as the man approached.
Huang Ziwang introduced with a smile: "Jiang Feng, this is Ren Qing, the reserve I vouched for. He certainly has his merits."
Jiang Feng's gaze lingered on Ren Qing's Twin-Pupiled eyes for a few breaths before speaking: "Another Half-Corpse Realm cultivator died last night. Let's examine the body first."
Ren Qing's heart tightened. Even the Restraint Officers' intervention hadn't stopped the Rotten Mud Gang from being attacked, this opponent was truly troublesome.
Huang Ziwang said: "It should still be the work of a Rotten Mud Gang cultivator. Otherwise, how do you explain so many opossum clone corpses?"
"Two days ago, when the first Half-Corpse Realm cultivator died, there were no opossum corpses. These all appeared suddenly last night."
As they advanced deeper into the tunnel, the stench of decay thickened.
Ren Qing surveyed the surroundings, spotting several cave-like chambers that likely housed Rotten Mud Gang members.
A pile of livestock bones in the corner confirmed the gang's relatively lavish diet.
Searching for clues, Ren Qing noticed the opossum corpses seemed to have died while fleeing in all directions.
According to Jiang Feng, five gang cultivators had died so far.
First, three Martial Practitioner Realm corpses were found at a northern district base, followed by a Half-Corpse Realm corpse in the southern district.
After the Restraint Officers sealed the tunnels, another Half-Corpse Realm corpse appeared within two days, all with missing Supernatural Remnants.
As the trio progressed, the metallic tang of blood grew stronger.
Jiang Feng suddenly halted. Ahead lay over a dozen crude huts that must have housed many people.
A disheveled woman emerged from one, accompanied by a half-human, half-rat elder of the Rotten Mud Gang.
The woman was likely also a reserve, her hair squirmed like living creatures, and she looked surprised upon seeing Ren Qing.
"Senior Jiang, we've checked all exits. No traces found."
Huang Ziwang interjected: "Ying Jun, examine all the opossum corpses. Notify us immediately if you find anything."
Ying Jun quickly complied.
Approaching the corpse pile, her hair detached, transforming into thumb-thick pythons that burrowed inside.
Jiang Feng led Ren Qing into a hut.
Inside, Ren Qing saw the corpse kneeling in a posture of extreme terror, clearly having endured unbearable fear before death.
Its ribcage had expanded outward, internal organs completely hollowed out, with blood still dripping sporadically from the wounds.
"Ren Qing, examine this."
Jiang Feng intended to test Ren Qing, adding a reserve to the mission meant splitting the rewards.
Ren Qing bent to inspect the abnormalities.
He recalled his encounter at the Restraint Officers' Hall with a Rotten Mud Gang cultivator who'd spat out opossum clones from his mouth.
Were the two connected?
Huang Ziwang addressed the gang elder: "Elder Qian, refresh my memory, tell us about the Rotten Mud Gang's Rat Plague Technique."
This was mainly to prompt Ren Qing. Having recommended him, Huang Ziwang didn't want to appear blind to talent.
Elder Qian obediently explained: "The Rat Plague Technique has two mutation paths at the Half-Corpse Realm: Rat Mother and Rat Pestilence."
"Rat Mother focuses on substitution, normally, the clone only fully replaces the original after the main body dies."
"Rat Pestilence specializes in pestilent toxins. To avoid harming civilians, few choose this path, and the Restraint Officers' Hall monitors them closely."
Ren Qing narrowed his eyes.
In his experience, techniques always had three mutation paths. There might be exceptions, but he hadn't encountered any yet.
Was Elder Qian hiding something, or had the Rotten Mud Gang truly not discovered it?
Jiang Feng said slowly: "With so many opossum corpses, isn't this clearly the Rat Plague Technique?"
Elder Qian wiped sweat from his brow: "I know every cultivator in our gang, but the corpse's face is completely unfamiliar."
Ren Qing stared at Elder Qian: "The cultivator who died days ago, was he a Rat Pestilence cultivator?"
Elder Qian nodded grimly. If a Rat Pestilence's Supernatural Remnant formed a Forbidden Zone, countless could die.
Should the Restraint Officers' Hall hold them accountable later, the Rotten Mud Gang would face disaster.
Huang Ziwang threatened: "Tell your rats to keep sharp watch over the city. Once disaster strikes, it'll be too late."
"Understood, sir."
Ren Qing asked no further. These gang squabbles weren't even handled by the yamen, let alone a mere reserve like him.
He patted Elder Qian's shoulder, using the Information Stream to access his techniques.
[Qian Lao San]
[Age: 41]
[Lifespan: 23 years]
[Technique: Rat Plague Technique (Blood-Fed Rat Demon. False)]
Blood-Fed Rat Demon evolved from Rat Mother. Clearly, Elder Qian had reached the Ghost Envoy Realm by consuming a Supernatural Remnant.
Huang Ziwang said: "The evisceration suggests the killer specifically wanted the Rat Plague Technique's Supernatural Remnant."
"Elder Qian, are you certain there are no internal issues within the Rotten Mud Gang?"
Elder Qian stammered: "Even if I performed the technique, I couldn't achieve this scale..."
Huang Ziwang pressed: "Can't a Rat Mother mass-produce clones?"
Elder Qian shook his head: "Once a clone takes human form, the original dies, replaced by the clone."
"Unless..."
Hesitation flashed across Elder Qian's face, but Ren Qing finished his thought: "Unless the clones don't affect the original."
Actually, Ren Qing left something unsaid: if the original never lived, it couldn't die.
Elder Qian muttered in disbelief: "But how?"
Ren Qing pointed at the corpse: "The killer extracted the Supernatural Remnant, consumed it directly to advance as a Rat Mother, then went mad casting the technique."
Jiang Feng frowned: "Then why did a Rat Pestilence die first?"
Ren Qing said hesitantly: "Perhaps he was searching for a Rat Mother's Supernatural Remnant."
Huang Ziwang said darkly: "I suspect he wasn't satisfied, otherwise, he wouldn't have made so many opossum clones..."
Elder Qian paled. Did that mean the killer would target a Blood-Fed Rat Demon's Supernatural Remnant next?
He hastily excused himself to warn the Rotten Mud Gang.
Jiang Feng wasn't concerned. A Ghost Envoy Realm cultivator, especially a notoriously hard-to-kill Rat Mother, wouldn't die easily.
They continued searching for clues, even tearing down wall panels.
Suddenly, Ying Jun's shout came from outside:
"One rat-man still has a pulse, it's alive!!!"