Otherworldly Merchant

Chapter 444: Song Zhong's Death

I shook my head. This is just the beginning. Weve provoked that spirit, and he wont stop until were dead! If we dont eradicate him, he will torture Song Zhong to death.

But you dont need to be too worried. Im here to help.

I was afraid that the shopkeeper would be scared, so I added that part. The woman thanked me repeatedly. She sat on the bed and anxiously wiped Song Zhongs dirty face.

As I ate the noodles, I assessed the woman. She had loving eyes and was good-looking.

A moment later, she lifted her head and found me watching her. She blushed. I felt somewhat embarrassed, so I asked, Whats the relationship between you and Song Zhong?

I was just a normal person, and I liked to gossip.

What kind of relationship could it be? Discarded shoes. The woman lit up a cigarette and puffed it as she talked to me.

It turned out that they had been a couple since they were pretty young. They were in love back then. However, when it came to marriage, the shopkeepers father was afraid that Song Zhongs family was too poor. He forced her to get engaged to the Village Elders son. Later on, Song Zhong married a woman he didnt love.

After the shopkeepers husband died, their love burned again from the ashes.

I sighed as I listened to their story. Like they say, love will always find a way.

While Song Zhong was experiencing this tribulation, it wasnt his wife who was on his side but his old lover.

I noticed that the woman seemed to hate her late husband a lot. She didnt even mention how he died. There seemed to be more to it, but I didnt ask.

After the woman told me her story, she asked about mine.

Oh me? Im just a merchant. I had a wry smile and told her about the love story between Yin Xinyue and me.

Perhaps the womans love had affected me. I suddenly realized that I had never missed Yin Xinyue as much as I did at this moment.

While we watched over Song Zhong, we chatted to pass the time. Song Zhong didnt wake up, nor did he turn crazy; he continued to sleep. When it was past midnight, Li Mazi called and told me that he had bought enough items. He asked where I was.

I had been in the room for quite a long time, so I wanted some fresh air. I decided to walk to the village entrance to wait for Li Mazi.

When he heard that I was in the womans shop after midnight, he laughed despicably. Little Brother Zhang, how does a mature woman taste?

Enough of your nonsense. I slapped his nape. Did you buy all the things?

Li Mazi gestured an OK. I nodded in satisfaction.

However, I noticed that he had come alone.

Yu Hua didnt come with you? I was puzzled.

No. He left as soon as we reached the city. He was afraid that I would force him to follow me around. Li Mazi put on a despising face.

Oh, hes just an ordinary man. He couldnt bear the fear. Its okay.

Li Mazi and I chatted as we walked to the village. Since I had encountered the spirit, I was no longer scared. I was in a better mood, so I slowed down and enjoyed the clear and refreshing night under the bright moonlight.

While we were still enjoying the atmosphere, a sudden screech broke the silent night. The noise came from the womans house.

Damn it!

I ran fast and thought that the spirit had possessed Song Zhong again. However, when I reached the grocery store, I smelled blood. I immediately had a horrible premonition.

Master! Master, you came!

When the woman saw me, she burst out in a heart-breaking cry. I quickly ran past her, heading to the bed.

Song Zhong had been beheaded.

Red blood soaked the entire bed. His blood hadnt coagulated yet and was still dripping, forming a puddle on the ground.

Holy moly! Li Mazi screamed and went to the corner.

I pulled myself together. What happened?

I dont know. After you went out, I didnt think that he would wake up, so I took the time to go to the bathroom. When I came back, I saw him like this

Then, the woman started shivering. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head, and she fainted. Li Mazi hurried to support her, taking the chance to touch her breast.

I frowned and scanned the room. I didnt see any trace of Yin energy in the room. It seemed Song Zhong was beheaded by a living person! With this thought, I went to the closet and opened it. I saw blood inside the closet.

After Li Mazi was finished with his stealthy touching, he came over and looked at the hole in the closet.

Should we go after the murderer? asked Li Mazi.

Theres no use now. Since Song Zhong has died, we lost our only clue. We have to go to the museum.

I sighed. The feeling of having failed arose in my heart. If Chuyi were here, perhaps Song Zhong wouldnt have died! 

Had I been more careful and didnt leave to see Li Mazi, this man might still be alive. 

I didnt kill him directly, but he had died because of me.

This is fate. People who have to die cant survive, no matter how much effort we exert. This is like what happened to my Chuchu! Li Mazi patted my shoulder and told me not to blame myself.

I nodded. I could only comfort myself that way. However, as Li Mazi had just mentioned Chuchu, it meant that he had recovered and walked out of that painful part of his life. I felt happy for him.

As Song Zhong was dead, we didnt need to stay here. However, after considering the relationship between the shopkeeper and Song Zhong, I decided to stay to help her. Otherwise, she would be sued. Song Zhongs family would take revenge on her!

It was past midnight, but I couldnt fall asleep. I dialed Chuyis number and decided to try my luck. Unexpectedly, the line went through. In a cold voice, Chuyi asked, Did you encounter trouble?

I briefed him about the situation. Although I had accepted many deals with otherworldly items in the past, it was the first time a man had died before I could even see the otherworldly item.

Youre going in the wrong direction

Chuyi kept silent for a while before he told me that.

What do you mean?

He asked coldly, Did you confirm that the deaths of the five security guards were related to the otherworldly item?

I was bewildered and finally saw the light. Song Zhong wasnt killed by the spirit. He was murdered by a living person. Moreover, the murderer could have been that mysterious man in the raincoat.

Otherwise, why would he have offended the spirit at the critical moment? If so, the other four security guards were possibly killed by the same person.

After I hung up the call, I pulled Li Mazi, who was sleeping soundly. Do you know where Yu Hua went?

I dont know. When we reached Shenyang, he called a cab to go home.

Li Mazi looked at me in puzzlement. Little Brother Zhang, are you suspecting him?

Come with me!

I pulled him and ran to the village entrance. I shone the flashlight on the ground. Indeed, apart from our cars tire prints on the ground, I found another set of tire prints.

Oh shoot, is this from the taxi Yu Hua took? Li Mazi squatted to observe the tire prints.

I wore a dark face. Theres no need to check it. No one else would come here.

Who would come to this little village at midnight? Moreover, it was right at the moment the shopkeeper and I went to the graveyard.

I was almost sure that Yu Hua was the man wearing the raincoat. Otherwise, there was no reason for him to keep his mouth shut the entire time. That was why he just waved his hands to communicate with me.

Li Mazi cursed, That little bastard! Dont let me meet him again. Otherwise, I will hit him until he poops his pants!

Dont be impulsive. Since it has come to this, we have to use Yu Hua. Its good that weve busted him. He doesnt know that we know about his deeds.

We would solve whatever came to us!

I know, but Im still mad. She was a half-widow earlier, but shes become a complete widow now Li Mazi fumed.

I found it amusing. Li Mazi was angry, and it wasnt because of a dead man but because he felt sorry for that woman.

But it matched his personality well.

When the shopkeeper woke up the next morning, I asked her about Song Zhongs fake death. Who else knew about it? Wheres his grave?

Song Zhong arranged a real funeral for himself to avoid this tribulation. Everyone in the village thought that he had died. Only his family and I knew that he was pretending. And since it was a fake death, we didnt dig a grave for him. The shopkeeper had red, swollen eyes.

I couldnt help but frown. If Song Zhongs wife saw his dead body, she would create a scene. It wasnt something I could easily help with.

Fortunately, the woman told me that Song Zhongs wife knew about their affair and that she had tacitly consented to their relationship.

This information would smoothen the incident then. Before it was completely bright, I asked her to take us to Song Zhongs house.

Song Zhongs wife was the typical sort of Northeastern married woman with a large build. When she heard that Song Zhong was beheaded, she started to cry.

Although she was heartbroken, she didnt blame us or say anything unpleasant to the shopkeeper.

She kept crying and said that it was his fate

Under her arrangements, the folks in the village helped the family collect Song Zhongs body and buried him.

In front of his grave, the two women supported each other, looking one more mournful than the other.

I admired Song Zhong as he had captured the hearts of two women.

As Song Zhong didnt have an intact body when he died, the villagers quickly left after they finished burying him.

It was a custom in their village. They thought that a person who had died without an intact body would have strong resentment. They thought that only the deceaseds family members should worship him at his grave.

After everything was done, I apologized to the women, especially to Song Zhongs wife.

She had a couple of children, and without a man in the house, her family would struggle.

I offered her some money, but she resolutely denied. However, she begged me to find the murderer and stop him from hurting more people.

Rest assured, maam!

Facing such a brave woman, I bowed to her with sincerity from the bottom of my heart. Then, I left with Li Mazi.

At this moment, the shopkeeper suddenly called me and said that she wanted to tell me something.

When Old Song had his sanity back, he told me that it was a conspiracy! He told me that the thing that terrorized them was a list!

What list? I asked.