[ZHUILING] More Than Enough

Chapter 23

"Young Master Jin," a maidservant had entered the office, bowing as she held a scroll in her arms.

"What is it?" Jin Ling lazily asked. He balanced an inked brush on his nose, not bothering to pay respects to the maidservant behind him. The maidservant laughed cheerfully, "Young Master Jin, what sort of theatrics are you practicing?"

The brush fell off Jin Ling's nose and dropped on the table. "Huh?"

At his raised question, the maidservant froze. Immediately, she plopped down to the ground and kowtowed, "it's all this maidservant's fault! She have spoken out of turn, and is ready for Young Master Jin's punishment!"

Jin Ling confusedly watched her kowtow her forehead on the ground. "Enough, get up already."

The maidservant dizzily got up. A small bruise was marked on her forehead.

"Tell me already," Jin Ling nudged towards her hands, "what's the scroll about."

     The maidservant straightened her back, ready for real business as she rolled open the scroll, "there's a small town named Town Cheng Du; it is located in the corner of Lanling Jin, right underneath a sharp cliff. They've sent a 'help' letter to Lanling Jin. On the letter is written that they've been surrounded by fierce corpses around the cliff, and how the cliff is their only exit. If the fierce corpses are still there, they can't leave. So far, starvation and poverty have become a problem in Town Cheng Du, and they need someone to take care of the fierce corpses."

Jin Ling raised an eyebrow, "How come their only exit is the cliff?"

The maidservant bowed her head, "this lowly servant have no clue, but I believe that Town Cheng Du is surrounded by multiple cliffs. I suppose they chose one specific cliff to build an exit, but now that it's blocked by fierce corpses, they have no way to leave."

Jin Ling sighed, "why in the world would the fierce corpses guard there?"

The maidservant lifted her head, "in this lowly servant's opinion, she believes that fierce corpses and their actions are incomprehensible. They move based on flesh and blood, while some have wishes that they want fulfilled. However, it's also possible for them to be controlled, like how the Yiling Patriarch proved to us. This servant thinks that it's either the fierce corpses around Town Cheng Du have regained their consciousness or that..."

"Or what?"

"... or that the fierce corpses wish for the people of Town Cheng Du to suffer."

Silence shrouded the office. Jin Ling watched the maidservant fumble at rolling close the scroll. "What's your name?"

"Huh?" The servant blinked then smiled, "this lowly servant's name is Shao Qing."

"Understood," Jin Ling got up from his seat, "I'll go visit the cliff and see what I can do about it."

Shao Qing passed him a wary glance, "doesn't Young Master Jin need backup?"

Jin Ling arched an eyebrow, "I'm only going to sightsee. I'm not going to fight."

Shao Qing bit her lips, as if she was conflicted before saying, "Young Master Jin, it's better if you carry your sword with you."

Jin Ling passed her a confused look, "how come?"

Shao Qing bowed before chanting a whisper, "the dead of Town Cheng Du are more resentful than you've ever seen. All that's left of them are bones with no skin. When you go visit; the birds wouldn't dare to fly in the blanketed skies of putrid blood, and the fishes wouldn't dare to swim in the pond that contained the victim's salinity tears. The dead have been wronged, and are looking to wrong someone else. Be careful, and I hope for your safe return."