Chapter Forty-Three: The Demonic Serpent's Tomb of Trapped Corpses

"Alright, Shanshan, I'm on my way."

Fuyang hung up the phone, hurriedly called for Ah Huang, and together they took a taxi to the police station.

After meeting Zhao Shanshan, she immediately summoned her team for a meeting.

It turned out that the inspection of the piece of blue silk torn off during Fuyang’s fight with the masked figure at the city archives had yielded results.

Back then, Zhao Shanshan had remarked that the fabric was certainly unusual and took it back for the department to investigate. Indeed, the findings confirmed her suspicion.

The blue silk was called Baihui Genuine Silk Xiangyun Gauze, an extremely expensive silk textile. It was invented in the early Republican era by a master weaver from River City and instantly became a sensation among high-ranking officials and the elite, enjoying immense popularity.

After the liberation, however, the fabric was deemed too extravagant and gradually suppressed, eventually falling out of use for several decades.

With the advent of economic reforms and the invigorated social atmosphere, people tried to revive this rare silk, but all attempts failed.

It wasn’t until around 2001 that a silk factory called "Zhenhui" claimed to have successfully reproduced Baihui Genuine Silk Xiangyun Gauze. They registered the trademark and began selling it on the market, but due to its exorbitant price, it remained scarce.

"Based on current clues, we have reason to believe that the Zhenhui Silk Factory is in some way connected to the series of supernatural homicides at River City University. The factory is located at the foot of Hat Mountain in the suburbs. Today, we’ll assemble a ten-person tactical team to conduct an investigation."

Zhao Shanshan, in full captain’s uniform, stood at the head of the conference table and issued the order.

"Captain Zhao, I don’t mean to question your judgment. It’s just that, although this garment is expensive, there are still people in River City who wear it. How can we suspect the Zhenhui Silk Factory just because someone involved in the case wore this fabric? And deploying so many people might not be appropriate..."

The objection came from a senior officer, clearly experienced and well-respected. He wasn’t being contrary, merely raising valid concerns.

Zhao Shanshan found herself unable to respond; her suspicion was based on intuition alone. She had no concrete reason, unless she intended to use her authority as deputy captain to override the older officers.

At this moment, Fuyang, who had been quietly listening all along, was struck by a sudden realization.

He recalled the blue silk robe worn by the Corpse Lord in the white-bone temple beneath Linxin Lake. Now he understood why it had seemed so familiar—it was made of this very Baihui Genuine Silk Xiangyun Gauze.

No wonder it had haunted his memory!

Fuyang rose and shared this insight. The skeptical senior officers immediately fell silent, consenting to the plan.

Zhao Shanshan cast Fuyang a grateful glance, to which he replied with a faint smile.

At 11:30 a.m., on Hat Mountain just outside River City.

Two police vans had parked atop the mountain. Including Fuyang and Ah Huang, ten people in all stood gazing down the slopes.

Though River City lay on the plains, there were still a few rolling hills. Hat Mountain was the highest among them.

Where it intersected with several other hills, a narrow valley had formed.

The Zhenhui Silk Factory’s production base was nestled within this valley.

A middle-aged officer, cigarette between his lips, looked through the mist at the faintly visible factory buildings below and sighed, "Such an impressive factory—why build it in a place so remote?"

"To save money, what else? Nobody comes out here, so the land must be dirt cheap," someone replied.

Fuyang wasn’t thinking about that. Standing beside Zhao Shanshan, he simply found the place odd.

It was late morning and the sun shone bright overhead—a clear, sunny day. Yet, at the foot of the mountain, mists swirled thickly, obscuring the view. If this place were developed into a tourist spot, it might actually do well.

Zhao Shanshan’s uniform tempered her naturally gentle, serene demeanor, giving her a heroic air that left Fuyang somewhat distracted as they stood so close together.

"Wait, where’s Ah Huang?" he suddenly noticed his companion was missing.

Glancing around, he found Ah Huang standing on an outcrop at the mountain’s edge, holding something and intently studying it.

"What’s he up to now?" Fuyang jogged over, drawing nearer to see a brass compass in Ah Huang’s hands, covered with intricate markings and pointers.

He overheard Ah Huang muttering, "An evil dragon’s lair trapping the dead... Damn, this place is another cursed ground! Not fit for the living—animals that linger here too long start to change."

A cursed ground?

Fuyang recalled that Ah Huang had previously said the area around Linxin Lake in the university’s forest was also a cursed ground, prone to spawning evil things.

"Ah Huang, are you saying the factory’s built on cursed land too?"

As Fuyang approached, Ah Huang put away the compass, his face contorted as if in pain. He nodded, "Yes, and unlike the one at your university, this isn’t man-made. The feng shui here is naturally ominous! Breaking it would take tremendous effort and require relocating a large population to suppress the dark energy with their vitality."

"So what do we do? It seems this silk factory really is strange—there must be secrets here. This could be a major lead."

"What else can we do? Let’s just hope that, being midday when the world’s energy is at its peak, and with a team of elite officers, we can get useful information and leave unscathed. That would be a victory."

After their conversation, they informed Zhao Shanshan that the danger level for this operation had just increased.

Given the situation, Ah Huang temporarily took command of the team from her.

He stepped forward, addressing the group, "You’re all probably aware that in this major criminal case, our adversary might not be human!"

Though rumors had circulated within the department, hearing Ah Huang state it so plainly made the officers visibly nervous.

"Of course, that doesn’t mean we’ll definitely encounter monsters or ghosts. Maybe the factory is bustling with machines and people. But just in case, once we enter the valley, you must follow my instructions at all times!"

"Yes, sir!"

Satisfied, Ah Huang nodded and took out several talismans from his cloth bag, handing them to Fuyang and Zhao Shanshan to distribute among the officers.

These were simple protective charms, to be worn as a safeguard against malevolent spirits.

With everything ready, the group drove down the mountain toward the Zhenhui Silk Factory in the valley.

The winding mountain road twisted and turned.

By the time they reached halfway down, a faint mist had already begun to rise. Near the base, headlights were necessary to see the way. It was hard to imagine how the factory had ever passed government inspections for construction here.

Then, a large billboard appeared ahead.

It read: "Welcome to Zhenhui Silk Factory."

They had arrived at their destination.