Chapter 91 Part 1
Gasps of astonishment filled the temple. The Zhou family members, with Zhou Yi at the forefront, stared wide-eyed, their gazes filled with envy.
The first offering of incense!
In their family, after the ancestors who sacrificed themselves in the war, she would be the first to receive offerings, even his grandfather, the village chief, would come after her.
This was like being enshrined in their family’s history, a symbol of honor and recognition.
In this world, overrun by evil, those who received more offerings held greater power.
Zhou Yi thought, even if he got into Tsinghua or Peking University, he wouldn’t receive such an honor.
And no one in the Zhou clan objected. This was the will of the Nuo Gods!
Wu Heng smiled, this was the benefit of official recognition.
Practitioners used paper effigies to allow souls to live among humans, but ordinary people, filled with Yang qi, would still fear them. Paper effigies were, after all, objects of the underworld. But with Heaven’s blessing, with righteousness, even knowing Zhou Fenghua was different, they felt only reverence.
[Those from families with ancestral shrines in southern China would understand the significance of this! In my family, even getting into Tsinghua ten times isn’t enough for the first offering.]
[My great-grandfather killed dozens of Japanese soldiers, and he’s always the first to receive incense and offerings.]
[So, shining in your field, doing good deeds, even if you’re not rich, you’ll be recognized by Heaven, your merits acknowledged, it’s fair.]
Zhou Fenghua was also shocked by the clan elders’ decision, she… how could she be worthy? But who could refuse such an honor?
In this day and age, being next in line after the war heroes was the highest honor!
Zhou Fenghua bowed repeatedly, her gaze firm. Even if she only had half a year left, she would make the most of it, make Heaven proud.
Zhou Yi and his friends instinctively shrunk back, anticipating their teacher assigning homework, but the principal stepped forward, “Teacher Zhou, you can continue teaching your English classes, but no homework for now, have the students return for their vaccinations.”
Zhou Fenghua’s face hardened, and she agreed immediately, then called the funeral home, “This is Zhou Fenghua, I’m a bit busy these two days, please collect my… remains… within three days.”
The staff member: “…Okay.”
As they left the temple, the students, worried about the potential Gu worm eggs inside them, rushed back to school for their vaccinations.
“Doctor Wu,” a familiar voice called out, and he turned to see the weary Wang Jun and his fellow officers.
“We interrogated Tang Liang’s soul last night and found the address of that… internet addiction camp… The practitioners captured a few instructors… but they seem to be just small fries.”
Although they were spirits, they had been human, their tricks easy to recognize.
Caught the pawns, not the mastermind.
Wu Heng wasn’t surprised, “Just prevent them from creating more living corpses for now, containment, to completely eradicate this, we need to… restore balance to this world.”
Wang Jun, having dealt with countless supernatural incidents recently, felt pessimistic, a return to normalcy seemed impossible, even coexisting with these creatures was a struggle.
He didn’t want to dampen Wu Heng’s spirits. “What should we do with those Gu worms? Burn them?”
They instinctively hated those things, responsible for the deaths of those students.
Wu Heng shook his head, “Everything has two sides. Control the queen, the one that emerged from Teacher Zhou, and we control them all. They might even be useful in the future.”
The police officers, understanding, said they would report this.
He figured Grandma Lai and the other Gu masters might have a new career waiting for them after retirement, government-funded.
“You have a press conference to attend, Doctor Wu, we won’t disturb you any further,” Wang Jun and his colleagues, still busy, left after a brief chat.
Wu Heng returned to his clinic, noticing even more tourists now, some feeling safer near him, others here for his birthday.
Long tables were being set up in the large courtyard outside for his coming-of-age banquet, the village chefs busy preparing the feast.
They knew his birth date because Pockmarked Lai had told them when he brought him to the clinic.
As Wu Heng entered, he saw Shi Xuan, carrying a backpack, walking in from the back path.
“I’ll go change. Can you hold my bag?” he said.
Wu Heng took the surprisingly light backpack, “?”
Li Hao, from the sofa, “Doctor Wu, he has no respect for seniority anymore! Making you his errand boy!”
You Jin, admiring his new outfit in the mirror, rushed over, “Xiao Heng, I’ll hold it! You’re the birthday boy!”
Wu Heng opened the backpack. No books, just a small, black stone seal covered in carvings and radiating a strong Yin qi.
“This…”
Shi Xuan, having changed his clothes, came over, his voice soft, “Happy birthday, Wu Heng, I was born with this, it was in my hand,”
Wu Heng now had fame, money, everything.
He had heard that his father put it in the safe, only for it to disappear later. Then, his deceased mother appeared in a dream and told him it was hidden inside the wall of the well in their courtyard, an amulet for protection.
“You went back to the Shi residence?”
“Yes, but didn’t climb out of the well,” Shi Xuan’s cold fingers gently touched the space between his furrowed brows, “My father is clever, he probably knows I’m not dead. There’s no need to worry about him spreading rumors.”
Shi Zongguang always knew, he couldn’t be so easily killed.
As Wu Heng’s skin tingled at his touch, he glanced at his long fingers, then his arm, and saw… Li Hao and his friends’ arms around his shoulders,
“Is this your birthday gift, Shi Xuan? From Panjiayuan?” they asked, referring to a famous antique market in Beijing.
Wu Heng: “.”
Shi Xuan looked at them expressionlessly.
You Jin, fussing over him, “He was born with it! So thoughtful of you, Young Master Shi. What kind of seal is this?”
Shi Xuan didn’t know. Wu Heng turned it over, the bottom flat and smooth, no inscriptions.
He looked at Shi Xuan, his brow furrowed slightly.
He Yunxiao and Chen Zhao also came over, their voices loud, “Born with it? Shi Xuan, are you the reincarnation of Jia Baoyu? Then you need to find a Lin Daiyu!” They didn’t touch the seal, knowing it was a gift.
Shi Xuan calmly, “I won’t.”
Li Hao and the others were startled, then chuckled, “So you’re Team Baochai,” referring to the other female lead in Dream of the Red Chamber.
Shi Xuan took his empty backpack from Wu Heng and, as he zipped it closed, said casually, “I don’t like girls.”
Silence fell over the clinic. All eyes on him, even the snakes stared at him, dumbfounded.
Su Da Yi, having climbed onto Wu Heng’s stool at some point, checked the cabinets with its paws, nothing to eat, after searching through all of them, discovering the snacks were hidden, it lay there dramatically, whimpering.
“What are you all standing around for? Get to work!” Zhou Da Gui, entering the clinic, said, looking at them.
Li Hao, finally snapping out of it, turned to his friends. “Did Shi Xuan just…”
He wasn’t straight?! But both he and Doctor Wu seemed straight!
Wang Dong wasn’t sure, “Perhaps… he’s joking?”
Black Hair Number Three retorted, “Since when does Shi Xuan joke? He doesn’t even smile.”
Wang Dong, “Aren’t dry jokes still jokes?”
Wu Heng’s heart was pounding, why would Shi Xuan say such a thing? Just because it was his birthday? Like his father, drunk?
You Jin, not overthinking it, quickly brought a chair for Zhou Da Gui, nervously wringing his hands, “Village Chief, does my hair look okay? Uncle Wu Su went with Uncle Luo to find his knife, by the way.”
Zhou Da Gui, having showered and changed after visiting the Nuo God Temple, sat with Wu Heng on the sofa, nervously wiping his hands on his pants, then taking out his notes.
“Grandpa Zhou, what are you so nervous about?” Wu Heng asked, turning on the TV.
“I usually attend your live streams, but this is a real press conference, nationwide, I can’t embarrass you.” His legs trembled.
He, a small village chief, never imagined he would be on national television.
“Where are the reporters? Aren’t they coming to the clinic?” he asked, but then the TV switched to a formal setting, a banner announcing the press conference on recent strange illnesses.
He looked closer, it wasn’t Chengde Medical Clinic.
The press conference was also live-streamed, the barrage comments overflowing, even some companies requiring their employees to watch.
[Not Chengde Medical Clinic? Wu Heng is busy! At the Nuo God Temple this morning, and now a press conference, non-stop!]
[A real press conference finally! I’ve been waiting, too many rumors online.]
[+1. The temple near my house is overflowing with people, I don’t even know if those twenty-yuan talismans are real.]
The press conference began, and several elderly men and doctors in white coats appeared on screen.
A distinguished-looking elderly man with white hair sat at the center, smiling at the camera. “Hello everyone. I’m Wu Tai, director of Chengde Medical Clinic. Our team will be providing an update on the recent… unusual illnesses.”
“What?! Old Wu?!” Zhou Da Gui jumped up from the sofa, staring at the screen in shock.
“Old Wu is on TV? Isn’t he in the mountains collecting herbs?”
He had been worried sick that Old Wu had accidentally dug up some protected plant, and now he was on TV?
You Jin exclaimed excitedly, “That’s my master! My master, Wu Tai! He’s on a national press conference!”
Chen Zhao remained silent, he couldn’t expect the same from his master.
The screen displayed Old Wu’s credentials and biography.
[So, that’s Wu Heng’s grandfather? A medical family! Inherited skills!]
[And he’s one of the developers of that Yang Qi vaccine! So hard to get now!]
[No wonder Wu Heng is so skilled. I heard he was a left-behind child, raised by his grandfather while his father worked elsewhere.]
Old Wu spoke about the recent strange illnesses, his message clear: a supernatural invasion was happening, these illnesses linked to supernatural events, but don’t panic, fear weakens your Yang qi.
Maintaining positive energy, a healthy lifestyle, sufficient sleep, were crucial, avoid staying up late, that increased your vulnerability.
Many skeptical netizens, after this press conference, their worlds crumbled.
Ghosts were real!
