ASER - Chapter 87
Chapter 87: The Body
The small town of Jinxiang had already been built. Recently, most cultivators had accepted unified command and were waiting for news. However, Ying Da had come this time accompanying a general from the Danzhou Patrol Army and teachers from Jinling Academy.
After all, he was considered a local here.
Traveling with them was Zhou Jiang, responsible for protecting the safety of the several teachers—what a joke, did teachers from Jinling Academy really need outsiders for protection?
Several people took out equipment to measure data, then performed calculations... Others surveyed astronomical phenomena and temperature, and even thoroughly investigated the nearby plants and the moss on the mountain wall at the entrance of the cavern.
Initially, the members of the Danzhou Patrol Army and Ying Da's group, seeing how meticulous they were, thought it would take a long time. However, once the data was out, they quickly made calculations with their pens for a while.
"Indeed, it's correct. There is a Ghoul infant nest gestating beneath the crypt, and the quantity is indeed at least four digits, possibly even exceeding three thousand. This is because the growth of these plants and moss has been affected; they have actually absorbed some corpse miasma, so the data needs to be adjusted upwards, resulting in an even higher calculated number. Thus, if the count exceeds three thousand, based on the evolutionary curve of carrion-type demonic spirits, the probability of a Fifth-Grade Ghoul emerging will be around 80%."
"And then this temperature…"
The general turned his head and asked Ding Mao, "Is it similar to what Third Miss said that day?"
Ding Mao nodded, "Yes, Third Miss said the same, though she wasn't as detailed. After all, she only went in for a minute before retreating."
The general's superior was Chen Ran, but he wouldn't directly praise A'Diao in front of so many people. He merely said solemnly to the academy's teachers, "Jinling Academy truly lives up to its reputation. Both teachers and students are formidable!"
A military officer with high emotional intelligence!
Zhou Jiang and the others looked proud, but one teacher also cautiously said, "Before we came, our colleagues in biology mentioned that Ghoul infants are born with strong aggression. Moreover, once they land, attack, and obtain flesh and blood, they will transform rapidly, possessing the combat power of a mature Ghoul within a few days. This is a characteristic of carrion-type demonic spirits. If we factor this in, the numbers will be even greater. Please have the Danzhou Patrol Army make preparations."
When they arrived, they had specifically observed the scale of the cultivators and the Danzhou Patrol Army in the small town, so they had a good understanding of the situation.
The general asked, "Carrion-type demonic spirits sound very powerful with all their advantages. Do they have any weaknesses?"
The teacher replied, "Yes, she said they fear Daoist techniques with strong evil-exorcising properties, as well as high temperatures. However, this is of little practical reference, as it would be very difficult to gather such power now."
Orthodox Daoist cultivators are currently either within certain sects or scattered throughout the country, making them difficult to summon, and there isn't enough time. As for high-temperature attacks, this is inherently a characteristic of thermal weapons, but the problem is that there are Ghoul Mages capable of ranged attacks among the Ghouls. Airships and the like will be detected if they approach within a certain range.
You can't just level this place with a high-yield nuclear weapon, can you? The impact on the region would be too severe—the million people in the surrounding areas haven't been completely evacuated yet. It could easily lead to the deaths of tens of thousands as collateral damage. Who would bear the blame for that?
Currently, the government is organizing population transfers on one hand and dispatching troops on the other, striving to engage militarily at the earliest possible time. Speed is paramount in warfare.
There wasn't much else to say; those decisions fell within the purview of high-ranking officials at Chen Ran's level.
"Let's return to the small town and await news."
While escorting the teachers back to the small town, Yang Xinling couldn't help but ask, "Teacher, those problems you were just calculating, do the students at your academy also know how to do them?"
"Not all of them. Currently, in Class 1 with 50 students, perhaps a dozen or so can."
But not all of them are necessarily as perceptive as A'Diao in realizing the need to make such calculations.
The teacher didn't say this aloud.
"Isn't it very difficult? If we had known, we would have learned these things too. In the future, when fighting in the wilderness, it would be even more effective than relying on divination."
The young team member was quite regretful. Zhou Jiang glanced at the lad and had a teacher toss him a problem. "If you can solve it, we'll make an exception and admit you to the academy."
The group was stunned for a moment. Enter Jinling Academy?
Who wouldn't want to study at the academy? It was safe, provided resources, and allowed for self-improvement, but…
The young team member looked at the problem, then, with a wooden expression, handed it to Ying Da and the others. After they finished reading it, they silently handed the problem back.
To be frank, they couldn't even tell if it was mathematics, physics, or chemistry… What on earth was it?
The teacher was amused by their distressed expressions, laughed heartily, and teased, "Experts, don't assume our academy's students have it easy. They do a lot of test papers and read many books every day, and they also have to balance cultivation with attending classes. For instance, a student from the previous graduating class went straight to the Central Academy of Sciences right after graduation and has already developed a new patent for a Forbidden Item, becoming a researcher directly."
Yang Xinling and the others were somewhat dejected. Previously, like the vast majority of wilderness explorers, they had looked down on these students, merely thinking them lucky to have encountered the revival of Spiritual Energy during their school years. Now, it seemed—at least Jinling Academy was truly worthy of its name.
"Hey, don't listen to them bragging. That student was purely brilliant on his own, with an inherently extremely high IQ. Most of our academy's students are still quite ordinary and dutiful."
An older teacher, not knowing whether to laugh or cry, offered an explanation. But Ying Da curiously asked, "Is Third Miss ranked first in the academy?"
He asked because he had seen news reports about Jinling Academy's entrance examinations.
The teachers were taken aback for a moment. Who? Third Miss? Such a formal and rather affected form of address.
Zhou Jiang said, "It's A'Diao. Oh, she's not first. She ranked tenth in the academic exams, and she's currently second in the martial exams."
Ying Da and the others were shocked: So incredible and still not first? And not first in either category! Is Jinling Academy truly that formidable?
The old teacher looked at his colleagues, then at Zhou Jiang, feeling utterly helpless inwardly: This is terrible. These people have got it all wrong, setting A'Diao as the standard. When those other students arrive and are compared to her…
Forget it, let's give them a bit of pressure. They'll grow faster this way.
That very day, Chen Ran traveled from Lingcheng to Jinling and had a long, secret discussion with two high officials, Song Jiang and another. The next day, troops were mobilized and generals assigned, but they encountered resistance in the process—obstruction from the remnants of the Wang family and the Cui Clan. These individuals either attempted to meddle, tried to slow down the speed of troop deployment, or sought to have the garrison forces take action, and the garrison was under the Wang family's influence.
Incidentally, some officials from the military department were jointly recommending Cui Yong to participate in the Jinxiang campaign, suggesting he could serve as commander.
Wasn't this deliberately meant to antagonize Chen Ran?
The members of the Song-Chen faction were thoroughly angered.
In any case, all sorts of unsavory characters emerged, and the reasons they provided were, coincidentally, just as sanctimonious.
They even claimed it was to allow time for the transfer of a million commoners, all for the grand plan of public welfare.
A task that should have been completed in one day was forcibly dragged into the second day without success. And as time dragged on, the Jinxiang crisis grew more severe—it was a crisis born from the Ghouls' reproduction; an extra day meant they would gestate several more placentas!
However, on the night of the second day, things took a turn.
Numerous videos and pieces of information about Cui Clan death warriors acting as members of the Fierce Bandit Organization, slaughtering wilderness teams to plunder spirit core resources, began to spread widely online.
A precision strike indeed.
Cui Yong was enraged that day, and the military officers who had recommended him also panicked. What was this situation? How could such confidential information… Lao Cui, you've implicated me!
They had to frantically disassociate themselves, and Cui Yong's plan to return to officialdom naturally went down the drain. The Wang family immediately changed their plan, no longer hedging their bets, and focused on promoting their own people. However, before they could properly respond to the current situation, Chen Ran and his two allies had already persuaded the top authority, the Grand Governor of Danzhou. A government decree floated down, and the Wang family fell silent.
Almost everyone believed this was Chen Ran's doing.
Even Chen Ran's own subordinates thought he was responsible.
But Chen Ran: "???"
In any case, the Chen family and the Cui Clan had completely torn off all pretenses of civility; it was no exaggeration to say they were now like fire and water.
With no political obstruction, military deployment became much easier, especially since the Danzhou Patrol Army was under Chen Ran's command.
The plan for this battle was finalized and set to commence the next day.
Late at night, Song Ling sent A'Diao a message: "We've been notified to go to Jinxiang tomorrow, accompanied by academy teachers. Fifteen people from our class are going. What about you?"
She wasn't sure if A'Diao was feigning illness or truly recuperating. But regardless of which it was, visiting her wouldn't be very meaningful. If it were the latter, A'Diao would need time for cultivation and quiet rest, and a visit would only waste both their time.
"I can't move, so I probably won't be able to go. Stay safe."
A'Diao was just about to put down her phone when she saw an incoming call.
It was from Quxian County, a call from that female official.
A'Diao answered. The latter said that the morgue had encountered an issue some time ago: the cooling equipment had been damaged, and now the bodies could not be preserved. They were now requesting families to claim and take the bodies; otherwise, the authorities would have no choice but to cremate them according to regulations.
"Ma'am?"
The other party inquired again. A'Diao felt that the woman's voice sounded very natural, as if she wasn't being coerced.
Was it an accident?
"Alright, I understand. I will go over tomorrow to collect the body."
A'Diao said this and hung up the phone, but then she checked the political intelligence sent over by the Old Butler.
Although Cui Yong's wishful thinking had been overturned due to the Fierce Bandit Organization secretly stirring up trouble, the Cui Clan, after all, had deep roots. Even while still under the surveillance of relevant government departments, he could openly leave his residence with his men.
The reason—going to Jinxiang to help exterminate demonic spirits—was too legitimate, and the imperial court couldn't just keep him confined to his home.
And since Cui Yong intended to launch an attack on the Ghouls tomorrow to gain merit, the Cui Clan's core personnel would naturally have to go as well. Moreover, to make a good impression, they would undoubtedly deploy all their elites, in addition to Cui Yong himself.
Comparing the two situations, it seemed unlikely they would make a move against her.
After all, her threat lay in the future, while the opportunity in Jinxiang was right before their eyes.
Should she go, or not?
Late at night, within the Chen family's main residence in Jinling, the Small Spirit Gate was divided into several compartments. There weren't many people to begin with. Perhaps someone was enjoying a beauty spa bath, someone was diligently writing elementary school homework, someone was striking a wooden fish and chanting Buddhist scriptures, and someone was… balancing account books.
When the imperial court officials came to construct it, they had considered that the Chen family wasn't large and inquired about the private hobbies for each compartment. Upon receiving the feedback, the expressions on their faces were priceless.
Anyway, the Old Butler came for his routine night inspection. He recalled what he had seen the masters carrying when he respectfully saw them into the Small Spirit Gate during the day, and he let out a long sigh in his heart.
The Chen family line was dwindling; they didn't even have any collateral branches. The main family had no other lines, just this single one. Following this lineage down, he hadn't thought much of it before, but now he realized they were all eccentrics… not to mention Third Miss, who went in carrying a large bag of snacks.
What was going on? This revival of Spiritual Energy was like a demon-revealing mirror. What previously appeared to be a dignified, elegant, and typically low-profile official family had suddenly revealed itself to be full of all sorts of bizarre characters.
Truly, public morals were degenerating day by day.
The class group chat was very lively because they were set to depart for battle the next day. The fifteen individuals who were going were incredibly excited. Those who couldn't go couldn't help but chat with them, asking them to send back plenty of videos later.
However, there was also a subtle undercurrent of dissatisfaction and pointed remarks, all concealed within their rhetoric. Qu Jiangnan didn't even have the interest to watch such childish bickering, until a sentence suddenly popped up in the group chat.
"Everyone, you're all setting off tomorrow, I hear? Such unfortunate timing, it coincides with me being seriously injured. So, don't bother coming to visit me, and don't send any gifts either. In this day and age, just sending red envelope money transfers is perfectly fine. After all, we're all classmates, and we share a bond of friendship. Could I possibly ask for more?"
The group chat instantly fell silent, as if everyone had died.
However, Mental Power points were indeed accumulating.
"What's wrong, did you all get disconnected? Oh dear, what terrible internet our academy has. In that case, if I send some intelligence about Jinxiang, you probably won't be able to see it, right?"
At this moment, Tuoba, the generally acknowledged leader, piped up, speaking in a calm and composed manner, "Classmate A'Diao, you have a kind heart. We are also very sad that we won't be able to see you. So, what is the intelligence?"
A'Diao: "Is that so? But I'm not sad at all."
Tuoba: "Why? Never mind, what is the intelligence?"
Tuoba secretly cursed himself for his loose tongue, inwardly making a firm appeal: Intelligence, intelligence, I want the intelligence!
A'Diao: "Actually, just seeing your name, I've even thought about what surname our children would have. By the way, where do you prefer to buy villas?"
Damn it! Tuoba realized he might have just sacrificed himself for the public good, feeling as if he had been virtually solicited online.
However, Zhongchuan Mingxiu suddenly found himself in a rather good mood, secretly gloating?
Heh, finally someone else has suffered the same way I did. Serves them right!
From Tuoba +22222!
From Zhongchuan Mingxiu +7777!
From Jiang Yena +9999!
From Song Ling +13333!
From…
From Qu Jiangnan +44444!
Holy crap, the class teacher was lurking and watching the screen? A'Diao, having just reaped a batch of resources, was about to make a swift retreat, but Qu Jiangnan tagged her.
Qu Jiangnan: "Where do you like to buy cemetery plots?"
Hahahaha!
Below, the group of previously "dead" students instantly surged back to life, flooding the chat with flower and firecracker emojis.
The so-called internal conflicts were all harmonized by one person. However, Qu Jiangnan felt no joy in such matters, merely sending A'Diao several more RAR collections of Daoist techniques and talismans with a blank expression.
The meaning was clear: for her to disappear.
A'Diao: "…………"
I just wanted to fleece some Mental Power wool before the battle; it's not like I was soliciting in the group chat. What's the big deal?
Forget it. At least these people contributed a second wave of Mental Power.
Tonight, A'Diao opened two boxes.
One was a confidential box personally delivered by the VIP manager from Huayao Bank's Jinling branch. The other was a box personally delivered by a guard from the Central Academy of Sciences.
A'Diao first opened the box containing the aircraft. The moment she saw it, she was stunned.
Well, it was quite cool and perfectly matched her aesthetic requirements. It looked like a high-end product at first glance. She just didn't know how its performance would be. She'd sneak out later to test it.
A'Diao glanced at certain patterns on the aircraft, which seemed to correspond with some childhood memories, but she secretly rolled her eyes.
The Chen family had an ancestral trait of being overly shrewd and calculating.
I won't fall for it!
Toilet: "I understand you didn't fall for it, but I just wanted to ask, did he choose the foxtail flower pattern because you liked it as a child?"
A'Diao ignored it. The most important thing now was the Yuan Staff.
Suppressing her excitement, A'Diao slowly opened the box. Good heavens, a strong smell immediately assaulted her nostrils.
What met her eyes was… a durian.
A'Diao: "???"
Fortunately, beneath the durian was a piece of paper— "Respected VIP, thank you for your purchase. Please accept our sincere gratitude."
A three-hundred-million-credit item, and you send me a single durian? The king of fruits, and the king of stinginess?
Toilet: "You've even gifted two oranges before, and now you're looking down on this?"
After upgrading to Level 6, the Toilet's ability to roast people grew stronger by the day. A'Diao rolled her eyes, removed the durian, and found a small, palm-sized box underneath.
Where's the weapon? My weapon!
A'Diao almost thought she had been scammed. Half-doubting, she opened the box and found a heavy, black bead inside. At first glance, it looked like a black iron ball core from a metal factory.
She played with it for a while and, following the instructions, figured out the method—blood-binding to acknowledge its master.
It was truly an ancient and universally applicable method for acknowledging a master, common in both past and present.
Whether it was the Toilet or this iron ball, both were so simple and unadorned.
A'Diao dripped her blood. As the fresh blood seeped in, the patterns on the black iron ball instantly ignited. Fiery red, magnificent flame markings densely covered the entire sphere. Then, it melted into countless tiny particles, which climbed onto A'Diao's body… and with a buzz, drilled into her.
If the Toilet hadn't assured her it was safe, A'Diao would have dodged long ago. But to actually let it drill in like this… almost her entire body was climbed over and covered by these particles.
It was surveying.
An hour later, A'Diao made a beckoning gesture with her palm.
Swish!
A one-and-a-half-meter-long, sharp magical staff instantly appeared in her palm. Amidst gentle ripples, all the Spiritual Energy within the Small Spirit Gate trembled.
Well, this staff's design was incredibly cool.
"Ah, this…" A'Diao was astonished for a good while. She tested it a few times inside, finally calmed down, her eyes flickering with a thoughtful light.
Toilet: "Setting aside other miscellaneous attributes, the current market data for high-end staves worth three hundred million credits shows they can amplify the power of Daoist techniques by 20%. Yours can amplify it by 30%. You've made a huge profit."
Indeed, even the Toilet and A'Diao herself hadn't expected its effects to be this good.
A'Diao: "So its initialized form is a Prime Core. What's the origin of this Prime Core? It's so powerful. I feel it has a very strong characteristic."
Toilet: "Transformation, or rather, evolution. His creativity is worth 50 points; the other fifty points are in this material. I don't know what it is for now. Perhaps I'll know once I upgrade. Currently, I only know it's a special metal."
A'Diao didn't necessarily need to know. After all, she wasn't in this line of work; she could get anything she wanted by fleecing money.
Touching the sharp Kui Wolf fang at its head, she raised an eyebrow and smiled.
Three hundred million. Not bad, it was worth it.
With this Yuan Staff, if she had D-grade Spirit Power, she could directly take on a C-grade opponent.
This was the power of 'cash-ability'.
But what was the limit of Cui Yong's power? A'Diao pondered, mentally calculating the Mental Power values Cui Yong had contributed in the past. That was in the very early stages, and he could already provide several thousand points. Now, it had likely increased severalfold.
Moreover, she had discovered something—if it was someone with whom she had daily interactions, the emotional value for generating Mental Power was not strictly limited by their actual combat strength. Because they were familiar with each other, the cognitive assessment was more complex, making it difficult to directly judge the other party's strength based on Mental Power alone.
However, if there were no daily interactions, and the Mental Power was purely generated by provoking the other person, the measure of their actual combat strength was relatively accurate.
Just like with individuals such as Vulture, Shuang Jin, and even Li Yuanshu, she had a rough measure in her mind.
Correspondingly, Cui Yong's combat strength should also be calculable.
"His family's situation is what it is, yet he can still get those military officers to help him to such an extent. Even if it's possibly because he has some leverage over them, it's also likely because his cultivation level is very high, at least much higher than these officers."
A'Diao reviewed videos of these military officers recently participating in some demonic spirit extermination operations.
"This old dog is probably at least D-grade."
The next day, the teachers and students of Jinling Academy departed by airship. The slaughter in Jinxiang was about to begin, yet the prosperity of Jinling City remained as dazzling as golden down spread under the sunlight, eye-catchingly brilliant.
Spies surveying the street outside the Chen residence monitored all vehicles entering and exiting the Chen family compound, relaying the information. This was a meticulous surveillance intelligence network.
Collect, analyze, confirm, and finally, lock on and set out to prepare for assassination!
She came out.
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