Smiling Corpse

The place Zhang Jinya took us for dinner was a hotpot restaurant about six or seven hundred meters away from his house. Because it was in such a remote area, the restaurant wasn't very busy, with only a few scattered groups of people dining. So, we were promptly ushered into a private room without having to wait.

It was evident that Zhang Jinya wasn't very well-liked; his reputation must have been terrible. After we ordered, the waiter scurried off like he was guarding against thieves, and it seemed like he would lose a piece of meat if he spent an extra minute with Zhang Jinya.

The food arrived quickly at this restaurant. Before long, our table was filled with dishes of meat and alcohol. Zhang Jinya urged us to eat, and he started digging in without waiting for anyone.

To be honest, I was quite hungry at this point. After all, we had been on the road for almost forty hours, and the train food was terrible. I had been surviving on instant noodles the whole way, so seeing this table full of food made my stomach growl. Without hesitating, I dove in and ate until I was halfway full. Once I felt a bit better, I finally asked Zhang Jinya about the corpse gas on my body.

"I just guessed," Zhang Jinya grinned, oblivious to the sprig of coriander stuck to his shiny gold tooth, and said nonchalantly, "The corpse gas on you is particularly subtle. If we hadn't shaken hands, I wouldn't have even noticed. It doesn't seem like you picked it up from a sinister or unclean place. Instead, there's an eighty percent chance you've been targeted by something. Something has left this corpse gas on you to track you down. Even if you run to the ends of the earth, as long as you can't get rid of this smell, it will find you! To put it simply, it's like you're wearing a GPS tracker. Whatever left the corpse gas on you can find you anytime by following your scent!"

I felt a chill run down my spine and hurriedly asked, "Is there a solution?"

"Don't worry," Zhang Jinya said, "There are many types of corpse gas. Some come from decomposing corpses, some from certain creatures. In short, different types of corpses produce different types of corpse gas, and each requires a different solution. Let's start by having you tell me everything that happened to you in detail, without leaving out any details. I want to see what's trying to harm you by leaving this corpse gas on you!"

Before coming here, I had heard from the guide that Zhang Jinya wasn't a very decent person, but he had real skills. Looking at his current demeanor, I thought he might actually be able to save me. So, I recounted everything that had happened since receiving the Hundred Spirits Blade.

When Zhang Jinya heard that I had received the legendary Hundred Spirits Blade, his eyes immediately glanced at the cloth bundle I was carrying on my back. He probably figured out that it was the Hundred Spirits Blade inside. This made me uneasy. Was he eyeing my blade? After all, the Hundred Spirits Blade was extremely valuable, and anyone would be tempted by it.

After everything that had happened, I no longer had any intention of selling the blade. In times of peace like these, such a weapon was hard to come by. It was practically invaluable to me, especially considering my weak constitution. It was the best protection I could have. I instinctively covered the blade with my hand. "Don't even think about it. I still need this thing to stay alive!"

Zhang Jinya's expression changed noticeably, and he chuckled awkwardly. "How could I? I'm not that kind of person."

Did he not know about his own reputation?

I cursed inwardly, but I couldn't say it out loud. I changed the subject and asked if he could figure out what was trying to harm me by leaving the corpse gas.

"I have some idea now," Zhang Jinya said. "Based on what you've told me, those things bothering you while you sleep and the old lady on your back are probably ghosts. They don't emit corpse gas, but it's hard to determine exactly what kind of ghosts they are. Thinking it over, I believe the thing impersonating Mr. Li and smiling at you when you weren't looking is the most likely culprit! As for the mysterious woman who took away that thing, honestly, I couldn't get a clear read on her, so I'm not sure if she's even human."

Upon hearing this, I felt relieved. I eagerly asked if Zhang Jinya could determine the origin of the thing pretending to be Mr. Li and smiling at me.

Zhang Jinya fell silent for a while before slowly saying three words, "Smiling Corpse!"

My heart sank, and my face turned pale. Even Li shuddered involuntarily.

Zhang Jinya watched me with interest and asked, "Do you know about Smiling Corpses?"

I nodded.

The Smiling Corpse was detailed in the "Methods of Faqiu" and was one of the most vicious creatures described. These creatures were extremely rare and formed under very specific circumstances. Most often, they were people who, due to extreme fatigue, entered a very special state of sleep just before they were about to die from exhaustion. Because this state of sleep made them feel very comfortable, they would smile involuntarily in their sleep, but their breathing would stop. They absorbed oxygen through their skin pores, making people mistake them for dead. They would then be nailed into a coffin and buried alive in a place with heavy Yin energy. Since they couldn't absorb oxygen in the coffin, they could only absorb Yin energy, which, when combined with the Yang energy in which they were buried, eventually formed a creature that was neither alive nor dead. Buried underground for tens of thousands of years, their bodies wouldn't decay, and they would still look lifelike with a smile on their faces. Once the coffin was opened, they would immediately awaken. Hence, they were called Smiling Corpses!

These creatures had absorbed countless years of Yin energy underground and were extremely fierce. They had a certain level of consciousness and thinking ability, could sense the breath of living people, and change their appearance based on it. The one thing they always did was smile at people, and those who saw their smiles usually didn't have a good ending.

To be precise, these creatures were basically monsters!

Being targeted by such a thing, how could I not be afraid?

Probably seeing my fear, Zhang Jinya patted my shoulder and said, "Don't worry. Smiling Corpses are fierce, but they can be dealt with. I guess the reason it hasn't come back to find you after being taken away by that mysterious woman is because you have the Faqiu Seal. Since it's afraid of the Faqiu Seal, it means its abilities aren't very advanced. For now, stay close to me. If it shows up, I'll take care of it! But judging by what you've experienced, this Smiling Corpse is probably just a pawn. The real threat might be something even more powerful. To find out what it is, you probably need to go to the Qinling Ancient Tomb Group. Luckily, there are a few experts planning to go there recently. I'm traveling with them, so you can come along with us for protection!"

For the first time, I found Zhang Jinya's lecherous face somewhat agreeable. But thinking about this guy's unscrupulous nature, I couldn't help but feel a bit uneasy. After hesitating for a moment, I nervously asked about the compensation.

"Bang!"

As soon as I mentioned compensation, Zhang Jinya slammed the table, startling me. I thought he was going to ask for a huge sum of money, and I was already preparing to offer the Hundred Spirits Blade as compensation. But to my surprise, Zhang Jinya looked furious and said, "Vulgar! So vulgar! You're a descendant of the Ge family, and you want to talk money with me? Do you think of me as a commoner?"

I looked at the gold tooth gleaming in his mouth, adorned with a sprig of coriander, and felt too embarrassed to say anything.

Seeing that I didn't mention money again, Zhang Jinya's righteous expression softened, and he put his arm around my shoulder with a playful smile, "Alright, Ge brother, have you mastered your skills?"

Seeing his smile, I instinctively became cautious. "Skills? What skills?"

"Pretending! You're good at pretending like me!"

Zhang Jinya patted my shoulder forcefully, then lowered his voice, "You still remember our old Ge family's skills, right? How about we go play together sometime? I'll handle the spooky stuff, and you just do the digging. We'll make a fortune together!"

I was cold all over. "You... You dug that gold tooth out of a Smiling Corpse's mouth?"

"Of course!" Zhang Jinya grinned, "Without any accompanying items, if I didn't take its gold tooth, wouldn't that be a waste? It's good to make a little something, right?"

I didn't know what to say. It was disgusting to the extreme. I couldn't even eat anymore, looking at the table full of dishes. Was it really necessary for him to do this just because he didn't want to spend money on our meal?

"Let's talk about it later," I muttered, not directly refusing, giving him a vague answer, "Let's deal with my problem first, and we'll talk about other things later, alright?"

I had no choice. After all, I was in need of help. I could only pretend to be knowledgeable and put on a show, at least to preserve my own life. Fortunately, Li and Zhou Jing cooperated, not revealing that I was a complete novice.

"Alright!" Zhang Jinya grinned, probably thinking that I had agreed. He patted my shoulder and assured me, "I'll take care of this matter for you."

I sighed silently. What a mess this was. But to survive, I had to go along with it...