red ghost mask on my dad's back grinned ferociously, as if it wanted to burst out of his body, but was held back by some unseen force.My hands are trembling, and laughter from passersby can be heard o...I'm going to take people to check out the signal flares, and I ran into Mu Wanchen halfway there.

He saw the signal too.

"Long Xiaog said that handling Gu corpses was very troublesome, and I asked him if you could make them disappear" I followed Mu Wanchen up the mountain while asking questions.

Mu Wanchen didn't answer me, he just nodded to indicate it was okay.

"And... that, Si Huang is gone." I quickly took two steps to catch up and whispered, leaning on his shoulder.

Mu Wanchen paused for a moment, then turned around and picked me up.

Well, he has his soldiers around him, so it's a little embarrassing, isn't it

“Just rest well, why bother with so many things, aren't you tired” he said in a low voice, implying something.

The exhaled breath hung between us.

His eyes and tone were gentler than his breath.

I couldn't help but reach out and touch his face, my fingertips tracing the dragon tattoo at the corner of his eye, my palm pressing against his cheek.

Slightly chilly.

There were still a few snowflakes falling in the sky, and the road through the forest was difficult to travel. He didn't want to let me down, so he just kept carrying me toward the signal point.

"Let me down, okay Carrying me this far, your arms must be aching," I said, feeling a little guilty.

"How much do you weigh You're so light, I could hold you with one hand. How could you possibly be tired" Mu Wanchen said, frowning slightly as if disapproving of my lack of weight.

"...It's embarrassing with so many people watching me," I muttered.

Mu Wanchen gave me a cold glance: "Then you should stay at the back and don't run around. Do you think others can't tell that Little Princess, you've been overworking yourself at night"

Hmm What's this about

Upon hearing this, I immediately leaned against Mu Wanchen's shoulder and looked back.

The guards who usually followed Mu Wanchen's movements and protected him were those who were closer to him, so I had seen them many times.

As I glance at someone, they immediately avert their gaze. Either they look up at a 45-degree angle or down at a 45-degree angle, almost as if they'd hum a little tune and say: "We know nothing."

Is that how you cover your tracks I stared down a guard, who suddenly looked up and saw me. He quickly turned away, pretending to search the bushes.

I…

Mu Wanchen chuckled softly, leaning into my ear and whispering, "The little Princess slept until the sun set in the west. Her face was as beautiful as spring water, and her waist was as slender as a willow in the wind. Anyone with a brain knows that the little princess has worked hard..."

Yikes.

This is a little awkward.

Another flare shot into the sky, just in time to relieve my predicament.

Mú Wǎn Chén could no longer hold me and walked away slowly. He put me down, ordering the guards to accompany me while he, with a few others, quickly rushed towards the location where the signal flares were launched.

Given Long Xiao Ge's personality, he might set off the first signal flare to tell us our location, but he wouldn't easily light the second one.

Because it's placed second, it feels like...asking for help.

Last night's tossing and turning left me with a dull ache in ..., even taking big steps hurts.

I had no choice but to walk the mountain road slowly with my guards, pretending to admire the scenery while my thoughts had already flown away with Mu Wanchen.

"Um, Your Highness, shall we carry you" A guard asked cautiously.

"Uh No! How could I possibly..."

"But the ground here is slippery, I'm afraid you might fall and also get your shoes dirty." he said with sincerity.

Come on, I'm not part of the feudal exploiting class, so why would I let you carry me

Mu Wanchen carrying me is a matter of affection, what are you carrying me for

Carrying...

Hey, my luxury carriage—Hu Fu!

Where did it go It can't be far, this place isn't big. Someone couldn't possibly find it here, could they

Long Xiaogē is a man of action, not words. After discovering the gu corpse yesterday, he has been relentlessly pursuing it. However, with limited manpower in Miao Wangcheng, the search can only proceed slowly.

When I arrived at the nearby area with my guards, I could faintly hear strange noises coming from the forest.

That kind of bone-rattling, dry "creak creak" sound when twisting your bones sends shivers down your spine.

"Little Princess, please don't go any further." The guard immediately stopped me.

I looked left and right, found a large rock and shouted to the cat in the back, "What are you all doing standing there Hurry up and hide!"

"Huh" the soldier's eyes widened.

What's so surprising Haven't you ever seen a timid princess Am I supposed to carry all of you up there

With Mu Wanchen and Long Xiaoge here, we're just here to watch. We better stay far away so as not to cause trouble.

Long Xiaoge's body seemed to be specially trained. I watched him jump down from the tree very lightly and agilely.

He bound the corpse of the insect with a bone tube and copper wire, quite a technical feat.

Dealing with a corpse is difficult enough, let alone a swarm of insect-ridden corpses running amok.

His movements were too big, his strength too great. As Long Xiaogē carried the ink stick and copper wire, I vaguely felt he was carrying a blood drop.

The mo dou darted toward the Gu corpse, which upon contact, instantly twisted and wrapped itself around him. Layers upon layers of copper wire coiled tightly around it, like a bundle being bound with straw rope.

Mu Wanchen rarely fought with his own hands. He drew a talisman, which summoned countless black ants to climb onto the dried corpse of the Gu worm.

Soon, those layers and layers of densely packed ants gnawed through the tough skin of the corpse.

The guard beside Mu Wanchen immediately handed him a waterskin. He dissolved another talisman in water and splashed it onto the corpse of the venomous insect.

This water, like sulfuric acid, gnawed at the corpse's skin, revealing its bones. The corpse roared as a black mist gradually spread from its mouth.

"The insects are coming out, they're coming out! Prepare!" Those guards shouted, drawing their stances.

I hid in the distance and couldn't see clearly. I whispered to a guard beside me, "What does this poisonous insect look like"

"Uh... it's just bug-like..."

Tsk, as if I wouldn't know what kind of bug it is!

“Venomous insects, refined and imbued with spiritual essence, exist in the world. From scales to feathers, from hair to wings, all five kinds of creatures can be transformed into gu worms. Most people who raise gu do not intend to harm others, but instead utilize the gu worm's spiritual energy for their own cultivation…" Liang Xiaoger crouched behind another stone, explaining with a clever smirk.

Actually, I understand. I just want to ask what kind of worms are on the corpse puppet's body.

Because of the fog, I couldn't see clearly and since I was far away, I didn't dare to get too close.

Liang Xiaoge narrowed his eyes and reported to me, "It's probably a centipede. Only this kind of thing can remain unyielding even in death... If it were a precious golden silkworm, I would go after it..."

"What are you bringing this for"

"Feeding your own Gu! Very helpful!"

"...Ugh, that's disgusting."

Little Brother Liang pouted and said, "Your Highness, do you think everyone is like King Wu with a dragon spirit We all raise ordinary gu..."

Yes, besides raising centipedes and understanding poisons, their living conditions are actually more difficult than ordinary people.

"Whoosh..." A faint sound came from behind us suddenly.

Now my hearing is acute, I immediately turn around to observe behind me.

As dusk descended upon the forest, dark clouds drifted across the sky, blanketing it in a chilling and desolate silence.

What's going on There shouldn't be anyone else here besides us... Miao Wang City didn't originally have any residents here.

I don't know if it was because I was too nervous, but my eyelid kept twitching. I whispered to Liang Xiaoger, "There seems to be some movement behind us. Be careful, let's go take a look—"y angle, I could only see half of that figure through the corner wall.A bone-chilling sensation permeated the entire floor. In the closed elevator doors, that figure suddenly lunged at me, revealing a...