After dinner at Gao Peng's house, the farmhouse dishes were quite simple, mostly vegetables, with the best being a piece of pig's head meat.
While shoveling pickled pork with rice into his mouth, Qin Yuesheng asked Cao Zhengchun, who stood behind him, "How is the task I gave you progressing?"
"Young Master, as per your instructions, I've had ten wooden floating platforms and ten cages temporarily constructed, and bought ten big fat pigs. Everything is ready, and I believe the bait has already been sent to the shore." Cao Zhengchun bent over and replied.
"Let someone keep a close watch."
"Yes, sir."
...
Gusu Fisherman's Bay.
The ten Hospital Guards who accompanied Qin Yuesheng to Baihe Village pushed the ten cages containing the fat pigs into the river. These cages were tied to floating platforms made of round wooden poles, which perfectly supported the pigs' weight without sinking.
Each floating platform was tied with a fisherman's rope as thick as a wrist, allowing it to be pulled back later.
Once the platforms floated five or six zhang away, they stopped due to the tension of the ropes. The ten pigs remained in the cages, extremely frightened, constantly letting out a series of whines.
On the shore, stakes were driven, and ropes were tied.
After completing these steps skillfully, the ten Hospital Guards from the Qin Mansion waited quietly on the shore.
Qin Yuesheng was very concerned about the matter in Baihe Village. The Hospital Guards, knowing their young master's intent, would carry out his instructions diligently, whether due to orders or the processing fee promised by Qin Yuesheng.
Soon, night fell.
A layer of dark gauze shrouded Gusu Fisherman's Bay, allowing only a few insignificant strands of moonlight to sprinkle down, making the river surface particularly dim. The water umbrellas swaying gently in the breeze exuded an inexplicable eeriness.
The ten fat pigs, having whimpered on the platforms for several hours, grew tired and now lay weakly in the cages, their large ears flapping like fans to drive away mosquitoes hovering over the water.
"It's the second watch. Those ten pigs are still alive," a Hospital Guard from the Qin Mansion said softly.
"Don't rush, there's still a long way until dawn."
While everyone was stretching and moving their limbs, the water surface at the position of one of the wooden platforms suddenly rippled heavily, accompanied by the splashing of water.
This commotion instantly attracted everyone's attention. They all turned their eyes toward the direction of the sound, witnessing a pale arm stretching out from beneath the water surface of the platform.
Crack!
The arm effortlessly tore off one of the cage's bars, then a head with wet black hair emerged from the water, wriggling into the cage like an eel, clutching the fat pig and beginning a bloody feast.
A torrent of blood gushed from the pig's body, and its heart-wrenching squeals echoed along the riverbank. Everyone felt as if a massive hand had gripped their hearts tightly, making it inexplicably hard to breathe.
"Wh-what is that, is it human?"
"I-I don't know."
In less than ten breaths, the once-lively livestock was gnawed until only a spine connecting the pig's head remained.
At some point, a strong scent of blood permeated the air.
"It's appeared. You stay here; I'll go back and inform the young master immediately," a Hospital Guard turned and ran.
Since only one person was needed to report, the others, despite feeling a chill down their spines, couldn't embarrass themselves by suggesting a temporary departure. They remained on the shore, continuing to watch the entity of unknown human or ghost nature.
The thing still felt unsatisfied after devouring a whole live pig. It leaped onto another nearby cage, breaking it to start consuming a second fresh meal.
At this moment, under the dim moonlight, the Hospital Guards barely made out the creature's features.
It was an indescribably grotesque monster.
It had a human-like upper body, broad but with a gaunt skeleton. A layer resembling a patchwork of assorted skins covered its body. Its dense, shoulder-length black hair obscured its entire face, making it impossible to discern its appearance.
"Gurgle!" A Hospital Guard's stomach suddenly rumbled uncontrollably.
Though not loud, the sound echoed sharply in the night.
Hiss!
The entity turned its head towards them, its hollow eye sockets beneath the tangled hair fixedly staring at the Qin family Hospital Guards.
"We've been discovered," someone exclaimed.
No sooner had the words left his mouth, the entity on the floating platform crouched like a frog and sprang towards the shore, crossing several zhang in one leap and landing directly by the riverbank.
"Get ready."
At this point, there was nothing left to say. Everyone knew that communicating with this monster was impossible. The fact that it ate live pigs indicated a significant threat.
Although the Qin family Hospital Guards only knew basic martial arts, years of training gave them notable skills. They understood that panic breeds danger, and disorder leads to defeat.
Furthermore, though the creature was indeed a monster, it was only one, while they significantly outnumbered it. The guards drew their swords, preparing to engage in combat.
However...
Plop!
A Qin Mansion Hospital Guard who had just drawn his sword looked down incredulously at his chest, as blood froth flowed from his mouth, tracing his lips.
In an instant, the monster had already approached him and punched through his chest.
This speed, this strength, this explosive power.
It had already exceeded what the Qin Mansion's guards could handle. Even if they had more people, quantity could not compete with quality.
"Cai the Second!" One of the Qin Mansion's guards looked on in disbelief. The other man was his childhood friend, and after so many years together, they had developed a deep bond. Now he watched helplessly as his friend died right in front of him. His heart was immediately filled with rage, which surged straight to his mind.
In anger, one can easily do irrational things.
This man drew his saber and charged out, slashing at the monster.
Bang!
It was completely ineffective. The monster slapped the iron saber away and, with the next blow, its five fingers pierced through the guard's skull. With a clench, the guard's head exploded instantly.
Red and white matter splattered all over the ground, showcasing extreme gore.
...
When Qin Yuesheng arrived with his saber, the riverside was littered with broken limbs, and a figure was kneeling amidst the flesh, scooping up something with its hands shaped like a spoon, stuffing it into its mouth.
The thick smell of blood, the scene as hellish as the underworld.
"Young Master, it's that monster." The guard who reported back looked on in disbelief.
He had returned quickly, but in such a short time, all his brothers were dead?
Cao Zhengchun, Hua Shique, Gao Peng, and others stood behind Qin Yuesheng, carrying lanterns and torches, equally shocked.
Hearing the movement from Qin Yuesheng's side, the monster that was feasting slowly turned its head.
In the firelight, Qin Yuesheng saw the monster's appearance clearly.
What an ugly, hideous face, with the edge of its large mouth stitched together, resembling a face crawling with wriggling centipedes from a distance.
Without any hesitation, in the blink of an eye, Qin Yuesheng decided to attack.
His agility of 2.5 was no joke. In just a few steps, Qin Yuesheng reached the monster, raised his saber, and slashed down.
Although Qin Yuesheng knew no blade skills, his physical strength made every slash incredibly powerful.
A fist tried to block Qin Yuesheng's attack, but the next second it was chopped off. Simultaneously, the blade sliced hard across the monster's chest, easily penetrating and leaving a several-inch wound.
Bang!
Qin Yuesheng only saw a blur. As soon as he reacted, a huge fist appeared in front of him, striking his face with force.
[Decompose 'Water Ghost Lu Binliang'? Yes/No]
[Decomposition success rate 2.3%]
"Yes!"
[Decomposition failed]
Qin Yuesheng was knocked back more than two yards, crashing heavily onto the ground.
The Evil-Subduing Saber was lodged in the water ghost's chest. Under the saber's power, the water ghost's chest began to show signs of melting.
"Cough, cough!" Qin Yuesheng covered the half of his face that was bleeding, getting up from the ground. Thanks to his physical constitution of 4.0 and the external defense of Iron Cloth Shirt, after taking a direct punch from the water ghost, he only had a nosebleed, with severe pain in his nasal bones, but none were broken.
"This monstrosity is strong," Qin Yuesheng thought to himself.
With his current strength, no martial artist below the Outer Forging Realm could possibly be his opponent. And since he had never encountered an Outer Forging Realm martial artist, Qin Yuesheng had never fully utilized his strength. Last time at the Celestial Immortal Pavilion, when he fought Niu Tao, his mindset was essentially that of an adult playing with a child.
But now, the strength he had developed over this long period of time, taking so much medicine, could finally be fully unleashed.
This water ghost before him should be able to withstand his full force.
Thinking of this, Qin Yuesheng felt inexplicably excited.
Crack, crack, crack!
As Qin Yuesheng got up, the water ghost's entire body made popping sounds. It leaped and appeared in front of Qin Yuesheng with astonishing speed, like shrinking the earth into inches.
Tiger form!
Before the water ghost could strike, Qin Yuesheng punched it in the face.
With at least two hundred pounds of punching force, he smashed the water ghost's face, causing it to cave in.
Yet its skin was as tough as thick leather, exhibiting significant resilience. Qin Yuesheng quickly felt a rebounding force from the water ghost's body, pushing his fist back.
He tilted his head to swiftly dodge the water ghost's fist. Even so, as its punch grazed his cheek, Qin Yuesheng felt a fiery, burning pain at that spot.
"Ugh!" The water ghost raised its other arm, inserted it into its mouth, and pulled it out. Instantly, the severed limb that Qin Yuesheng had chopped off with the Evil-Subduing Saber was restored.
It seemed to have reattached at the severed point, though visibly this new arm did not match its other hand.
One large, one small, one thick, one thin — particularly bizarre to behold.