Chapter 69: Chapter 69: Using Oneself as Bait, a Hero’s Mettle
Seizing the opportunity while the paper people’s stiff bodies were still unable to move, Yang Xiao threw a punch at the selected paper person with his blood-stained hand, tearing through the outer paper clothing and feeling a familiar sensation that invigorated him.
"Ugh...!"
The paper person let out a muffled groan, and Yang Xiao’s punch had indeed landed on a human body.
Releasing his fist, he left the slip of paper with the Young Lady’s birth details in the palm of Shi Dali’s hand. With time pressing, he couldn’t use the paddle and could only push off forcefully with his foot, causing the small boat he was in to move backward swiftly. This series of actions was so fluid that Yang Xiao himself hadn’t anticipated such smoothness.
Shi Dali, being an experienced player, had impressively managed to keep from standing up and fleeing for his life. Instead, he continued to sit there as if nothing had happened, pretending to be one of the paper people.
However, the resentful spirits hiding among the other paper people were no fools. With the outer paper clothing torn and the scent of living flesh escaping, the paper people abandoned their pursuit of Yang Xiao and swarmed toward the close-at-hand Shi Dali.
A seemingly soft paper hand gently reached out and not only tore through Shi Dali’s paper clothing but also ripped off a large chunk of bloody flesh.
At this moment, Shi Dali couldn’t keep up the act anymore. He lay on the paper boat, writhing in pain as the paper people rushed up one after another. As they tore at him, they stuck the torn flesh onto their own bodies, pressing down hard as if afraid it would be snatched away by the others, all the while continuing to fight viciously for more.
The blood that sprayed out turned the little boat red, and likewise stained many of the paper people. It trickled into the lake, creating an unbearable scene of carnage.
The flesh of living humans held an irresistible attraction for the paper people. Legends said that once a paper person reached maturity, it needed an entire suit of living human skin to wear so that it could deceive the heavens and avoid cataclysm.
Screams echoed over the lake but were quickly silenced. From afar came the sound of the fourth round of drumming, mixed with the piercing clang of gongs.
Yang Xiao noticed that the paper people, busy fighting over the flesh, suddenly froze, then scattered abruptly. They even left behind the scraps of flesh on the ground, each climbing onto nearby boats to escape. All that was left on the original boat was a mutilated corpse.
The next second, the corpse twitched, startling Yang Xiao as well. He hadn’t expected Shi Dali’s vitality to be so tenacious.
But soon he realized something was amiss. It wasn’t the corpse that was moving, but... but something inside the corpse’s belly!
The bloodied abdominal skin was stretched and torn open as a blackened small hand emerged. The hand appeared to be the size of an infant’s, yet its five fingers were tipped with nails sharp as a beast’s claws, thick and twisted, gleaming with an ominous light.
It was a ghost fetus!
The ghost fetus that had originally been inside Su Tingting had been successfully transferred into Shi Dali’s body, but... but it had still emerged!
In just moments, the Paper Person Boats on the water’s surface were completely deserted, indicating that they too knew the danger of this creature.
Just as Yang Xiao was thinking of making an escape, a piercing scream suddenly rang in his ear, sending a tumult of blood and energy through his body, darkening his vision, nearly causing him to fall into the water. Fortunately, the scream stopped abruptly in the next second.
When Yang Xiao regained his composure and looked back at the corpse, it was motionless, and the ghostly hand that had emerged was gone.
"Chu! Chu!"
As the ghost ship vanished and the fog surrounding them dissipated greatly, Kuang Hongyi spotted Yang Xiao standing dazedly on the boat, raised his hand, and waved vigorously, his joy evident beyond words.
Activity stirred aboard the Hebo Xi Ship as well. Su Tingting, her steps unsteady, walked out from the cabin, still holding the lantern in her hand.
"It... it worked!" Seeing Yang Xiao unharmed, Su Tingting instantly burst into tears. When the fourth drum sound had thundered, the male paper figure had brought down the Precious Sword heavily, severing the female paper figure at the waist, along with the struggling ghost infant inside.
Su Tingting wanted to explain to Yang Xiao what had happened inside the cabin, but Yang Xiao was in no mood to listen to her ramblings. After he brought her down from the large ship, the three of them immediately rushed toward the shore.
Although there was still some mist over the lake, this time Steward Liu proved reliable. From a great distance, they could see the bonfires on the shore.
It was a huge red gate, about 5 or 6 meters tall when erected. Yang Xiao realized this was the wedding gate Steward Liu had promised.
It was called a gate, but in fact, it was a frame made of wooden planks, covered in red lanterns of various sizes. From afar, it looked like a grand red door.
There’s a saying: great ceremonies command respect, which means that events like weddings and rituals could transcend social ranks without being considered an overstep. This overstepping not only refers to human status and position; it’s said that at such a joyous time, even malevolent spirits would make way.
"Mr. Chu, you’re hurt?" Su Tingting tore a piece of cloth from her clothes and helped Yang Xiao bandage his wound.
As he rowed with all his might, Kuang Hongyi stared at his own wound, more severe than Yang Xiao’s, feeling quite peeved inside, but they had, after all, survived the night, and even taken out Shi Dali; Yang Xiao’s contribution was undeniable.
"Chu, I knew I wasn’t wrong about you!" Kuang Hongyi laughed heartily. "That bastard Shi Dali would never have imagined he’d meet his end at the hands of a newlywed."
Yang Xiao smiled and shook his head, not taking all the credit, "Thanks are due to Kuang and Miss Su. If it weren’t for the two of you covering for me, how could I have managed alone?"
"Hahaha, there’s no need for formalities among family. Chu, you should take the primary credit for this!" Kuang Hongyi was in excellent spirits. Looking ahead to the approaching shore, he snorted coldly, "Heh! I really want to see what kind of face Steward Liu will pull when he sees it’s us who’ve returned."
"Kuang, we’re currently under their roof; we can’t afford to antagonize them," Yang Xiao reminded.
"Don’t worry, I know what to do," Kuang Hongyi nodded, then glanced at Su Tingting and instructed, "Miss Su, after we land, don’t say anything. If there’s any trouble, Chu and I will handle it."
Upon seeing a small boat rockingly approach the shore, Steward Liu and the others stepped forward to greet the arrivals, but as they made out the people onboard, Steward Liu’s smile immediately froze.
Yet it was only for an instant before Steward Liu resumed his trademark smile. With a "thud," the boat reached the shore.
"Our three Blessing Guests truly are lucky charms. The Feng Family will forever be grateful for your great kindness and merit!" Steward Liu bowed deeply to the three of them.
They say it’s hard to slap a smiling face, and Yang Xiao couldn’t help but marvel at the Feng Family’s thick-skinned nature. He played along, his eyes moistening as he helped Steward Liu up, "Ah, the three of us managed to return, but it’s a pity about Shi. To save us, he... he dashed alone into the crowd of paper figures, using himself as bait. Such a heroic spirit is hardly seen throughout history!" Yang Xiao sobbed uncontrollably.
