Though the night was dark and the details were obscured, the lingering glow of the fires showed that some bodies hadn’t burned completely, their human silhouettes still faintly discernible.

The black smoke from the incineration of so many bodies practically blanketed the sky over the County Town, blotting out the stars and the moon.

Cheng Zongyang knew it would be brutal, but he never imagined so many people would die.

There were nearly twenty massive piles of corpses, estimated to total no fewer than ten thousand people.

’Chang Younian, can this matter really be covered up? Or will Da Liang just turn a blind eye to something like this?’ 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

But then, an idea struck him. Holding his breath, he stealthily crept over to a spot near the corpse piles and quickly buried the Soul Crystal Stone in the ground.

He wasn’t sure if putting it here would have any effect, but he had to try.

There were two massive piles of corpses within this hundred-meter radius. He’d find out whether it worked or not when he came back to check later.

Cheng Zongyang used the cover of night to feel his way through the darkness toward the small hole, all the while pondering the true extent of a Gate Valve’s power.

’If Chang Younian gets away with this, it will prove that a Gate Valve’s power is truly immense—enough to control an entire prefecture. For them, protecting one person would be a trivial matter.’

’It would also mean that Chang Younian was valuable enough to be protected!’

Shaking off these thoughts, he quickened his pace.

When he had left, he had crudely blocked the entrance to the hole with some stones, but anyone who stopped to look closely would be able to spot it.

He didn’t know if the refugees were using this hole to get in and out, but he couldn’t be bothered with that now.

As for the plague, it had almost no effect on Martial Artists. A Martial Artist’s Qi and Blood Power was vigorous, full of righteous energy.

To put it bluntly, the plague was a form of malevolent energy. As long as one’s Qi and Blood Power was sufficient, such malevolence generally couldn’t penetrate the body. Righteousness would always prevail over evil!

Unless the power of this malevolent energy far surpassed the Martial Artist’s own Qi and Blood Power.

Cheng Zongyang covered his face with a black cloth.

When he reached the entrance to the hole, he saw a few people squatting beside it, apparently up to something.

Seeing this, Cheng Zongyang knew that the hole had been discovered and that refugees were using it to enter the city.

He paid them no mind. Just by raising his saber and unleashing his aura, he scared the refugees off without saying a word.

From his aura alone, the refugees could tell this man was no mere refugee.

Cheng Zongyang entered the hole without any trouble and, under the cover of darkness, prepared to check on his second uncle’s home first.

The alleyways were in disarray, and the stench of blood filled the air.

He made his way through the alley. Even in the dim light of night, he could still see the dark stains left on the ground and walls.

He didn’t need to guess what they were.

His footsteps were silent. From some of the houses, he could hear soft sobs, violent coughing, and quiet conversations.

Even so, most houses stood empty and deserted.

However, when he arrived at the medical hall, he saw that its main entrance had been sealed shut. Taped to the door were official seals and ten portraits.

Seeing that number, he knew instantly who the portraits were of.

’They’ve put a warrant out for both our families! And they must have gotten our descriptions from people who knew us.’

’Looks like Chang Younian is absolutely furious,’ Cheng Zongyang sneered. He bypassed the main gate, went around to the back, and with a single leap, vaulted over the courtyard wall.

A short while later, Cheng Zongyang left the medical hall, his expression grim.

Although he had taken most of the Medicinal Materials and valuables with him when he left, the remaining herbs had been completely looted. The entire medical hall was in disarray.

He had no choice but to head for the other medical halls he remembered.

Three in South City, two in East City, four in West City, and three in North City—a total of twelve medical halls.

Without exception, they were all sealed, and all their Medicinal Materials had been looted clean.

Cheng Zongyang knew this was Chang Younian’s doing. It was likely a move to control all the Medicinal Materials in the city to manage the plague.

He didn’t know what Chang Younian’s plan was, nor did he want to waste brain cells trying to figure it out.

Since no Medicinal Materials could be found at any of the medical halls, it meant they had all been hidden in a single location.

He had been busy for over an hour, and the sky was beginning to lighten. He had no choice but to return to his own place for now.