I Can Strengthen Infinitely-Chapter 78 - 72: Dismantling the Ship

Inside Cyan Yang City, besides Bai Hao, Qin Yuesheng was the only member of the Seven Star Bureau.

This time coming to Cyan Yang City, one of Bai Hao’s tasks was to find talented individuals to invite to join the Seven Star Bureau, but despite searching throughout the city, Bai Hao only found some potential candidates.

However, none received Bai Hao’s final approval. All were temporarily added to the assessment list, awaiting further observation before having the chance for formal inclusion in the Seven Star Bureau.

Only Qin Yuesheng singlehandedly took down a Corpse Ghost, an impressive feat that proved more valuable than mere talent.

After all, unrealized talent is invisible, whereas demonstrated strength is clear and evident.

Now, with Bai Hao missing, Qin Yuesheng naturally became the sole member of the Seven Star Bureau in Cyan Yang City, and also a savior in the eyes of Xu Jin, who hurriedly ordered his men to invite Qin Yuesheng onto the ship.

Not daring to delay at all.

"Old Xu, who is this Qin Yuesheng? You seem to be very concerned." Xiang Quan asked puzzledly.

"Speak nicely, this is none other than Qin Yuesheng, whom Lord Bai recruited into the Seven Star Bureau, no one can compare to his rank when we gather." Xu Jin replied.

"So it’s that esteemed person." Xiang Quan awkwardly smiled.

The news of Bai Hao recruiting a member of the Seven Star Bureau was known to these officers, though evidently none had memorized Qin Yuesheng’s name.

Soon, Qin Yuesheng ascended from the wooden stairs.

The human skins were laid out on the deck in their original positions, untouched.

Seeing this ’spectacle,’ Qin Yuesheng silently cursed, realizing the situation was indeed very bizarre, no wonder Eryi refused to explain what had happened on the cargo ship.

The scene was indeed inappropriate for children.

"Lord Qin." The officers immediately greeted him respectfully.

"Carry on with your duties, I’m just taking a look." Qin Yuesheng waved indifferently, intending to walk aside. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

However, the officers surrounded him, each one pleading, "Sir, the Governor has encountered trouble, please help us quickly."

"Lord Xun is in trouble?" Qin Yuesheng was taken aback, "What kind of trouble?"

Xu Jin immediately explained the situation.

"Take me to see it."

"This way, Milord."

Under Xu Jin’s guidance, Qin Yuesheng quickly arrived at the place where Xun Sheng vanished and saw the room filled with skinless bloody corpses.

Even after drifting on the water for so long, the room was still filled with a strong smell of blood.

Kneeling down to look at the hole on the floor, which connected to the lower deck, nothing appeared out of the ordinary.

"Has the entire ship been searched?" Qin Yuesheng asked.

"Every nook and cranny has been searched, not even a rat was found, let alone the Governor."

"Sir! Sir! It’s bad news!"

At this moment, a young constable dashed up from the lower deck, panicked and shouted, "Someone’s dead, one of our brothers has been skinned like those bodies."

Everyone’s face instantly changed; a constable had been skinned on this ship?

The culprit not only captured Xun Sheng but now dared to start killing.

In broad daylight, beneath the bright sky.

With officers present, a murder occurred right under their noses, no one could remain composed.

Xiang Quan angrily exclaimed, "Dismantle the ship! Let’s tear it apart and find the Governor and that fiend."

Xu Jin turned to ask Qin Yuesheng, "Lord Qin, what do you think?"

Despite turning the entire ship upside down, the constables couldn’t find Xun Sheng, Qin Yuesheng realized he didn’t have any special skills for finding people, no more than the constables had accomplished.

He nodded, "That’s probably the best course of action right now, but you must dismantle layer by layer, lest if Lord Xun is hidden in a secret corner, we cause injury."

"Wise words, Milord."

Everyone present held certain authority, under their command a group wielding iron hammers and axes soon arrived, each appearing as strong and powerful Great Han.

With permission granted, the group stepped onto the deck and began the demolition.

Ship masts, railings, and deck, all turned to fragments under their hammers and axes, falling into the Gusu River water.

It wasn’t long before the first layer was dismantled, revealing nothing.

"Continue." ordered Xiang Quan overseeing the labor.

The workers exchanged glances and swung their tools again.

Second layer, nothing discovered.

"Continue."

Third layer, nothing discovered.

"Continue."

...

At the moment the keel was shattered, the entire cargo ship was gone, leaving numerous planks floating on the river’s surface.

The pier was silent.

"This is truly a case of disappearing into thin air." Qin Yuesheng was perplexed, with constables controlling the area around the cargo ship and the onlookers keeping watch.

Under the gaze of so many people, even martial arts Grandmasters and martial experts couldn’t silently and undetectably abduct someone.

But with the whole ship dismantled and Xun Sheng vanished, where could he have gone?

Every person present was filled with deep confusion.

Seeing the neatly laid out human skins and bloodless corpses on the pier, Qin Yuesheng grasped the handle of the Evil-Subduing Saber and fell into contemplation.

Although long aware of the many strange events in this world, experiencing them firsthand inevitably provoked shock and bewilderment.

Things have come to this, the ship dismantled to bits, yet nothing has been discovered; clearly, the investigation cannot go any further. Xu Jin stationed five constables to remain here, hoping to await any clues.

The rest took the human skins and bloodless corpses back to the yamen, planning to report the matter to the prefectural government for larger officials to decide.

"Lord Qin, we are leaving now. Would you like to have some tea at the yamen?" Xu Jin approached Qin Yuesheng and asked.

"No, I’m planning to return home."

"Then I shall take my leave." Xu Jin bowed and hurried off with a group of aides.

Qin Yuesheng stood by the shore, gazing at the river’s surface.

He initially only wanted to check out the scene, never expecting the whole ship to disappear in an instant. Thus, he planned to leave as well.

Just then, a wooden plank drifting on the river caught his attention.

It was an ordinary plank, nothing special about it, except for a red stain on its surface.

To his astonishment, it was writhing!

Qin Yuesheng immediately picked up a rope hook beside him and threw it at the plank.

With the Flying Knife Skill, Qin Yuesheng was quite accurate, and the rope hook pierced into the plank precisely. With a strong pull from Qin Yuesheng, the plank emerged from the water, landing in his hand.

Seeing the red stain up close made Qin Yuesheng even more incredulous.

A cluster the size of a fingernail appeared, with the head of a small fish stuck inside it. Trying to escape, the fish kept writhing its tail, but to no avail, as its body gradually dried out.

Qin Yuesheng lightly tapped the cluster with the Evil-Subduing Saber, instantly emitting green smoke; the red gel deflated and melted into water, dripping from the plank to the ground.

Pink droplets, like blooming plum blossoms.

Freed from the red gel’s bind, the small fish happily leaped on the plank; Qin Yuesheng tossed it back into the river, and it swiftly swam away and vanished.

"Was this something originally on the ship? It’s peculiar." Qin Yuesheng frowned.

...

Night fell.

Gusu Pier, after a day of liveliness, finally regained tranquility.

Over at the yamen, they were busy reporting Xun Sheng’s disappearance to the prefectural government, while the public lost interest momentarily in Gusu Pier’s issues.

Thump thump thump!

An old man, knocking on his wooden clapper, patrolled the pier, followed by a pockmarked-faced youth.

The two were guards at Gusu Pier, meant to prevent anyone from sneaking into the pier to dismantle and steal items from other people’s ships at night.

"Master Tang, I heard the Qin family’s cargo ship offended the Sea Dragon King, and the guard yokai skinned all the crew on that ship."

"Don’t listen to those old crones spreading nonsense. I’ve lived in Cyan Yang City for decades and never heard of a Sea Dragon King. Besides, the Gusu River is just a river, far from the East Sea, and hasn’t even offended a river god, let alone the Sea Dragon King."

The old man scoffed, "Rumors stop at wise men, three men make a tiger. Boy, you should learn from me. If you can inherit my steadiness, you’ll do well in life."

Gusu Pier at night was especially quiet, beyond the sound of waves crashing against the shore, typically nothing else could be heard.

Creak! Creak! Creak!

A sudden strange noise sounded particularly jarring, prompting the old man to look toward where the sound came from, yet saw nothing.

"Go check, make sure no one is stealing."

The youth held a lantern and swiftly drew his sword at his waist, immediately heading in the direction of the noise.

The old man followed, mysteriously breaking into a cold sweat.

Upon reaching closer, they saw broken wooden planks assembling on the river, with crimson tentacles connecting each piece one by one. Not long after, a complete Qin family cargo ship appeared before their eyes.

"This!" The old man’s eyes widened in disbelief, "Wasn’t this ship dismantled by the yamen this morning?"

"The Sea Dragon King, it must be the Sea Dragon King, the Sea Dragon King has come." The youth trembled as he spoke.

SWISH SWISH SWISH!

Tentacles of varying sizes suddenly shot from the ship, instantly binding the two tightly and swiftly dragging them back into the vessel.

The pier returned to quietness, leaving only a lantern overturned on the ground, engulfed little by faint flames, eventually merging back into darkness.