Twilight Boundary-Chapter 388 - 385: Inside the Vein

"Just a few chickens, and they eliminated that Golden Silkworm Gu?"

For a moment, Zhou Datong and the others found it hard to imagine what kind of damned situation this was. Even they, as Shousui men, couldn’t withstand the Golden Silkworm Gu, yet a large rooster had eaten it in just a few bites.

At least they were Shousui men, who had refined their skills, yet they were not even as good as a chicken?

As for the other Meat Cutting workers and the others, they found it even more unbelievable. Just moments ago, they had felt a great disaster looming. Many were frightened to tears, thinking this job wasn’t worth it at all—to reach the end without even having slept with a woman. Now they discovered that a problem so challenging that many skilled people couldn’t solve it, was resolved by a few chickens, as if they were in a dream.

"Heh heh. Everything in nature has its counter; there’s real truth to that."

Facing everyone’s astonished eyes, Calculation also breathed a sigh of relief. With some pride, he laughed, "Especially in the way of Witchcraft, this principle is particularly feared. No matter how powerful the Golden Silkworm is, when it encounters a rooster, it’s just a little insect."

"Of course, I was also worried that one rooster wouldn’t be enough, so I brought its whole family."

"Now it seems my calculations were still pretty good. That Golden Silkworm is, after all, a worm. The stronger it is against people, the weaker it is itself. In the eyes of this red-crested general, it is also the most delicious."

"..."

Sighing, he took a deep breath and shouted to the nearby Meat Cutting workers, "This rooster saved your lives! From now on, show some sense! Feed it well, and make sure not to cook it..."

The nearby Meat Cutting workers quickly nodded, too scared to object. Their eyes, fixed on the rooster, were filled with reverence.

As for the rooster, it didn’t feel like it had done anything significant. After swallowing that fat worm, it just felt invigorated. Shaking its feathers, it suddenly spotted a hen on the ground that hadn’t recovered yet and began pecking at the feathers on its head before mounting it.

"So now..."

Once it was confirmed that the harmful thing was truly gone, the oppressive atmosphere in the valley finally lifted. The Meat Cutting workers started talking amongst themselves.

Zhou Datong and the others looked anxiously into the room. Hu Ma had entered but hadn’t come out yet. They could tell that the toad-like sound from earlier was made by Hu Ma; they had heard it several times before.

It was also Hu Ma who had helped suppress the Golden Silkworm Gu for so long that no one in the valley had died.

But now that the gu had been removed, why was Hu Ma still not making a sound inside? Could something have happened?

Just as they were about to rush in to check, a commotion nearby startled them. While everyone was relaxing, Calculation turned his head to look at the shack, chuckling, "Wugong, old buddy, not easy, huh..."

"Now that such a fierce Golden Silkworm Gu has been removed, your gu must be about ready, right?"

"..."

"Just one step away..."

Only then did everyone look towards the Wugong Clan Chief, who was in the shack refining gu. Their eyes no longer held the same trust as before.

He was supposed to be refining gu in the valley to help fend off those mysterious Witches outside. But after several days, he hadn’t helped at all. Instead, it was thanks to Manager Hu and the old man that a few crises had been resolved. The initial anticipation people had for his gu had now turned into suspicion.

At this moment, the Wugong Clan Chief looked extremely ashen, as if under immense pressure. He slowly took out an oil-wrapped package and placed pieces of black meat into the Gu Bowl. Faint sounds of gnawing and chewing began to arise from inside it.

The gu insects inside seemed restless. He continued placing several pieces of Black Tai Sui into the bowl, but they were not appeased. Suddenly, he cut open his palm and dripped his fresh blood into it.

Only then did the frantic sounds inside the Gu Bowl gradually weaken, but the rustling, creeping noises still made one feel uneasy.

He listened quietly and murmured, "Come out of the altar!"

Upon hearing his words, the pale Witch boy stepped forward and began to carefully dismantle the wooden slats of the shack.

The Wugong Clan Chief, who had entered the shack hunched over, now cautiously cradled the Gu Bowl in his hands and slowly stood up inside. Once the Witch boy had created enough space for him to walk upright, the Wugong Clan Chief began to carefully step forward. His steps seemed somewhat weak, his face was ashen, and a ghostly fire flickered in his eyes.

"We cannot be complacent yet. Wu Song’s Golden Silkworm Gu was incredibly powerful, but who knows what else he hasn’t released?"

Carrying the Gu Bowl, he spoke in a low voice, "I must finish refining this gu as soon as possible. I will need to ask you all to help me complete the final step."

"Eh?"

Calculation forced a smile. "So, what is this final step you’re talking about?"

"By opening a Gu Altar at the blood food mine for gu refining, I can use the mine’s spiritual vein to nurture the gu. It’s already nine-tenths nurtured. Only one spot remains sealed."

The Wugong Clan Chief looked ahead, his gaze resting on a section of the mine wrapped in red cloth and sealed shut. He forced a smile. "If you open that vein, allowing me to complete the final step of this gu refining, would that be alright?"

"What?"

Hearing these words, a shiver went through many in the valley. Some instinctively moved to stand in front of the mine vein.

Since the Wugong Clan Chief had arrived at the mine, he hadn’t mentioned this vein, nor had he inquired about it; he had seemed unaware of its existence. Why the sudden interest now?

Calculation swallowed, his expression darkening. He forced another smile. "So, old buddy, you planned this all along, didn’t you? Borrowing the mine for gu refining, first having us take down the Red Lantern, then using Blood Food to nurture it."

"Step by step, your demands grew more unreasonable, until you finally set your sights on this mine vein... Or rather, was it for this vein from the very beginning?"

"..."

As he spoke, the whole valley grew quiet. An inexplicable tension weighed down on everyone. But the chickens Calculation had brought gradually became active again, fluttering around under the rooster’s guidance.

The horse that Calculation had ridden back into the valley, after panting with its tongue out, silently approached the Wugong Clan Chief from behind when no one was watching...

"Didn’t you promise to lend this blood food mine to me for gu refining?"

Meanwhile, the Wugong Clan Chief slowly walked forward, holding the Gu Bowl with an almost sacred expression. He spoke as he walked, "Now that you refuse, aren’t you afraid Wu Song will send gu insects again to kill everyone in this blood food mine?"

"Or do you think bringing a few chickens here can fend off all gu?"

"..."

As he spoke, he looked at the chickens running amok in the valley. Ever since these chickens had appeared, his brows had been furrowed with increasing irritation. Now, his gaze grew colder. "The principle that everything has its counter is correct."

"But if a gu insect is strong enough, it can suppress its natural enemy. Haven’t enough roosters been killed by the poison of insects?"

"..."

As he spoke, his lips trembled slightly, chanting something. Suddenly, a sound came from the Gu Bowl he held: a harsh insect screech sprang forth. It sounded like grinding rusty iron—strange and unpleasant, but loud.

This insect screech echoed throughout the entire valley. Or rather, it seemed some essence in the valley resonated with the gu insect’s screech, vibrating back and forth.

"CRACK, CRACK, CRACK..."

Listening to this insect screech, everyone present felt extremely uncomfortable. The chickens running around the valley grew suddenly agitated, as if targeted by an invisible predator. They became restless, running wildly without regard for their lives. Some even attempted to flap their wings, as if to fly out of the valley. But in their fierce struggle, they didn’t last long before collapsing to the ground, their heads lolling to the side, dead.

It was as if an invisible Grim Reaper had swept through, killing them one by one. Only the spirited rooster remained. It flapped its wings, crowing loudly, but its voice grew increasingly hoarse, completely suppressed by the insect screech.

The Wugong Clan Chief’s face gradually regained its color. Holding the Gu Bowl, his expression brightened, and he walked faster towards the mine vein.

The insect screech inside the Gu Bowl grew louder.

The people in the valley sensed something was wrong and tried to stop him. Among them were some managers of the Meat Cutting workers and Zhuang Erchang’s two Mine Chief apprentices. However, before they could even move, the insect screech intensified, causing them dizziness and headaches.

The valley was filled with a hidden, murderous aura that seemed to merge with the Gu Bowl in the Wugong Clan Chief’s hands. If anyone made a move, they felt as if targeted, their limbs no longer obeying them.

The entire valley of people, hearing the screech, seemed to be under an immobilization spell. They could only watch as he headed toward the mine vein.

"BOOM!"

But at that moment, a black shadow suddenly slammed forward—it was the horse. It had approached silently, then gathered all its strength and rammed its head straight into the Gu Bowl in the Wugong Clan Chief’s hands.

Unfortunately, Wuya, accompanying the Wugong Clan Chief, suddenly turned and glanced at the horse. In the midst of its wild charge, the horse’s hind legs suddenly cramped, and it collapsed. A bump had appeared on its rear, with what looked like worms faintly moving inside. This was the spot Wuya had smiled and touched upon first seeing the horse.

Calculation watched and secretly lamented, They came prepared... They even accounted for this horse that could withstand the Gu Array. So, from the beginning, they worked to plant a gu on it... That little shopkeeper was so articulate with me earlier, why is there suddenly no sound from him now?