Chapter Fifty-Five: Bewitched

The bandit suppression squad has returned!

The water curtain creek bandits, save for a few who managed to escape, have been thoroughly wiped out.

Yet, the squad suffered heavy losses as well.

Over fifty men set out together, but barely thirty made it back.

Nearly half were lost.

Rumor had it, a few even went mad on the spot.

Mad? When this news spread, it shocked many.

If you said they’d fallen unconscious from grievous wounds, that would be understandable. But madness? Such a fate shouldn’t befall those who fight bandits.

After all, those involved in the suppression were no weaklings. Some were government constables and town soldiers, others elite members of local factions; it was said a few were hall masters from the Tiger Fang Gang and the Seaward Gang.

Then there were the clerks and stewards from the Liu family pharmacy, all possessing martial skills, none lacking in ability.

How could such men be frightened into madness?

It wasn’t until the squad returned, each with a pale face and weakened body, some even howling in delirium like lunatics, that people finally believed it.

Once back, the group split in two: all the wounded were sent to the Liu family pharmacy.

After all, injuries were inevitable when fighting bandits; many were hurt.

The rest hurried to the magistrate’s office, reporting the events in detail.

Soon, the entrance to the Liu family pharmacy was abuzz with commotion.

“Doctor Liu, Doctor Jiao, please quickly tend to their wounds!”

Steward Zhou greeted them at the door, and seeing no sign of the head pharmacist, dared not delay, hastening all the doctors to treat the wounded.

Apprentices and physicians rushed forward to help support the injured.

At this moment, Chen Yushu’s gaze also swept over the scene.

There were about a dozen, all wounded.

Among them, five or six were clerks from the Liu pharmacy—among them, Master Qian Qian, whose injuries from last time had worsened considerably.

Such circumstances were not unusual. Bandit suppression rarely comes without wounds.

But as Chen Yushu glanced over them, his expression changed.

Each bore a baleful aura.

What is a baleful aura?

It is a condensation of dark, sinister energy.

Once tainted by it, one might fall ill at best, or face mortal peril at worst.

Even those with martial training, if touched by such things, their vital energy would be depleted, leaving them weakened for a time.

Moreover, aside from the baleful aura, a few carried something else—a “person.”

Behind these individuals, clung a shadow with a greenish face, its baleful aura dense and terrifying.

A vengeful ghost!

They had become possessed by vengeful spirits.

So much so that these entities appeared brazenly even in broad daylight.

That was truly frightening.

For a vengeful ghost to possess someone meant it was already vying for control of their body.

If their will faltered, their body would no longer obey them—no one could say what the ghost might do.

Especially those two nearly mad men—their possessing spirits were exceptionally strong, and one even carried a faint hint of red.

When baleful energy darkens to its utmost, it turns red.

Red baleful aura almost signifies that the ghost has evolved—or is on the verge of evolving—into a fierce ghost.

Fortunately, these men all possessed some martial skill and strong vital energy.

Otherwise, the situation would have been far graver.

At that moment, Chen Yushu felt the pharmacy grow inexplicably cold, an urge to bolt gripped him.

It was, indeed, too terrifying.

Right now, the pharmacy was nothing short of a nest of ghosts.

“How did it come to this?

These two—clearly cursed.

I cannot handle such matters.”

Just then, Doctor Jiao spoke up, first looking at the two who seemed mad, occasionally emitting cries of terror.

One was a gang member, broad and robust, yet now curled up like a delicate maiden, whimpering from time to time.

The other was a pharmacy clerk, often seen helping in the rear courtyard—Chen Yushu had met him several times, known as Brother Ma.

He was slimmer, but his symptoms were no better; he stared blankly ahead, paused for several breaths, then suddenly became agitated, struggling fiercely and venting loudly.

Thus, someone had bound him early, lest he injure others in his frenzy.

“This time was truly unexpected.

Those water bandits weren’t much trouble—only a few were injured.

But the bandit chief, before escaping, somehow triggered a mechanism and a surge of black mist burst forth.

Suddenly, many comrades’ faces turned green, and they began attacking their own.

In the end, it was Shopkeeper Ning and Manager Su who acted decisively, leading us in a swift retreat.”

Among the group, a lightly wounded man spoke eagerly, his face still haunted by fear.

“We suspect the place is a ghostly lair.

Many brothers were cursed, likely affected by those things.

So as we came, we’ve already sent for the Ghost Suppressing Bureau and local exorcists.

Sir, please focus on treating their wounds.”

Another middle-aged man chimed in quickly.

“That’s good!”

Doctor Jiao, hearing this, wasted no time and set about treating the injuries.

Knife wounds, trauma, some deep enough to expose bone—they required considerable effort to medicate.

Prescriptions were swiftly passed to Chen Yushu and the other apprentice herbalists.

Someone immediately began to gather herbs, preparing decoctions for the wounded.

Chen Yushu, setting aside his worries for now, joined the busy work.

In the midst of the bustle, the exorcists arrived, one after another.

There were five in total.

All were locally renowned for dealing with such matters.

Chen Yushu, curious to meet them, stole a glance in his busy moments.

And was startled yet again.

Among them was a familiar face.

Shi Hao!

He had been invited as an expert?

Shi Hao himself seemed uneasy, standing at the back of the group, his eyes scanning the pharmacy; upon seeing Chen Yushu, his gaze brightened, and he visibly relaxed.

Chen Yushu, alarmed by this, quickly withdrew into the crowd.

“Gentlemen.

We must trouble you this time.”

A high-ranking gang martial artist stepped forward, clasping his hands to the exorcists.

“Think nothing of it.”

“It is our duty.”

The group responded, turning their attention to the wounded.

Two of them changed expression on the spot.

Another took out a round, disk-like object, moving about the room as if probing for something; another smeared something on his eyes, then stepped up to the injured, examining each one closely.