Chapter 27: The Faith of All Spirits

That sincere cry was like a pebble tossed into the center of a lake, instantly shattering the silence of the wharf market. People cast aside whatever they had been doing, scrambling toward Chu Hengkong. Though they were of different races and varied faiths, the fanaticism and reverence in their eyes were identical.

"It is the deity..." "The darling of the tides." "The one who reshapes order!" "Oh, great tentacles, great tentacles!"

The surging crowd blocked the path. Even the worldly-wise Chu Hengkong was taken aback by this display. He had to raise his voice, or his words would be swallowed by the chorus of praise: "What is the meaning of this?"

The moment he spoke, the denizens of the swamp fell silent, as solemn as if listening to an oracle. They bowed low, raised their arms high, and held out various items toward him.

"Mush-wah. Mush." "Here is a banana." "Offering a squid." "Fried banana, please enjoy."

Chu Hengkong was caught between laughter and tears as he finally understood their intention. They had rushed over just to present offerings... the swamp-dwellers thought he was a god!

"Are you an idiot? Have you forgotten the situation in the Azure Marsh District?" Ji Huaisu was frantic. "The swamp people are almost all believers of various sects; they will worship demons as gods! In their eyes, those tentacles of yours are a divine body!"

"There are so many demons, why do they specifically believe in me?" Chu Hengkong whispered while declining a fried banana as the fanatical crowd squeezed closer, the circle tightening.

"Have some self-awareness, Great Detective. You’re a huge celebrity in this city now. To recruit members, the various sects in the swamp are all claiming that you and your tentacles are the incarnation of their octopus god, squid god, or whatever nonsense they worship... So, to them, you’re a divine offspring descended to earth!"

"Damn it!" Chu Hengkong rarely swore. "Is there any way to deal with the locals?"

"If the locals had your popularity, they wouldn't be hiding in raincoats," Ji Huaisu said sourly. "Just use your tentacles to swing out of here. If you drag this out, something will go wrong."

More people who had heard the news kept pouring in. Many pushed hard to get in front of the "divine offspring," knocking over the offerings of others. Young people claimed he was the palm of the All-Knowing God, herbalists called him the light of the Deep Sea Sage, and everyone scrambled to declare him the "god" of their own faith. Shouting and shoving broke out, and the scene teetered on the brink of chaos. If this continued, a deadly stampede would occur; once things spiraled out of control, not even ten detectives could manage the mob.

Chu Hengkong raised his tentacles, intending to snap them to grab attention. Just then, a crisp sound of bells swept over the crowd like ripples across turbulent water. The restless droplets instantly calmed, looking toward the high slope outside the market like obedient sheep.

The ringing came from a pair of small metal bells hanging on a silver stone staff. The bearer stood on the high slope, flanked by four burly guards, and began walking toward the market. The crowd instinctively parted to make way. The man wore a white robe resembling a monk’s habit; he was a bald man with dark skin, and a purple crystal pendant dangled from his neck.

"Believers, mind your manners. Do not disturb our distinguished guest in the name of piety," the man with the staff said coldly.

Upon hearing this, the people immediately stopped and retreated. Chu Hengkong noticed that this man’s attitude was far from friendly, and his speech sounded like a mere formality, yet the swamp-dwellers obeyed his advice implicitly. Within seconds, a clearing opened up around them. Ji Huaisu quietly tugged at his sleeve from behind.

"A truly grand arrival, the great detective from the Inner Court and your esteemed guest." The man with the staff bowed slightly, holding his necklace. "My name is Adari, and I am—"

"I know." Chu Hengkong opened his right hand, displaying his own pendant. "You are the High Wizard of the Assembly of Spirits."

***

[Pendant-type Basic Relic - Enhancement]
[Rating: Level 1]
[Origin: Senluo Secret Realm - Huilong City]
[Effect: Clasp the necklace to enhance perception for 1 to 3 seconds. The degree of enhancement and duration depend on the intensity of the wearer's emotions.]
[Legacy: A crystal necklace crafted by Grandma Sangjia; to believers, it is a symbol of status. Alex is one of the three High Wizards of the Assembly of Spirits. He deciphered too many secrets from the vortex and summoned a deity to save the world.]

***

Back on the night he discovered the true purpose of the Silver-Eyed Book, Chu Hengkong had re-appraised all his spoils, which was how he learned the significance of the pendant. The Assembly of Spirits was the largest religious group in the Azure Marsh District, and the High Wizard was the most prestigious leader in the sect—a figure with a reputation in the district akin to a "living Buddha" or "saint." On his very first day after arriving, he hadn't just offended the Black Workshop; he had also sent the swamp-dwellers' religious leader to the station. For an assassin, it was quite an ideal start.

High Wizard Adari clearly knew this, and his attitude was not friendly: "If you two have no pressing business, I hope you will not disturb the peace of the swamp."

"Please take us to see Grandma Sangjia. We have some things we wish to consult her about," Chu Hengkong said, his expression unchanged.

Adari let out a sneer: "Please turn back! We have nothing to say to the man who imprisoned Alex."

Chu Hengkong raised an eyebrow at the gloomy man and suddenly stepped forward. In a single stride, he bypassed the four burly guards and flashed right in front of the High Wizard. In his haste, Adari met his eyes, finding them as chilling as black ice.

"You seem to have misunderstood one thing. I am currently performing official duties as a Senior Detective, and as a citizen of Huilong City, you are obligated to provide me with all assistance." Chu Hengkong squinted. "Consider carefully how you speak. The headquarters has plenty of paper and pens; writing one more arrest warrant is no trouble at all."

Adari stared at him for several seconds, his face void of emotion. He looked at Ji Huaisu, who was draped in a raincoat: "Is the City Lord’s Mansion going to let this person run wild?"

Ji Huaisu said nothing; silence was the best statement. Adari realized these two were serious, and the gloom in his eyes deepened: "...I will cooperate, but I ask that you two be mindful of boundaries."

"When in Rome, do as the Romans do."

Chu Hengkong took a step back, the chill in his eyes vanishing without a trace. Adari glared at his four useless guards and turned to lead the way.

***

Ji Huaisu leaned toward his partner, though even lowered, his voice could not hide his excitement: "Damn! That arrogant, bullying face of yours was perfect!"

"I heard it so much back when I was in the underworld that I could recite it backwards," Chu Hengkong said, digging at his ear. "Part of my job is to make them turn back."

"Fair enough, you really should give them a taste of their own medicine." Ji Huaisu gave a wicked laugh. "But don't go overboard; watch yourself."

Chu Hengkong nodded, understanding what his partner meant. Ever since they stepped off the boat, he had been on high alert, not only because the employers of the previous assassins came from the swamp, but also because of the danger lurking in the air.

For those with experience, a sense of danger is an "intuition" sharper than the five senses. When targeted by a gunman, one can feel their gaze; when being followed, the hostility is as obvious as a scent. But the danger in the swamp was different from ordinary peril; the warning from his intuition was not intense, but it was constant. It was like countless tiny needles hidden in the air, causing a slight stinging sensation wherever he went.

Chu Hengkong occasionally grasped his perception pendant to probe every corner that might hide an assassin with his enhanced senses. After leaving the market, the noisy human voices finally died down, and they walked along the road into a small settlement. The muddy paths were lined mostly with low wooden houses. In the residential area, one rarely saw adult men or women, mostly just the elderly and children. Strangely, most of the children hid inside their homes, peeking at the visitors on the street only through cracks in the wooden planks.

"The swamp shouldn't be this quiet," Ji Huaisu frowned.

Adari sneered upon hearing this: "Now is not a time suitable for going out."

Without Adari needing to say more, the two sharp-eyed individuals also sensed the rigidity in the air. This settlement was not far from the wharf market, yet the atmosphere was as different as heaven and earth. Chu Hengkong tilted his head to listen and faintly caught the sounds of crying and moaning.

They walked out of the settlement in the eerie silence and headed up the slope along the path. A stone church was built at the end of the road. The building looked even stranger—all its windows were sealed with black cloth, like a man-made confinement room. Adari stopped at the entrance of the church, his smile tinged with mockery.

"Please go in, Great Detective. Sangjia is inside. I still value my life, so I will not accompany you further."

Chu Hengkong held his breath and pushed the door open. His vision blurred from a sudden, intense light; inside the sealed church, it was as bright as day. Yet there were no lamps or candles in the church; the light came from the people’s eyes, from their very skin!

The original tables and chairs in the church had all been removed. Dozens of white cloths were laid out in rows, and gaunt, withered people groaned in pain. They wore black clothes like shrouds, yet even so, one could clearly see bright yellow spots of light on various parts of their bodies. The spots lurked under the surface of their skin, spreading everywhere like an incurable fungal infection. Those with the most severe symptoms were almost completely occupied by the light spots; their previous features were no longer visible, making them look like humanoid bodies of light.

An old woman with white hair sat cross-legged in the center of the crowd, grinding a brown medicinal soup in a small bowl. She looked up at Chu Hengkong, her gaze dim, her voice as faint as smoke.

"Close the door quickly," Grandma Sangjia said. "There is poison in the light."