Transcendent Dawn

Chapter 612: Chapter 0612: Magic Artifact and Weird Creatures (Additional 6600, Seeking Monthly Tickets)

Merging villages into the city?

Although everyone in the village aspires to be a city dweller, definitely not in this manner!

People in Xiaozhai Village have nothing of their own, their only means of getting food is through the cultivation of the surrounding lands.

What could they do once they have no reserves left and are taken to the city?

There certainly aren’t any surplus farmlands in the city for them.

For people in the prime of their life, the best outcome would be serving as slaves in a wealthy household. Women and children would rely on luck. The old, weak, sick and disabled could only wait for death!

“Inspector…”

The elderly village head leaned on his staff and roared, “Leave us a way out…”

“Silence!”

Zhou Quan frowned and shouted ferociously.

A group of soldiers behind him immediately struck their swords against their shields, intimidating the villagers.

“That’s how the world goes, no one knows when a minor demon might harbor a ‘Demon’… Now that your village has lost its protective strength, what can you do?”

Zhou Quan spread his hands: “Village head, you tell me! Going to the city may be tough, but at least it provides a way to survive, right?”

“Land is the root of the people, we cannot abandon it…”

The elderly village head pleaded desperately.

“The officials in the city mean well. You don’t want to appreciate it, there’s nothing about that… Stay here then…” Zhou Quan’s lips twisted into a cruel smirk: “But no matter what, I have to take your ‘Magic Artifact’, as per the law.”

“What?”

Xu Changqing, who was down below, was alarmed.

Magic Artifact!

This was essentially the defense system of the village. The lords of Qingyang City made this decision, they intended to abandon Xiaozhai Village completely.

“No!”

“We can’t let this happen!”

“They are trying to kill us!”

Down there, the villagers were agitated.

But Zhou Quan only sneered, made a gesture, and the soldiers behind him unsheathed their swords, pointing at the villagers, instantly placing them under control.

“Your Village Protection Squad has suffered heavy casualties. Your village is already doomed, it will take at least ten years to recover… Instead of wasting manpower and resources to support it, better to disband it.”

Zhou Quan chuckled: “Anyone disagrees? Step forward!”

He wielded the law to kill, truly self-righteous.

Even if Wang Hu and others were still there, they might not dare to resist, let alone now when many strong workers of the village had suffered heavy casualties.

“Anyway, I have made it clear. The Magic Artifact, I am taking it today. It’s not even yours to begin with, it was a gift from the city. As for whether you want to seek protection from your relatives, or follow us to Qingyang city, or even seek refuge in other villages, it’s up to you.”

Zhou Quan picked his ears and went straight to the village temple.

Xu Changqing and others followed behind him, their faces pale.

“Magic Artifact?”

Su Lu said in his mind: “Wait until the Magic Artifact shows up, then you go ahead and take a look… But be careful not to expose yourself.”

“All right.”

Xu Changqing agreed, squeezed through the crowd, stood outside the line formed by many soldiers, and kept his eyes fixed on the temple.

Crack!

He wasn’t sure if it was his illusion, but he seemed to hear the sound of shattered wood.

“Ancestors, your descendants have failed you.”

The elderly village head was in tears, and if it weren’t for people holding him back, he would have already dashed his head against something and died.

Suddenly, a sense of cold dread swept through.

“Charge!”

A shout erupted from inside the temple, it was Zhou Quan.

After a faint explosion, a figure was flung out.

It was Zhou Quan!

Despite the blood at the corner of his mouth, he was laughing joyously. Held tightly in his hand was a black… finger bone?

There seemed to be some natural patterns at the tip of the finger bone.

“Indeed… a Weird Creature, a Magic Artifact! Ha ha… With it, even if I face ghosts, what is there to fear?”

Zhou Quan laughed wildly, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with a handkerchief: “Let’s go!”

He worked tirelessly, pushing for the dissolution of Xiaozhai Village, all for this ‘Magic Artifact’!

Having acquired what he wanted, he left the village without looking back, taking his men with him.

…

“The official’s actions are chilling.”

Xu Changqing watched coldly, fully understanding Zhou Quan’s purpose.

“So that’s a ‘Magic Artifact’? It’s just a ‘Weird Creature’!” Su Lu murmured in his mind.

“‘Weird Creature’?”

Xu Changqing asked in his mind, “What’s that?”

“Based on my observations, it should be something left behind by a powerful demon… no, ghost after death. They are quite eerie, hard to destroy and many need to be ‘Sealed’… The ones with lesser side effects, or can be used by specific people, are ‘Magic Artifacts’!”

Su Lu slowly said: “Among the demons and ghosts, ghosts are more powerful than demons. They emit a ‘Breath’ that ordinary demons dare not approach… The officials probably use this method to protect the safety of the village.”Nôv(el)B\\jnn

“The Soul-binding Demon before was protected by an Immortal, of course, Immortals don’t fear ghosts!” Xu Changqing nodded, understanding one of his doubts.

“Now, the village has lost its protection, we’re done!”

…

That night.

Weeping could be heard from every household.

Xu Changqing, as one of the remaining members of the Village Protection Squad, was called to the temple by the elderly village head to engage in important business.

This represented the elevation of his status in the village, although such elevation was useless and came at the expense of a large number of deaths among the young and strong.

A dim light flickered, casting weak rays.

More depressing than the dim light was the scene in the temple.

Many ancestral tablets were broken, collected by the teary-eyed elderly village head.

“Everyone saw it, that damned official was only coveting our Magic Artifact! Qingyang City is not a good place, our village has lost its protection, disbanding is inevitable… What should we do next?”

The elderly village head choked on his words half way though: “Everyone…let’s discuss.”

“Other villages also suffered losses in this disaster…” A middle-aged man rubbed his palms: “Perhaps they will take some people in.”

“Old Qian Three, don’t you know, this time of year, which village has surplus food to support idle people? Yes! Qingniu, Sanshi Village may take some of us in, but they only need strong labor, or a few families related by kinship…what about the rest when they have all gone?”

Another middle-aged woman screamed: “Both of your daughters are married in Qingniu Village, but what about us?”

“Don’t leave… so, stay here and wait for death?”

Old Qian Three yelled: “The Magic Artifact is gone, and in no later than three days, when the ‘Breath’ fades away, demons will invade! By then, it will be as dangerous in the village as it is in the wilderness!”

Seeing this, Xu Changqing was very worried.

“Grandpa…what should we do?”

He asked inwardly.

“Difficult…very difficult.”

Given the productivity level of ancient times, other villages or even Qingyang City would be reluctant to take on a group of old, weak, sick and disabled people, it’s only natural.

“Besides here, no other place will give you land and housing, you may not even be able to sell yourself into slavery…” Su Lu said: “The best thing to do is to find another ‘Magic Artifact’, one with clear ownership, such that even that Zhou Quan has no excuse to plunder, unless he wants to slaughter the entire village…”

“How is that possible?”

Xu Changqing laughed bitterly: “Didn’t you say it before, grandpa? It is the remnant of the ghost!”