CHAPTER 528: CHAPTER 527 INFECTION

"Hmm... Based on my many years of experience, this decapitated corpse must be dead."

After observing calmly, Song Jie looked at the bug corpse, its body melted away leaving only the head, and offered his analysis.

Isn’t that stating the obvious? As if anyone needed him to say that.

The White Lotus Cult Members were speechless. After examining the bug corpse for a while, they all shook their heads, indicating they did not recognize the face.

"Wait,"

The old man with white eyebrows furrowed his brows as if he had thought of something. He turned to look at Yi Yeqing, who was standing with Song Jie and the others. "You, yes, you, come here."

At that moment, Yi Yeqing stepped forward, a surprised look on her face after being pointed out by the elder. "What’s the matter, Senior?"

The white-eyebrowed elder did not speak, his gaze quietly shifting between Yi Yeqing and the bug corpse.

Soon, the other White Lotus Cult Members also noticed something amiss. Doesn’t this woman’s face bear a faint resemblance to the youthful countenance on the bug corpse?

"Hmm?"

Yi Yeqing glanced at the bug’s body, frowned slightly, and turned to the Owl Fer-de-lance. "Husband, come and see. Doesn’t this face look a bit like our son?"

Our son?

The White Lotus Cult Members were shocked. However, they saw the Owl Fer-de-lance stride forward. After examining the corpse for a moment, he nodded and said, "It does look somewhat similar.

You adopted the boy because he looked a little like you.

However, our child is obedient and sensible and is currently staying in the stronghold.

Occasionally, he joins the third and fourth in command to descend the mountain to raid, kill, and plunder, honing his bandit skills. He is perfectly safe and wouldn’t appear here.

The similarity between the bug corpse and our son must be just a coincidence.

After all, this kind of melon seed face with a length-to-width ratio of about three to two, a round upper portion, a pointed chin, and a smooth jawline is quite common.

Even with the combination of arched eyebrows, peach blossom eyes, and a high nose bridge, many people resemble it."

The Owl Fer-de-lance spoke with absolute certainty and seriousness. While speaking, he gestured with his hands, meticulously explaining, like a plastic surgeon from Jiangnan District, why a melon seed face, or what could be called a heart-shaped face, tends to be aesthetically pleasing.

After the explanation, the White Lotus Cult Members reluctantly shifted their gaze away from Yi Yeqing.

"COUGH, COUGH, COUGH."

Gongyang Han coughed slightly and shook his head under the concerned gaze of the white-eyebrowed elder. "I’m fine.

By the way, how many people did the Martial Virtue Guards send down here?"

The White Lotus Cult Member who had been sent out earlier to scout replied, "I’m not sure, but there should still be soldiers stationed at the tunnel where we descended.

The Martial Virtue Guards and Xijishi Factory sent more people down the tunnel to pursue Bai Yongyan, who kidnapped the Auspicious Beast."

"Damn it," Gongyang Han muttered. He took a deep breath, trying to shake off the sensation of being drained of his Mana. "Now it doesn’t matter whether Bai Yongyan has defected or not.

Since Martial Virtue Guards are stationed at the tunnel entrance, we can only keep moving down. We’ll have to find a way out first."

"Hmm."

The white-eyebrowed elder nodded. "Young Master, rest here and recover for a while. I’ll take a few brothers to scout ahead and see if there are second and third-layer tunnels, as Yu Qingqiu stated."

"Okay."

Gongyang Han nodded. Having exhausted the life-saving measures given to him by the Guangmu Dharma Protector, he naturally treasured his life even more.

"GLUG GLUG—"

A faint bubbling sound arose.

Everyone turned their heads to see the yellow-green pool of blood where the bug corpse lay, steaming and bubbling like boiling soup.

Clusters of delicate mycelium sprouted from the blood pool, growing rapidly and swiftly turning the entire pool white, like thick blankets of snow covering the bug carcass.

What’s more, the mycelium spread along the edges of the tunnel, penetrating the soil.

It continued to expand, causing the entire stretch of tunnel to slowly turn white at a speed visible to the naked eye.

The White Lotus Cult Members crowded in the tunnel shouted and hurriedly retreated.

Whatever was happening to that bug corpse, it was best not to approach and observe.

In this world full of strange occurrences, the greater your curiosity, the faster you die—both the White Lotus Cult Members and the Martial Virtue Guards were well aware of this.

However, a breeze blew from the depths of the tunnel.

The light, soft, white mycelium, like dandelion fluff, easily detached from the bug corpse.

Drifting like mist, it spread toward the retreating White Lotus Cult Members.

The anomaly occurred so swiftly that, although the White Lotus Cult Members retreated in panic, two of them, with their escape route blocked, still had exposed skin make contact with the sparse mycelium.

One man’s right hand was touched by the mycelium. He released his sword hilt as if electrocuted.

He extended his left hand, rubbing the back of his right hand fiercely through his sleeve in an attempt to scrub off the mycelium.

But it was too late.

The mycelium had turned to liquid the instant it touched his skin. His rubbing not only failed to remove the white fluff but also caused the mycelium to spread faster on his skin.