I Can Deduce Arts by Slaying Demons

Chapter 546: Chapter 362: The Entire Ghost Town!

In an instant, the entire official road fell silent.

The farmers carrying loads and the merchants driving ox carts all froze in place.

Who knows who was the first to kneel with a "thud"!

Soon after, like toppling dominoes, the commoners along the road all knelt down in unison.

Someone’s vegetable basket fell to the ground, and fresh fruits rolled everywhere.

A child was about to cry when parents covered their mouth tightly.

"C-Crown Prince?"

"Is this real..."

Murmurs of disbelief spread through the crowd.

These commoners who toil under the sun, when had they ever imagined.

In their lifetime, to have the fortune of seeing the Crown Prince, such an exalted noble?

In the thousand years since the establishment of the Wenjing Dynasty, there had never been a precedent of a Crown Prince leaving the imperial city.

Let alone traveling thousands of miles to this Southern Border outpost.

"Are you the Governor of Jinming State?"

A cold voice suddenly broke the silence.

Lu Xuan, without anyone noticing, had stepped off the carriage and was standing with hands clasped behind his back.

The dragon patterns on his purplish-red dragon robe glistened brightly under the sunlight.

Lu Xuan looked indifferently down at Wei Yuanlang, who was kneeling on the ground.

Wei Yuanlang felt a gaze as substantial as substance itself upon his back.

Cold sweat poured from him, his forehead pressing firmly against the scorching stone slabs, his voice trembling violently.

"I... I am Governor Wei Yuanlang of Jinming State, bowing to the Crown Prince!"

Lu Xuan, expressionless, waved his hand casually.

"Rise."

These three nonchalant words, like a breeze of spring, clearly entered everyone’s ears on the scene.

The commoners, as if granted a great grace, hastily kowtowed in appreciation.

Most scrambled to their feet, bowing their heads and hurriedly running toward the city.

Such imperial majesty, how could they, mere commoners, dare to gaze upon it?

Yet a brave few hid by the city gate or in a tea house’s corner, sneaking peeks.

They stood on tiptoe, craning their necks, eager to glimpse the true countenance of the Wenjing Dynasty’s heir.

Some even dared to peek through their fingers—this was a rare sight indeed!

"Is that the Crown Prince?"

An old man selling candied haws murmured, "Goodness, such bearing..."

"Even more imposing than those noble young masters!"

He hadn’t finished speaking when his wife gave him a sharp pinch.

But the old man couldn’t help stealing another glance.

In his eyes, even the sunlight seemed to gild Lu Xuan, standing there hands clasped behind him, like a heavenly deity descended.

Wei Yuanlang, standing behind Lu Xuan, continued to sweat profusely.

He bent even lower at the waist, almost into a ninety-degree angle.

While obsequiously reporting to Lu Xuan, he used his wide government sleeves to signal desperately to the Tongzhi behind him.

"Crown Prince, after your long journey, a humble feast has been prepared at the state residence..."

As he spoke, his hand hidden in the sleeve subtly gestured the number "eight."

This was a hint to the Tongzhi to prepare according to the specifications of a lavish eight-dish meal.

The Tongzhi understood, and while others weren’t looking, quietly took a few steps back.

Suppressing his trembling legs, he turned to run into the city, only to trip over his own robe.

Falling with a "thud."

That useless old fool, usually so shrewd and competent, yet now of all moments, he makes such an error.

Wei Yuanlang’s beard bristled with anger, silently cursing the fool for messing things up.

Quickly, he turned to apologize to Lu Xuan: "Crown Prince, please forgive, Mr. Hu he..."

Wei Yuanlang hadn’t finished speaking when Lu Xuan calmly said: "No need."

These three words, light as they were, felt like being plunged into an ice cave for Wei Yuanlang and Hu Tongzhi.

His legs went weak, nearly causing him to kneel again.

But he saw Lu Xuan’s gaze sweep over the commoners peeking along the street.

"My journey here is to investigate a case, not to indulge."

...

Qianfu Town is located thirty li southeast of Qingming Prefecture, backed by Qingming Mountain and facing the Huangyue River, it is one of the most prosperous towns in Jinming State.

The town had over three thousand households, and whenever there was a market, it bustled with people and was a hub for merchants.

But half a month ago on a rainy night, this vibrant town suddenly became silent.

"Sir! Something terrible has happened!"

That morning, a blood-soaked courier stumbled into the state office gates.

"Qianfu Town... the people of Qianfu Town... are all gone!"

Wei Yuanlang still recalls the chill of that moment.

When he arrived at Qianfu Town with the Government Officials, he found a bizarre empty city.

The doors and windows were wide open in every house, dishes untouched on the tables.

The street vendors’ goods neatly displayed, even the tea in tea houses still steaming.

Yet there was not a single shadow around.

"Not even... not even a stray dog is left..."

The advisor following Wei Yuanlang back then struggled to keep his voice steady.

The most frightening thing was that, despite Wei Yuanlang personally leading a search of the entire town, not a drop of blood or a single scrap of bone was found.

Over three thousand people had vanished just like that, as if swallowed whole by some indescribable force.

In one night, thousands of commoners dead—this was practically claiming his old life here.

Even more spine-chilling was.

After Wei Yuanlang left Qianfu Town, days later.

When he led a team back to investigate Qianfu Town, half a li from the town gate, this Martial Arts Grandmaster’s hair stood on end.

This time, Qianfu Town was different from before.

"Governor, do we really have to go in?"

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