bullyxtreme Chapter 105, Nine Lifetimes: The Mad Doctor's Exploration of the Mysteries, A Great Counteratta
Chapter 105, Nine Lifetimes: The Mad Doctor's Exploration of the Mysteries, A Great Counteratta
Chapter 105 The Mad Doctor's Exploration of Secrets: A Shocking Counterattack Unfolds at Black Wind Ridge
Clutching a heavy wad of silver, Luo Qingci stepped out of Murong Manor, humming a tune that was completely off-key, like a wild horse that had run free, seemingly lost in some distant universe. "Hmph, what mysterious organization? In my eyes, they're nothing but paper, easily torn apart! Once I've exposed all their secrets, I'll come back and carry away Murong Manor's treasures like they're rice, leaving that old man Murong wide-eyed and utterly astonished!" As she thought this, she envisioned herself waving mountains of gold and silver in front of the Murong Manor lord, making the old fox so angry he was practically fuming. She couldn't help but chuckle, the sound echoing through the silent forest, startling a flock of birds into a flurry of flight.
In her quest for clues about the mysterious organization, Luo Qingci plunged headlong into the hub of martial arts gossip—"Shunfeng Inn." The moment she pushed open the door, the cacophony of voices nearly overwhelmed her. "Good heavens, this place is more bustling than a market! Looks like there's a ton of gossip here!" Her eyes darted around like a super radar, instantly locking onto her target—a man wearing a straw hat, his frame as thin as a bean sprout, whispering furtively to someone nearby, looking exactly like a little mouse about to steal some fish.
"Hey, young man, you look so mysterious. Are you perhaps plotting some earth-shattering deal?" Luo Qingci swayed her hips like a nimble little snake as she approached the man, casually pulling out a gleaming silver ingot from her bosom and waving it in front of him. The gleam of the silver made the man's eyes widen, as if he had been frozen in place.
The man first looked her up and down warily, his eyes like those of someone guarding against a thief. Then he glanced at the dazzling silver, his Adam's apple bobbed, and he swallowed hard. His expression practically screamed, "I'm tempted, let's talk this over!" He said, "Girl, what do you want to know? As long as the price is right, I can dig out even the secrets of the King of Heaven for you!"
"I heard that a mysterious organization has recently emerged in the martial arts world, committing all sorts of atrocities, including burning, killing, and looting. Do you have any information about them?" Luo Qingci blinked her big, watery eyes, looking innocently curious. Her acting skills were so good that even an Oscar-winning actress would have to admit defeat. But in her heart, she was thinking, "Little brat, I'll get everything you know out of you."
The man lowered his voice, as if afraid of being overheard, and said mysteriously, "This mysterious organization is really strange. I heard that their people wear weird masks and come and go without a trace, like ghosts. But a few days ago, someone saw their tracks in Black Wind Ridge. That's all I know. Anything more will cost you more money! Otherwise, my small frame can't afford the risk."
Luo Qingci was overjoyed, as if she had found a treasure. She stuffed some more silver coins into the man's hand, thumped her chest loudly, and solemnly promised, "Thanks, young man! Once I've taken care of this, you'll definitely get your share! I'll treat you to the best of everything, making every day feel like New Year's! If you dare to lie to me, I'll let you try my special itching powder, making you itch so much you'll question your existence and roll around on the ground in agony!"
Leaving the inn, Luo Qingci rushed towards Black Wind Ridge without stopping, her speed like a tornado, barely leaving a trail of afterimages. Along the way, she was secretly gloating, her tail practically wagging in the air: "Looks like this mysterious organization isn't so great after all. I found clues so easily. Once I wipe them all out, I'll be the most powerful person in the martial world! Everyone will respectfully call me 'Grandma is Mighty!' Then I'll hold the 'Number One Auction in the Martial World,' auction off all these treasures, make a fortune, hire a bunch of thugs to follow me around every day, and see who dares to disobey! If anyone dares to cause trouble, I'll turn them into a croaking frog and throw them into the pond!"
As soon as they reached the foot of Black Wind Ridge, they saw a group of people swarming around like flies. The leader was a burly man, as big as a small mountain, who was shouting at an old man who was as thin as a bamboo pole. His voice was like thunder, making the leaves around him tremble: "Old man, if you know what's good for you, hand over the stuff, or don't blame me for being impolite! Believe me or not, I'll break your old bones and feed them to the dogs!"
Luo Qingci's heart skipped a beat, a glint of light flashing in her eyes. Could this be related to the mysterious organization? Her eyes darted around, and as if a little motor had been installed, she instantly switched to "drama queen" mode. Her eyes reddened, and tears streamed down her face like a broken string of pearls. She cried out, "Gentlemen, help me! My husband has been kidnapped by bad guys! They say they're going to chop him into eight pieces and feed him to the dogs! Please, have mercy and help me find him! I'll do anything for you, even be your slave! I'll even perform a magic trick to make people disappear for free, as long as you can find my husband! If you can't, I'll cry myself to death here!" As she spoke, she deliberately bumped into the burly man, her frail appearance enough to make anyone feel sorry for her, but in her heart she thought, "Watch me make you all cry your eyes out!"
The burly man was startled by her sudden action. Like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, he impatiently shoved her away, almost knocking her to the ground: "Go away, don't cause trouble here! Can't you see I'm busy! If you don't leave, I'll deal with you too! Believe me or not, I'll throw you into a ravine to feed the wolves, so you'll know what I'm capable of!"
Luo Qingci, however, was relentless, clinging to the burly man's leg like a leech, crying pitifully, tears and snot streaming down her face: "Grandpa, please have mercy and help me find it! I have an eighty-year-old mother and a newborn baby to feed, and my husband is the sole breadwinner! If you don't help me, how will we survive! I'll dance for you, please have pity on me! I dance beautifully, like a fairy descending to earth!"
The burly man, his face flushed red with rage like a ripe tomato, raised his hand to slap her, his stance suggesting he wanted to send her flying. His hand was practically raised high: "You brat, don't be so stubborn! If you don't let go, I won't hold back!" Just then, taking advantage of his momentary lapse in attention, Luo Qingci, as if by magic, secretly took a packet of "Itching Powder" from her medicine pouch and lightly sprinkled it on the burly man and his men. Her movements were as graceful as a magician casting a spell, muttering, "Transformation, transformation, transformation! Let me show you my power!"
In the blink of an eye, everyone seemed to be under a spell, their bodies began to itch uncontrollably, and they scratched incessantly, their faces contorted in pain, looking exactly like a group of monkeys stung by bees, yelling, "Ah, what's going on? It's so itchy! I feel like my whole body is crawling with ants, it hurts and itches! I'm going to scratch this skin off!"
Taking the opportunity, Luo Qingci loudly questioned, her voice clear and crisp like a silver bell, yet carrying a hint of authority. With her hands on her hips, she resembled a female general: "Who exactly are you people? Why are you bullying this old lady? Are you connected to some mysterious organization? If you don't tell the truth, I'll make you itch so much you'll never forget it for the rest of your lives! I also have an even more potent poison that can turn you into frogs, believe it or not? Then you'll only be able to 'ribble' in the pond, becoming a laughingstock!"
The burly man, both itchy and furious, gritted his teeth and said in a voice trembling with tears, his face contorted with rage: "Grandma, we're just a bunch of petty thieves, we have nothing to do with any mysterious organization! Please, spare us! We have elderly parents and young children to support, if you kill them, how will they live? We'll never do it again, please forgive us, Grandma! We'll kowtow to you, the kind that makes a loud thud!"
Seeing that she couldn't get any information out of them, Luo Qingci snorted coldly, her voice as cold as an ice cellar. She rolled her eyes and said, "You're lucky you know what's good for you. If I find out you're colluding with the mysterious organization, don't blame me for being ruthless! I'll turn you all into long-term users of itching powder, making you experience this tingling sensation every day! Maybe I can even turn you into talking itching powder, your mouthpieces! Let you spread the word about my power throughout the martial arts world!" After saying that, she sprinkled some "antidote" on them before letting them go.
After dismissing the petty thieves, Luo Qingci continued up the mountain with a confident stride, like a queen, each step exuding an aura of "I'm the best in the world." She hadn't gone far when she discovered a hidden cave ahead. Two masked figures guarded the entrance; their masks were eerie and unsettling, like two demons crawling out of hell.
"Hehe, looks like this is it!" Luo Qingci was secretly delighted. Like a cat that had stolen cream, she quietly circled around to the back of the cave and found a secluded spot to lie in wait. While observing the movements at the cave entrance, she mentally plotted how to sneak in. Her little brain was working like a little motor, thinking, "These two guards look pretty tough. I definitely can't force my way in. I have to find a way to distract them. If I could make them fight each other, that would be perfect! Am I a genius? I'm absolutely brilliant!"
"These two guards look pretty tough. We can't just force our way in; we need to find a way to distract them." Her eyes darted around, and suddenly an idea struck her. She pulled a specially made "scented bird" from her medicine pouch. This bird, treated with a sleeping incense, could render anyone nearby unconscious once released. It was her secret weapon. She thought to herself, "Little bird, little bird, don't let me down! Once this is done, I'll find you a bunch of bugs to eat, so you'll have a good meal! If you behave well, I'll even build you a luxurious birdhouse, more magnificent than a palace!"
With a gentle toss of the green porcelain, the "Bewitching Bird" fluttered towards the cave entrance, its graceful movements like a fairy dancing. The two guards, smelling the bewitching fragrance, soon collapsed to the ground like two puddles of mud, sleeping soundly with drool still on their lips.
"Done!" Luo Qingci jumped up excitedly, as if she had won the lottery. She even twirled in the air before swaggering into the cave. The cave was dark and damp, filled with an eerie atmosphere. The smell was as foul as a garbage dump, almost making her vomit. She muttered to herself, "This place is no place for a human to stay. The people from this mysterious organization have really unique tastes. Maybe they're all stinky tofu spirits who just like this smell!" She proceeded cautiously when she suddenly heard voices ahead. The voices were like the whispers of ghosts, sending chills down her spine.
"We snatched quite a few treasures this time. When the boss comes, he'll definitely reward us handsomely! Maybe he'll even give us a promotion and a raise, and help us reach the pinnacle of our lives! Then I'll buy a hundred maids to serve me every day! I want them to fan me, massage my back, and sing me little songs!"
"Yes, but it seems like someone in the martial arts world is investigating us lately, so we have to be careful. If we're discovered, we'll be in deep trouble! I heard that person is incredibly powerful, knows all sorts of magical poisons, and can turn people into toads!"
Luo Qingci's heart tightened, and like a startled rabbit, she quietly hid behind a large rock. Peeking out, she saw a group of masked people gathered around a pile of stolen treasure. The glittering treasure dazzled her, and her heart instantly leaped with joy: "So many treasures, soon they'll all be mine! After I deal with these villains, I'll hire a super-luxury convoy to transport the treasure back, and then throw a grand victory banquet, inviting everyone in the martial arts world to envy me! I'll fill the banquet with delicacies, making them eat until their stomachs burst! If anyone dares not to come, I'll send them a packet of itching powder, making them regret it for the rest of their lives!"
"Hmph, watch how I deal with you scoundrels!" Luo Qingci thought to herself, reaching into her medicine pouch again, preparing to catch them off guard. Her expression was fierce, like a female demon, a wicked smile playing on her lips, as if she could already see these villains begging for mercy. Her fingers rummaged rapidly through the pouch, finding a small, delicate glass bottle containing powder that shimmered with an eerie blue light. This was her newly concocted "Dream Powder," which, if inhaled even a little, would plunge the user into vivid hallucinations, blurring the lines between reality and illusion. "Hehe, now you're in for it! In a moment, you'll be crying and begging for mercy in your own hallucinations!"