Immortality begins in Goose City

Chapter 44 Where is Zhan Zhao?

The troupe leader on the stage felt his hair stand on end, and his back was instantly soaked with cold sweat.

He recognized it!

That voice, that intonation, and that unique way of enunciation, so reminiscent of theatrical performance... it's definitely Lan Xiaodie!

It's Lan Xiaodie, who died a long time ago and was beheaded and skinned!

She thinks she's a real Bao Gong (a famous judge in Chinese history)!

An absurd yet extremely dangerous thought flashed through the troupe leader's mind like lightning.

These ghosts and vengeful spirits are often deeply obsessed, confused, and only recognize "reason" and "identity".

She now sees herself as Bao Zheng, the upright judge, who will stand up for her.

If she were to discover at this moment that she was just an imposter, a fake Bao Gong...

The consequences could be disastrous!

It is highly likely that the resentment will erupt instantly, transforming into a vengeful ghost seeking death!

No one in the entire park will be able to escape!

Don't show weakness!

Absolutely not!

The troupe leader forcibly suppressed his heart, which was about to leap out of his throat, and forced himself to get into character.

He took a deep breath and tried to make his trembling voice sound dignified and steady, like a real judge presiding over court.

He pointed to the black basin on the ground and said loudly:

"Since you have been wronged, this prefecture will certainly seek justice for you! What is your grievance, and to whom have you filed a complaint? Tell me the truth!"

The sound echoed in the empty theater, carrying a tragic sense of desperation.

Wu Pen remained silent for a moment, seemingly gathering strength, or perhaps brewing hatred.

Then, that plaintive, icy voice rang out, each word like an icicle piercing everyone's ears:

"This humble woman... Lan Xiaodie... wishes to sue... the young master of the Huang family..."

The voice paused slightly, then erupted with even deeper resentment:

"Huang-shu-jian!"

These three words, like a thunderclap, exploded in the silent theater!

"hiss--"

The few remaining actors on stage all gasped in shock.

The extra playing Wang Chao Mahan almost collapsed to the ground because his legs went weak.

The actor playing Zhan Zhao even fainted.

The troupe leader's heart skipped a beat, and cold sweat instantly rolled down his forehead.

Subconsciously, his eyes involuntarily glanced in a certain direction below the stage.

Huang Shujian... was sitting right below the stage! Less than three zhang away from the stage!

This ghost... is crying out for justice and making accusations right in front of the person he's suing?!

The troupe leader felt like his brain was about to explode, and cold sweat had soaked through his costume.

offstage.

Upon hearing this, Xiu'er let out a soft scream and jumped back like a startled rabbit, pulling Zhao Ming, who was equally terrified, back several steps as well, keeping them far away from Huang Shujian.

Her eyes widened as she looked at the eerie black basin on the stage, then at Huang Shujian beside her, whose expression remained calm. Her small face was filled with fear and bewilderment.

Huang Shujian himself merely raised an eyebrow slightly.

Lan Xiaodie's death...is it related to me?

He quickly searched his mind for fragments of the original owner's memories.

The original owner of this body did indeed get close to Lan Xiaodie, supporting her, giving her generous rewards, and also had some romantic affairs.

But murder? Beheading? Skinning?

Even if you gave him ten times the audacity of the original owner, he wouldn't dare.

Moreover, the original owner of this body neither had the ability nor the motive.

The troupe leader stood on the stage, forcibly trying to calm himself down.

He knew the play had to go on!

He dared not look at Huang Shujian below the stage, and could only stare intently at the black basin on the ground, using all his strength to maintain Bao Gong's dignity:

"Tell me in detail what happened! If you utter even the slightest lie, I will not let you off lightly!"

The voice from the black basin seemed to have received Bao Gong's approval; its resentment subsided slightly, and it began to tell a story in a low, mournful tone:

"That day... in the evening, I was in my boudoir... dressing up in front of the mirror."

The voice carried the ethereal quality of memories, as well as a hint of sweetness and anticipation before death.

"Because... tonight, Young Master Huang invited me to admire the moon in the garden."

"I thought to myself with delight, I want to dress up...to look even more beautiful..."

Just then, there was a knocking sound at the window.

"Tap...tap...tap..."

She imitated the sound of knocking on the window, a sound that was exceptionally clear in the silence, sending chills down one's spine.

"I was overjoyed, thinking that Young Master Huang couldn't wait until evening and had come to see me early."

"I put down my eyebrow pencil...and ran happily...and opened the window."

Her voice suddenly became rapid, terrified, and tinged with an unbelievable despair.

"There's a person standing outside the window. His back is to me, he's wearing a white shirt, and over it... a gray flannel suit."

"It's Young Master Huang...the outfit he always wears! I recognize it!"

"I thought it was Young Master Huang... who was going to surprise me. I... I couldn't help but hug him from behind."

"Then... he turned around..."

Her voice began to tremble, filled with extreme fear and pain.

"I...I felt like I had a rabbit in my heart...I closed my eyes..."

He cupped...my face in his hands.

The sound stopped abruptly.

A deathly silence lasted for a few breaths.

Then, the voice suddenly rose, filled with heart-wrenching resentment and hatred!

"And then... I never... opened my eyes again!"

"I'm dead! My head... was cut off! My skin... was completely peeled off!"

"It's him! It's Huang Shujian! That outfit! That feeling! I remember it all so clearly!"

"Lord Bao! You must do justice for me! Bring that heartless man... that murderous, skinning demon... to justice! I want him... to pay with his life!"

The mournful cries echoed through the theater, and the resentment seemed to materialize into a chilling wind, causing the lanterns and candlelight on the stage to flicker erratically.

The troupe leader, standing on the stage, felt incredibly embarrassed and his heart pounded with fear.

He steeled himself and, following the script of Bao Gong in traditional opera, said in a deep voice:

"This case is of great importance! This government will investigate it thoroughly! If the evidence is conclusive, the perpetrator will be brought to justice! You will receive the due justice you deserve!"

His words were ambiguous; he only wanted to appease the wronged soul first.

Huang Shujian, sitting below the stage, was listening intently, his mind racing.

It definitely wasn't me.

The timeline doesn't match up; I hadn't traveled through time back then.

The original form?

It's even more impossible; a spoiled brat consumed by wine and women couldn't possibly do such meticulous and cruel work.

"Someone is impersonating me?" Huang Shujian's eyes turned cold.

Lan Xiaodie didn't even see the person's face.

Or... what Lan Xiaodie saw was just an illusion?

Have their senses been clouded by some kind of evil magic?

Regardless of the reason, this shows that Lan Xiaodie's death was definitely not simple.

The killer is not only cruel, but also meticulous, and may even be... targeting Huang Shujian!

The original owner was assassinated in Yuchun Garden, and Lan Xiaodie was killed in Xingli Garden, both wearing clothes similar to hers... Could there be a connection between these events?

We've finally found a clue.

Huang Shujian showed no anger at being accused; on the contrary, he was secretly excited.

This pool of water is indeed quite murky.

On the stage, the voice in the black basin saw that Bao Gong had only made empty promises and had not immediately ordered the arrest, and resentment rose again.

"The evidence is conclusive! Why haven't you arrested him yet?"

"Could it be... just because he's the young master of the Huang family... with immense power... that even you, Lord Bao... are afraid of him?!"

The voice was shrill and full of skepticism.

The black basin on the ground began to tremble slightly, emitting a low "buzzing" sound.

The troupe leader was terrified!

He knew that ghosts hate repetition and deception the most.

My earlier attempt to elicit information had already aroused their suspicion!

Once exposed, they will immediately face the fate of being haunted by vengeful ghosts!

In his panic, his mind went blank, and almost instinctively, following the next section of the play "The Story of the Black Basin," he slammed his gavel and shouted:

"Where is Zhan Zhao?!"

After shouting, he regretted it so much he wanted to slap himself!

The actor playing Zhan Zhao backstage fainted from fright when he heard Lan Xiaodie's voice! Where is Zhan Zhao now?

If no one answers, the whole thing will be exposed immediately!

Just as the troupe leader's face turned ashen, and the atmosphere on and off the stage froze to its absolute limit—

A figure stood up from below the stage.

He walked onto the stage unhurriedly.

It was Huang Shujian.