I am the Ruler of the Kingdom of Mysterious-Chapter 386 - 350: Research Institute

A change occurred in Qinzhou, accompanied by howling winds on their side. The torrential rain was like a flood from the heavens, and the raindrops were all black, crashing onto the ground and splashing up a large mist.

The mist was not ordinary; it was the Evil Mist that only special Evil Spirits possess.

The Evil Mist would erode the bodies of ordinary people, and it was easy for them to get lost in the mist, becoming blood prey for the Evil Spirits.

Taking advantage of the thinness of the Evil Mist, Yu Da had people banging gongs to gather all the mountain residents into Eight Diagram City.

Although less than half of Eight Diagram City was built, the outer walls were completed, connected to the underground Feng Shui Formation, able to provide protection for the mountain people.

Liu Tianyou stayed at the threshing floor and refused to leave, spreading the Ghost Realm to protect all the wheat stacks within, isolating the black rain and the Evil Mist.

"This is the food for the mountain people for the second half of the year. We can’t afford any mistakes. You all go first; I’ll use the Ghost Realm to hold out for a while. If I really can’t hold it... we’ll see then!"

Yu Da and Yao Zhen couldn’t persuade him, so they had to first help relocate the other residents.

In the pouring rain, people were in a panic, shouts and cries intertwined, sounding very faint in the storm, and the joy of the harvest during the day was completely replaced by fear at this moment.

The water from the ditches by the fields, dyed black, overflowed into the fields, and the remaining stubble quickly rotted before it could be removed.

Men, women, and children all ran desperately, instinctively avoiding the puddles on the ground, fearing that Water Ghosts would claim their lives. A large number of residents hid in the unfinished houses in the city, clutching their children and praying silently.

Outside the city, the concentration of Evil Mist became increasingly dense, with the wind blowing the mist towards Eight Diagram City, yet no mist could penetrate inside. The water channeled through drainage ditches flowed quickly, discharging directly into the river through man-made channels.

The rainstorm grew heavier and heavier, and from the mountains came the sound of trees breaking and landslides, yet inside the small Eight Diagram City, it remained eerily calm.

Yu Da and Yao Zhen guarded the southern city gate, ready for any unexpected situations.

Luo Danian and a few former village chiefs, with well-trained guards, stationed themselves in the other seven directions, communicating with bamboo whistles.

In just half an hour, the fog outside Eight Diagram City grew so thick that nothing could be seen, and all that could be heard were the sounds of ghostly cries and howling winds and rain.

The situation in Qinzhou was even more unknowable.

The ’calm’ inside Eight Diagram City conversely made people anxious and restless, prompting someone to head towards the Xuan Nu Temple, with others following suit.

In the wind and rain, the Xuan Nu Temple looked precariously shaky, but more and more people gathered, braving the rain to kneel and pray, their foreheads thudding heavily against the cold, wet ground.

"Lady Xuan Nu, please bless us, let us get through this calamity in peace!"

Their voices, tinged with sobs, were filled with despair and pleading.

The children nestled tightly in their parents’ arms, their eyes full of terror, their tears mixing with the rain.

*

In the present day, on a mountain road, a convoy of military-green vehicles moved in orderly formation, advancing slowly in the night.

Sang Que jolted awake in the off-road vehicle, and Xia Chan, who was watching the scenery from the window, moved closer upon seeing this, tilting her head to observe Sang Que.

"Sister, what’s wrong? You’re sweating a lot?"

Sang Que frowned, "When did I fall asleep?"

"Just when we entered the mountains."

Sang Que glanced ahead in the off-road vehicle where two people in camouflage sat, wearing masks. They were now within the Imperial City’s boundaries, heading towards a research institute hidden deep in the mountains.

Sang Que’s head ached a bit, as though she could still hear layers of prayers.

Could something have happened over at Bright Moon Mountain?

But she hadn’t even completed the ritual on the Mysterious Lady Statue, so why was she sensing everyone’s prayers over here?

Sang Que suddenly had a very bad premonition because she and Qiao Ling had previously discussed that the power of incense also had varying strengths, and when certain emotions intensified, the power of incense or fear would also increase.

Something big must have happened over at Bright Moon Mountain, causing the residents to strongly yearn for Xuan Nu’s blessing.

She needed to quickly hunt some Evil Ghosts and go check out the Deceit Dynasty.

The entire convoy drove through the mountains for over two hours before gradually slowing down, stopping at the entrance of an abandoned tunnel, largely concealed by dense vegetation, with a fallen, rusty warning sign. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

Ye Changqing emerged from the front off-road vehicle, nodded at Sang Que and Xia Chan in the back, and proceeded to enter the tunnel.

"Sister, what kind of place is inside? Little Chan is scared."

"Don’t worry, this is sister’s hometown, and the people here won’t harm us."

Sang Que held Xia Chan’s hand and followed Ye Changqing through the dark tunnel, when suddenly a cluster of green lasers fell on her and Xia Chan, scanning them from top to bottom.

The laser also scanned Ye Changqing ahead. After waiting for a moment, the darkness parted to the sides, and a dazzling white light lit up, revealing the entrance to the research institute at the end of the tunnel.

Entering the interior of the research institute, the futuristic architectural design was awe-inspiring, with sleek white walls paired with blue lighting. At regular intervals, patches of red symbols of unknown material appeared on the white walls, imparting to Sang Que a mysterious and high-tech atmosphere.

The symbols on the walls made Xia Chan very uncomfortable, and her hair uncontrollably curled upwards.

"If it becomes too unbearable, I can let you return to the picture." Sang Que whispered to Xia Chan.

Xia Chan shook her head, indicating she could still hold on. The things here instinctively filled her with dread, but they fell short of truly harming her.

Besides, Xia Chan’s curiosity about everything here made her wish to see for herself.

Ye Changqing led Sang Que down a long corridor, where the cameras on both sides tracked their movement, with rooms on either side.

There were laboratories filled with advanced equipment, monitoring rooms with enormous screens, and server rooms humming softly during high-speed operation.

"Professor Ye, welcome back. Is there anything I can assist you with?"

An automated patrol robot smoothly emerged from a side corridor, greeting Ye Changqing with a lifelike female voice.

"No need, thank you."

Xia Chan, her eyes wide with wonder, quickly extended her hand to touch the robot’s head as it passed by.

Fzz!

The robot suddenly emitted sparks, its head tilted, and it went limp.

Ye Changqing paused, turned to look, and Xia Chan bashfully and shyly shrunk behind Sang Que, expressionless, trying to act as if it wasn’t her doing.

However, Ye Changqing didn’t blame Xia Chan, merely stating, "The power of ghosts can interfere with electronic devices. Your sister here has quite a strong force; it’s best not to touch the equipment too much."

Sang Que glanced at Xia Chan, who lowered her head and muttered, "Little Chan didn’t mean to; she was just curious..."

"This way, I’ll first take you to the containment area, where all the current Fierce Ghosts captured by the institute are held. We might need your help with a little task."

Upon hearing this, Sang Que’s eyes lit up.