Chapter 51 Gambling with Life in the Ghost Market! Five hundred dollars to buy the God of War's chance to survive!
The night in the capital was unusually heavy because of an imminent expedition.
The Lu family mansion was brightly lit, but the air was so tense it felt like it was about to burst.
Lu Zhenguo has mobilized his entire network of connections, and a special plane bound for the southwestern border is waiting at the western suburban airport. Top-notch military equipment and medical supplies are being loaded onto the plane in a steady stream.
The entire Lu family, combined with the Yan and Chen families, operated with unprecedented efficiency.
Everything points to the same coordinate—southwest, the "Black Widow" jungle.
Su Wanqing locked herself in her room.
Several yellowed ancient books, taken from her spatial dimension, were spread out in front of her, their ancient seal script containing scattered information about the "Heart-Eating Vine".
"Born in extremely yin places, it feeds on the essence of living beings, and can bewitch people's minds and weave illusions..."
The description of the battle situation in the headset and the soldier's symptoms were exactly the same.
"Its nature is extremely yin, and it fears the extremely yang fire."
Lu Zhanting's use of thermite incendiary bombs was the right move. But on the last page of the ancient book, there is a record that has been blurred by the passage of time.
"If the mother plant does not perish, the offspring can regenerate by drawing energy from the earth's veins. To eradicate its roots, one must find its 'life gate,' using the Nine Yang Dragon Saliva Grass as a guide, supplemented by acupuncture with golden needles, in order to sever its life force."
Nine-Yang Dragon Saliva Grass.
A supreme yang elixir that exists only in mythology, said to grow in the heart of a volcano or on dragon bloodstone that is exposed to the scorching sun all year round.
Su Wanqing searched the entire space's medicinal herb field, but found nothing.
No matter how miraculous her medicinal herb field is, it cannot conjure up species that have become extinct in the world out of thin air.
Without this crucial ingredient, even if the "Achilles' heel" is found by chance, the mother organism cannot be eradicated. Any rescue attempt will be futile, and once the mother organism recovers, everyone who ventures deep into the jungle will be doomed.
Time was a guillotine hanging over Lu Zhanting's head. She couldn't expect to stumble upon some elusive stroke of luck in the vast southwestern jungle.
It must be found before setting off.
Alternatively, find a substitute for it.
A thought flashed through Su Wanqing's mind.
The ghost market in the capital.
That place, a melting pot of all sorts of people, where countless secrets and treasures are buried.
She glanced at the wall clock; the hour hand pointed to nine o'clock. The most bustling moment of the ghost market had begun.
Su Wanqing stood up, took off her cheongsam, and changed into a set of dark clothes that were easy to move in. Her long hair was neatly tied into a high ponytail.
"Yaoyao, tell Grandpa I'm going out to prepare some special medicinal herbs. I'll be back before dawn." She found Lu Yao, who was directing the orderly in the living room, and whispered the instructions.
Lu Yao asked with concern, "Sister-in-law, what time is it? Where are you going?"
"Don't worry." Su Wanqing patted her hand, her eyes filled with unwavering determination. "I know what I'm doing. Wait for me to come back."
Before she finished speaking, she had already turned around, holding the Yan family's white jade token, and her figure silently disappeared into the night through the back door.
Uncle He's jeep was already waiting at the alley entrance. Seeing Su Wanqing's attire, he remained silent, only asking in a deep voice, "Miss Su, where are you going?"
"The alley from last time."
With a low growl, the Jeep, like a black panther, vanished into the night in an instant.
Stepping into the ghost market again, Su Wanqing's state of mind was completely different.
Last time it was a reconnaissance mission; this time, it's a deadly one.
She passed through the narrow door with practiced ease, and was greeted by a unique smell of dust, herbs, and mold.
The ghost market was filled with shadowy figures, and the lights were dim. Lanterns illuminated a corner of the stalls, and also the greedy or expectant faces.
Su Wanqing ignored the antique and calligraphy stalls and went straight to the depths of the ghost market, the area that specializes in trading rare medicinal materials and exotic items.
Her gaze was sharp as lightning, quickly sweeping over each stall.
"A century-old wild ginseng! It strengthens the body's foundation, nourishes the vital energy, and prolongs life!"
"Western Region Snow Lotus! It can revive the dead and heal bones!"
The vendors' hushed calls, delivered in a low, seductive voice, were incredibly enticing.
Under Su Wanqing's spiritual vision, those so-called century-old ginseng roots were swollen and their spiritual energy was mixed, making them typical artificially induced products. The snow lotus was even more obviously fake, made by soaking ordinary angelica root in a special solution, and its insides were already rotten.
These tricks may fool ordinary people, but they cannot escape her all-seeing eyes.
She walked up to the stall of the old man who had sold her the Pure Yang Pill last time.
The old man was half asleep, his eyelids slightly open. When he saw it was her, he opened them completely.
"Girl, you're here again. What are you looking for this time?"
"Sir, I'm looking for a medicinal herb." Su Wanqing went straight to the point. "Nine Yang Dragon Saliva Grass, have you ever heard of it?"
The old man's cloudy eyes froze for a moment. He looked Su Wanqing over carefully again and slowly shook his head: "Girl, I've only heard of this thing in storytelling. I've never seen anyone take it out in this ghost market. It's a sacred object of supreme yang, capable of subduing all evil spirits. If it really existed, it would have been snatched up by powerful figures long ago, and there would be no chance for us common folk."
Su Wanqing's heart sank.
Even the most knowledgeable and experienced veterans in the ghost market say so, making the hope increasingly slim.
She didn't give up and asked several more stall owners who had genuine items on display.
The answers are largely the same.
Some people had heard of it, but only considered it a legend. Others thought she was joking and mocked her, saying she must have listened to too many operas.
The ghost market was huge, and Su Wanqing patiently visited almost every herb stall, but found nothing.
Disappointment began to spread in my heart.
Every second that passes means Lu Zhanting's life is counting down.
Are we really going to go home empty-handed?
Just as she reached the end of the ghost market and was about to turn back, she stopped in her tracks.
Her gaze was fixed on a stall in the corner that almost blended into the darkness.
The stall was tucked away in a corner, the light extremely dim. The stall owner was a gaunt old man, curled up in a recliner like a piece of dead wood, covered with a black cotton overcoat, motionless.
His stall was so shabby it was laughable.
On a tattered rag, there were only a few pieces of trash scattered about.
Two rusted iron pieces, a chipped rough porcelain bowl, and a palm-sized, black wooden box covered in grease and mud.
It was that wooden box that made Su Wanqing's pupils shrink slightly.
In her spiritual vision, a faint golden aura was swirling around the filthy box.
Its aura was extremely faint, even weaker than that of an ordinary licorice root in her space.
But that aura was exceptionally pure and ancient, carrying a sense of vicissitudes accumulated over countless ages.
This thing is strange.
Su Wanqing walked over expressionlessly and squatted down in front of the stall.
She didn't touch the wooden box, but picked up a rusty piece of iron next to it and casually asked, "Uncle, how much is this?"
Startled, the old man on the recliner slowly opened his eyes. They were eyes so murky they seemed bottomless, yet so sharp they appeared to pierce through to the heart.
He glanced at Su Wanqing, then at the piece of metal in her hand, his voice hoarse like a broken bellows: "Fifty."
"Fifty?" Su Wanqing feigned surprise. "You want fifty for such a piece of scrap iron? That's enough for an ordinary family to chew on for half a year."
"If you can't afford it, then put it down." The old man turned over, unwilling to say anything more.
Su Wanqing put down the iron sheet, her gaze "unintentionally" falling on the black wooden box.
"And what about this box?" she asked casually, pointing to the wooden box.
The old man opened his eyes again, and this time, he sat up straight.
He stared intently at Su Wanqing for a long time before slowly extending his five withered fingers.
"five hundred."
Su Wanqing's heart skipped a beat, but her face remained calm: "Old man, are you trying to fleece me? A broken wooden box is worth ten times more than that piece of iron?"
“This is no ordinary box.” The old man picked up the wooden box and casually wiped it with his greasy sleeve. “It was passed down from my ancestors. It’s said to be the treasure box that held the Imperial Seal of the State in the palace of the previous dynasty. Little girl, I think you have some discernment, so I’m telling you the truth. Five hundred yuan, not a penny less.”
Su Wanqing sneered inwardly.
He's talking nonsense. This box is just ordinary Phoebe zhennan wood, which has turned black from being stained with mud over time.
But she also knew that the old man had probably seen her interest in the box and was asking for an exorbitant price.
The more she cared, the more determined the other party became.
"Forget it, it's just a broken box, not worth the price." Su Wan-qing stood up decisively, making a move to leave.
She took a few steps and glanced at the old man's reaction out of the corner of her eye.
The old man actually lay back down, motionless, as if he didn't care about the deal at all.
Su Wanqing felt a surge of urgency. She was determined to get what was in that box.
She stopped, turned around, and put on a helpless expression: "Uncle, I just thought the style was old-fashioned and wanted to buy it to decorate some jewelry. Five hundred is too expensive. Here, one hundred yuan, if you're willing, I'll take it now."
"Three hundred," the old man uttered without even lifting his eyelids.
"One hundred and fifty, that's the most I can do."
"Two hundred. That's the final price, take it or leave it." After saying that, the old man closed his eyes completely, gesturing to see the customer out.
Su Wanqing knew that this was the other party's bottom line.
She took out four fifty-yuan bills from her pocket and placed them on the stall.
"make a deal."
She picked up the rather heavy wooden box, and without pausing for a moment, quickly turned and disappeared into the crowd of people in the ghost market.
After leaving the ghost market, Su Wanqing didn't go home, but instead opened the car door and got in.
"Drive back to the Lu family home, as fast as you can," she instructed Uncle He.
As the jeep drove smoothly and at high speed, Su Wanqing leaned back in the seat and began to carefully examine the wooden box in her hands.
The box felt heavy in my hand, and the intricate cloud patterns carved on it were obscured by grease and mud, making them difficult to see clearly. At the opening hung a small, oddly shaped copper lock.
Su Wanqing pulled a hairpin from her hair and inserted the tip into the keyhole.
With focused concentration and fingertip strength, she gently manipulated the tiny lock cylinder with extraordinary perception and control.
“Clatter.”
With a crisp click, the copper lock sprang open.
Su Wanqing's heart inexplicably quickened.
She slowly lifted the lid of the box.
There were no magic pills, nor gold or silver.
Inside the box, only two things lay quietly.
A piece of old silk, folded neatly into a square, now yellowed and brittle.
And a palm-sized, irregularly shaped metal sheet with a dark gold hue.
Su Wanqing's heart, far from being disappointed, began to beat even faster.
That pure and ancient aura emanated from these two things.
She picked up the piece of silk with extreme gentleness and slowly unfolded it.
It turned out to be a hand-drawn map.
The painting style was simple and unadorned, with freehand lines, and it wasn't done using modern surveying techniques. Yet, Su Wanqing felt her blood rush to her head after just one glance.
The map depicts the terrain of the southwestern border! Although many details differ from the military map provided by Lu Zhenguo, the orientation of several major mountain ranges and rivers is strikingly consistent!
In the core area of the map, a place marked in red ink as "Valley of Miasma," the shape of a plant is clearly drawn!
The painting technique was extremely lifelike; with just a few strokes, it depicted countless intertwined vines and the ferocious appearance of a huge flower bud in the center.
It's the Heart-Eating Vine!
What made Su Wanqing almost stop breathing was that, at a certain location on the root of the Heart-Eating Vine, there was an extremely small but incredibly clear symbol.
A rotating vortex with a single point at its center.
She had seen this symbol in ancient books in the space before; it meant "the eye of the formation" and "the gate of life"!
It's the Achilles' heel!
This map actually pinpointed the vital point of the Heart-Eating Vine mother plant!
This isn't a map, it's a life-saving book!
Su Wanqing suppressed her overwhelming joy and picked up the dark gold metal piece again.
The metal sheet feels cool to the touch; it is neither gold nor iron, and its surface is covered with naturally formed, fine, dragon-scale-like patterns.
She tried to probe it with a wisp of spiritual energy.
The next second, the metal sheet, like a dry sponge thrown into water, instantly devoured all her spiritual power. Immediately afterwards, the entire metal sheet emitted a barely audible hum, and the dark golden luster on its surface circulated even faster.
What is this?
Although Su Wanqing didn't recognize it, her intuition told her that this was definitely an extraordinary treasure. The purity of its material even far surpassed the warm jade she used to refine the warning talisman.
She carefully put away the map and the metal piece, and the anxiety that had been hanging over her because she couldn't find the "Nine Yang Dragon Saliva Grass" finally subsided.
So what if there's no medicinal guide?
Having this map that marks the location of the vital points is equivalent to having the most accurate strike coordinates.
The success rate of the rescue has increased by 70% out of nowhere!
Su Wanqing immediately urged Uncle He to drive the jeep back to the Lu family home at breakneck speed.
When she stepped into the Lu family mansion again, everyone was still waiting anxiously.
When Lu Zhenguo saw her return, he immediately strode up to her and asked, "Wanqing, how did it go?"
Su Wanqing met the old man's bloodshot eyes and nodded heavily.
Her voice wasn't loud, but it was like a stabilizing force, instantly striking the hearts of everyone present.
"Grandpa, I've found its weakness."
"We have a chance to win quickly."
This calm confidence instantly dispelled the despair that filled the living room, rekindling a burning flame of hope in everyone's eyes.
Looking at his granddaughter-in-law, who remained calm in the face of danger and always managed to create miracles, Lu Zhenguo's cloudy old eyes instantly ignited with two raging flames.
He slammed his hand on the table and gave the final order.
"Alright! We can't wait any longer! The plane is fully fueled!"
"Everyone, board!"
"Let's set off immediately!"
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