This time, they not only defeated their enemies and gained immense wealth, but more importantly, they regained their lost courage and hope. The "River God" lay stiffly on the ground, motionless, as if he had truly died.
The villagers who had gathered around were taken aback at first, but then they all stepped forward to check the situation.
"He...he's dead?" Someone cautiously reached out, wanting to check his breath.
Just then, Shen Qingtang suddenly spoke, her tone cold and firm: "Don't touch him, he's not quite dead yet. Besides, this isn't his true face at all."
Upon hearing this, everyone looked at Shen Qingtang with a puzzled expression.
Shen Qingtang stepped forward, squatted down, reached out, grabbed the skin on the "River God's" face, and then ripped it off!
"Sizzle"
With a soft sound, Shen Qingtang tore a lifelike human skin mask off the "River God's" face.
Beneath the mask lay a completely different face. This face had high cheekbones, small eyes, and a noticeable scar at the corner of its mouth, giving it a pointed, monkey-like appearance and a shifty, weasel-like look.
"This...this face looks so familiar?" a villager said, frowning in confusion.
"Yes, I feel like I've seen this somewhere before..."
The crowd buzzed with discussion, everyone trying to remember who the face belonged to.
Suddenly, an older villager exclaimed, "I remember now! Isn't that Wang San, the village scoundrel?!"
"Wang San?!"
The name was like a thunderclap, causing a stir among the crowd.
"Yes, yes, yes! That's him! Back in the day, he was a notorious petty thief in the village, stealing chickens and dogs and doing all sorts of bad things. We chased him around like a dog!"
"I remember him! He even stole our cured meat!"
"Didn't they say a few years ago he got into trouble and was beaten to death? How did he become a river god?"
The villagers were all talking at once, their faces filled with shock and disbelief.
This Wang San is a notorious scoundrel in the village.
He was lazy and idle, and besides stealing chickens and dogs, he also frequently harassed the women in the village. He was a rat that everyone hated.
Several years ago, he was chased and beaten by the landlord's servants for stealing gold and silver jewelry from a neighboring village.
It is said that he was beaten to death on the spot, and his body was thrown into a mass grave.
But no one expected that this good-for-nothing, who should have been rotting in a mass grave long ago, would actually come back to life, wearing a human skin mask, pretending to be a charlatan, deceiving them for so long, and even kidnapping their children!
"So it was this bastard!"
"How outrageous! They actually tricked us with ghost stories!"
"Kill him! Avenge the missing children!"
The villagers' anger was instantly ignited, and they all raised their weapons, wanting to rush up and kill Wang San.
Wang San was terrified by the scene. He had been pretending to be dead to get away with it, but Shen Qingtang had seen through his act. He struggled to get up and run away, but several angry villagers grabbed him and beat him severely.
"Stop hitting me! Stop hitting me! I was wrong! I'll never do it again!" Wang San was beaten black and blue, and begged for mercy repeatedly.
But the villagers wouldn't listen. They remembered their anger at being deceived and the pitiful state of the missing children, and their violence grew increasingly severe.
Shen Qingtang watched the scene unfold but did not stop it.
She knew this was the retribution Wang San deserved.
After dealing with Wang San, the imposter "river god," the villagers' emotions finally calmed down.
Their previous fear was gone, replaced by relief at surviving the ordeal and gratitude towards Shen Qingtang.
Shen Qingtang looked at everyone and said gently, "Alright, it's all over. We've caught the real bad guys, and there will be no more river god sacrifices. Everyone, come back to the cruise ship with me. Let's leave this place together and start a new life."
The villagers nodded, their faces breaking into long-lost smiles. They followed Shen Qingtang toward the cruise ship.
Wang San, who was beaten to the point of near death, was dragged behind by the villagers like a dead dog, awaiting severe punishment.
Although Wang San, the imposter "River God," has been subdued, Shen Qingtang's doubts have not dissipated.
She always felt things weren't that simple. Wang San was a lazy, good-for-nothing good-for-nothing.
How could they possibly be capable of orchestrating such a meticulous scam, finding so many men in black, and even acquiring a mysterious device that could shrink the island?
There must be an even more powerful force controlling everything behind this.
Just as she was pondering, a strong sense of being watched suddenly overwhelmed her.
She suddenly looked up, her sharp gaze sweeping into the dark corners deep within the cave.
The place was empty except for the sound of water dripping from the stalactites, "drip, drip," which sounded particularly clear in the silent cave.
That cold, malicious gaze she had just received seemed to be just her imagination.
But Shen Qingtang knew that it wasn't an illusion.
That gaze, hidden in the darkness, was like a lurking venomous snake, silently watching her every move.
The moment she looked up, she swiftly retreated into the darkness, disappearing without a trace.
"It seems this game isn't over yet," Shen Qingtang muttered to herself, her eyes growing increasingly wary.
She didn't make a sound, but quietly checked the weapons in the space again to make sure everything was in order.
"Everyone, hurry up and let's get out of here as soon as possible," Shen Qingtang said to everyone.
The villagers were still immersed in the excitement and relief of uncovering the scam and did not notice Shen Qingtang's unusual behavior.
They all nodded in agreement and followed her toward the cruise ship.
Lu Jiaojiao was left all alone, watching the backs of Shen Qingtang and the others, she was so angry that she trembled all over, her nails digging deep into her palms.
She couldn't understand why, even though she had already pledged allegiance to the "River God," she still ended up like this.
Looking at the cold seawater before her, her heart was filled with resentment and unwillingness.
"Shen Qingtang! I won't let you get away with this!" she shouted hysterically in the direction Shen Qingtang and the others had left.
But all she received in response was the howling sea wind and the surging waves.
After boarding the cruise ship, Shen Qingtang directed the crew to set sail. As the cruise ship slowly sailed away from this nightmarish sea, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
Shen Qingtang stood on the deck of the cruise ship, gazing at the distant sea, her vigilance undiminished.
She knew.
The person hiding behind the scenes will never let this go.
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