Chapter 5: Bombarding the Zombies

The clearer their understanding of the situation became, the graver the expressions of Zhang Tianai and Yun Qing grew. These two ancient corpses had no business appearing in this era; should they ever awaken, the entire population of Hong Kong would likely suffer a catastrophe.

After completing their examination, the two approached Lin Bei. Zhang Tianai said with a solemn face, "Mr. Lin, these two corpses are extremely dangerous. They must have been beings of profound mystical power during their lifetimes. Having remained uncorrupted for a millennium after death, they far surpass ordinary jiangshi. The one in silver armor already exhibits characteristics of a Flying Corpse, while the other possesses an almost complete set of Indestructible Bones; if it continues to evolve, it will surely become a Devouring Corpse."

Lin Bei twitched his mouth upon hearing this. Although he was unfamiliar with the specific classifications of jiangshi in this world, he had watched plenty of supernatural films before his transmigration and was familiar with some Taoist terminology. "Flying Corpse" and "Indestructible Bones" sounded terrifying. He had originally hoped to find an easy target to test the power of his Sun Breathing technique, but it appeared he had kicked a steel plate instead.

"Can they be destroyed if we put them in an incinerator?"

Zhang Tianai and Yun Qing exchanged a bitter look. "I'm afraid not. Ordinary fire can only destroy common jiangshi. It has little effect on thousand-year-old corpses like these. At the very least, one would need a divine flame, like the Samadhi True Fire, to be effective."

Lin Bei frowned. "So, you have no way to destroy these two corpses either?"

Both nodded in unison. While they treated catching ghosts and eliminating jiangshi as a business, facing such highly hazardous entities meant they had to find a way to eradicate them, even without payment. After all, if such creatures were to awaken, even their own skills would barely be enough to ensure their own survival, let alone protect those around them.

Receiving this confirmation, Lin Bei took a deep breath, struggling to steady his emotions. After a long moment, he asked, "If I used artillery, could I blow these two monsters to bits?"

Zhang Tianai and Yun Qing were stunned. They had never considered this option. After all, this was a time of peace, and Hong Kong was a bustling metropolis; while they had seen gunfights and bomb threats, they had never seen the use of heavy artillery. In all of Hong Kong, only the British garrison had the authority to utilize such weaponry.

After whispering among themselves, they remained skeptical, but with no other options, they were willing to try anything. Yun Qing, who was more familiar with modern technology, offered a suggestion.

"Mr. Lin, if you can indeed procure artillery, I think it is worth a try. Furthermore, we could 'spice up' the shells—add black dog blood, cinnabar, or even carve talismans onto them. It might just be enough to finish these two off."

Zhang Tianai added, "My cousin just arrived from the mainland. He possesses our Zhang family’s ancestral Spirit Pestle and Mandala. These artifacts are highly effective against evil spirits. He is knowledgeable and his magical power is deeper than mine; he might have a method to deal with these two."

Lin Bei asked with a strange expression, "What is your cousin’s name?"

Zhang Tianai replied with pride, "He is called Zhang Shiyi, the thirty-eighth descendant of the Heavenly Master Zhang. I am the thirty-ninth, and one day, I shall inherit the title of Heavenly Master."

Lin Bei raised an eyebrow. "The Heavenly Master Zhang from Longhu Mountain?"

Zhang Tianai looked embarrassed. He wished it were true, but unfortunately, it was not. His ancestors were indeed surnamed Zhang and had held the Heavenly Master Seal for a generation, but they had no actual relation to the lineage of Zhang Daoling. Seeing Zhang Tianai’s awkwardness, Lin Bei understood.

He decided not to dwell on the topic. "Proceed as you suggested. Secure these two corpses for now to prevent any further changes. I will prepare the artillery and contact you when everything is ready."

With that, Lin Bei wrote a check for the two. If you want a horse to run, you must first feed it. He had originally wanted to test his Sun Breathing technique against the corpses, but he lacked a suitable weapon; he feared his blade would shatter before it even made a dent in them.

He watched as Zhang Tianai and Yun Qing spent over half an hour affixing paper talismans and binding the corpses with inked threads. Once they were finished, Lin Bei ordered his men to haul the corpses away. Leaving them there any longer might lead to unforeseen accidents.

Before leaving, Lin Bei instructed Boss Hu to have his bodyguards head to the old man's residence. In the film, the old man worshipped a Great Demon God, and such things were best not left unattended. For such "underworld" objects, exposure to direct sunlight could at least weaken them. Upon learning that the old man lived in a corrugated iron shack, Lin Bei ordered his men to tear it down and leave the idol out to bake in the sun. As for the rest of the contents, he had them tossed into an incinerator to avoid any further complications.

***

Returning to his villa in Deep Water Bay, Lin Bei headed straight to the basement. As soon as he entered, the old man glared at him with hateful eyes, as if he wanted to tear him apart. Lin Bei ignored him and looked at Wang Jianguo. "Has he confessed anything?"

Wang Jianguo shook his head helplessly. "He’s been cursing incessantly since we left, refusing to answer a single question."

Lin Bei turned back to the old man. "I’ll give you one minute to spill everything you know."

The old man didn’t hesitate to spit on the floor and launch into a string of profanities. Lin Bei was not angered; in fact, he felt like laughing. In the three years he had spent in this Hong Kong-integrated world, he had encountered people far more vicious than this; this was merely a light drizzle.

Since the old man refused to talk, he saw no point in asking further. He turned to Wang Jianguo. "Pour some cement into him and take him out to sea for a burial."

"Understood!"

Wang Jianguo responded and went to work. His movements were practiced, clearly not his first time handling such a task. The old man struggled briefly, but a punch from an impatient Wang Jianguo knocked him unconscious, and the basement fell silent.

As he watched the old man being carried out like a dead dog, Lin Bei felt no regret. He had hoped to get some useful information, but since the old man wouldn't talk, sending him on his way was the only logical step. Besides, with his immense financial power, it wouldn't be difficult to learn from the legitimate sects later.

After leaving the basement, Gao Jin hurried in and leaned into Lin Bei’s ear. "Boss, the Inspector Ma you invited has arrived, along with the two officers mentioned in the newspapers."

Lin Bei acknowledged him and quickened his pace. Upon entering the main hall, he saw Inspector Ma Fei sitting in a wheelchair, with Inspector Lin and Inspector Miao standing behind him, looking around the room.