My cross-dimensional black market shop has a 100% return rate.

Chapter 25 The Murder Case in Zhangxiang

Before leaving, Gan San Niang changed back into her original clothes.

The clothes had been washed clean, and Luo Zhuang borrowed needles and thread from Wang Da Niang next door. Gan San Niang sewed up all the original tears.

She was wearing old clothes, carrying a knife in her hand, with a baton and lasso tucked into her waistband. She took a step out of the guesthouse, and the scene before her eyes instantly changed, becoming the same as when she arrived.

The post road went straight ahead, leaving only two ruts sunken into the ground. Green trees lined the roadside, blocking the view. Looking ahead, the forests receded into the distance, and cities rose up.

The distant mountains, like delicate eyebrows, shrouded the city.

It had only been a little over half a month since she left, but looking at all this, Gan San Niang felt as if she had been in another world.

She turned her head to look back, and the post road, protected by trees, went straight ahead and disappeared into the valley.

Half a month ago, she and her brother Wu Da fought their way down Songgou Mountain, and were chased for dozens of miles before finally shaking off their pursuers.

Later, as they ran all the way to this ravine, the elder brother Wu Da suddenly stopped and said, "Sister, there's a town ahead with soldiers stationed there. If you run into the town, you won't have to be afraid of those bastards from Songgou Mountain anymore. Let's part ways here."

At that moment, Gan San Niang hurriedly asked, "Brother, where are you planning to go?"

Wu Da stood in the valley, pointed to a mountain on the east side, and said, "Since I came out of the Buddhist temple, I naturally want to go back to the Buddhist temple. There is a temple on this mountain, so I'll go up and take a look first."

Gan San Niang asked, "What if this temple is too small and doesn't want to take you in?"

Wu Da laughed heartily, "Then I deserve it. I don't know how many sins I've committed as a monk, and now I'm being looked down upon. I'll just have to bear it. If this temple won't accept me, I'll just go begging for alms and go somewhere else."

Regardless, I must observe the precepts and observe a vegetarian diet; I must fulfill my duties as a monk properly.

Gan San Niang was worried and wanted to go up the mountain with Wu Da to check on things, but Wu Da chased her away.

"Go away, go away! What are you, a woman, doing following me to a Buddhist temple?"

This was the last thing Wu Da said to her.

Before she returned, she had planned to go to the city to see what she could find to trade, but now, standing in the middle of the road, she changed her mind.

More than ten days have passed now, and I wonder how my brother is doing in that mountain temple? He saved my life and helped me escape from my predicament, like a second parent to me. Now I should go and see him.

Moreover, I've already paid all my belongings to the immortal as rent, and now I'm penniless. Even if I go to the city, I won't have any money to buy anything. I might as well go somewhere else...

Her mind started working, and she immediately had an idea—

The bandits of Songgou Mountain opened a shady inn at the foot of the mountain, managed by Liu Fugui, who sat in the ninety-third seat. They cheated, swindled, and murdered passing merchants and travelers, robbing them of their money and even chopping them up and making them into steamed buns.

I'm not capable of storming Songgou Mountain now that I'm back, but why not cause a ruckus at that shady inn, double-cross it, and see if I can steal some good stuff?

More than ten days have passed now, and those bastards on Songgou Mountain should no longer be searching for me. I should be careful and sneak over quietly; hopefully, I can catch them off guard.

Having made up her mind, she immediately turned around and walked back, intending to go up the mountain to see her brother first, and then go alone to the black shop at the foot of Songgou Mountain.

We climbed the mountain and arrived at the temple gate; it was nearly noon.

The temple was dilapidated, with peeling paint on the walls, but thankfully it was kept clean. The mountain gate was ajar, and the old, worn sandalwood plaque above the gate was carved with the three characters "Guiyuan Temple".

It is a traditional Chinese character.

Having seen simplified characters over the past ten days, Gan San Niang felt somewhat uncomfortable seeing traditional characters again.

Gan San Niang stepped forward and knocked on the door, but as soon as she reached the door, a strong smell of blood suddenly wafted over her.

Her heart skipped a beat. She pulled out the chipped and broken knife, pushed open the door, and saw several monks lying dead in the courtyard. Some were headless, some were cut in half at the waist, and some were split in two.

Gan San Niang's eyes widened instantly. She scanned the area carefully and only breathed a slight sigh of relief when she didn't see her brother Wu Da's body.

She quickly stepped over the corpse and searched the temple. There she found an old monk lying on a prayer mat, his heart, liver, intestines and lungs ripped out.

The table in front of the prayer cushion was smashed, the Buddha statue was destroyed, and on the wall behind the statue, several large characters were written in blood—

The murderer was Wu Da from Songgou Mountain!

The bloodstains on the wall were still wet, and the monks in the temple had all died recently. It was clear that the murderer had not committed the crime for long, was not here, and had not gone far away.

Gan San Niang's eyelids twitched, sensing something was wrong, and she turned and walked out.

They went outside, but didn't leave. Instead, they found a secluded spot and hid.

She thought to herself, "I've been following the mountain path all the way up, and I haven't seen anyone. The murderer must have left and gone down the mountain without going down the path."

That person must have had another purpose.

At noon, as the sun shone brightly overhead, Gan San Niang took out the bread and dry rations she had brought from the immortal, filled her stomach, and continued to wait patiently.

After waiting for a while, as dusk approached, I suddenly heard footsteps.

The footsteps and rhythm were so familiar that Gan San Niang recognized them instantly. Following the sound, she saw her brother Wu Da heading towards the temple along the mountain path.

Wu Da was bald, and it looked like he had just shaved his head. He had changed into a new set of clothes, which were old and patched, but at least they were clean.

He held the heavy monk's staff, weighing over a hundred pounds, in one hand and a round bowl in the other, taking very large strides.

As he approached, Gan San Niang called out softly, "Brother!"

Upon hearing the sound, Wu Da's eyes widened, and he looked towards Gan San Niang.

Once Gan San Niang was sure she hadn't heard anything else, she quickly got up and said, "Brother, why did it take you so long to come back?"

Something terrible has happened here. I've been waiting for you all this time. Come with me quickly.

Wu Da said, "I am temporarily staying at Guiyun Temple. The abbot does not accept me, but only tells me to stay here for the night. I go out to beg for alms every day and return around this time."

"Young lady, didn't you go into town? Why are you back all of a sudden? I'll stay here for a few more days, then I plan to travel elsewhere. You don't need to rush me."

Gan San Niang said, "Brother, whether you stay or not is no longer up to you. You go in and take a look first, then we'll leave this place and talk about it later."

Wu Da, puzzled, glanced at Gan San Niang suspiciously before entering the temple, where he was immediately taken aback.

Just like Gan San Niang before him, he strode into the temple and his face darkened as soon as he saw the words on the wall.

"Brother, does this handwriting look familiar?"

Gan San Niang asked.

Wu Da gripped his monk's staff tightly, gritting his teeth as he said, "Songgou Mountain shaman!"

Gan San Niang said, "We shouldn't stay here any longer, brother. Let's leave first and make some plans later." She then called Wu Da to leave the temple together.

Wu Da then went around to the back of the temple, smashed the wall with his staff, and then went with Gan San Niang.