“There was no such thing as a water ghost, just a madman, driven insane by hatred and resentment, killing people everywhere. I killed him on the spot.” Samuel Wright shook his head and said calmly, “The case is closed, so let’s not talk about such unpleasant things. Little Henry, do you still remember what I promised Grace last time?”

“To go to Honglian Temple to offer incense, and go for an outing?”

Henry Walker quickly replied with a smile.

“You sure remember these fun things well.” Samuel Wright said helplessly, “But you’re not a child anymore, you’re already nineteen this year, aren’t you? You should find some work to do. You can’t live like this forever, can you?”

He had watched Henry Walker grow up since childhood, and because of the close relationship between their families, he had always regarded Henry Walker as his own younger brother.

At this moment, he couldn’t help but offer some advice.

Henry Walker just shook his head and smiled.

“Brother Wright, do you want me to become an official or go into business?”

“Of course to become an official. That’s also your father’s wish. Your uncle, your eldest uncle, they all hope you can go out and help them as soon as possible. After all, you are the eldest son of the The Walker Family.”

Samuel Wright advised.

“Let’s not talk about this, there’s no rush, I’m still young. Why be in such a hurry to push the eldest son out?”

Henry Walker didn’t care, making a half-hearted excuse.

Samuel Wright and Grace Walker were both speechless, but couldn’t say more.

Not wanting to continue the topic of becoming an official, Henry Walker deliberately changed the subject and, taking Little Grace, headed toward his own bedroom.

Back in his room, he changed his clothes, picked up that pebble, and instead of visiting his father, went alone to the back garden.

Samuel Wright was from the The Wright Family, just like the The Walker Family, one of the top families in the Nine-Linked Cities of the north. Their family had many branches, with people holding important positions all over the city.

Henry Walker had a good impression of Samuel Wright; he was an honest man, without selfish motives, and truly liked Grace.

He treated Henry Walker like a real older brother.

But...

Holding the pebble, Henry Walker thought again of what he had seen before, and the coincidental overhearing at the city gate of how the water ghost was killed.

“Is there really such a thing as ghosts and monsters in this world? Are there immortals...?”

He gazed at the snow-filled garden, a vague, indescribable frustration rising in his heart.

“Maybe it’s just as Brother Wright said, all just rumors and misunderstandings.”

He shook his head, but still harbored a sliver of hope.

That evening, he went to bed early after washing up.

The events of the day had left him confused, with too many things on his mind, and he was quickly exhausted.

He slept straight through to the next morning, just as dawn was breaking.

Dong dong dong, dong dong dong!!

A series of urgent knocks sounded at the door.

Henry Walker suddenly opened his eyes, sat up straight in bed, and looked toward the door.

“Who is it!”

“Master, something terrible has happened!” It was Little Grace’s voice.

Henry Walker hurriedly got out of bed and went to open the door. As soon as he did, he saw Little Grace’s face was deathly pale, not a trace of color.

The little girl’s chubby cheeks were trembling violently.

“Xu... Xu... Xu...”

At the sight, Henry Walker felt a vague sense of foreboding rise in his heart.

“What happened? Take a breath first!”

He reached out and patted Little Grace hard on the back.

Only then did Little Grace catch her breath.

With a sob, she blurted out,

“The The Wright Family... Mr. Wright’s family, they’re all gone!!”

Henry Walker was stunned.

Little Grace quickly helped Henry Walker put on his outer clothes, and without another word, the two of them rushed out of the residence.

The head of the The Walker Family, Frank Walker, was standing outside the mansion with his hands behind his back, his face dark and trembling slightly.

Three black double-row carriages were parked beside him.

Henry Walker, along with his other cousins from the household, quickly paid their respects to Frank Walker, and everyone got into the carriages.

Frank Walker and Henry Walker sat together. The father and son sat in silence, neither saying a word in the carriage.

Frank Walker was over sixty, with a white beard, a slender build, and handsome features. He looked more like a scholar or a gentleman than a merchant.

The carriages sped on without stopping, soon arriving outside the city gates of the Nine-Linked Cities.

As soon as Henry Walker got out of the carriage, he was stunned by the scene before him.

On the left side of the snowy road outside the city gate, dozens of corpses were laid out in neat rows.

From old to young, from men to women.

They were all from the The Wright Family!

They wore the The Wright Family’s custom robes, and Samuel Wright lay in the middle of the third row.

His face was ashen, his body stiff, eyes tightly shut, his expression filled with unspeakable terror, as if he had seen something unimaginably horrifying.

Henry Walker watched as the constables maintained order at the scene, and saw his own father, Frank Walker, step forward to stand silently before the corpse of an elder, fists clenched.

The magistrate had also arrived upon hearing the news.

His face was as white as the surrounding snow.

Henry Walker took a deep breath and slowly walked over to a constable.

“How did they die?”

The constable recognized him, knew his identity, and sighed.

“All of them were hanged in their own mansion, suspended from the beams with water weeds. No one knows where the water weeds came from...”

“Grace! Grace!!”

Suddenly, a cry of alarm came from behind. Apparently, cousin Grace had fainted.

Henry Walker took a deep breath, recalling the words Samuel Wright had said to him just yesterday.