I consider myself quite knowledgeable, and I've seen countless drowned corpses, but this bizarre scene still shocked me into drawing a cold breath, almost choking on the water!

The narrow crevice was filled with remains, like a crack in the gates of hell, evil spirits from the underworld clawing their way out, climbing onto the river to drag back scapegoats.

For a moment, I even began to believe Old Huang's words: the gates of hell open on the fifteenth day of the seventh lunar month, and this crevice was indeed the gate!

Regardless of the truth, I had finally found the source of these floating corpses. Just as the breath I was holding was about to run out, it was time to return to the surface.

Before going up, I suddenly realized that the scene underwater was too strange. I was afraid no one would believe it, especially that young, short-haired female police officer. That atheist would definitely raise doubts.

I thought, why not just drag a severed limb of a floating corpse as evidence, so I'd have something to rely on when explaining the situation to them.

So, with my last breath, I sank down and grabbed the arm of a floating corpse in the crevice, pulling hard.

At that moment, I suddenly felt a force pulling back, as if the corpse's cold hand was also exerting force at the same time, pulling me from the water towards the crevice!

My heart skipped a beat, and a chill ran from my tailbone straight to the top of my head. I cried inwardly, thinking, "Damn it! Am I going to be dragged into the underworld by this dirty thing as a scapegoat?"

In a panic, I tried to shake off the corpse's hand, but its palm was like an iron hoop, clamped on my hand and impossible to break free!

I was terrified, my mind blank, and I could only grit my teeth and swim upwards with all my strength, dragging the floating corpse out of the crevice.

As a result, pulling out the floating corpse was like pulling out a plug that had been blocking the crevice. Instantly, the water hidden beneath the ground gushed out from the opening, and the force of the undercurrent increased tenfold, directly blasting me from the bottom of the water towards the river surface!

At that moment, I felt the world spinning, and my body was uncontrollably thrown around. The violent current smashed against me until I felt like my bones were about to break, and I choked on several mouthfuls of water in the chaos.

The whole process lasted about ten seconds, after which I was swept out of the water by the undercurrent. Uncle Mei was paddling the corpse-fishing boat not far away, watching over me. When he saw me floating to the surface, he immediately paddled over.

I struggled to steady myself in the water and quickly waved at Uncle Mei:

"Uncle Mei! Don't come over! There's a whirlpool!"

Before I could finish speaking, a larger whirlpool indeed formed on the river, at least six or seven times the size of the small one just now! It vaguely covered half of the Tuo River!

Within the whirlpool, countless floating corpses were rolled to the surface, standing upright, rising and falling on the waves like an army of the dead, staring at the back of my head and at Uncle Mei on the corpse-fishing boat with their empty, lifeless fish eyes.

Uncle Mei was dumbfounded on the spot, cursing under his breath with a pale face.

Little Mei, Old Huang, and the others on the riverbank were even more frightened, breaking out in cold sweats. Even the anti-feudal and anti-superstition young female police officer stared blankly at the countless floating corpses on the river, speechless.

I couldn't bother explaining to them and could only swim desperately towards the outside of the whirlpool, which was still expanding under the influence of the undercurrent and could swallow me at any moment.

Uncle Mei, who was paddling the corpse-fishing boat, was only stunned for a moment before immediately welcoming me. After getting closer, he quickly reached out with an oar and shouted, "Grab on!"

However, at that moment, I suddenly saw Uncle Mei's expression change. His bloodshot eyes widened suddenly as he looked in horror behind me!

As if there was something extremely terrifying behind me!

Unable to resist my curiosity, I subconsciously glanced back, and just that one glance almost caused me to be swept back into the whirlpool by the undercurrent!

In the center of the whirlpool, surrounded by many floating corpses, a black coffin suddenly shot out from under the water!

The coffin was like a canopy boat, undulating in the surging undercurrent. The floating corpses standing upright in the water surrounded it like trackers pulling a boat.

And in the instant after surfacing, the coffin began to shake violently, and then debris peeled off the side walls and cover, as if something inside was trying to break the coffin and get out!

Sure enough!

The coffin lid was soon smashed open. At this moment, I clearly saw a hand reaching out from inside the coffin!

A bloody hand!

Immediately afterwards, a struggling figure, screaming with heartbreaking misery, crawled out from inside the coffin. It twitched, writhed, shrieked, and then plunged headfirst into the Tuo River!

At this time, the sun was setting, and the bright moon was rising. The light on the Tuo River was dim. In this environment, it was difficult for me to see clearly whether the figure in the coffin was male or female, human or ghost.

I could only vaguely hear him screaming hoarsely in the river! Roaring!

At this moment, Uncle Mei pulled the oar in his hand and dragged me onto the corpse-fishing boat. I lay on the deck, gasping for breath, and asked Uncle Mei, "Uncle, did you see that thing in the coffin just now?"

Uncle Mei's face was pale, and he was covered in cold sweat. He nodded in response.

I asked him, "Uncle, what kind of thing was that?"

Uncle Mei didn't answer me because he didn't know either.

He just gripped the oar tightly and paddled towards the shore with all his might, leaving the whirlpool full of floating corpses as quickly as possible.

When the corpse-fishing boat reached the shore, he grabbed me and jumped onto the shore, then waved frantically at Little Mei:

"Let's go, let's go home! Hurry home!"

Old Li, however, walked quickly to me and asked in a deep voice, "Little Chen, what did you see underwater? Where did these floating corpses come from? And that black coffin..."

Uncle Mei didn't allow Old Li to ask any more questions, stepping in front of me and saying to Old Li, "Old Li! Leave the child a way out! We don't want the five hundred yuan. Please find someone else, alas!"

After speaking, Uncle Mei grabbed me with one hand and Little Mei with the other, and led us away, turning his head.

Old Huang from the Sanitation Bureau was also frightened out of his wits and quickly persuaded Old Li and his young apprentice:

"Let's go quickly, too, lest we lose our lives here. Didn't you see the water ghost drilling into the river? He'll be coming ashore to drag a scapegoat soon, let's go, let's go!"

The sky was gradually darkening, and countless floating corpses in the distance were standing on the waves, staring at the shore. The faint screams of the figure that crawled out of the black coffin could still be heard in the river. This scene made even the experienced Old Li shudder.

His young apprentice, who preached science and didn't believe in evil, was too frightened to speak, tugging at Old Li's sleeve and daring not to move. Old Li had no other choice but to quickly take her away first.

I followed Uncle Mei and Little Mei, running all the way away from the riverbank. On the way, Uncle Mei kept telling us no matter what sounds we heard, we must never turn our heads back, let alone look at those floating corpses in the river.

By the time we ran back to the village, the street lights had already been turned on.

Seeing the rows of dim, bright street lights and hearing the sounds of casual conversation from the homes, my unsettled heart finally felt a little more at ease.

Aunt Mei had already prepared dinner and was standing at the door waiting for us to return. Seeing the three of us running back from the riverbank with pale faces and lost souls, she quickly asked, "What's wrong? Did you encounter something evil?"

Uncle Mei wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, first calmed his breath, and then said with a bitter face:

"It's more than just encountering something evil. I've lived by this river for half my life, and I've always heard people say that floating corpses cause misfortune and water ghosts demand lives. Today, I've finally seen it with my own eyes."