They were determined to follow Ning Wei's command, knowing that she intended to trap the reanimated corpse within the courtyard. Thus, they directly locked the gate.
To further fortify the entrance, they even moved heavy tables from elsewhere to brace it.
Upon hearing the sound of the lock, Ning Wei couldn't help but glance back.
Confirming that everyone else had fled the courtyard, leaving only herself and Li Ye, they exchanged a look. They then grabbed stools, smashed them against the reanimated corpse, and used the opportunity to scramble onto the rooftop from the wall.
"I'm exhausted," Ning Wei sighed, plopping down on the roof tiles. She watched the corpse thrash wildly below.
Fortunately, this thing hadn't fully transformed into a zombie yet; otherwise, this courtyard wouldn't have been able to contain it.
"What are you planning to do with him?" Li Ye asked, referring to the corpse.
Ning Wei already had a plan for this, which was why she had sent Song Zhi and the others to find the necessary items.
If the reanimated corpse could be bound with a rope soaked in the blood of a rooster or a black dog, its freedom would be restricted.
This was where Li Ye would come in. He would simply need to pry open the corpse's mouth, and Ning Wei would place a red thread into its throat, wrap it around the lingering breath, and pull it out. This would finally put the corpse to rest.
The reason the corpse had suddenly come to life was not solely due to the appearance of the black cat. There was also a prerequisite: a breath had been trapped in the corpse's throat that hadn't been exhaled.
Once this breath was expelled, the corpse would cease to cause trouble.
"Are your beads and ring useless now?" Ning Wei hadn't forgotten how Li Ye had been chased by the black cat across the rooftops and walls.
If his ring had been functional, that little cat would never have had the chance to toy with him.
Facing Ning Wei, Li Ye had nothing to hide.
He nodded, "Ever since we entered this town, both treasures have been mere decorations."
He then gave a wry smile, "I'm afraid I can't protect you this time."
Ning Wei couldn't bear to see his dejection. She patted his shoulder, "It's okay, this time let big sister cover for you!"
Since there was no target to attack, the reanimated corpse rampaged through the courtyard, smashing tables and chairs. The clattering sounds were particularly sharp in the night.
The two of them sat on the rooftop, enjoying the corpse's destructive capabilities, occasionally using roof tiles to draw its attention.
The reanimated corpse knew there was a living person on the rooftop, but it lacked the ability to jump up there, so it could only anxiously pace below.
The Uncle Meng had gone to invite had still not appeared. Everyone had placed all their hopes on Ning Wei.
Ning Wei maintained her balance, stepping onto the wall and looking down at Song Zhi, "Shout to me as soon as you find the items."
A young man from the town quickly pushed his way forward and asked Ning Wei, "Master, can you make the corpse stop? All this smashing and breaking, it's money!"
Ning Wei looked at him curiously, "Isn't it the corpse's own home that's being destroyed? What does that have to do with you?"
The young man quickly explained, "The corpse causing trouble inside is my uncle. He has no children, so everything in this house should rightfully be mine, therefore..."
Ning Wei glanced at him. This was clearly a case of profiting from the death of a relative.
The young man rubbed his hands together, looking at Ning Wei with a fawning expression, "Master, please, can you make him stop for now?"
"How can I make him stop without the tools? If you're worried about the things in the house, then hurry and go find what I need. Right now, he's smashing things in the yard, but soon he might start tearing through the rooms."
These people were just spectating. After such a long time, not a single capable person had stepped forward, nor had they brought the items she needed.
Ning Wei was burning with frustration. This person actually expected her to do something? This was preposterous.
However, since he had come knocking, it wasn't Ning Wei's style to not give him a scare.
As she currently had no one readily available to boss around, if this nephew still wanted to inherit the family's assets, he would have to obey her and quickly fetch the items.
After speaking, Ning Wei tiptoed and ran onto the rooftop again.
To ensure the nephew took her words to heart, Ning Wei threw down several more roof tiles, causing the reanimated corpse to create even more commotion in the courtyard.
The nephew had a rooster at home, but he was reluctant to kill it, so he kept hesitating and refusing to leave.
Zhu Yulian and the others were on Ning Wei's side. Seeing that the nephew still wasn't acting, she frowned at him, "Why haven't you gone yet? Don't you want the inheritance?"
The nephew chuckled, "The Master can't just abandon us, can she?"
Seeing his demeanor, Zhu Yulian couldn't help but roll her eyes.
Yuan Yuan quietly reminded him, "The Master has a bad temper and is a bit twisted. If you anger her, she won't just refuse to help, she might even release the reanimated corpse to scare you all. Try it if you don't believe me."
The townspeople exchanged glances, and finally, they pointed at the nephew, "Since it's your own uncle, sacrificing a rooster shouldn't be a big deal, right?"
"Don't forget that Fatty Toufish saved up quite a fortune over the years. Exchanging a rooster for so much money, it's not a loss!"
They badgered the nephew until his face turned red, their sole aim being to force him to kill his own rooster.
Watching the townspeople, Tang Tang felt that Ning Wei was being treated unfairly.
No wonder they had stayed outside and done nothing, no wonder the items Ning Wei needed were so slow to arrive. It turned out they were unwilling to part with a single rooster!
The nephew was finally persuaded. He slowly moved his feet and walked onto the street.
Seeing him leave, someone quickly said to Mei Nan, "His house is very close. He'll bring the items quickly. Please ask the Master to work hard and hold on until the end. Absolutely do not release the corpse. We have many elderly and children here."
Mei Nan also scoffed at these people, showing them no favor, "If you're so worried about the elderly and children at home, why are you unwilling to kill a rooster?"
At these words, the townspeople fell silent.
They felt they had done enough, at least they hadn't fled like others.
Raising a rooster took considerable effort; how could they kill it for someone they didn't know?
Although they were indignant, they still needed their help now, so no one voiced their true feelings.
They might be stingy, but they weren't foolish. They knew what to say and when.
Ning Wei and Li Ye sat on the rooftop, legs crossed, admiring the moonlight.
After Li Ye drove away the black cat, it had indeed not returned, as if its task for the night was simply to cause the corpse to create a commotion.
Under pressure, the nephew returned home. Ignoring his wife's objections, he took a cleaver and slit the throat of a rooster, collecting a large bowl of blood.
His wife, furious, pounded his back, "What a sin! My rooster, which I've raised for two years, ruined like this!"