This fear couldn't be faked, nor did he have any reason to do so.
Feng Yu shook his head helplessly and stopped thinking about it.
It seemed the only way to figure these things out was when his memory returned.
"I still don't know your name, fellow Daoist?" Feng Yu asked again.
The man forced a smile onto his face and said, "My name is Liang Zhengping. My father is from the Corpse-Retrieval sect."
"Corpse-Retrieval sect?"
Feng Yu suddenly recalled the information he had researched and asked, "Yellow River Corpse-Retrievers?"
Liang Zhengping nodded. "That's right, Yellow River Corpse-Retrievers."
Feng Yu couldn't help but be a little surprised. The Yellow River Corpse-Retrievers were known even to ordinary people.
Liang Zhengping's smile faded, and he said, "Fellow Daoist Feng, you'd best prepare yourself for hell."
"Prepare for hell?"
Feng Yu said dismissively, "Are you talking about Chen Tao's bullying?"
Liang Zhengping nodded with a grim expression. "That's right."
Feng Yu waved his hand, looking disdainful. "What's there to fear? If you can't handle it, just move in with me. If he dares to trouble you then, we'll deal with him together. Two against one, the advantage is ours."
Liang Zhengping shook his head bitterly, despair in his voice. "It's not that simple. More than half of the students in the archaeology department are bullied, but no one dares to resist."
Hearing this, Feng Yu's interest was piqued. "Why? Is that guy incredibly powerful?"
Liang Zhengping nodded, then shook his head. "Chen Tao is not weak, but he's not so overwhelmingly strong that he's invincible."
At this, Feng Yu became even more confused. "Then why don't you resist?"
He didn't need to say more. If they were willing to join forces, each of them could kick him once.
He'd be so beaten his parents wouldn't recognize him.
Liang Zhengping shook his head and didn't explain. "You'll understand the terrifying nature of these super families later."
Seeing that Liang Zhengping wasn't elaborating, Feng Yu didn't press further.
But he truly couldn't understand why these people didn't team up to deal with Chen Tao.
However, he would be meeting Chen Tao soon.
He wanted to see what methods Chen Tao actually possessed.
Liang Zhengping reminded him again, "When you see Chen Tao later, don't talk back to him. Do as he says, and perhaps you'll have fewer蛊虫卵 (gu chong luan -蛊 worm eggs) planted on you."
"What are these蛊虫卵?"
Feng Yu had heard Chen Tao asking Liang Zhengping to deliver something called "treasure worms" on the phone earlier.
Was there a connection?
"Do you really want to know?"
Liang Zhengping's expression suddenly turned extremely grim, but then he gave a bitter laugh. "Yes, you'll soon have these蛊虫卵 planted on you too, so it's best to prepare yourself mentally."
As he spoke, Liang Zhengping rolled up his sleeves, revealing both his arms.
Feng Yu looked curiously, and his expression immediately changed. He instinctively took a step back.
Feng Yu considered himself not to have trypophobia, but the scene before him made his scalp tingle.
Although the corridor lights were flickering, Feng Yu could still vaguely see that Liang Zhengping's arms were covered in pustules the size of a little finger.
Even more bizarrely, these pustules seemed to be wriggling slightly.
Feng Yu looked closer and then realized.
At the tip of each pustule was the head of a maggot, utterly disgusting and chilling to behold.
Maggots themselves weren't scary, but when they grew on a person, especially a living person, it looked incredibly eerie.
Liang Zhengping noticed Feng Yu's disgusted expression and gave a wry smile. "You can't handle this?"
Feng Yu nodded but said nothing.
He truly didn't know what to say.
Liang Zhengping seemed unfazed, perhaps accustomed to it. He said, "What if I told you my entire body is covered in these蛊虫卵?"
"Your entire body?"
Feng Yu could hardly believe it.
What would it look like to have one's entire body covered in these蛊虫卵?
He couldn't even imagine it.
Would looking in the mirror scare him to death?
Feng Yu found it hard to comprehend that this was something a human would do, and asked, "Is this Chen Tao's masterpiece?"
"That's right."
Liang Zhengping began to explain. "This蛊 is called 血飞星 (Xue Fei Xing - Blood Flying Star). A single one might not be much, but if hundreds or thousands are controlled together, even a master on the Heaven Ranking couldn't resist. However, cultivating these Xue Fei Xing is very troublesome; they must parasitize in a human body to grow, and it must be a living body."
Hearing this, Feng Yu couldn't believe it.
There were such venomous蛊 in this world.
Liang Zhengping had at least a hundred or so蛊虫卵 on him.
If they all hatched, would he still be alive?
"These蛊虫卵 aren't just on you, are they?" Feng Yu asked.
Liang Zhengping nodded. "That's right. Because the Spiritual Affairs Bureau prohibits the Chen family from cultivating Xue Fei Xing with ordinary people, and Chen Tao caused such a stir in the archaeology department as soon as he entered university, he was forced to use people from our profession to cultivate the Xue Fei Xing."
"More than half of the archaeology department has been planted with these蛊虫卵 by Chen Tao, but mine are just more numerous."
"The rest are either disciples of major sects that Chen Tao doesn't dare to touch, or from sects that are on good terms with the Chen family."
Feng Yu's expression was blank, but his fists were clenched so tightly they made a cracking sound. His voice was low. "Have you never thought of resisting?"
"Resisting?"
Liang Zhengping gave a bitter smile, shook his head, and resigned himself. "Who doesn't have a bit of backbone? Especially people in our line of work, but..."
At this point, Liang Zhengping suddenly stopped, his expression changing drastically. "Not good, it's coming out."
As soon as he finished speaking, Liang Zhengping quickly ran towards the leftmost room.
Seeing Liang Zhengping suddenly rush forward, Feng Yu, though confused, followed him.
Arriving at the door of the last dormitory, Liang Zhengping raised his hand and opened it.
Because it was night, and the corridor lights were already dim, it was impossible to see clearly what was inside, but faint chirping sounds could be heard.
This chirping was very distinctive, the sound of insects.
Judging by the sound, the number of insects inside was likely terrifying.
Feng Yu was curious and was about to take out his phone to turn on the flashlight to investigate when Liang Zhengping stopped him.
"No light inside!"
Hearing this, Feng Yu put his phone away and looked at Liang Zhengping beside him.
He slowly took off his upper garment, revealing his back covered in maggot heads.
Although Feng Yu was somewhat prepared, he couldn't help but feel a chill.
It was simply too horrifying.
Compared to his arms, it was even more terrifying. If someone with trypophobia saw this, they would surely be driven to distraction and never forget it for the rest of their lives.
On Liang Zhengping's left shoulder, a蛊 worm was slowly tearing through the flesh and crawling out.
This蛊 worm, called Xue Fei Xing, was not large, looking even smaller than a dung beetle, but it was entirely crimson, with a pair of prominent fangs.