Owen Bertram searched for people in the village while Vanessa Thoughts of Shadow stayed outside the village. After thinking for a moment, she hesitated and took out a small clay model of a building.
After throwing it into the air, the clay model grew in size as the wind blew. With a bang, it fell onto the ground outside the village and transformed into a four-story wooden building with over a dozen surrounding rooms.
"It's so valuable, I have to put it away before it gets dark."
As she sat in the building waiting, it wasn't long before a huge, illusory fireball rolled towards her from the distant sky. It made a sound like thunder, very eye-catching.
Vanessa Thoughts of Shadow pouted: "Always seeking attention."
The fireball approached quickly, and she could see that the flames were just illusions wrapping around a very luxurious carriage.
There was no need to mention the carriage itself. The creatures pulling it were two extremely majestic golden-furred Black Tigers!
However, Vanessa knew that these two only had a thin trace of Black Tiger blood. They were created using a divine skill, and their appearance was completely external.
This caused the two Imperial Beasts to look exactly like Black Tigers. However, they were merely ornamental and their strength was far worse than that of real Black Tigers.
It was just for show, looking impressive and intimidating.
The carriage landed in the courtyard, and a woman in her thirties with abundant curves and a bewitching air stepped out.
"Auntie, I'm here." Vanessa waved from upstairs.
The mature beauty, Cersei Bertram, looked up and smiled. She leaped onto the balcony and hugged Vanessa, rubbing her vigorously: "Ah, my sweet Vanessa, let me rub you... "
Vanessa's cheeks changed shape in her hands. Vanessa struggled and protested loudly: "Auntie! I'm not three years old anymore... "
"Right, back then your chubby smiling face was much more fun than now."
Vanessa: "..."
Several Horizon Bureau military officers followed behind Cersei, standing to the side with their hands over their mouths, trying to stifle their laughter.
"Auntie, let's focus on the task!" Vanessa put on a serious face. Before we meet next time, I must learn the Iron Face Divine Skill to hurt your hand!
Thinking of the task, Cersei frowned slightly: "What's the current situation?"
"I contacted the Extinct Village and promised to exempt them from the Life Saving Tax if the pearl divers help us retrieve the corpse." Vanessa briefed her on the situation.
One of the accompanying military officers expressed concern: "That corpse is strange. Can regular pearl divers handle it?"
Vanessa reluctantly replied: "We don't dare to enter the village easily, so we have to rely on them. Let's adapt to the situation."
Her jade talisman suddenly stood up in the building, emitting a bright light. It showed that Owen Bertram and the others had reached the Hunshui River's side.
Owen brought people to the riverside, took out the jade talisman, and the talisman automatically rose into the air, capturing the surrounding scene and sending it to Vanessa.
The villagers had never experienced this before, and the jade talisman amazed them. Master Basil, the oldest among them, stepped forward and asked: "Officers, is all the good stuff Owen said true?"
Cersei took charge and had an authoritative demeanor: "Of course, we come from the Horizon Bureau, the old man should have heard of it."
Master Basil nodded repeatedly, officials indeed.
"With just a word from us, the County Government Office will just follow suit. So, you can rest assured. Moreover... if the difficulty of salvaging the corpse is too great, we can further increase the rewards."
Master Basil and the others' faces lit up with joy, and they all said in unison: "Thank you, ma'am."
Cersei gave a slight nod, leaving the rest of the negotiations to Vanessa.
"That corpse floated from the Màngjiang River. We estimate that it should be at the junction of the Hunshui River and the Màngjiang River. You should search section by section."
Uncle thought about it and said nervously: "So that the officers know, there are many fierce creatures in this river, and once a body falls in, it's often eaten clean in less than half a day..."
Vanessa interrupted him: "This corpse is a bit different, and those ordinary creatures won't dare to touch it."
Uncle didn't dare to say any more.
Owen had some doubts since the corpse floated from the Màngjiang River, it shouldn't have entered the Hunshui River. The Hunshui River was only a tributary of the Màngjiang River, and it could only flow from the Hunshui River into the Màngjiang River, not the other way around.
Cersei reminded them: "Everyone, be careful. If something goes wrong, immediately report back, and we will figure out a solution. As long as you find the corpse, the rewards we promised will be given. If you can retrieve the corpse, the rewards will be doubled!"
Master Basil and the others' eyes lit up.
At the Hunshui River, several people discussed and divided the river sections before preparing to dive in. Suddenly, a group of people ran out from the village, shouting: "Wait a minute!"
The one in the lead was a tall middle-aged man. In a village full of the old and weak like Extinct Village, this man could definitely be considered "strong."
Of course, this didn't include Verna.
Master Basil frowned: "Cliff Maxwell, what are you here for?"
Ignoring Master Basil, the middle-aged man Cliff Maxwell bowed with a fist towards Cersei and the others in the jade talisman's projection: "Officers, we should be the ones to take on this task."
Uncle and the others immediately got angry; someone wanted to steal their opportunity! This task could exempt a year's worth of Life Saving Tax!
"Why?" They all started arguing.
Cliff sneered and said: "I'll give just one reason. In the entire Extinct Village, other than me, who has ever dived into the Màngjiang River?"
Their arguments were instantly silenced by his words.
Cliff had indeed dived into the Màngjiang River half a year ago.
The larger the river, the more dangerous it was. Although Cliff only dived at the junction of the Màngjiang River and the Hunshui River and didn't dare to go deep into the Màngjiang River, his achievement was considered to be a remarkable "feat" among the villagers. No one else had managed to accomplish it.
In the small building at the village entrance, Cersei glanced at Vanessa, who felt embarrassed. Owen was too unreliable in handling matters. But then it crossed her mind: Were the people Owen brought really the ones behind him?
Vanessa looked at Master Basil and Uncle, their ragged clothes, emaciated bodies, and subservient faces. They didn't look like hidden experts at all.
Cliff continued: "You guys are not capable and will delay the important tasks of these officers. Can you bear that responsibility?"
He then looked at Owen: "Officer, you've entrusted such an important task to someone who is so selfish to choose only his acquaintances. It's despicable!"
Cersei didn't make a fuss about such a trivial matter, since she often encountered people trying to get small benefits for their friends or family. It was just a small reward in her eyes, but to ordinary people, it was a great fortune.
"There's no need for that," Cersei protected her niece's reputation. "You all go into the water, and whoever finds it first will get the reward."
With Cersei's words, the matter was settled.
At the riverside, the villagers made their preparations before diving into the water.
Master Basil approached Owen and whispered: "Owen, I'm sorry for making you lose face this time."
Owen looked at Uncle and the others, lacking confidence. Cliff was indeed the best pearl diver in the village, and they didn't feel confident winning against him.
Owen smiled: "It's no big deal."
With Owen's presence, Cliff and the others couldn't win.