The shopkeeper pointed out the location, and the government officials started digging with their hoes.
The soil on top was still quite loose, indicating that someone had been buried there not long ago.
Before long, the officials unearthed the first corpse.
Even though the weather wasn't particularly hot, the body was already somewhat decomposed, though it was still recognizable as a man.
The coroner examined the body and found no external injuries, estimating that the deceased had died of suffocation.
Next to the body, the coroner found a travel permit in a bundle.
The permit clearly stated that the person was an out-of-town merchant headed to Xiang City.
The officials continued digging, gradually widening the scope, and unearthed body after body.
The more they dug, the more the county magistrate's heart filled with fear.
