Corpse-Eating Rats

**Corpse-Eating Rats** (食尸鼠, *Shí Shī Shǔ*) are rats that originated from the kingdom of Wuyong and survived by eating the corpses of those who died due to the volcano outbreak.

## Appearance

The Corpse-Eating Rats are bigger than normal rats, said to be larger than a kitten. They have black fur with thick and needle-like hairs, as well as glowing red eyes.

They are able to let out screams and cries that sound human.

## History

### Origin

At first these creatures were ordinary rats that lived in the kingdom of Wuyong. While the people and larger animals all succumbed to the volcano outbreak, the surface of the kingdom completely covered in ash, the rats were able to dig deeply underground and survive by depending on the air and stored sustenance of the caves.

When they emerged again, they were searching for something to eat, but since everything was destroyed, the rats were unable to find anything. They starved for a long time until they started to smell the rotting of corpses. After finding the deceased people of Wuyong, they winded up eating the rotting bodies and managed to survive once more.

The people's rage, terror and other emotions were wrapped within their corpses covered in a thin layer of ash. By eating the dead bodies, the rats absorbed those emotions as well, resulting in them gaining the ability to speak human tongue and express what those people felt or wanted to say as they were dying. They still continue to roam around Tonglu Mountain.

### Investigation on Tonglu Mountain

One of the rats could be heard in one of Wuyong's divine temples that Xie Lian and the others enter during their mission.

Xie Lian later encounters a river and fills his jar with the water, but it turns out one of the rats had swum into the vessel. He hears it speak and smashes the jar, but soon more and more voices surround him and Hua Cheng. Hua Cheng continues to explain what these creatures are and where they originated from.

At one point, Pei Ming had come across some rats, killing them, so Ban Yue could cook them for Pei Xiu to eat.

As Xie Lian, Hua Cheng, Pei Ming and Yushi Huang are later investigating the imperial city, a Corpse-Eating Rat climbs upon Yushi Huang's ox, bites into him and lets out a loud cry before it is swung against a wall by Yushi Huang herself. It continues to scream for "his highness" to save it, but the rat explodes almost immediately due to Hua Cheng. Shortly after, thousands of rats come swarming towards the group. Yushi Huang quickly mounts her ox and rides off, slow enough that the rats could keep her in sight. She leaves a trail of white rice and thus manages to lead them away.

While the entire group is escaping the region, Yin Yu explains that the rats suddenly became rambunctious and began to move in large groups to leave Tonglu Mountain.

### Royal Capital

The Corpse-Eating Rats, as well as Empty-Shelled People, were transported to the royal capital by Jun Wu to help disrupt the human array set up in the city. As they charge towards the array however, the ghosts from Ghost City help quell the swarm and kill the rats alongside Pei Ming and Yushi Huang.

The surviving and injured rats become frightened and flee.

## Trivia

* They are not of great strength and were easily killed by Hua Cheng's butterflies.
* Xie Lian is the only one who could understand what the rats were saying.
* They have the ability to swim and can be found in the rivers on Tonglu Mountain.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Novel, Book 3, Chapter 166: Saint Born Under the Ominous Star II
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Novel, Book 3, Chapter 172: Ride the Black Ox; Flying Hooves Mount the Kiln
3. ↑ Novel, Book 3, Chapter 165: Saint Born Under the Ominous Star
4. ↑ Novel, Book 3, Chapter 169: Ghost Fire Top; Unlocking the Incantation II
5. ↑ Novel, Book 5, Chapter 201: Dominate Heaven and Earth; Divine Being Breaks Through the Kiln III
6. ↑ Novel, Book 5, Chapter 228: Burning Flames of Karma; Demonic God Descends Upon Royal Capital II
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Novel, Book 5, Chapter 228: Burning Flames of Karma; Demonic God Descends Upon Royal Capital III