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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 45: The Livestock Village
Lin Chuyu and Ji Zichen slept in the same room, one on a couch and the other on a bed. Kiko had requested this arrangement, believing that if something unexpected happened while they were separated, it would catch them off guard. A window beside the couch was open, and the bright moonlight streamed in, illuminating Kiko's sharply defined cheekbones.
Lin Chuyu lay on the bed, propping her head up with one hand as she silently watched Kiko sleeping across from her. She thought to herself, "After that giant black rat attacked the village and caused such a commotion, he can still sleep soundly. I really admire him."
Lin Chuyu tossed and turned in bed. "I can't sleep."
Just then, Vermilion Bird Pearl suddenly opened its eyes, fixating on Kiko's Demon-Slaying Sword.
The Demon-Slaying Sword was propped up at the head of the bed; if anything happened, Kiko could easily reach for it.
Lin Chuyu was taken aback and sat up halfway, covering Vermilion Bird Pearl with her hand. "Vermilion Bird Pearl, why are you looking at the Demon-Slaying Sword?"
As she gazed at the sword, Lin Chuyu thought, "That's right; his sword is quite strange. Why does he wrap it in black cloth instead of using a sheath? Last time in the Cornerstone Secret Passage, he had a fire dragon attached to the sword but didn't remove the black cloth. And afterward, it didn't even burn."
At that moment, a double image of the Demon-Slaying Sword appeared, as if two swords had manifested simultaneously. The double image vanished in just a breath's time. Lin Chuyu rubbed her eyes and wondered, "Have I been lying down too long and started to see things?"
Curiosity piqued within her; she had never seen the true form of the Demon-Slaying Sword. Seeing that Kiko was in deep sleep, Lin Chuyu quietly got out of bed. She tiptoed to the couch, trying to make as little noise as possible. She wanted to take the Demon-Slaying Sword outside to examine it closely. However, as soon as her hand touched the sword...
The black cloth around the Demon-Slaying Sword began to unravel on its own with a rustling sound. Near the hilt of the sword was a black pattern resembling a vortex; it flowed slightly as if it were alive. Below that pattern were four dragon carvings.
Lin Chuyu's expression changed dramatically! Staring at the subtly moving pattern, she gasped inwardly, "What is this flowing pattern?"
---
Outside the mansion, in the woods, Fire Lion and Lifeng wandered through the trees with an uneasy air. Lifeng expressed his discontent, saying, "Big Brother, it seems we've fallen into Ji Zichen's trap. He lured us into this strange place. Earlier we both passed out; I don't know how long we slept, but look at that moon—it hasn't moved from its position for two hours."
Fire Lion maintained a calm expression and said, "Stay composed. This place feels unusual to me."
In front of the two, there was an open space where a person lay on the ground with their back facing up. Lifeng stared intently at the individual and remarked, "That person is not Ji Zichen."
The two stopped three paces away from the person. Lifeng said, "Big Brother, I'm going to check if they are dead or alive."
As Lifeng took a couple of steps forward, the person on the ground let out a groan, "It hurts, it really hurts."
The individual shakily got up and leaned against a nearby tree trunk.
Lifeng smirked, "They're alive! Finally, someone we can ask for directions."
This place exuded an air of strangeness, and Fire Lion cautioned, "Second Brother, be careful."
Lifeng replied, "I understand, Big Brother. I'll be cautious."
As Lifeng gradually approached the person, he scrutinized their appearance. The individual had a square face and big ears, looking quite dignified and exuding an air of wealth.
Seeing that the person was a businessman, Lifeng felt a surge of confidence. Observing the person's nails, excitement flickered in Lifeng's eyes. "Brother, your nails have grown long; it's time for a trim."
The person looked directly at Lifeng, their face breaking into a smile. "Two more outsiders have arrived; things are getting lively now."
---
The swirling patterns gave Lin Chuyu a sense of foreboding. She stared at Vortex, feeling as if it were Vortex who was watching her. As she locked eyes with the swirling Vortex, an icy chill ran through her body. "Is this really the Demon-Slaying Sword? It's truly terrifying."
The swirling Vortex seemed to be calling Lin Chuyu, urging her to touch the pattern. In that moment, Lin Chuyu appeared to be entranced, her right index finger extending closer and closer to the Vortex.
Just as Lin Chuyu's fingertip was mere inches away from the Vortex, a voice broke through the silence.
"Don't touch it!"
Ji Zichen lay on the couch, his eyes wide open, yet they held a chilling intensity that froze Lin Chuyu in place. The look in Ji Zichen's eyes was like that of a demon, instilling fear in her; it felt as if he would devour her the moment she made contact with the Vortex.
This was the first time she had seen such a terrifying gaze emanating from Ji Zichen.
Ji Zichen propped himself up on one side, his right hand resting on the hilt of his sword. The black cloth covering the Demon-Slaying Sword began to rustle and wrap protectively around it.
With a fierce glare, Ji Zichen warned Lin Chuyu sternly, "Don't touch that sword, or I'll kill you!"
Lin Chuyu clenched her teeth, her wide eyes filled with terror. "I... I'm sorry... I won't touch it..."
Ji Zichen sheathed the Demon-Slaying Sword and placed it beside him on the couch. "Go to sleep."
Lin Chuyu trembled as she took two steps back. "I'm sorry, Brother Ji. I won't touch your sword again. I just saw it create a Double Image and was curious..."
Ji Zichen turned back to lie down on the couch, facing away from her. "There’s no Double Image; you’re just too tired. Rest."
As Ji Zichen listened to Lin Chuyu's footsteps retreating toward the door, he heard it open and then close again. He sighed softly. "Did I come on too strong?"
He then sat up again and strapped the Demon-Slaying Sword onto his back. "Since I can't sleep, I should clarify things."
Ji Zichen also stepped out of the house.
Lin Chuyu, with a nervous heart, unknowingly walked to the edge of the forest. She was drawn by the sound of shovels clanging together and followed the noise, discovering seven or eight villagers digging holes in the woods, with several coffins placed beside them.
The villagers were startled by Lin Chuyu's sudden appearance. "Are you the villagers?" she asked.
The villagers showed signs of panic, dropping their shovels and hurriedly fleeing back to the village. Lin Chuyu was taken aback. "Wait! I'm not a monster, don't run away!"
The villagers fled as if they had seen a ghost, not daring to look back. Lin Chuyu chased after them.
She caught up with one villager who was at the back of the group. As he ran towards his home, he was about to close the door when Lin Chuyu reached out and held it open. She locked eyes with him through the gap in the door. "Why are you running? I'm not one of those monsters!"
The villager took two steps back, trembling as he bowed his head on the ground. "I'm sorry, please forgive me. Madam Jiang has rules; we don't talk to outsiders."
Lin Chuyu noticed that his accent sounded very much like someone from Black Marsh. She stepped inside the house and asked, "Your accent sounds like you're from Southern Eternal Source?"
The villager continued bowing respectfully as he replied, "Yes, Madam Jiang bought us during the Cornerstone Slave Festival."
Lin Chuyu was shocked. "You were sold here!"
The villager nodded repeatedly, still bowing. "Yes."
"Get up," Lin Chuyu said. "You don't need to kneel."
The villager replied, "Yes," and stood up.
Lin Chuyu took a deep breath and smiled, "Being sold here isn't so bad; this place won't grow old, unlike others..." Suddenly, she couldn't continue, as she remembered that Madam Jiang was not like those great benefactors. These people lived in the village but were almost like slaves. In this place where one wouldn't age, it meant they would be slaves for eternity. What a terrifying thought that was.
Lin Chuyu stopped speaking and quickly asked, "How long have you been here? Do you know where Zhuque is?"
The villager stared blankly and said, "Zhuque? I don't know what Zhuque is. We are forbidden from going too far from the village."
The villager suddenly pleaded, "Miss, you should leave quickly. If someone sees me talking to you, I will be punished."
"Punished!" Lin Chuyu gasped; the word sent chills down her spine.
Suddenly, three Guardians appeared outside. One of them sneered, "Lin Chuyu, why aren't you resting in the manor? What are you doing in this livestock pen?"
"Livestock pen!" Lin Chuyu glared at the Guardian and asked, "What kind of joke is that? How can this place be a livestock pen?"
The Guardian laughed loudly and said, "If this isn't a livestock pen, then what is it? To tell you the truth, the entire village is our Divine Clan's livestock pen. These villagers are just our domesticated animals!"
Lin Chuyu's expression changed dramatically! She exclaimed angrily, "They are human beings! How can you treat them like livestock?"
The Guardian laughed heartily as if he had heard a delightful joke. "Why can't they be livestock? Do you think humans are so noble? You can raise chickens, ducks, pigs, and cows as livestock to provide you with meat. In our Divine Clan's eyes, humans are also livestock; they are merely a source of food for us. Lin Chuyu, the lady treats you as a guest and allows you to stay in the manor; don't take it for granted."
Lin Chuyu was stunned into silence, feeling as helpless as a cold cicada.
The Guardian looked at the villager and licked his lips. "Hey, come out."
The villagers turned pale with fear, immediately kneeling and begging for mercy. "Please spare us! It was this girl who barged in; I couldn't stop her..."
The Guardians paid no heed to his explanation. With smug expressions, they chuckled, "We feed you well and keep you satisfied, yet you can't even handle a single girl? What use do we have for you? You let a guest of the lady into your livestock pen! You're slapping the lady's face! You better come out willingly; I don't want to go into the pen to drag you out."
The villager trembled, crying out in desperation, "Please spare me! Spare me..."
The Guardians' faces twisted with rage as one shouted, "You wretched beast! How dare you defy me!"
Three Guardians rushed into the house. Lin Chuyu suddenly screamed, "Stop! It was me who intruded; it has nothing to do with him!"
One of the Guardians grabbed Lin Chuyu and slammed her against the wall, growling, "Mind your own business, or I'll drain your blood!"
The other two Guardians transformed into massive black rats and lunged at the villager, who immediately screamed in terror. One black rat said, "Don't drink too much; there should be limits to your torture. Don't kill him."
The other black rat remarked, "Hey, why does this blood taste sour?"
Upon seeing the villager, the rat spat out some blood foam. "Oh no, he’s scared to death! No wonder the blood tastes so sour."
At that moment, instead of being frightened, Lin Chuyu was filled with fury. "You are despicable!"
She glared at the Guardian pinning her against the wall. Drawing a Vajra from her waist, she stabbed it into the Guardian, killing him instantly. The two transformed rats were enraged, and Lin Chuyu panicked and ran outside as they chased after her.
One of the black rats shouted, "I'm going to kill you!"
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