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墨書 Inktalez
There is a poem that goes: "The mist rises over Yunmeng Marsh, waves shaking the city of Yueyang!" Yunmeng Marsh was one of the most famous wetlands in ancient times, known for its "ten days of fog out of nine." During spring, autumn, and winter, thick fog enveloped the area all day long, with few sunny days. Poisonous snakes and wild beasts roamed freely, making it a notorious perilous place. However, as time passed and the landscape changed, Yunmeng Marsh gradually disappeared from the map of China, becoming the Atlantis of China. Yet tales about it have been passed down through generations for thousands of years, remaining ever vibrant.
Currently, there is a consensus that Yunmeng Marsh was likely located in the Jianghan region of central Yangtze River. However, history has seen many changes; what was once Yunmeng Marsh has transformed into a modern steel forest. How can one find the legendary three-legged golden crow that can heal Wei Ning in this ancient marsh?
The next day, after Wei Ning finished packing, Qiqi was waiting in the hall. She casually carried a leather suitcase, unsure how many changes of clothes it could hold, while cradling a Black Cat in her other arm.
This Black Cat seemed perpetually half-asleep, drowsily nestled in Qiqi's arms. Wei Ning had never seen it open its eyes or make a sound.
"Let's go," Qiqi said calmly.
This time, Wei Ning would truly experience the unpleasantness of crow droppings. Frowning, he held his breath and stepped cautiously through the Burning Corpse Forest. Looking back at Qiqi, he noticed her already pale face had turned even whiter. Qiqi was known for her cleanliness; walking through such filthy places was more unbearable than seeing her get hurt. Unable to bear it any longer, Wei Ning said to Qiqi, "I can carry you."
"No need," Qiqi coldly rejected him. Wei Ning shrugged and replied, "Suit yourself."
Suddenly, a giant crow plummeted from a tree right towards Qiqi's face. Startled, she turned pale and instinctively grabbed Wei Ning's shoulder.
Wei Ning felt Qiqi's grip was so strong that it almost pierced through his clothes into his flesh, indicating just how frightened she was.
He swatted away the crow and found Qiqi's startled expression amusing. This was the first time he had seen her show such vulnerability; despite her usual stoic demeanor and cold exterior from dealing with snakes and insects daily, she was still a girl. Naturally, girls have an inherent fear of such creatures. When confronted unexpectedly by these monsters without mental preparation, their courage would inevitably falter. Watching Qiqi struggle to regain her composure while her chest rose and fell rapidly made him say gently, "Alright, stop pretending to be tough. Come on."
Wei Ning crouched down to signal for Qiqi to climb on. After hesitating for a moment and lowering her head slightly while moving her lips silently, she finally climbed onto his back. He hoisted her up and continued forward through the foul-smelling area.
After what felt like an eternity, they finally emerged from the Burning Corpse Forest. The first thing Wei Ning did was look for a place to change clothes. Fortunately, not far away was a stream that remained unpolluted due to its location in the mountains. The water was crystal clear with fish and shrimp frolicking within it. Wei Ning scooped up some water to drink and felt instantly refreshed; his mind cleared significantly from the stench of crow droppings.
Overjoyed, he stripped down to just his shorts and jumped into the stream. Qiqi opened her mouth to stop him but held back her words as she hugged the Black Cat and stepped aside.
"You should wash up too; don't worry about it being in the mountains—there's no one else around. Besides, I’ll keep watch," Wei Ning said as he emerged from the stream feeling invigorated.
Qiqi desperately wanted to clean off the foul-smelling filth clinging to her but hesitated because she was a girl; doing so openly felt inconvenient. Wei Ning chuckled and said, "Are you really planning to head down wearing those clothes? That's environmental pollution! Don’t worry; while I’m not exactly a paragon of virtue, I wouldn’t stoop so low as to peek at a girl bathing."
Qiqi thought for a moment, ultimately unable to resist the temptation of the stream. Coldly, she said, "If you dare to peek, I'll blind you in your remaining eye."
Wei Ning's expression darkened. Qiqi knew that mentioning his blindness was a sensitive topic for him, and her words had undoubtedly struck a nerve. However, it was too late to take them back. Apologizing would be more painful than death, so she decided to change the subject. "Where are your clothes? Give them to me. You're a man; you can't wash them properly. I'll help you out."
After a while, Qiqi changed into a set of black clothing. Wei Ning had chopped some bamboo to make a simple clothes rack. It was a bright sunny day, and within two hours under the sun, their clothes were dry. When Wei Ning took the clothes Qiqi had washed, he noticed that not only had the foul smell of crow droppings disappeared, but they also emitted a faint pleasant fragrance. He wondered what kind of detergent Qiqi had used.
The two made their way down the mountain and passed through Miao Village. By evening, they arrived at a larger town. Qiqi hadn't been down the mountain in several years and found herself somewhat unaccustomed to the rapid changes around her, her eyes darting about as she took in her surroundings.
This was quite a large town, with shops lining both sides of the National Highway, home to several thousand families. Perhaps due to it being Sunday, the streets were bustling with activity. Qiqi and Wei Ning attracted attention immediately—one wearing a mask and the other with an eye patch over one eye.
However, Qiqi's fair skin and delicate features, especially her long legs that stood out among the crowd, drew many men's gazes.
Qiqi paid no mind to the stares; she lightly stroked the Black Cat in her arms. On the other hand, Wei Ning felt uncomfortable under the scrutiny and muttered, "Watching should come with some manners."
Having skipped lunch, both were feeling hungry. Wei Ning casually found a restaurant on the street where they sat down and ordered some home-style dishes. When their food arrived, a waitress who looked no older than seventeen or eighteen served them. Perhaps because she found Qiqi beautiful, she carelessly brushed her hand against Qiqi's as she set down the dishes. Qiqi felt displeased but chose to endure it.
Wei Ning hesitated about whether to react but noticed six or seven ruffians lurking outside peering in. Thinking it better not to escalate matters, especially since Qiqi hadn’t reacted either—perhaps it was unintentional—he decided to let it go. Seeing that neither Wei Ning nor Qiqi made a fuss led one of the ruffians to become even bolder as he approached Qiqi with a grin and said, "Hey there, beautiful. Feeling lonely? How about I take you out for some fun?"
The ruffians outside immediately began to cheer, raising the tension in the air.
One shouted from outside, "Hey gorgeous! How much for a night? Just name your price! Don’t be so cold; we’re all just here for fun!"
Wei Ning jumped up angrily, but just then, Qiqi stepped on his foot under the table. Understanding her cue, he suppressed his rage and sat back down.
Seeing Wei Ning stand up only to sit back down again made the ruffians think he had backed down, emboldening them further. A few of them squeezed into the restaurant; one braver soul reached out to remove Qiqi's mask. She swatted his hand away without getting angry and coldly said, "Get lost."
"Oh? This girl’s got some fire," said Brother Guang with enthusiasm. "Hey beautiful, don’t be like that! This area is all under Brother Guang’s protection. If you spend some time with me tonight, I guarantee you'll be treated like royalty here—everyone will call you 'Sister-in-law.' How about we roll together? Once we’re in bed and I close the door and turn off the lights, I’ll make sure you have an unforgettable time."
Several ruffians were laughing uncontrollably.
Wei Ning and Qiqi remained silent, and Brother Guang became even more convinced that the two were intimidated. He leaned closer, grinning mischievously, and said, "Hey, beautiful, with this blind..."
Before Brother Guang could finish his sentence, Qiqi calmly flicked a bit of saliva from her fingers into the crowd. Suddenly, Brother Guang stood rigidly as if possessed. Qiqi coldly commanded, "Slap yourself."
Brother Guang's eyes glazed over, and he suddenly slapped himself three times. Qiqi added, "Kneel!"
Without hesitation, Brother Guang dropped to his knees.
The surrounding ruffians were thrown into chaos upon witnessing Brother Guang's strange behavior. They were at a loss for what to do. Suddenly, an older man in the crowd seemed to recall something and his eyes filled with terror as he shouted, "She used a flying curse! She is the Grass Witch! The girl is the Grass Witch!"
Upon hearing the words "Grass Witch," the crowd reacted as if they had heard something horrifying. They scrambled to flee, shouting in panic, "Quick! Notify the village chief! The Grass Witch has come to our village! Hurry!"
In an instant, the street was cleared of people.
Qiqi glanced at Wei Ning and said irritably, "Why are you still sitting there? Let's go."
At that moment, Wei Ning snapped back to reality, realizing they had stirred up some trouble. But why would it provoke such public outrage? With no time to ponder further, he and Qiqi hurried away without finishing their meal.
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