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墨書 Inktalez
I picked up the courage to voice my doubts to Third Granduncle Master, but the old fox merely glanced at me before turning away to urge everyone to pack their belongings and prepare for departure.
Was I… being completely ignored?
I looked around; everyone was busy with their own tasks. The people from the Yellow Witch kept their distance, huddled at the back, while Third Granduncle Master's group acted as if they were oblivious to us, much like a group of playful sea lions watching the water spray.
It was easy to see the divisions among the factions. The laxity of discipline and the authority of their leaders were apparent. A Chen’s relationship with Third Granduncle Master was well-known; their attitudes often reflected that of Third Granduncle Master himself. After all, Third Granduncle Master was their guiding star, their pillar of support. Once a teacher, always a teacher—if he ordered them to stand and die, they would never sit and live.
The people from the Yellow Witch were merely temporary recruits, each harboring their own ulterior motives and calculations. They didn’t know or trust one another, which made them skeptical of the Yellow Witch’s claims that “this thing only hunts in water.” Naturally, they were fearful. It seemed that the Witch’s flaws extended beyond what had just been revealed.
Third Granduncle Master always had his reasons for acting as he did. Since he didn’t seem worried about Shui Lai Tou, could it be that this entity wasn’t as fearsome as it appeared, merely a paper tiger? But how did Third Granduncle Master know? If he truly believed the Yellow Witch without question, how could I inform him that Shui Lai Tou was a fabrication without exposing the Witch's false identity?
Wait! I was mistaken; Third Granduncle Master must already know that the Witch's identity is fake yet remains indifferent to my warnings. That was the most critical issue—I couldn’t gain even a shred of his trust, and he showed no hesitation in displaying his distrust towards me!
But then again, how could I expect him to trust me when I was in such a state of anxiety? Otherwise, I would have been as calm as A Chen instead of feeling like an ant on a hot pan, worried for my life.
Ah! The interactions between people are so perplexing! A group of individuals who do not trust one another yet come together temporarily due to shared interests form a fragile alliance—superficially united but fundamentally disconnected. What could one expect from such an unstable coalition?
The Yellow Witch had a point: when this team inevitably collapses, merely standing by and watching would be considered an act of salvation.
Suddenly, I missed my junior brother and Old Qiao immensely. With our differing paths, I truly couldn’t stand being among these people for another moment!
I felt like an outsider, observing these busy individuals with cold detachment. When I saw A Chen helping A Li onto his back, I snapped back to reality—time for a familiar tactic!
I stepped forward and intercepted Liuzi, saying, "No need for you to carry her, I’ll take A Li."
Liuzi wouldn’t let go, his eyes wide open as if he could breathe fire. I stood my ground; A Li was not like my junior brother—she was a girl, and Liuzi had a notorious reputation that made it hard to trust him. Just then, in the midst of our tugging, A Li woke up.
I was overjoyed and quickly took her in my arms, helping her shake off the crowd as we moved forward until we reached the front of the line, where it was quieter. As we brushed past Liuzi, he glared at me fiercely, as if I had stolen something from him.
It wasn’t until much later that I realized his reaction was instinctive, a phenomenon known as "jealousy." He had fallen for A Li, which explained why he kept referring to her in such a feminine manner; in Liuzi’s hometown, that was a term of endearment a husband would use for his wife.
Since ancient times, there has been only one path on Mount Hua. We followed the river westward, with the Shui Lai Tou trailing us without making any aggressive moves—this was highly unusual. Their inaction was more unsettling than if they had simply killed a few of us outright; it felt as though they were plotting something.
With heads resembling those of humans, they possessed the cunning of human brains. Instead of attacking us immediately, they followed us with their piercing gazes… Wait, could it be the other way around? Were we not following them but rather they were leading us?
Forget it! It didn’t matter! If it’s meant to be a blessing, it won’t turn into a curse; if it’s meant to be a curse, there’s no escaping it. If I’ve survived this long, surely I won’t die so easily now.
I relaxed my mindset. Although A Li had just recovered from her illness, she seemed in good spirits. I quietly informed her about the Yellow Witch to give her a heads-up—if we could avoid provoking that person in the future, it would be best to keep our distance.
To my surprise, A Li raised an eyebrow as if she already knew. I began to doubt whether she had truly been unconscious or if she had overheard our conversation.
A Li chuckled lightly and didn’t tease me like she usually did with my junior brother. After glancing at the Yellow Witch’s position to ensure she couldn’t hear us, she leaned closer and whispered in my ear, “Her face is fake; I could tell at a glance. At ten years old, I had already mastered this level of disguise.” With that, A Li smiled proudly.
Indeed, I almost forgot—she was Li San, the Li San of Gui Mian Qian Gu. My little sister had truly grown up.
After about forty more minutes of walking, the river gradually widened and the current quickened, splitting into two branches. At that moment, someone shouted, “Look! The Shui Lai Tou have disappeared!”
Everyone immediately turned their lights toward the river. All we saw were shimmering waves and swirling undercurrents—yet not a single Shui Lai Tou was in sight! When did they vanish? Had their scheme already been set into motion? Had we fallen into their trap?
The crowd couldn't help but murmur anxiously, instinctively huddling together. Suddenly, someone from behind tapped me on the shoulder, nearly startling me out of my skin. Cold sweat broke out all over me as I turned to see it was A Chen. "Damn, Master wants me to ask you how we should proceed. If you're unsure, he can help you take a look," he said, his eyes scanning me up and down in place of Third Granduncle Master, but he didn't find what he was looking for.
At first, I didn't understand why they were asking me for directions when it was clearly Third Granduncle Master who had given the order to set off. But then it hit me— Third Granduncle Master and the others must have assumed that the map was with me. Had I inadvertently ended up at the front of the group and been mistaken for the leader?
What?! I was leading the team? I had always thought it was Third Granduncle Master!
I was momentarily stunned. How could I possibly know this route? So familiar, so natural? Was it possible that someone was guiding me from beyond?
A Chen called out to me again, and for some reason, I suddenly felt a surge of confidence. "No need to worry, let's go this way!" I said, completely relying on my instincts. What instincts? I wasn't sure, but I pointed toward the path on my right, which led northwest.
A Chen's expression fell slightly, as if he wanted to say something but held back. I could guess that Third Granduncle Master's original instructions were probably not so gentle; at the very least, he wouldn't have just asked for directions. Most likely, he had tasked A Chen with pressuring me to hand over the map.
After hearing my proposed route, the murmurs among the crowd escalated into loud discussions. Clearly, they didn't trust me; at this point, it seemed like no one believed in anything anymore.
I turned to the crowd and said, "Those who believe in me can follow; those who don't—there's nothing I can do about it. We part ways here!"
As soon as I finished speaking, someone in the crowd shouted, "This guy thinks he can ditch us and go off on his own! Everyone! Let's grab the map and go our own way!"
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