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墨書 Inktalez
Just when I was about to collapse, the door beside me was suddenly kicked open.
Li Mubai burst in, holding the Bronze Sword. Upon seeing me being choked by the Flower Boy, he swung the Bronze Sword down fiercely.
In an instant, the Flower Boy's hands were severed, and I shook off the disgusting arms that were still gripping my neck, retreating behind Li Mubai.
"Senior Brother, you're here! That's great."
"Step aside, leave it to me."
Li Mubai's voice was extremely cold, as if he found my presence bothersome.
I obediently followed his instructions and moved to the side of the bed, preparing a Spirit Binding Talisman.
This was my first time witnessing Li Mubai in action. The Flower Boy, who had seemed incredibly powerful just moments ago, now appeared as weak as a white chicken before Li Mubai, completely at his mercy.
Seeing he was outmatched, the Flower Boy pleaded with Li Mubai, "Let me go, and I'll spare both of you. Otherwise, we'll all perish together."
Li Mubai would never compromise. He sneered and replied, "Then let's see who perishes first."
With the Bronze Sword dancing in his hand and a talisman clutched tightly, Li Mubai charged at the Flower Boy.
As I saw Li Mubai about to send the Flower Boy into despair, I felt a pang of sympathy. I rushed forward with the Spirit Binding Talisman to immobilize the Flower Boy.
I pleaded with Li Mubai, "Senior Brother, let me help him find peace."
Li Mubai glanced at me and coldly said, "Your compassion will be your downfall."
After he finished lecturing me, he left my room.
I sent the soul of the Flower Boy to the afterlife, then tidied up my room and went to sleep.
I didn't know what time Shangguan Mingyue came back that night; I only knew she got up early in the morning.
As she got up, she also pulled me out of bed.
"Bright Moon, why are you up so early?" I asked, still groggy from staying up late the night before.
"Hurry up, Yan Xi! Senior Brother is waiting for us. If we don't hurry, he's going to lose it."
The mention of Senior Brother losing his temper startled me awake, and I quickly flipped out of bed.
By the time we made it to the lobby to check out, Li Mubai was already waiting downstairs.
He shot me a glare before walking out first.
"Yan Xi, did you offend Senior Brother?" Shangguan Mingyue asked.
Feeling a bit embarrassed, I replied, "I don't think so."
"Then why did he glare at you?"
"Maybe he didn't sleep well last night and his eyes are twitching. It’s not a big deal; let’s hurry and catch up."
Sitting on the bus arranged by Li Mubai, we didn't even know where we were headed; everything was planned by him.
Even Shangguan Mingyue couldn't help but ask Li Mubai, "Senior Brother, how long until we reach our destination?"
"Next stop, you will get off, Mingyue. Your task is to go to White Village, Li Family, and help them find the dirty things in their home."
Shangguan Mingyue took note of the task seriously and nodded in assurance that she would complete it.
"Gu Si's task is to get off immediately and then go to Red Flag Village, Zhao Family. You will learn your mission there."
After hearing Li Mubai's words, I found it hard to believe. Pointing at myself, I asked Li Mubai, "Senior Brother, do you mean I have to go alone?"
Li Mubai nodded at me. "Get off quickly."
Shangguan Mingyue pleaded, "Senior Brother, let me go with Yan Xi first, and then I can go to White Village, Li Family. Is that okay?"
Instantly, Li Mubai's expression darkened as he said in a low voice, "Then you might as well come on your own; why bother listening to my assignments?"
Not wanting Shangguan Mingyue to offend Li Mubai because of me, I reassured her and got off the bus once it stopped.
Stepping out, I found myself on a long road leading nowhere, surrounded by wild grass and fields with not a single house in sight. Even finding a drink of water was difficult.
Faced with a fork in the road ahead—one path leading left and the other right—there were no signs at all, leaving me somewhat perplexed.
"Rumble..."
Hearing a voice behind me, I turned around excitedly to see a man driving a tractor towards me.
I quickly stepped forward to stop the tractor and smiled, asking, "Hey there, could you please stop for a moment?"
Perhaps because I was a girl, the man didn’t hesitate. He stopped the vehicle and grinned widely, revealing a mouth full of yellow teeth. "Sister, what can I do for you?"
"Could you help me with something? How do I get to Red Flag Village? There are two paths ahead; should I go right or left?"
The man chuckled in a simple manner. "Sister, what do you want to go to Red Flag Village for?"
"I have a relative from the Zhao Family in Red Flag Village. I'm just trying to find my way there."
Upon hearing about the Zhao Family, the man's expression suddenly changed. He looked somewhat mysterious and even a bit fearful.
Sensing something was off, I quickly pressed on, "What's wrong? Is there something I should know?"
He lowered his voice and leaned closer. "Listen to me, sister. You really shouldn’t go to the Zhao Family. Just turn back."
Feeling puzzled by his warning, I asked urgently, "Why can't I go to the Zhao Family? I traveled for over ten hours to get here; I can’t just turn back without even seeing them."
The man seemed reluctant and his face turned particularly grim. "Sister, just take my advice and don’t go there. Three people have already died from that family; do you really want to be the fourth?"
I wanted to say more, but he interrupted me with an impatient look. "You can ignore my advice if you want. Just take the left fork in the road, and you'll reach Red Flag Village. If anything happens, don’t blame me."
Watching the figure of the older man leave in anger, I silently expressed my gratitude and turned towards the path on my left.
After walking a few hundred meters, I spotted a tattered red flag fluttering in the air, with the words "Red Flag Village" boldly written on it.
As I entered the village, the atmosphere felt off; this place was distinctly different from other rural areas.
Typically, at this hour, one would see chickens and ducks running about, with families chatting at their doorsteps. However, every household here had their doors tightly shut, leaving me puzzled about what was happening.
"Drip drip! Drip drop..."
Hearing music coming from behind me, I turned to take a look.
A funeral procession was approaching, with someone playing a suona.
I stepped aside to give way; it was customary to yield to the deceased.
As the procession drew nearer, I noticed something strange: there was no one carrying the portrait of the deceased.
In rural areas, where traditional views often prioritize sons over daughters, it's common for families to have a male heir carry the portrait during funerals. If there were no sons in the family, they would usually adopt a relative's son for this role. This was considered a significant matter in rural life, so it struck me as odd that this family had no one to carry the portrait or guide the spirit.
There was also no wailing or mourning accompanying the procession, which piqued my curiosity. I decided to follow behind and take a closer look.
Just as I took a couple of steps forward, someone pulled me aside.
The sudden force startled me so much that I almost let out a loud scream.
Turning around, I found it was a kindly-looking old woman, and I quickly closed my mouth.
"Young lady, what are you doing following this crowd?" the old woman asked, frowning at me.
I replied honestly, "Grandma, I was just curious and wanted to take a look."
"Listen to Grandma Huang," she said. "You shouldn't be with that group; something bad might happen. You should go back; it could be dangerous after dark."
Recalling the changes in the man I had approached earlier to inquire about the Zhao Family, I hesitated to admit I was looking for them. Instead, I changed my words: "Grandma Huang, I came here to find someone but didn’t expect to come up empty. Whose funeral is this? Why is it so simple?"
Grandma Huang's face twisted with disdain as she replied, "It's that wicked Zhao Family's doing; they've harmed the whole village."
The Zhao Family?
Could it be the same Zhao Family that Li Mubai wanted me to investigate?
"Grandma Huang, how many Zhao Families are there in Red Flag Village?" I asked.
"How many could there be? Just Old Zhao's family; there's no one else. It's terrible; it's getting dark. If you can't find anyone, why don't you come back with me and stay the night? Red Flag Village isn't safe after dark."
I felt an inexplicable fondness for Grandma Huang. It seemed like a good opportunity to gather more information about the Zhao Family, so I decided to follow her back.
Grandma Huang's children had all gone out to work, leaving her alone at home. At her age, having such good health was quite remarkable.
The people in the village were quite straightforward. Looking at the cured meat on the dining table, I realized this dish was something Grandma Huang could only prepare during the festive season.
Feeling a bit embarrassed, I thanked her. It was rare for someone to engage her in conversation, and she seemed pleased.
Recalling the purpose of my visit, I struck up a conversation. "Grandma Huang, you seem to be doing well. The elderly in this village are kind-hearted. Why do you say this village is unsafe?"
Grandma Huang sighed sadly, "This village used to be wonderful. Ever since that incident, it has been haunted, and we can't find peace at night."
Just as I was about to ask her what had happened, I heard a woman's weeping from outside.
"Whooo..."
The sound sent chills down my spine; it was particularly mournful.
Grandma Huang heard it too. She put down what she was doing and urged me to go to sleep immediately.
I wanted to ask her more questions, but seeing her face turn pale with fear and hearing her mutter about misdeeds, I decided not to disturb her further.
To avoid worrying the elderly woman, I agreed and lay down in the room Grandma Huang had arranged for me.
After a while, the crying ceased, but I still didn't dare to go outside in the middle of the night.
Initially thinking there would be three of us traveling together, I found myself alone.
Unable to sleep and feeling anxious, I got up to practice drawing talismans, hoping they would come in handy later.
I pressed some money down on the table and left Grandma Huang's house.
Following the path from yesterday, I found the Zhao Family.
After looking around the village, it was clear that the Zhao Family had the most luxurious renovations; they certainly didn't seem like poor people.
No wonder they could afford Xuan Zong; it seemed they had spent quite a bit of money.
The main gate was tightly closed. I knocked on the wooden door a few times, and an elderly man came out to open it.
"Young lady, who are you looking for?"
"Is this the Zhao Family?"
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