Volume 1, Chapter 31: In Me the Tiger Sniffs the Rose

Returning to the side of Luo Feng and Gu Ya, Zhong Zhicheng resumed the roll call.

This process lasted about an hour. At least one person from every household in the village appeared outside the ancestral hall. The only one whose name could not be accounted for was a man named Tang Ji; he was the unfortunate soul who had died.

The crowd began to disperse, heading back to their respective homes.

Many gazes remained fixed on them, filled with gloating malice. In particular, a few men standing diagonally ahead even made throat-slitting gestures toward Luo Bin. Judging by their thug-like demeanor, Luo Bin concluded that they must be Zhang Jun’s cronies—the very ones who had ambushed him with a sack and beaten him.

At that moment, Luo Feng suddenly stepped forward and walked toward those men.

The group immediately made a move to scatter, but Luo Feng’s speed surged. With a sudden leap, he unleashed a fierce flying kick!

Amidst a dull thud came a miserable scream. One of the men was sent flying, crashing heavily against the exterior wall of the ancestral hall, wailing that he was being murdered.

The villagers fell into a deathly silence, staring at Luo Feng in shock.

Zhong Zhicheng stepped out of the ancestral hall, his brow furrowed.

"Xiao Shan was beaten by them," Luo Feng said, locking eyes with Zhong Zhicheng.

Luo Bin’s heart hammered against his ribs. He had never expected Luo Feng to actually resort to violence! In the past, Luo Feng had always preached that if one could not nip a danger in the bud, it was best to avoid offending others. Yet here he was, committing such a brutal act in front of so many people!

Zhong Zhicheng did not reply.

The man who had been kicked over stood up shakily. He had a long face, thin lips, a high hairline, and a buzz cut, giving him the look of a typical village hooligan. He widened his eyes, his pupils fierce, and shouted, "Village Chief! Luo Feng has lost his mind to the evil spirits! Who hit Luo Shan? Who saw it? Did Luo Shan see it himself? He’s framing us in broad daylight..."

"Chen Xianxian was a witness; she said they were very excessive," Luo Feng added.

"Hmm," Zhong Zhicheng nodded.

Luo Bin’s heart skipped another beat. Right, when he had brushed past Chen Xianxian earlier, she had said exactly that. He hadn't realized Luo Feng had taken it to heart. In truth, the fresh injuries on his face were a disguise, but Chen Xianxian didn't know; she had instinctively blamed the first group who had beaten him.

All of this happened in a flash. Luo Feng strode forward. With a sharp metallic *shing*, he drew a wood-chopping knife from his waist and threw it with immense force. It grazed the side of the man’s head and embedded itself deep into the wall of the ancestral hall.

The man went instantly silent, clamping his mouth shut in terror, beads of sweat rolling down his cheeks.

"Don't try to play tricks on me, and don't act like a rascal. I know it was you, and Xiao Shan knows it was you. If anything happens to Xiao Shan, I will settle the score with you!" Every word from Luo Feng was ironclad. "He is my only son. My son's life is my life."

Luo Feng stepped forward again, and the man, his legs trembling, turned and fled in a pathetic scramble. Luo Feng did not pursue him; he simply retrieved his knife and tucked it back into his belt.

"In three days, we head into the mountains. Go back and prepare well. I will come by again later, and the Shamaness will also come to drive away evil and offer blessings," Zhong Zhicheng said.

"Understood," Luo Feng nodded, then signaled for Gu Ya and Luo Bin to leave.

The villagers' whispers died down, and their gazes became slightly more restrained, though the gloating malice remained.

Luo Bin still gripped the black bamboo lot in his hand, his palm slightly damp. Apart from the moment when Luo Feng had stood up for him, causing Gu Ya’s expression to soften, she was now once again filled with worry.

As they walked, a scene flashed through Luo Bin’s mind. Back in the courtyard, while answering his questions about the lottery, Luo Feng had imparted some information.

"The dangers are still too many. There are many unknown things in the mountains. However, if you are chosen, you must explore. If everyone fears life and death, then everyone can only wait to die in the village."

Gu Ya had pursed her lips at the side, saying, "Not everyone shares your view. Father, stop teaching Xiao Shan these things."

The mountains... Luo Bin had been there last night. Because it was too dark and his focus was entirely on avoiding the evil spirits, plus the fact that Gu Yiren had been leading the way, he hadn't sensed any other dangers.

Danger, the unknown... Luo Feng’s stance was to explore. But was Gu Ya’s stance different? Did she represent the opinion of the majority of the villagers? Yet, did they even have a choice?

Luo Bin’s heart thudded.

Without realizing it, they passed by the village morgue. It was a massive, single-story building with stone foundations and grey bricks. The black wooden plaque above bore the word "Morgue," the white characters appearing somewhat jarring in the sunset. The air was permeated with a peculiar scent—a mixture of blood, rotting flesh, and something burnt.

The villagers had only two ways out. Either walk out, or... walk in? How could a person go their whole life without making a mistake? One single slip-up, and they would die at the hands of the evil spirits, eventually becoming a heap of ash.

"Xiao Shan, why are you daydreaming? It’s almost dark, let's go," Gu Ya looked up and called out to him.

"Tang Ji was a man who lived alone. When he first came to the village, he had a wife and daughter, but they were killed by the evil spirits. From then on, he drowned his sorrows in alcohol. The evil spirits gradually learn the weaknesses of everyone in the village, and finally, they lure them out of their homes," Luo Feng remarked.

Luo Bin met his gaze, his eyelids twitching slightly. He hadn't said a word about what he was thinking, yet Luo Feng had seen right through him. Was he pondering the village? A phrase popped into Luo Bin’s head: *A tiger in the heart, sniffing the rose.*

Furthermore, when Luo Feng had threatened those men in front of everyone, he had broken all precedent. Luo Bin had not only seen it; he felt deeply moved. Simply put, this was a father protecting his child. Even knowing the potential consequences, Luo Feng had turned against them on the spot.

The village was terrifying, yet it held the warmth of a home. Gu Ya cared for him, and Luo Feng defended him even more. In this second life, what more could he ask for?

"Dad, Mom, we will get out," Luo Bin took a deep breath, his voice resolute. "One day, our whole family will leave this place together, safe and sound."

Gu Ya pursed her lips again but remained silent.

"Let's go," Luo Feng said, and stepped forward again.

On the way, they encountered someone else. Or rather, she came jogging toward them. It was Zhang Yunling.

The setting sun, red as blood, cast a glow on her fair skin, and there was a light sheen of sweat on her forehead.

"Xiao Shan, here is your clothing."

"Uncle Luo, Aunt Gu, I was squeezed to the very edge of the crowd at first. I heard you had arrived, but when everyone started leaving, I got squeezed out again. In any case, it’s great that you’ve returned home safely, Xiao Shan."

Zhang Yunling spoke in a hurry, her eyes filled with joy.

"Thank you, Sister Xiaoling," Luo Bin took the clothes.

"You’re very thoughtful, Xiaoling. It’s getting dark, hurry home," Gu Ya said quickly.

"I’m going then, Aunt Gu," Zhang Yunling hurried off into the distance.

The clothes in his hands were clean and carried a faint, pleasant fragrance. Luo Bin’s mood improved further.

Soon, the family of three returned to their courtyard. Luo Feng locked the door, and Gu Ya went to light the lamps before heading to the kitchen to cook.

Luo Bin returned to his room first. Carefully, he reached into his wardrobe and pulled out a plastic bag containing lamp oil. He opened it and took a drink. He drank a bit more than usual, and the urge to avoid light and the craving for blood were suppressed.

When he returned to the main hall, Gu Ya had just served dinner: two large bowls and one small bowl of noodles, each topped with a golden, fried egg.

Luo Bin ate with relish, but Gu Ya seemed to have no appetite.

***

A moment before dark.

At the corner of a small path, a woman stood silently. It was Chen Xianxian, with her waist-length hair and bright, pearly teeth. No one saw her, but she had been watching the Luo family’s courtyard the entire time.

"Does my sister like you?" Chen Xianxian pouted slightly, the emotion in her eyes strange.

She then hurried toward her home. Just before the last light faded, she arrived and lit her oil lamp. The house was clean and tidy, and the air was filled with an elegant scent of aromatherapy.

Chen Xianxian entered the room on the right—her bedroom, decorated in pale pink. She lifted the bedding and then the floorboards, revealing a hole about half a meter wide with a ladder hanging down.

She climbed in.

It was a cellar, roughly the same size as the room above. A woman was curled up on the floor, her hands and feet tightly bound, unable to move. Even her mouth was stuffed with a rag. The woman had short hair, and tears streamed constantly from her eyes, creating a small puddle of grime on the floor. The bruises on her forehead were tinged with a purplish red.

Seeing Chen Xianxian descend, Zhu Qianqian began to whimper again, her face filled with extreme terror as she struggled.

"Why have you made yourself so dirty? Sister doesn't like unclean people," Chen Xianxian frowned. She helped Zhu Qianqian sit up against the wall and wiped her face.

Zhu Qianqian’s eyes filled with even more terror, and more tears flowed.

There was another person in the cellar. Against the back wall stood a woman with the same waist-length hair and the same clothes as Chen Xianxian. In fact, her face was identical—they were clearly twins! However, her waist, shoulders, and thighs were shackled with chains. The chains were only two meters long, restricting her movement to the base of the wall.

At this moment, she smiled serenely, her eyes fixed on Zhu Qianqian.

When Chen Xianxian finished cleaning Zhu Qianqian’s face, she pulled her up. Zhu Qianqian’s legs were weak; she couldn't struggle and was shoved violently against the wall. The other woman grabbed Zhu Qianqian’s shoulder, opened her mouth slightly, and buried her head into Zhu Qianqian’s face, taking a savage bite. Blood gushed out wildly. Even with the rag in her mouth, Zhu Qianqian let out a blood-curdling scream.

"Sister, eat slowly. Don't be in a rush."

Chen Xianxian sat in a nearby chair, hands resting on her knees, head tilted slightly, as if the scene were highly enjoyable.

Yet, her mind was still on one person: Luo Bin.

The day he was beaten at her doorstep, her original intention had been to see if there was anyone around; if Luo Bin had come inside, he would have served as food for her sister. Luo Bin hadn't come in, which was nothing unusual. But her sister had reacted at that moment—she had made a sound.

One had to remember, it was still broad daylight! Evil spirits never reacted during the day, and her sister had never done this before!

This made her want to bring Luo Bin to her house to see if he was the reason her sister had awakened in the light of day.