Volume 1, Chapter 63: Passing By in the Crowd

Luo Bin maintained his composure and replied, "Lighting the lamp can drive away evil spirits. It is a matter of one thing conquering another, just like snakes fearing realgar. When the powder is scattered on the ground, snakes dare not approach. If you let a snake ingest a bit of realgar, it's just like taking poison. We had no other choice at the time. I was just treating a dead horse as if it were still alive, otherwise, both my father and I would have died in there."

Zhong Zhicheng nodded again.

Luo Feng was about to take Luo Bin out when Zhang Li took small, hurried steps to follow them.

"Stay here. I still have questions for you," Zhong Zhicheng said, looking at Zhang Li.

Zhang Li's expression turned even more wretched, bordering on the verge of tears.

"I don't know anything... I was scared to death... Can you let me go back? Please, I'm only human. What kind of ghost place is this, what kind of ghost village is this, it's driving people to their deaths!"

Zhang Li's words were laced with a sense of utter breakdown.

"Your cousin is missing, and she was taken away by someone else. I expect you to tell me: who else have you and the others been in contact with in the village? Also, you've been staying at Chen Xianxian's house these past few days. Tell me everything they said about the village, detail by detail, and then you may leave."

"The courtyard outside the bamboo forest remains your dwelling. No one will disturb you," Zhong Zhicheng said.

At that moment, Luo Feng pushed open the door.

Luo Bin's heart skipped another half a beat.

Who had Zhang Li and Gu Yiren been in contact with? Wasn't it him?

In truth, there was currently no evidence pointing to him and Gu Yiren. When Gu Yiren went missing, his family was out exploring the mountain trails.

Still, there was no guarantee that Zhong Zhicheng wouldn't let his imagination wander.

However, there was nothing he could do about it. Saying too much at this juncture would only arouse suspicion.

As they passed through the alley, the villagers retreated and dodged out of the way, terrified of being stained by blood.

At the entrance of the alley stood another person, peering about with trembling fear. It was none other than Jiang Shan.

He had originally been overjoyed. After telling his wife that the young-men's squad had business to attend to and he would be home late, he had hurried over to the Chen family residence, eagerly anticipating the goddess's sweet dew.

Yet upon arrival, he found a massive crowd gathered at the alley entrance, heard the screams of a woman, and then witnessed father and son Luo Feng and Luo Bin emerging covered in blood. Shortly after, Village Chief Zhong Zhicheng arrived and entered the house with them.

"Old Luo, what happened to... the Chen sisters?" Jiang Shan stepped forward. Guilt gnawed at him, and he asked cautiously.

Luo Feng merely glanced at him and smashed his sandbag-sized, blood-stained fist straight into the bridge of Jiang Shan's nose.

Jiang Shan was knocked over onto the ground, clutching his nose and howling as blood streamed profusely.

"You almost got us killed! Pray for your own fortune."

With those cold words, Luo Feng strode away.

Previously, Luo Bin had racked his brains trying to find out where the shaman lived.

Now that he knew, it was of little use.

The shaman's courtyard bore some similarity to the village chief's. A peach grove sat before the village chief's house, while a mulberry grove stood before the shaman's.

Luo Feng knocked on the courtyard gate, and it opened shortly.

He Gui looked at the father and son with mild astonishment and motioned for them to enter the courtyard.

"Something happened."

Luo Feng once again succinctly repeated what he had said earlier.

He Gui's face tightened, deepening the gloomy, overcast aura naturally resting upon his features.

After a moment of thought, he had Luo Feng and Luo Bin enter the main hall. He then retrieved a medical kit, tended to Luo Feng's wounds first, and finally to Luo Bin's.

"The stitching on this wound is well done. The Zhang family girl did it?" He Gui asked.

Luo Bin nodded without saying much.

He didn't quite know how to describe it, but He Gui made him feel deeply uncomfortable.

Before the expedition, He Gui had indeed done a few things.

Whether it was praying for blessings to ward off evil, drawing talisman scripts on their palms, or instructing them to snap willow branches to hang on their doors so the family of three would be safer staying together—

all of these seemed like mere superficial showmanship.

He Gui probably hadn't even ventured as far out as the fourth resting point himself; there weren't even any willow trees nearby, and the talismans seemed utterly useless.

As for the notion that a family of three staying together was safer—well, naturally! Looking out for one another would naturally make things safer.

Luo Bin had a vague feeling that this He Gui carried the airs of a charlatan from his past life.

Completely useless, making a huge display of empty pageantry, and all smoke and mirrors?

Of course, thoughts were just thoughts; Luo Bin dared not voice them.

"Your injuries are fine. Take these medicines back with you to change the dressings. It's best to have the Zhang family girl re-stitch this wound that split open. If I stitch it, it will leave a centipede-like scar; she is much more meticulous. I simply applied some basic hemostatic medicine."

He Gui examined Luo Feng first, then motioned that Luo Bin could put his clothes back on.

Afterward, He Gui glanced at Luo Bin's left hand and suddenly remarked, "Ah, your fingernails have grown back."

Luo Bin felt a slight chill in his heart and lowered his gaze to look at his left hand.

Sure enough, a tiny bit of nail had grown on his pinky finger, about two millimeters long and grayish-white.

Despite the minuscule growth, a surge of joy welled up spontaneously within Luo Bin.

"It seems the entire village must undergo a roll call, inspecting everyone—especially their left pinky fingers. Evil spirits shouldn't be able to roam about during the day. This is too bizarre."

"Ever since the outsiders entered the village, events have taken wild turns. The trail we've explored for years has problems, and the village council hasn't decided how to deal with the Qiang village yet, and now this business of nurturing an evil spirit has popped up."

He Gui seemed to be talking to himself.

"Shaman, you must be busy, so we won't disturb you any longer. I'll take Xiaoshan home first; I still need to get his wounds re-stitched," Luo Feng said.

"Go ahead," He Gui said with a smile and a nod.

Leaving the shaman's residence, the sunlight was blindingly harsh. Luo Bin raised his left hand, looked at his left pinky finger, and let out a massive sigh of relief.

After walking some distance away, Luo Bin asked, "Does the shaman actually have real skills?"

"Why do you ask?" Luo Feng asked, slightly surprised.

"I just... I always felt that what he had us do at home before the expedition wasn't really necessary..." Luo Bin answered truthfully.

"Xiaoshan, you're wrong. Evil spirits exert a heavy bewitchment on the human heart. The talismans on our hands keep us clearer-headed in front of evil spirits; you simply may not have noticed that subtle, gradual influence."

"As for the willow trees... you remind me. This is another bizarre matter. There used to be many willow trees on the mountain, but this time when we went up, they had all withered, which is why I didn't break off any willow branches." Luo Feng's expression darkened considerably as he continued, "Those involved are blinded by the situation, and with so many things happening, I even forgot to tell the village chief. I must mention this to him."

"There's no rush to do it right now, is there? At least let him handle the current matters first?" Luo Bin quickly interjected.

The Qiang village was a dead end. Barring any accidents, it served no purpose now. Luo Feng had suffered considerable injuries and blood loss, so it was best for him to recuperate quietly and recover first.

"Mm, no rush," Luo Feng replied.

The father and son walked in the direction of their home.

At that moment, the gates of the Luo family courtyard stood open. Gu Ya hesitated for a long while before finally stepping outside.

There had been too many footsteps outside. She had previously peeked out and noticed many people heading toward the village entrance, as if something had happened there.

The Chen sisters were right near the village entrance! Could something have gone wrong with father and son Luo Feng and Luo Luo Shan?

Coupled with the fact that the two hadn't returned for so long, she could no longer suppress the anxiety in her heart.

Before long, Gu Ya was nearing the village path.

Vaguely, she caught sight of a figure ahead that looked like Zhang Yunling.

Gu Ya hurried after her. However, Zhang Yunling turned into a side alley. When Gu Ya trotted up and was about to call out to Zhang Yunling, she suddenly felt as though she had plunged into an ice cellar.

This side alley branched out in all directions, with several households surrounding it.

They belonged to Zhao Shu, Feng Ji, You Jiang, Yan Li, and... the shaman He Gui!

You Jiang was the person who had pretended to be an evil spirit and killed people!

Although she hadn't told Zhang Yunling the details, she had warned Zhang Yunling to stay away from this direction beforehand!

Why on earth had Zhang Yunling wandered into this very place?!

In a panic, Gu Ya didn't turn back. Zhang Yunling rounded another corner. Not daring to make a sound, Gu Ya hurried forward in pursuit.

Gu Ya's only thought was that she had to quickly drag this careless girl back!

...

At another street corner.

Luo Bin and Luo Feng happened to walk out. Once they passed the next fork in the road, it was a straight path back home.