C27 The Secrets of the World

Ms. Xiaofeng mentioned that ever since a demon had been sighted on the back hill, the villagers had been living in fear. The Taoist priest began holding rituals at the temple to exorcise the evil and bless the village.

I suspected that the "demon" Ms. Xiaofeng referred to was the same woman in the red veil and the large sedan chair that my father and I had encountered on that eerie night when we nearly became victims of the sky lanterns. That night was truly bizarre; everyone there seemed to be under some sort of spell.

"What did the Taoist priest do next?" I inquired, feeling that the villagers' lost souls were somehow connected to him.

"After the ritual, the Taoist priest had everyone drop their blood into a bowl, claiming it would invoke the protection of the Five Qi Lords," Ms. Xiaofeng explained. "Changsheng, do you think the Taoist priest cast some kind of evil magic?"

I nodded firmly. "It was definitely the work of that Evil Taoist. But let me be clear, I'm no messiah or saint. My only concern is rescuing Xiaohu. I won't involve myself in anything beyond that."

"I understand... Just saving Xiaohu is risky enough," Ms. Xiaofeng acknowledged.

Glancing at the time, I realized it had been nearly three days since my last "dose." I pulled out a bag of jerky from my pocket and began to chew it, fighting back nausea. Salt-cured and sun-dried was the only way I could stomach it without being overwhelmed by the scent of blood.

This jerky was, of course, made of human flesh. My foster father had instructed me to consume it every few days to avoid the deathly illness of my childhood.

Once we had everything ready, Ms. Xiaofeng and I took a minibus back to the village, waiting there from dusk until around three or four in the morning.

Before we departed, I cautioned Ms. Xiaofeng to stay put at the village entrance, insisting that no matter what transpired or what she saw or heard, she must not leave.

I adjusted my black hat lower and moved stealthily through the darkness. My first stop was the Lu family's home at the east end of the village, where I intended to borrow a few items.

I slipped into their woodshed undetected and took two cans of gasoline, then swiftly made my way to the Sunn family's ancestral home.

I was fairly agile, so I quickly scaled the wall and slipped into the yard, making my way to the west side room with ease. Ms. Xiaofeng had told me that Xiaohu was being held there.

Peering through the window, I was shocked to discover not just one child, but six, all huddled together! They were bound with ropes, sleeping soundly in a pitiful heap. I furrowed my brow, realizing the situation was more complicated than I'd hoped. If it had been just Xiaohu, it would have been simpler, but with all the children together, any noise could trigger a chorus of screams.

With a heavy sigh, I confirmed Xiaohu's location before stealthily checking on the woodshed where Sunn Xingwang was confined.

I held my breath and peered through the window. The room was pitch black, void of any light, revealing only a shadowy figure accompanied by soft moans and whimpers.

I let out a cold snort. Maybe I had made a sound, or perhaps Sunn Xingwang had caught a whiff of my presence, because he suddenly turned, his eyes glowing a sinister green in the darkness.

Startled, I quickly hid, not wanting to stir up any more trouble.

Resisting the urge to complicate matters further, I promptly doused the woodshed and its surroundings with gasoline.

Glancing at the house where Sunn Youde resided, I'll admit, if I had enough gasoline, I would have gladly burned him alive to avenge my foster father. But after a moment of reflection, I realized it wasn't the right time for revenge. Taking a deep breath, I ignited the gasoline, and in a flash, the woodshed was engulfed in flames!

Without wasting a second, I dashed to the west side room, shouldering the door open with all my might. I found Xiaohu asleep in the corner, scooped him up, and bolted for the exit.

But as I neared the gate, a tall figure blocked my path. Looking up, I recognized him as Sunn Youde's nephew. Luckily, the blaze had caught his attention, allowing me to knock him down with a swift kick and make my escape.

I hadn't gotten far when he caught up to me, clutching my arm and bellowing into the courtyard, "Help! It's Zhao Changsheng! He's the one who set the fire!"

A chill settled in my heart, but what took me by surprise was Xiaohu seizing the chance to wriggle free and leap to the ground. He glared at me fiercely and accused, "You jinx, I won't go with you. You're surely plotting to eat me!"

"Xiaohu, it's your sister, Ms. Xiaofeng, who sent me to rescue you!" I said, struggling to keep my anger in check. But the mischievous child mistook me for a villain and bolted towards the western edge of the village.