Chapter 13

 

At the market, Meng Ruji looked at the guest before her with a polite smile and asked kindly, "What do you want to send, boss?"

"Some copper and iron objects," the man in black responded, placing a package on Meng Ruji's wooden board.

Meng Ruji lifted the package, feeling its weight, about as heavy as a bucket of water. "It's quite heavy."

"Take it to the woods outside the northern suburbs, near the Naihe River. There’s an inn about 30 miles away. Deliver it as soon as possible," the man said, pulling a piece of paper from his sleeve and handing it to Meng Ruji.

Meng Ruji took the paper and examined it. A simple map was drawn on it, roughly pointing to a direction. "Thirty miles... it’ll take nearly two hours, even if I walk fast." Meng Ruji glanced at the sky, then at the man before her. She studied him calmly for a moment, then smiled slightly. "How much are you offering, boss?"

"How much do you want?" the man countered.

Meng Ruji held up two fingers. "Twenty cents. Two hours to go there, two hours to come back—I'll spend all my time on the road today."

The man sneered and tossed ten cents on the ground. "Once you deliver it, the innkeeper will give you another ten cents."

"Okay."

The man shot a glance at Meng Ruji before turning and leaving as hurriedly as he had arrived.

Meng Ruji weighed the package and prepared to depart.

Miaomiao, who had been standing nearby, looked at Meng Ruji with concern. "Sister Ruji, the forest in the northern suburbs is close to bandit territory! It’s not safe for you to go alone."

Meng Ruji smiled, glancing thoughtfully in the direction where the man in black had walked away. In a light-hearted tone, she said, "Big business—you can’t turn away the God of Wealth."

After that, Meng Ruji opened her purse, took out five coins, and placed them in Miaomiao’s hand. "I need a favor. If I’m not back in four hours, buy two coins of noodles and three coins of yam, and send them to the cabin for Mu Sui. Tell him to come find me once he’s eaten."

Meng Ruji didn’t delay any further. She picked up the package, bought a bottle of green beans with the remaining money, and set off to deliver the goods.

Meanwhile, "Mu Sui in the cabin" was already on his way to the northern suburbs. He moved quickly and by noon had arrived at the notorious bandit mountain.

The bandits’ lair wasn’t hard to find. The entire mountain was a mess, with cut trees and trampled ground leading Mu Sui straight to the gate of their stronghold.

Outside the gate, two bandits stood guard, chattering listlessly. "We didn’t get the haul yesterday, and many of the brothers were injured. The boss is furious."

"Tsk… It’s all because of Zhuliu City. They set up some hidden weapons, and our brothers walked right into an ambush."

"I heard it was done by the Lord of Zhuliu City."

"That Lord again? Didn’t I hear he crossed the river?"

"His people are still here."

"Damn it… If I get the chance, I’m going to Zhuliu City to rob them!"

Before he could finish, the two gatekeepers noticed a figure emerging from the woods.

"Who’s there?"

One bandit squinted at the approaching figure. The newcomer was dressed in rags, and his coat seemed to have numerous holes, poorly sewn with thick stitches that were visible even from a distance. The bandit, holding his sword with contempt, barked, "Are you begging here? You want to die? Get lost!"

Mu Sui didn’t respond. He simply glanced at the sky, calculated the time, and muttered to himself, "Hurry up."

The bandit, with sharp ears, heard this and laughed. "Hurry up and head to the afterlife, right?" He strode toward Mu Sui, sword raised, "I’ve been needing to blow off some steam today, and you’re just the excuse!"

The bandit swung his sword at Mu Sui’s head, but in the next moment, a hand gripped the bandit’s neck. With a slight twist, there was a soft "click," like the sound of stretching bones—small and almost imperceptible.

The bandit froze.

Mu Sui released his grip, and the bandit collapsed backward, sword still raised. With a "thud," dust was stirred up as the body hit the ground. There was no blood, no struggle—he was already dead.

Mu Sui turned his wrist and stepped over the lifeless body without expression.

He fixed his gaze on the other bandit. "Get over here quickly—I’m running out of time."

The bandit guarding the gate was terrified. He had killed before and narrowly escaped death multiple times, but now, looking into Mu Sui’s eyes, he felt a fear he had never known. Pressed against the gate, the bandit clutched his knife, forgetting to raise it, and stammered, "Run… out of time for what…?"

Mu Sui passed him, pushed open the gate, and stepped inside.

Behind him, the knife-wielding bandit fainted and collapsed.

Inside the stronghold, dozens of bandits, previously occupied with their own tasks, turned their heads to stare at the intruder.

Mu Sui quickly counted them with his eyes and sighed, "I have to get back for dinner."

Meng Ruji always returned home by 3 p.m., and she would wait for him.

At 12:30 p.m., Meng Ruji finally arrived at the location marked on the map, carrying the heavy package.

Outside the woods in the northern suburbs, near the Naihe River, there stood an inn.

Meng Ruji looked at the woods behind her, the Naihe River beside her, and the inn in front of her. She clicked her tongue. "This is at most a tea stall."

The "inn" was merely a thatched hut, hastily constructed and surrounded by desolation.

Meng Ruji surveyed her surroundings, estimating that this spot was likely downstream of Moneng Ferry, as the Naihe River's surface had widened, indicating a distance from the ferry. Peering across the river, she could only see a sea of reeds, shrouded in a thick mist that obscured the opposite bank.

What kind of inn is there in such a desolate place...?

Meng Ruji mentally rolled her eyes but walked forward, calling out, "Boss, the delivery is here."

After a brief silence, a deep male voice responded, "Alright, it’s good that it’s delivered." Heavy footsteps soon followed.

Meng Ruji looked up and saw a towering, nine-foot-tall man with a scarred face, stooping to exit the hut. Once outside, he straightened, standing a head taller than the straw hut.

Meng Ruji observed him for a moment and chuckled. "Are you the boss?"

Seeing that Meng Ruji showed no fear and was smiling at him, the man remained silent for a moment before walking toward her. "I’m the boss. Hand it over."

As he approached, his massive frame seemed to make the ground tremble slightly.

Meng Ruji didn’t back away. As he neared, she said frankly, "Boss, there’s still ten cents you owe me."

"Oh." The man replied, reaching out as if to take the package, but in the next instant, he seized Meng Ruji’s arm, yanking her in front of him. "Get it from my stomach!" he snarled, about to choke her in a death grip.

But to his surprise, the small girl with slender arms and legs wriggled out of his grasp like a loach, flipping behind him in an instant, and grabbed his right wrist with a backhand grip!

Meng Ruji twisted his arm, forcing him to strangle himself with his own hand.

The man struggled, but somehow Meng Ruji’s thin fingers found incredible strength, pressing a point on his wrist, rendering his entire arm powerless.

In the next breath, before the man could react, Meng Ruji kicked his knee from behind, bringing him down to one knee.

Meng Ruji seized the opportunity to sit on his back, forcing the man to lean forward, his other leg dropping as well. He had to use his free left hand to support himself on the ground, making him resemble a three-legged stool, with Meng Ruji perched on his back.

Meng Ruji pressed the pressure point on his right hand with two fingers, catching her breath as she slowed her rapid breathing.

"It’s ridiculous. How dare you target me?" Meng Ruji muttered, still a bit angry. "Just because I’m tired and don’t like to fight doesn’t mean I can’t! Understand? Even if I’m down and out, I won’t be bullied! Got it?"

The man, with Meng Ruji on his back and his hands aching as if they were broken, could only choke out a weak response. "Who… are you…?"

"Do you understand?" Meng Ruji demanded.

"Understand… I understand…"

Meng Ruji calmed down, sitting on the man’s back for a moment. She glanced at the hut behind them and, hearing no other movement, confirmed that they were alone. She then resumed her interrogation, her tone now calm. "Tell me, why did you lure me here?"

"To… have a snack…"

To eat her…

Meng Ruji's heart burned with fury. She had braced herself for any crude remarks about her money or gender, but she never expected him to actually act on it.

"You think I'm an easy target?" Meng Ruji tightened her grip, her voice laced with anger. "How dare you? Did you really think you could take advantage of me just because I’m alone in the market?"

The strong man cried out in pain.

Sensing he was near his limit, Meng Ruji eased her grip slightly but kept him restrained. "Where’s your accomplice?" she demanded, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "Is he not dining with you?"

The man winced, struggling to speak. "He’s... leading others."

Meng Ruji’s eyes narrowed. "So, this is your game. How many people have fallen for it?"

She couldn't shake the unsettling thought: Was there some malevolent force in this forsaken place, driving everyone to such savagery? Mu Sui was clueless, but fortunately, she had intervened before he made a grave mistake. And today, she caught a repeat offender.

The strong man remained silent, refusing to answer.

Meng Ruji pressed harder. "Speak."

But the man’s silence was unusual, unsettling. Had she hit him too hard? Was he losing consciousness from the pain? As she tilted her head to check, the man’s neck twisted at an impossible angle, turning in a complete circle.

Meng Ruji froze, stunned by the eerie display of spiritual power she had never before encountered in this land. The man’s twisted head turned to face her, a sinister grin spreading across his face.

"Including you... eighteen," he hissed.

Without warning, the man’s head detached from his body, flying toward her with jaws wide open, revealing razor-sharp teeth aimed straight at her face. Meng Ruji’s vision went black.

Meanwhile, Mu Sui was at the bandit village in the northern suburbs. He suddenly felt a sharp pang in his chest, his hands pausing mid-action. The bandit before him, beaten and swollen, trembled as he looked at Mu Sui with fear in his eyes.

"W-what’s wrong, big brother?" the bandit stammered, trying to appease him. "Is the rope too short to tie me up? I have a belt, you can use it..."

Mu Sui’s gaze was cold as he replied, "Shut up."

The bandit obeyed instantly, clamping his lips shut so tightly they couldn’t be pried apart.

Behind Mu Sui, groups of five bandits were tied together, some bruised, some unconscious, others writhing in pain, their minds shattered.

In front of him, the last group of bandits awaited their fate.

Mu Sui counted them—forty-two in total.

"Brother! Brother!" A bloodied bandit came running from a distance, clutching a pot of steaming sweet potatoes. "The food you asked for."

Midway through subduing the bandits, hunger had struck Mu Sui. He had pointed to one of them at random. "You."

The chosen bandit had paled as if hearing a death sentence. "G-go get some food," Mu Sui had ordered.

The conscious bandits had stared in disbelief.

"Get plenty."

The bandit had been frozen in shock, but when he noticed Mu Sui’s displeasure, he had jumped up immediately. "Right away!"

Mu Sui had warned, "If you try to run, I’ll find you and kill you."

"Understood..."

Now, with the captives secured, the food had arrived.

Mu Sui took the bowl, sat down, and began to eat, glancing at the sky. "In half an hour, the authorities will be here. You’ll go with them."

The only response was the groans of the wounded.

Mu Sui’s gaze sharpened.

A bandit hurriedly replied, "Yes..."

The others quickly followed suit.

As Mu Sui finished his meal, he continued, "When you reach the government office, tell them someone will bring a yam tomorrow to claim the reward. That person caught the thief."

"...Understood."

Mu Sui stood, about to leave, when a gust of wind blew through, lifting the curtain at the entrance of the village hall, revealing a solitary chair.

Mu Sui paused, scanning the room. "Where’s your leader?"

The bandits exchanged nervous glances, none daring to answer.

Just then, a whistle echoed from outside, growing closer before fading away. A frantic voice cried out, "Tietou! What happened to you!"

A man dressed in black tights sprinted toward the stronghold, only to freeze at the sight of the fallen bandit. Lifting his gaze, he saw the scene inside—the bound bandits and Mu Sui standing in the middle, his presence as menacing as a beast in the night.

Realizing what had happened, the man turned to flee, but after only two steps, a knife hurled from behind embedded itself in his shoulder. He screamed and collapsed.

Mu Sui approached, his boot pressing down on the man’s wound.

The man cried out in terror.

Mu Sui looked down, recognizing him from a brief encounter at the market... in front of Meng Ruji’s stall, where he had handed her a package.

"Are you... the bandit leader?" Mu Sui’s voice was cold, each word steeped in a lethal intent that threatened to consume the man on the ground.

"No, no! It’s not me!" the man sputtered in panic. "The boss went down the mountain to eat! At the inn by the Nai River—he tricked a woman into delivering goods there. He’s eating there now..."

With each word, Mu Sui’s face grew paler. By the end, all the blood had drained from his face, leaving him cold, as though he had been plunged into an icy abyss. The chill seeped into his bones, freezing him from the inside out.

Mu Sui’s foot came down on the man’s neck, silencing him with a final breath.

In an instant, Mu Sui vanished from the entrance of the village—

He was desperate, driven by a rising dread.

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