https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-101-Red-Lantern-Illuminates-the-Night-All-Is-Well/12898303/
Chapter 102: A Big Matter
Chapter 102: A Big Matter
The Old Shopkeeper’s face was a mix of shock and pallor the moment he saw Hu Ma’s face. It was obvious that too many unexpected things had happened that night.
However, despite the intense shock, he quickly regained his composure. His gaze swept over the dead bodies of the Vat Sect members around him, the shattered jars, and the eerie eyes in the red lantern that seemed to be staring at him. He suddenly reacted, forcing his battered body to kneel before the red lantern and shouted loudly:
"Manager Wu Hong of the Qing Shi Town Branch, respectfully welcomes the Red Lantern Lady’s divine presence. Lady... Lady..."
“Lady, save my life, and Wu Hong will be eternally grateful and owe you a debt that he can never repay!”
“...”
Hu Ma simply held the lantern, standing calmly opposite the Old Shopkeeper, as if the kowtows were meant for him.
The light in the red lantern appeared strange and lively. The night wind swirled around the red lantern, and there seemed to be some rustling sounds in his ears, as if an invisible woman was whispering softly into his ear.
Thus, he calmed slightly, looking down at Manager Wu Hong and said, “The Lady asks you, what happened?”
“It’s the Vat Sect!”
The Old Shopkeeper’s injuries were clearly severe, and his voice trembled as he spoke, but he still tried his best, with a slight, almost imperceptible hesitation:
“The Vat Sect daringly caused trouble last year, stealing the Blood Food of the Red Lantern Association. Although the Lady did not punish me, I deeply regretted the mistake. I have been trying to make up for it over the past year. I finally discovered the trail of the Vat Sect members and decided to capture them and present them to the Lady for redemption...”
He was indeed a seasoned veteran, appearing to think on the fly, his words becoming smoother as he spoke:
“However, I, being a sinner, lacked confidence and did not dare to directly summon the Lady. I intended to secretly capture them and earn merit for the Red Lantern Association.”
“But my skills are shallow. If not for the Lady’s rescue, I would have...”
“...”
“Huh?”
Hu Ma was slightly taken aback. The Old Shopkeeper didn’t mention the Blood Food at all? He had prepared some lies to cover that up.
Just as he was hesitating, a woman’s voice, light and graceful, drifted into his ears from the surrounding yin wind.
Thus, he put on a stern face and relayed the Lady’s words to the Old Shopkeeper, “The Lady asks you, is that all?”
“... Yes!”
The Old Shopkeeper’s response was clearly difficult, but he still nodded. In his severely injured state, his mind was not clear, and the matter of the Blood Food was almost on the tip of his tongue.
But in the end, he swallowed it back with great difficulty, only saying, “The Vat Sect’s actions were shrouded in mystery. I don’t know what they were after.”
“But I only wanted to capture them and return to the Red Lantern Association to close the case.”
“...”
After speaking, he kept his head low, not daring to look at the red lantern.
Beside him, Wu He Sister knelt at a distance, also not daring to look at the red lantern. She was even afraid that the Red Lantern Lady might ask her something.
However, after Hu Ma relayed these questions for the Red Lantern Lady, the eerie red light in the lantern slowly faded. The oil lamp inside still shone, casting a dark red glow through the red lantern, but the eerie aura in the lantern had vanished, and the indescribable pressure on everyone gradually dissipated.
“Has the Red Lantern Lady left?”
Hu Ma thought to himself, feeling a slight relief.
Indeed, as Er Guotou had said, the Red Lantern Lady could see within a ten-li radius centered on the red lantern. As long as Miss White Wine had left that range before the Lady arrived, there would be no problem.
With this in mind, he squatted down in front of the Old Shopkeeper and and whispered, “Manager, are you alright?”
“Whoosh!”
In response to Hu Ma’s inquiry, the Old Shopkeeper suddenly raised his head, staring intensely at Hu Ma, as if trying to discern all his doubts with one look.
After a long while, he finally spoke, slowly, his voice low, “You... What exactly happened in the village?”
Facing the Old Shopkeeper’s intense gaze, Hu Ma did not flinch. He returned the gaze, with a slightly stern expression.
After a moment, he said calmly, “Manager, why are you in such a hurry? We’ll talk about it when we get back!”
Under his gaze, the Old Shopkeeper felt a moment of guilt. The doubt in his eyes slowly faded.
Hu Ma’s current coldness was too pronounced, but, but this coldness seemed genuine and honest. The distance and coldness in that honesty made him feel a slight unease.
He said they would talk about it later, but Hu Ma had no intention of helping the Old Shopkeeper up.
He simply held the red lantern, standing to one side, watching the severely injured Old Shopkeeper struggle to get up, falling clumsily. It was only when Wu He Sister ran over and managed to help him up that he was finally able to stand, supporting the Old Shopkeeper’s weak body.
Zhou Datong, Zhou Liang, and Zhao Zhu, who were standing behind Hu Ma, saw Wu He Sister’s state and were as if they had seen a ghost.
Accompanied by the gruesome scene and severed limbs around them, they were even more shocked than when Hu Ma first met Wu He Sister.
"Datong, Liangzi, Zhuzi, turn around!"
Hu Ma noticed Wu He supporting the Old Shopkeeper, and under the gazes of Zhou Datong and the others, she was overwhelmed with shame, almost to the point of tears.
Understanding the mind of such a girl, who, with her beauty, would want anyone to see her in such an ugly and bizarre state, Hu Ma’s expression turned serious. He loudly instructed them, adding, "Also, remember that what happened tonight is a major event in the Red Lantern Association!"
"Even the Red Lantern Lady saw it with her own eyes. Not a single word should be spoken about it."
"After you sleep, forget it all."
"..."
Zhou Datong was taken aback for a moment, then quickly pulled the other two to turn around, none daring to look back.
Wu He didn’t know why Hu Ma suddenly gave this order, but hearing his words, her heart softened involuntarily, and tears almost welled up in her eyes.
She found it hard to describe the sudden urge to cry, and she didn’t quite understand why, although what Hu Ma did was small, it represented respect.
"Brother Ma, what exactly happened?"
Hearing the footsteps of the Old Shopkeeper and Wu He Sister fading away, Zhou Datong couldn’t help but ask cautiously.
"Don’t ask for now, this matter is quite serious."
Hu Ma whispered to them, "Quickly return, then call out everyone in the village to clean up this place."
"I’ll explain in detail when there’s a chance!"
"..."
After saying this, they returned to the village together. Normally, such a gruesome scene would require someone to watch over it, but it was the middle of the night, and who would dare?
Even Hu Ma felt uneasy staying here alone, so he didn’t make Zhou Datong and Liang, Zhu suffer this torment.
Back at the village, he called out the other apprentices who were hiding in their houses, trembling with fear, and had them light torches to seal off the area, waiting for the city people to come and investigate.
After all, although the Red Lantern Lady asked a few questions, it was just in passing. Few others would come, and Hu Ma himself hung the lantern back at the village entrance, then took his knife and strode into the inner courtyard.
The Old Shopkeeper was already wrapped in bandages all over, looking very weak.
The robustness of an Age Keeper’s body is well-known among various cultivation techniques, so suffering such severe injuries was rare.
Seeing Hu Ma enter, the Old Shopkeeper’s eyes flickered, as if he wanted to ask something.
But before he could, Hu Ma looked directly at the Old Shopkeeper and said, "Only tonight did I finally understand what death feels like."
As he spoke, he rolled up his sleeves, revealing the shattered and scarred state of his arm.
The Old Shopkeeper’s eyes narrowed slightly, suppressing the questions he wanted to ask.
Hu Ma stood up straight, looking at the Old Shopkeeper, his voice very calm, "The Shopkeeper told me to protect the lantern, saying it was your last resort, so I did my best to protect it."
"The Shopkeeper told me to hide in the array, so I hid. The Shopkeeper said the scroll you gave me could save my life in a critical moment, so I didn’t even think about myself, but stuck it on the lantern."
The more he spoke, the louder his voice became, sounding honest, yet with a hidden sense of indignation: "I came from the village, with no complicated thoughts, just thinking that the Shopkeeper has been good to me, and since the task you gave me was so important, I would risk my life to complete it for you."
"But..."
He paused here, then lowered his voice, "The Shopkeeper, I’m not stupid."
"If it weren’t for the Red Lantern Lady being alarmed and coming down, my life would have been in your hands."
"..."
The things he said loudly were exactly what Wu Hong, the Shopkeeper, wanted to know.
The Shopkeeper had many questions in his mind: He didn’t teach Hu Ma how to summon the Red Lantern Lady, so how did she come? He only taught him how to enter the Ghost Gate, not how to leave it, so how did he survive?
But after hearing Hu Ma’s words, the questions in his heart were directly answered, and he suddenly didn’t dare to look Hu Ma in the eye.
"My skills were taught by the Shopkeeper, and I would not refuse any task you give me."
It was only when Hu Ma said this that he looked up at the Shopkeeper and said, "I just have one question I can’t understand..."
"..."
"Why didn’t the Shopkeeper tell me directly?"
"Even if you had told me directly, I wouldn’t have refused your orders..."
"..."
This last question not only caused some complex emotions to flicker on the Old Shopkeeper’s stern face, but also a sudden sound of water movement came from the side room. Wu He’s voice, tinged with tears, could no longer be held back: "Elder Brother Hu Ma..."
"..."
"It’s us, it’s us who wronged you!"
"..."
This cry made the Old Shopkeeper suddenly feel a bit dispirited.
He weakly waved his hand, saying to Hu Ma, "Don’t say any more..."
"This old man’s skin has already been stripped off, what other dignified words can I say?"
(End of Chapter)
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