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Chapter 59: The Widow and the Madman
Chapter 59: The Widow and the Madman
On the outskirts of the fishing village, there lay a dilapidated bamboo-walled courtyard.
A man in a gray short coat, baring his arms, spread his arms wide like a hawk about to pounce on its prey, blocking the path of a petite woman in a floral blue shirt. Mockery filled his face.
"It's shameful that even a widow can give birth. You're disgracing my brother Yang."
"Go to hell! Who's your brother Yang? You and the village elder's son are cut from the same cloth, you despicable animals! Get your filthy hands off me!"
The young widow, holding a child not yet two years old, gritted her teeth like a lioness ready to defend her cub.
"Hey!" Instead of being angered by the insult, the man became even more excited. "What's the matter? It's fine for others to touch you, but not me, Meng Xian? Let me tell you, even if you stripped naked in front of me, I wouldn't want you, you filthy woman. Hand over the kid!"
As he spoke, Meng Xian reached out to grab the child from her.
The widow's face twisted in fury, and without a moment's hesitation, she bit down hard.
Amidst their scuffle, outside the bamboo courtyard, a youth covered in mud sat on the ground. His clothes were patched with holes, and he had only one grass shoe left, the other having worn out completely. Dirt was wedged under his fingernails, and his calves were covered in a layer of disgusting grime.
"Hehe... they're fighting..."
His expression was vacant as he watched the pair struggle, pounding the muddy ground with his hands and laughing loudly. It was clear that his mind was not quite right.
"Ouch!"
Meng Xian's face twisted, and he yanked back his arm, examining the deep teeth marks on his wrist, now seeping a crimson liquid.
His face darkened with rage, and he abandoned the idea of toying with them any further. With a swift slap, he sent the widow stumbling back a few steps, landing on her bottom with a daze in her eyes.
"Good! Fight!"
The dirty youth clapped his hands in delight.
"Shut up, you stupid idiot," Meng Xian snapped, glaring at him. He then strode forward in two steps, grabbing the crying child and holding him tightly in his hand. With a cold smile, he said, "You unlucky filthy woman, after your bastard son goes into the water, he'll come back riding the river waves to take you to enjoy your blessings."
"Your mother should be the one going into the water..."
The disheveled widow, with her hair loose, simply rammed her head into him. Meng Xian's eyes twitched, and as he was about to kick her over, someone suddenly grabbed his arm.
He turned angrily to see who it was, and his eyes widened in surprise. "Dad?"
The village chief, his face grim, said nothing. He simply slapped Meng Xian hard across the face, then forcefully took the child from his grasp, placing him back into the widow's arms. Only then did he speak: "Let's go home."
Meng Xian, covering his face, felt embarrassed and wanted to say something more, but when he turned his head and saw the person standing at the corner, his entire body shuddered. Without another word, he ran off as fast as he could, disappearing from view.
In the distance, a dark figure approached from the corner, its hand resting on the hilt of a waist knife. The handsome face held a pair of clear and piercing eyes that carried a hint of killing intent.
Shen Yi walked past several fishing towers and located the source of the noise.
He soon stood at the entrance of the bamboo-walled courtyard, gazing into the empty space before him. Closing his eyes, he listened intently to the sounds within, then took a step forward.
The widow emerged from the courtyard, soothing her son. She tidied her hair, her face bruised and her lips swollen and split. "I was wondering why that old dog suddenly stopped. It turns out it's because the school commander has arrived. Please come in."
As she spoke, she casually blocked Shen Yi's path.
"...?"
Shen Yi silently observed her, his expression unreadable. "Doesn't it hurt?"
If it hurt, if she was angry, why would she block him? Was the river god more important to her than her own son?
The widow paused, taken aback by his question. Lowering her eyes, she remained silent for a while before a faint smile appeared on her lips. "You must have recently joined the Town Demon Office, right?"
"What makes you say that?" Shen Yi asked, his eyes narrowing.
The widow raised her head, her eyes sparkling. "But they, the majority, are the common folk."
She gave a self-deprecating laugh. "My late husband and I... we are the villains."
Upon hearing the words "late husband," Shen Yi instinctively glanced at the child in her arms, feeling that something was amiss, and was about to shift his gaze away.
Unexpectedly, the widow didn't seem to mind. She spat, "He's the son of a dog and me."
She put the child down and went to the well to get a cloth, then walked out to the courtyard and kicked the madman, who was covered in mud, with disgust. Seeing the crimson wounds on his arms and calves, she squatted down to wipe them clean.
As she wiped, she scolded him. "You good-for-nothing! When I needed you, you ran off without a trace for seven or eight days. How did you not starve to death out there? I don't know what you're capable of, being so muddle-headed."
"Go wash your hands. It's time to eat."
At these words, Shen Yi looked on thoughtfully.
The widow casually explained, "He used to be one of the common folk. When he was fifteen or sixteen, it was his family's turn to send a child into the water. He had no choice but to force his wife to give birth. Unfortunately, due to her young age, there were complications, and she barely survived."
"The village head took her away. Since she wasn't a maiden anymore, they sent her off to Yangchun River as a handmaiden. That's when he went mad."
The widow disdainfully kicked him again.
Then, with a hint of melancholy, she added, "No one wants to offer their children, but if others have done so, you can't just take advantage of their sacrifice. This has been going on for generations. It's less of a ritual to the river god and more of an opportunity to take revenge on those who have drowned their children."
"People like my late husband, who refused to let his child be sacrificed, were punished by the river. He was struck by the waves and his body was never found. It's as if he received his just desserts."
"As for why the Town Demon Office doesn't intervene, it's because these people are pitiful, yet they do despicable things. Four hundred years of grudges and grievances have accumulated, and even without the river god, they still insist on continuing the grand sacrifice."
"Grand sacrifice! Kill, kill, kill!" The madman grinned maniacally, his eyes bloodshot. "Kill me first! Kill me first!"
As he shouted, he crawled on the ground towards the youth and reached for the black sword at his waist.
Shen Yi didn't dodge, watching as the madman's filthy hand grasped the hilt of the black sword, leaving smudges on the sleek, black sheath.
Shen Yi acted, his slender fingers threading through the madman's messy hair, and gently grasping his head.
The widow, who was about to turn to get the fish soup, saw this and her face changed slightly. Fear flashed in her eyes as she said, "Sir, he... he's already mad... He can't be a commoner or a villain... please spare his life and let him be a mad dog..."
"Kill!" The madman shouted, his eyes bulging, his saliva stretching as he roared, looking like a raving lunatic.
Shen Yi quietly observed his face, his fingers gently stroking the madman's head as if soothing a frenzied dog.
The madman's body trembled, and he gradually calmed down.
Then, he heard a calm voice speak, and his entire body seemed to be struck by lightning.
"Thank you for the reminder."
Shen Yi's thin lips curled upward, and a murderous aura appeared on his fair face, but his eyes remained clear. His voice was calm as he said, "I will not disappoint."
The madman had disappeared for seven or eight days.
A bloodstained waist plaque was mysteriously delivered to Linjiang County, with a single message intended for Qingzhou:
There is a demon here. A powerful demon!
It's in the village!!
(End of Chapter)
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