Chapter 64: A Short Measure
Chapter 64: A Short Measure
On the sunny and rippling waters of Yangchun River, a few coracles were anchored, basking in the golden glow of the morning sun.
In a bamboo courtyard...
Shen Yi sat on a stool, holding a cloth and carefully wiping the sheath of his sword.
He wasn't particularly skilled at tending to the injured, but luckily, the Madman often found himself hurt, and Little Widow had gained some experience treating him.
At the very least, she was able to stop the bleeding of Ma Tao and Li Xinhan and re-bandage them so they looked presentable.
After Li Mujin regained consciousness, she quickly fed them a few pills to temporarily stabilize their condition.
She slowly walked out of the house, her hair slightly disheveled, hanging over her pale cheeks, and her breath was weak. It was clear that she had pushed herself too far during last night's fight.
Li Mujin's usually charming expression now held a hint of dryness, and her once moist red lips were cracked.
Staring at Shen Yi's back, she gradually matched the figure in her mind with the one from the previous night.
Tugging at the corner of her mouth, she said in a hoarse voice, "Where are the others?"
"They're just exhausted and not hurt. They woke up earlier and went to the yamen to get the horses."
Shen Yi put down the cloth and hung his sword back at his waist.
Li Mujin pulled a stool and sat next to him, propping her chin in her palm, intending to ask something but not knowing where to start. So she just stared blankly at his profile.
When Shen Yi finally couldn't take the stare anymore and glared at her, Li Mujin burst out laughing. Wonder filled her eyes as she said, "So, you're really good at killing demons."
So good that even she, who had grown up in Qingzhou, couldn't imagine it.
Although her view was blocked by the villagers kneeling on the ground, the pitiful scream of the River God still echoed in her ears. If it hadn't been for the fear of death, how could the River God, who prided herself on her identity, have lost her composure like that?
"I thought you were dead."
She had seen her chasing after the black wind into the mountains, and although she didn't know what kind of demon it was, she had witnessed the River God's face filled with expectation.
It was a look of complete trust mingled with admiration and confidence.
Yet, it was Shen Yi who returned in the end.
"It's good that you didn't think so."
Li Mujin stood up, her smile fading as she bowed to the young man without restraint.
If she had held the same thought, the safest course of action after escaping would have been to rush back to the Demon Suppression Division to report the news.
Facing a demon with a realm far higher than hers, anyone would think she had no chance of victory. In that situation, leaving under the pretext of delivering a message would have been understandable, and even the Demon Suppression Division wouldn't have blamed her.
"..."
Shen Yi was slightly taken aback, not expecting her to suddenly turn serious.
He waved his hand, about to speak, when his arm was pulled into a vast expanse of softness.
"Haha."
Li Mujin reverted to her previous erratic self, hugging his arm and complaining, "You almost scared me to death! I was so petrified that I couldn't even move my fingers, yet I had to squeeze out a calm and collected facade. And even with that acting, I still couldn't scare away the River God. It's infuriating!"
After speaking, she pinched her fingertips and pitifully said, "When you came over, I was just a moment away from crying. Thankfully, you're handsome, so I told myself to maintain my image, and that's how I held back the tears."
The familiar feeling was even more surprising than that of Sister-in-law Song.
Shen Yi was speechless and withdrew his arm, "That's enough."
When the fish spear stabbed down, there wasn't even a hint of fear in her expression, only a touch of resignation and tears. How ridiculous!
Li Mujin placed one hand on her waist and slapped her chest with the other, saying nonchalantly, "Thankfully, thankfully, as long as we're alive, that's all that matters. What a close call!"
The people of the Demon Suppression Division seemed to have a rather open-minded attitude towards life and death.
Infected by her smile, Shen Yi turned his head, the imperceptible murderous aura in his eyes fading slightly.
Perhaps it started from the moment he woke up in Liu's household in Bo Yun County.
He had still been in a playful state of mind then and hadn't noticed anything amiss.
As he completely shed the traces of his past life and gradually integrated into this new world, he unknowingly adapted to the ways of this chaotic era.
Shen Yi found himself getting used to the days of bloodshed, even to the point where he felt uncomfortable if there wasn't any bloodshed.
Violence had become his tool for survival in this turbulent world.
The Madman followed closely behind her, keeping his head down, all traces of his usual foolishness gone.
In his cautious gaze as he looked towards Shen Yi, there was gratitude mixed with fear.
Those clear eyes of Shen Yi's seemed capable of seeing through everything, and when they turned sharp, they could easily intimidate demons and evil spirits.
"Try to bear it and not change," Li Mujin said, shaking her head. For a colonel, returning with accomplishments while dressed like this would help Shen Yi establish his position in the Demon Suppression Division more quickly.
"Hmm, alright," Shen Yi agreed.
The Little Widow took out a short wooden rod and asked timidly, "Then, can I take your shoulder measurements?"
Li Mujin seemed to guess something, and for once, she didn't refuse. She took the rod and pulled Shen Yi up.
"What's this for?" Shen Yi asked, puzzled.
"Maybe it's so they can make you some clothes and send them to Qingzhou to thank you," Li Mujin replied.
She began measuring Shen Yi's body carefully, even including the sword at his waist in her calculations.
After giving the measurements to the widow, she waved her hand and said, "Off you go."
"Thank you, sir," the Little Widow said gratefully.
The once bold and brash widow from yesterday now couldn't even bring herself to look directly at Shen Yi.
But it wasn't purely out of fear.
Shen Yi found this expression vaguely familiar, though he couldn't quite place where he had seen it before.
The widow left with the Madman, and as they stepped out, they bumped into a man who dropped off a piece of fish meat tied with grass rope before rushing off to the next house.
"He... he's almost run through every household in the village," the Little Widow said helplessly as she picked up the fish meat.
The man who had been forced by Shen Yi to eat the River God's flesh the day before was now desperate for everyone to taste this delicacy. It seemed that only by doing so could he wash away his sense of guilt.
And only by eating the fish meat could they tear apart the web of lies they had used to deceive themselves.
Since it was a demon, it certainly couldn't have been raising three hundred children in the river.
The truth was clear—the River God had drowned, and the children would never again ride the waves to visit, nor would they be invited to enjoy the blessings of the River God's cave.
Once this undeniable fact was laid bare, it was only natural to feel ashamed and want to hide one's face.
"In times of great famine, desperate people do desperate things," Li Mujin said.
"It's understandable under the circumstances," Shen Yi agreed.
"Now that we can stand on our own two feet, we must be decisive. Eating people is the act of a demon, and if it's useful, we keep it alive. If not, it should be devoured," Li Mujin continued.
"That's the way of survival for ordinary people," Shen Yi added.
"The colonels of the Demon Suppression Division don't need to fish or farm to feed themselves. They are the ones who feed off the people. Not only can they not provide food for the hungry, but they also take away what little the people have. They stand too high, and if they are too demanding, they will inevitably seem cold and uncaring," Li Mujin said, placing her hand on Shen Yi's shoulder. Her eyes sparkled as she smiled and said, "Sir Shen, please be magnanimous and spare them this once, alright?"
There were those who deliberately maintained their status by repeatedly impressing the idea of the Great Sacrifice into the minds of the fishermen, as if it were an ancestral principle that must not be violated.
Yesterday, more than ten people, including the village chief, had their lives taken in an instant.
To be honest, Li Mujin was shocked by such ruthless means, but she also felt a sense of relief! Shen Yi had done what she and her fellow Qingzhou disciples dared not—and he had done it decisively.
However, if more killings were added, the situation would take on a different flavor.
"They didn't want to spare you yesterday," Shen Yi said, raising an eyebrow.
"So, I wore these clothes for nothing?" Li Mujin pouted, tugging at the cloud pattern on her sleeve. "Those who took action deserved to die, but the rest of them... without their day and night labor, where would our salaries come from... Hey, stop tugging on my hand. You're like a shy young girl, fretting over a touch."
"Go stand over there," Shen Yi said, patting his shoulder casually.
Since he had woken up, he had never committed any evil deeds, only seeking to preserve himself.
Yet, in this woman's mouth, he somehow became a ruthless killer.
(End of Chapter)
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