Chapter Six: The Town Is Far Too Dangerous

The next morning, after getting up and washing, Yu Ge took the rag-wrapped piece that looked like a part of a toad’s body and left the courtyard.

The black iron dagger, which had proven its worth the previous night, was now clean and back at his waist. In this little town, he no longer placed his hopes in those so-called talismanic seals.

Passing Aunt Li’s bun shop, Yu Ge grabbed a few meat buns. He glanced at Aunt Li’s two-hundred-pound frame and the rolling pin in her hands, as thick as a tree trunk.

Thinking of the achievement that needed just one more attempt, he hesitated, then snatched up the buns and dashed off at full speed.

When it came to courting disaster, he seemed to have gained plenty of experience.

Soon enough, Aunt Li would give chase, and after she’d run a fair distance, he’d turn and claim he’d simply forgotten to pay in his haste, thus completing his progress toward the achievement.

Everything was perfect.

Huh?

He’d only run a dozen steps when he realized there was no commotion behind him.

Puzzled, Yu Ge turned around and saw Aunt Li standing motionless behind her shop—no rolling pin, no table raised—just a gentle, warm smile on her face as she looked at him.

Yu Ge was completely bewildered.

He’d just stolen her buns, hadn’t he? Why wasn’t she chasing him? And what was with that smile?

That smile was indescribably kind and warm, yet it gave him an inexplicable chill down his spine.

Something was definitely off!

But since his achievement progress hadn’t increased, he had no choice but to walk back, take a bite of the fragrant, fresh bun, and mutter, “Aunt Li, I forgot to pay. Why didn’t you say anything?”

“It’s just two buns, nothing to fuss over. Take them, you rascal; you don’t need to pay,” Aunt Li replied, her eyes crinkling in a gentle smile. “After all, we’ll be family soon enough.”

Only then did Yu Ge realize the problem. He hadn’t expected Aunt Li to be so kind and amiable. Thinking of his own background and Aunt Li’s reputation in the town, he understood in an instant.

With such a money-saving opportunity, naturally he didn’t want to waste her good intentions. He was just about to thank her when he realized something was wrong.

“Wait, you said family?”

“Oh, it’s all because of my daughter. She insists she likes someone like you. Look at you, so fair and delicate—you’d make a fine son-in-law. It’s only a matter of time.”

Yu Ge froze in the middle of his second bite, images of a figure as broad as Aunt Li herself flashing through his mind. He shuddered; suddenly, the bun in his hand lost all flavor.

“Am I really the kind of person who takes advantage of others? Auntie, let me pay you!”

Yu Ge, bun clamped in his mouth, swiftly fished six copper coins from his pocket and slapped them firmly on the counter. Without another word, he turned and ran.

Too frightening—he’d nearly gotten himself into real trouble over a couple of buns. This little town really was full of hidden dangers.

“That boy, so shy,” Aunt Li muttered as she kneaded her dough, watching him flee.

“What are you talking about, Mother?” A dainty face peeked out from behind the screen at the back of the shop.

“It’s that lad from the Yu family. I still don’t know why you fancy someone like that. He’s so thin, like a bamboo pole—I’m afraid a bit of excitement would break him in half, not sturdy at all…”

“Mother! What are you saying?” The girl’s face behind the curtain flushed instantly at Aunt Li’s increasingly inappropriate words.

“Alright, alright, enough,” Aunt Li chuckled, dropping the subject.

…

“You’re here early today, boy.” When Yu Ge arrived at Zhao Ziming’s courtyard, Zhao Ziming hadn’t yet left for the day.

He was sharpening a long blade on the whetstone, water glistening on the edge, but when he saw Yu Ge, he smiled.

He knew the young man had been using the training equipment in his courtyard lately, but it was the first time he’d come this early.

“Didn’t I mention that thing to you yesterday, Uncle Zhao…” Yu Ge started.

Before he could finish, Zhao Ziming cut him off, clearly anticipating what Yu Ge was about to say. “You’re bringing that up again? Didn’t I tell you to ignore it? The guards told me yesterday—the tailor Wang just drowned, nothing more.”

Yu Ge ignored Zhao Ziming’s dismissal and said bluntly, “Something came for me last night. I managed to take a piece off it.”

“Wait, something came for you?” Zhao Ziming’s attention sharpened.

“Yes, Uncle Zhao, look at this.” Yu Ge took out the rag and laid it before Zhao Ziming. As the cloth unfolded, the bloodied flesh and green, mucous-covered skin were revealed.

Zhao Ziming poked at it with a stick, then fell silent for a while.

If Yu Ge had pressed this matter before, insisting some creature had entered Yunji Town, Zhao Ziming wouldn’t have believed him. He’d spent over half his life in Yunji Town and seen all manner of wild beasts, storms, and even a few of the monsters and demons people whispered about.

But as soon as this thing appeared, he recognized it.

And precisely because he recognized it, he realized the severity of the situation.

This thing was simply a mutated toad, common enough around Great Wu Mountain—hardly anything remarkable, not even worthy of being called a spirit or demon. If not for the mildly hallucinogenic venom on its tongue, it was less dangerous than most wild beasts.

But that wasn’t the point. The problem was that, as long as it bore a trace of Yin energy, there was simply no way such a creature could have entered the town—not in all of Yunji Town’s history.

He had absolute faith in the talismanic seals buried in a circle around the town.

But now, this thing had appeared alive within the town’s borders, which could only mean the seals had failed.

That was a serious matter.

“I’m heading out! This thing is just a toad mutated by Yin energy—not even a low-level spirit, nothing to worry about.” Zhao Ziming didn’t even bother finishing his blade. He snatched up the cloth-wrapped lump and strode away, tossing an explanation over his shoulder.

“A toad?” Yu Ge echoed, stunned by the explanation. The size and shape of this toad were nothing like what he remembered.

At the threshold, Zhao Ziming paused and looked back. “Are you sure you didn’t bring this thing in from outside?”

Yu Ge, coming back to his senses, nodded.

With that assurance, Zhao Ziming left without another word. In this moment, he had no mind to wonder why the creature had sought out Yu Ge or how Yu Ge had managed to slice off a chunk of its flesh.

Once Zhao Ziming had gone with the thing, Yu Ge felt some relief.

Now that someone was taking the matter seriously, the creature would hardly be able to escape in the town. He had no desire to face more hidden dangers—if someone else handled it, so much the better.

After all, his time was precious.

With Zhao Ziming gone, Yu Ge turned his attention to the weapons in the courtyard.

The “achievement” of breaking a weapon hadn’t been accomplished yet, and he didn’t want to keep pestering Old Zhao. He decided he’d start working on that today, taking it step by step.

After last night’s events, he realized this town was not as safe as he’d thought. That creature, said not even to be a low-level demon, had nearly bested him.

It had taken quite a bit of effort just to deal with that one spot.

He could only imagine what would happen if he encountered a true monster or spirit from the outside world.