58 The Heart of Wuji II (1/2)
The residents had, out of instincts, avoided getting harmed during the time of danger, and they were prepared to remain silent concerning the situation Meng Fuyao had caused. They were going to keep everything deep within their heart until the crisis was really over.
Was it really over?
The sun set, and the moon rose dimly.
The moon that night seemed to be shrouded by a layer of mist. The haziness of it reflected itself onto the streets, roads, trees, buildings and so on.
The blood gathered in the gutter in the small alley had faded and was taken over by a layer of crystal light. By the gutter grew a wild, dark brown grass that was weirdly-shaped.
The corpse, whose body had been penetrated by Meng Fuyao's sword, moved suddenly. His face was pale green in color, like that of the contaminated water in the gutter.
Wild grass had filled the sides of the gutter and concealed the body from view. A long time later the 'corpse's' finger curled up and held onto a bunch of wild grass as the man struggled to stand up.
He gasped for air, slowly crawling out from the muddied water. The blood and sludge that covered his body slid down as he moved.
A sinister-looking wound was visible on his back. It was a massive hole, within which flesh and bone could be seen. The sight was made more terrifying by the denseness of the night.
The wound had been left by Meng Fuyao when she stabbed her sword through all three Rong men. It wasn't a big hole as he had made use of the incoming force to launch himself into the gutter and prevented a fatal blow from being inflicted upon himself. It was Zong Yue's bone-scattering herb that had expanded the size of his wound.
As for the discontinuation of the herb's effect and the fact that he hadn't disintegrated into the air like the rest of his brothers, Zong Yue would easily attribute it to the strangely-shaped grass.
Hooked Grass was the biggest nemesis of the main ingredient found in Zong Yue's Bone-Scattering powder. Such grass usually grew on cliffs, but now that it had appeared by this gutter, it must have fallen into the water and into his body when the man plunged in with an open wound. As such, it had stalled the decaying of his flesh.
Zong Yue seldom used this powder of his, and one of the rare occasions in which he did, it had been rendered ineffective by an antidotal grass. Just like that, the Rong man had escaped from the massacre like a fish from a net; fate was at play.
Fate wanted the tightly woven secret net to rip and leave a gap for an uprise. It was to fulfill a particular girl's destiny.
The man took deep breaths under the dimly lit moon, the silverish water illuminating the indignation and viciousness on his face.
Waist bent, he staggered from tree to tree and slowly made his way out of the alley.
On the limestone ground were two bloody and mud-stained footprints, extending further and further away.
As the moon set, Meng Fuyao led the pregnant lady to the official institution of the magistrate, Old Sir Su. They had planned to head to the shelter, but the deputy couldn't take them in without a written order produced by the mayor or magistrate. Left without an alternative, Meng Fuyao could only take them to the office, which was just as well since Zong Yue and she were supposed to pay the mayor a visit anyway.
However, the doors were shut. After a long series of knocks, a bailiff walked out lazily, mumbling, ”Knock, knock, knock... what time is it already... If Master wakes up, he'll teach you a lesson!”
Not wanting to start a fight with the showy snob, Meng Fuyao calmed herself before speaking. ”Hi Sir, I'm here to report that this family has been bullied, and their house has been burned. Please allow them a spot in the citizen shelter–––”
”Fights between the Hans and Rongs are not our business to take care of. Go back, shoo!” Before she could finish her sentence, the bailiff's face changed, immediately waving them off.
Stunned, Meng Fuyao asked angrily, ”Not your business to take care of? Is that your stand or the mayor's?”
”Are you a fool?” the bailiff questioned, evidently amused. ”He doesn't live here. He has his own mansion in the eastern part of the city. Only the magistrate lives here, and this is his stand, naturally.”
”Let me see him then.”
”What are you?” the bailiff lifted his chin, asking. ”Think you can do whatever you please? Let me tell you. Master Su will not manage things like these so stop wasting time and get lost.”
Meng Fuyao met his eyes and broke into a sudden smile.
It was a familiar smile that turned the couple's face pale. How dare this fellow provoke the killer spirit in her!
Meng Fuyao jerked and in the next moment appeared before the announcement gong. She grabbed the stick and slammed it down without hesitation.
Dong!
It was earth-shatteringly loud, like the rolling of thunder, instantly piercing through the layers of clouds amid the darkness.