Chapter 63 Nan Yue's Past: The Exchange
It's been a long time since we last met. I hope everyone is doing well.
Tang Yu hadn't slept for two whole days, and her palms were covered with tiny scratches.
In that tightly sealed room, she worked day and night to develop a method to expel the blood midges, only occasionally venturing out for some fresh air.
After discovering that the so-called plague was actually a nesting method where rats were raised inside people's bellies and carried blood midges, Tang Yu took notice. Xiao Fangliang took charge of this matter, asking the Xia Nan Prince's Mansion and the Prefect to find woodcutters and capture a large number of snakes in the surrounding area.
After all, it is difficult to eliminate the small mice that are good at hiding in the shadows by manpower alone, while snakes are born to feed on mice and are more suitable to handle this matter than they are.
Meanwhile, led by Wang Shanyue, several people would stake out the area every night to kill the blood midges. During the day, they would go door-to-door teaching the people simple self-defense techniques.
To ensure the safety of these people, she naturally used her own blood to make dozens more "sachets," which is why she has so many scars on her hands.
Although these efforts temporarily curbed the epidemic, they were still far from enough. The blood midges were as numerous as smoke, and Xia Nan lacked manpower, so even with efforts to kill them, it was difficult to eradicate them all, resulting in people continuing to die.
Even so, life has returned to the streets of Xia Nan.
A few people began to take to the streets, and even some businesses tried to open their doors. A fragile, post-disaster vitality, like a stream thawing in early spring, began to flow through the city again.
But the night in Xia Nancheng remained deathly silent.
The night was bitterly cold, and every breath Tang Yu exhaled turned into white mist in the air and drifted away.
The mingled scent of blood and herbs lingered around her nose, only making her heart feel heavier.
Just now, she had used white vinegar as a base and combined it with several medicinal herbs to prepare a medicinal liquid that could dispel blood midges.
The number of deaths is decreasing daily, and the streets are filled with human voices again. It seems that everything is getting better.
However, after nearly a month of breeding, the number of blood midges had already exceeded expectations. Xia Nan City was so vast; how could human power possibly eradicate them? What she was doing now was merely buying some time.
At this moment, Xiao Fangliang came over carrying a plate of pastries and saw that she had a deep frown and a worried look on her face.
He comforted him, saying, "The situation in the city has improved. It will take time to get rid of the rats and midges. You should rest and not put too much pressure on yourself."
As he spoke, he handed the food plate to her.
"Mmm." Tang Yu picked up a piece of pastry and took a small bite.
Under the moonlight, the slightly red wounds on her fingertips were particularly noticeable.
Xiao Fangliang frowned: "What happened to your hand? Did you hurt it while preparing the medicine?"
Tang Yu paused slightly while chewing, then laughed it off: "Yes, it's just a little cut. After all..."
She looked up at the hazy moonlight in the sky, her expression devoid of joy, instead filled with unspeakable anxiety.
Suppressing her displeasure, she curled the corners of her lips into a smile: "After all, I'm afraid it won't be enough time."
Looking at her complicated expression, Xiao Fangliang felt that something was strange.
The question he wanted to ask was swallowed back when he saw the dark circles under Tang Yu's eyes.
*
The night was over, and the sunlight poured down on the eaves and pillars, making the entire Xia Nan Prince's Mansion shine with a golden glow, even the dust under the eaves seemed to float with a layer of light.
But the weather was still bitterly cold, and the warmth only stayed on the surface; deep down, people's hearts remained cold.
However, this tranquil laziness was completely shattered by the panicked soldier who burst in to report the incident.
Upon receiving the news, Tang Yu and the other two rushed to the front hall.
"What happened?"
King Xia Nan, looking anxious, paced back and forth. When he saw them, he was overjoyed: "The patrolling soldiers have reported that an unkillable monster has appeared on the main street!"
The crowd quickly steadied him and helped the kneeling soldier to his feet. The latter was ashen-faced, his hands still trembling slightly, and he stammered as he briefly recounted the events.
After the truth about the plague was revealed, people gradually went out to shop, and the government increased the number of patrols. This morning, on the main street, the patrolling soldiers discovered a strangely dressed man.
The man was dressed in black, wearing a black cloak, which not only completely covered him in broad daylight, but also made him move stiffly and stagger.
"Hey, you over there!" The soldiers noticed something amiss and stepped forward to stop him. "Are you injured?"
The man in black did not respond, but simply took two more unsteady steps forward.
The officers and soldiers became wary and grabbed his shoulder, attempting to forcibly turn him aside for inspection.
But the next moment, he met a pair of cloudy, empty, and lifeless eyes.
Those were dead people's eyes.
The officer was startled and was about to back away when the man in black suddenly drew his knife and slashed at his face with swift and decisive movements.
A flash of cold light, and blood splattered.
The market fell into a brief stillness, followed by a burst of piercing screams from the crowd. They scattered and fled, plunging the market into chaos.
The other soldiers reacted quickly, drawing their swords and rushing forward, only to find that the man in black neither dodged nor felt pain. He merely stiffly and mechanically raised his hand to retaliate as the swords pierced him.
The stench of blood quickly filled the street.
Finally, someone slashed the man in black across the neck, but little blood spurted from the cut.
Strangely, the man in black suddenly twisted his head mechanically and eerily a few times, and a slight hissing sound came from his throat, like a leaky bellows.
He stopped moving and then fell heavily to the ground.
The crowd looked at each other, but none of them dared to step forward.
While they were hesitating, they did not notice that countless small insects were crawling out from the severed wound of the corpse.
By the time the people realized what was happening, the swarm of insects had already coalesced into a cloud of black mist and rushed towards the fleeing crowd in the distance.
On the main street, screams erupted again.
Upon hearing this, Tang Yu and the others felt a chill in their hearts.
They immediately realized that the "monster" was the same Gu person they had encountered in Sichuan.
*
When the group arrived at the main street, the scene was even more horrific than they had imagined.
The ground was littered with corpses, the stench of blood thick and unbearable. And the black-clad man, whom the soldiers had said should have been just one, now numbered seven or eight.
There were also random flying insects in the air, their bluish-black light shimmering with a nauseating luster in the sunlight.
The Gu people were pale and their eyes were cloudy. They still held knives in their hands and were slashing at each other with the panicked soldiers.
A knife was about to strike his neck when Tang Yu shouted sharply, "Don't kill him!"
She exchanged a glance with Wang Shanyue, then leaped up behind the nearest Gu person.
Wang Shanyue was responsible for attracting attention and controlling the Gu person, while Tang Yu used silver needles to puncture various acupoints on their body. With this tacit cooperation, they dealt with one person in a short time.
Without saying much, the two quickly rushed to the next one.
Xiao Fangliang, who was not skilled in martial arts, stepped forward to give instructions: "If these men in black die, the Gu worms will fly out. Just tie them up and keep an eye on them. Do not let them move!"
Just as they were dealing with only the last two Gu people, a clear bell rang out from above.
"jingle--"
The voice was melodious yet chilling, as if it could pierce through clouds and fog and strike straight at the heart.
In an instant, all the Gu people stopped moving and became completely still, their killing intent instantly receding.
The Gu worms that were originally flying around in the air seemed to have found their leader and flew in the direction of the bell.
Everyone instinctively looked up.
On the second floor of the pavilion, a slender figure stood in the wind, followed by several shadow guards.
She wore a moon-white gauze dress, the hem of which fluttered slightly in the autumn breeze, and she gently shook the silver bell between her fingers once more.
The Gu worms instantly flew obediently into the lacquer box in the guard's hand.
With a "click," the lid closed, and the chaos came to an end.
A charming smile curved the woman's lips: "It's been a long time. How have you all been?"
The smile was delicate and soft, but the joy didn't reach her eyes at all; instead, it sent chills down one's spine.
"Moon Pillar".
Tang Yu's voice was colder than the autumn wind.
Upstairs, Yueying's smile deepened as she slowly leaned forward, surveying the horrific scene on the street. Her fingertips lightly touched the railing, her movements as elegant as playing a zither.
"You came so quickly." She sighed softly, a smile still playing on her lips, and remarked, "This stage is devoid of blood; it just doesn't feel right."
Yueying's nonchalant demeanor made the group feel extremely nauseous.
Wang Shanyue was even more furious. He raised his sword and pointed it at her, demanding sharply, "Where is my sister?"
"Don't be in such a hurry." Yueying seemed amused, her tone as gentle as if coaxing a child. "Getting angry is bad for your health."
"As for Miss Wang..." She paused, then raised her hand and gestured lightly.
Immediately, the guards dragged a woman out from behind the attic.
The man's hands were bound and his mouth was gagged. Although he looked somewhat disheveled, his clothes and hair were still relatively neat. He was none other than the missing Wang Yunxi.
"Sister—!" Wang Shanyue almost lost his voice, his pupils contracted, and he took a step forward abruptly.
“Look,” Yueying lifted the chin of the person next to her with her fingertip, looked at her with pity, and said softly with a smile, “Look how kind I am, taking such good care of Miss Wang. She hasn’t suffered at all, and has even gained some weight.”
Her fingertips slowly moved from Wang Yunxi's chin to the side of his neck, gently caressing him with a touch of tenderness.
Her neck is covered with blood vessels, and her behavior only made the onlookers more terrified.
"Release her!" Wang Shanyue roared angrily, drawing his sword and stepping forward.
"Don't act impulsively."
Xiao Fangliang stopped him, his gaze as cold and sharp as ice.
Tang Yu looked up, her expression calmer than usual. The moment her gaze met Yue Ying's, a slight, mocking smile curved her lips.
What exactly do you want?
Yueying scoffed, clearly disgusted by Tang Yu's smile, but still spoke softly, "You're so smart, why do you need to ask me?"
She walked slowly along the railing of the attic, her steps light and graceful, her skirt billowing in the wind, exuding an ethereal and alluring beauty.
Glancing sideways at the corpses strewn across the street and the soldiers standing guard, Yueying said calmly, "Such a long and painstakingly planned scheme. You broke it in just a few days; I'm truly not happy about it. But..."
She smiled, her eyes alluring yet dangerous. "I've always been a generous person. I can continue dealing with the plague with you, or I can let Miss Wang return safely."
"But, it should be fair..." She paused, lowering her voice, with a gentle whisper, "Tang Yu, shouldn't you come home with me?"
The air seemed to stand still for a moment.
"What nonsense are you spouting?" Wang Shanyue could hardly believe his ears and couldn't help but point at her and curse, "If she goes back to Southern Xinjiang with you, you poisonous woman, how will she survive!"
Tang Yu gently raised her hand to stop him.
She stepped forward, showing no surprise whatsoever, and nodded naturally: "Okay."
"Tang Yu!" Wang Shanyue's face was full of disbelief.
Xiao Fangliang frowned, wanting to step forward and offer some advice.
But Tang Yu was the first to reassure her in a low voice: "She might need my help, so she won't kill me easily."
Up in the attic, Yueying's smile deepened, and the chill intensified.
That smile was like a cat's lazy playfulness after catching its prey, but sooner or later those sharp claws would fall on her.
She reached up and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, saying with a playful tone, "Your friends seem quite surprised by this result. I gave you a few days to think it over. It seems that... you didn't tell them that night."
Wang Shanyue paused, then turned to Tang Yu: "Which night?"
Tang Yu did not answer, but only lowered her eyes slightly.
In fact, as early as the night she heard the bell's sound on the way back after capturing the Blood Midge, she had already discovered the terms of the deal that Yueying had left under the eaves:
One life for another.
Yueying sighed softly, her gaze lingering on Tang Yu's face. Suddenly, she smiled and said, "Women always have a lot of secrets. Sometimes, they even hide a lot from their closest friends, don't they?"
Her words were loaded with meaning, referring both to this matter and subtly mocking her for concealing Yue Qimeng's identity.
However, apart from the two of them, no one else knew the secret.
Tang Yu slightly raised her eyes, a cold glint flashing in them, but she didn't reply.
Yueying smiled with satisfaction and beckoned to her with her finger, signaling her to come up.
Tang Yu took a deep breath, pushed off with her toes, and lightly leaped onto the pavilion.
As the wind rustled her clothes, she landed steadily, and several Southern Border Shadow Guards immediately surrounded her, their blades gleaming coldly.
She didn't care, but glanced at the unconscious Wang Yunxi and said, "Now that I'm here, you should release them."
Yueying waved her hand in satisfaction. The shadow guards then immediately tossed Wang Yunxi down like cargo.
"Sister!" Wang Shanyue exclaimed in surprise and rushed to catch her. Fortunately, there was no danger.
Tang Yu's heart was at ease, and her expression returned to normal, without any fear.
Yueying stood at the edge of the pavilion, glanced at the people below, then looked away, her gaze returning to Tang Yu's face. A fleeting look of disgust crossed her expression, so quick it seemed like an illusion.
"Why don't you say goodbye to your friends?" she kindly suggested.
Tang Yu frowned slightly, wondering what this person was really up to.
But he paused only briefly, then turned and bent down to instruct, "Take good care of her, I—"
With a "whoosh," the sharp blade pierced through the body!
Tang Yu's voice stopped abruptly, and even her breathing became suffocated.
She looked down in disbelief at the silver light emanating from her chest.
Blood dripped from the sword's edge, staining her front a deep crimson, a sight that stung everyone's eyes.
At this moment, even the wind became completely still.
[Author's Note]
Xie Xingzheng, still on the road: ? ? ?
Xie Xingzheng: It's urgent!
Author: Don't rush...
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