Chapter Seventy: Split Action to Lure the Snake Out
Jiuya cheerfully offered her suggestion, her eyes sparkling as if she had discovered some new and interesting game. Bai Yu and Li Yue both agreed with the suggestion—if the Venerable One said to jump out of the window, then they would jump out of the window; not only that, they would follow without hesitation even if it meant jumping off a cliff. The Demon Realm never followed rules or regulations.
Only Rong Jiang glanced at Jiu Ya with disbelief, a rare look of astonishment flashing across her usually calm eyes. Jump out the window? Seriously? Although the window wasn't small, to lift her skirt, carefully step onto the windowsill, and then somewhat clumsily climb out… Rong Jiang personally felt that this behavior was truly unbecoming of her image, completely incompatible with her status as the Lord of the Underworld. She was more accustomed to moving in a way that was more… well, more in line with her identity.
Jiu Ya, however, said that these were nothing! In the games she'd played, scaling walls and jumping through windows were common maneuvers—exciting and efficient. In period dramas, heroes always just "whoosh" out of windows when something happened; who would slowly walk through a door? It's a waste of time and not cool at all. Besides, imagining someone effortlessly leaping down the stairs with one hand, clothes fluttering in the wind, how cool is that!
Due to her physical limitations and concerns about the potential threat to her life, she had never had the chance to practice in real life. Now, with this powerful demonic body, the opportunity had arrived, and she was rubbing her hands together excitedly, itching to climb up and demonstrate immediately. Besides, it was just climbing through a window; if she was careful, she wouldn't damage the inn's property.
Finally, in a burst of excitement, Jiu Ya, with a nimble leap, crouching low, and with slightly clumsy but powerful movements, stepped onto the somewhat worn wooden windowsill. She turned back to Rong Jiang with a "watch me!" smile, then jumped down with a "whoosh." She landed with a soft thud, accompanied by a low "ouch," as if her leg had gone numb for a moment. But she quickly straightened up and excitedly waved towards the upper floor.
Bai Yu and Li Yue exchanged a glance, and without the slightest hesitation, they flashed down like two wisps of smoke, landing almost silently. Like boss, like subordinate—they were perfectly cooperative, emphasizing exceptional execution.
Rong Jiang stood alone by the window, watching the three of them leap into the water with the resolute determination of those who had seemingly gone to their deaths. Her expression froze, and she even couldn't help but gently press her temple. Seriously, could you guys not be so direct? So...reckless?
Rong Jiang was uncharacteristically speechless. Was teleporting out with a simple hand seal really that difficult? Why resort to this…physical method? She shook her head helplessly, waved her hand, and gently closed the door, silently erasing the faint footprints and scents left by the three demons on the windowsill and floor—after all, leaving traces in the middle of the night might frighten the shopkeeper tomorrow. Then, her figure swayed slightly, blurring like a reflection in water, and in the next instant, she appeared directly in the shadows of the alley downstairs, joining the three demons who were already waiting there. The entire process was silent; her skirt didn't even flutter, her breathing was steady, as if she had merely strolled leisurely down the street, utterly composed.
Jiu Ya was looking up, eagerly waiting to see Rong Jiang descend gracefully like a goddess from the heavens, but all she saw was the wide-open window being gently closed by an invisible force. The next second, Rong Jiang walked slowly out of the shadows beside her, her calm and elegant face serene, as if she had just gone for a walk.
"Ranran? You...you didn't just jump out the window?" Jiu Ya closed her jaw in shock, which had almost dropped. Why didn't Rong Jiang gracefully leap from the second floor like she had imagined? Wouldn't that have been quick and cool? Besides, it was at least a first-floor height; jumping down, her skirt fluttering, her hair dancing—how beautiful! This action specifically refers to beautiful women, and Jiu Ya, by setting an example and jumping first, might have had a secret desire to see Rong Jiang fall gracefully from a height.
However, the person appeared on the street without a sound, which shocked Jiu Ya, who was full of expectations, and even made her a little disappointed.
Rong Jiang straightened her perfectly smooth sleeves, her tone calm and natural, as if she were saying that the weather was nice today: "Making a spell is faster than jumping out of the window, isn't it? And it saves you from leaving any traces." She glanced at the spot where Jiu Ya had just jumped down.
"Oh, I think so!" Jiu Ya suddenly realized, and slapped her forehead. "That's right! This is a fantasy world of immortals and heroes! How can I use my old martial arts worldview to measure it!" She immediately felt that her hard work just now was a bit silly.
Rong Jiang looked at her belatedly realizing, annoyed and amused expression, a barely perceptible smile flashing in her eyes, and naturally steered the conversation back to the main topic: "Now that we're out, we can go and meet that skinning monster."
Jiuya's attention was immediately diverted, and she nodded repeatedly, her fighting spirit rekindled. "Yes! Let's go!"
Spring nights arrive much earlier than summer nights, and as soon as darkness falls, the night quickly blankets the entire sky. There are no stars tonight, only a hazy crescent moon hanging lonely in the heavens, casting a dim, cold light. The trees lining the streets cast long, dark shadows, swaying in the wind like menacing ghosts. The streets are deserted, deathly silent; not even stray cats or dogs are to be seen. Only the occasional, sharp, piercing cry of an owl from somewhere echoes, further emphasizing the eerie stillness of the night, like a vast tomb.
It wasn't quite midnight yet, but every household had their doors and windows tightly shut, many even wedging their doors shut with wooden sticks. Not a ray of light shone through the windows; people had extinguished their lights early and huddled anxiously in their beds or corners, even their breathing held low, fearing that the slightest noise would attract the horrible monster that loved to skin and rip out hearts, bringing annihilation upon themselves and their families. An invisible and heavy fear hung over the entire city.
Four inhuman creatures walked along the silent street, where only the wind could be heard, occasionally exchanging hushed conversations. Their leisurely stroll made them appear as if they were simply enjoying a leisurely evening walk, completely out of place in the oppressive and fearful atmosphere around them. If a wary eye were to see them from behind a window, they would likely be terrified, mistaking them for a gang of murderous, skinning monsters. At this time of night, what normal living person would dare to wander out in the middle of the night?
Aside from the night watchman and the constables who had no choice but to patrol, there was also the unscrupulous and elusive monster killer.
After wandering aimlessly through several streets without seeing a single ghost (neither literally nor figuratively), Jiu Ya couldn't help but complain, "This city is quite large, with many winding alleys. I wonder where that so-called monster will make its move. How long will it take to find it?" She kicked a small pebble at her feet, and the sound of the pebble rolling was particularly loud in the silence.
To lure the monster out, they all disguised themselves, concealing most of their auras and appearing as ordinary night travelers. Even Li Yue, who never parted with his treasured sword, had taken it off and put it away; now he looked like a tall, ordinary guard. Bai Yu also concealed the shrewdness and sharpness between her brows, appearing meek and submissive. Jiu Ya and Rong Jiang, on the other hand, looked more like two rich young ladies who had sneaked out to play, unaware of the dangers of the world.
"It has committed numerous crimes, causing widespread panic and fear throughout the city. If it were to strike again now, ordinary people would surely keep their doors and windows tightly shut, leaving it with no choice but to break into private residences to kill." Rong Jiang smiled faintly. "But breaking into private residences to kill would inevitably make a lot of noise and easily leave clues. How could it be as convenient and efficient as directly encountering a lone person outside? Ajiu, if we want to encounter that monster as soon as possible, we might as well split up. A lone person is always a more likely target than four people gathered together, and it's also more likely to lure it out." Her analysis was clear and concise, hitting the nail on the head.
"But didn't we agree to go together? It's so unsafe to be separated!" Jiu Ya's eyes widened, her voice an instinctive objection. How could they possibly separate halfway through? She wanted to follow Rong Jiang to gain experience... oh no, I mean, to protect Rong Jiang! (Although she didn't know who was protecting whom.)
If the four of them were to choose their targets based on appearance, there's a 99% chance they'd choose Rong Jiang. She's a fifteen or sixteen-year-old girl, slender and delicate, walking alone on a deserted street late at night, completely powerless to resist—the perfect prey.
Rong Jiang seemed to see through her thoughts. "The four of us have been together, our auras mixed together. It might sense something is wrong and dare not act rashly. We can split into four directions and each search the city. We agree to meet at the inn before dawn, regardless of whether we find anything or not. How about that?" Her tone seemed like a suggestion, but she had already made a decision.
Jiu Ya thought about it and felt that Rong Jiang made sense; separating would indeed be more efficient. She could only nod, "Then... then that's fine. Ranran, you must be especially careful!" She still reminded her with concern, completely forgetting that the person next to her was the real boss.
"Don't worry, Ajiu," Rong Jiang's eyes deepened with a smile, finding her worried expression amusing. "Young Master Li and Miss Bai, please also be careful. However, if you do encounter that monster, there's no need to kill it directly; try to capture it alive." She paused, then added, "I still need to ask some questions."
Rong Jiang chuckled to herself, thinking that perhaps the one who truly needed to be wary of this group was the monster. She even seriously suspected that because the four of them were together, the extraordinary aura that, even when concealed, still lingered, prevented the monster from appearing before them. Bai Yu and Li Yue's auras weren't perfectly hidden either; if it truly was a monster sensitive to auras, it should instinctively fear this relatively high-level demonic energy.
Rong Jiang had no doubt about Bai Yu and Li Yue's strength. How could a demon brought out by Jiu Ya as a confidant be weak? Rong Jiang only worried about one thing: what if that monster was unlucky enough to be encountered by Jiu Ya, who seemed the most harmless but was actually the most likely to "mistake"? What if it was instantly annihilated upon first meeting? She still had things to interrogate carefully. After all, the disappearing resentment was too suspicious.
Upon hearing the word "capture alive," Jiu Ya immediately grinned and assured them, "Ranran, don't worry, we'll all be careful. If I encounter that monster, I'll definitely show mercy! After all, it's killed several people, so we have to catch it to give the city people an explanation, right?" She had already pictured herself bravely capturing the monster and receiving a warm welcome from the people lining the streets.
After saying goodbye to Jiu Ya, Rong Jiang casually chose a direction and slowly walked forward, her figure quickly disappearing into the shadows of a deeper alley.
Meanwhile, the two loyal subordinates, who had repeatedly expressed their refusal to separate from their master but hesitated to speak, were forced to find their own direction and "split off" to "encounter" the skinning monster under Jiu Ya's pressure: "This is an order! Splitting up is more efficient! Get it done quickly so you can go back to sleep!"
Rong Jiang, who was traveling alone, slowly walked down a particularly dark and deserted street.
In the deep darkness of the night, a slender, frail girl walked alone, with no one by her side to accompany or protect her. The moonlight cast a long shadow over her, making her appear even more solitary. She looked like an unlocked jewel box, radiating an alluring glow, exposed defenselessly to the dangerous darkness, tempting all who beheld her.
Unbeknownst to her, not far behind in an alleyway, a figure almost blending into the darkness was silently watching her back. That figure seemed to still carry a faint, lingering, heavy scent of blood. It (or rather, it) had just completed a "hunt" in another corner of the city, wandering like a ghost through the alleyways, still searching for its next suitable prey.
But he thought he was a hunter who controlled life, little did he know that he had already become... an even more terrifying prey in the eyes of others?
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