Chapter 20
After Li Xinjun and the others had eliminated all the transformed jiangshi in the village, Minister Chen revealed the truth about the situation to the surviving villagers. He ordered the soldiers to transport all the bodies to an open area on the rear mountain and cremate them. The villagers who had been bitten were temporarily confined in the magistrate’s office dungeon to prevent them from harming others if they transformed.
The villagers, though heartbroken that their loved ones couldn’t be given proper burials, dared not disobey. They were terrified of another outbreak. Li Xinjun and Doctor Huang did their best to treat the bitten villagers in the dungeon. Those who could be cured were fortunate. Those who couldn’t were swiftly killed.
Li Xinjun had the soldiers fill bathtubs with glutinous rice water and instructed the bitten villagers to soak in them. She strictly forbade the soldiers from opening the cell doors under any circumstances and ordered them to report any unusual activity immediately.
Li Xinjun went to the cell where the jiangshi she had dismembered earlier was being held. The creature was still writhing on the ground, trying to reach a rat in the corner.
Li Xinjun opened the cell door and entered, casually picking up a rat. She crouched beside the jiangshi and looked at it.
“Do you want this?”
“Blood! I want blood! Roar!”
“Alright, if you answer my questions, I’ll give you blood.”
“Roar~ Ask away.”
“Do you remember your name?”
“My name is Yu Dezhi.”
“Do you remember your family and friends?”
“Yes.”
“If you remember them, why did you kill them? Don’t you feel any remorse?”
“Hahaha, I just wanted to drink their blood and grant them eternal life.”
“Like you, as a jiangshi?”
“What’s wrong with being a jiangshi? I’m powerful now! My senses are heightened! It’s like having a god’s power! Isn’t that great? Hahaha!”
Li Xinjun realized that although this jiangshi retained its cognitive abilities, its thoughts and desires were no longer human. All it cared about was blood. Exhausted, she tossed the rat into the jiangshi’s mouth and turned to leave.
Outside the dungeon, she found Minister Chen deep in thought, his brow furrowed. She sat down beside him. Minister Chen, noticing her presence, asked,
“Miss Li, I heard you interrogated the jiangshi you captured?”
“Yes, I did.”
“Did you discover anything?”
“He’s basically the same as a normal person. He can speak, he can think, but all he cares about is drinking blood. He’s become savage and shows no remorse for killing people he knew. He seems to relish the power that being a jiangshi has given him. It’s quite troubling.”
“This is unbelievable. How can a person change so drastically?”
“I don’t understand either. But it seems our understanding of jiangshi was incomplete. Previously, those killed by jiangshi took a few days to transform. But these people were clearly killed recently, and they’ve already turned. And their abilities are different. They can speak and think.”
“I also noticed that these jiangshi are different from the previous ones. But why? They’re all jiangshi.”
“Minister Chen, I remember telling you about the Taoist priest we encountered in the cave. He told us that those jiangshi were deliberately refined. Perhaps that’s why they’re different from these ones.”
“Miss Li, I don’t understand. Can you explain further?”
“I’m thinking that maybe the previous jiangshi were refined, while these ones were transformed by being bitten by the refined jiangshi. Perhaps that’s why their abilities are different?”
“But if that’s the case, shouldn’t Uncle Wang be able to speak too?”
“I’ve thought about that, but Uncle Wang is different from the first jiangshi we encountered. His body isn’t as rigid, and he seems to understand what I say. But these ones are even more different. They speak fluently. I haven’t figured out the reason yet.”
“Miss Li, there aren’t many people who can help me with this matter. I know this isn’t your responsibility, but I implore you to assist me in investigating the nature of these jiangshi and finding ways to counter them. Will you help me?”
“Minister Chen, to be honest, I’ve decided to go after Sister Ling. I’m worried that she’ll encounter danger facing the jiangshi king alone. I can’t leave her out there by herself.”
“Miss Li, I understand your concern for Doctor Song, but I desperately need your help right now. You and Doctor Song were the only ones researching jiangshi. Now that she’s gone, I can only rely on you. Please, help me. I will send men to search for Doctor Song. If we have any news, I will inform you immediately.”
Seeing Minister Chen’s genuine concern for his people, Li Xinjun was torn. She had never been particularly altruistic, indifferent to the suffering of others. However, she knew that if it were Song Ling, she would unhesitatingly accept this responsibility. After a moment of hesitation, she decided to stay and help, and wait for Song Ling’s return.
“Alright, I’ll stay and help.”
“Thank you, Miss Li. I thank you on behalf of all the villagers.”
Just then, Magistrate Wang, his face haggard, walked past them. Li Xinjun, still annoyed by his earlier behavior, decided to give him a taste of his own medicine.
“Magistrate Wang, are you going back to your room to rest?”
“Ah, I was just seeing if there was anything I could help with, but it seems everything is under control. I was about to go back and rest.” Magistrate Wang, initially intending to ignore Li Xinjun, seeing Minister Chen beside her, reluctantly answered.
“Oh, how thoughtful of you, Magistrate Wang! It just so happens that the soldiers guarding the dungeon are exhausted. They’ve been working tirelessly fighting the jiangshi. Since you’re still full of energy, perhaps you could take over their duties for the night?”
“Huh…?”
Magistrate Wang’s face fell. He cursed Li Xinjun silently. Minister Chen, aware of Li Xinjun’s intentions, didn’t intervene. Instead, he added,
“That would be a great help, Magistrate Wang. Miss Li, please inform the soldiers in the dungeon that they can go and rest.”
Li Xinjun immediately agreed and rushed off to the dungeon, giving Magistrate Wang no chance to refuse. Magistrate Wang was devastated. He wanted to protest but couldn’t bring himself to do so in front of Minister Chen. He reluctantly agreed and went to the dungeon to take over the guard duty.
As Li Xinjun emerged from the dungeon, she caught Minister Chen’s eye. He gave her a thumbs-up. Li Xinjun beamed. She had finally gotten her revenge on Magistrate Wang for his earlier dismissiveness.
thank you for the chapter (◍•ᴗ•◍)