Chapter 21
Li Xinjun woke up early the next morning. The previous night had been a sleepless one, plagued by nightmares and worry for Song Ling’s safety. She decided to get up early and tend to the jiangshi matters, hoping to end this crisis quickly and reunite with Song Ling.
She went down to the dungeon and found Magistrate Wang dozing off in a chair. Mischievously, she imitated a jiangshi’s growl, startling him awake. She then pretended to be casually checking on the injured villagers.
Magistrate Wang, jolted awake by the roar, thought the injured had transformed. He fell out of his chair in terror. Seeing no jiangshi around, he calmed down, oblivious to Li Xinjun’s prank. He was relieved to see Li Xinjun, as it meant he could finally leave this dreadful place.
“Miss Li, since you’re here, I’ll leave this to you.”
“Of course, sir. You’re tired. Go get some rest.”
“Oh, yes, thank you.” Magistrate Wang stumbled out of the dungeon.
Li Xinjun, amused by his disheveled appearance, went to one of the cells and woke up the injured villagers inside. This cell held those with minor injuries, none of whom had been bitten by the jiangshi.
“How are you feeling after soaking in the glutinous rice water last night? Any better?”
“Much better, thank you. The swelling in my scratches has gone down,” one of the villagers replied.
“That’s good to hear. I’m sorry you have to stay here. If you’re all doing well tomorrow, I’ll inform Minister Chen, and he’ll release you.”
Li Xinjun reassured them, and the villagers, understanding, didn’t complain about their confinement. She then went to the next cell, which held those who had been bitten by the jiangshi. As she approached the cell, calling out to the injured, they rose to their feet.
Their eyes gleamed with a sinister light, fixed intently on Li Xinjun. She noticed several gnawed rat carcasses in the cell, her heart sinking. She knew they had transformed. She tried to engage them in casual conversation, observing their reactions.
“How are you feeling today?”
“I feel unwell, Miss Li. Can you please come and check my pulse?” a woman replied.
Li Xinjun, feigning ignorance, approached the cell door. The woman inside lunged at her, trying to grab her. Li Xinjun quickly jumped back, avoiding contact. The woman inside became agitated.
“Come closer, Miss Li! How can you check my pulse if you’re so far away?” the woman persisted.
Li Xinjun realized the gravity of the situation. These transformed villagers looked perfectly normal. If she hadn’t noticed the dead rats and their menacing eyes, she wouldn’t have known they were jiangshi. And they spoke fluently. Anyone else would have been fooled.
“Ma’am, why did you suddenly lunge at me?” Li Xinjun probed further.
“Oh, we were just eager for you to check our pulses, Miss Li. Come closer and have a look.” The woman extended her hand through the bars.
For the first time, Li Xinjun felt genuine fear. The previous jiangshi, though terrifying, were easily identifiable as monsters. But these people looked perfectly normal. If they escaped, how would they be detected? More people would be harmed, and even the soldiers wouldn’t know who to attack.
Li Xinjun unwrapped the bandage on her left hand and pressed down on the healing wound, reopening it. Blood flowed freely. The scent of blood drove the people inside the cell into a frenzy. They bared their fangs, their eyes turning red, finally revealing their true nature as jiangshi.
“Hahaha, do you still need me to check your pulses?” Li Xinjun was relieved. She could still use blood to expose their true forms. Otherwise, she wouldn’t know what to do.
“Miss Li, your hand is bleeding! Come closer, and let me take a look! Come here!”
The woman continued to try to coax Li Xinjun closer. Li Xinjun, ignoring her pleas, moved on to the next cell. The people inside jumped up, grabbing the bars, desperate to get out and bite her. She ignored their roars and continued to the next cell.
Inside the cell lay the jiangshi she had dismembered the previous night. Its eyes had returned to their normal color, no longer the crimson red of the night before. Li Xinjun was puzzled. Why had its eyes changed?
She approached the cell, opened the door, and crouched beside the jiangshi. The creature, smelling the blood from her hand, twitched its nose and turned its head towards the source of the scent. Its eyes instantly turned red. Li Xinjun waved her hand back and forth, and the jiangshi’s head followed her movements. It seemed that these jiangshi transformed upon smelling blood, their instincts compelling them to seek it out.
Li Xinjun left the dungeon and reported her findings to Minister Chen. He was deeply concerned. As Li Xinjun had feared, if these jiangshi blended into the crowd, the consequences would be disastrous.
“Miss Li, the situation is critical. I need to inform the Emperor immediately. Will you accompany me to the capital?”
“Minister Chen, I don’t want to leave. I promised Song Ling that I would wait for her here. If I’m not staying here, I should be searching for her, not going to the capital. I hope you understand.”
“Sigh, alright. I won’t force you. I’m leaving tomorrow morning. If you change your mind, let me know.” Minister Chen, not wanting to pressure Li Xinjun further, relented.
“Thank you for your understanding, Minister Chen. I wish you a safe journey. As for those transformed villagers in the dungeon, I think we should deal with them tonight, just in case something happens after you leave.”
“You’re right, Miss Li. I’ll have Brother Wu handle it. Here, take this token.”
Minister Chen took out a golden token from his pocket. It was engraved with the words “Governor,” a symbol of his authority. Li Xinjun took the token, looking at him quizzically.
“Minister Chen, why are you giving me this?”
“This is my personal token. If you need to contact me, give this to the guards at the Governor’s Mansion, and they will help you find me. You can also ask them to provide you with protection.”
“Thank you, Minister Chen.” Li Xinjun accepted the token.
That night, Brother Wu and his men killed all the transformed villagers in the dungeon and then transported their bodies to the open area on the rear mountain for cremation. However, Minister Chen instructed Brother Wu to bind the limbless jiangshi and place it in the carriage. He intended to take it to the capital as proof for the Emperor.
