Back To When The Demon Lord Was A Beggar - Chapter 14

Suddenly, a series of roars erupted from outside the carriage, the sound feeling strangely familiar. Peeling back the curtain to steal a glance, Chu Nanzhen saw the old woman who had lost her son being pinned down firmly by several guards while she hurled foul curses from her mouth.

Not far from her stood a young lady, whom Chu Nanzhen immediately recognized as the County Princess who had nearly been assaulted. Truly, wicked people are tormented by those even more wicked, being torn apart by five horses would not be too much for someone like her. He let out a soft sigh and withdrew his gaze.

Zhishi Yi did not ask him what was happening outside, he could guess well enough just by looking at Chu Nanzhen’s expression. It was a pity she didn’t get her way, the two of them were certainly not destined to be her scapegoats.

Hardly anyone spoke during the journey. By the time they reached the Central City, it was nearly evening. They were exhausted from the long trip, so Chu Nanzhen suggested they stay at an inn for the night. The Central City was quite large, they had only just arrived at the city gates, and there was still a significant distance to the place where he used to live.

The city was brightly lit, not a single household or shop had extinguished their lights or closed their doors. Pedestrians flowed in a constant stream amidst the heavy traffic of carriages. Various sounds blended together in a lively bustle, making it feel just like daytime.

“We’ve been sitting in the carriage all day, why don’t we go out for a stroll? We came all this way to give some old man a peach anyway, it won’t hurt to look around,” Wu Xiang suggested, shrugging his shoulders and spreading his hands.

Chu Nanzhen retorted irritably, “He isn’t some old man. He is currently in his middle age, not old yet.”

“Aie aie aie aie aie!” Wu Xiang, finding this tiresome, covered his ears and turned his head away, unwilling to speak with him any further.

“A stroll wouldn’t hurt, consider it a way to relax,” Zhishi Yi said with a smile, turning to Chu Nanzhen. “Since you lived here for a period of time, you must be quite familiar with the Central City.”

That was the truth. Living here for five or six years wasn’t for nothing. Instantly, a surge of pride welled up in his heart. Chu Nanzhen raised his chin and nodded, “Of course! I can take you all around.”

They first found a nearby inn, planning to freshen up before heading out. Just as they stepped inside, a short, thin, dark-skinned waiter bowed with a smile and approached them. “Masters, are you here for a meal or to stay the night?”

Zhishi Yi replied, “To stay. Two rooms.”

The other two didn’t understand why three people needed only two rooms, but they chose to remain silent. After all, Zhishi Yi was the one paying, he could book as many as he liked.

The thought of sharing a room with Chu Nanzhen brought an uncontrollable joy to Zhishi Yi’s heart. Not only could he see him at every moment, but it would also help foster their relationship.

Chu Nanzhen figured that with two rooms, he would likely have to make do with Wu Xiang. Zhishi Yi didn’t look like the type of person who would share a room with anyone else.

The waiter stepped aside to make a path for the three of them. “Masters, please follow me.”

The room was in the most inconspicuous corner of the second floor. There was a thin layer of dust on the door, making it look as though no one had stayed there in a long time.

“The shopkeeper is away these days,” the waiter said. “If you have any issues, just come find me. If you wish to go out, please make sure to return before evening.”

The hour was late and it was already dark outside. According to the waiter’s words, going out today seemed out of the question. Chu Nanzhen had never stayed in an inn here before and hadn’t known such a rule existed. Had he known, he would have hurried home, even if his place was small, at least he’d have his freedom.

“Is it not okay to come back late? I happen to love returning late. You think you can lock me out!” Wu Xiang became displeased the moment he heard this. He naturally loved to go against the grain, if others went east, he went west; if others said one, he said two. He insisted on doing exactly what he was told not to do.

His voice wasn’t quiet, yet the waiter acted as if he hadn’t heard a thing. He turned to leave, seeing this, Chu Nanzhen quickly stepped forward to block his path. Frowning, he asked, “We asked for two rooms, why did you only give us one?”

The waiter paused but remained silent, his gaze fixed straight ahead. This struck them as very strange. It was only after a long stalemate that they realized the waiter hadn’t blinked once since they entered, he was like a puppet controlled by someone. Feeling suspicious, Chu Nanzhen waved a hand in front of the man’s face and repeated his question. The waiter still said nothing, ignoring them as he walked downstairs, acting as if the three of them were invisible.

“What is the meaning of this? Is he deaf? We said two rooms, two rooms, two rooms! Only giving us one… when your shopkeeper gets back, I’m going to report you and dock your pay! I’ll dock every last bit of it!” Wu Xiang, seeing the waiter’s dismissive attitude, grew furious and shouted down the stairs.

“Xiao Chu, what do you make of this?” Zhishi Yi asked unhurriedly.

In truth, he wasn’t quite sure either. He felt the waiter was very odd. Before he could think further, the waiter’s voice drifted up from downstairs again. Looking toward the sound, they saw the waiter bowing and smiling at the front door, asking, “Masters, are you here for a meal or to stay the night?”

There was no one at the door. He was essentially speaking to thin air, which was enough to prove this inn had problems. There were many people on the first floor, most of them sitting there drinking wine or tea. From the moment the three had entered until now, these people had been repeating the same actions over and over. It was as if they had been arranged in advance specifically to perform for them.

“I think the entire Central City is strange,” Chu Nanzhen replied to Zhishi Yi’s earlier question. If a basket of perfectly good peaches has a worm in it, then there will be worms in the other peaches too, not just that one. The pristine surface was merely a facade.

If a city as large as this had a problem, officials would surely come to solve it or seal the city. Now, not only was no one solving it, but the city wasn’t sealed either. Or perhaps, those who came to solve it had met the same fate as the citizens.

That was all he could think of for now. Chu Nanzhen thought for a moment and added, “This problem must have started in the last few days. Everything was still normal in the city when you kidnapped me.”

Hearing the word “kidnapped,” Zhishi Yi let out a few awkward, light coughs. Wu Xiang was dazed by their conversation, what kidnapping, what strangeness, it was all a mess…

After a long silence, Zhishi Yi spoke again, “We shall go out tonight. Perhaps we will encounter the true culprit behind this situation.”

Since the waiter said to return before evening, the source of the problem must appear at night. Hearing the proposal, Chu Nanzhen nodded vigorously in agreement. He felt a pang of worry and sadness for the stall owner. He had intended to bring the sweetest peaches, but he hadn’t expected to find things like this.

Just as they were about to head downstairs, a strong wind gusted past, slamming the door shut. Ghostly voices echoed around them, sounding like the cries of a thousand aggrieved souls.

Wu Xiang finally started to grasp their meaning. He looked around disdainfully and leaned against the railing with a huff. “Just cheap tricks, pure cheap tricks! I am a cat demon with profound spiritual power, who could possibly harm us with me around?”

Zhishi Yi: “Arrogant.”

Chu Nanzhen: “…Conceited.”

Wu Xiang: “?”

In the time it took to speak, the people on the first floor began a new set of movements. They stood up stiffly, their gazes snapping toward the second floor. They stared fixedly at the trio without blinking once. Wu Xiang, being a demon who had lived for a hundred years and seen his share of grand spectacles, stared back without backing down, hissing at the people below.

After a long while, the people below slowly sat down. Smiles appeared on their faces as they spoke to those beside them, as if they had come back to life. They appeared no different from ordinary people, and within moments, the inn became lively again.

“Three honored guests, our rooms are full. Only this one room remains. It is late outside, it’s best not to go out at night. Why not make do for one night, and tomorrow when a room opens up, I will arrange it for you?”

The waiter stood at the base of the stairs, looking up at the three and offering a compensatory smile. Chu Nanzhen stared at his face, observing carefully for a long time. He really did look no different from a normal person, which was truly bizarre.

Zhishi Yi replied, “Mhm, thank you for the trouble.”

The waiter waved his hand and pointed to the nearby tables and chairs with a smile. “No trouble at all. If you three need anything, just come find me. I’ll be sitting right there, I’m not going anywhere.”

Chu Nanzhen asked, “You said we must return by evening, has something strange happened in the Central City lately?”

Hearing this, the waiter let out a sigh. He looked around cautiously before whispering, “Don’t even mention it. It hasn’t been peaceful here lately. I can tell you three masters are from out of town. Recently, a man-eating monster appeared in the city, many have lost their lives because of it. Over time, a pattern was discovered, the monster comes out at night to hunt for food, she cannot come out during the day.”

Chu Nanzhen frowned and asked, “Has the Emperor not sent anyone to deal with this monster?”

The waiter shook his head, saying regretfully, “He did! Many from the sects came, but most of them lost their lives here. That monster is incredibly formidable, it really is best not to go out at night.”

As soon as he finished speaking, someone knocked on the shop door. The waiter startled, walked over, and spoke through the door, “Guest, the inn is closed. Please check another establishment.”

“Please, open the door. There is no one outside, and the other shops said they are closed too. I will leave tomorrow. If it is truly inconvenient, I can just sit inside for the night.” The voice sounded like that of a gentle woman.

The waiter looked conflicted.

“What are you afraid of? If there’s danger, I’ll just beat them back out,” Wu Xiang said dismissively. He felt the waiter was being a bit dramatic and cowardly. If it really was just a person outside and the man-eating monster was still out there, they would surely die.

The waiter glanced back at the three of them, hesitated for a long time, and finally stepped forward to open the door. A remarkably beautiful girl stood outside, her presence as gentle as her voice. She wore long green robes and held a sheathed sword. A single silver hairpin was tucked into her hair, making her look like a flowing river in spring.

There was a mark like a red mole on her forehead, which looked as though it had been painted on, and a jade pendant hung from her waist. They could tell at a glance that she was a sect disciple, ordinary citizens wouldn’t carry a sword.

Seeing the door open, the girl stepped inside and raised her hands in a formal greeting, saying warmly, “Many thanks.”

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