The Gusu Mistake - Chapter 29

“I’m hungry, Yuan Ruo!” After walking for an unknown amount of time under the blazing sun, Jiang Yilan gradually refused to take another step. Her stomach was completely empty, and she had no energy left to burn.

“Well…” Yuan Ruo moved her lips. Truthfully, she was hungry too, but looking around, all she saw was lush green grass—nothing edible in sight. “Let’s walk a bit further. Maybe we’ll come across a household and can ask for some food.”

“Ask?” Jiang Yilan pouted. “That sounds like beggars knocking on doors!”

“Heh!” Yuan Ruo chuckled. “Given our current situation, how are we any different from beggars?”

“There’s still a difference!” Jiang Yilan stood with hands on her hips. “Beggars just take. We can still pay!”

“That’s true. Let’s hurry then and find a house to buy some food!” Yuan Ruo reached out to support Jiang Yilan’s arm. “Let me help you walk.”

“Alright!” Jiang Yilan happily leaned in, even deliberately shifting half her weight onto Yuan Ruo. “You really are a good person!”

Yuan Ruo smiled helplessly but didn’t respond.

“Hey, there’s someone over there!” Spotting signs of life, Jiang Yilan perked up immediately, no longer needing Yuan Ruo’s support. She pointed ahead. “There’s smoke—it must be someone cooking!”

“Let’s go check!” Yuan Ruo suggested, and the two headed toward the smoke. But when they arrived, they found several people—not cooking, but burning leaves.

“Who are you?” Before the two could speak, the leaf-burners surrounded them, holding pitchforks and hoes, each wearing a guarded expression.

Yuan Ruo clasped her hands respectfully. “Please don’t misunderstand. My wife and I are just passing through. We saw signs of life and hoped to ask for a meal. We mean no harm.”

“Ask for food?” An older man scrutinized Yuan Ruo, his gaze finally settling on the sword in her hand.

Yuan Ruo followed his gaze and looked at her sword, then smiled. “My wife and I are long-time wanderers of the martial world. Carrying a sword is merely for self-defense.”

“Father!” A younger man said to the elder, “Judging by their appearance, they don’t seem to be in league with that demon. Since they’re just asking for food, why not have Mother bring some out and send them on their way?”

The older man considered this. “Alright, go ask your mother to bring some food.”

“Wait!” Yuan Ruo’s attention had shifted from food. “You mentioned a demon—what kind of demon?”

“You don’t need to know!” The older man refused to elaborate. “Take the food and leave quickly. Don’t linger here, or you’ll risk your lives for nothing!”

“What, what?” Jiang Yilan raised her eyebrows in confusion. “What kind of demon is so dangerous?”

“You’re just passing through. Why ask so many questions?” The older man didn’t want to engage further. Just then, his son returned with a bowl of food and quickly handed it over. “No need to return the bowl—just take it and go!”

Yuan Ruo accepted the bowl and handed it to Jiang Yilan, then stepped toward the burning pile. “Is that eucalyptus you’re burning?”

“Yes,” the older man replied.

“Eucalyptus repels insects!” Jiang Yilan chimed in—this was her area of expertise. “Are you dealing with a pest infestation?”

“Not pests—demons!” The man finally spoke the truth. “Many villagers have already been killed.”

“A demon…” Yuan Ruo asked, “Has anyone seen it? What does it look like?”

“Those who saw it are dead!” The man’s face was grim. “Only the Wu family survived. When the demon came, they happened to be burning eucalyptus and were spared.”

“So you’re following their example and burning eucalyptus too?”

“Yes!” The man sighed. “At first, we only tried it based on rumors. But it actually worked. Still, eucalyptus is limited—we don’t know if it’ll last until the demon leaves.”

“Did the Wu family describe what the demon looked like?”

“They said,” the older man replied, “they were terrified and didn’t get a good look. They vaguely remember it being human-shaped, crawling, with a long tail.”

“That sounds…” Jiang Yilan pondered, “like a monkey?”

“Not impossible!” Yuan Ruo said. “It might be a newly formed demon, lacking intelligence and not yet facing heavenly tribulation—so it’s out harming people.”

“You two…” The older man’s eyes lit up. “Can you exorcise demons?”

“I can’t!” Jiang Yilan pointed her thumb at Yuan Ruo. “But my husband can—he’s very good!”

“Master Daoist, please save us!” The older man knelt down, but Yuan Ruo quickly stopped him.

“Don’t kneel. Since I’ve come across this, I won’t stand idly by. But as you said, the demon’s movements are unpredictable. To eliminate it, we’ll need a careful plan.”

“What kind of plan?” Jiang Yilan asked, mouth full of rice. “Go find its lair?”

Yuan Ruo looked at her. “Where would we even start?”

“No idea!” Jiang Yilan took another bite.

“Sigh!” Watching Jiang Yilan eat, Yuan Ruo couldn’t help but shake her head and sigh. Then she turned to the older man. “My wife is truly famished. Might we borrow a place to sit and a pair of chopsticks so she can eat properly?”

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