Tracking

It was an old, rundown courtyard.

The courtyard was piled with old belongings, seemingly things Qi Feng had collected in the past.

Inside the house were old clothes, along with meals that had already gone moldy.

It seemed Qi Feng had not returned for a long time.

"Lord Song, I have always had people watching this place."

"But Qi Feng has never returned."

Song Chengan nodded.

He caught a somewhat familiar fishy stench.

A fish demon?

Another fish demon?

"Steward Zhu, Qi Feng has appeared again."

"At Old Man Huang's house."

Just then, someone came to report it.

"Let's go take a look."

"Lord Song, you must avenge me!"

"Lord Song!"

"He's trying to kill someone!"

As soon as Song Chengan arrived, he saw an old man in his sixties sitting in a chair, tears and snot streaming down his face.

It was impossible to tell whether it was from pain or fright.

"Stand up first, then speak."

"Did you and Qi Feng have some grievance between you?"

Song Chengan looked at the man. Across his chest was a horrifying claw wound, deep enough to expose bone.

When Song Chengan arrived, a physician was still stopping his bleeding.

"I didn't. I've always been kind to others..."

Old Man Huang's gaze flickered.

But Song Chengan said nothing and simply stared straight at him.

Old Man Huang immediately found himself unable to continue.

Fortunately, Steward Zhu took over at that moment.

"This man is called Huang Yun."

"When they were young, Qi Feng herded cattle for his family, but later that cow died of illness."

"He claimed Qi Feng had led the cow off to eat poisonous grass and poisoned it to death. In the end, he made the Qi family smash their pots and sell their iron to compensate him for the cow."

Song Chengan nodded. "Why does it feel like you all got what you deserved?"

The moment those words came out—

Old Man Huang immediately gave an embarrassed laugh.

Song Chengan walked out of the courtyard.

"I heard Qi Feng lost both parents when he was young?"

Zhu Gui nodded. "Back when we had just fled to the Refugee Quarter, there were no rules here. Every night, people committed all manner of crimes."

"At night, people were often murdered and robbed of their belongings."

"Qi Feng's father was killed one night, all because someone wanted to steal the few jin of grain he was carrying."

"His mother was a sickly woman. She died within a few years as well."

Song Chengan looked at Steward Zhu. "It seems people have been bullying him all these years, yet you did nothing."

Zhu Gui frankly admitted his mistake. "All along, I have worked to maintain stability in the Refugee Quarter. So when it came to minor matters, I would smooth things over whenever I could."

"Looking at it now, I was wrong."

Song Chengan did not say much more.

If he were Zhu Gui, he probably would not have done much better.

With so many matters to handle, how could anyone possibly manage every last detail?

"Let's find Qi Feng first."

Song Chengan took out a Tracking Paper Crane.

Old Madam Yue leaned on her cane and trembled as she walked into the courtyard.

She wanted to see how the vegetables she had planted were growing. Her legs and feet no longer worked properly, yet she still had to tend the greens in her yard every day.

She had no income and no children. She survived entirely on this patch of vegetable ground.

As well as the food people brought over in twos and threes.

She belonged to the generation from Sanjiao Prefecture that had fled here as refugees.

Her family had once been a prominent household in Sanjiao Prefecture. She had been the youngest daughter of the family, with three older brothers.

From childhood, she had been doted on by her father and brothers. When she grew up, she married a young man in his twenties who had already become a provincial graduate.

The husband and wife treated each other with the respect of guests.

Had things continued this way, Old Madam Yue would have lived a happy life.

But that year, a great flood came roaring through.

Everything was gone.

Her parents and brothers all died.

Only her husband had led her on the road as refugees.

In the end, her husband died too.

He starved to death.

Old Madam Yue looked into the courtyard.

The vegetables she had planted had been pulled out at some unknown time.

Not a single stalk remained.

She did not know exactly who had done it.

But she could roughly guess what sort of people had done it.

Those who hated Qi Feng.

Who did not know that, when Qi Feng was little, Old Madam Yue had supported him more than anyone else?

It could be said—

Qi Feng had been raised by Old Madam Yue since childhood.

Every time, she would save a mouthful of food for Qi Feng.

Whatever she ate—

Qi Feng ate as well.

Though it was all coarse tea and plain rice, and most of the time she herself had nothing to eat—

She had still managed to raise Qi Feng to adulthood.

And though Qi Feng was an unambitious man, greedy for food and lazy in work, and fond of gambling—

He would always save some money to buy rice and grain for Old Madam Yue.

"Qi Feng, was that you?"

Old Madam Yue looked into the courtyard.

There was a sack of rice.

"Come out and see Grandma."

"Will you?"

She called out.

But the courtyard was deathly quiet.

There was nothing there.

"Don't hurt anyone anymore."

"Enough people have already died."

"Don't hurt anyone anymore, all right, Qi Feng?"

"Grandma has already heard that they invited officials from the Demon Suppression Division to come capture you."

"Come see Grandma, then flee for your life."

"Come out and see Grandma. Grandma is old and does not know how much longer she can live."

"This may be the last time we see each other."

Old Madam Yue called out.

When she had come here—

She had been alone, and she had been a young woman.

Naturally, she had been easy for others to covet and bully.

It was Qi Feng's father who had protected her.

That was why she later raised Qi Feng.

At first, it was to repay a kindness.

But later, Qi Feng was almost like her own son.

They shared no blood ties, but their bond surpassed most family affections.

The door was pushed open.

A figure walked in.

He had a human body and a fish tail.

His entire body gave off a bloody stench.

His skin was bluish-green, and his lower fish tail was covered in tiny blue-green scales.

Though it was a fish tail, he moved freely. It was truly bizarre.

Old Madam Yue's heart jolted.

Then her eyes reddened.

She was a woman of wide experience. How could she not know that the Qi Feng before her had become a Monster?

Qi Feng lay prostrate on the ground.

He seemed to be kneeling in worship.

"I'm leaving."

His throat worked. Only after a long while did he force out those few words.

Old Madam Yue waved her hand.

"Run."

"Run far away. Do not come back again."

"Someone's coming!"

Qi Feng stood up.

He gave Old Madam Yue one last deep look, then left without looking back.

Song Chengan stepped into the courtyard.

He saw the sack on the ground, as well as Old Madam Yue leaning on her cane.

"It was you, Elder, who raised Qi Feng back then." Looking at the old woman, he said, "You should know where he went."

"He has already become a Monster. If we do not find him, more people may die."

The old woman looked in Qi Feng's direction.

"You are officials from the Demon Suppression Division, aren't you?"

"I don't know."

"I don't know where he went."

After saying that, she spoke no more.

Song Chengan frowned.

In the end, he cupped his hands.

"Then I shall take my leave first."

Song Chengan did not press her further.

Old Madam Yue already had one foot in the grave.

She feared nothing.

Nor could Song Chengan possibly use coercive interrogation methods on such an elderly woman.

Song Chengan took out another Tracking Paper Crane.