Little Beggar Girl

After dealing with what was in front of him, Zhou Yi changed out of his clothes, which were covered in tiger blood. After putting on a clean set, he ran back to the tiger's corpse. Once he had skinned it with his knife, Zhou Yi cut off a large chunk of meat and took it to the fire the two sisters had built to roast.

After securing the meat over the fire, Zhou Yi began processing the tiger hide. By the time he had finished, the meat was cooked as well. As he ate the fragrant roast meat, Zhou Yi thought to himself, This tiger really is such a good tiger. It gave me tiger hide and roast meat too.

After eating and drinking his fill, Zhou Yi remembered the two foxes. Once he had stripped the fur from them as well, he finally left the ruined temple.

Since he had been delayed for some time, he might not be able to reach the post station before dark today. Zhou Yi decided to spend the night in a nearby village first.

He took out the map on his person and searched through it for a while before finding the village closest to him.

Looking at the rain that still had not stopped, though it was slightly lighter than before, Zhou Yi could only sigh helplessly and set off through the rain. He led his horse until they reached the main road, then mounted and headed toward that village.

Because of the heavy rain, Zhou Yi's visibility was poor. He could only travel in fits and starts, checking the map as he went. It was not until dusk that he finally saw the outline of the village. At the sight of it, he spurred his horse onward.

The village before him had actually built an enormous stone wall as well, leaving only a tiny gate, barely wide enough for three people to pass through at once. Before entering, Zhou Yi was inspected. Only after they confirmed he was not one of the strange creatures did they let him in.

Once inside, Zhou Yi discovered that this village was not much smaller than Green Bamboo Village, yet it did not have a treasure guarding it.

It seems small villages do not exist in this world. Otherwise, strange creatures alone would make it impossible to organize people to resist effectively, Zhou Yi thought silently.

Afterward, Zhou Yi found a two-story inn in the village and checked in. Once he had settled down, he looked out the window and surveyed the village. Because of the rain, there were not many pedestrians on the streets. Every one of them hurried along with numb expressions on their faces.

This puzzled Zhou Yi. It was completely unlike what he had seen in Green Bamboo Village. Though the people there worked hard, when the day's work ended, at least a trace of a smile would appear on their faces. But the people in this village were each like walking corpses.

There were not even children on the streets. The few that remained wore ragged clothes and begged for food in the pouring rain, their faces equally lifeless. Unable to bear the sight, Zhou Yi took out several bits of loose silver and accurately tossed them from upstairs into Little Beggar Girl's bowl.

Clang~

Hearing the sound of silver striking the bowl, Little Beggar Girl first looked startled, then broke into a happy expression. She showed the silver in her bowl to the companions beside her, and they became happy as well. They put the silver away, then looked around in every direction.

Then they spotted Zhou Yi leaning out the window. After bowing to him, Little Beggar Girl led her companions rushing toward the bun shop.

Shielding the buns in their hands, the little beggars ran through the downpour back to the ruined temple where they lived and began eating happily.

Zhou Yi leaned against the window, watching this scene expressionlessly. Even when Little Beggar Girl bowed to him, his expression did not change.

"Perhaps this is the reality of this world. I can only keep myself safe; I do not have the ability to save them. I only helped because I saw them."

Zhou Yi consoled himself. Then he looked at the sky outside as night gradually crept over it. After sighing, he shut the window and began setting up the Three Talents Formation in his room. He had forgotten to set it up last night and slept so deeply that he had not even noticed the female ghost slipping inside. Or perhaps the female ghost had been too weak, and his body had not even deemed it worthy of warning him.

Looking at the faint glow emitted by the completed Three Talents Formation, Zhou Yi lay down on the bed in peace and began to rest.

Knock, knock, knock~

A knocking sound came from Zhou Yi's door. Zhou Yi instantly woke at the sound, gripping New Moon at his side. He then looked at the Three Powers Talismans in the room. Seeing that they were completely intact, he finally relaxed and went to open the door.

But just as he reached it, a burst of noise came from outside.

"How did you filthy little beggar get in here? Get out! If you disturb our honored guest's rest, I'll make sure you can't swallow it or carry it away!"

Zhou Yi opened the door and walked out. He saw the inn's waiter grabbing Little Beggar Girl and preparing to drag her downstairs. Her face was perhaps too dirty, making the tear tracks across it especially clear.

The little girl saw Zhou Yi and immediately began struggling in the waiter's grasp, making ah-ba-ah noises.

"So she's a mute too!" the waiter said.

At that moment, the waiter also noticed Zhou Yi coming out and hurriedly said, "Sorry, sorry, I disturbed your rest, honored guest. I'll throw this little beggar out right away!"

Zhou Yi waved at the waiter, signaling him to put Little Beggar Girl down. Seeing Zhou Yi's gesture, the waiter released his grip, and Little Beggar Girl was set down.

The moment she was released, Little Beggar Girl immediately rushed toward Zhou Yi. Before Zhou Yi could ask anything, she tried to pull him outside by the hand.

But how could her frail body possibly move Zhou Yi? The moment she exerted herself, she fell to the ground instead.

Zhou Yi helped Little Beggar Girl up and wiped the tears from her face. Then he asked, "Do you need my help with something? If so, nod."

Upon hearing Zhou Yi's words, Little Beggar Girl immediately nodded hard.