Bai Jun rubbed the corner of his lips with his thumb. After pondering seriously for a moment, he said, "I'll go after him and take a look. Lady Bailu, just find some nearby Cloud Cavalry and explain the situation, then go home with Dan He. Leave the rest to us adults."
"B-but!"
Bai Jun could feel her nervousness and worry, so he turned his hand over and took her little hand, crouching down to pull her into his embrace. He gently comforted her trembling little body. "It's alright. Lady Bailu, just head north through Aurum Alley. Don't worry. I'm actually very strong, you know?"
With that, he smiled and rubbed Bailu's little head. He looked like a mischievous child himself. Then he rose and quickly stepped into the alley, pursuing the direction in which the boy had vanished.
He continued onward, gradually moving away from Aurum Alley's main street.
After following the lingering scent of Soul-Returning Vitality Powder around several corners, the alleyways began to take on a faintly grimy feel, with a trace of foul odor drifting through the air. It was the smell of kitchen waste. Bai Jun stopped and thoughtfully looked around.
The trail had gone cold...
Sure enough, that boy had not fled at random. He had deliberately used the smells here to shake off anyone following him.
Still, for someone his age to be so familiar with Aurum Alley's layout, even leading Bai Jun in circles through these tangled streets and alleys, gave Bai Jun a useful reminder instead—he was probably a local who lived in Aurum Alley. No, perhaps even many local children did not know these streets as well as he did. There was a strong chance that he lived somewhere nearby.
After narrowing the area down to this neighborhood, Bai Jun's thoughts gradually cleared. Then inspiration struck him, and he thought of someone exceptionally well-informed. If he wanted to ask about things nearby, that person was the best choice.
With that in mind, Bai Jun turned and entered a more secluded back alley. Tall, unoccupied buildings stood on both sides of the narrow passage, blocking out the light and making it difficult to move. But that posed no problem for Bai Jun. He moved forward soundlessly, as though blending into the night, swiftly turning toward another direction.
Third Brother Huo raised his head slightly to look at the sky. It was about time to get off work, so he packed up his bag, stuffing all the goods he had been selling inside. After zipping it shut, he tied it with a rope so he would not lose anything if he had to run.
"Time to go home. I'm exhausted, exhausted. These clothes are really constricting."
He removed his oversized hood and mask, gave a long yawn into the setting sun, and tugged at the stiff, rough collar. This sort of coarse clothing was unsuitable for casual wear, but it was indispensable during his daily work.
Its only purpose was to keep him from being stabbed by certain troublesome people who called him a profiteer. Though his work locations changed every day, he had to keep it on hand no matter how uncomfortable or stifling it was, just to be safe.
As for his work, it was nothing more than selling rare items, secret intelligence, or goods like inherited formulas. Neither his workplace nor working hours were fixed. He could be called a mysterious merchant wandering through Aurum Alley.
Some called him a timely rain, while others called him a profiteer. There were even unreasonable people who threw eggs at him. Third Brother Huo did not care about any of that. As long as he could make money, the rest was none of his concern.
Rumor had it that Third Brother Huo of Aurum Alley had some extremely dangerous supply channels. No one knew whether those rumors were true, but he did indeed possess quite a few good things unavailable elsewhere.
Like now. He took several strange branches carved golden from his pocket, and the smile at the corner of his mouth showed that he was in a good mood.
"Hmm~ Vines grown from a Mara-struck Body. Two hundred thousand Credits per stalk. Three stalks sold today. After expenses, that's a net profit of six hundred thousand Credits."
Fortunately, this was a secluded corner that ordinary people would never find. If anyone actually heard him, they would surely be horrified. Could that really be used as medicine? Was that really appropriate? That vile black-market merchant had done something so utterly insane! Report him to the authorities and have this profiteer arrested and severely punished!
But Third Brother Huo naturally had his own methods, and he was not afraid of such things in the slightest. If someone really wanted to argue law and morality with him according to the Xianzhou's standards, even the Earth-Balance Commission' officers would probably not be able to outmatch him.
There were always loopholes in the law and fish that slipped through the net of morality, and that was exactly how he made his money. Did they really think he would risk execution to pluck vines from a Mara-struck Body? What a joke! These were branches he had picked up from the Fyxestroll Garden. They only looked the part because he had soaked them in red beetles. By the time those Outworlders seeking immortality realized what had happened, he would have long since disappeared.
As for worrying that they might lash out and report him to the authorities, there was even less reason to worry. No, even if they truly did report him, Third Brother Huo's crime would amount to nothing more than inflating prices. At most, he would be fined five thousand Credits and spend a few days in a cell.
Those Outworlders trying to buy Mara-struck Body vines, however, would not get off so easily. "Inducing the fall into immortality" and "coveting deathlessness"—either one was a serious charge. At the very least, they would be arrested and imprisoned for centuries. So even if those Outworlders had ten thousand times the courage, they would not dare expose this matter. They could only swallow the loss in silence.
As for whether making such heartless money would hurt his conscience, that was not something he considered at all.
"This is just spending money to ward off disaster. There's no point mourning the loss. If they give up on seeking immortality, isn't that a good thing?" Third Brother Huo chuckled to himself, making anyone who heard him shudder.
"What immortality?"
A cool voice came from his side. Third Brother Huo jumped, immediately stuffing the branches back into his pocket. At the same time, his thigh muscles tensed, ready for him to abandon the bag and flee at any moment. Clearly, he had experienced such situations plenty of times.
But once he saw the newcomer's face, his taut nerves relaxed in an instant.
"Oh my, it's Lord Bai Jun. You scared me half to death."
Third Brother Huo clutched his chest, his face a picture of fright. His exaggerated act earned a deeply disgusted look from Bai Jun. "If you weren't doing something shameful, why would you be so afraid of being seen?"
Third Brother Huo chuckled, not bothering to hide anything. "How could that be? Listen to yourself. I might deceive anyone, but I'd never deceive you. After all, no one else on the Luofu brings me pork knuckle rice."
"Then do fewer heartless things. I'm short on money this month anyway, so I can save on a few bowls of pork knuckle rice." Bai Jun could not be bothered making idle chatter with a regular guest of the Earth-Balance Commission' detention rooms. His expression turned serious. "I need to ask about something. Something related to Aurum Alley."
Bai Jun did not look like he was joking, and Third Brother Huo gradually became serious as well. This was one of the few people he genuinely admired and felt grateful toward, so he naturally had to show the proper attitude. "Go ahead. I'm no know-it-all, but as long as it's information I have, I won't hold back on your account."
"Is there a boy nearby who comes up to about my chest?" Bai Jun gestured roughly at the height, then added, "Very thin. He looks malnourished."
Even Third Brother Huo, whose information network was quite extensive, sucked in a cold breath. Feeling troubled, he scratched his head. "That description might be a little... too broad. Do you remember any other distinctive features?"
"Other features..." Bai Jun rubbed the corner of his lips and thought for a moment. Then he recalled, "His hair was a very rare dark blue. It looked like it had gone unkempt for a long time, messy like seaweed."
The moment he heard the keyword seaweed, Third Brother Huo slapped his forehead, suddenly remembering something. "Oh, then I know who it is. It should be the Qiu Family's kid. He's the only one around here with blue hair, and he's both sloppy and withdrawn."
Bai Jun's eyes lit up, and he leaned in closer.
Third Brother Huo could read Bai Jun's look. It probably meant, "Stop talking and get to the point!" So he did not keep him in suspense and said everything he knew.
"That kid's name is Qiu Zhou. His father, Qiu Kui, used to be Cloud Cavalry and apparently fought in quite a few battles. At home, there were only Qiu Zhou, his grandfather, and his mother. His grandfather was a full-fledged gambler, and Qiu Zhou relied entirely on his mother to survive. But later, his grandfather fell into mara early on, while his mother was apparently seduced away by an Outworlder from somewhere. She left Qiu Zhou behind and ran off with someone. Only Qiu Zhou was left at home. Good thing the neighbors helped him out, or he might not even have lasted until his father returned from retirement."
"What happened after his father came back?" Bai Jun asked in a low voice, frowning.
"Sigh, that's why I say Qiu Zhou is a pitiful kid. His father was badly wounded on the battlefield, then came home only to suffer such a blow. The shock caused him to develop a mental illness, and he could not even take the easy post the military assigned him. Now the father and son can only live off the monthly relief funds. I don't know anything more specific."
Humans were not made of grass and wood; how could they be without feeling? Even Third Brother Huo could not help sighing and shaking his head repeatedly at such a tragedy.
"Then it should be him." Bai Jun nodded to himself, then suddenly asked, "Where does he live?"
"Uh, I think it's... down that alley, then turn left at the end?" Third Brother Huo craned his neck and looked around in every direction, somewhat uncertainly pointing toward an alley to the south. To be honest, he was not sure himself, so he changed the subject. "By the way, did that kid steal your wallet? But don't worry. Let me treat you to a good meal tonight, and tomorrow I'll get it back for you—"
His words came to an abrupt stop. In the time it took Third Brother Huo to blink, Bai Jun had vanished when he turned his head again. He had disappeared like a wisp of breeze, making Third Brother Huo click his tongue in amazement. "Lord Bai Jun really is something else..."
"Well, since he's gone, there's nothing to be done. I'll save that meal for next time! Speaking of which, I should do business at the Artisanship Commission tomorrow. I still have those pirate weapons recovered from outer space with nowhere to dispose of them."
Third Brother Huo packed up his bag, muttering to himself as he left.
Entering the Mara
Qiu Zhou hurried through the crisscrossing alleyways, his heart pounding as though it were about to burst from his chest.
He wrapped his clothes tightly around himself, and the paper packet of medicine in his arms was faintly warm from being held so closely. He did not know how long he had run before stopping to gasp for breath. The scorching air rushing from his nostrils met the cool evening air of the alley, raising thin wisps of white mist.
"Hiss... it hurts." Qiu Zhou leaned against the wall, clutching his chest as he sucked in several sharp breaths.
The handsome face of the young man he had crashed into earlier was still vivid in his mind. To be honest, he was one of the best-looking people Qiu Zhou had ever seen.
He had clearly looked tall and slender, but crashing into him had felt like hitting a massive piece of steel. Even now, Qiu Zhou's chest and backside hurt terribly.
Fortunately, he had left that person behind. Qiu Zhou finally relaxed and continued dragging his weary body deeper into the narrow alleyways.
As long as that apothecary had not lied, this packet of medicine would definitely cure his father once he took it.
"Dad, just wait a little longer. I'm almost home."
Clutching the medicine tightly against his chest, Qiu Zhou picked up his pace as he moved quietly through the darkness.
Before long, a heavy iron gate appeared fifteen meters ahead. A faint light from indoors leaked through the gap beneath it.
He stepped forward and pulled out a key from his clothes. The iron gate creaked as he slowly pushed it open. After confirming that no one had followed him, he gathered all his strength and shut the heavy gate again with a thud. Only after fastening the chain did he stop.
Bloodstained bandages and cotton balls had been casually discarded throughout the courtyard. The sharp scent of medicinal herbs mixed with blood hung in the air. Shattered windows covered the ground, an alarming sight.
Qiu Zhou had no time to care about any of that. He hurried into the house, his gaze swiftly searching for his father.
The stench of blood inside the room was even thicker. Mixed with a strange medicinal fragrance, it made him want to vomit. Sticky bloodstains covered the floor and ceiling. Carelessly discarded bandages and yellowish-brown grease had dried onto the floor. White teeth lay scattered everywhere, along with clumps of black hair tangled into balls.
The corners were filled with constantly writhing flesh tendrils. Countless teeth, joints, strands of hair, and fat... grew wildly before falling away. It was impossible to believe that all this flesh had come from a human body.
"Hu... hah..."
"Dad!" Qiu Zhou immediately followed the sound and found his father crouched beneath the sofa.
But the moment he bent down and saw that face, Qiu Zhou's expression changed drastically. His pupils dilated, and he staggered backward.
He retreated all the way to the wall, his back pressed against the cold surface. Cold sweat silently slid down his forehead as his hands moved involuntarily, trying to find an exit. His movements were too wild, and he accidentally knocked over the mirror hanging on the wall.
With a sharp crash, the father beneath the sofa was completely drawn to the sound. In the shattered mirror fragments, his horrifying, grotesque face was reflected.
Half his face looked like a severed mass of hemorrhoid flesh, densely turned outward with the vines growing from it. Thick blood vessels protruded from his throat alongside branches that had pierced through. A limp section of vessel hung exposed, its opening and interior rising and contracting with every breath, producing wet, heavy breathing sounds, as though it were swallowing great mouthfuls of phlegm.
How could this still resemble family? This was clearly... clearly a monster!
In that instant, Qiu Zhou even wanted to run outside and find the Cloud Cavalry. But when he saw those familiar pale yellow eyes and remembered that this was his father—his only family—Qiu Zhou gritted his teeth and forced himself to calm down.
"Dad, Dad... take, take the medicine..."
Perhaps because of fear, Qiu Zhou suddenly felt an unbearable headache. His stomach sank heavily, and an unknown chill crawled up his spine. Trembling, he took the powder from his arms and poured it into his hand as he had in the past, holding his breath as he walked toward his father.
Strangely, his father crouched on the floor showed no intention of moving. Those indifferent pale yellow eyes quietly watched Qiu Zhou approach, like an obedient pet waiting to be fed. No, it was far too terrifying to call it a pet.
Just as Qiu Zhou brought the medicine to his mouth, thinking it would soon be over, that false calm was completely torn apart. The pale yellow pupils were stained with bloodthirsty madness. The creature opened its bloody maw and, like a wild beast, viciously bit off Qiu Zhou's outstretched left hand along with the bones.
"AAAAAH!!!"
Qiu Zhou let out a miserable scream and fell to the floor, clutching his severed arm. The pain and terror flooding from the wound relentlessly assaulted his mind, nearly making him lose consciousness.
ROAR—!
The monster that had bitten off his arm chewed the flesh in its mouth, swallowing even the crushed bones. It let out an excited roar, both hands straining so hard that they gouged deep claw marks into the floor. The hardwood boards cracked and broke apart one by one as it dug out a deep pit.
The pair of hands that had retained their human shape twisted and folded under the recoil. First the nails, then the fingers, and finally the flesh beneath the skin split open alongside the bones.
Yet in the blink of an eye, those mangled hands had recovered completely. Along with wildly sprouting branches, they became even tougher.
Qiu Zhou watched everything in despair and horror. As the monster rose and slowly approached him, he could not even summon the desire to survive. He only wanted it to end quickly.
But beneath that overwhelming fear, his body could not stop trembling, and tears streamed down his face.
BANG—!
The decayed old wooden door shattered beneath a tremendous impact. The flying splinters, propelled at terrifying speed, sank into the walls like bullets and embedded themselves in the monster's flesh.
Amid a sharp, pained roar, Bai Jun stepped over the broken door and slowly entered the room.
"He's no longer your father."
That calm voice entered the ears of the boy trembling uncontrollably in fear.
It was like a clear, tranquil spring, utterly out of place beside the hideous father across from him. Judging by outward appearances alone, Bai Jun had no chance against his father. In muscle, bone, weight, and the violent aura he gave off, he was outmatched in every way.
Yet that slender body, which seemed as though it would be torn apart at any moment, gave off a faint aura that made Qiu Zhou feel incomparably safe.
Bai Jun swept his gaze over the terrible scene in the room, his brows drawing together slightly. He dusted off his clothes and said in the same calm tone he had used to shoo away flies, "Move aside. Go sit in the corner."
Qiu Zhou held his severed arm and stared blankly at Bai Jun. Excessive blood loss made his already malnourished face even paler. Even though he had heard Bai Jun's words, he had no idea what he was supposed to do.
Seeing this, Bai Jun sighed softly. Holding his sheathed saber at an angle, he calmly turned his eyes toward the fat-dripping monster before him. "Flesh fat enough to fill a city. A Mara-struck Body in this condition is truly rare."
As if those words were a signal, a line of blood appeared somewhere on the monster's body. It gathered at the bottom and formed a drop that rolled down. Falling alongside it was a thick arm entwined with flesh and golden vines.
"AAARGH—"
In an instant, the room was filled with the monster's agonized howl. It had not even seen the saber's path, nor when Bai Jun had drawn it. Once it reacted, it immediately opened its bloody maw and roared, swinging its remaining arm at Bai Jun.
Bai Jun casually held his saber. With only a single step, his figure completely vanished from the monster's sight.
A flame seemed to streak through the dark room, brilliant but not blinding.
The next moment, the monster's head slid from its neck. Not a drop of blood flowed from the smooth cut. At the same time, the wound that should have healed rapidly sizzled as charred flesh lost all vitality. After twitching a few times, it fell still.
From Qiu Zhou's perspective, Bai Jun had merely passed his father with elegant composure. He drew his blade as lightly as though plucking up a butterfly wing, the saber flashing past his father's neck like flowing fire. Then he sheathed it as though nothing had happened. The fluid movement seemed to have been repeated countless times, deeply carved into instinct. Then his father's head fell.
After finishing all that, Bai Jun simply hung his saber back at his waist as naturally as eating or drinking, then turned to look at the boy behind him.
Qiu Zhou's eyes were filled with disbelief and all kinds of complicated emotions. Compared to when they had first met in the street, there was only deeper fear now, with hardly any gratitude to speak of.
Bai Jun withdrew his gaze, tore off half a sleeve from his clothing, and crouched in front of Qiu Zhou to tend to his left arm wound.
Whether Qiu Zhou felt grateful or resentful did not matter to him. Gratitude or hatred, those were other people's thoughts. They had never affected his principles.
He quickly tied the cloth tightly around the artery still bleeding from Qiu Zhou's left arm. His movements were somewhat rough and unpracticed, but Bai Jun had seen real battlefield first aid and had at least some experience. He soon managed to stem the bleeding. It was a pity he had no emergency medicine like sulfonamides. Otherwise, the result would have been better.
Bai Jun let out a breath. This way, he could keep the child alive.
"Hold on a little longer. A healer from the Alchemy Commission will come soon to save you. Their methods are much gentler than mine."
Bai Jun did not harshly scold Qiu Zhou. Instead, he crouched beside him and kept soothing his emotions. He even spoke with a touch of humor. "Though personally, I think I'm fairly gentle. If you'd seen battlefield medics treating wounds, they're ruthless enough to use glue to stop bleeding and safety pins to hold wounded soldiers' tongues in place..."
"Why... did you come save me?" Qiu Zhou stared blankly at Bai Jun, as if trying to find the answer on his face.
"A reason? Does saving someone need a reason?" Bai Jun shook his head, finding the question amusing. But after thinking about it, he still asked, "Well, if I had to give one, it would be because of the Soul-Returning Vitality Powder in your hand."
"Soul-Returning... Vitality Powder?" the boy asked in confusion.
"Yes, the one you had tucked in your clothes." Bai Jun nodded, his smile fading. "Tell me. Who gave it to you?"
Perhaps due to excessive blood loss, Qiu Zhou's eyelids grew heavier and heavier, while his voice became weaker. "It... it was the apothecary who gave it to me."
Before you continue