The Savage Yellow Weasel

Hearing Lu Yuan's words.

Kong Jie fell silent for a moment before saying, "I... I've seen many people killed by demon beasts. My hometown was slaughtered by demon beasts too. Those people died horribly; not even a whole corpse was left behind. Since I've put on this uniform, I have to do something, even if... even if I can only save one person."

Hearing Kong Jie say that.

Lu Yuan was stunned.

His entire family had been slaughtered by demon beasts.

If it were him, he would have gone out killing demons every day.

After saying that.

Kong Jie's eyes reddened.

Then he turned and left.

"Holy shit, this kid... why's he acting so damn delicate?"

Lu Yuan had not expected it.

This kid had barely said a few words.

And he was already leaving.

Did I fucking say I wasn't going?

"Wait, did I say I wasn't going?"

Lu Yuan called after him.

This kid might have been a little stubborn, but his heart was not bad.

Besides, whether Chen Kuang had vanished or not.

He was badly short on experience points right now.

And now there were traces of a demon beast.

How could he possibly let that go?

Besides, he could kill it openly and aboveboard.

"Let's go to Great River Village now."

After saying that, Lu Yuan returned to his room and took out his rusty blade.

They had not gone far.

When Kong Jie suddenly stopped.

He spoke somewhat tactfully. "Brother Lu, are we really going over there empty-handed?"

"Otherwise what? Are we supposed to buy the demon beast a gift?"

Lu Yuan raised a brow.

"There have been quite a few demon beasts these past few days. When the veteran constables from the yamen deal with demon infestations, this is what they do. Bringing a few gifts can save a lot of trouble."

Kong Jie nodded solemnly.

"Weren't you just acting like you and demon beasts couldn't live under the same sky?"

Lu Yuan was puzzled.

"Brother Lu, killing demon beasts requires strategy too!"

"Let's swallow our pride for now and stall the demon beast. Once the experts in the yamen free up their hands, they'll naturally deal with it."

Kong Jie explained.

"You mean we buy some gifts first and keep this demon beast settled?"

"But it's already so late. There's nowhere to buy anything."

Lu Yuan finally understood what Kong Jie meant.

"I prepared some things in advance."

Kong Jie spoke.

Seeing that Lu Yuan did not object.

He led Lu Yuan toward Great River Village.

Halfway to Great River Village, he rummaged out an oil-paper bundle from a hidden patch of withered grass.

When he opened it, there were several bright red apples inside, two packets of exquisite osmanthus cakes, and a roast chicken giving off the rich fragrance of grease.

"You came pretty well prepared."

"Brother Lu, this is called being prepared for every eventuality. The senior constables in the yamen warned me before I came. Better to lose money than invite disaster."

Kong Jie slung the bundle over his shoulder.

Lu Yuan said nothing more, only tightened his grip on the rusty blade in his hand.

Guided by the moonlight.

The two soon arrived at Great River Village.

Great River Village lay beside a broad river. On ordinary days, its waters babbled softly and fishing boats sang at dusk; it was a peaceful, tranquil village.

But tonight, the entire village was deathly silent. Not even a dog bark or insect chirp could be heard. Only the splash of river water against the shore sounded especially desolate in the night.

As soon as they reached the village entrance.

Lu Yuan saw quite a few villagers gathered fearfully at the threshing ground on the eastern side of the village.

They did not even dare light lamps.

By the moonlight, Lu Yuan could see the terror on their faces and their trembling bodies.

Many people hid inside dilapidated huts made of grass and wood.

The movement at the village entrance made some villagers peer outside through cracks in their doors.

When they saw Kong Jie in a yamen constable's uniform.

Several bolder villagers immediately rushed over as though they had seized a lifeline, scrambling and crawling in their haste.

"Constable! The constable has finally come!" An old village chief with grizzled hair dropped to his knees with a thud, weeping until tears and snot streamed down his face.

"A Yellow Weasel demon has come to the village. It's already eaten several people."

"It won't let us leave. It said whoever dares to run will die! That's why most of the people in the village have gathered on the eastern side. Nobody dares to flee!"

The villagers spoke over one another.

"Where is the Yellow Weasel?"

Lu Yuan spoke in a deep voice.

"It's... it's beneath the old locust tree on the western side of the village."

The villagers tremblingly pointed toward the other end of the village.

"Let's go take a look."

Lu Yuan signaled Kong Jie.

He himself headed straight toward the western side of the village.

Kong Jie clutched the bundle filled with gifts tightly.

As though it were a lifeline.

Seeing Lu Yuan walk over.

He hurried after him as well.

Watching the backs of the two young constables heading toward the western side of the village, the villagers gathered in the east began discussing in hushed voices.

"Why did the county yamen send two brats whose hair hasn't even grown in yet?"

"Aren't they just going there to die?"

A burly man shook his head, despair in his voice.

"What do you mean, going to die? What the hell do you know?"

"Maybe those lackeys of the imperial court have already colluded with the demons! It's us common folk who die, while they only care about taking money and doing their jobs!"

Another gaunt middle-aged man lowered his voice and spoke bitterly.

"That makes sense. In times like these, us common folk are nothing but cheap lives."

"That Yellow Weasel demon eats people without even spitting out their bones. Would the yamen really offend a demon beast for the sake of mud-legged peasants like us?"

"Aren't they afraid of retaliation?"

An elderly man who had seen the coldness and warmth of the world spoke.

"Then what do we do? Just wait here to be eaten?"

"What else can we do? Do you dare run? Endure it. Once that beast is full, maybe it'll spare our worthless lives."

Despair, numbness, and resentment spread through the crowd.

Of course, several bold villagers who were unwilling to accept this quietly followed after them.

They wanted to see what waves these two young constables could possibly stir up.

Great River Village, western side.

As soon as Lu Yuan and Kong Jie neared the century-old locust tree, they smelled an overpowering stench of blood that made them want to vomit.

Under the moonlight, several corpses with their internal organs hollowed out.

Lay scattered haphazardly across the muddy ground.

Their blood had dyed the surrounding soil a dark red.

The sight was utterly gruesome.

In the clearing beneath the old locust tree stood a wooden chair.

A Yellow Weasel demon, half the height of a man and covered in sleek, glossy yellow fur, sat brazenly in the chair.

Its forepaws rested on a battered square table like human hands, while its hind legs stood upright, giving it an exceedingly bizarre, humanlike appearance.

Beside the Yellow Weasel, four or five young women from the village knelt on the ground, their faces streaked with tears as they trembled and massaged the beast's shoulders and pounded its legs.

They did not even dare cry too loudly.

For fear of angering the beast.

And having their hearts and lungs ripped out.

On the square wooden table lay a naked, headless corpse.

The corpse's chest cavity had been completely hollowed out. Its internal organs had vanished, leaving only two racks of ribs and two legs.

The Yellow Weasel held a sharp knife in its paw.

With practiced movements, it lightly sliced across the corpse's thigh, cutting off a thin piece of flesh and elegantly placing it into its mouth.

It closed its eyes and chewed slowly, making a chilling smacking sound.