Cui Jue Slays the Tiger

Cui Jue's mother looked troubled. She slowly walked up to them and said to Du Yu, "Hero, this is all because I failed to teach my son properly. If you still harbor resentment, then take this old woman's life first..."

Du Yu shook his head irritably. "Madam, I told you, I didn't come here today to take anyone's life! I only came to demand justice!"

"Justice..." Cui Jue's mother gave a bitter smile. "There is no justice in this world to begin with. I made Jue'er study hard from childhood so that he could become a good official someday and win justice for more people. Hero, I have tasted all the evils of this world myself. How could I possibly have raised a wicked son who cannot tell right from wrong...?"

"But this case was a colossal miscarriage of justice!" Du Yu said. "You're a woman yourself. Surely you can imagine how miserable it would be if your son refused to support you, leaving you hungry and cold day after day, living with your heart perpetually in your throat?"

Cui Jue's mother was visibly moved. She looked at the old woman behind Du Yu. Her eyes and brows bore some resemblance to her own, and she was even a few years younger, yet their clothing, appearance, and complexions were worlds apart. That old woman was clearly far more haggard. The years had left savage marks upon her.

"Jue'er, I believe this case truly ought to be reopened. If this woman before us has indeed suffered an injustice, clear her name. If she has not, I trust this hero will not harm you." Cui Jue's mother spoke gravely.

"But..." Cui Jue looked troubled. "Mengshan, the key person in this case, is already dead. Reopening the case won't yield any results."

"Who says so?" Du Yu stepped forward. "If your judgment was wrong, are you planning to keep piling wrong upon wrong?"

"Don't twist logic here. Mengshan is dead. Who do you expect me to question now? The old woman again?"

"Question the tiger," Du Yu said.

"Question the tiger?!" Cui Jue's mother murmured in shock. "Hero, surely that is too absurd..."

Cui Jue, however, looked at Du Yu and fell into thought.

Indeed, who said a tiger could not be questioned?

After pondering for a long while, he turned and bowed to his elderly mother, then looked back at Du Yu, the old woman, Sihuang, and Li Neng.

"Pass on my order. Reopen the old case and convene the court to try the tiger!"

"Yes, sir!"

Du Yu looked at Cui Jue. Now that's the great judge I had in mind. Then he glanced at the old woman, thought for a moment, and said to Cui Jue, "Boss, to make absolutely sure nothing goes wrong, there are a few things I need to explain before court begins."

"Order in the court-"

A resounding chorus announced the court's authority as Cui Jue took his seat.

Residents of the county town flocked over to watch, for this lawsuit was simply too extraordinary.

An old woman knelt in the courtroom, and a fierce tiger lay beside her.

"Old woman before the court, recount the details of this case, one by one, in front of your fellow townspeople."

"As you command, Your Honor."

The old woman opened her mouth and told them everything. Her words rang firm and clear, her thoughts were orderly, and her account flowed logically. No one watching could have mistaken her for a madwoman. She began with her arrival at the foot of Cloud Dream Mountain and ended with the tiger devouring a man. At Du Yu's instruction, she concealed the fact that Sihuang could speak, but that did not make her account a lie. After all, she enumerated every one of Mengshan's evil deeds.

When emotion overtook her, the old woman lifted her clothes to show the townspeople the old scars all over her body. Some had been inflicted with scissors, others with a sickle. There were old bruises, and even burns from fire. These injuries could never have been the work of a wild beast.

Cui Jue nodded gravely. Most of this was news to him. It seemed he truly had made an enormous mistake three years ago. He pondered for a moment, recalled Du Yu's instructions, and said to the old woman, "Old woman, you keep insisting that this tiger understands human feelings and repaid your kindness because you saved its life. Do you have any proof?"

The old woman nodded. "I can demonstrate for Your Honor."

She turned toward the tiger and said, "Sihuang, pay your respects to His Honor."

The tiger obediently nodded, then lowered its body toward Cui Jue.

The assembled townspeople clicked their tongues in wonder. This tiger truly understood human ways.

"Sihuang, now pay your respects to Constable Li," the old woman added.

The tiger looked around, found Li Neng in the crowd, and lowered its body again.

"Oh!" the crowd exclaimed. "This tiger can even tell His Honor apart from Constable Li!"

"Sihuang recognizes every single person," the old woman said slowly. "But it is kind by nature and never harms anyone. If you do not believe me, please think back. Sihuang has lived on Cloud Dream Mountain for forty-four years. Has it ever harmed any of you?"

The townspeople exchanged glances.

Indeed, they had never heard of the fierce tiger on the mountain coming down to hurt anyone.

"Your Honor, I have said all I have to say. Please render your judgment."

Cui Jue nodded, looked at Sihuang, and said, "Sihuang, can you understand what I say?"

Sihuang nodded.

"Did you truly devour Mengshan?"

Sihuang nodded again.

"Did you eat Mengshan to save this old woman?"

Sihuang nodded a third time.

Cui Jue remained silent for a long while before speaking again. "In that case... although you devoured Mengshan, considering that you were repaying kindness and were eager to protect your mistress, I have decided to treat you leniently and pursue this matter no further. I now order you to return to Cloud Dream Mountain and never descend again. Do you have any objections?"

Sihuang felt troubled upon hearing this and stole a glance at Du Yu.

"Your Honor, I have something to say." Du Yu cupped his hands toward Cui Jue.

"Oh?" Cui Jue had already realized that Du Yu was no ordinary man. "What is it?"

"This old woman is advanced in years, alone and without anyone to rely on. Since Sihuang ate her son, why not award it to her as an adopted son?"

Cui Jue was startled. He had not expected this Misfit's thinking to be so unconventional, blazing an entirely different trail. Yet his suggestion was not without merit.

"Award the fierce tiger to the old woman as an adopted son...?" Cui Jue was still somewhat worried. After all, Sihuang was a tiger, and the old saying warned that raising a tiger invited calamity. Yet Sihuang plainly could not be compared to other fierce tigers... what would the old woman think?

"Old woman, let me ask you: if I decree that Sihuang become your adopted son, care for your daily needs from now on, support you in your old age, and see to your burial, would you agree?"

The old woman trembled slightly. "If that could truly happen, I would be deeply grateful for Your Honor's immense kindness."

Sihuang grew excited upon hearing this too and nearly spoke aloud.

Only then did Cui Jue relax and nod in satisfaction.

The assembled townspeople cheered as well. This trial was worthy of becoming a legend.

Far away at the Legend Management Bureau, Xiao Qi smiled with relief as she watched. It seemed this legend was about to end too.

"Du Yu, go find somewhere with no one around. We're going to summon you back."

"Summon me back?"

"Yes. The legend is about to end, so the Operator can return."

"That's not quite right, Xiao Qi." Du Yu thought for a moment. "The most important thing still hasn't happened."

"Something important?"

Sure enough, the instant Cui Jue finished trying the tiger, an eerie wind swept through the entire county office. Then brilliant light flooded the courtyard, and a woman dressed in brocade slowly descended from the sky.

"Here she comes." Du Yu smiled faintly.

The townspeople stared at the scene, all of them stunned. Nothing like this had ever existed within their understanding of the world.

The woman in brocade floated in midair, slowly looking down upon the people. Golden light blazed around her in countless rays, making her face impossible to discern. She slowly extended a hand, her divine voice lingering in the air:

"I am Houtu, daughter of Gonggong."

At these words, every towns-person dropped to their knees. A deity truly had descended to earth!

"It's Lady Houtu!!"

Even Cui Jue hurriedly rose from his chair upon the dais, knelt where he stood, and kowtowed to Lady Houtu.

Who did not know that Lady Houtu was the deity who governed the underworld?

To avoid standing out too much, Du Yu knelt along with them. He silently weighed the matter in his mind. Lady Houtu had taken Dong Qianqiu away by force. What sort of person was she, really?

Lady Houtu paused, then said:

"I damn well... no, I witnessed everything that happened here just now and was overjoyed. I never expected the mortal world to possess someone who could distinguish good from evil, understand the greater moral cause, dare to act, and think so keenly, bringing this human tragedy to a happy conclusion. I damn well... no, I was deeply moved."

Everyone knelt with their faces toward the earth, listening to Lady Houtu's somewhat majestic voice, not daring to raise their heads. A deity who received the prayers of countless people every day had actually descended to earth.

"Mortals, you may all rise," Lady Houtu said calmly.

Only then did everyone slowly raise their heads to behold Lady Houtu's true appearance.

Lady Houtu did not resemble her portraits among the common folk. She was not a kindly old woman, but a valiant, spirited heroine.

"I wish to admit this person to the celestial roster as the leader of the Underworld Enforcers, granting divine power and longevity. I have descended expressly to inform the mortals."

Du Yu smiled faintly. That was right. Once Cui Jue joined the celestial roster, the legend would finally be complete.

Lady Houtu slowly looked toward the dais, then extended a finger toward Du Yu and asked:

"You... are you willing to become an Underworld Enforcer?"

"Huh? Who?"

Du Yu looked around and confirmed that Lady Houtu was pointing at no one but him.

"Me??" Du Yu exclaimed in shock. "You want me to become an Underworld Enforcer??"

Hasn't this thrown everything into chaos?

"Indeed. I have witnessed all your deeds. You understand reason and distinguish good from evil. Though you are a Misfit with a tainted record, you dared to confront the ruler of a county..."

Du Yu hurriedly waved a hand. "Wait, wait! That won't work! I..."

Just as he was about to speak, he choked on his words. He had never anticipated this situation, so he had no explanation prepared whatsoever.

Lady Houtu was rather startled when Du Yu interrupted her. This was the first time a mortal had ever cut her off.

Looking at Du Yu's expression, Lady Houtu realized that he was utterly unlike other mortals. Not only did his eyes show no astonishment at a deity's descent, they held no reverence either.

Could it be... he isn't a mortal?

Lady Houtu tentatively sent her voice into Du Yu's mind. "Your aura is somewhat unusual. Are you already an immortal?"

Hearing her transmitted voice, Du Yu finally relaxed. He had no magical power and could not initiate such a conversation himself; he could only reply to a transmission.

"Lady Houtu, I definitely can't accept," Du Yu replied. "My status is rather unusual. Although I'm not an Immortal, I'm certainly not a mortal either... if I had to put a name to it, I suppose I'm an Outside-System Immortal."

Lady Houtu was in a bind. The situation had become rather awkward. She urgently needed to find talented people in the mortal world, yet her very first recruitment attempt had been rejected. Was she supposed to go back on her word in front of everyone?