On the way to the village, Ye Qiyan learned the scruffy middle-aged man's name.
Aotantli.
The man had another special identity: he was the village chief. Aside from the chance his father had bought him, Aotantli had managed to escape because there was a secret passage beneath his house.
Aotantli had dug it to meet secretly with several young widows at the entrance to the village.
The young widows were gone now, but the secret passage had become a route to survival.
After crossing a hillside, Ye Qiyan saw a village not far away.
Dark red and snowy white set each other off.
Beneath the low eaves, masses of bats hung upside down, sleeping silently.
Faintly, he could hear bursts of mournful cries and wild laughter coming from some of the houses.
Aotantli gritted his teeth, tears streaming uncontrollably.
He knelt before Ye Qiyan again and pleaded:
"Master hunter, please, please save them!"
Ye Qiyan did not respond to Aotantli's plea. His goal was to hunt vampires, not save people.
"Where's the secret passage you used to leave the village? Take me there."
"This way!"
Aotantli led Ye Qiyan to a concealed cave, where he had hidden the secret passage.
Looking at the passage, which was large enough for a person to walk upright, Ye Qiyan cast Aotantli a doubtful look.
"You dug this all by yourself?"
Aotantli smiled sheepishly.
"A few of my buddies went with me to see those widows, too."
"...You villagers really do get creative..."
"What was that, master hunter?"
"Nothing. You go in first."
"Huh?"
Before he could react, Ye Qiyan kicked Aotantli in the backside.
Frightened, Aotantli entered the passage and led the way.
Ye Qiyan followed at a moderate distance, carefully examining his surroundings.
After his stamina had risen to its cap of