Do me a favor
"Wenqian Village? That name has a certain novelty to it."
Zhenke glanced at the archway and, upon seeing the village name on it, couldn't help but read it aloud.
Fang Zelin nodded, about to say something, when suddenly he heard several exclamations from ahead, and faint cries could be heard in between.
Then several children came running from a distance, looking terrified.
"What happened?"
Upon seeing this, Fang Zelin immediately stepped forward and asked.
"San'er has fallen into the water!"
Upon seeing adults, the child, who had just run out, gasped, "Sir, can you swim? Please, please save him!"
Seeing Fang Zelin's scholarly appearance, the child immediately pleaded.
This is my friend who came out to play with me. What if he drowns?
"What? San'er fell into the water?"
Upon hearing this, a villager who was carrying a hoe back home was terrified and hurriedly dropped the hoe, running towards the riverbank ahead.
Seeing this, Fang Zelin and Zhenke quickly followed.
Before the two even reached the river, they heard a splash as the villager from before plunged headfirst into the water.
"Senior?"
Zhenke looked closely and saw a water ghost at the bottom of the river, tightly gripping a child and grinning maliciously at him.
They saw people jumping into the water to rescue the child, but they didn't seem to care.
In the water, the person was already in his hands, and no matter how many people came, they could not take the child away.
"My child, my child!"
As soon as Zhenke finished speaking, a woman from the village rushed over. She glanced at the riverbank and, not seeing her child, her knees buckled, and she knelt on the ground, wailing loudly.
"Oh no, I can't get the baby out of there."
The middle-aged man who rushed down first looked panicked. He had just grabbed his child, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't pull him away.
"How could this be? Quickly, get San'er out of the water!"
Upon hearing this, the woman panicked and immediately shouted, hoping the other party would quickly retrieve the child.
However, when the middle-aged man went back into the water and found his child, this time they were both pulled to the bottom of the river.
The other person thrashed about on the surface of the river for a moment before sinking.
Upon seeing this, an elderly man by the river exclaimed, "Oh no! There's a water ghost in this river! Everyone, step back!"
While shouting, she quickly pulled back the woman who was trying to save her husband.
There are water ghosts in the river; it's no use for the woman to go there. She'll only be wasting her time.
"If my husband and child die, what's the point of me living? Grandpa, please let me go save my husband!"
The woman cried and tried to go forward, but the old man beside her refused to budge.
Fang Zelin and his companion stood to the side, clearly observing the situation at the bottom of the river. The water ghost saw the man repeatedly trying to rescue the boy in his arms.
Seemingly enraged, she dragged the man down with her to the bottom of the water.
Fang Zelin stepped forward and came to the riverbank. Seeing this, the old man next to him quickly tried to pull Fang Zelin back.
There are water ghosts at the bottom of this river; how could humans possibly save them?
Before the old man could stop him, Fang Zelin, staring at the riverbed, said, "Friend, could you do me a favor and let these two go?"
"You've dragged these two down to be scapegoats, and now this family is ruined."
As Fang Zelin spoke, he cupped his hands in a gesture of respect towards the water.
The sound wasn't loud, but it rang directly in the ears of the water ghost at the bottom of the river, causing the water ghost's face to stiffen.
Looking up, he saw a scholar standing by the river, his gaze seemingly piercing through the water as he met the scholar's eyes.
This bizarre scene startled the water ghost. Who was this person? Why did he seem to have seen me? How strange!
The water ghost, feeling a bit terrified, quickly pulled the two of them towards the deeper parts of the river.
As for giving the other party face? Hmph, you and I are complete strangers, and this person is just my substitute. If I give you face, how can I be reincarnated?
The water ghost sneered inwardly, but didn't want to bother with this person.
On the river, seeing the water ghost preparing to escape, Fang Zelin couldn't help but frown. "My friend, would you do me a favor?"
Even though it was above the river, the sound still reached the water ghost's ears clearly, causing the water ghost to frown deeply.
Is this person crazy? Why do they have to give the other person face? Do they think their own face is worth that much?
The water ghost glanced coldly at Fang Zelin standing by the river, then continued swimming forward.
However, this time, just as he made a move, a small flying sword appeared in front of him, blocking his way without him even noticing.
The flying sword was aimed straight at the water ghost, as if to say, "If you dare to run again, I'll cut you down."
The water ghost had never seen this flying sword before, but when he faced this Xiao Xiao flying sword head-on, he felt an immense sense of crisis. His intuition told him that if he were to be struck by this flying sword, he would surely die!
Upon witnessing this, the water ghost's face instantly froze.
At this moment, Fang Zelin continued, "Friend, could you do me this favor?"
Why should I give you that much face? You've said it twice already!
The villagers standing by the river couldn't help but look at each other.
They couldn't understand where this guy had come from. He clearly looked like a scholar, so why was he so pedantic?
Could it be that they've become stupid from reading too much classical Chinese literature?
Well, it was all for the sake of saving lives, so it's not appropriate to lecture them.
Someone nearby considered making sarcastic remarks, but then thought that since the other person was trying to save someone, it was really inappropriate to say such things.
Everyone turned around, looking at the river with deep concern. Two people had suddenly died in the village; it seemed...
Um?
As the villagers were wondering what to do next, they saw the person who had been submerged at the bottom of the river suddenly float to the surface, and they stood there stunned for a moment.
What's going on?
Is this gentleman's influence really that useful?
"Quickly, save them!"
After only a moment's hesitation, several burly men immediately jumped into the water, pulled the two men out, and rushed back from the riverbank, fearing they would be pulled in as well.
"He's still breathing."
After pulling the two men out of the river, someone immediately checked them and, seeing that they were both breathing, breathed a heavy sigh of relief.
When everyone looked up at Fang Zelin again, their eyes were filled with awe.
This scholar is probably no ordinary person; he's just saying a few words to the bottom of the river to save face.
That water ghost at the bottom of the river really gave me face; it's so powerful. Could it be the reincarnation of the Wenqu Star from heaven?
"Thank you so much for your great kindness and virtue, benefactor!"
A village woman with red eyes came up to Fang Zelin Fang Zelin immediately bowed down. If it weren't for Fang Zelin, her husband and children would have drowned in the river!