Unrestrained Heart

Chapter 21

As soon as Wei Wuxian calls out, they are surrounded by many shadowy figures in the fog. There are several cries of "Hanguang-Jun, Hanguang-Jun is here, Hanguang-Jun will help us." Wei Wuxian rolls his eyes and resists the urge to point out he is there as well.

"We should find shelter from this evil miasma and discuss how the juniors came to be here." Song Lan suggests.

They find an unlocked shop with several paper dolls hanging from the ceiling. Every surface is covered in a thick layer of dust after not being used for five years.

Wei Wuxian lights a lantern and that's when he notices some of the juniors look deathly pale and are being supported by their peers.

Wei Wuxian immediately examines the closest one, who just happens to be Lan Jingyi. "What happened?"

"We were surrounded by walking corpses just inside the city, they were low level but when we cut some of them, they spewed some sort of powder." Lan Sizhui explains. "Everyone who breathed in that powder got sick, they are extremely weak and are having a hard time breathing."

Wei Wuxian frowns, "Corpse poisoning. Someone set those corpses up as a trap for anyone who entered this town."

"Is there a cure?" Lan Sizhui asks.

"Hmmm, there is, but I somehow doubt anyone is carrying glutinous rice on them?" They all shake their heads, "Any rice that was left here in the town has long since gone bad." Wei Wuxian digs through his bag and finds a handful of dried mushrooms. He gives one each to the affected juniors. "Chew these, it will slow down the effects."

Lan Jingyi pops his mushroom into his mouth and chews. He makes a disgusted face. "This tastes awful."

"Who told you medicine was supposed to taste good?" Wei Wuxian asks, "Take it as a punishment for being where you aren't supposed to."

"How did you come to be here?" Xiao Xingchen asks.

Lan Sizhui answers as the group leader, "After the hunt at Mount Dafan, we were preparing to go our separate ways when a man came to the inn and asked for help. He said that he had been attacked outside of a place called Yi City and there was a malicious spirit in the city attacking travelers."

"This man knew how to find the city?" Lan Wangji asks with a frown.

"He drew us a map," Lan Sizhui answers.

Wei Wuxian exchanges looks with the other three adults at this. "I think you kids managed to walk into a trap," he says. He finds Jin Ling, who is doing his best to blend in with the other juniors. "And what about you? Don't even try to convince me that Jiang Cheng or your parents let you come on a night hunt alone."

Jin Ling mumbles something while looking at his feet.

"What was that?" Wei Wuxian asks.

"I ran away because jiujiu wouldn't let me come." Jin Ling answers just slightly louder.

Wei Wuxian shakes his head, "Are you a spoiled young mistress who pouts and runs away when she doesn't get what she wants? Jiang Cheng might really break your legs this time, and don't think Shijie will protect you, she may just hold you down." Jin Ling goes pale, his mother is the kindest, sweetest person he knows, but it doesn't mean she doesn't lose her temper when pushed to the limit. Especially when it comes to protecting her family.

"What do we do now?" Lan Jingyi asks. Color is already starting to come back into his face. "There are hundreds of walking corpses, and we can't get past them."

"I'll go," Xiao Xingchen says, "Song Lan and Lan Wangji can come with me. Wei Wuxian can stay here to protect the juniors."

"Wait," Wei Wuxian says. He looks through the fabric that the shop owner used to make clothes for the paper dolls and finds three large enough to make masks. "I'll call Wen Ning to help as well, he'll be close with the juniors here. Don't mistake him for a corpse."