Blood River

20. Group Hunt: Part Seven

Omg I am so sorry I didn't upload yesterday, I was so busy that I completely forgot it was Friday😭💔

Hope you enjoy

...

Wen Qingyi and Jiang Yueli arrived at the edge of Caiyi in the late of day along with Wu Xinglong, just as the sun began to set.

Wu XingLong led the way quietly for them since early at noon, even driving the carriage for the two young maidens instead of a servant.

Seeing as it was already dusk, they agreed on conferring the facts and analysing the scene to be sure of the best course of action before the sun was completly gone rather than going straight into it.

Hence, the three made their way to the town mayor's house - The town mayor, an elderly man named Zhong, welcomed the trio into his home at the far end of town. The man's back was hunched with age, he motioned the three toward a small table where tea had already been prepared.

The air inside the house was thick with the scent of herbal medicine, and the dim lighting made the room feel colder than it actually was - but then again, it was dusk in Gusu

"Thank you for coming all the way from Gusu," Old Zhong began as he sat, his voice raspy yet steady. "I appreciate the help... though I must admit there is something I left out of my letter."

Yueli’s expression tightened, though she kept her composure, glancing briefly at Qingyi, who sat still with her hands resting lightly on her lap as she tightened her gaze slighlty as well. Wu XingLong remained standing by the doorway, arms crossed, his dark eyes quietly observing the exchange without interfering.

"What did you leave out?" Qingyi asked, her tone calm, yet too direct and dry for her age.

Old Zhong visibly hesitated for a moment, his gaze dropping to the tea in front of him. "These wolves… they aren’t ordinary beasts. At first, I thought they were, but there’s something strange about the attacks. The livestock… they aren’t just killed. Some of them… vanish entirely, without a trace."

"Vanished?" Yueli repeated, a hint of surprise breaking through her usual calm. "How could that be?"

"I don't know," Old Zhong admitted, his voice shaky. "But the elders in our village have started talking about old legends—spirits that were once guardians of this land, long before our time. Some say they’ve turned vengeful, punishing us for the way we’ve treated the land over the years."

The room fell silent. Qingyi leaned forward slightly, considering his words. "Spirits... that would explain why no physical wolf tracks were found, and why they move without being seen."

"Exactly," Old Zhong nodded gravely. "The attacks always happen at night. Whatever they are, they’ve become more vicious. I fear it won’t stop with the livestock."

Wu XingLong, having remained silent throughout the conversation, finally spoke. "We’ll need to be on guard tonight."

Qingyi gave him a brief nod in agreement, but there was no time to dwell on that now. She rose to her feet, followed by Yueli and, more slowly, Wu XingLong.

“We’ll take care of it,” Yueli assured the mayor. “You and your people should stay inside tonight. Lock your doors.”

Old Zhong nodded, his weary eyes full of gratitude, but beneath that gratitude was unmistakable fear.

....

Night fell quickly over the village, the moon hanging low and casting long shadows across the empty streets. The wind had picked up, howling through the trees, and a faint mist rolled in from the river, giving the place an eerie, ghostly feel.