Occasional dog barks echoed through the still night sky, sounding somewhat grating.
A staggering man walked along a rural path. He clutched a wine gourd, guzzling from it from time to time. Wine spilled down his chin, soaking half his garment.
"Ugh, so annoying! One of these days I’ll kill ya and stew ya! All you ever do is BARK, BARK, BARK—GLUG GLUG!" Wang Gu cursed. As he spoke, he fiercely gulped down a few more mouthfuls of wine.
All of a sudden, he stopped in his tracks. Glaring at a moderately sized stone in front of him, he suddenly kicked it hard. The stone flew far, causing a slight noise.
"It’s just money!" he yelled. "Just wait! Once I make a fortune, I’ll crush you all with silver!"
Having drunk some wine, Wang Gu’s dissatisfaction had slightly subsided. However, it didn’t last long; the thought of his debts at the gambling house soon made him agitated again.
He let out a satisfied belch.
Wang Gu raised the wine gourd to his mouth to pour more wine, only to find he had already drunk it all.
Instantly, he tossed the wine gourd into the nearby woods and staggered toward his home.
Suddenly, a mist rose on the path, blurring his vision. Wang Gu paid it little mind.
As he continued onward, the sound of suonas reached his ears. It sounded like a wedding celebration, or perhaps a funeral.
"Strange!" Wang Gu muttered. "Who’s making such a racket in the middle of the night—"
The sudden noise, compounded by his inner turmoil, filled Wang Gu with great dissatisfaction. "I want to see who’s causing such a commotion in the dead of night!" he declared, staggering in the direction of the sound.
Shortly after, he saw a long procession ahead. A large, red bridal sedan chair was carried by several people at the front and back. Others in festive red clothing led the way. The sound of suonas came from them.
Watching the bridal procession, Wang Gu’s expression grew more puzzled. Who’s getting married or having a wedding? I haven’t heard of any celebrations in the village these days!
His village was small, home to at most a few hundred households. Any family festivities were usually known throughout the village very quickly. But Wang Gu racked his brain and couldn’t recall any family sending off a bride or receiving one.
Standing unsteadily, he didn’t step aside but rubbed his eyes, trying to see the scene before him more clearly.
Just at that moment, the bridal procession drew nearer, and the sound of the suonas grew increasingly piercing.
By the moonlight, Wang Gu clearly saw them. Everyone in the procession wore festive red, but their faces were deathly pale and their expressions frozen. They moved unnaturally, like marionettes.
In an instant, he felt a chill as if plunged into an ice cellar. The drunken haze clouding his mind instantly vanished.
"Demon—Demon Evil!" Wang Gu stammered, his lips trembling.
Though an ordinary man, even a three-year-old child in the Qin Land knew the tales of Demon Evils. The eerie scene before him, combined with these tales, made Wang Gu almost certain that the bridal procession was not of this world.
Without hesitation, he turned to flee. But his legs gave way, and he hadn’t run two steps before he stumbled and fell.
By then, the bridal procession was drawing closer. When Wang Gu looked back, he saw he was already surrounded. Those in bright red clothes all turned to look at him in unison. Their eyes stared fixedly, as if looking at a dead man.
An uncontrollable coldness rose from the depths of his heart.
Wang Gu dropped to his knees, desperately kowtowing and pleading for mercy. "Please spare me! I beg of you, spare me! It was an unintentional offense! Spare me, spare me..."
The fear of Demon Evils had turned his mind blank. Only by kneeling and begging might there be a sliver of a chance for survival.
The bridal sedan chair stopped. The blood-red curtain was lifted, and a pair of embroidered shoes appeared in Wang Gu’s vision.
Looking up from the embroidered shoes...
Wang Gu felt his brain roar. His face filled with terror, as if he had witnessed something horrifying, and his body went rigid.
The great drum before the Prefecture Yamen was struck. Its reverberating sound immediately drew a crowd of onlookers. After several beats, the doors of the Prefecture Yamen opened, and a line of Government Officials emerged.
"Who is drumming for justice this early in the morning?" one called out.
"I have a matter to report to the authorities, sir!"
The petitioner struggled to maintain a composed demeanor. Upon hearing the words "a life," the lead Government Official’s expression immediately turned grave.
The petitioner entered with a group of officials. Meanwhile, two other officials guarded the entrance of the Prefecture Yamen to prevent anyone from entering unannounced.
Two rows of Government Officials, holding Commanding Batons, struck them on the ground in unison.
Never having witnessed such a scene, the petitioner’s legs went weak with fright, and he collapsed to his knees.
At that moment, a figure in official robes walked out from the back hall, sat in the main seat, and struck the Court Gavel. The commotion around them immediately ceased.
"I am Magistrate Guan Zuo of the Capital City Prefecture Yamen. Who stands before me in this court? State your name!"
The sturdy young man kneeling on the ground dared not raise his head, his voice trembling as he replied, "I am Chen Erniu from Fengyun Village. I pay my respects, Your Honor!"
"Lift your head. Let me see you," Guan Zuo said, his expression unchanging.
Hearing this, Chen Erniu finally dared to lift his head, revealing an honest, simple face.
Guan Zuo looked at the man. His skin was dark and coarse, clearly the result of years of exposure to sun and wind.
Straightaway, he struck the Court Gavel again. "You claim there was a murder. State the details," he said, his expression calm.
Hearing this, a man in the hall named Wang Wu seemed to recall something, and panic flickered across his face. But he quickly remembered where he was; the panic vanished, replaced by composure. He swallowed.
Then, Wang Gu respectfully said, "Your Honor, this morning someone discovered a desiccated corpse. We recognize it as one of our villagers. That person was alive and well just yesterday, but today has become a desiccated corpse. Therefore, we suspect that Demon Evil may be causing trouble in Fengyun Village. Hence, the village chief sent me to report to the authorities. We hope the government can send people to Fengyun Village to eliminate the Demon Evil!"
Demon Evil causing trouble!
As soon as the words were spoken, everyone’s expression changed. Guan Zuo’s face turned cold. He stared at the man below, closely watching his expression.
"Do you know the penalty for spreading rumors!"
"Every word I speak is the truth; there’s not a single falsehood. If you do not believe me, Your Honor, you are welcome to see for yourself in Fengyun Village," Wang Gu kowtowed.
Upon hearing this, Guan Zuo said nothing. His expression was grim and uncertain. As the Magistrate of the Capital City Prefecture Yamen, Guan Zuo was fully aware of how serious the problem of Demon Evil appearing in Fengyun Village was.
Simply put, Fengyun Village was within the bounds of the Capital City. And the Capital City was the lifeline of Great Qin, guarded by powerhouses. In the past, even though Demon Evil had caused trouble elsewhere, such occurrences had never happened within the Capital City’s jurisdiction. In the end, it was because the Capital City itself made those Demon Evils wary. Even the most powerful Demon Evil would not dare to act recklessly in the Capital City. Any who dared reveal their presence were guaranteed a swift death.
But now, Demon Evil had appeared within the Capital City’s bounds and had taken a life. The implications were far from simple. For a time, Guan Zuo pondered his options.
The Adviser standing by his side spoke in a low voice, "Sir, if it truly is Demon Evil causing chaos, we must not take this matter lightly. We should immediately report this to our superiors and request the intervention of the Demon-Subduing Division. Our Prefecture Yamen alone lacks the capability to resolve this."
The issue of Demon Evil was no small matter. If mishandled, it could lead to even greater problems. In his view, the most appropriate course of action was to report the matter to higher-ups and let the Demon-Subduing Division handle it.
Guan Zuo pondered for a moment, having already made his decision. But just as he was about to speak, Chen Erniu, who had been kneeling below, suddenly shot upwards. His previously dark face had inexplicably turned a ghastly pale, and his eyes blazed blood red.
Moving like a phantom, he charged at Guan Zuo. Veins bulged on his right arm, his fingernails shot out, clawing straight for Guan Zuo’s vital points.
The incident happened too quickly for any of the Government Officials to react.
Just as Chen Erniu’s attack was about to land, Guan Zuo’s hair seemed to stand on end with fury. A surge of True Qi erupted from his body, exploding outward as Protective Gang Qi.
"How dare you, mere Demon Evil, cause trouble in my Prefecture Yamen!" Guan Zuo bellowed. At the same time, he struck out with his palm, sending Chen Erniu flying.
Before even hitting the ground, Chen Erniu twisted his body, already rushing towards the Prefecture Yamen’s exit.
At this time, the other Government Officials finally reacted.
Guan Zuo leaped up. "Everyone, slay the Demon Evil! We cannot allow it to wreak havoc in the Capital City!" His furious voice thundered through the great hall.
As his words fell, he had already vanished from the hall. The other Government Officials, seeing this, also hurried outside.
Outside the Prefecture Yamen, numerous bodies already lay on the ground—bystanders who had been slaughtered by the rampaging Demon Evil.
As the entity continued its carnage, Guan Zuo appeared. A terrifying force erupted from him, slamming down hard onto the Demon Evil.
The ground cracked open, revealing a deep pit where the burly body of ’Chen Erniu’ lay like a heap of mud.
The possessing Demon Evil, having just separated from the body, attempted to flee. But Guan Zuo gave it no chance. With a swift step forward, he delivered another palm strike, slaying the Demon Evil on the spot.