Chapter 14
As expected, moments later, several dark figures emerged in the distance. Although their features were obscured by the darkness, their movements suggested they were jiangshi. Brother Wu tightened his grip on the rope, instinctively holding his breath, fearing that the sound might alert the creatures.
Beside him, Song Ling gripped her sword tightly, while Li Xinjun unsheathed the broadsword strapped to her back, ready to charge out at a moment’s notice. As the jiangshi drew closer, their forms became clearer. Lured by the scent of blood, they walked towards the center of the roped-off area, one by one.
Everyone waited for Brother Wu’s signal to pull the ropes. He watched intently as the jiangshi approached the dead chickens. One of the jiangshi, at the forefront, had already entered the circle and was lapping up the chicken blood. However, Brother Wu held back the signal. He had to wait until all the jiangshi were inside the circle to capture them all at once.
Just as the last jiangshi neared the center, a soldier in the opposite house sneezed. The sound startled the jiangshi at the edge of the circle, and it abruptly changed direction, charging towards the house and attacking the wooden door. The other jiangshi followed suit, abandoning the chicken blood. Seeing this, Brother Wu had no choice but to give the signal.
With a resounding “whoosh,” the ropes were pulled taut, trapping three of the jiangshi inside the circle.
“Roar! Roar! Roar!”
The trapped jiangshi roared in unison. The two that had escaped went berserk, becoming increasingly violent. They launched a relentless assault on the house, smashing through parts of the door. Brother Wu, seeing that the door wouldn’t hold much longer, shouted,
“Secure the ropes to the posts! Go help them!”
The soldiers quickly tied the ropes to the sturdy posts inside the house and then rushed out to confront the two jiangshi. The jiangshi, seeing them emerge from different directions, turned to attack them, giving the soldiers inside the house a chance to escape.
Li Xinjun, brandishing her broadsword, charged towards one of the jiangshi. With all her might, she swung the blade down on its shoulder. However, the jiangshi’s body was incredibly rigid. The blade only penetrated two inches deep, lodging itself in the shoulder. Li Xinjun couldn’t cut any further, nor could she pull the blade out. She was locked in a fierce struggle.
Song Ling rushed forward and detonated an explosive talisman on the jiangshi’s shoulder. The force of the explosion dislodged Li Xinjun’s broadsword. She immediately raised the blade again and struck the same spot. The jiangshi’s right arm finally severed.
Meanwhile, the soldiers were also engaged in a fierce battle. They thrust their spears at the other jiangshi, but the weapons barely penetrated its flesh. The jiangshi swatted them aside with powerful blows. It lunged at one of the soldiers, pinning him to the ground and sinking its teeth into his neck.
“Argh!”
The soldier screamed in agony. The other soldiers rushed to his aid, trying to drive the jiangshi back, but it held on tight, relentlessly biting the soldier’s neck. They watched helplessly as the soldier slowly lost consciousness and died.
“Damn you! I’ll avenge Ah Jian! You monster, die!”
Another soldier, enraged, charged forward, leaping into the air and driving his spear into the jiangshi’s back. The spear pierced through its body. The jiangshi released its grip on Ah Jian’s neck, roared in pain, and turned to grab the soldier’s throat. Brother Wu arrived just in time, swinging his spear and forcing the jiangshi back.
Song Ling took out another explosive talisman and slapped it on the jiangshi’s head. The talisman detonated, blowing a chunk off its head. However, the jiangshi, impervious to pain, didn’t seem fazed. It stumbled back a few steps, and Li Xinjun, seizing the opportunity, thrust her broadsword towards its heart. The jiangshi blocked the blow with its hand, its claws raking across Li Xinjun’s shoulder, leaving three deep gashes that bled profusely.
“Hiss!”
Li Xinjun gasped in pain. The jiangshi, smelling her fresh blood, became even more ferocious, like a predator sensing its prey. It lunged at Li Xinjun, aiming for her throat.
Li Xinjun held her broadsword horizontally, blocking the jiangshi’s mouth. Although its teeth were blocked, the jiangshi grabbed Li Xinjun’s neck with its hands, its long nails digging into her flesh. Blood streamed down her neck, staining her clothes crimson.
Seeing this, Song Ling rushed forward, stepping between them and using her sword to pry the jiangshi’s hands away from Li Xinjun’s neck. Li Xinjun was momentarily free. As Song Ling fought the jiangshi, she shouted to Li Xinjun,
“Jun’er, get out of here! I can handle this!”
Li Xinjun obeyed, retreating to the side and tearing a strip of cloth from her sleeve to bandage her neck, trying to control the bleeding. Song Ling fought the jiangshi with all her might, using her martial arts skills and channeling her inner energy. Finally, she managed to pierce its heart with her sword, bringing it down.
After defeating the jiangshi, Song Ling rushed to Li Xinjun’s side to check her injuries. Once she was certain that Li Xinjun was not in immediate danger, she ran to assist the others in dealing with the remaining jiangshi.
Brother Wu and the soldiers were struggling. As Song Ling arrived, another soldier was killed, his throat ripped open by the jiangshi’s claws.
Song Ling, unable to prevent the soldier’s death, could only watch in horror. She leaped into the air and delivered a powerful kick to the jiangshi’s chest, sending it flying backward. The jiangshi crashed into the wall behind it, and another soldier seized the opportunity, charging forward with his spear.
The spear pierced the jiangshi’s heart. However, in its dying moments, the jiangshi grabbed the soldier and hurled him towards the pile of bound jiangshi. The soldier collided with the three creatures, who grabbed him and began to tear at his flesh. In the struggle, the soldier’s spear accidentally severed the ropes binding the jiangshi. The ropes loosened, and the three jiangshi tore the soldier apart, killing him.
Seeing the situation spiraling out of control, Song Ling shouted for everyone to retreat to safety. She scooped up the injured Li Xinjun and ran towards the magistrate’s office. The remaining soldiers followed closely behind, fleeing for their lives.
Upon reaching the safety of the magistrate’s office, Song Ling carried Li Xinjun to their room in the west wing. She gently laid Li Xinjun on the bed and bolted the door. She then went to the bedside and examined Li Xinjun’s injuries. Li Xinjun was covered in wounds.
Despite her embarrassment, Li Xinjun didn’t resist. She knew that Song Ling needed to treat her wounds. There were four deep puncture wounds on either side of her neck, where the jiangshi’s nails had pierced her flesh. The wounds were deep and required immediate attention.
On her left shoulder, there were three deep gashes, extending from her shoulder to her arm. Her palm was also cut, the wound deep enough to expose bone, from blocking the jiangshi’s mouth with her bare hand. There were also claw marks on her waist. Seeing Li Xinjun’s battered body, Song Ling was filled with regret for not protecting her better.
She retrieved her medical kit and applied a hemostatic powder to the wounds. Fortunately, the puncture wounds on her neck had missed any major arteries, so stopping the bleeding wasn’t difficult. However, the wound on her palm was too deep and wide for the powder to be effective. Song Ling took out her needles and turned to Li Xinjun.
“Jun’er, the wound on your palm is too deep. I need to stitch it up to stop the bleeding. It will be painful, but you have to bear with it.”
“Sister Ling, I can do it. Go ahead.”
Li Xinjun bit down on the sheet, turning her face away as Song Ling prepared the needle. Song Ling pulled out a few strands of her long hair and twisted them into a thick thread. She threaded the needle and began stitching Li Xinjun’s palm, carefully bringing the edges of the wound together. Li Xinjun gritted her teeth, enduring the pain without a sound.
Song Ling’s heart ached for her. She worked quickly, wanting to end Li Xinjun’s suffering as soon as possible. Soon, the wound was stitched closed. She applied more hemostatic powder, and the bleeding finally stopped.
After treating all the wounds, Song Ling fetched a basin of warm water and gently cleaned Li Xinjun’s injuries with a soft cloth. She then covered Li Xinjun with a sheet and let her rest.
Li Xinjun, weakened from blood loss, drifted off to sleep. Relieved, Song Ling left the room. Brother Wu had been waiting anxiously outside the door. He was deeply concerned about Li Xinjun’s condition. Seeing Song Ling finally emerge, he asked,
“Doctor Song, how is Little Jun? I’m worried about her.”
“She’s alright, don’t worry. She’s not in any danger, but she has multiple injuries and will need to rest for a while to fully recover.”
“That’s good to hear, that’s good to hear.”
“Brother Wu, do you have any injuries that need attention?”
“No, no, mine can wait until tomorrow. You should go see Magistrate Wang. He’s been waiting for you, but he didn’t want to disturb you while you were treating Little Jun. He’s still waiting in the main hall.”
“Alright, I’ll go see him now. Brother Wu, please keep an eye on Jun’er. Let me know immediately if anything happens.”
“Of course, leave it to me.”
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