Chapter 124: Favored by the Gods?

Prompted by Liu Zhi’s warning, Du Feng sensed the anomaly in their surroundings and immediately placed his hand on the hilt of his blade.

Just as he was about to speak, several lanterns were lit within the village estate. An elderly man with white hair, supported and surrounded by several burly young men, emerged from a large courtyard to greet them.

"Greetings, Magistrate," the old man said, approaching Shang Lu and bowing. "I am Luo Zhutong, master of the Luo Family Estate. I have always been on good terms with the Registrar, and I hope we can also foster a close relationship with you, Magistrate."

Shang Lu understood immediately. While Luo Zhutong spoke of fostering a close relationship, he was actually invoking the name of the Registrar to intimidate him. Unfortunately for the old man, his information was outdated; he was unaware that the Registrar no longer held absolute power in Luoshui County.

Shang Lu sneered inwardly. Instead of enlightening Luo Zhutong about the shifting power dynamics in the county, he played along: "No problem. I can give you a chance to be close to me right now. My two subordinates and I will stay at your estate for the night."

Luo Zhutong shook his head. "Anything else is negotiable, but staying here is not." He gestured, and a young man following him immediately stepped forward, holding a tray of silver. "Magistrate, if you require lodging, head west. You have horses; in less than an hour, you will reach a market town. The conditions there are far superior to our humble estate. Please accept this silver as a token of my respect for your travel expenses."

Shang Lu glanced at the silver, then back at Luo Zhutong, and remarked with a mocking smile: "I fail to understand why you are so insistent on not letting us stay, even offering silver to send us away. Is there something hidden in this village that you fear we might discover?"

At these words, the villagers hiding in the shadows began to stir restlessly.

Luo Zhutong remained composed. "You jest, Magistrate. Our Luo Family Estate is a virtuous community, praised by the Registrar himself. What could we possibly have to hide from you? It is simply a matter of village custom and tradition."

"The Black Wind Gang was also praised by the Registrar for benefiting their hometown and serving the community—and look how that turned out," Du Feng scoffed, then challenged: "I’ve never heard of a village custom that forbids lodging. Are you just making up excuses to deceive us, Estate Master Luo?"

Luo Zhutong did not take offense and instead bowed to explain: "You misunderstand, Officer. I would never dare to deceive you. To be frank, we used to allow travelers to stay here. However, every time we did, bad things would happen. Either someone in the host family would fall ill, or they would suffer some misfortune. Once, a family even became possessed, biting everyone they saw. We had to invite a local shaman to perform rituals to drive the evil spirit out. The shaman investigated and circled the village, concluding that our land is incompatible with outsiders. Once an outsider stays the night, it generates a malevolent aura that causes sickness and misfortune among our people."

"From then on, we established the village rule: no outsiders allowed to lodge."

Du Feng clicked his tongue in wonder. "I've heard of incompatible zodiac signs or birth dates, but this is the first time I've heard of being 'incompatible with outsiders'." He asked with curiosity, "Then how do your people take wives? Surely you don't all marry within the village? That would be incest!"

Luo Zhutong’s expression darkened. Not daring to lash out, he could only shake his head and explain: "Once a wife is married into the family, she is no longer an outsider, so naturally, there is no incompatibility."

Ignoring Du Feng, he looked at Shang Lu and bowed. "Surely you would not want the people of our village to suffer from curses and possession, would you?"

As he spoke, the villagers who had been watching from the shadows surged forward, surrounding Shang Lu, Du Feng, and Liu Zhi, leaving only the path out of the village open. Clearly, they intended to use their numbers to force the trio away.

However, this display did not intimidate Shang Lu; instead, he found it laughable. The villagers moved with weak steps, and their vitality was faint. It was obvious they were ordinary people who had never practiced martial arts or cultivation. To think they would try to threaten him was both pathetic and ignorant.

At the same time, Shang Lu noticed a common trait among them: their eye sockets were dark, and they all looked as if their essence had been drained. It was the same look he had seen on Luo An’s parents. At the time, he had assumed it was grief, but now it seemed there was another reason.

*Could there be a fox demon hiding in the village? One that preys on both men and women? The villagers are bewitched, yet they are so addicted that they shield the creature, terrified of outsiders finding out? Hmph, don't they know that lust is a blade that cuts both ways? As for gambling and vice, they should be treated as sworn enemies!*

Shang Lu did not believe a word of Luo Zhutong’s explanation. He scoffed and asked, "What if I refuse to leave?"

Luo Zhutong’s expression changed. Just as he was about to speak, Shang Lu acted first, shouting coldly: "Deceiving an official and harborng malicious intent! Liu Zhi, Du Feng, seize everyone in this village at once!"

"Yes!"

Liu Zhi and Du Feng, already prepared, pounced into the crowd like tigers among sheep. To Shang Lu’s surprise, the three official horses they had ridden, sensing a fight, joined in with excitement. Amidst their neighing, the three horses charged, kicking and trampling with surprising coordination.

The villagers had clearly not expected that their hundred-strong mob would fail to intimidate the official, nor had they expected the officers to actually fight back. They fell into chaos, and several were pinned to the ground instantly.

Du Feng and Liu Zhi, both experienced constables, quickly removed the belts of those they pinned, binding their hands and feet so they could not move.

"Don't panic! Don't be afraid! Fight them! Do they really dare to kill us all?" Luo Zhutong shouted, trying to incite the villagers to resist.

Before he could finish, one of the horses charged at him, baring its teeth and sticking out its tongue in mockery. Without waiting for a reaction, the horse reared up and kicked him squarely in the chest.

Luo Zhutong was sent flying. Shang Lu feared the worst; given the old man's frail state, he surely wouldn't survive such a blow. He still needed to interrogate him for clues.

However, to his surprise, Luo Zhutong not only survived but scrambled up quickly, continuing to shout.

"Hmm?" Shang Lu used his Tiger-Step technique to reach the old man in an instant. Two young men tried to rush over to protect him, but before they could get close, they were knocked aside by the sheer force of Shang Lu’s blood energy, pinned to the ground and unable to rise.

Shang Lu grabbed hold of Luo Zhutong. At that moment, he realized the abnormality. The horse’s kick hadn't just failed to kill him; it hadn't even injured him. However, the wrinkles on Luo Zhutong’s face had deepened, much of his hair had fallen out, and spots resembling corpse-patches had appeared on his skin.

He was indeed alive and uninjured, but it was the result of burning his life force and soul. His life had reached its absolute end. Yet, his spirit was unnaturally manic, as if he were experiencing a final, fleeting surge of energy, and he continued to scream:

"Hahaha, it doesn't hurt! Not at all! We are truly chosen by the gods, favored by the deities! My sons, kill these three dogs! We must not let them ruin tonight’s divine feast!"