Chapter 12: 012 Ma Wang Village (Part 1)

That silver must have been the cargo of the merchant convoy that went missing outside Wang Gu Lin a few years ago, belonging to the Wang Clan. the middle-aged man said; whether before or now, when he spoke with Wang Wu, his face always showed no expression.

Afterwards, he continued:

I don't know how you found this money, sir; you might not be afraid, but I still have a daughter. Moreover, I still need to make a living in He Dong Xian, so I can't take this money.

Moreover. the middle-aged man pointed at Wang Wu's clothes again, Your clothes bear the mark of the Wang Clan merchant convoy; this must be the attire of the convoy's escort.

I once served the Wang Clan for a period, and when the Wang Clan merchant convoy went missing outside the county seat back then, I happened to be in the Wang Clan.

Having said that, the middle-aged man looked at Wang Wu:

And the Wang Clan would never have someone like you existing, and moreover you are utterly unknown.

Besides, your clothes carry the smell of a corpse. My nose is more sensitive than ordinary people's; I can smell it.

Oh… Wang Wu smiled, then nodded, Indeed, these clothes and this silver were indeed taken from a corpse.

Over there. Wang Wu pointed to the other side of the road, Wang Gu Lin, I escaped from inside; there is a monster's corpse‑dumping pit there, and the bodies of the Wang Clan merchant convoy lie in that pit.

And their chests.

At that time, besides me, there were two others in the pit. They went there to search for the wealth of the Wang Clan merchant convoy that had gone missing a few years ago.

As for me, I was seized by a spider demon and taken there, intending to be killed and eaten.

Having said that, Wang Wu noticed that the middle-aged man was listening much more attentively than before, and he seemed not to doubt his words.

After all, his account was not problematic; if it weren't for those two, Wang Wu might indeed have had to feed Zhu San Niang a meal upon reaching the pit's edge, after which they would have entwined and then reluctantly parted.

Therefore, one could also say that Wang Wu's explanation was indeed flawless, containing not a shred of falsehood.

Those two carried demon‑slaying stones, yet they were still killed by the spider demon. I, meanwhile, seized the opportunity to snatch a demon‑slaying stone from the hand of one of them—a man with a mole on his face—and forced the spider demon to retreat.

Then I took one of their bundles, and from the pit I also felt out a clothed corpse, and fled.

Why take the clothes?

After the story ended, the first to speak was the middle-aged man's daughter, who asked curiously.

Wang Wu did not answer; he merely glanced at the middle-aged man.

The middle-aged man also said nothing, merely walking over and patting his daughter's back.

All right, all right, there's no need to dig into this. He answered on Wang Wu's behalf, of course knowing why Wang Wu remained silent, and thus was very cooperative.

Do these clothes smell bad? After the middle-aged man helped answer his daughter's question, Wang Wu lowered his head and sniffed his own clothes.

Indeed the smell isn't great, but it's not exactly foul, is it?

Ordinary people really can't smell it. the middle-aged man said, But if you intend to wear this garment into He Dong Xian, you may run into some trouble then.

Well… Wang Wu was about to ask, but immediately thought of a solution.

So he turned his body and looked at the corpses on the ground.

Ancient people's clothes are generally very loose, so these people's garments should be wearable straight after stripping them off.

Although many corpses are utterly ruined, the clothing of those few who were shot dead remains unaffected. Thus Wang Wu stepped forward and began to strip the clothes from the intact corpses.

After dealing together with Wang Wu to dispose of the six youths from Da Peng Village who had surrounded them, and also answering Wang Wu's question, the middle-aged man could, by rights, simply leave.

But at this moment he did not leave; instead he stayed where he was, standing beside the bundle Wang Wu had dropped on the ground. Seeing Wang Wu begin to pull the clothes from the corpses on the ground, he immediately understood what the other intended to do.

Thus he immediately patted his daughter, Xiao Ling, turn around.

Huh? the girl named Xiao Ling blinked, not understanding why her father said that.

Just turn around when I tell you to. the middle-aged man said with a stern expression.

Oh…

Seeing her father's stern tone, the girl obediently turned her body around.

After a while, Wang Wu, having changed his attire, patted his clothes and approached the middle-aged man.

Big brother, how do I look in this outfit?

The middle-aged man looked at Wang Wu's attire, opened his mouth as if to speak, hesitated, but ultimately fell silent.

What's up? Seeing the middle-aged man's expression, Wang Wu was a bit puzzled.

Nothing. the middle-aged man shook his head, Like this, come over first.

Wang Wu willingly walked over.

You're wearing this one wrong; let me demonstrate.

Right, like this. And this one, wear it like this—look at mine, yes.

And this one, yes, that's right, just like this, right lapel. Right lapel means the left side of the collar is outside, the right side inside.

Yes, just like that, done.

Dad, what are you doing?

Hearing the voice from behind, Xiao Ling asked curiously.

Nothing. the middle-aged man replied, All right, you can turn back now.

Xiao Ling, who had long been curious, immediately turned her body around as soon as she heard her father's words.

Then she was stunned again, and her face began to flush.

Wang Wu's clothes were very plain and simple; he did not change the shoes on his feet, because these youths all wore straw sandals, whereas the shoes he felt out from the corpse pit were a pair of boots.

The boots are irrelevant, since this thing isn't standardized.

Simple, plain, just the most ordinary rural youth attire. Since it is now autumn, they need to wear something a bit sturdier.

On top a gray hemp short jacket, cuffs bound with cloth strips; below a black cloth and sash trousers; on the feet a pair of leather-soled boots.

Because the deceased's build was slightly smaller than Wang Wu's, this outfit is a bit tight on him, yet it also nicely accentuates his figure.

Wasp‑waisted, ape‑backed, sword‑browed, star‑eyed, vigorous in bearing, radiant in spirit.

Monsters eat people, are extremely brutal, wanton and lawless, yet it must be said that basically every monster that has taken human form can be called a "byword for beauty."

You can absolutely trust a monster's looks; there is no doubt about that.

Wang Wu patted the dust off his clothes, then he realized it was actually a speck of bloodstain, but he didn't pay it any mind.

A long saber hung at his waist, a backpack on his back, and aside from his hair still being a ponytail, he basically already looked like an ordinary person here.

"All right, stop spacing out. We still need to get moving; let's head back early, there's still some unfinished business at home." He slapped his dazed daughter, the middle-aged man nodded at Wang Wu, "Sir, we'll be on our way."

Wang Wu also returned the fist salute to the middle-aged man, "Thank you, big brother, for your help. Aside from this packet of silver, I have nothing else to repay you with; I'm truly ashamed."

The group set off again; although they continued forward, aside from the middle-aged man's daughter Xiao Ling occasionally sneaking glances at Wang Wu, there was hardly any further communication.

The three passed the first village by the road; the guards on the village's watchtower were unaware of what had happened eight li away, and ordinary people couldn't see that far.

However, as they passed the village, Wang Wu still noticed the hostile gazes of the sentinels on those watchtowers.

But those people didn't do anything; although they drew their crossbows into aiming positions, they didn't shoot. This made Wang Wu a little puzzled.

Only after the three had completely left the village did Wang Wu curiously ask:

"Did they notice?"

"No." The middle-aged man shook his head. "It's just that our two villages have a bad relationship; a few years ago there was even a death."

"Our village is just ahead." At this point, the middle-aged man's daughter Xiao Ling also interjected: "Brother Wu, you can find a place to rest in our village tonight; He Dong Xian is still far away."

"Can we?" Wang Wu looked toward Ma the Elder.

"Of course." Ma the Elder nodded, "We villagers by the road also make a living this way; there's an inn in the village. Young Hero Wang, you'd better not lose your wealth; the money taken from those ruffians will be enough."

"Thank you." Wang Wu thanked him.

"You're welcome."

After passing Da Peng Village, they walked for almost another hour, and the three also came to a place not far from a new village. This is where the middle-aged man Ma Chuo and his daughter Ma Ling reside.

"This is Ma Wang Village." Ma Chuo's daughter enthusiastically introduced to Wang Wu, "Our Ma Wang Village……

"Wait, where does this bloody smell come from?"

However, before she could finish her words, Wang Wu interrupted her. And not only him, at the moment Wang Wu spoke those words, Ma Ling's father also said the same thing:

"Something's happened in the village!"

Two voices sounded at once; the two exchanged a glance. Immediately afterward, Ma Chuo rushed toward the village, while Wang Wu and Ma Chuo's daughter closely followed.

(End of chapter)