Chapter 30: He Dong Chronicles (Part 3)

Wang Wu never imagined that he could meet other compatriots in this county town.

But he has now.

Even though Sun Da hasn't introduced himself yet, Wang Wu already knows the other's identity.

If I'm not mistaken, this is probably Sun Da's younger brother—the tiger‑slaying hero Sun Fei, head of He Dong County—and his wife, Wu Lian.

But Wu Lian…

"This person is…"

Wang Wu's expression remained fairly composed; after glancing at the other, he turned his gaze back to Sun Da and asked with a smile.

However, the flash of astonishment in his eyes seemed to have been caught by the other.

"Oh?" Sun Da also turned his head then, looking at the other, "Xiao Lian, why did you come out?"

"Sir asked me to buy some cured beef for him to drink with wine," Wu Lian made a gesture similar to a bow toward Sun Da and said softly.

"Uh… uh…" Sun Da nodded, then turned back to Wang Wu, smiling, "Young hero, this is my sister‑in‑law; isn't she beautiful? Hahaha."

"Haha, indeed. I was also stunned for a moment, spaced out," Wang Wu said with a laugh, "I suppose Sun Da's brother must also be a fine gentleman, right?"

"Haha! Not at all!!" Sun Da spoke of his brother, his tone brimming with unmistakable pride, "The officials' reports on him are full of praises—'robust and mighty, with a handsome bearing'!"

"Of course, compared with you, Young Hero, he's still a bit lacking." Though Sun Da praised his brother, he was a sincere person, or at least someone who cared about others' feelings.

"Haha, thank you for the compliment, big brother." Wang Wu laughed.

Wu Lian now stood behind Sun Da, listening to Wang Wu and Sun Da's conversation, saying nothing, not looking at Wang Wu, just quietly standing there with her head down.

However, when Wang Wu said he had stared at the other in a daze for a moment, she did look up at him briefly, though without any expression.

Or rather, her eyes were expressionless, but her face still seemed rather shy.

And Wang Wu, since the first time he saw Wu Lian, never deliberately looked at her again unless necessary, and wouldn't even meet her gaze.

It's not to avoid impropriety, though that plays a part. The main reason is this creature—this monster—her strength is formidable.

Far stronger than himself, and far stronger than Zhu San Niang.

But that's not surprising; this is human territory, a human city. Unless a monster is powerful or possesses special divine abilities, it can't stay here.

It's practically like seeing a ghost.

At this moment, despite their lively small‑talk, the two entered a tavern together, waiting for the waiter to pour wine for Sun Da while continuing their chat.

But Wang Wu's heart was already trembling with nerves.

He didn't know why he was nervous, but after seeing the other, a sudden huge sense of danger surged in his heart.

He couldn't explain the source of that danger feeling, but it definitely stemmed from the other.

He even considered making an excuse to leave, not go to Sun Da's house. Yet when that thought arose, the danger feeling grew stronger, even pricking his forehead with pain.

This woman—no, this female monster—must have seen something.

Perhaps she sensed his own monster nature, or perhaps she realized he had discerned her identity.

If it's the former, it's probably fine. But if it's the latter… that could be problematic and cause a misunderstanding.

His thoughts kept racing as he chatted with Sun Da, his mind a jumble. The two—actually three—of them had by then arrived at Sun Da's doorstep.

"Wife! Wife!" Sun Da shouted at the door, "Madam! Madam! I'm back!!"

Sun Da knocked on the door, shouting loudly.

"Coming, coming!"

A woman's voice came from inside; moments later, Sun Da's main gate opened, and a towering figure appeared before Wang Wu.

Tall, muscular, with a resolute face, hair tied in a woman's bun.

Of course this wasn't the otherworldly Wu Song, but Sun Da's wife, a woman named Ruo Niang.

Although her name sounds feminine, Ruo Niang's looks aren't that…

Um, her features are rather stern and rugged, yet it's clear she's a woman.

After all, her chest is indeed broad, and her arms are likewise massive.

"Madam, this is the exceptionally fine young hero I told you about today!" Sun Da pulled Wang Wu forward, introducing him to his wife.

"Young hero." Upon seeing Wang Wu, Ruo Niang made the same bow‑like gesture as Wu Lian earlier.

Um, how to put it—when you see a robust woman over 1.9 m tall perform that gesture, the feeling is rather strange.

So strange that it even makes Wang Wu pause his tangled thoughts.

"Brother, you're back?"

At that moment, another voice sounded; a man carrying two trays of dishes lifted the curtain of a room in the courtyard and stepped out into the yard.

When he saw Wang Wu, he was also startled for a moment, but quickly turned his attention to his own brother, "Brother, this is…"

"Young hero Wang." Sun Da introduced Wang Wu, "the one I mentioned to you today."

"Young hero." Hearing his brother's introduction, Sun Fei nodded, then performed a clasped‑fist salute to Wang Wu, "I am Sun Fei."

"Wang Wu." Wang Wu also performed a clasped‑fist salute.

Sun Fei is a tall, burly man, slightly shorter than Wang Wu, with a similar build. He has a handsome face, and it is clear he is Sun Da's biological younger brother.

Their facial features are alike, yet in terms of attractiveness they are worlds apart.

"Haha! Alright, alright, let's eat!" Sun Da was clearly in a good mood, and Sun Fei and Ruo Niang were equally cheerful.

The three of them sat at the courtyard table; Sun Da fetched a stool for Wang Wu, and Ruo Niang placed a bowl of rice and a pair of chopsticks before him.

The family of four, plus Wang Wu, sat around the courtyard table, eating rice, drinking wine, and chatting.

"Young hero Wang, where are you from? Your accent doesn't sound like a native of our Southern Province," Sun Da asked while pouring wine for himself and Wang Wu.

"I'm from elsewhere; I can't reveal exactly where," Wang Wu replied.

"Haha, no problem, no problem!" Sun Da laughed, "When traveling, you can't tell everyone everything!"

Four people—more precisely, three—spent the time chatting, drinking, and eating, and before they knew it, over an hour had passed.

During this period, Wang Wu learned a lot of information about the human world from Sun Da and Sun Fei.

Of course, he also told Sun Da and Sun Fei some stories, all ancient tales from his previous life's hometown.

For example, excerpts from famous works and novel plots, after some revision and localization, made the two feel thrilled.

In addition, Sun Da also recounted the tragic background of his sister‑in‑law Wu Lian to Wang Wu, causing Wang Wu to sigh repeatedly.

However, beyond the sighs, doubts also arose in his mind.

Namely, can a monster and a human have children?

He didn't know that; monsters can certainly reproduce with monsters, though the birth rate is extremely low. As for monsters and humans, he was unsure.

But Wu Lian was not pregnant.

In this world, human gestation lasts a bit longer than in his previous life, but because the average lifespan is also longer than that of Earth people, the population is still sizable.

Wu Lian became pregnant either last year or the year before, and the child hasn't been born yet this year, but it is close.

The doctor said it should happen within these few months.

Wang Wu was also curious; if that time comes, what will happen to Wu Lian?

"Haha, wine and food are done, brothers, I should be heading back now," Wang Wu rose from his seat, clasped his fists, and said to the two.

"How about staying here for the night?" Sun Fei, who had heard Wang Wu recount a passage from *The Legend of the Condor Heroes*, grasped Wang Wu's hand reluctantly:

"I also want to know about that brother Guo of yours—how did he end up? Brother Wang, why not spend the night at my place tonight, have breakfast tomorrow, then leave?"

"Never mind, I have to hurry back to the Wang Clan; if I'm too late, they'll probably worry," Wang Wu replied with a smile, "After all, I'm a guest of the Wang Clan; I can't disappear on the first night."

"Well, then... shall I see you off, Brother Wang?" Sun Fei asked again.

"There's no need; you should spend more time with your wife," Wang Wu said with a smile.

After speaking, Wang Wu clasped his fists again toward Sun Da and Sun Fei, then turned toward the main gate. The two escorted him to the doorway, waved, and watched Wang Wu vanish completely from sight.

At this moment, it was already eight o'clock at night; the streetlights in the civilian district were few, and many areas had already fallen into complete darkness.

Although many households had lanterns lit at their doorways, those lanterns were no match for the city's streetlights and could only illuminate a tiny area.

But at the Sun family's gate, the lantern was not lit.

At this point, Wang Wu's figure had completely merged into the darkness. The Sun brothers, having closed the door and returned to the courtyard, stood there in a daze.

It wasn't just them; Ruo Niang, who was clearing the dishes, also remained frozen, holding a bowl without moving.

Their expressions were blank, their movements stiff, as if a pause button had been pressed.

At that moment, a slight breeze brushed the courtyard, as if something drifted down from the sky.

With the breeze, the two large red lanterns at the Sun family's gate lit up.

But compared with other households' lanterns, they appeared eerie and strange.

(End of chapter)