[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-book-of-strange-tales":3,"chapter-the-book-of-strange-tales-the-book-of-strange-tales-chapter-12":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Book of Strange Tales",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2317292,4532,"Chapter 12: Halfway, Demons and Ghosts Bully the Traveler","the-book-of-strange-tales-chapter-12",12,"\u003Cp>The stony path was often splashed with mud from horse hooves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After rain, it was barely passable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had to press on through the night.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue calculated the distance and checked the sky; he figured he wouldn’t make much progress, and since there were plenty of merchants traveling with him, he relaxed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not long after, the sky darkened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It gradually grew dim and hazy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The merchants and travelers who had set out with him, due to differing paces, had spread out ahead and behind. Yet in the dim, foggy world, faint human shapes could still be seen; though the bamboo groves beside the path were deep and twilight rolled in waves to obscure vision, the jingling of donkey and mule bells still rang clearly through the mountains, offering comfort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At least he knew he wasn’t alone on this road.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since beginning his Qi-nourishing practice, the lingering effects of the spirit’s breath from the Wang family ancestral hall had gradually faded, yet he still felt uneasy, especially after hearing unsettling tales from travelers at the tea stall—his worries lingered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So he stretched his neck to look ahead and behind, deciding whether to quicken his pace or slow down and wait—anything to find company.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back in Hengcun’s Wang ancestral hall, he’d risked it to save his uncle’s life; now, with no such reason, who would willingly face ghosts and demons?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue soon found a companion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man was ahead of him, also alone, craning his neck, searching for someone to travel with.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man simply stood still by the roadside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue quickly caught up to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before Lin Jue could speak, he heard the man’s voice first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh my! A scholar!” The man was handsome and young; the moment he saw Lin Jue, he said, “Unfortunate to be traveling this night road—might I join you for company and courage?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’d be delighted.” Lin Jue replied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You speak so refinedly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not at all.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“May I ask your name, young sir?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My surname is Lin, name Jue.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You haven’t taken a courtesy name yet?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not old enough.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I see.” The man paused, then said, “I’m Huang, single character Quan—Quan as in ‘wholehearted.’ Don’t misunderstand. I’m older than you; call me Brother Huang.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother Huang, pleased to meet you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Pleased to meet you!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huang Quan walked beside him, and perhaps to bolster his courage, he never stopped talking: “Why are you so young and traveling alone?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My family is poor; I’m out seeking education.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Education is hard, especially for common folk’s children—finding a renowned master is nearly impossible, and without one, passing the exams is even harder,” Huang Quan sighed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who can deny that?” Lin Jue agreed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The world is unstable these days.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Indeed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I heard from others ahead that there are ghosts and demons on this road!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I heard the same at the tea stall.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lin Brother, are you brave?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huang Quan looked at Lin Jue with nervousness, as if any admission of fear would make him stop and wait for more companions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m reasonably brave.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then I’m relieved. Hah! Honestly, I’m not cowardly—I could swallow the sky!” Huang Quan gave a forced laugh. “But night roads are lonely; having someone to chat with, to watch out for each other, is good. Even if no ghosts or bandits appear, uneven ground might make you trip—having someone to help you up is worth it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother Huang speaks wisely.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue saw through him but didn’t expose him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Humans are indeed social creatures; most fear and unease stem from solitude—once someone is beside you, talking, those anxious thoughts vanish for a while.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although Huang Quan was timid and image-conscious, he was talkative and well-traveled, having walked this road many times; his knowledge and experience were considerable. As Lin Jue walked and chatted with him, they found common ground, and his spirits lifted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The loneliness and fear of night travel were gone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Where are you headed, Lin Brother?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“First to Qiyun Mountain.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah? Qiyun Mountain?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huang Quan seemed surprised.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So you’ve heard of it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hahahaha! Qiyun Immortal Mountain—famous as thunder! How could I not know?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is it that well-known?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course,” Huang Quan said. “Once, a man-eating demon haunted this road; many masters failed to expel it—until Qiyun’s Daoists came and drove it away.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Really?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue was intrigued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Absolutely.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What immortal arts do the Daoists of Qiyun Mountain use? How did they kill it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t know the details—I dared not go near. But the commotion was huge; it seemed like a fierce battle, and finally, a divine official descended and smashed the demon with a single blow.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So it was like that…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then let me ask you, Brother Huang: after passing Shangu County ahead, how do I reach Qiyun Mountain? How tall is it? Is it hard to climb? Are the Daoists there easy to deal with?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Qiyun Mountain lies north, and Shangu County is also north—once there, you keep going north.” Huang Quan paused, then avoided answering the rest, instead staring at Lin Jue with lingering surprise. “You’re a scholar seeking education—why not go to a renowned academy with great masters? Why head to an immortal mountain temple?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sky darkened further; night held only faint light, and the road was discerned by subtle color differences. Huang Quan turned to face him, his eyes gleaming in the gloom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“To be honest…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue didn’t elaborate, just gave his usual reason: “Earlier, due to certain events, I encountered a demon in an ancestral hall and was breathed upon by it. Later, at a temple fair, I heard Qiyun Mountain’s Xuantian Pavilion was famed for its efficacy, so I decided to go see for myself.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue hadn’t lied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I see!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huang Quan blinked, astonished, then thought a moment before speaking: “Lin Brother actually saw a demon?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In a way.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And you weren’t harmed?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That demon didn’t harm me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then it was a good demon.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.” Lin Jue paused, then asked, “Brother Huang, you’ve seen much—what do you think of seeking immortality and the Dao?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lin Brother seeks immortality and the Dao?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I have some thoughts on it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hah! Most people yearn for immortality and eternal life—it’s natural. But since ancient times, countless scholars and nobles have sought masters and the Dao, yet few truly succeed. This proves the path is not easy,” Huang Quan said calmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That makes sense…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue thought deeply and agreed wholeheartedly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They say besides fortune, one needs character, talent, and innate aptitude—all indispensable, ultimately tied to fate.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How so?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I only heard rumors—I don’t understand so much.” Huang Quan smiled. “But Lin Brother, you’ve seen a demon—you’ve seen more than most.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Pure luck.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What did the demon you saw look like?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“To be honest, I never saw its true face.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I didn’t see it clearly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s a shame.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huang Quan lowered his head, as if pondering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then look at me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A cold voice suddenly came from beside Lin Jue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He thought it a joke, turned his head—and saw Huang Quan slowly raising his head; in the dimness, there stood the face of a demon—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fierce face, gaping mouth, fangs interlocked, eyes glowing green.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue was suddenly startled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The face suddenly surged toward him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dun-dun-dun—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instinctively, Lin Jue stepped back several paces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, a surge of fire rose to his throat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But when he looked again, the demon had exploded into smoke, spun around, and vanished within it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue was stunned and bewildered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Is this person actually a demon spirit?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Are there really demon spirits on this road?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Where did it run off to?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Gulping…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue swallowed his saliva, glancing around; all was empty and silent. He restrained himself again, swallowing down the urge to light a fire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He took out a small knife from his book satchel, waited warily for a while—no movement stirred beside him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As if it had vanished completely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue kept glancing left and right; his eyes met barren mountains under night, endless bamboo groves. After the rain, clouds parted, revealing moonlight that turned the stony path white as jade. The mountains and bamboo groves were outlined clearly, yet did not grow brighter—under this cold glow, they grew even deeper and darker.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A lone man in the mountain night, silver ripples glimmered in puddles along the road.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether to go or stay, both felt uneasy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue listened closely and realized that the traveling merchants ahead had long since vanished; their bell sounds were faint, nearly inaudible. He understood at once: catching up to them would be difficult.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a while, a startled cry came from behind:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A demon!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The voice trembled with terror, as if tearing its throat apart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That fear felt contagious, sending a chill through him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had others encountered a demon too?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He heard a rush of footsteps moving forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue gripped his knife tightly; the grip’s texture and the blade’s weight brought him some calm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He gritted his teeth, his blood surging; deliberately, he transformed his fear and doubt into pure rage—rage born of being terrified, of being threatened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Village elders often said: when a man dies, he becomes a ghost, and ghosts are weaker than men. Demons of the mountains who have cultivated the Dao—if they weren’t originally ferocious beasts or had not reached profound cultivation—were hardly stronger. Even fox spirits feared fierce dogs; rabbit and mouse spirits still feared cats and hawks; centipedes and snakes, once spirits, were still subdued by chickens and ducks. Humans were not inherently weak. Thus, most demon spirits harmed people by striking when they were vulnerable, or by luring and deceiving them. Hence the saying: demons arise from human hearts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue’s heart grew calm; his blood surged vigorously, his body free of illness or affliction. He had cultivated Qi for two months. Now, with rage rising and his thoughts deliberately controlled, his inner peace returned instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This method truly worked—immediately effective.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He even wanted to look around and ask aloud: where was the demon causing mischief here? Dare it show itself and fight me?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Let us see which is sharper—claws or blade!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tap-tap-tap…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A hurried sound of footsteps and hooves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue turned his head; by moonlight, there was no demon—only another traveler, equally terrified, who had run near him but dared not advance, half-hidden in the moon-dappled bamboo shadows.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“W-who… who are you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man saw Lin Jue and cried out in panic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Me! I’m human!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue shouted back loudly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re human?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m human!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There’s… there’s a demon in these mountains!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You saw it too?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue stood firm, staring at the man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man stood still, not daring to approach.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two spoke from a distance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You encountered it too?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man was as startled as Lin Jue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue, now fearless, answered decisively: “The demon disguised itself as a man and walked with me. We chatted, then suddenly revealed its true form and terrified me—clearly trying to shatter my courage. When it failed, it vanished in a puff of smoke.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mine too! Exactly the same!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man instinctively took two steps toward Lin Jue, then quickly stopped, still wary: “You’re really human?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m truly human.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Where do you live?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Nearby county—Shu Village.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Shu Village? I’ve been there!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’ve been there?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The one where everyone’s surnamed Shu, with three bridges?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh? Shu Village is indeed a Shu surname village, but the whole village spans across a stream—bridges are everywhere. How could there be only three?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Phew…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man seemed to have tested him successfully, sighed in relief, yet continued: “What’s your name?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lin Jue.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wrong!” Suspicion flared again. “Shu Village is all Shu—how can you be Lin? That’s impossible!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We’re outsiders. We have ties to the Shu clan elders and only settled in Shu Village recently.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you don’t believe me, I’ll step aside—let you go first.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Still wrong!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I met a demon and was terrified. You met one too—why didn’t I hear you scream? You’re suspicious to me, yet you don’t question me at all. Why not?” The man’s suspicion ran deep—he’d clearly been broken by fear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“To be honest, I’ve always been bold. I’ve seen demons before. I know they may seem strange, but if you let fear rule you, you only make yourself vulnerable.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue paused, then his tone turned heavy:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t suspect you or question you because meeting on this mountain path is fate. If I wish to travel with you, I must offer some trust. If you’re human, I’ll have no doubt—we’ll walk this night road together. But if you’re not human, this knife in my hand will tonight taste demon blood!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He spoke the last two lines through clenched teeth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a moment, he carried the same bold spirit as those elders’ tales—men who, after encountering demons on lonely roads, did not flee, but dared to fight them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man hesitated, then stepped forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now he could see clearly: a short middle-aged man with three strands of beard, gripping a lead rope, behind which trailed a mule.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m Yao San. My home is just ahead.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue watched him warily, asking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I make inkstones at home. Today I carried them to sell to a merchant caravan—they took them to Jingcheng and Jiangnan to sell, but made me drink a few cups. Then the rain came, and I ended up traveling at night.” The man sighed in regret. “If I’d known I’d meet a demon, I’d have turned back!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I see.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue studied the mule the man held.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And you? Where are you going?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Qiyun Mountain.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Where’s Qiyun Mountain?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ve never been. They say it’s north.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why are you traveling alone at night?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Aren’t you alone too?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue turned to look at him—this was the one point he most doubted about the man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m not alone! I’d heard stories of demons on this road. At the roadside teahouse, I waited for several local merchants to travel together. But halfway, a cold wind blew—when I looked again, I was alone. Then I met the demon. At first, it pretended to be human, chatted with me, even asked about inkstone prices.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yao San spoke, secretly studying Lin Jue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His eyes held a faint unease.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I see…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue nodded, accepting it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man’s story made sense. He knew of the teahouse, and he led a mule. In village tales, demons rarely could transform animals like mules or horses—they could only alter things within limited bounds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To have such power would already make it formidable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then let’s go.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Either way, staying here on this desolate mountain road at night was no choice. They had to move forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So the two walked, one behind the other.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Behind them, the mule’s hooves clattered clearly, occasionally snorting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh no, you met a demon too? I met one too? How many demons are there on this road?” Yao San sighed and complained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How many people have encountered demons on this road?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not many, not few—I’m just a villager who collects stone inkstones. How many people do I know?” Yao San’s voice trembled. “I’ve only heard rumors now and then.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s the demon like?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t know. Hard to say. But I’ve never heard of anyone being eaten by a demon on this road. It doesn’t eat people—it just terrifies them, always at night.” Yao San still shuddered as he spoke. “I don’t know what kind of demon it is. When I first met it, I was suspicious—but it chatted with me, knew details about every village nearby, and even knew which merchants led each trade route, what ink, paper, and brushes they carried. That’s why I lowered my guard.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It doesn’t eat people—only terrifies?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes. But then again, this road is a major trade route. If demons really ate people—even just at night—the authorities would have acted to eliminate them by now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That makes sense.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Could you… could you little brother, help me lead the donkey?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I… I need to urinate.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yao San’s expression and tone were awkward, as if he were about to wet himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue took the reins and led the donkey.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, the sound of urination rose beside him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Yao San’s sigh of relief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“By the way, little Lin, did you get a good look at that demon’s face?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It was too dark. I only caught a rough glimpse.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Did it have fangs?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It did.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Claws?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Seems so.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Like this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yao San lifted his leg and placed his foot on a tree by the road, then suddenly turned his head toward Lin Jue—his face had changed. His features were monstrous: a gaping mouth, jagged fangs, eyes glowing green, unmistakably a demon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sss!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue was startled again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The demon, seeing this, grinned widely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hehe…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the desolate mountain path at night, a chuckle echoed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same moment—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Peng…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A cloud of smoke exploded before him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue froze for a moment, instinctively wanting to step back—but after retreating half a step, he stepped forward again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You thing!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had been deliberately holding onto his anger, just in case of a demon. Whether that anger was real or not didn’t matter—now it surged up, fierce and overwhelming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Come here!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue’s shock turned to rage—he glared, teeth clenched.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Shhh!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His hand shot out suddenly!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Through the demon’s smoke!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before the demon could flee, Lin Jue seized him by the collar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His knuckles turned white from the grip.\u003C\u002Fp>",2905,"2026-06-20T14:45:35.226Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","49a88deb1eed50a0440fcbb8c1f2522ec31d86ca90307d79e678a97e83b1b2e0","the-book-of-strange-tales-chapter-13","the-book-of-strange-tales-chapter-11",608,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-book-of-strange-tales-cover.jpg"]