[{"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-60":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},2317340,4532,"Chapter 60: Jiaoyao? Rat People?","the-book-of-strange-tales-chapter-60",60,"\u003Cp>It was already pitch-black, and since they couldn’t cultivate or speak, sleeping seemed the only thing left to do; initially they could see each other’s glittering eyes in the dark and hear faint rustling sounds—like raising hands, turning over, or feeling around—but soon only even breathing remained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue occasionally touched the firewood knife and staff beside him, then gradually fell asleep.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He slept, but kept a measure of vigilance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the slightest breeze or movement, Lin Jue would wake up; even if there was no sound at all and he felt he’d slept a while, he’d wake again, feel for the silver in his pocket, then go back to sleep.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t know how long it had been, but the night was still thick.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the darkness, the fox cub suddenly opened its eyes, as if sensing something, and lifted its head first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it didn’t look toward the hole in the wall beside it—it looked toward the deepest part of the temple, behind the statue, where even in darkness, to its eyes, there was a black void.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its eyes darted swiftly twice; it made no sound, but lowered its head again, gently nudging Lin Jue with its damp snout.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue hadn’t been sound asleep—he woke at once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he made the same choice as the fox cub—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Closed eyes, steady breath, silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One remained seated against the wall, mind alert; the other stayed curled up, only a sliver of eyes visible from its furry front paws, fixed on that spot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huu…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, a wisp of gray smoke rose from the hole.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The night was ink-black; the gray smoke blended into it, becoming ink, spreading unnoticed until it filled the entire temple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue instinctively held his breath, then immediately released it, continuing his even breathing—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment he inhaled the smoke, he sensed its presence; this yin energy might fool other cultivators, but it couldn’t fool one who practiced Yin-Yang Spirit Law. Yet he quickly realized the smoke’s master had low cultivation—this tiny bit of spiritual power, once drawn in, was of little use even without countering it with yang energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a few more breaths, a faint stench of decay crept into the gray yin energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, he could endure it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What Lin Jue feared was his junior sister and seventh senior brother.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wondered if they’d sensed it, if they’d been unknowingly affected, or if they’d suddenly woken and alarmed the enemy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, no movement came from beside him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a while, a faint rustling sound came from the base of the wall, mixed with light panting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The panting sounded like an old woman, as if climbing a mountain—panting, then sighing. It lasted a few breaths, then stopped; after a few more breaths, a sniffing sound suddenly appeared near his seventh senior brother.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A faint noise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then the sniffing stopped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue immediately sensed his junior sister’s breath had hesitated—then he felt the thing approaching him—he guessed it had crawled up from her legs, and she was clearly awake, just keeping her eyes shut.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then the sniffing sound came beside him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The thing grabbed his pant leg and climbed onto his thigh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sssss…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sniffing continued without pause.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though his eyes were closed, Lin Jue vaguely sensed the thing was about the size of a human head, weighing seven or eight catties, and now stood on the root of his thigh, leaning close to his chest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He felt his clothes pulled open.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Enough!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A thought flashed through Lin Jue’s mind—he shot out his hand like lightning and seized the thing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt like gripping a tiny person.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His other hand swiftly reached for the firewood knife.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Puh…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A jet of flame burst forth, illuminating the temple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In an instant, he saw its true form—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was an old woman dressed in gray cloth, but only as long as a human forearm, her skin gray and wrinkled; the moment he grabbed her, she began thrashing and screaming wildly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Squeee!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like a rat’s cry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Almost simultaneously, the two beside him and the fox flipped up. The seventh senior brother went to light the lamp; the fox cub watched the hole at the wall’s base; the junior sister snatched up Lin Jue’s staff.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They’d both sensed it too, woken up, and waited in silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Good.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The seventh senior brother muttered a few obscure incantations; no other motion was made, yet the temple’s lamp burst into flame, lighting the room—even though the lamp held no oil.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the light, Lin Jue looked down at the thing and frowned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What is this? A Jiaoyao from legend?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, the old woman still struggled and screamed in his grasp, strong and fierce—her hands had turned into claws, flailing wildly, trying to scratch Lin Jue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He nearly couldn’t hold her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Naturally, he couldn’t let her go.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So Lin Jue’s expression hardened; he drew fire into his throat, and the firewood knife pressed against the old woman’s neck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old woman froze, instantly stopping her struggle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What are you? Why steal people’s silver? What use is stolen silver to you?” Lin Jue asked swiftly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let me go!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her voice was shrill; even shouting at full volume, it was still quieter than a human’s.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fox cub edged closer, sniffing her, eyes gleaming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You can speak? Then answer me!” Lin Jue spoke to her as if to a thief, “If you don’t, even if I don’t kill you, handing you over to the authorities or the Chenghuang Temple won’t save you!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let me go!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old woman kept screaming the same.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The seventh senior brother looked deeply puzzled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The junior sister was puzzled too, tense yet curious—then she carefully studied her, raised the staff, and prodded behind the old woman, lifting up a smooth, bare tail.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It looked like a rat’s tail.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A rat spirit?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The seventh senior brother spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let me go!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, the fox cub stepped forward, walking from beside Lin Jue to in front of him, back turned, its tail thick and fluffy, staring at the hole at the wall’s base.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue turned to look.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All three fell silent in unison; the temple grew still.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another sound came from there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the firelight, they saw a hole the size of a bowl at the wall’s base—like a rat hole, leading somewhere unknown, with rustling sounds as if something climbed within.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huu…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A thick cloud of gray smoke burst from the hole.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before Lin Jue could act, the junior sister widened her eyes, stepped forward with her staff, drew a deep breath until her cheeks bulged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Bang!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She spat out a huge jet of flame.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The flame met the smoke with a hiss, both dissolving, illuminating the temple brightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Squeak squeak!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Aah!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several young men burst from the firelight—wearing gray cloth, dragging long, smooth gray tails, only knee-high.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More tiny figures kept crawling out from the hole behind them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some held bows, others small knives—though to them, the knives were as long as swords.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing their elder captured, the little people stood at the wall’s base, instantly realizing they’d failed; eyes flared, and seeing Lin Jue’s knife at the old woman’s throat, they erupted in furious squeaks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First, seven or eight archers stepped forward, wordlessly drawing bows and nocking arrows, aiming at Lin Jue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though small, their bows were “longbows,” nearly as tall as they were; arrows were nearly a foot long, similar to some miniature crossbow bolts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The arrowheads were razor-sharp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Shuu…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The little people fired simultaneously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wind!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arrows came like rain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A fierce wind surged within the temple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue didn’t know their bow strength or arm power; as the wind came, he quickly raised his hand to shield his face and sidestepped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After dodging, he looked again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The little people’s bows were now empty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The arrows made no sound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Jue looked down—no arrows on the ground; turned back—none embedded in the wall behind him; looked sideways—saw the seventh senior brother just finishing a sleeve sweep, his hand hanging down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Splash…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seven or eight arrows had somehow slipped into his sleeves and were now falling out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They scattered across the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The many rat-men froze, their eyes pitch-black, devoid of whites, glowing in the dark as if frantically thinking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let me go!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old woman in Lin Jue’s hand cried out again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only then did the rat-men react, exchanging glances before hastily nocking and drawing their bows again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Shhh…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Shhh…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They fired two volleys in quick succession, with almost no pause between them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Seventh Senior Brother swept his sleeves twice, and the sharp arrows vanished midair; then, with a casual flick of his sleeves, the arrows tumbled out as if by magic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Aaaah!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The rat-men were stunned and furious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But loud shouts rang out — the group of rat-men standing behind the archers all swung their long knives and charged toward the three. Seeing this, seven or eight archers either drew small daggers from their backs or pulled out sharp arrows to use as weapons, rushing forward as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though no taller than a human’s knee, their roaring charge carried a fearsome momentum.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One rat-man stood at the rear, inhaling deeply before spitting a cloud of gray smoke at the group.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Any ordinary person would have been terrified.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But how could a human be humiliated by such demons?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Boom…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The gray smoke had barely crossed the rat-men when a large burst of bright yellow flame surged forward, whipped by a gale, colliding with the smoke in a hissing clash that nullified both.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The rat-soldiers shrieked as they burned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both flame and smoke obscured vision; the others assumed the rat-soldiers, scorched by fire, would flee in panic — but before the flames faded, one rat-soldier burst forth from the fire, brandishing a long knife.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several more rat-soldiers followed behind him.\u003C\u002Fp>",1636,"2026-06-20T14:45:35.226Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","38837010db73e5beb54d217eeb8f687de3753e03888d7af47297069c9688bfb1","the-book-of-strange-tales-chapter-61","the-book-of-strange-tales-chapter-59",608,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-book-of-strange-tales-cover.jpg"]