Chapter 61: Rat Extermination

All these rat soldiers had eyes blazing with malice, utterly unlike the phrase “timid as a mouse”; it seemed pain had only deepened their ferocity—some were singed and smoldering, their hair and clothes in tatters, others had been burned back to their true forms, revealing rat heads with fierce, grotesque expressions. Though small, their charge was terrifying.

Just as they rushed near the three, a staff swept low along the ground.

The staff’s wind howled sharply.

After all, they were merely rats—how could they withstand a wooden club? Two rat soldiers were immediately swept flying!

This blow came from the woman’s hand.

Though young and knowing few spells, the junior sister had traveled with the old Daoist and seen many fierce demons and ghosts. Added to the idle chatter of her senior brothers, her time among the cloud leopards, and occasional mountain road repairs where she dealt with mountain spirits—how could she fear these minor demons?

Besides, given her nature, even if afraid, she would never show it—she treated them like ordinary rats.

The seventh senior brother also took up the temple’s broom.

“Bang! Bang! Bang…”

In an instant, clubs swung wildly—some aimed, some random—driving the rat soldiers into panicked scurrying.

If they dodged, fine; if they took a solid blow, there was no other outcome—they stiffened and collapsed, reverting instantly to their true forms.

Even the young fox rushed over, biting at a rat soldier running along the edge.

But these rat soldiers were numerous and agile, and some still slipped through to reach Lin Jue.

Whether because the old woman was on Lin Jue’s person, or because they saw him as the leader among the three, these rat soldiers seemed to harbor special hatred for him, all charging toward him.

As they drew near, they shrieked wildly.

“Squeak! Squeak!”

How could Lin Jue fear them?

A burst of flame shot out, striking the ground and spreading into a brilliant bloom, followed instantly by the heavy chopping axe.

The blade seemed to cleave through the fire.

Several rat soldiers, just emerging from the flames, their vision still blurred, were struck solidly by the axe.

Having chopped wood for two months in the mountains, he knew exactly how to swing and exert force—the axe was heavy, but its spine was straight.

One swing, two halves—no doubt about it!

Only the rat commander, with greater cultivation, stepped back, avoiding the blade.

Instantly, his eyes flashed with malice.

As if sensing an opening, he surged forward desperately, aiming to slip past the axe’s recoil and reach Lin Jue.

But the heavy axe, though just swung, snapped back immediately—its backside slammed into him, sending him flying to crash against the wooden door.

“Squeak…”

The rat soldiers finally feared.

They realized these people were no ordinary townsfolk who panicked at the sight of spirits—they were not easy prey—and fled back with greater speed.

“True Immortal, spare us!”

“True Immortal, spare us!”

“Spare us!”

A chopping axe was placed beside the rat commander. As Lin Jue leaned close, it instantly exploded into black mist, reverting to a large gray rat.

Accompanied by a stench of decay.

Lin Jue frowned and stepped forward, his foot crushing its tail.

If encountering spirits along the way had rid him of fear toward them, before this, he had held some respect for spirits, as most he’d met were worthy of reverence. But this group of rat demons, stealing silver and daring to harm people, stripped him of all collective respect for spirits.

“Speak! What do you do with stolen money?”

“True Immortal, spare us!”

“Speak!”

“Will you spare me if I speak?”

“No more nonsense!”

“Of course—it’s useful!” The gray rat on the ground was as large as a cat, its eyes darting; fear erased all ferocity.

“And where have you hidden the money you stole?”

“Are you here for the money? Then let us go, and we’ll return it to you!”

The rat demons’ terminology shifted naturally.

*Crack!* The axe slashed down onto the ground.

“Dare you bargain with me?”

“Not bargaining! True Immortal, if you’re not a fool, you know this! You’ve killed two of our kin and wounded many more—if you kill us all, why would we give you the money? And if you kill us all, you’ll never get the money!”

“...”

This rat was truly clever.

“You say I killed your kin—did you not take human lives? And your rampant theft of silver in the city—do you think no one will starve because of it? Besides, had you not drawn weapons and shot arrows the moment we met, how would I have killed you?” Lin Jue said gravely.

“This...”

The gray rat’s eyes darted, as if thinking, then decisively avoided the topic:

“True Immortal speaks wisely, but is there room for negotiation?”

“What is there to negotiate with you?”

“We have committed great crimes, stealing silver openly in the city—your anger is justified. But have you considered: for rats like us, becoming a spirit is already a stroke of immense fortune—how could an entire family become spirits? And even if we did, what use is silver to a rat? We’d rather steal a handful of rice or a few pieces of cured meat to fill our bellies.”

“What do you mean?” Lin Jue frowned. “Someone is ordering you?”

“I say this only to show we’re not the masterminds—it’s for survival. If I reveal everything, won’t I still be dead?”

The gray rat’s eyes darted rapidly, thinking fast:

“True Immortal is right—silver is human life, and human life is worth more than a rat’s. Last night, the silver we stole in this temple still lies in the cave below, dozens of zhang deep—only we rats can reach it, and it will be moved by tomorrow at the latest. If you spare me and my kin, we’ll return every bit of silver. Otherwise, you’ll never recover it.”

“You’re truly clever...”

“We’re desperate.”

“...”

Lin Jue stood still, coldly watching it.

The two inside the room watched Lin Jue.

Only the young fox sat by his feet, guarding against other rats and the holes along the wall.

The gray rat was tense, heart pounding.

“That money isn’t mine—getting it back is good, but if I don’t, I don’t lose.” Lin Jue stared down at it, his eyes holding a flicker of cruelty. “Sparing you won’t be easy.”

Seeing that cruel gleam, the gray rat nearly lost its courage.

Its confidence vanished by eight or nine tenths.

To be in such a position during negotiation was already defeat.

“Squeak...”

The gray rat was frantic.

Lin Jue’s gaze flickered; inwardly he sighed, realizing that under the flood, this silver might truly save lives. He turned to assess the distance from here to the wall corner:

“I’ll give you one chance.”

“What chance!?”

“Two of you go retrieve the silver—leave not a single coin behind. The rest stay here. If you deceive me, I’ll burn everyone left here alive. If you return all the silver, I’ll give you five breaths to flee—escape if you can, if not, you’re unlucky.”

“Two? Oh! Squeak!” The rat pondered. “How long is five breaths?”

“It’s...”

Lin Jue stared silently at it, breathing five times.

“That long.”

“Ten!”

“No room for negotiation!”

Lin Jue’s voice sharpened abruptly.

The gray rat jumped, hastily replying:

“Fine!”

“Those who stay must include you—and this old one.”

“...”

The gray rat’s eyes darted, measuring the distance to the wall corner—no other choice; it agreed.

Two large gray rats struggled to rise, shuffled away haltingly, then vanished back into the hole. The rest remained beside Lin Jue, corralled against the wall as hostages.

The swords and bows lay piled on the other side, like children’s toys—but their sharpness could not be ignored.

When the two rats reemerged, there were four.

The other two were very small, barely human in form, still bearing rat heads.

They began hauling out the silver.

Each could carry only one piece at a time.

Lin Jue sat cross-legged on the ground, waiting patiently.

Strangely, having merely subdued this group of rat demons, having reached a temporary accord—not reconciliation—Lin Jue now looked at the rat commander with far greater calm.

“In speaking with you, I find you very clever—you must know the danger of aiding such deeds. Why continue to serve the wicked?” Lin Jue asked, watching the silver pile up on the temple floor. Though still alert to the rat soldiers’ movements, he spoke.

“How can the world of spirits compare to that of humans?”

“How so?”

"We rodents often live among humans, listening to their conversations and readings from beams and walls, and we know of human rites and moral codes. But ghosts and demons do not." The rat squad leader spoke weakly, "For us, simply gaining freedom in the wild is already hard enough; if we cannot, we must rely on whether the local deity is harsh or the ruling great demon tyrannical."

As he spoke, he could not help but sigh:

"We are but mere rats. The True Person just slashed through two of us with one stroke—how many thoughts did that stir in your heart? If we are crushed under a great demon’s foot or punished by a deity for a minor offense, where is our place to plead our case?"

"..."

Lin Jue said nothing further.