Wu Xin: The Monster Killer

Chapter 4 Bargaining

Despite his fierce words, Wuxin's actions weren't particularly forceful. Even the most wicked female demon, being a ghost, would be terrified by sunlight. Seeing that Wuxin was no pushover, she suddenly released her grip and slithered back into the corridor like a snake, clearly retreating. Fearing she would attack Yueya, Wuxin leaped off the railing, snatched the cleaver from Lord Gu's hand, and rushed to Yueya. Yueya, having untied the red rope from the rooster's head, was trembling with fear, her eyes wide. Seeing the female demon moving along the corridor ceiling, Wuxin grabbed the copper kettle and poured dog blood all over Yueya's face and head. Then, he grabbed the rooster and chased after her, wielding his cleaver. Lord Gu, his long hair still dripping wet, lay sprawled on the ground, dragged along by the female demon.

Wuxin knew the female demon had been caught off guard and was now fleeing for her life, but he didn't retaliate. He cursed her all the way but didn't give chase. Seeing the female ghost pass through the corridor and approach the well, he finally slit the rooster's neck with his knife, then forcefully chopped at the female demon's long hair. With a "sizzle," like hot coals meeting water, the thick, long hair was severed. Wuxin immediately threw the rooster forward. The rooster, wounded but not quite dead, flapped its wings wildly and flew erratically, crashing into the female demon. The female demon's shadow flickered and vanished instantly, seemingly having jumped into the well, but no sound of water was heard.

Summer days are long and nights are short. After such a commotion, the sky was a deep, dark black, just before dawn. Crescent Moon stood there, mouth agape, stunned for a long time. Finally, she suddenly realized what had happened, covered in a cold sweat and a whimper. She slapped her thigh, intending to wail like all the women in her family, but then stopped herself, afraid that her impulsive outburst would summon the demon back. Wuxin pulled Lord Gu from the well, then pulled out half a candle and a match from his pocket.

As soon as the candle was lit, Crescent Moon felt much calmer. Her first glance fell on Wuxin's neck, and she muttered resentfully, "Are you crazy? Don't you care about your life?"

Wuxin's neck was clean, except for a few drops of water and blood. He raised his eyes and smiled at the blood-soaked crescent moon. His face was like a fine white porcelain mask, the smile was strong but lifeless; his eyes were bright, but emotionless.

Crescent Moon paused, sensing something was off with Wuxin, but couldn't quite put her finger on it. She glanced down at Lord Gu, then shuddered violently: "Oh my god!"

Lord Gu's face was covered in hair, which had seeped into his seven orifices. Not to mention other parts of his body, even his upper and lower eyelids were pulled open by the hair, leaving his eyeballs completely exposed, with the whites of his eyes showing on all sides. When Crescent Moon looked at him, his dark eyes rolled, and surprisingly, he was still conscious and able to look at Crescent Moon.

Wuxin got up and went over, bringing over the jug of black dog's blood belonging to Lord Gu. He sat down comfortably on the ground and began to use his fingers to pluck the hair from Lord Gu's face. The hair was layered and tangled; with a slight pull, Lord Gu's eyes would bulge outwards. Wuxin turned to Yueya and smiled again, then poured a layer of dog's blood onto Lord Gu's face: "Lord Gu, don't be afraid, I have a way to save you."

Crescent Moon reached out and patted him, then quietly pointed to the well and asked in a low voice, "Did you jump in?"

Wu Xin nodded: "That's her home. She was beaten outside, where else would she go but home?"

Crescent Moon shuddered: "Does that mean we have to fill the well in?"

Wu Xin shook his head: "It's no use, a few stones can't stop her."

At this point, he went to clean Lord Gu's face again. His hair, which had been matted and clung tightly to his skin, was now soaked in dog's blood, looking lifeless and a jumbled mess. His face regained its original color. He pried open Lord Gu's mouth and pulled several more clumps of hair from his throat. Lord Gu gasped for breath, rolled over, and vomited with a loud "whoosh." Just as he was struggling to breathe, a rooster crowed in the distance; dawn had broken.

Wuxin and his two companions returned to the headquarters and each boiled water to bathe. Wuxin even asked Lord Gu for a set of clean clothes for Yueya. Yueya locked the west wing and drew the curtains; Wuxin and Lord Gu bathed and cleansed themselves in the east wing.

Wuxin, holding tweezers, continued to clean the hair from Lord Gu's seven orifices. He cleaned his ears and nose. Lord Gu frowned in pain, almost having all his nose hairs plucked out; at the same time, he held up a small round mirror to carefully examine his eyelids, inside and out, afraid that there might still be any hair left.

Only after Lord Gu was certain that his seven orifices were cleansed did he have the leisure to ask Wuxin, "Master, did you let that thing escape last night?"

Wuxin and Lord Gu each occupied one of the two large bathtubs. Sitting in the hot water, he replied in a serious tone, "If I had continued fighting with her back then, I'm afraid Lord Gu would have lost his life."

Lord Gu picked his nose and asked, "So... are we going again tonight?"

Without a second thought, Wuxin turned gracefully in the bathtub, meeting Lord Gu's profile directly in his eyes: "The female demon is extremely ferocious. Even if I go, I'm not entirely certain of success. Lord Gu, I'm willing to risk my life to complete this matter, but how will you repay me?"

Lord Gu initially thought that if his house was haunted, he could simply find a monk or Taoist priest to perform a ritual to ward off evil. However, after witnessing the female demon's abilities firsthand last night, he couldn't help but get goosebumps all over his body. He admitted that the matter was indeed very dangerous, and if he didn't put in a lot of effort, he probably wouldn't be able to find a skilled person to exorcise the demon.

"This commander certainly won't treat you unfairly." Lord Gu tentatively asked, "Master, name your price!"

Wu Xin raised a finger, looked at Lord Gu, and said nothing.

Lord Gu smiled: "One hundred silver dollars?"

Wu Xin shook his head.

Lord Gu thought for a moment: "One thousand silver dollars?"

He shook his head in frustration.

Lord Gu grimaced slightly: "It can't be... ten thousand silver dollars, can it?"

Wuxin nodded this time: "Ten thousand silver dollars, no bargaining!"

Lord Gu was getting a little angry: "How dare you, a monk, ask for such an exorbitant amount? You're asking for ten thousand silver dollars right off the bat? Do you think my money comes from thin air? What do you need ten thousand silver dollars for? I'll just build you a temple, can't you just behave like a monk?"

Wu Xin remained unmoved: "Lord Gu, since we can't reach an agreement, I'll leave immediately after I finish my bath. Please find someone else, Lord Gu!"

Upon hearing this, Lord Gu's face changed drastically: "What utter nonsense! If you leave, what if that thing comes looking for me in the middle of the night?"

Wu Xin nonchalantly glanced out the window: "You can explain to her that the mage hit you, not me. You're reasonable, go find the mage!"

Lord Gu remained silent for a long while, then suddenly gritted his teeth and said, "I'll go and get a few cannons right now and bombard the well!"

Wu Xin replied expressionlessly, "Good idea. I've heard that cannons are very powerful; they can probably really kill ghosts."

Master Gu jumped up from the bathtub with a "splash": "Master, you either want a 90% discount, or I'll go rape your sister right now!"

Wuxin leaned against the tub, comfortably closing his eyes: "Sir, you either give me ten thousand silver dollars, or I'll lure a female ghost tonight and rape you!"

Lord Gu stood tall and imposing in the water, hands on his hips, and roared, "Damn it! What kind of rogue monk is this?!"

Unwilling to engage in a heated debate with Lord Gu in the east wing, Lord Gu, who needed a favor and had suffered a great fright the night before, naturally lacked confidence. In the end, Lord Gu was defeated, put on his military trousers and shirt, and went outside. Unexpectedly, as soon as he stepped out, he saw Crescent Moon squatting under the shade of a tree in the courtyard, washing her blood-stained clothes with a basin of clean water.

The light green outfit Yueya wore was a hand-me-down from Gu's concubine. Concubines never lacked clothes; even the finest fabrics were only worn two or three times, so her clothes looked practically brand new. Yueya, who had always looked disheveled, finally revealed her true appearance. Lord Gu observed her and thought that although she wasn't a conventionally beautiful woman, she was clean and spirited, with bright eyes, a well-proportioned face, and a bright smile revealing a set of small white teeth, carrying a touch of the playful charm of a virtuous young lady.

Lord Gu, who prided himself on being handsome, dashing, and debonair, stepped forward, hoping to use his charm and charm to captivate Yueya: "So diligent, aren't you sleepy?"

Crescent Moon looked up at him and smiled, but then quickly stopped, afraid that a loud laugh would be disrespectful: "Lord Gu."

Lord Gu reached out one hand to steady himself against the large tree, the other hand in his pocket: "You weren't too scared last night, were you?"

Crescent Moon was so frightened she was numb. She shook her head as she rubbed her clothes, saying, "It's alright, I won't be afraid anymore once it's light."

Before Lord Gu could speak, Wuxin silently approached and said to Yueya, "Stop washing, go back to your room and sleep. If I can kill that female demon, Lord Gu will give us ten thousand silver dollars. With money, we won't have to worry about not having clothes to wear!"

Crescent Moon looked at Wuxin, then at Lord Gu, and felt as if she had fallen into a pit with no way out.

(End of this chapter)