The woman's desperate plea pierced the air, her voice raw with emotion. "Please, my son... he's all I have left." She clutched Xue Yang's sleeve, her knuckles white with desperation.
Xue Yang exchanged a glance with Liu Feng, his eyes wide with a mix of surprise and concern. "We'll do everything we can to help, Auntie," he said, his voice steady despite the sudden weight on his shoulders.
Liu Feng nodded, his expression serious. "Tell us what happened. Every detail might help."
The woman took a deep breath, her tears subsiding as she focused on their words. "He went out to play last night, just like any other night. But he never came home. I found his favorite toy in the alley, but no sign of him. It's like he vanished into thin air."
Xue Yang's brow furrowed, his mind racing. "Could it be Lue Hun?" he muttered, more to himself than to anyone else.
Liu Feng shot him a warning glance. "Let's not jump to conclusions. We need more information." He turned back to the woman. "Auntie, has anyone else gone missing recently?"
She nodded, her eyes welling up again. "Yes, several children. All around the same age as my son. The officials do nothing. They say it's just children running away, but I know my son. He wouldn't just leave."
Xue Yang's heart ached for the woman. He could see the desperation in her eyes, the same look he'd seen in Mother Li's eyes when she was sick. He couldn't stand by and do nothing. "We'll find him, Auntie. We promise."
Liu Feng nodded, though his expression was more guarded. "We'll start by searching the alley where you found his toy. Maybe there's a clue there."
The woman led them to the alley, her steps hurried and anxious. Xue Yang scanned the area, his eyes landing on a small, worn-out cloth bear lying in the dirt. He picked it up, his heart heavy with the weight of the promise he'd made.
As they began their search, Xue Yang couldn't shake off the feeling of being watched. He glanced around, his eyes meeting those of a small, scruffy cat perched on a nearby wall. The cat tilted its head, its eyes seeming to hold a spark of intelligence.
"Well, would you look at that," Xue Yang murmured, a small smile tugging at his lips. "Seems like we've got a little helper."
Liu Feng looked up from where he was examining the ground. "Huh? What are you talking about?"
Xue Yang pointed at the cat. "Our new friend there. Maybe it saw something."
Liu Feng raised an eyebrow. "It's a cat, Xue Yang. Not a witness."
Xue Yang shrugged, his smile widening. "You never know. Cats are mysterious creatures." He turned back to the cat, his voice soft. "What do you say, little one? Want to help us find a missing boy?"
The cat blinked, its tail twitching. Then, to Liu Feng's surprise, it leapt down from the wall and approached Xue Yang, rubbing against his legs.
Xue Yang laughed, bending down to scratch the cat behind its ears. "See? I told you it wants to help."
Liu Feng rolled his eyes, but there was a hint of amusement in his voice. "Fine, fine. Let's follow the cat. But if it leads us to a dead rat instead of a clue, you're explaining it to Elder Mo."
Xue Yang grinned, standing up and dusting off his robes. "Deal."
The two boys went after the stray cat, which led them deeper into the darkness.
The slightly shabby cat was treading the dusty ground with its paws, making its previously white fur even more dirty. The farther they got from the crowded places, the quieter it became. Even the light breeze from before seemed to have disappeared without a trace.
Xue Yang swallowed as he followed the cat and clutched the hilt of his sword in its scabbard.
Xue Yang followed the cat deeper into the labyrinthine alleys, his heart pounding in his chest. The darkness seemed to press in on him, suffocating him with its weight. He clutched his sword tighter, his fingers gripping the hilt until his knuckles turned white.
The cat led them to a narrow alley, barely wide enough for two people to pass each other. The air was thick with the smell of decay and dampness, and Xue Yang could feel a cold draft brushing against his skin.
Liu Feng hesitated for a moment, his eyes darting around nervously. "Are you sure about this?" he whispered, his voice barely above a whisper.
Xue Yang nodded, his determination unwavering. "We have to follow it. Maybe it knows something."
They crept forward cautiously, their footsteps echoing in the silence of the alley. The cat led them to a small door hidden behind a pile of crates and debris. It scratched at the door with its paw, and Xue Yang felt a chill run down his spine as it swung open silently.
A pungent, stinky odor hit the boys' noses. Xue Yang grumbled as he took a step closer to Liu Feng, who also did not express his joy at the smell. Liu Feng reached forward and pushed the door forward, which opened with a long creak. They stepped inside the hut and froze.
In the center of the hut lay the figure of a child...or rather only the top part. The bottom part wasn't there at all, as if it had been bitten off and eaten, and the top part had been thrown away. But that wasn't all. Closer to the corners of the room were many, understandably dead people who had bites in some places. Some of the bodies looked "empty" because their souls had literally been sucked out of them.
It all looked as if whoever had done this had displayed their 'trophies' to... tease those who would find it.
Xue Yang swallowed, feeling a series of goosebumps sweep across his skin. Liu Feng quickly grabbed his shoulder, quietly saying.
"We need to go to teacher right away!"
But as they turned around to leave the hut, the door abruptly slammed shut, and a sharp chill hit them in the back.
Xue Yang's grip on his sword tightened as the door slammed shut behind them. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up, and a shiver ran down his spine. Beside him, Liu Feng's breath misted in the suddenly cold air. Neither boy moved, their senses on high alert.
"Well, this isn't good," Liu Feng muttered, his voice barely audible.
Xue Yang would have laughed if the situation weren't so dire. "You have a talent for understatement, Shixiong Liu."
A soft scratching sound echoed through the hut, like claws on wood. Xue Yang's heart pounded in his chest, but he stood his ground. He refused to be the frightened disciple anymore. He was here to save a child, and he wouldn't let some creepy sounds scare him off.
"Show yourself!" Xue Yang demanded, his voice steady and strong. Beside him, Liu Feng nodded approvingly.
The scratching stopped. For a moment, there was silence. Then, a dark mist began to seep from the walls, coalescing into a writhing, shadowy form. Two glowing red eyes appeared within the mist, staring at the boys with malevolent intent.
"Lue Hun," Xue Yang whispered, his grip on his sword tightening.
The demon chuckled, a sound like rocks grinding together. "So, you know my name, little one. That's interesting."
Liu Feng's sword sang as it left its sheath, the sharp edge gleaming even in the dim light. He pointed it at the writhing mass of darkness, his voice steady. "You won't touch us, demon."
The Lue Hun chuckled, a sound like grinding stones that seemed to echo from everywhere and nowhere. "Brave words, little one. But you tremble. I can taste your fear."
Xue Yang swallowed hard, his grip on his own sword tightening. He stepped forward, standing shoulder to shoulder with Liu Feng. "You taste wrong. We're not afraid of you."
The demon's red eyes pulsed, its form shifting and roiling like a storm cloud. "Ah, the little pup barks. How amusing." It leaned in, the darkness stretching towards them. "But barking pups make the tastiest meals."
Liu Feng's jaw clenched, his knuckles white around his sword hilt. "You'll find us harder to swallow than you think, beast."
The Lue Hun laughed, a grating sound that scraped against their ears. "I do love a challenge. Very well, let's play." It began to circle them, its form expanding and contracting, tendrils of darkness reaching out like fingers.
Xue Yang's heart pounded, but he stood his ground. He glanced at Liu Feng, seeing the same determination reflected in his eyes. They couldn't back down now. They had to save the missing children, and that meant facing this monster head-on.
"You're all talk, demon," Xue Yang taunted, his voice surprisingly steady. "Let's see what you've got."
The Lue Hun hissed, its eyes flaring brighter. "Insolent pup. I'll enjoy consuming your soul." It lunged, tendrils of darkness lashing out towards them.
It was clear that Liu Hong was playing with the children as his dark tentacles only lightly touched them, leaving small scratches on their bodies. The demon's smile grew crazier with every stroke. "Little, nascent spellcasters are the tastiest...First I'll eat your golden cores, then I'll take out your soul, and then I'll eat your bodies in one bite..."
The Lue Hun's tendrils lashed out, dark as night and swift as a viper's strike. Xue Yang barely dodged, feeling the cold whisper of the demon's power as it grazed his cheek. Beside him, Liu Feng grunted, his sword clashing against another tendril, the impact jarring his arms.
"It's too fast!" Liu Feng growled, his breath already ragged.
Xue Yang didn't reply, his focus entirely on the writhing darkness before him. He channeled his spiritual energy, his sword glowing faintly as he swung it in a wide arc. The blade cut through a tendril, but the severed piece simply dissolved into mist, reforming instantly.
The Lue Hun chuckled, its red eyes pulsing with amusement. "Futile, little ones. You cannot fight shadows with steel."
Xue Yang's heart pounded, but he refused to give in to despair. He glanced at Liu Feng, seeing the strain on his face. They couldn't keep this up forever. They needed a plan.
Liu Feng abruptly pulled out the talisman, holding it with two fingers and throwing it at the blurry figure of the demon, making a hole in the body with the talisman. A golden light appeared for a moment and Liu Hong hissed, but the hole that was there just now tightened for a few seconds and the demon laughed loudly.
"Pathetic mortals," he spat out, his tendrils thrashing frantically. "You think your little tricks can hurt me?"
_________
Min Hoo was lying calmly on the sofa, his golden eyes scrutinizing the characters in the book. Ah...and even in this new life, his "passion" for silly novels remained the same. Only in his past modern world, books were still a little better.
Min Hoo reclined on the sofa, the soft fabric cradling him as he lost himself in the absurdity of his current life. With a sigh, he flipped through the pages of a worn-out book, its characters more ridiculous than ever. A loud clang from outside snapped him back to reality. The blue window that reappeared in front of him glowed softly.
"System alert! System alert!" The robotic voice echoed in his mind, breaking through his whimsical thoughts.
"What now?" Min Hoo muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"Two disciples are currently engaged in a life-threatening battle with Lue Hun, an entity classified as 'dangerously hungry.' Immediate intervention required."
"Great! Just great!" Min Hoo jumped to his feet, nearly tripping over the hem of his hanfu. "You could have led with that instead of letting me enjoy my—" He glanced at the book's title and grimaced— "incredibly entertaining literature."
"Calculating response options: 1) Rescue disciples immediately; 2) Continue reading for personal enjoyment; 3) Engage in comedic self-pity."
Min Hoo rolled his eyes. "I'm not going to sit here and let them get devoured by some dark mist because I was too busy pondering life's mysteries!"
He paced around the room, pondering his next move. In theory, it should have been simple: "teleport" there and give Lue Hun a piece of his mind—or perhaps a sword through its metaphorical heart. But with each step towards the door, anxiety coiled tighter in his stomach.
"Disciples are currently under duress," the System chimed again. "Time is of the essence. Point deduction imminent if intervention fails."
"Okay! Okay! I'm going!" Min Hoo exclaimed, flinging open the door with enough force that it slammed against the wall.