A soothing, melodic rustling sound was created as the bamboo leaves brushed against each other, causing some of them to fall to the ground, meeting the wet soil that smelled like fresh rain. From afar, light footsteps drew nearer, creating a soft, muffled crunch as it pressed down on the mix of dried leaves scattered across the earth.
As the person stepped into a small puddle, the splash sent ripples across the water's surface, indicating that the person had no intention of stopping, nor even pausing to admire the beautiful bamboo greenscape.
Not far from his current position was the entrance gate to the last village in Shuangxi Town, Shang'an Village. This village was located right at the borderline between Shuangxi and Jingyu Town. To reach Lingxi Town, which located right beside Jingyu Town, Yu Hanjin would first have to pass through Jingyu Town, as Lingxi Town's location was farther than he had anticipated.
Yu Hanjin, still carrying his bamboo backpack, passed through the entrance gate of Shang'an Village and entered a place that offered a different kind of aesthetic. Although it was situated near the outer border of Shuangxi Town, this village was far from being deserted or secluded.
On the contrary, it was bustling and lively with crowds.
"Aiya, Young Master! Young Miss! Come here and check out my latest perfume collection. It can push back misfortune, secure your marriage, and grant a long, lucky life!"
Yu Hanjin stopped at a perfume merchant on the side road and looked at the tiny glass bottle that were lined up like some beautiful gemstone. A delicate and sweet smell came from the bottles.
"Eh, Young Master, do you want to buy a perfume? I have a pretty good discount just for you." The merchant, realizing Hanjin's presence, approached him, but Hanjin politely shook his head.
"No, no. I … don't have money to buy it."
The merchant then sneered and waved his hand in rapid, furious motion toward Hanjin, "Tch. Then don't come near my shop, shoo! Shoo! You bring bad luck here."
It was not that strange. Yu Hanjin often received that kind of treatment whenever he said that he did not have money. Maybe his appearance was too simple and unflattering, which made people thought that he was some sort of beggar or homeless wanderer–though the last one was true. Thus, he also did not want to create a problem and just bowed down to apologize before leaving.
"Mantou! Hot and warm mantou! Young Master, wanna come and try our mantou?"
"Gege, I want that rabbit mask! Please!"
Not stopping again, Yu Hanjin strode forward while listening to the busy market alongside the road. He wanted to go to the border post and get the token to pass through the Jingyu Town. He knew that no one can easily pass a town that once been taken by the dark force because of the Yin energy that filled the land and could drive humans mad, so he needed to get the token at the border post by paying a sum of money.
The border post is located at the end of this village, it took around one hour for Hanjin to get there. However, even though he had his meal five hours ago at the Shuangxi Tea House, his stomach started to rumble again.
He stopped in the middle of the road and looked around, there was nothing here. Different from the bustling market when he had just arrived in this village, Yu Hanjin was now in the middle of a quiet residential area in the suburb. There were just some old folks sitting in front of their bamboo huts while munching on wheat stalks and looking up to the sky, or a bunch of little kids gathered in the corner of the road, playing and singing together.
The growl in Hanjin's stomach grew louder and made his face turn red, how embarrassing it was for him to feel hungry even after eating his lunch not long ago. His savings would not be sufficient for him to buy a token if he ate another lunch, so he just needed to bear with it.
He squeezed his stomach and walked again, now at a faster pace. The faster he got to the border post, the fastest he could buy more food with the remaining money he had after buying a pass token.
"Catch him! Seize him! Don't let him run!"
"Waaaa!"
When he was just about to turn the corner of the road, Yu Hanjin was surrounded by some kids wearing weird masks. They were chasing a little kid wearing a black mask with an awful design, red eyes, a big horn, and two long fangs. The other kids were wearing masks like the king's face, a warrior face, even a common human face.
"We need to catch the Emperor of Great Calamity and kill him to bring peace upon this land!"
"Kill him! Kill him!"
The monster's masked kid was hiding behind Yu Hanjin and gripping onto his robe so tight.
Yu Hanjin sighed, now he needed to deal with some kids too?
He raised his arm to block the other kids movement and said in the lowest and most genuine tone he could muster, "Kids, don't chase him anymore. Look, he's so terrified that he does not want to let go of my robes. Now, now, just go to your home and take a nap like good kids, okay?"
The other kids stopped and looked up at Yu Hanjin with scornful expressions. "Who are you, Uncle? Why are you stopping us from catching and punishing that monster?"
"Who's a monster? I'm not a monster! I'm the Emperor of Great Calamity! No one can touch me, not even a weakling like you all!"
"Eh?" Yu Hanjin twisted his neck in a disbelief manner when he heard the kid's sentence behind him. Why was he so into his role? He liked that role so much? So neither the monster's masked kid nor all of them are needed his assistance, instead, he was the one that needed help to get out from there.
In that brief moment, the kid hiding behind him let out his grip and ran quickly toward a narrow gap in an alley.
"Catch me if you can! I, the Emperor of Great Calamity, will never lose and conquer this land!"
The other kids and also Yu Hanjin were left dumbfounded by that kid sudden move, the other kids then put all the blame on Hanjin. "Uncle, look, we lost him because of you! Let's go, catch him!"
"Let's go!"
Again and again, Yu Hanjin was left alone while getting himself into trouble.
He shook his head. "Sigh, kids these days."
But, remembering how the monster's masked kid that took the role of the Emperor of Great Calamity, brought Hanjin into the past in a flash of memories. He just remembered how this land was engulfed in fire and blood, and how the wailing cry at that time could drive someone mad because it was so horrific to see all the bloodbath and gore scene when the ghosts and soul eaters were killing common people like they were a bunch of meat, tearing and ripping them, then tossing aside the bones and body parts that had been engulfed.
Yu Hanjin blinked, and he was brought into that scene once again. He looked down and saw how his foot was drowned in a pool of red, sticky blood that smelled nauseating, fishy odor with a strong metallic tang that made one's vomit.
On the surface, a face appeared, and its surprised Yu Hanjin until he stepped back in shock.
However, when he blinked again, the scene changed back into the Shang'an village area.
The great war seven years ago was horrific and so scary to remember again. He did not know why that little kid wanted to act as that devil so much, because Yu Hanjin was the same with the other people, he despised that man to his core. And when someday he met that devil, Yu Hanjin had promised to himself in the past that he would kill that man whatever the cost.
"Thinking about that makes my head hurts, I need to go now before the sun sets."
Yu Hanjin brushed that thought aside and chose to walk again. The sun was close to setting, so he needed to hurry before the night came. It was because at night, Yin energy would reach its peak and it was a common secret to stay at home so the ghost or soul eater could not find and kill humans.
Not long after passing the last suburban residential area, Yu Hanjin was walking across a sturdy white brick bridge and arrived at the other side of Lanshui River, a river that divides the area of Shuangxi and Jingyu. The border post was just around the corner, and the sky was starting to get dark when Yu Hanjin found another crowd in front of a big mansion that was not far from the border post.
Yu Hanjin contemplated whether he should go to the border post first or look into that crowd first.
"Ehm, let's buy the pass token first."
When Yu Hanjin arrived at the border post, the guard there was sleeping soundly.
"Excuse me, I want to buy a pass token."
"Heungggh!" The guard woke up while raising up his arm and squinting his eyes to see who it was. "Who are you?"
"Yu Hanjin, a wanderer. I want to go to Lingxi Town to get some herbal medicine."
The guard then looked up to the sky, which was already dark, and jumped off in surprise. "It's dark already? Damn that old Feng, not waking me up sooner! I need to go back home now!"
"Sir, how about my …"
"No more token after the sun sets! Come back tomorrow!" The guard, who was dressed in plain black and red uniform, quickly picked up his things and got out from the post, and did not forget to lock it. Yu Hanjin still stood in front of the post building with one arm hanging in the air.
"But …"
"Listen to me, wanderer! You don't want to get killed by those ghosts, right? Now go find the nearest lodging and come back tomorrow when the sun's up. I don't want to get killed, you know. Okay?" Before Yu Hanjin could even react, the middle-aged guard had run off with a quick step and vanished in the dark path.
Now, Yu Hanjin was at a dead end. His money could not even get him a bowl of food, nor could it rent him a chamber in the lodging house. Should he go to the nearest temple and ask to the monk to let him sleep there just for a night? But, Yu Hanjin did not even know where the nearest temple was around here.
"The crowd before, right–I can ask them. One of them must know where the nearest temple is."
Turning on his heels, Yu Hanjin went back to the crowd before that gathered in front of a big mansion. Surprisingly, the crowd there was not even diminishing because the night had arrived, but was getting more crowded.
"Sorry, Madam, can I ask what happened here? Why is it so full of people?"
The lady who stood behind the crowd turned her back and saw a tall man covered in a transparent veil hat talking to her. She had a kind look on her face, and her appearance was more like a farmer on her way home but stopped by to see what was happening there.
She pointed through the crowd toward a man dressed in an expensive and embroidered robe who was sitting with a pale and full of anguished face in front of his own house gate.
"Aiya, that man, Lord Gu, must have been cursed by heaven! Last month, his wife was lost and found dead behind the mountain, then his mother also passed away from illness last week after missing for a night, and today, it seems that his only daughter is also missing."
Yu Hanjin could understand how much the suffering that man had endured after going through that kind of event. A missing person was nothing new in this era, since ghost are active when night comes and most of them are drawn to catch humans and suck their yin energy as food, leaving the corpse as if it has been dried out.
However, three missing person within a month was indeed something suspicious. And all of that were female too.
"Madam, are accidents like this are common here?"
The old lady shook her head. "It's quite peaceful here, Young Master. As long as we don't go out after night falls, nothing bad happens."
"Really?"
"Yes. However, since one year ago, strange things have started to happen. I don't know what is really happening, but after the night comes, the wind is much colder and there's faint trace of blood lingering in the air that makes us much scared to go out at night."
Yu Hanjin listened closely to the old lady's explanation and nodded in understanding. He knew that he could not stay outside for too long, seeing how a man could lost three of his family members within a month, meant that Yu Hanjin must leave this place as soon as tomorrow's sun begins to rise.
"Eh, Madam, do you happen to know the nearest temple here?"
"Nearest temple? Well, you can go to the Huiguang Temple. It is not too far from here, just one kilometer to the east, but you need to go through the bamboo forest. It's dark already, Young Master. So dangerous." The old lady grabbed Yu Hanjin's arm with a look full of concern, and Hanjin appreciated that. "How about staying in my house for tonight? Even though my house is shabby and small, I can give you warm meal for tonight."
But, of course Yu Hanjin refused her kindness. "Thank you for your kindness, Madam. But I can't bother you. Thank you for telling me about the temple, I will go now before it's too late."
"Aiya, why are you so stubborn, this night is more dangerous because–"
"LORD GU! LORD GU!"
The loud screaming sent Hanjin to alert mode and he turned his head in a fast movement toward the merchant's position, only to find that Lord Gu was now fainted with pale face that was white like a sheet.
"Servant, servant, please call a healer right now!" The man holding Lord Gu's fainted body was screaming to his lung, ordering the servants of their house to go, but the servants were neither moving their feet or bodies, but were shaking in fear.
"WHY ARE YOU NOT MOVING? YOU WANT OUR LORD TO DIE, HUH?" The man was so furious, that sent the servants scared to their knees.
"I-It's not that, Housekeeper Wen. It's the night of Forsaken Spirit, the ghosts are everywhere, w-we are afraid that if we go out, then we can't go back again!"
Not just the servants, but the other people that gathered around also nodded in agreement. The night of Forsaken Spirit is a special night in the 15th of July when the Yin energy are is at its peak and probably can bring more ghosts and other dark creatures to the street, wandering while lusting for human's blood.
Remembering that, people start to leave, returning to their house and shutting themselves in for a night.
Looking at this sight, Housekeeper Wen was still burning from anger and trembling because he did not believe that all the people in this mansion were such big cowards.
"Y-You fucking cowards! What if it's Forsaken Spirit night? Even is it's forsaken, half-saken, or whatever that goddamn night, you are still the servant of this house! And your duty is to serve and help our lord! Shoo! Quickly call for a healer before I kick all of you to the forest and let the ghost eat all of you!"
"No need. There's a healer here."
When the servants were about to run for their lives, Yu Hanjin stepped out from behind the crowd and presented himself, making all the attention shift towards him. Housekeeper Wen also looked at Yu Hanjin and scrutinized him in confusion. "This Young Master is …"
"Yu Hanjin. A wanderer healer."
"Yu … Hanjin?" Housekeeper Wen had a guarded expression on his face, but he could not wait more longer because the nearest physician's house was almost two kilometers from here.
Hanjin crouched down and held Lord Gu's limp wrist and checked his pulse rhythm. "He's fine, it's just he had too much stress and has made his blood circulation abnormal. I will give him some Danggui pills to warm the blood and alleviate his stress."
He put down Lord Gu's wrist on his stomach and looked at Housekeeper Wen. "Put him in bed, make sure all the windows are closed. Also put some scented candles that have relaxing aromas, and give him warm and light food like porridge after he wakes up later."
Housekeeper Wen was still in daze. He did not even blink even after Hanjin finished with his diagnosis.
"Housekeeper Wen? Are you listening to me?"
"Y-Yes?"
"Bring your Lord into home, don't let him catch a cold from tonight's wind."
"Ah! Right! Servant, here, help me!" Housekeeper Wen got up with the help of other servants and brought the limp body of Lord Gu inside the house in a rush. However, Housekeeper Wen realized that something was missing and quickly turned his head just to find that mysterious physician still standing there, in front of the gate, with no intention to step forward.
"Shenyi*, let's head inside, our lord will definitely thank you after he wakes up later. I cannot make our lord's savior stand outside like that, can I?"
(*Shenyi: a divine healer)
Yu Hanjin did not dislike the idea, but he felt that it was not appropriate for him to accept like that when the person was clearly in the middle of misfortune. He would just politely refuse and leave, "But I–"
"Didn't you say that you still need to give our lord a pill?"
Shit, he forgot about that. Danggui pills was not that hard to make, but he needed to use a stove to boil it. He could not refuse now, what a pain. However, it was still a good offer since he did not need to walk another kilometer and sleep in a cold room in the temple.
"Then I'll go in."
Housekeeper Wen showed his smile when he saw Yu Hanjin stepped inside Gu's residence manor. After Hanjin reached Housekeeper Wen's position, the old man pointed to the right wing building. "This way, Jin Shenyi. I'll show you the room you can use for tonight."
"Thank you, Housekeeper Wen."