Chapter 006: Curse

On a lifeless summer night, Chang Geng stared blankly at the adorned corpse on the dressing table, holding the blood-stained iron cuff in a daze

He should have been aware of these matters long ago, yet whenever he closes his eyes, what he always recalls is the image of Shen Shiliu propping up his head, keeping vigil by his bedside

It also left him with a thread of unrealistic fantasy

However, the fourteen-year-old boy exerted all his strength to hold back his tears, and then wearily asked: "What do you intend to achieve by saying this to me now? Is it a matter of conscience, to cure the poison in me, or simply to kill me?"

Chang Geng: "I admit that I have not achieved much in my life, but I have not committed many wrongdoings either. Why would there be so many ghosts knocking on my door at midnight? Is there really such a strange illness in the world that causes nightmares every night?"

Sixteen Paths: "Ji Ping."

Since they have arrived early, we can take advantage of the chaos to capture them. I entrust the Fourth Prince to you; please escort him out of the city first

Chang Geng subconsciously retracted the iron wristband into her sleeve, feeling that even a glance at that object was a defilement

Why did she choose to take her own life

As Shen Yi was engrossed in organizing the armor, he looked up, and in the next moment, the Shen family's main door was kicked open from the outside. Shen Yi swiftly picked up the heavy sword that had been removed from the armor on the ground.

Xiu Niang's crimson lips curled into a strange smile, her gaze slowly settling on the iron cuff revealed on Chang Geng's wrist. There was a sharp glint in her eyes, as if she concealed a pair of poisonous arrows: "What else do you know?"

Xiu Niang placed the half-dead Chang Geng into a small bamboo basket on her back, holding a steel knife in her hand. Whenever she saw someone still breathing, she would step forward and deliver a finishing blow.

The old cook was startled by his gaze, shivering for a moment before she finally regained her composure. She patted her chest and complained, "What is this supposed to mean..."

Chang Geng seemed to be scalded, forcefully pushing her away.

Even if he is inherently generous and benevolent, if his heart is constantly forced to be filled with doubts and vigilance, he will resemble a stray dog with its tail between its legs. Even if he is desperately yearning for a shred of human warmth, he will still fearfully and repeatedly reject it.

Her lips were adorned with the rouge purchased by Shen Shiliu, and a touch of vivid color appeared on her pale and dignified face, resembling a flower that had absorbed a great deal of blood

Xiu Niang sat before the mirror in a daze, her complexion growing increasingly pale. After a long while, she suddenly sighed, "Child, I am sorry for you."

This sentence was asked in a short and low tone, yet the half-deaf Shen Shiliu heard every word clearly: "There are spies from the barbarians on the giant kite, and the ship that returned does not carry our people."

In his brief life of over ten years, Xiuniang had countless thoughts of killing him. She had poisoned him with toxic wine, stabbed him with a knife, dragged him on horseback while tied up, and even in the middle of the night, she would suddenly lose control of her emotions... she had even attempted to suffocate him with a blanket...

It is unknown who released the alarm whistle from the city tower. The long whistle, over two feet high, rolled with white mist dyed in purple and gold, and with a sound of "woo," it soared into the sky, its sharp cry rippling like water for thirty to forty miles, shattering the bleak tranquility of Yanhuicheng that had lasted for fourteen years

Meanwhile, a sharp alarm suddenly sounded throughout the city

Chang Geng was taken aback and stepped forward: "You ... ... "

Xiu Niang's entire body stiffened for a moment, and she did not turn around. The rouge could not conceal the pallor on her face. A fleeting expression of pain flashed in her seemingly expressive eyes, but it quickly subsided, merging into a frenzied calmness.

Xiu Niang chuckled softly: "Barbarians, you actually call us barbarians..."

Chang Geng: "Of course I know that since the day I set foot in Yanhuai Town, I have not had a single night without nightmares. Even if I take a nap during the day, I will wake up from the nightmare."

Chang Geng stood motionless, feeling as if the words that he barely understood floated past his ears, easily filling the seams of his bones with ice shards

The old cook, peering in curiously, quickly approached with a smiling face as soon as the door opened: "Young master, today ... ... "

Chang Geng's ominous premonition gradually intensified, and he asked warily, "Why are you suddenly saying all this to me?"

However, he ultimately did not step out of the blood-scented embroidery room; as soon as he walked out the door, he found himself already filled with trepidation

"You possess the 'Ulgul Bone' that I have placed upon you. I have given it a name in Chinese, also called 'Chang Geng.' Is that alright... Can you hear?" Her cheeks twitched violently, and the corners of her mouth oozed a mixture of foam and blood, her words becoming increasingly indistinct. However, this did not prevent Chang Geng from hearing clearly, "The unparalleled Ulgul Bone in the world, no one can perceive it, no one can decipher it... One day, you will grow to become the most powerful warrior in the world, and you will also begin to lose the distinction between nightmares and reality... You will transform into a powerful madman—"

A set of dark iron armor lay unexpectedly beneath the wooden planks

Xiu Niang clutched his arm, desperately using his strength to straighten her back, trembling like a withered leaf in the cold wind. She gasped for breath a few times, then fished out half a pair of intertwined mandarin duck jade pendants from the bottom of her makeup box, bloodstains all over her hands, and stuffed them into Chang Geng's hand.

Chang Geng's eyes twitched slightly; after all, he was still young and had not yet developed the composure to conceal his emotions.

Why does she hate him so much? And why did she raise him to such an extent?

Shen Shiliu swiftly removed his outer garment and a sword from the bedside, then turned and left

Those rough men would either resort to violence against her or engage in sexual acts with her in front of Xiao Changgang

She filled a small bowl with poisonous well water for Chang Geng to drink, but when he actually swallowed it, she seemed to regret it and desperately dug into his throat to make him vomit

A strong thought suddenly arose in Chang Geng's mind—he needed to find Shen Shiliu, and he must ask this adoptive father in person who he truly was and what his intentions were

Shen Yi said in a deep voice: "Have the barbarians taken action early?"

I know you have always been puzzled in your heart. Today, we happen to have the opportunity, so why not clarify things?—You are indeed not my biological child," Xiuniang said, "Does saying this make you feel better?

She struggled to grip Chang Geng's wrist, her sharp nails digging into his flesh, firmly holding onto the iron wristband on the young man's hand: "This is the Xuan Tie light armor cloud disk wristband—this is specially made by the black devils of the Xuan Tie camp. Who gave this to you? Hmm?"

Before she could finish her words, she clearly saw the scene in the room

What is the matter with the iron grip of the Xuan Tie Camp?

Except for the night before, Chang Geng's thoughts suddenly scattered, and he regretted getting into a quarrel with Shi Liu.

Xiu Niang smiled and casually withdrew her hand

"Chang Geng" is the nickname I gave you, Xiu Niang said, "The people of the Central Plains say, 'In the east there is Qiming, in the west there is Chang Geng.' It only appears at dusk, presiding over slaughter and calamity. You have the noblest and the filthiest blood flowing in your veins, born to be a terrifying monster, and there is no name more fitting than this one.

Although Shen Shiliu is idle and carefree, he possesses the demeanor of a young master from a prestigious family. Even when living under someone else's roof, he shows no signs of being downtrodden or distressed... How could he possibly be an ordinary thug

Xiu Niang looked at him with a peculiar gaze, as if the young man were some precious artifact: "Do you know ... ... "

"Jiping" is the courtesy name of Shen Yi, which has never been called in front of outsiders. The two often bicker and playfully quarrel over trivial household matters, as close as real brothers. At this moment, however, Shen Yi took a step back and quickly knelt halfway on the ground: "Your subordinate is here"

Chang Geng remembered that day when she wore a red dress stained with blood, pouring fire oil and the purple gold secretly hoarded by the bandit leader all over the mountains, setting the entire mountain ablaze, and leaving with herself

"You are the little monster I raised single-handedly," she laughed softly, "No one loves you, no one truly cares for you..."

Yet each time, he was saved from the brink of disaster, allowing him to escape with his life

Chang Geng's earliest memory is in a bandit den on a mountain top, where Xiuniang would always lock him in a cabinet that exuded a musty smell. Through the cracks in the rotten wood, the young Chang Geng could always see the drunken bandits stumbling in.

Chang Geng had thought countless times that he could not possibly be the biological child of Xiu Niang. Now that he has received this not-so-surprising answer, he feels a sudden emptiness in his heart, unable to articulate what he is feeling

The woman collapsed on the dressing table, curled up and convulsing, her alluring phoenix eyes wide open, revealing a fierce sclera.

Xiu Niang gazed at her reflection in the mirror, examining her appearance. Perhaps she had applied too much powder, as her complexion appeared somewhat pale. Therefore, she carefully took a bit of rouge and delicately applied it to her cheeks, blending it evenly.

At the beginning, the bandits kept a strict watch over Xiuniang. Gradually, seeing her as weak and easily bullied, and knowing she would not resist, they relaxed their vigilance. Eventually, they even allowed her to come out and serve them in the same manner as the servants in the stronghold. Xiuniang poisoned the water well and several hundred jars of wine, and no one knew where she had obtained so much poison.

The blood of the goddess flows within my chest, and with the infinite divine power of my eternal life, I bless you. You... you will carry throughout your life nothing but hatred and suspicion, destined for brutality and bloodlust, leaving behind a trail of blood and carnage wherever you go, bound to drag them all down with you... down... down... very well...

In this world, no matter how good a friend or how close a mentor may be, no one can replace a mother, not even a father. Chang Geng does not lack the desire for a mother; it is just that sometimes, if one knows that something is unattainable yet refuses to accept fate, it becomes too painful, and one may even feel pity for oneself

As Shen Shiliu spoke, he rushed into the inner chamber without pause, raising his hand to strike down at the bedside. With a loud crash, the entire bed board split into two halves, revealing that the space beneath the bed was empty

Who exactly is Shen Shiliu

Indeed, Chang Geng thought to himself, how could Mr. Shen, who occasionally reveals his insights and talents, be a down-and-out scholar who has failed the imperial examinations repeatedly

The woman's eyelashes fluttered gently, suddenly seeming to fill with tears, which washed away her venomous gaze, rendering it incredibly gentle; unfortunately, this gentleness lasted only a moment

Her constricted pupils finally extinguished like a blown-out candle, lifelessly dispersing. The elegantly dressed woman abruptly halted in the most vicious curse of this world, and then, enveloped by the last remnants of warmth, she fell heavily to the ground

No one loves you, no one treats you sincerely. Throughout your life, your heart will be filled only with hatred and suspicion, inevitably leading to a brutal and murderous nature. Wherever you go, there will be nothing but a stench of blood and carnage, destined to drag everyone along with you to a miserable end

It is I, "Shen Sixteen" said softly.

A thin trickle of blood flowed from Xiuniang's fingers, landing on the pale yellow hem of her skirt, bearing a shocking shade of purple-black

At the moment those words left his lips, Chang Geng's heart, filled with countless defenses and resentments, nearly fell apart. He realized that all the grievances he had endured since childhood could be easily resolved with this one sentence

"Not... the ominous purple flowing gold." The woman spoke with a strange sobbing tone, her breath becoming increasingly rapid, as if her chest were a broken bellows. "My sister is the goddess of Eternal Life, even the Wolf God must kneel in worship, you..."

Chang Geng said as calmly as possible: "You are overthinking it. I have never regarded you as a mother. I have always felt that the reason you hate me is that I am the filth left for you by the bandit den."

I also know that two years ago, the pack of wolves that chased me outside the pass did not come on their own; they were summoned by someone—are you warning me that I cannot escape, that you have plenty of ways to kill me, right?" Chang Geng said quietly, "Only the barbarians know how to manipulate those beasts. After you arrived at Yanhuizhen, you have been in contact with those barbarians—I suspect you are also a barbarian woman. When I was a child, you locked me in a cabinet, and I saw a man come in and tear your clothes apart; there was a wolf's head on your chest.

The old cook was frozen in place, and then she staggered back three steps, sitting down heavily on the ground, raising her neck and howling, letting out a shrill scream that was not human-like in its intensity.

Her face was snow-white, and her blood-stained lips were more dazzling than rouge. A pair of bloodshot eyes fixed intently on Chang Geng: "I do not bear the name Xiu Niang, for that is a name of the women from the Central Plains. I am called Huger, which means the purple gold of the heart of the earth..."

The more she laughed, the louder her voice became, until she was almost out of breath at the end

Suddenly, Xiuniang's sharp laughter came to an abrupt halt. She clutched her chest and began to cough violently. Chang Geng instinctively raised his hand, seemingly wanting to assist her, but then he realized it himself and retracted his hand in a spasm, gripping the joints of his fingers.

She was choked by her own words, and after a bout of heart-wrenching coughing, she spat out a mouthful of blood, staining the front of Chang Geng's attire red

Chang Geng glanced at her with his crimson red eyes

If that is also insincere affection

Shen Yi: "It is."

Shen Sixteen's nimble hands pried open the hidden compartment on the chest of the steel armor, retrieving a dark iron token, his fingers turning pale from the coldness of the token. He suddenly turned around, his usually slumped posture straightening like an iron spear, as the wind blowing in from the wide-open door lifted the thin, light-colored garment he wore, as if intimidated by the chilling murderous intent emanating from him, swirling past him in a rush. He suddenly turned around, his usually slumped posture straightening like an iron spear, as the wind blowing in from the wide-open door lifted the thin, light-colored garment he wore, as if intimidated by the chilling murderous intent emanating from him, swirling past him in a rush.

Chang Geng coldly replied: "Am I not the child of a prostitute and a bandit, captured by mountain robbers when you were lost in Shanxi? What is noble about having so many fathers that I cannot even count them on ten fingers?"

The curse of Xiuniang seems to have taken effect; a child’s initial trust and closeness to the world come from the unconditional nurturing of their parents, which Chang Geng has never received

The word "death" stumbled out from her throat, and the woman's body convulsed violently for a moment. Suddenly, she seemed to sense something, slowly turning her head to gaze at the small sachet hanging down from the bed curtain. Inside the sachet was a safety talisman, which Xu Baihu had once brought home after his duty, having prayed for it at a temple outside the city.