Chapter 2

Indeed, the person was truly dragged up by her. However

After these two killing gods finally left, the county magistrate slumped into his chair, his expression still somewhat terrified. He murmured to himself, "What on earth is the background of that child they are searching for all over the world..."

How strange, wanting to fight yet also wanting to show off, today's children are so complicated. She took off the piece of jade, held it up to her eyes and couldn't help but exclaim: "What a fine jade, what a fine jade!"

Lin Fangzhou watched as the small side door was about to close tightly, and she exerted all her strength to shout: "Wait! Wait a moment!"

The old man is already over seventy this year. Logically, at this age, he should not be guarding the city gate; however, Yongzhou County is not a military stronghold, and in recent years, the world has been at peace with little significant events occurring, making the city gate seem less important. As an elderly man, with his wife and children having passed away before him, the county magistrate, being compassionate towards the elderly and the poor, assigned him such a task

Lin Fangzhou felt somewhat dejected and asked, "Is there still a chance to survive?"

Lin Fangzhou did not know where he had fallen. She first removed his inexplicable armor, wanting to see if he was bleeding. The armor was surprisingly made of leather, though she could not tell what kind of leather it was. It felt somewhat soft to the touch and was quite light in her hands, making it very suitable for a child to wear

The night watchman walked along the bluestone path with a lantern in hand. A gust of wind blew, and he tightened his clothing, muttering to himself, "It seems it will rain tomorrow"

Before his words had finished, two men emerged from behind the screen

Alright, alright, I understand

Hehehehe... When I think about it this way, my mood suddenly improves

This ... ...

Lin Fangzhou waved his hand and said: "Of course it's not me, I am the one saving people... Don't ask around recklessly"

This is excellent, my friend, you have worked hard as well. Once I find someone to deal with that tiger and eliminate the threat, I will reward you handsomely

Thank you, esteemed elder! Thank you, esteemed elder!

She straightened her back and looked up at the large tree beside her. There was not a single breeze in the forest, and the treetop had long since returned to calm. Lin Fangzhou stroked her chin and muttered to herself, "Where did this child come from? It can't possibly have grown from the tree, can it?"

After the old friend left, the county magistrate's relaxed demeanor suddenly became very respectful. He turned around and cupped his hands in salute towards the screen behind him, saying: "My lords."

Tsk tsk, falling from such a great height without a single scratch, what on earth is that armor made of

Moreover, she is also afraid that her achievements will be taken away by others

"The Night Wanderer shall meet again another day, for there is another deity waiting for me within the yamen." The old friend stepped closer and replied, "Just now, someone from the yamen sent word that the county magistrate wishes to see me"

Is the city gate closed properly

Master, are you looking for me

Children are all fond of sleeping

Who is it that you carry on your back

Lin Fangzhou almost threw the child to the ground, but ultimately her courage failed her, fearing that she might indirectly become a murderer. She carried him on her back, resentfully saying: "To save you, I have broken my town's great general, who do you think you are, such a big shot!" Well, she had already named the cricket.

Good news: no internal injuries sustained

Dare not to think further

The "demon" lay motionless on her back

Are you able to observe carefully? If a child were to go missing for no reason, I would only inquire of you

The man at the forefront nodded. His expression paused for a moment, then he said: "Investigate all the medical clinics and pharmacies in the city. Any that have sold materials capable of treating wounds, falls, and internal injuries must be thoroughly traced. Remember, conduct the investigation discreetly, do not make it known."

As night falls, every household is fast asleep behind closed doors, the streets are quiet, occasionally interrupted by the sound of one or two insects chirping, desolate and cold.

It did not grow on the tree, so it must have fallen from somewhere else. Just a few steps away from here is a cliff, and it is likely that this child accidentally slipped and fell while playing up there

A piece of jade, entirely snow-white, is translucent and lustrous, carved into a flying snake with its head and tail connected. The snake has horns on its head and is biting its own tail, forming a circle

Upon arriving at her home, a thorough diagnosis was conducted

"Return, Grandfather, it is I."

"Anyone who leaks information will be executed on the spot." His tone suddenly became more severe

The county magistrate trembled in fear. While wiping his sweat, he stammered, "Um, I, we, I do not have the authority to execute criminals; it all has to be reported to the prefectural government..."

The old friend arrived at the yamen, where the county magistrate was waiting for him

I do not know about this; I am merely a gatekeeper.

Dr. Huang also resides on East Street, not far from the home of Lin Fangzhou. There are not many people seeking his medical services, simply because he is mute. When Lin Fangzhou knocked on Dr. Huang's door, he was still grinding medicine in the dark, filling the room with the fragrance of herbs. His wife had returned to her family home for a few days, leaving him alone in the house.

Although not fully understanding, Lin Fangzhou also sensed that this set of armor must have a considerable cost

A faint breath, along with a slight warmth

He is indeed fortunate, as he happened to fall onto the treetop, where the flexible branches cushioned his fall several times, preventing him from shattering into pieces.

The city gate is about to close

Aside from the leather armor, Meiyu untied it, and Lin Fangzhou carefully examined it, discovering that the child was not bleeding

It is already past two in the morning, you are not at home lying idle, but have come out, is it to meet the night wanderer

Hmm. My old friend, I ask you, during the time from the申 hour to the戌 hour today, will you be on guard at the gate

This piece of clothing is worth at least one or two taels of silver, isn't it

Night watchman: "Is that you, old buddy?"

Lin Fangzhou was very tired and did not want to waste her breath explaining. Moreover, this person of unknown origin could also attract inquiries from the authorities. The child was currently in a state of uncertainty regarding life and death, and it was likely that she would end up in trouble.

Lin Fangzhou rolled her eyes in anger: "You seem to have thought this through quite thoroughly!"

Dr. Huang nodded vigorously

Lying in a pile of fallen leaves, judging by the figure, it appears to be a child, half of its face buried in the dry leaves, motionless

Carrying this burden back home, Lin Fangzhou threw him onto the bed and fumbled in the dark to light the oil lamp. Her home was dilapidated, with drafts coming from all sides. The flame in the oil lamp, the size of a soybean, flickered unsteadily, illuminating the dust and cobwebs in the house, making it appear almost like a haunted house. Fortunately, she had grown accustomed to living there and paid it no mind

"You just take care of your own business," the man interrupted him, "as for the killing, we will handle it ourselves"

If she had not seen it with her own eyes, Lin Fangzhou would find it hard to believe that a living person could fall from the sky

Lin Fangzhou was somewhat astonished

The county magistrate said: "The two gentlemen have just heard that no unfamiliar children have entered the city."

Bad news: I fell and hit my head

Thinking of this rather unfortunate possibility, her heart raced wildly. Gathering her courage, she crouched down and reached out to check the child's breathing

In response to the old master's words, I only saw Dr. Huang's wife taking the child back to her parental home, and there was nothing else.

Forget it, forget it. Regardless of life or death, tomorrow I will inquire thoroughly about whose child has gone missing. As long as they are still breathing, they are certainly worth more than a corpse

The child is still unconscious

The one responsible for closing the city gate was an old man with dim eyes, known to everyone as Old Tie. In the night, Old Tie looked at Lin Fangzhou several times before finally recognizing him as the eldest son of the Lin family. The old man asked, "Eldest son, why have you only just returned? If you were any later, the city gate would have been closed, and you would have had to sleep outside the city, risking being taken away by a tiger"

It is so late, what business could the county magistrate have in seeking you

May I ask you, have many people been entering and exiting the city gates in recent days

The county magistrate's face was pale, "Yes, I will remember this carefully. May the two esteemed officials travel safely..."

I have closed it, rest assured, my esteemed elder... Is there something urgent you wish to instruct me on?

Lin Fangzhou walked while scolding him. After a while, she suddenly thought: If this child falls, his family will surely be heartbroken. Now that she has saved him, she must ask for some reward. At that time, she could buy ten great generals to pacify the town, one to level Yongzhou City, and the other nine to roast for drinking. Wouldn't that be delightful

She was worried that the child might injure their internal organs. This child is either rich or noble, and being alive is certainly more valuable than being dead. With this thought in mind, Lin Fangzhou took the lantern and went out.

He asked her whose child it was, how it ended up like this, and whether it was her doing

Rest assured, the old man is deaf and blind, and he has seen nothing. However, nowadays the outside world is not very peaceful, and it is said that tigers are roaming the mountains and forests. Therefore, Da Lang, you should go out to play less.

Lin Fangzhou had never seen much of the world and was momentarily at a loss. She held a cricket in one hand and gently prodded it with the other, saying: "Today I will do a good deed and save you once, though I do not know if it will preserve your life. If I cannot save you, do not blame me; every person's lifespan is predetermined. When you reach the King of Hell, do not speak ill of me"

Having made up his mind, Lin Fangzhou leaned over by the bedside and lay down

Ah ah ah ah! Your mother! My cricket! Divine Bodhisattva, take care of my heart! Ah ah ah ah ah...

Rest assured, my lord, I have observed carefully. There are not many people entering and exiting the city gates.

Ah, don't mention it

... ...

After sending off Doctor Huang, Lin Fangzhou returned to sit by the bed, looking helplessly at the child lying on the bed, and said: "If you are going to die, then die; if you are going to live, then live. Why do you still have to wait for three days? Do I have to wait three days just to get rice cooked?! I might as well stew you; that would last me ten to fifteen days!"

In just a moment, her mind had already taken several turns. She then casually remarked: "The little ancestor of the butcher Chen's family insisted on going with me to the outskirts today to catch crickets. But as luck would have it! He got tired halfway and fell asleep, and I had to carry him back!"

Lin Fangzhou swallowed hard. As his gaze swept downward, he suddenly noticed that he was wearing a piece of beautiful jade around his waist

Unfortunately, this is a child's size, and I fear that if taken out, no one will buy it.

Oh no, perhaps one can no longer be considered a "living" person now

Well, adults are generally fine, but the key issue is with children. They can be easily distracted by play, which might lead to problems. Did any children come in or out while you were on duty today

It is me. "Old buddy" responded.

The entire piece of jade features simple lines, exuding an ancient and grand atmosphere. Even someone like Lin Fangzhou, who is extremely averse to snakes, finds it quite appealing.

It turned out that the hand holding the cricket instinctively exerted force, accidentally crushing the precious catch that had just been captured

At that moment, he saw a trembling figure approaching closer and closer from a distance

As the sky gradually darkened, Lin Fangzhou, with limited strength, carried a child and walked back to the city from the outskirts, which nearly took her life. By the time she reached the city gate, she was exhausted like a dog

The county magistrate, with his hands behind his back and a relaxed demeanor, said, "It is nothing much. However, I have recently heard rumors of a tiger in the mountains. As the father and mother of this county, I should take it upon myself to inquire about it"

Lin Fangzhou explained her intentions, and without a word, Dr. Huang shouldered the medicine box and accompanied her home

Dr. Huang ultimately did not prescribe her any medication... Firstly, the impact of the fall on her head rendered medication largely ineffective; secondly, Lin Fangzhou was in dire financial straits, having reportedly asked the woman selling pancakes for credit earlier today. If he were to prescribe her medication, she would likely come to him seeking credit as well

As she spoke, she went to drag him. She could never bring herself to throw away the cricket, so she only used one hand to pull him. But with her small frame, how could she possibly drag a child of that size with just one hand? Straining with all her might, she gritted her teeth and stamped her foot, huh!

Both individuals were dressed quite ordinarily, resembling common folk; however, there was a strong aura of severity and menace between their brows

Do not tell anyone that he has gone out of the city with me, his mother will beat him, and if he gets beaten, Chen the butcher will come to beat me

The county magistrate humbly acknowledged this.

... ...

Casting aside his armor, Lin Fangzhou saw the white inner garment he was wearing. The garment, made of an unknown type of silk, appeared to shimmer like the surface of water, smooth and soft to the touch, making it hard to part with. The corners of the garment were even embroidered with dark patterns of the same color, delicate and exquisite, a true work of art.

This child is dressed quite strangely, in full military attire, wearing armor and a helmet. Could it be that he is going to war? However, there are no troops stationed here, and such a child soldier would hardly be needed for battle, perhaps just for hunting rabbits.

However, it seems that some are missing, presumably frightened by the tiger and too afraid to leave the city

Dr. Huang gestured, and fortunately, Lin Fangzhou had been his neighbor for many years, so communication was not difficult. She nodded and reiterated his meaning: "If he can wake up within three days, he can survive; if he cannot wake up, it is better to hold the funeral early, otherwise, it will attract maggots"

After saying this, the two were about to leave. The one following behind, as he passed by the county magistrate, softly said: "I kindly remind you of one thing. 'Anyone', including you."