Hearing Xing Shen’s voice, Nie Jiuluo felt a wave of relief. His tone was vibrant and energetic, suggesting he was likely fine. She slowed her pace, turned up her flashlight, and directed it toward where Xing Shen stood.
The scene was reassuring. Xing Shen, though damp and covered in grass ash, appeared only disheveled. The grasshopper had retreated behind him, staying still, likely afraid of being noticed if it moved.
Xing Shen smiled. “I told you, when the grasshopper sees someone, it gets scared like this. If it detects you, it might panic and run away ten meters.”
Just as Shaolin disciples must first conquer the “Wooden Man Alley” before venturing into the world, mastering the “crazy knife” required feeding it with a ground owl. In ancient times, a “crazy knife” had to subdue more than three ground owls to earn its name.
Under Jiang Baichuan’s guidance, Nie Jiuluo had undergone intense training during her vacations. By thirteen, she had outperformed the old knife, and by fifteen, she had mastered the grasshopper, “killing” it multiple times. Her skills had earned her respect and fear, and the grasshopper’s conditioned reflex was to retreat in her presence.
Xing Shen had once witnessed her battle and admired her not just for her skill but for the fierce energy she exuded. However, he felt a tinge of regret. Over time, Nie Jiuluo’s fierceness seemed to wane, and she appeared to desire a more ordinary life. Xing Shen thought it a shame; such talent shouldn’t be squandered. A “crazy knife” left in its sheath is just a legend waiting to be forgotten.
Xing Shen had tried to discuss this with Jiang Baichuan, but the response was tactful: “In this day and age, it’s enough if Nie Erken helps out from time to time. Times change; people must adapt.”
Xing Shen sometimes felt he was born in the wrong era, where legends were only lived out in games. His condition prevented him from fully enjoying the thrills he once knew.
Nie Jiuluo approached and said, “I knew you could handle it yourself. I didn’t need to rush over.”
She glanced around and asked, “Where’s the old knife?”
The old knife lay near the river, eyes closed and face alarmingly pale. Nie Jiuluo carefully checked for a pulse, feeling a faint breath. Realizing it was a head injury, she decided to leave it to professional first responders.
She quickly messaged Jiang Baichuan about the situation and then returned to the car to find Xing Shen’s phone. Using it, she called for emergency services, citing a car accident. Given the remote location, she estimated it would take about forty minutes for the ambulance to arrive.
While waiting for the call, Nie Jiuluo inquired, “Was Yan Tuo’s companion a person or a ghost?”
Xing Shen pondered before replying, “No malevolence detected; it’s likely a human. He probably is also a ghost, but he was very cunning. He held his breath and pretended to be dead, deceiving both me and the old knife. The grasshopper would only act timidly if it feared detection.”
Xing Shen gestured toward the old knife lying down.
Nie Jiuluo pieced together what had happened: “Yan Tuo didn’t attack you, did he?”
“The grasshopper took him down before he could act. The companion should be nearby. Didn’t you see anything when you arrived?”
Nie Jiuluo admitted, “No. I just followed a grasshopper I saw.”
Xing Shen bent down, reaching out to the grasshopper, which hesitantly placed its right paw on his hand. He assessed the situation and concluded, “It won’t have gone far. When Uncle Jiang and the team arrive, they should look around.”
Nie Jiuluo reflected on the situation. Despite Sun Zhou’s slow reaction after his injury, he managed to drive himself to the hospital, likely due to the reduced ferocity of the dog’s bite. Grasshoppers, being beasts, caused swift physiological discomfort when they attacked.
Xing Shen, relying on his grasshopper card, remained fearless in his provocations. Nie Jiuluo paused before asking, “Did you let the grasshoppers hurt people?”
Xing Shen responded, “Shouldn’t they? If it’s a person, it’s a ghost, right? Think of Sister-in-law Hua, Cripple Daddy, the three we lost, and the old knife. I needed to keep him and negotiate.”
Nie Jiuluo sneered, “If I hadn’t been considering this, I would have killed him myself.”
Xing Shen, embarrassed by the ridicule, shifted the topic, “What’s so special about that man? Why didn’t the grasshoppers attack him?”
Nie Jiuluo couldn’t figure it out. If the grasshopper had lost its fighting spirit, it would have been less effective against Yan Tuo. If the man had some weapon that restrained the grasshopper, why did it only target Yan Tuo and not the others?
She replied, “I don’t know. You should ask Yan Tuo himself.”
Xing Shen snorted, “This kid has a strict mouth, but it’s okay…”
Nie Jiuluo’s heart shifted. She briefly angled her flashlight to illuminate part of Xing Shen’s face. He wasn’t wearing sunglasses, and his eyes were indifferent, his lips lightly pursed with corners turned down slightly. Xing Shen, usually seen with a gentle and warm smile, was presenting a different, more severe side. The last time she saw him like this was after her outburst when she smashed a statue—shortly before he lost his sight.
Those who are so harsh on themselves are often even harsher on others. Nie Jiuluo’s fingers relaxed, letting the light fall lower. She said, “You guys are on this block, right? I’m looking around for any clues.”
The surroundings were spotless, revealing nothing new besides rut marks and a pair of fallen children’s shoes. The grasshopper hesitated to put on the shoes, staying close to Xing Shen for safety. Soon, the sound of an approaching car indicated the ambulance’s arrival. With Jiang Baichuan’s estimate of a thirty-minute delay and the scheduled meeting with the driver, Nie Jiuluo adjusted her flashlight to a strong setting, signaling both for identification and positioning.
Nie Jiuluo explained to Xing Shen, “I’m coming from the south, and my car is almost here. Before it arrives, make sure they don’t go south.”
Xing Shen nodded in agreement.
Returning along the same route, Nie Jiuluo heard her phone buzzing incessantly. She quickened her pace, approaching the source of the sound. Yan Tuo was missing. Picking up her phone, she saw that it was from “Xiong Hei.” After a brief hesitation, she answered.
On the other end, Xiong Hei’s voice was agitated: “Are you finally answering? Where are you? I’ve searched everywhere.”
Unable to respond, Nie Jiuluo ended the call and saw nineteen missed calls from Xiong Hei. She turned off her phone, pocketed it, and followed the bloodstains and disturbed grass. Without external help, those injured by grasshoppers would have trouble moving far.
Sure enough, over a hundred meters away from the original position, she found Yan Tuo. He was curled on the ground, breathing rapidly and clutching his chest. He staggered, tried to move, and fell again, lying on his back, gasping towards the sky.
Nie Jiuluo squatted next to him, shining her flashlight on him. Yan Tuo’s eyes twitched at the brightness, but he recognized her and grasped the corner of her coat. “Miss Nie, I still have… you need to handle it, you can’t… let this be an accident.”
Nie Jiuluo shook off his hand and said, “Whether you’re okay or not is none of my concern.”
Yan Tuo’s head was swollen, making the world spin. “Help me… get out of here. I’ll… meet your conditions. I can’t… hold on anymore.”
He knew he was in trouble. If he fell into the hands of these people again, he’d face long-term imprisonment or worse. He couldn’t afford to have an accident—he was the last of his family.
Nie Jiuluo stood up. Yan Tuo looked up at her, his vision distorted, feeling her presence as both distant and oppressive. Fate seemed to mock him—she was the one who first set him up, and now he faced her again in his moment of need.
He struggled to say, “Miss Nie, I really haven’t harmed anyone. I haven’t… hurt you…”
The pain in his chest surged, feeling like ants crawling over the wound.
Nie Jiuluo gazed down at him, torn between conflicting thoughts. It was understandable for Banya to leave Yan Tuo behind to negotiate with the enemy, but he seemed like a minor character. If she handed him over to Jiang Baichuan and his team, he would face severe consequences, possibly worse than just a lost limb. He appeared to be following some form of rules, suggesting he wasn’t truly working against her.
The sound of a car horn in the distance interrupted her thoughts—her car had arrived. This prompted her to make a swift decision. She turned to see that the area was far from where the old knife had been injured, and the grass in between obstructed any line of sight.
She signaled to the driver and pointed to a location on the embankment. The driver agreed eagerly, understanding the importance of proper service.
Nie Jiuluo knelt beside Yan Tuo, wiping the blood from his wound with a mix of urgency and care. She tore off some pieces of her clothing to use as rags and threw her coat at him. “I can’t carry you anymore. You need to wrap yourself up and keep a low profile. Get in the car quickly and stay out of sight!” she urged.
Despite his desperation, Yan Tuo’s resolve was rekindled by the glimmer of hope. He wrapped himself tightly in the coat, managed to stagger to his feet, and, with Nie Jiuluo’s assistance, got into the car. She pushed him inside with a swift motion, nearly bumping him into the vehicle.
Nie Jiuluo turned to the driver with a firm instruction. “Drive slowly once you’re on the road—try to go as slow as possible, but don’t stop. I’ll catch up in about five minutes. Get in the car and wait for payment.”
The driver, initially bewildered, quickly focused on the mention of “payment.” “I’ll drive 20 yards, but you need to run faster,” he reminded her, his anxiety evident.
As the car pulled away, Nie Jiuluo noticed someone approaching from the opposite direction. She breathed a sigh of relief, dimmed her flashlight, and used her fingers to shield the light. She meticulously wiped away any traces and then hurried to the other side of the road.
Back at the car, the driver’s anxiety did not completely dissipate. Seeing Yan Tuo’s bloodied state, he worried that the woman might abandon him in the car.
When Nie Jiuluo returned, she quickly reassured the driver by pulling out her phone and transferring the payment. The driver, seeing the payment confirmation in the rearview mirror, hesitated momentarily before moving.
An electronic voice announced, “Alipay has arrived at 1,000 yuan.”
Nie Jiuluo adjusted Yan Tuo’s coat, ensuring he was warm and comfortable. She then met the driver’s gaze through the rearview mirror and said, “This is my husband.”
The driver’s gaze flickered between the rearview mirror and the road. He mumbled, “Oh, oh… perfectly matched.”
Realizing the blood on Yan Tuo’s body was a result of an altercation rather than a criminal act, the driver’s perception shifted. He marveled at Nie Jiuluo’s bravery and resolve. “I originally received a call to pick up someone, but then I got so angry that I just stabbed that person,” he admitted, his voice tinged with respect.
He swallowed hard, impressed by the woman’s determination. “I’ll drop you at the hotel later. Help me get him inside. He’s too injured to move. If you take the money and leave, we’ll act as if we’ve never seen each other. For these two days, avoid that neighborhood so you don’t get involved. I hope if you ever get into trouble, it’ll be with leniency.”
Grateful and reassured, the driver was impressed by Nie Jiuluo’s decisive and responsible actions. He hoped that if she ever faced legal issues, she would be treated with leniency.
