Jiang Baichuan was indeed swamped with work that night, and the seriousness of the old knife’s injury was a significant concern. The county hospital had recommended transferring him to a major hospital in Xi’an, as they couldn’t handle the severity of his condition. Jiang Baichuan wanted to accompany the transfer but couldn’t leave his responsibilities concerning the Nanba monkey head. He had to coordinate manpower, transfer vehicles, and enlist the help of an acquaintance in Xi’an. By the time he finished, it was past one in the morning, and he finally stepped out of the county hospitalâs outpatient hall, which was saturated with the smell of disinfectant.
Everyone else had already left, and a Prado was parked outside waiting for him. Xing Shen was still around, leaning against the front of the car and gazing at the sky. Jiang Baichuan wondered what the sky looked like through Xing Shen’s eyes.
Extremely tired, Jiang Baichuan wiped his face and habitually checked his phone, catching up on messages he had missed over the past few hours. When he opened the “Burn after reading” app, he saw several messages from Nie Er. After quickly skimming through them, he was a bit stunned to find that the screen was now full of flames, signaling that the messages had been burned. Fortunately, he remembered the content of the messages.
It was half past one, and Nie Er was likely asleep by now. Jiang Baichuan decided it was best to wait until morning to contact her.
***
Nie Jiuluo woke up early. Yan Tuo was unconscious and very quiet, which was not a good sign. People who had been injured by the earth owl typically went through several stages: initial trance, painful phase, quiet phase, and eventually the most dangerous stage known as “rooting and sprouting.”
Each person experienced these stages differently, with the first three stages occurring within 24 hours after the injury. The fourth stage was the most critical and could last the longest. It was called the “return to light,” where people appeared normal and even more refreshed, only to suddenly lose their sanity and become dangerous.
She opened the window to check the sky, noticing it was still cloudy and the sun had not fully risen. Checking her phone, she saw Jiang Baichuanâs reply from the middle of the night, with a number to call back regardless of the time. Nie Jiuluo went into the bathroom, closed the door, and called him.
***
As soon as she dialed, Jiang Baichuan answered, sounding exhausted and hoarse. “Nie Er, what do you think about this?” he asked.
Nie Jiuluo replied, “Uncle Jiang, do you want my opinion?”
Jiang Baichuan responded with a bitter smile, “They say the authorities are confused, and the bystanders are clear. I want to hear your opinion.”
Nie Jiuluo considered herself a bystander, able to retreat to her comfortable life and focus on her art and exhibitions. She said, “If you want my view, try to redeem our people peacefully, and then, forget it.”
Jiang Baichuan was puzzled. “What do you mean, forget it?”
Nie Jiuluo explained, “Uncle Jiang, we have always believed we are unique, descendants of the entanglement army with extraordinary skills. But if we are unusual, doesnât that mean our opponents are ordinary?”
Jiang Baichuan remained silent, contemplating.
Nie Jiuluo continued, “Xing Shen made a mistake thinking that such a combination was invincible. The reality is, the other party was just one person who managed to severely injure the old knife. If that person had stayed, even Xing Shen might not have been able to handle it.”
Jiang Baichuan scoffed, “That person… What kind of terrestrial owl is it? How could it suddenly be so different?”
Nie Jiuluo retorted, “Maybe the ‘humanized’ earth owls have long lost their usual characteristics, and you havenât encountered them.”
She added, “And that dogtooth… Can it really represent the entire group? Maybe the dogtooth you encountered was not evolutionarily perfect. Remember how it was carried in a box? And that bear black seemed to act on its own.”
Jiang Baichuan stopped talking, realizing that his previous belief that weaknesses always remained constant was indeed oversimplified.
Nie Jiuluo continued, “Currently, with your sister-in-law Hua dead, four people including the lame father lost contact, and the old knife severely injured, while the other side has suffered minimal losses. Considering this, canât you see the disparity in strength?”
She added, “Most of your people are in this for profit, and with so many casualties, how many will be willing to stay in this dangerous situation?”
“And Yan Tuo,” she concluded, “the first time I checked his information, his family’s fortune has only increased over the years. Imagine dealing with a well-established, wealthy group. Is it worth continuing a fight with them or should you cut your losses and ‘forget it’?”
Jiang Baichuan was reluctant: “But what about our people, the wounded and the dead? Are we just supposed to accept it?”
Nie Jiuluo replied with a faint smile, “To use an analogy, the other side is like heavy artillery, while we are armed with only a broadsword and spear. Weâve already lost half our forces; should we continue to rush forward? Even if we want to retaliate, we must first conserve our strength and improve our equipment before trying to turn defeat into victory.”
Jiang Baichuan sighed deeply. He wasn’t a fool and knew Nie Jiuluo’s words were pragmatic. Although Nie Jiuluo had no personal stake in the matter and could afford to observe from a distance, her advice was sound. He had initially been ambitious, believing he could handle anything with his own strength. However, after repeated losses and the possibility of the enemy not even being fully revealed, it was wiser to judge the situation and retreat when necessary.
Jiang Baichuan continued, “There are two pressing issues. First, how do we negotiate for the release of our people? We lack a direct communication channel with the other side, and no one seems able to mediate.”
“Secondly,” he added, “even if we want to ‘forget it,’ it’s not as simple as that. We’ve hurt Dogtooth and Yan Tuo, yet they have retaliated by destroying properties and causing further harm. Their actions suggest there may be a deeper plan behind their aggression. We need to understand their true intentions.”
Nie Jiuluo’s eyes shifted towards the door. She suggested, “Uncle Jiang, do you recall that Yan Tuo once called me?”
Jiang Baichuan remembered: When the initial conflict occurred, he had tried to use a ploy to expose Yan Tuo and his allies. He had hoped this would either force them to confront Nie Jiuluo or reveal new leads. However, the result had been unexpected. Yan Tuo’s rescue mission included Hua’s sister-in-law, and though this caused some personal loss, it didn’t lead to the anticipated fallout. Instead, Yan Tuo’s call to Nie Jiuluo had resulted in nothing significant.
Jiang Baichuan wondered, “Why didn’t Yan Tuo act on that call? Could he be planning something major?”
Nie Jiuluo explained, “I couldn’t return the call because it was from an unknown number. This morning, I found another missed call from the same unknown number, likely from after last night’s incident. If it was indeed Yan Tuo, his call might not be for a simple ruse.”
Jiang Baichuan felt bewildered, “There is a possibility, but what could he want from you?”
Nie Jiuluo speculated, “Since we lack direct communication with them, they might be seeking a way to discuss matters directly. We canât rely on intermediaries like Ma Hanzi to relay messages. When Yan Tuo calls again, I’ll answer and test their intentions. Let’s stay in touch.”
After ending the call, Jiang Baichuan still felt uneasy despite being in a warm room. His previous confidence had led to a situation beyond his control. He had realized his earlier bravado had been misplaced.
A knock on the door brought him back to the present. Xing Shen entered, suggesting, “Uncle Jiang, it’s time for breakfast. Do you want it brought up, or should we go down?”
For convenience, they had rented a small building in a neighboring village, which provided a homely environment and reliable meal arrangements. Jiang Baichuan replied, “Send it up, let’s eat here.”
Breakfast was served simply on the kang table. Jiang Baichuan quickly washed up and sat with Xing Shen. Trying to keep the mood light, he commented, “This oil cake is well made, a true farmhouse flavor. Please have some.”
Xing Shen took a bite but was preoccupied. He noted, “It’s the eighth today. We didnât go to Nanba Monkey Head due to last nightâs incident. I wonder how the other side will respond.”
Jiang Baichuan hesitated before bringing up, “Xing Shen, last night, the grasshopper didnât attack that big guy, which is unusual.”
Xing Shen agreed, “Yes, itâs odd. But the grasshopper canât speak, so we canât determine what happened. If it happens again, it could be problematic.”
Noting Xing Shen’s concern, Jiang Baichuan asked tentatively, “Do you think that big guy might be a terrestrial owl?”
Xing Shen looked up, setting down his chopsticks, and said, “Uncle Jiang, are you questioning my abilities?”
Jiang Baichuan sighed internally, knowing Xing Shenâs strong self-esteem meant he needed to be as tactful as possible. Still, given the directness of the situation, he spoke candidly, “I just spoke with Nie Er. She mentioned that when she left last night, she saw Yan Tuo being rescued and heard some information. That big guy is a Ground Owl.”
Xing Shen was incredulous. “Impossible.”
Jiang Baichuan, grabbing a piece of oil cake, took a large bite and then drank some noodle soup. “Maybe theyâve all evolved similarly to people. Itâs not unusual for them to lose that bit of noise.”
“Dogtooth…” Jiang Baichuan anticipated Xing Shen’s mention of Dogtooth. “Thereâs a saying, ‘generalizing by partiality.’ Dogtooth might be an exception and doesnât represent the rest.”
He continued eating, ignoring the likely displeased look on Xing Shenâs face. Jiang Baichuan believed that everyone must adapt to the worldâs conditions; it wasnât the worldâs responsibility to accommodate individual needs.
Eventually, as their meal came to an end, Xing Shen spoke, “Maybe Ah Luo didnât fully understand. There were just a few such occurrences with that big guy.”
“Yes, it could be an individual case,” Jiang Baichuan agreed. “But to be honest, if the old knife, the top of the knife family, has been damaged and the Dog family canât assist, then I, old Uncle Jiang, might have to consider a retreat.”
Xing Shenâs expression remained neutral, though his lips tightened. “Uncle Jiang, what do you mean by that?”
Jiang Baichuan smiled wryly. “Itâs up to you how you interpret it. We need to find a way to reach those whoâve gone missing and ensure our own safety.”
Xing Shen asked, “What do you mean by ‘living safely’?”
Jiang Baichuan was frustrated. He admired Xing Shen but found his stubbornness difficult. Xing Shen continued, “Now we have creatures that resemble humans, consuming blood and raw flesh. They blend into crowds and could strike unpredictably. We can’t rely on luck for survival, can we?”
“Our ancestors used to lock the Jinren Gate when hunting owls,” Xing Shen said. “They feared the Ground Owlâs addiction to human flesh. Dogtooth, having consumed people, is likely to continue doing so. So, what’s the point of discussing responsibility with Ah Luo? Sheâs responsible for hunting and killing owls, but what about now?”
Jiang Baichuan felt a surge of anger at Xing Shenâs words, slamming his hand on the table, nearly spilling the soup. “You mention the ancestral army and its might. What does that have to do with Nie Erâs current responsibilities? Should she abandon her duties and hunt down Ground Owls?”
Xing Shen glanced at the bowl of soup, which was still shaking slightly. “We need to get Arrow back.”
Meanwhile, Yan Tuo was jolted awake by a burst of fire. It wasnât a dream; real flames flickered before his eyes as Nie Jiuluo moved the ignition rod away. The rod, used in cupping, was durable, burn-resistant, and equipped with a handle and steel mesh covered in uncoke asbestos.
The room was brightly lit, with the curtains drawn to let in ample sunlight. Nie Jiuluo said, “Wake up. Iâve removed the tape from your mouth and freed your hands and feet. Itâs going to hurt later, and youâll need to use your mouth to gasp. I canât hold you down, so youâll have to manage on your own.”
Yan Tuo’s mind raced as he looked down at his body. “Where am I?”
Nie Jiuluo pointed to his lower abdomen, the side of his chest, and his thighs. “Look at yourself.”
Yan Tuo observed the dark brown, curly hair-like growths in his wounds. The sight and sensation made him feel uneasy and itchy.
Nie Jiuluo continued, “Do you want to touch it? Itâs soft, resilient, and bounces back when pulled.”
Yan Tuo recoiled at the thought, feeling sick at the sight of the grotesque growth. He gripped the edge of the sofa tightly, trying to steady himself. “Start. Now.”