“Get out, all of you, get out! Otherwise, I’ll break your limbs first.”
The two bodyguards who rushed in first didn’t understand what was happening before Murong Yun kicked them both out. Despite Murong Yun looking like a housewife, she managed to send the two bodyguards tumbling. This showed she wasn’t as simple as she appeared and likely had martial arts skills.
The two bodyguards didn’t show any signs of displeasure. Instead, they peeked at Su Jiandong, their expressions conflicted, unsure who they should obey.
Murong Yun’s eyes narrowed, scaring the two bodyguards into recoiling and retreating. They even had the good sense to close the door behind them. Indeed, tigers were the most terrifying, especially when the word "female" was added before "tiger."
“Jiandong, the gentleman did find our daughter, but he found our daughter’s…” Murong Yun quickly recounted everything she had just seen to Su Jiandong, even detailing the use of the Heavenly Talisman.
Whether Murong Yun failed to express herself clearly or Su Jiandong misunderstood, he directly blurted out, “What… what did you say? Nannan is dead?”
I slapped my forehead, thinking to myself, this truly proved the old saying, “Those who are not of the same family do not enter the same household.” How could both husband and wife be a little eccentric?
If she were dead, I would have saved myself a lot of trouble. I could have just taken you to the mountain to find the corpse. Why would I need you to make a trip yourself, and be misunderstood as being in league with the kidnappers of Nannan? Was I out of my mind?
“Cough cough…”
I coughed twice, drawing their attention to myself, and explained Nannan’s current situation and my judgment. How much they believed it would depend on their own thoughts.
“Not dead?”
“Then how did I see Nannan’s soul?” Su Jiandong and Murong Yun spoke in unison.
“Nannan is not dead, but she’s close. Her soul has left her body, but I don’t know what she’s carrying that’s keeping her alive. If her physical body can be found before dark, there might still be a way to save her. Otherwise…”
They exchanged glances, as if they had thought of something, but neither of them spoke it aloud.
“You mean, if my daughter is found before dark today, she won’t have to die, is that right?”
I nodded and said, theoretically, yes. However, I don’t know where your daughter’s physical body is. But based on my judgment, she should be in the surrounding mountains. As for the exact location, it depends on whether you can find it.
While I said this, there were actually two other ways to find Nannan. One was to seek help from Huang San and have his disciples search. Weasels have a much keener sense of smell than humans, so finding her should be quick. However, Bai Ling’er was not at home, and I didn’t know where to find him, so this method was temporarily infeasible.
Another way was to cast a divination for Nannan. Although it wouldn’t directly pinpoint the location of her physical body, it would provide a general direction, and with the manpower they brought, they should be able to find her quickly.
However, I didn’t want to do that. From the first day I learned divination, my master had repeatedly warned me never to cast fortunes for living people, no matter what. When Fang Niubizi tested whether I was a Yin Diviner, he gave me a living fate, and I was almost shot to death by the bouncing copper coins. That was in the south, far from the Ancestral Master.
Now, if I were to directly cast a fortune for a living person in front of him, I didn’t know what the consequences would be. I couldn’t risk my own life to save Nannan, could I?
“Jiandong, quickly arrange for people to search the mountain. If they find her in time, our daughter might still be saved.”
“Why… why do you believe him so much? Aren’t you afraid he’s lying to you…”
“He won’t. Because I have already seen our daughter, I believe what this gentleman says.”
Seeing that Su Jiandong still wanted to say something, Murong Yun continued, “I’ve been married into your Su family for so many years, have I ever lied to you? If our daughter is gone, I won’t live either.” As she spoke, tears began to fall.
“Don’t cry, I’ll arrange for people to go up the mountain now.” Su Jiandong’s suspicious expression completely vanished with Murong Yun’s tears, and he immediately went out to have the arriving bodyguards search the mountain.
Although he brought many people, there were also many surrounding mountains, and no specific direction or distance was given. Let alone the dozens of people he brought, even if twice that number came, they might not be able to find her before dark.
Su Jiandong was not foolish. After arranging for his men, he made several phone calls, with almost the same content: dispatch more manpower to search the mountain. After the calls, he briefly spoke a few words with his wife and then followed them up the mountain.
Murong Yun had also intended to go up the mountain to search, but Su Jiandong stopped her, asking her to stay and wait for reinforcements. Otherwise, if no one was here to direct, it would likely descend into chaos.
The reinforcements arrived quickly. Standing at my doorstep, I could see the entrance of the village. A line of six large buses stopped at the village entrance, and a group of people quickly got out of the vehicles and ran towards my house.
“Sister, is the information accurate?” The leader was a girl around twenty years old, with a long ponytail and a fitted tracksuit that made her look youthful and radiant. The only regret was her flat figure, which was a waste of her beautiful face.
“Yes! Mr. Song here discovered it. Your brother-in-law has already taken people up the mountain to search.”
Upon hearing this, her younger sister glanced at me slightly, then frowned.
“Sister, aren’t you being fooled by this kid? Look at him, with his shifty eyes and furtive gaze, how could he have any clues? He’s probably in league with those who kidnapped Nannan. Why didn’t brother-in-law arrest him and interrogate him?”
She thought her voice could only be heard by the two of them, but my hearing was better than average, so I heard everything she said. However, I felt it would have been better not to hear it.
I might not be as handsome as A’Zu, but I do have clear eyes and a handsome face. How did I become a shifty-eyed person? This insult was too much!
“Little girl, you’re not old, but you have quite a temper. Don’t rely on your innate advantages to try and conquer the world.”
“Hmm? You were eavesdropping on us?”
I shook my head and said, “Do I need to eavesdrop? You were speaking so loudly that even the old hen in my yard heard you. You have this much time to gossip, you might as well go up the mountain to find someone.”
“You… what do you mean by ‘conquer the world’?”
“Conquer the world means conquer the world. If you have time, read more books, and you’ll naturally know.”
After speaking, I didn’t care about her expression. Since Murong Yun was there, she couldn’t do anything to me anyway. I picked up the fan and covered my face, lying on the lounge chair, preparing to rest well. At the same time, I thought about Bai Ling’er, hoping she would return soon so we could discuss matters.
Murong Yun’s sister looked down at me, and it seemed she instantly understood something. If her sister hadn’t stopped her, she probably would have come up to beat me.
“You brat, you wait for your auntie. If my niece isn’t found, I’ll skin you alive.”
I didn’t even take the fan down. Instead, I waved it at her, telling her to hurry up the mountain to find people and stop disturbing my sleep.
I was woken up by the sun. Looking at the time, it was almost noon. The courtyard was quiet, and even Murong Yun was nowhere to be seen. I figured she couldn’t sit still any longer and had gone up the mountain to search.
I made myself something simple to eat, then went to the冥堂 (míng táng - ancestral hall/place for the deceased) to check on Nannan. She was still sleeping soundly. However, the ball of white mist on her chest had reduced significantly, from the size of a goose egg to only a duck egg. If Nannan wasn’t found by dark, my earlier judgment would likely be confirmed.
“Where did Bai Ling’er go? Why hasn’t she returned yet?” I muttered outside the冥堂. When I had nothing to do, she was always flitting around me, but when I needed her, there was no sign of the “snake.” It was as if the word unreliable was written on her face.
“Speaking ill of me behind my back, careful your mouth rots!”
A sudden voice startled me. I didn’t know when Bai Ling’er had coiled herself on the lounge chair, her anthropomorphic eyes filled with exhaustion. Su Dan Novel Network.
“When did you get back? Why didn’t you say hello?”
“Say hello? Do you need to say hello when you return to your own home?”
I was so choked by Bai Ling’er’s words that my eyes rolled. Good heavens, she’d only stayed for less than three days and it was already her home. If she stayed for half a year, wouldn’t this village become her territory?
“Where is Huang San? Why didn’t he come with you?”
“Sleeping. He’ll probably come in the evening.”
Sleeping? Come in the evening? Then by the time he arrives, it will be too late. What should I do?