Chapter 7: Don’t Compliment Me Like That!

A gentle mountain breeze blew, sending wildflowers and grass swaying chaotically, as if echoing Song Xian’s current mood.

Had he run into someone familiar?

Or were these people from the Red Sleeve Brothel?

Heavens, besides the villainous stepfather persona, did the original character have other identities!?

Song Xian rubbed his nose, pretending to know Li Xinzhi:

“I was just about to ask you, how did you end up here, and why did you bring so many people? Did something big happen?”

“Not really big,”

Li Xinzhi replied,

“Someone from the Red Sleeve Brothel ran off—a girl. We haven’t caught her, and the team responsible for the chase vanished without a trace. My Gumu asked me to bring people and check it out.”

Gumu?

Could his Gumu be the boss of the Red Sleeve Brothel?

That meant this man’s identity was probably complicated as well.

Song Xian cautiously asked,

“Any leads yet?”

Li Xinzhi shrugged,

“Almost. The tracking dogs led us to this area.”

“Oh, you still haven’t told me why you’re here?”

Song Xian made up a casual excuse,

“Just passing by on business. I saw someone sneaking into the mountain, got curious, and followed, but lost them.”

Li Xinzhi hurriedly asked,

“What did that person look like?”

Song Xian continued fabricating,

“Slim build, tall, square face, walked quickly, constantly looking around.”

Li Xinzhi frowned, pondering.

Bai Ge was slender and delicate; Li Da and the others were burly men—none fit that description.

At that moment, four tracking dogs crowded around Song Xian, sniffing him nonstop despite attempts to pull them away.

Li Xinzhi suddenly slapped Song Xian’s shoulder, startling him so much his eyelashes trembled.

“Hahaha…”

Li Xinzhi laughed as he chased the dogs off,

“Ah Xian, don’t blame them for sniffing you. How long has it been since you last bathed? You smell awful.”

Huh?

Song Xian sniffed his sleeve,

“Is it really that bad?”

He’d long been overwhelmed by Duoxianggu’s stench and couldn’t smell any odd odor on his clothes.

Fortunately, this smell saved him from suspicion.

“It’s almost dark, you guys get to work—I won’t hold you up.”

Song Xian quickly waved goodbye.

“Hey? We rarely see each other, bro, can’t just leave after meeting. Don’t worry, we don’t mind your smell. Come on, accompany me for a bit. Since you went into the mountain, guide us.”

Li Xinzhi hooked his arm around Song Xian’s shoulder and headed into the forest, giving Song Xian no chance to refuse.

Song Xian couldn’t push back strongly either, or he’d arouse Li Xinzhi’s suspicion.

He chose a different route, leading Li Xinzhi and the others up the mountain from the north.

The slope was steep, thick with thorny plants, full of ravines and scattered rocks.

After some time, even the dogs were completely exhausted.

“Ugh, what’s that smell! It stinks to death!”

Just as they stepped into the boundary of the ancient forest, an indescribable foul stench hit them.

“Achoo! Achoo! Achoo!”

Everyone started sneezing.

The four dogs were worse off—heavy breathing, shaking their heads, noses running.

“Boss, just ahead is the ancient forest. The smell’s so bad, it must be cursed or haunted. We can’t go in. The tracking dogs are useless now; maybe we should just turn back?”

Song Xian nodded repeatedly, thinking it was a good suggestion.

Li Xinzhi asked him,

“Ah Xian, did you pick up that smell on you here?”

Song Xian:

“Probably. It wasn’t so strong when I arrived. I thought some wild beast had pooped nearby, so I left quickly.”

Li Xinzhi narrowed his eyes, face serious:

“That smell is strange. The person who entered the mountain was weird too. Li Da and the others’ scents disappeared nearby. Something’s definitely off in this forest. I don’t buy those stories about curses and vengeful ghosts. Let’s go check it out.”

The group had no choice but to obey and entered the forest.

“Ah Xian, we might make a big achievement here!”

Li Xinzhi suddenly grew excited.

Song Xian couldn’t understand why.

He just did what he could, covering his nose and mouth with a damp cloth to lessen the stench.

As night fell, they lit torches.

Ahead was a steep slope; the most agile man climbed first, grabbing tree trunks and leaning forward to pull everyone up one by one.

Halfway up, Song Xian and Li Xinzhi arrived at the back of the group.

Under the torchlight, the snow-white bark of the white bark trees on the slope shone brilliantly.

The strong man holding on was grabbing the trunk of a white bark tree, and every time he pulled someone up, the trunk trembled, making the “white leaves” shake violently.

With this degree of shaking, a large amount of pollen must be released!

Song Xian quickly took a piece of white bark tree bark from his sleeve and stuffed it into his mouth.

Li Xinzhi noticed the move and turned to ask—

Wait, what was he going to ask?

Li Xinzhi opened his mouth, then suddenly went blank and couldn’t say a word.

Thud!

Thud!

Thud!

Thud…

In an instant, twelve people and four dogs, including Li Xinzhi, collapsed one after another, all unconscious.

Song Xian hesitated on the spot, unsure of what to do next.

His villainous stepfather persona was still intact, and now he was involved with the Red Sleeve Brothel’s villains…

If his three sons found out, how would they see him?

His carefully built image of a glorious and noble father would shatter to pieces.

Bai Ge would hate him!

How was he supposed to deal with Li Xinzhi and the others?

Song Xian worried so much his head felt ready to burst.

He went to pick some wildflowers and started weaving flower baskets, flower wreaths, flower garlands…

Having something to do calmed his emotions, and once calm, he could think more clearly.

“It’s so late, and you’re not home. You’re here alone…”

Song Luyuan finally found Song Xian and breathed a sigh of relief, but when he saw the dozen or so strong men lying on the ground, his words stuck, and his relief returned.

Song Luyuan immediately turned and shouted at the top of his lungs,

“Big brother, Dad has killed again!”

“No, no, they’re just unconscious. There’s no cold fog this time, so they won’t freeze to death.”

Song Xian snapped back to reality, quickly stood up from the flower wreath, and patiently explained to Song Luyuan.

Song Hancheng arrived out of breath and was also shocked by the scene.

The two brothers checked the fallen Red Sleeve Brothel enforcers one after another, then looked up at Song Xian with complicated expressions.

At this moment, Song Xian’s mind was still tangled over how he’d explain this to his two sons when Li Xinzhi and the others woke up.

Feeling their strange gazes, he finally realized something was wrong.

Though unconscious, weren’t their complexions too pale?

Their chests showed no rise and fall.

Song Xian gasped,

“They can’t have… really died, right?”

Song Hancheng and Song Luyuan both nodded.

“Their nasal passages are red and swollen—death by asphyxiation. When asphyxiation occurs, the victim is unconscious, so there was no struggle.”

As Song Hancheng finished, Song Luyuan gave Song Xian a thumbs-up, then felt it was insufficient and raised both thumbs.

“I knew it! Dad staying out late must be doing big things!”

Song Xian:

He was stunned—murdering like mad.

“It’s okay; all of them are villains. They deserved their fate.”

Song Luyuan noticed Song Xian seemed a bit overwhelmed and comforted him.

Song Xian looked at the bodies on the ground, unmoved by the consolation.

Song Luyuan stacked the bodies neatly for easy application of Huashi Fen later.

Song Xian silently placed the flower wreath he had woven beside the corpses.

“I don’t understand. I was with them—why am I fine?”

Song Xian was puzzled.

Song Hancheng asked him to recall the exact circumstances and if there was anything he had that they didn’t.

Song Xian recounted the events honestly, only hiding the fact that he knew Li Xinzhi.

“I remember now—it was the spores from Duoxianggu. Inhaling too many causes redness and allergy inside the nose. I kept covering my mouth and nose with a damp cloth, so I’m fine.”

Song Hancheng nodded,

“That must be it.”

“Duoxianggu was thrown by Dad, and Dad led them into the forest. So these villains were definitely eliminated by Dad!”

Song Luyuan again gave Song Xian a thumbs-up, praising him for punishing evil and acting on heaven’s behalf.

He was a role model.

“The first kill was six people and two dogs, the second was twelve people and four dogs. Will Dad’s third kill be twenty-four people and eight dogs?”

Song Xian:

“!!!”

Was that really a compliment!?

Song Luyuan stayed behind to handle the bodies, while Song Hancheng led Song Xian down the mountain.

Seeing Song Xian in low spirits, Song Hancheng smiled and explained,

“It’s fate. Everyone who knew the secret is dead, and the smell is gone. After today, the Red Sleeve Brothel won’t suspect this place anymore. We can safely build houses here.”

That truly encouraged Song Xian.

Indeed, with Li Xinzhi dead, his secret was safe.

The picturesque family homestead was also secure.

That seemed like a pretty good outcome.

Song Xian’s steps lightened as he excitedly discussed his house-building ideas with Song Hancheng.

Song Hancheng listened with a smile, his eyes sparkling faintly.

Soon, their figures vanished into the night…

For the next half month, the valley remained peaceful.

The four father and sons worked together, digging foundations, hauling timber, and building a house until the wooden cabin was finished.

They chose to build a wooden house first because it was quick, allowing them to move in earlier.

Later, they could add sturdier stone structures.

Building the house cost a lot in recent days.

Every morning, Song Xian went to the mountain to collect herbs and mushrooms to sell through Song Hancheng.

Herbs sold well.

The Yao Pu mostly accepted them, and even unknown herbs were bought after verification.

Mushrooms were different; he only picked local edible varieties.

No one wanted to risk buying unfamiliar ones, and those who did couldn’t afford it.

As for the rare divine trees in the ancient forest, like the Great Lotus Tree, though priceless, they were too conspicuous and prone to bring trouble.

In chaotic times, desperate people were many and likely to risk everything for treasures.

At noon, after Song Xian and Song Luyuan finished building the stove, they moved their belongings from the temporary shelter into the new house.

Song Hancheng and Song Jimin had gone early to the Jishi and would return at night.

After a simple bite of flatbread, Song Xian and Song Luyuan went to Sanhu Village to find Bai Ge.

These days, Bai Ge had been living in the makeshift shelter in the valley.

Wanting to contribute to the family by learning needlework, she had gone to Sanhu Village to apprentice.

As they reached the Chenghuang Temple in Sanhu Village, sudden screams of Bai Ge echoed inside.

The two exchanged a glance and dashed in without hesitation.

Before the Chenghuang statue, two women were roughly forcing Bai Ge to kneel on the ground.

On both sides of the room stood villagers of Sanhu Village—men, women, old, and young.

A middle-aged man with a goatee raised a rattan cane, about to strike Bai Ge.