Chapter 44

Chapter 44

The cold moonlight spilled over the wheat fields, rustling the golden waves.

In the heart of the field lay a gaunt young man, curled up as if trapped in a nightmare. His brow was furrowed in anxious unease, and his pale lips constantly twitched, as if whispering unspoken words.

His clothes were in disarray, his exposed skin covered in suggestive red marks. His chest bore numerous bite marks, stark against his fair skin like flowers blooming on fresh snow.

Another gust of evening breeze swept by. The young man gasped, his eyes snapping open. He jolted upright, his chest heaving, his entire being still reeling from a profound shock.

He instinctively raised a hand to his neck, but the anticipated pain never came. His limbs were also free of aches. The scarecrow hadn't touched him…

Lin Xingshu’s heart, which had been suspended in dread, finally settled. He lowered his head weakly, only to find his collar gaping open, revealing fair skin covered in red marks and even bite imprints. His mind went blank. Cautiously, he reached out to touch the bite marks on his chest; a sharp sting shot through him, and his body trembled uncontrollably.

Had he actually been… violated by a scarecrow?!

Lin Xingshu’s face paled. With trembling hands, he buttoned his shirt, one button at a time, his thoughts a chaotic mess. Faintly, he recalled the humiliating memories of what had transpired.

Though the scarecrow had made no discernible movements, he had felt countless invisible hands roaming over his body. No matter how he struggled, those hands had held him in an inescapable grip, leaving him utterly helpless.

He had watched, powerless, as those unseen hands defiled his body. His mouth was forced open, his tongue pulled. Through eyes blurred by tears, he felt something cold and soft invade his mouth, wantonly exploring.

Tears fell uncontrollably, only to be licked away by an unseen tongue.

From his initial frantic struggles, he had eventually devolved into helpless, quiet sobs, his lips glistening with moisture. He shook his head repeatedly, his eyes pleading with the scarecrow, but his pleas only provoked even more unrestrained "retribution."

He didn't know how long the torment lasted. His body was wracked with pain everywhere, too weak to even lift a hand, drenched in sweat. His voice had broken into fragmented pleas, yet the assault showed no sign of stopping.

He had always been frail, unable to withstand such brutality. In the end, he couldn't endure it any longer. His vision went black, and he collapsed into unconsciousness.

Lin Xingshu closed his eyes in agony. He couldn't believe it—he had been violated by a spirit…

He bit his lip hard, the humiliating memories replaying relentlessly in his mind. A surge of nameless fury erupted within him.

What was that creature thinking?

If it only wanted his body, why not just kill him? Why subject him to such humiliation?!

Truly an evil spirit—malicious and perverse, toying with him yet sparing his life. Was it all just for sport?

Lin Xingshu’s eyes flashed with anger, his lips curling into a cold, mocking smile.

Too bad for it—Lin Xingshu had never been one to bow in defeat.

Since he hadn’t died today, once he escaped Xiushan Village, he wouldn’t just report this to the authorities. He would also spare no expense to hire a master to subdue this evil spirit. Let’s see who would truly prevail!

Lin Xingshu coldly straightened his clothes, composed himself, and strode toward the village entrance. But whether it was due to the previous ordeal or the rough fabric rubbing against his chest, a slight, persistent sting remained.

His fury burned hotter. With a flash of shame and indignation in his eyes, he tugged at his clothes and marched forward.

It was the dead of night, but the moonlight was bright. As he moved through the wheat fields, he could see villagers with flashlights searching the rural path in the distance. He carefully picked his way, planning to skirt the fields and cross the mountains near the village exit.

"Found him yet?!"

A sharp female voice rang out from nearby—it was Liu Rong. Sweat-drenched, she dared not slacken her pace. She knew what Lin Xingshu meant to Xiushan Village.

If they could satisfy the deity this time, Xiushan Village would finally be included in the development plan. They would receive millions in compensation and new homes—no longer trapped in this small mountain village for the rest of their lives.

With that thought, her last lingering trace of guilt toward Lin Xingshu vanished. She shouted hoarsely at the searching villagers, "Hurry up and find him! If anything happens to him, none of you will escape punishment!"

"Hey—! Hey!"

From a distance, a young man sprinted toward them, waving at Liu Rong. "Rong-jie! Rong-jie! The deity has new instructions! You are to return to the ancestral hall!"

Liu Rong’s face went pale, her body shaking like a leaf. "Is… is the deity angry…?"

"No! Ugh, it’s hard to explain right now—just come quick!"

Liu Rong gritted her teeth, throwing one last look at the dark wheat fields before reluctantly following the young man at a run.

In an instant, the dark wheat fields fell silent save for the rustling of the wheat. Only Lin Xingshu remained.

Lin Xingshu’s heart stirred, and he quickly dashed toward the nearby mountains.

Even if this group had returned to the ancestral hall, he dared not act rashly, fearing a trap. Taking the long way around was safer. He didn't believe they could find him in the mountains!

*

Inside the ancestral hall.

A vast crowd knelt on the ground, holding their breath, daring not to speak. Liu Rong, dusty from her hurried journey, arrived with the young man and immediately prostrated herself before the statue, bowing devoutly:

"My Lord, what are your instructions?"

Bang—!

The ancestral hall doors slammed shut with a sudden gust of wind. Everyone gasped, then prostrated themselves on the ground, trembling.

"The ritual is moved up. Tonight, I shall take my bride."

"What?!"

Liu Rong’s eyes widened in disbelief, her heart hammering like a drum, her gaze growing increasingly panicked.

What now? Lin Xingshu had run off. How could the deity’s wedding proceed? Was she supposed to tell the deity directly that she had lost his bride?

The deity would surely rage and punish her…

At this thought, Liu Rong’s body began to tremble uncontrollably. She clenched and unclenched her fists, then stammered, "My Lord… your bride, he…"

Liu Rong truly didn't know how to begin, but the deity's next words immediately dispelled her worries:

"I know. He fled."

A deep, gentle male voice suddenly chuckled, echoing eerily clear in the silent ancestral hall. The kneeling crowd exchanged bewildered glances.

Liu Rong was also somewhat bewildered. The bride had run off—was this something to be happy about?

As she pondered, a sudden gale erupted. The red cloth covering the statue was violently ripped away. To the astonishment of the crowd, the statue emitted a deafening roar. Liu Rong stumbled back, falling to the ground in panic as the earth shook beneath her.

At the same time, the ancestral tablets in the room to the left toppled from their shelves with the statue's vibrations, and the eternal lamp was extinguished by the strong wind. Villagers rushed to right the tablets, only to find them all broken, almost shattered into splinters.

The crowd stood frozen, their faces filled with panic.

Crack—

The statue suddenly began to crack. The once towering idol gradually crumbled, its stone fragments rolling to the ground with the tremors.

To the astonishment of the crowd, a tall figure slowly emerged from the shattered statue. The man was clad in coarse, old-fashioned robes. His cold, pale face bore an indifferent expression as he stood arrogantly atop the altar, surveying the kneeling villagers below with a detached gaze.

Yet, a flaw marred his appearance: while his upper half was human, his lower body remained that of a scarecrow. His exposed legs were covered in wood grain, creating an indescribably eerie incongruity with his human torso.

Liu Rong stood frozen, utterly dumbfounded. She could hardly believe that a man had emerged from the idol she had worshipped for over 30 years...

And such a young and handsome man at that.

Xie Guan scanned the crowd of villagers before him. Their features bore a resemblance, however slight, to those of his ancestors. Uncontrollably, memories of his brutal death flashed through his mind, fueling the hatred burning in his chest. His icy gaze swept over each villager's face, a brief flash of revulsion passing through his eyes before vanishing, his expression returning to its stone-cold mask.

He tilted his chin up just a fraction, his voice as cold as ever: "Are you not pleased by my new form?"

Gradually snapping out of their shock, Liu Rong was the first to prostrate herself on the ground, her voice trembling: "We rejoice at your rebirth, great one!"

The others quickly followed suit, scrambling to bow: "We rejoice at your rebirth, great one!"

Xie Guan gave the slightest lift of his hand, and the villagers abruptly straightened in unison. He nodded impassively at them:

"I owe this new life to the continuous offerings over the years. I was once a member of Xiushan Village, and to express my gratitude, I shall fulfill your wishes. But before that, I hope you can bring my bride back to me."

Liu Rong’s eyes widened abruptly, brimming with excitement. Her mind involuntarily conjured images of Xiushan Village being developed and her bank account swelling with a massive transfer.

She hastily kowtowed to the man on the altar: "We will bring him back without fail and hold the most perfect wedding for the two of you!"

A hint of something dark flickered in Xie Guan’s eyes as his smile grew sharper.

But Liu Rong's enthusiasm quickly waned. She hesitantly added, "But your bride has already fled... He might have left the village by now. How can we possibly find him..."

"No, he hasn’t left."

Xie Guan gazed ahead, speaking calmly: "He is currently scaling the ridge near the village entrance. If you set out now, you should still catch him."

The moment the words left his mouth, Liu Rong was already moving. With her leading the way, the villagers followed in a determined mob toward the village entrance.

As the clamor gradually faded, Xie Guan watched them depart. Once their figures vanished, he leaped lightly down from the altar and skipped cheerfully into the room housing the ancestral tablets.

Surveying the chaos within, Xie Guan let out a delighted chuckle. He hopped over to the altar table, narrowing his eyes at the few remaining tablets. With a slight lift of his hand and a flick of his fingers, the last of the tablets clattered to the ground with crisp, shattering sounds.

At the sight of the wreckage, Xie Guan laughed heartily, his low, raspy laughter filling the room.

He stomped on the shattered ancestral tablets, his face alight with joy, the hatred in his eyes nearly overflowing.

"Magistrate Liu... Magistrate Liu, you never imagined I’d return when you sealed me away with such vile methods, did you?"

"Thanks to your descendants—their devout worship, placing me above you all—my imprisoned soul gained strength. That’s how I met my bride, and thanks to him, I finally broke free from the seal."

His foot ground heavily into the ancestral tablets, crushing the already splintered wood with a satisfying crunch.

"Thank you... all of you. I told you I’d return. Just watch—every ounce of suffering you inflicted on me, I’ll repay a hundred... no, a thousand times over... Hahaha—"

Xie Guan laughed maniacally, his pitch-black eyes brimming with delight. He hummed an eerie tune, lifting his stiff foot as he stepped over the shattered remnants of the tablets.