Chapter 5: The Village Guardian

The village head’s hands trembled slightly. He puffed on his dry tobacco pipe, struggling to maintain his composure so as not to appear rude.

"Young Master Chu, thank you for bringing my poor grandson back to me." After a long silence, the village head spoke again. His mind was in turmoil, and he had already repeated his thanks several times.

"It is late now. If you don't mind, I have a guest room; you may stay here for the night. Once I have finished my grandson’s funeral arrangements, I will properly express my gratitude to you!" The village head glanced at the sky; it was already pitch black. Even if Chu Danqing hadn't helped, he couldn't have turned him away. When Chu Danqing arrived earlier, he had shown his travel permit, proving he was a man of good standing.

"I shall accept your kindness, then. Otherwise, I would truly have nowhere to go tonight." Chu Danqing could not refuse. In this era, under the cover of night in the wilderness, safety was never a guarantee.

"By the way, I will leave these two beasts to you, Village Head," Chu Danqing said, gesturing toward the two wolf carcasses hanging in the corner. This gesture was enough to max out the favorability of the village head's family to the level of respect.

"I won't stand on ceremony then. I would love to grind these beasts' bones to dust!" The anger in the village head’s voice was so palpable that even Dabao, despite his lack of mental acuity, could sense it. Dabao, who was eating, shrank his head back, his massive frame looking somewhat comical.

"Jiang Tu, please handle these two beasts. Keep the wolf skins and bones for me, and when the meat is ready, stew it in a pot and distribute it among the villagers," the village head said, looking toward Jiang Tu, who was there for a meal.

"Don't worry, Village Head! With my skills, I guarantee I’ll skin and butcher them clean!" Jiang Tu stood up immediately, patting his chest in assurance.

"I trust your work." The village head nodded. His reasoning was simple: these beasts had eaten his grandson, so he would ensure they met the same fate. As for any taboos, he truly did not care.

"Young Master Chu, please have some dinner. As for tonight..." The village head paused and looked at Dabao. "Jiang Tu, could Dabao stay with you for the night? I don't want him to disturb Young Master Chu."

Before Jiang Tu could respond, Chu Danqing interjected, "Village Head, that wouldn't be right. I am just a guest; how could I take Brother Dabao's bed? If he doesn't mind, I can stay with him." Chu Danqing was genuinely embarrassed to displace anyone, but he also had his own subtle motives.

To put it plainly, the combat prowess of Dabao, the village guardian, was evident. If anything were to happen in the night, having him nearby would provide a sense of security.

"I don't mind, I don't mind! I want to stay in the room with Young Master Chu," Dabao quickly swallowed his food and spoke up immediately. Jiang Tu’s house only had one room, and sleeping with him was less appealing than squeezing in with Chu Danqing, who seemed far more agreeable.

"You don't mind? You should be grateful Young Master Chu doesn't mind you," Jiang Tu remarked, though he couldn't say much more given the situation. The village head considered speaking up, but Chu Danqing stepped in to insist it was no trouble, and the village head did not press the matter further.

"Then I’ll have to ask you to bear with Dabao tonight, Young Master Chu," the village head said by way of a final gesture.

After dinner, Jiang Tu wiped his mouth, shouldered the two wolf carcasses, and headed home. The village head’s eldest son brought a set of bedding and escorted Chu Danqing and Dabao to the side guest room, leaving only after making sure everything was in order. The village head’s family certainly wouldn't be sleeping tonight, whether from the burden of funeral preparations or the weight of their grief.

In the room, Dabao looked at the bed with a pained, pitiful expression. Given his size and appearance, it made Chu Danqing feel a mix of amusement and frustration.

"Alright, Dabao, you take the bed. I’ll sleep on the floor," Chu Danqing said, indifferent to where he slept.

"But... Dede said you should have it," Dabao said, clearly tempted but afraid to act.

"It’s fine. Just tell him I let you have it. He’ll only scold me," Chu Danqing coaxed. He could see that Dabao’s mental age was likely no more than five—he was just like a child. With that permission, Dabao was overjoyed.

They soon swapped sleeping spots. This small kindness caused Dabao to open up significantly, and he became much more talkative. Through their conversation, Chu Danqing learned much about Dabao: his mother had conceived him out of wedlock, and after giving birth, she had become deranged and wandered into the back mountains, never to return. Dabao had been born with intellectual disabilities and had been raised by the entire village, eating from a hundred homes and wearing clothes from a hundred families. He had grown into a formidable physical specimen, and despite his simple mind, his health and strength were a testament to the village’s care.

Chu Danqing also made inquiries about the White Dragon Fish and the Falling Flower Cave, but Dabao could only describe them as "bad things" and "black holes."

As they chatted, Chu Danqing drifted off to sleep without realizing it. It was only in the dead of night that he was roused by the faint, muffled sound of an infant crying.

"Whose child is crying in the middle of the night..." Chu Danqing pulled the quilt over his head, but mid-complaint, he suddenly realized his surroundings. He became instantly alert. Unfortunately, he couldn't confirm the exact time, but judging by the angle of the moonlight casting through the room, it was still far from dawn.

His gaze immediately turned to Dabao. He had suspected Dabao, both because of his mental state and because the trial mission had mentioned him. Fortunately, it wasn't him; he was sleeping soundly. As Chu Danqing stilled his heart to listen more closely, he realized the sound was coming from outside.

"Waa... Waa..."

Chu Danqing’s heart tightened. He was certain the crying was getting closer, and there was a high probability that he was the target. He scanned the room, but finding nothing to use for defense, he wondered if he should wake Dabao. Just as he was contemplating this, a strange, rustling sound came from the roof tiles, as if some four-legged creature were crawling across them.

He glanced up and caught sight of a dark shadow reaching down from the eaves—a head that looked vaguely familiar.

"Huh? A giant salamander?" As someone with a background in paleontology, Chu Danqing recognized it instantly. The problem was, a normal giant salamander’s neck didn't grow like a snake’s.

On the other side of the room, the sleeping Dabao suddenly snapped his eyes open and sat bolt upright. A fierce, predatory aura radiated from him, and the look in his eyes was no longer the clear, simple gaze from before.