novel bin Page 122
Page 122
"Save my mother! She's still breathing. She's my only remaining family!"
"Save her! Save her!"
An old man kowtowed repeatedly to the fox demon who was treating his grandson, until his forehead bled.
"Thank you, thank you so much!"
"I'm kowtowing to you, I'm kowtowing to you. I'm giving you my life, I'll do anything you want!"
A woman, holding a little girl covered in blood, knelt before Tu Shan Hong Hong, her voice weak yet filled with desperate pleading.
"My daughter is dying... Please, please save her, save her! I'll do anything!"
Tu Shan Honghong's hands trembled slightly. She had seen the ferocity of creatures from outside the circle, but she had never seen such a vibrant life perish right before her eyes.
She instinctively tried to use her demonic power, but when she raised her hand, she found that the murderers had already disappeared.
Tu Shan Rongrong, standing to the side, also changed her usual demeanor, her eyes filled with heaviness.
She silently took out the talismans she carried with her and pasted them one by one on the crumbling wall to prevent a secondary collapse from harming the survivors.
In the distance, the stone demons of Beishan arrived carrying supplies. Their originally noisy footsteps fell silent the moment they saw the ruins.
Shi Kuan's face was full of shock. He reached out and touched a still smoking roof beam, and the stone nails on his fingertips were burning hot.
Even the sand foxes from the Western Regions have arrived.
They all held their breath at this moment. Some of the younger sand foxes looked at the dead children and couldn't help but have tears in their eyes, their bodies trembling uncontrollably.
How could you do this?
Why would you treat innocent people so cruelly?
How could those lives that could laugh, cry, and be happy for half a day over a piece of candy just disappear like that?
The wind carried the stench of blood, along with the cries of children, the sobs of women, and the silent sighs of the demons.
The sun had completely set, and night had fallen, but the bloodstains on the ruins gleamed coldly in the moonlight, like a scar that would never heal, etched into everyone's heart.
The vermilion gate was half-open, and the wind carrying the stench of blood wafted out, clinging to Mu Qinghan's robes, as cold as ice.
He stood outside the threshold, the bluestone slabs at his feet still stained with undried blood, unable to take a single step inside.
The scene inside the mansion already embodies the word "home"...
On the bluestone road, the bodies of the herdsmen lay scattered about.
The aunt who always smiled and gave him candy was lying on the porch, her hands still in a protective posture.
The uncle who taught him to hold the sword had a broken blade stuck in his chest, and half a piece of pastry for the child was still clutched between his fingers.
Lian Zong was chasing after his little cousin, who called him "Brother Qinghan." His small body was curled up beside the stone steps, his face still covered in dust from playing.
Blood trickled down the cracks in the stone slabs, pooling into a dark red puddle inside the doorway, reflecting the low-hanging dark clouds on the horizon.
Mu Qinghan neither cried nor got angry.
He was like a frozen stone statue, his aura extremely tight.
Anyone who gets close will only feel a bone-chilling cold.
That chill wasn't caused by magic; it was a deathly stillness that seeped from the very marrow of one's bones, a repression where even grief was tightly gripped.
The curtains in the main room were lifted by the wind, revealing Old Man Mu on the bed.
The man's hair was completely white, his face was even whiter than the bed curtains, and his breathing was so weak that his chest was barely rising and falling.
Mu Shenqi and his mother stood guard by the bedside, their clothes stained with blood, their eyes swollen and shiny. They would glance at the door every now and then, their lips moving, but they couldn't even utter a single word, "Qinghan."
The words were on the tip of her tongue, but she swallowed them back down with a sob in her throat.
"Waaah... Little Afu, Little Afu, wake up..."
The sound of crying came from the corner of the courtyard.
Mu Qinghan's gaze slowly shifted, and he saw Afu kneeling on the ground, holding little Afu tightly in his arms.
It was that little yellow dog that always wagged its tail and rubbed against his palm.
But at this moment, Xiao Afu's body was already cold, and the corners of its mouth were still covered with the bits of jerky that Afu had fed it that morning. Its ears, which had been drooping, were now stiffly pressed against its head.
Afu buried his face in the crook of Little Afu's neck, his shoulders shaking violently.
He clutched the dog's body tightly with both hands, his fingertips crumpling the dog's fur, his sobs hoarse.
"Don't you love following me around the most? Get up, I'll buy you more jerky, the biggest piece ever..."
Tears streamed down his fingers, soaking Little Afu's yellow fur and dripping onto the cold stone slab, leaving small wet marks.
The cat, which had been pinned down by Little Afu, miraculously survived.
It circled around Afu and Little Afu twice, rubbed its head against Little Afu's stiff paws, and when there was no reaction, it tiptoed and licked Little Afu's ears with its pink tongue.
It made a whimpering sound in its throat, as if calling to its companions who would never wag their tails in response again.
The cries and sobs swirled in his ears, but Mu Qinghan seemed not to hear them.
His mind was filled with the smiling faces of the shepherds—
"Little Qinghan, why don't you try the new wooden sword your uncle made and see if it's heavy?"
The uncle handed over the wooden sword with his rough hands, his palms still covered in sawdust.
"Qinghan, don't bottle up your grievances. Second Master's blade will cut down those bad things for you!"
The second master stroked his stubble and brandished his sword in front of him.
"Brother Qinghan, when I grow up, I will become the most powerful expert and protect the Mu family with you!"
"Hehehe, but I'm definitely not as good as you, Brother Qinghan."
His little cousin tugged at his clothes, his eyes shining like stars.
"It's chilly. There's some sweet cake warming on the stove. I'll get you two pieces. Don't always stay cooped up in the room reading."
My aunt came over carrying a plate, her steps light and quick.
"So cold and desolate..."
"So cold and desolate..."
"It's alright, Qinghan, you have your family...your family loves you..."
Each call was like a red-hot iron, searing his heart with pain.
Suddenly, Mu Qinghan's fingers clenched tightly, her knuckles turned bluish-white, her nails dug into her palms, and blood seeped out.
His eyes were no longer calm; they were churning with turbulent waves.
It was an overwhelming grief, a hatred that consumed everything.
"lust……"
His voice was extremely low, yet it carried immense power; every word was filled with hatred that ran deep into his bones.
"I, Mu Qinghan, swear on my life—"
The wind suddenly lifted his robes, scattering his unfinished vows into the air.
But the resolve in his eyes was heavier than any words.
Chapter 145 Blood and Tears
Warm light spilled across the room, and shadows flickered.
A soft call stuck in my throat.
Tu Shan Ya Ya looked at the tall figure in the hall, her fingers trembling slightly.
Mu Qinghan was still dressed in white, but it was mourning clothes.
Her black hair was tied up with a jade hairpin, and she was nodding and talking with Tu Shan Honghong and several demon elders.
His expression was indifferent, showing neither sorrow nor emotion, as if the disaster of the previous night and the clansmen who lay buried in the ruins had not left the slightest mark on his heart.
"Thank you all for your kind assistance this time."
His voice was clear and steady, “The reconstruction of the human race depends on all of you demon race comrades. The treaty has already stipulated that all demon race members who participate in disaster relief can freely trade in the three border cities and will have their taxes reduced by 30%.”
"Those who marry between humans and demons will receive the protection of the human race."
As he flipped through the bamboo slips with his fingertips, his movements were fluid and efficient, as if he had already memorized all the clauses.
Representatives from various factions inside the hall nodded in approval.
This strongest human, after the catastrophe, spent a sleepless night building the first barrier for peace between humans and demons with paper and pen.
He responded to questions from all sides in an orderly manner, making precise and decisive decisions on everything from resource allocation and border security to the resettlement of displaced people and the sharing of spiritual resources.
Like an unyielding mountain, it steadily supports this shattered world.
But Tu Shan Ya Ya felt as if an invisible hand was gripping her heart, and a dense, throbbing pain spread through her.
She had seen Mu Qinghan in his prime, when his eyes shone like stars.
But now... it's as calm as a stagnant pool.
She knew that he had suppressed that extreme sorrow deep within his heart.
Because he is Mu Qinghan, the strongest among humans.
Countless eyes were on him, and the lives of countless people depended on him.
Amidst the ruins lie displaced people, and along the border lurk evil spirits seeking to take advantage of the chaos.
The seeds of peace between humans and demons have only just been sown, and the fragmented state of humanity has only just begun to turn around; a slight misstep could cause it all to vanish.
He cannot be sad, cannot be weak, and cannot let those struggling in pain see their pillars waver even slightly.
Like a plum blossom standing proudly in the snow, even if its branches are bent by ice and snow, it will still try its best to bloom and bring hope to people in the cold winter with a faint fragrance.
Those frostbite marks from the ice and snow, those deep-seated pains, can only be licked alone in the dead of night when no one knows.
After the meeting concluded, representatives from various factions departed one after another, and the hall gradually became empty.
After seeing off the last demon elder, Mu Qinghan finally stopped, his back to the palace gate, gazing at the snowflakes dancing in the air below, his body slightly stiff.