The Record of Unusual Creature

The old village head was kind of stunned upon hearing Vivian’s words. He stroked his moustache as he recollected his memory. “There have been a lot of outsiders coming here lately, clad in all kinds of attire. I can’t recall the one you’ve mentioned…”

Hao Ren thought for a while. “Was there a woman saying that she was from an alien world and trying to go home? She was probably speaking in some foreign language.”

The old village head’s eyes glowed. “Ahh, that I remember. Two days ago, a woman had stayed for the night. She left a particularly deep impression because she spoke in foreign languages, which nobody could understand. She then spoke the language of the mountain people. She looked desperate and kept saying she wanted to go home…but, she did not mention anything about an alien world.

Hao Ren thought for a second; perhaps, she was being careful not to divulge her true origin to these mountain people. She did not do the same to the wolf pack because maybe, she thought that they were just a bunch of beasts, and as intelligent as the beasts were, they were still probably not as crafty as humans. Sensing that the old village head was looking at him curiously, Hao Ren waved his hand. “Forget about the alien world. We’re looking for the woman. Do you know which direction she was going?”

“Ahh, that I know.” The old village head nodded. “She was asking about a shortcut to the Beinz Blood Lake. I showed her the most popular route mercenaries used. Wait a second, I’ll get the map.”

The old village head was not used to divulging such information to strangers. He did it because of Becky, without raising further question. Becky had been a regular patron of the village while she was on a mission in the nearby steppe. She had helped the locals a lot while she was here. The locals who were indebted to her, trusted her.

The cylindrical house of the mountain people was simple. The interior was divided into different partitions using straw, which could be easily dismantled and moved. The living quarter where they sat in was near a room. The old village head went inside what looked like a bedroom and took out a scroll made from sheep skin. It had maps depicting the southern area of the steppe or prairie and the western area of the Kingdom.

“Go this way; first along the prairie, then right through the ancient trail across the mountain range in the middle. Most mercenaries use this route.” The village head pointed at the map. Hao Ren noticed the route basically matched the route Becky chose, except for the ancient trail across the mountain range. The old village head added, “She purchased a horse from the village. She didn’t have money but she bartered it with a kind of medicinal cream, which was magical in treating exterior wounds.”

The village head took a bit of the cream he got from the mysterious woman and placed it in a small box carved out from wood. The cream smelled fruity. Hao Ren could not identify the cream, and he could not tell where the woman came from based on this magical cream.

“Then we’ll follow this route.” Hao Ren raised his head and discussed with the members of his company. “It’s look shorter.”

Lily was busy, helping herself to the mountain folk’s special hard cakes baked from herbs and flour. It was in a manner very much like a dog gnawing greedily on a bone. She muttered indistinctly when she heard Hao Ren, “Okay, okay.”

“You seem to be too willing.” Vivian shot Lily a sideways glance. Then she turned her eyes to Becky. “Any problems with that route?”

Becky shook her head. “It looks just fine. Not much difference. Oh, by the way, you lot seem to be really particular about it.”

They giggled in unison. Then Nangong Wuyue fibbed, “Just studying things, you know… We’re used to it…”

Becky could not care less about that. Her eyes just stared curiously at the pot beside Hao Ren’s leg. “That’s dedication… You bring that thing along even when you’re eating. What kind of alchemical tool is that?”

Before Hao Ren could answer, tingling and water sounds came out from the pot. Lil Pea was torturing the MDT, and the MDT cried to Hao Ren telepathically. “Hao Ren! Please, take care of your naughty kid! Get the water changed, she’s using me to grind her teeth!”

Becky stared in awe at the pot. “It really is an alchemical tool! It works on its own?”

Hao Ren’s cold sweat was trickling down his back. He quickly took the pot and went outside. “Err…sort of. But, I need to get it checked…”

Looking at Hao Ren’s back, Nangong Wuyue felt sorry for him as she muttered to Vivian, “That’s how difficult life is, raising a premarital child. Look at this single father, he has to change his daughter’s water. His life’s basically over.”

Vivian was stupefied for a second before she could react. “He’s the only one who needs to give his daughter a water change!”

Lily looked up and stared at a cake on the table. She then reached for it. “You’re going to eat it? If not, I’ll take it.”

“Doggie, how dare you!”

“I’m hungry.”

“Put it down!”

“I’m hungry.”

“Don’t ever touch my barbeque!”

“I’m hungry.”

The village head looked on and he was overjoyed because it was an honour for mountain people to have guests scramble for their food. “Don’t worry, don’t worry. We still have plenty.”

Meanwhile, Hao Ren was carrying the pot and approaching a river outside of the village. The sun had completely set below the horizon, and the steppe was devoid of any manmade lights. The only light source was the illumination of stars and two moons. The village was tranquil and the surrounding atmosphere was natural as well as carefree. Hao Ren looked around and found no one at the river. He then took the lid off the pot, letting the little mermaid out. “Come out, Lil Pea. I’m giving you a water change.”

The little mermaid poked her head out and surveyed her surroundings. The dark scared her as much as the vast and unfamiliar environment. She hesitated for a while before she obediently jumped out from the pot.

After being soaked and tortured in the pot for the whole day, the MDT finally got out from it scornfully. It shook the water off and splashed it on Hao Ren’s face. “Serving you two has been the darkest moment of my life! Look at the bite… err… that’s the downside of an overly solid body. No evidence is left behind.”

Lil Pea looked up at her “carousel” and she again, began to grind her little teeth quietly. The MDT shuddered without making a sound.

Hao Ren refilled the pot with clean water before he took a piece of paper out and shoved it to Lil Pea. “Hungry?”

The rune cards, left behind by the pathetic Nangong Sanba, had saved Hao Ren a lot of money in buying food for his daughter. Half of the leftover cards were still unfinished.

Lil Pea took the card and gnawed on it. The sound of chewing on hard paper was louder in the silence of the night, very much like a mouse chewing on something—it was a disgusting but appropriate metaphor. Hao Ren sighed deeply as he placed the pot by his side. He was thinking about the Beinz Blood Lake and the myterious woman. A sudden plop jolted him out of his thoughts.

Lil Pea was gone.

“Your daughter jumped into the river!” The MDT screamed. “She’s being washed away.”

After she finished her food, Lil Pea mooched around. When she saw the nearby river, she was too excited as it was her first time seeing a big body of water. She could not help but throw herself into the water without thinking!

Hao Ren heard sloshes and the scream of fear. He jumped into the river at once. As he was about to follow the current in search of Lil Pea, he found the little mermaid right by his side—she was swimming against the current, and managed to stay at the same spot.

Hao Ren took the pot and scooped Lil Pea up from the water. Then he turned to the MDT. “You told me she was washed away? You scared the hell out of me!”

The MDT hovered in the air indifferently. “Yeah, she was indeed being washed away—at the speed of 0.5cm per second. Enough is enough! I too have my limits!”

“Go soak your head!” Hao Ren caught the MDT with his hand and shoved it back into the pot. As he was about to get out of the water, a beam of light shone on the river out of nowhere.

His eyes traced the light source and found that it was coming from a white, brick building across the river.