But I'm a proper river god, you know! - Chapter 33

Qi Yan watched her intently, his gaze carrying a strange, calming power that seemed to still the restless heart. “Hold your breath,” he said. “Let’s go.”

Yuan Ji clenched the small bead in her hand, its cool surface soothing the agitation within. Taking a deep breath, she steadied herself.

The bead Qi Yan had given her was engraved with an array designed to conceal one’s presence, functioning similarly to Luan Xuan’s illusionary jade pendant. By channeling a trace of spiritual energy into it and holding her breath, she could render herself undetectable to others.

The bead was tiny, its intricate array requiring painstaking precision—any minor flaw would render it useless, making it an exceedingly rare artifact. If Song Yingzi were to see it, she would no doubt make a fuss.

Yuan Ji glanced at the two men at the cave entrance, boasting to each other while taking out their petty frustrations on children many times weaker than themselves. Her eyes darkened.

She swiftly infused the bead with spiritual energy, and in the span of a single breath, her figure vanished from behind the tree.

Qi Yan, seeing this, also concealed himself without delay.

A tender sprout emerged from a crevice in the rocks, its delicate stem swaying faintly in the breeze, a speck of fresh green atop its fragile leaves. No one would have noticed that two people had stood there moments before.

“Hey, the wind’s picking up,” grumbled one of the burly men, his beady eyes squinting as dust blew into them. He loosened his grip on the whip to rub his eyes, then kicked the small boy at his feet.

“Brat, get back in line and stand straight. Listen to me, and I’ll let you live another hour. Hahaha…”

The man’s laughter was raucous, the kind of glee only found in tormenting those who couldn’t fight back. Normally, he was the one bowing and scraping to others—this was his only chance to feel powerful.

Guan Muping was kicked squarely in the ribs, sending him skidding across the rough ground. His clothes tore against the jagged gravel, his stomach throbbing with pain.

He coughed up a mouthful of blood, the metallic tang mixing with the taste of dirt, making him nauseous.

Gritting his teeth, Guan Muping swallowed his cries of pain, his glare fixed on the man.

Just wait. Just a little longer. Once the man let his guard down, he would kill him—even if it cost him his life.

Pushing himself up with his elbows, Guan Muping felt a warm trickle slide down his forehead, staining his vision red.

Then, a gentle breeze brushed against his cheek. His fingers twitched at his side, as if trying to grasp that fleeting warmth.

Someone’s here.

His body stiffened. Just as he was about to turn, a cool voice whispered beside his ear—soft, yet each word landed with the weight of a mountain.

“Don’t be afraid.”

His heart skipped. An unfamiliar emotion surged within him. Digging his nails into his palms, Guan Muping forced himself to stay composed.

What’s wrong with me?

Why does my chest feel so tight?

Qi Yan watched as Yuan Ji subtly softened Guan Muping’s fall with a cushion of qi. A faint smile flickered in his eyes.

“Oh no! His injuries are really bad!” System blurted out after a quick scan of Guan Muping’s condition. “Any worse, and he’d be dead. Even now, it’s critical—we need to find a safe place to treat him fast.”

Yuan Ji hesitated, about to retrieve healing medicine from the system store, when she noticed movement beside her.

She looked up to see Qi Yan extend two fingers, pressing them lightly against Guan Muping’s back. A fine web of spiritual energy spread over the boy’s wounds, slowly knitting them back together.

“Wow, his vitality’s stabilizing! He’s even starting to recover!”

System gasped, its opinion of Qi Yan instantly soaring. In its eyes, the man had just ascended to near-sainthood.

How could someone this kind-hearted be the ruthless villain from the novel? Did I misjudge him?

But the plot can’t be wrong… can it?

Data streamed frantically before System’s eyes, nearly overwhelming its processing power.

“That’s good,” Yuan Ji murmured, relieved. She nodded at Qi Yan, her impression of him deepening once more.

This man is full of secrets, but at least he’s quick to help.

Turning away, she quietly followed Guan Muping, who was now walking—confused but obedient—toward the cave entrance where the other children huddled.

The burly man, irritated by the children’s slow, fearful movements, cracked his whip against them. The dull thuds of impact mingled with the sound of tearing fabric and the faint scent of blood.

“Dogzi, don’t kill them. The sect leader will punish you,” the guard at the entrance warned.

Dogzi—the whip-wielding brute—waved him off. “Yeah, yeah. Move faster, brats, unless you want a taste of this!”

The children’s whimpers were stifled under the threat of the lash.

Crack! Crack! The sharp snaps of the whip grated on Yuan Ji’s ears. She pressed a hand to her temple, her gaze darkening.

Her eyes locked onto Dogzi as if he were already a corpse.

Then—a shrill, strangled scream tore through the air.

Dogzi’s wrist bent backward at a grotesque angle. He howled, his face contorted in agony.

“Dogzi, what the hell are you doing?” The guard rolled his eyes, unlocking the cave’s barrier. “Just get them inside already.”

Can’t even swing a whip without breaking your own wrist. Pathetic.

Dogzi’s eyes bulged, his mouth working soundlessly. Cold sweat drenched his back.

Someone just broke my arm—but I didn’t see anyone!

Am I being haunted?!

Guan Muping, supported by a little girl, lowered his head slightly, his fingers trembling at his sides.

He knew.

It was them—the ones who had saved him. Were they avenging the children?

“Pingping, I’m scared,” the little girl whispered, her face swollen. She clung to Guan Muping’s sleeve, shrinking back as Dogzi flailed wildly. “Will someone come save us?”

Guan Muping’s voice was quiet but firm. “Yes.”

“But he’s so mean. He’s already killed people. What if the person who saves us can’t beat him?”

“They can. Whoever saves us will be the strongest in the world. Just wait a little longer.”

“Okay, Pingping. We’ll wait together.”

The cave was cramped, lit only by a feeble fire that cast flickering shadows. Water dripped from the walls, collecting in puddles that made the air damp and heavy.

Drip. Drip.

After herding the children into a crude cage, Dogzi grimaced, waiting until he was out of the guard’s sight before fishing out a black, lumpy object from his robes and slapping it onto his broken arm.

The thing writhed like a living creature before burrowing into his flesh. Dogzi exhaled in relief.

“Lucky I stole this treasure from that old man. Otherwise, I’d be in real pain.”

“Tch. Still haven’t found the ones the others hid. If I had, that bastard wouldn’t dare look down on me.”

He spat in the guard’s direction, regret gnawing at him. Should’ve been more thorough.

Yuan Ji’s expression hardened the moment she saw the object in his hand. She exchanged a glance with Qi Yan.

“Parasite?”

“Yes.” Qi Yan’s voice was grave. “It seems the infestation isn’t limited to plants anymore.”

Yuan Ji’s lip curled in disgust as she eyed Dogzi’s arm, as though something filthy lurked beneath his skin.

But remembering their mission, she suppressed her revulsion. With a flick of her wrist, she sealed Dogzi’s voice to prevent him from raising an alarm, then immobilized him entirely.

Dogzi’s eyes widened in panic as he realized he couldn’t move or scream. Then—two figures materialized before him.

His pupils shrank to pinpricks. His heart hammered, blood roaring in his ears.

“Help! Someone help me! Who are you?! What do you want?!”

But no sound escaped.

The scrape of a blade against bone filled the silence, each stroke sending tremors through Dogzi’s body. His eyes bulged as he watched the parasite being dug out of his arm—just as he had done to others.

“No! That’s mine!” Without it, he was nothing. He couldn’t go back to being worthless!

Sweat drenched him like he’d been dunked in water. His gaze locked onto Yuan Ji.

“Kill me. Just kill me.”

As if reading his thoughts, Yuan Ji lowered her lashes and handed the extracted parasite to Qi Yan.

Death was mercy. Living in agony was the real punishment.

“So it’s demonic corruption,” Qi Yan murmured, sealing the parasite in a jade vial. This specimen was larger than the ones they’d seen before, its malevolent energy far more potent.

“If this comes into contact with a living person, the consequences will be dire.”

“We need to hurry.”

Yuan Ji nodded, though fragmented images flickered at the edges of her mind. Shaking her head to clear it, she said, “Let’s go.”

“Mm.” Qi Yan turned, his gaze lingering imperceptibly on Dogzi. Unnoticed by anyone, the immobilized man’s meridians ruptured moments later, his body wracked with unbearable pain until death took him.

Yuan Ji and Qi Yan approached the cage where the children were held. As soon as they opened it, they saw small forms huddled on the ground, some motionless, others trembling.

Yuan Ji summoned a small flame, its light washing over the terrified faces below.

The children blinked up in confusion, their expressions a mix of fear and hopelessness.

They didn’t know what awaited them—torture, humiliation, or death.

Then, one of them recognized Yuan Ji. Rubbing his eyes in disbelief, he scrambled to his feet, his voice bursting with joy.

“It’s the River God!”

“The River God heard our prayers!”

“The River God is here to save us!”

“We’re saved!”