This Villain Ch.234

Chapter 234: The seal of the big villain is lifted!

Yu Yin remained asleep for two more days, but the webs stopped appearing from his body, signaling that his condition had stabilized.

Sticking to their plan, Yu Guang took Yu Yin and Wu Jin back to Du Village.

They retraced the same path they had taken before. The previously dry riverbed now carried flowing water, murky but alive, bringing vitality back to the land on both sides.

Without the “Dragon Lady” controlling the weather, the drought in the area would soon be over.

Wu Jin yawned as he rode beside Yu Guang.

For the past two days, while Yu Guang stayed to watch over the unconscious Yu Yin, Wu Jin had been at the banks of the Ling River dealing with the serpent demon’s remains. He’d built a pyre and burned the body, staying up the entire night.

“When I was burning the corpse, quite a few people were sneaking around by the shore, but none of them dared to approach,” Wu Jin reported.

“Don’t worry about them for now,” Yu Guang replied. “You’ve worked hard. Once we get to Du Village, you can take a proper rest.”

“This was nothing. I just had to stack some wood and light a fire, then stand watch. That thing’s body was so flammable, I barely needed to add any more fuel.”

They kept a steady pace to avoid jostling the still-unconscious Yu Yin, which allowed for some conversation as they rode.

As they passed through the familiar Xiahe Village, an emaciated woman suddenly ran out from the roadside. She waved her arms frantically, blocking their path, and shouted for help.

The two men’s first reaction was that someone was trying to rob them. Yu Guang quickly scanned the woods on either side of the road but didn’t notice any signs of an ambush. The only person present was the woman, who seemed on the verge of collapse, lying in the middle of the road. They pulled their horses to a stop.

Wu Jin dismounted alongside him and said, “It’s the woman we questioned here a few days ago.”

The woman, who had fallen in the road, struggled to get up again. Without saying a word, she kowtowed deeply in their direction.

“Not long after the two of you left, water started flowing in the river again. I knew it must have been thanks to you two!” she exclaimed.

“I beg you, please help us again! Last night, a group of people came and took away everyone still alive in our village. Those who resisted were killed on the spot.”

“I hid in a pile of firewood and wasn’t discovered, but my husband and brother were both taken. I don’t know what else to do. Please, I’m begging you!”

“How can the world be like this? We finally made it through until now, and the water came back. Why must we face this kind of disaster again…”

Yu Guang, still carrying Yu Yin on his back, squatted down and asked, “Do you know where they were taken? Or what they were taken to do?”

The woman shook her head, her face full of despair. “I don’t know. What else could it be? People taken in the past never came back alive.”

Wu Jin stepped forward a few paces, then turned back and said, “Big Brother, these tracks and footprints are still clear. If we follow them, we might be able to find something.”

“Alright.” Yu Guang lowered Yu Yin from his back. “I’ll follow the trail and take a look. You stay here in the village with the youngest.”

Understanding that his big brother intended to resolve this quickly, Wu Jin accepted Yu Yin and assured him, “Don’t worry, Big Brother. I’ll take good care of little brother.”

Yu Guang rolled his shoulders, ready to leave, but added one more instruction as he turned to go: “Keep an eye on him. Don’t let anyone unfamiliar get close to him.”

The youngest’s condition was temporarily stable, but if unfamiliar people approached him recklessly, trouble could still arise.

Wu Jin thought to himself how much his big brother truly cared for his younger brother. Out loud, he replied, “Alright, I definitely won’t let anyone near him. I guarantee he’ll be fine when you come back!”

When the woman saw Yu Guang leave, she asked in a mix of surprise and disbelief, “He… is he really going to help us bring our people back?”

She had pleaded with them out of desperation, never truly believing they would help. In these times, few were willing to help others, and even fewer had the ability to do so.

“My big brother is just like that—he can’t stand to see evil go unpunished,” Wu Jin said. Having accompanied their big brother on many such occasions, he was used to seeing grateful expressions. He hoisted the unconscious Yu Yin onto his back.

“Big Sister, do you have a place where my little brother can lie down?”

“Yes, yes, at my house!” the woman quickly nodded, struggling to get up and lead the way.

Wu Jin laid Yu Yin on a wooden bed and sat by his side, arms crossed. He leaned back and began dozing lightly while keeping watch.

*

Meanwhile, Yu Guang followed the tracks off the main road and onto a small path.

The path was clearly newly made; broken branches still littered both sides, and the ground was covered in chaotic footprints.

After it merged into another, larger road, distinct wheel ruts appeared on the surface. Scattered chunks of soil lay on the sides, seemingly dirt that had been dug up and accidentally dropped during transport.

He stood by the roadside, examining the chunks of soil, when he heard faint sounds of sobbing approaching from a distance, accompanied by harsh scolding.

“Stop crying! Move faster! If you delay us, you’ll regret it!”

A group of men and women, emaciated to the point their ribs were visible, shuffled forward like a herd of sheep being driven. They were forced along by several men in dark uniforms, wielding whips and knives.

Yu Guang turned his calm gaze toward the scene, then dropped the stone in his hand.

Moments later, the crying came from someone else—a man in a dark uniform pressed to the ground by Yu Guang. His face was covered in tears and snot as he stammered through his words:

“We’re just following orders. The higher-ups told us to round up all the villagers nearby and drive them to the gold mine in Hui Lian Mountain.”

The previously silent villagers suddenly erupted into murmurs:

“A gold mine? They’re sending us to a gold mine?”

“If it’s to dig in the mines, maybe we can at least get enough to eat. There’s no food left in the village anyway. We’ve got no other way to live, so why not try mining?”

“Send them to mine?” Yu Guang’s grip tightened. “These people are so starved they can barely stand, let alone dig. Speak clearly—what are they being taken there to do?”

The man in the dark uniform was on the verge of fainting, his eyes rolling back. “I-I swear, I don’t know! We were just ordered to drive them into the mines, and that’s what we did!”

In truth, the overseers themselves had their own grim suspicions. They believed these villagers were being sent as sacrificial offerings for the mine.

The gold mine in Hui Lian Mountain was a closely guarded secret, controlled by select families in Chazhou. In the past, only strong slaves and reliable tenant farmers were assigned to work there.

But these starving, desperate peasants, prone to theft and escape, were clearly unfit for mining. The only plausible use for them was as human sacrifices—buried in the mine to appease the earth gods, seeking blessings for abundant gold and protection against cave-ins.

This was the whispered speculation among the overseers, though the man before Yu Guang dared not voice such a sinister theory. Instead, he continued to beg for mercy.

Yu Guang released him and stopped questioning further. If he wanted to know the truth, he’d find out by going there himself.

Over the past few days, waves of people had been herded to the Hui Lian Mountain gold mine. The original miners—slaves and tenant farmers—had been sent back above ground, leaving the overseers puzzled about what was happening.

Some of the softer-hearted overseers, wearing ingratiating smiles, had approached the managers to ask, “So many people have been sent down to the mines in the past couple of days. Should we distribute some food to them?”

The overseer, plump and well-fed, wiped the grease from his lips and gave a mocking glance at the concerned underling.

“You’ve got a kind heart, but where do you think we’ll find food for all those people? Even if we gave them a meal or two, what difference would it make? They’re all going to die anyway. Better to let them go quickly and spare them the suffering.”

The overseer didn’t dare argue further. With a forced smile, he backed out of the room.

He avoided the direction of the mine, unwilling to hear the cries and wails that echoed from within. Keeping his distance, he pretended those sounds didn’t exist.

After all, what could he do about it? Men like him had no power to change things. His wife and children back home depended on him, and meddling could put his own life at risk.

Squatting against the mountainside and sighing heavily, he suddenly noticed a lone young man approaching, armed only with a single blade. The man seemed to glance in his direction but didn’t stop. Instead, he headed straight for the overseer’s quarters.

Moments later, the young man dragged the plump overseer out of the building.

The overseer’s shrill cries, like a pig being slaughtered, echoed far and wide.

“How dare you! Who do you think you are, causing trouble here? I am an overseer for the Zhen family! Where is everyone? Where have they all gone?!”

A group of overseers who had been gambling in a nearby shack came rushing out, only to be sent flying in all directions by the young man in mere moments.

The overseer hiding by the mountainside, torn between curiosity and fear, quickly retracted his steps and crouched deeper into his hiding spot, reluctant to get involved.

When the noise subsided, he cautiously peeked out to see the young man dragging the overseer and several other workers into the mine.

Staring at the entrance of the mine, the overseer hesitated. Should he report this to the higher-ups?

As the sun cast its slanting rays onto the mountain wall, it illuminated dozens of figures on the ridge above.

These figures seemed to appear out of nowhere, swiftly prying loose massive boulders from the mountainside. One after another, the stones tumbled down with thunderous roars, completely burying the mine entrance.

The patriarch of the Zhen family stood atop the mountainside, having waited here since the previous night. When he saw the scene below, all his exhaustion from the sleepless night vanished, replaced by overwhelming joy and a deep sense of relief.

He had been confident that, given Yu Guang’s nature, he would inevitably meddle in this matter and try to save those lowly peasants.

But no matter how strong Yu Guang was—capable of defeating hundreds of evil spirits or even slaying demons—how could he possibly stand against the forces of nature?

The mine, deep and complex, had been completely sealed off by the collapse. Not only was the entrance blocked, but the inside was certain to have caved in.

Even if Yu Guang miraculously survived being crushed, sealing him inside for ten days or more would starve him to death.

And with so many already starving people trapped in the mine, Yu Guang—so eager to play the hero—would see how futile his efforts to save anyone truly were.

The Zhen family patriarch laughed heartily, his mood lightened.

A servant at his side cautiously reminded him, “Master, the overseer was also inside the mine…”

The Zhen family patriarch dismissed the concern with a wave of his hand. “If he managed to deal with Yu Guang, then his death was worthwhile. Consider it a meritorious sacrifice; compensate his family generously.”

As they descended the cliff, more of the Zhen family’s servants approached.

“Master, Yu Guang’s companions have stopped at Xiahe Village. The Third Young Master has also reached the area. He sent us to ask if we should take action.”

The Zhen family patriarch smiled coldly. “Everything here has gone smoothly. Tell Chi’er to proceed.”

With Yu Guang out of the way, his remaining companions were insignificant.

The Zhen family patriarch recalled Wu Jin—he had some skill but was far inferior to Yu Guang. That was why he had sent the third son, along with several hundred men, to deal with him. More than enough.

As for the other one, who barely left an impression and was supposedly Yu Guang’s younger brother, he was even weaker.

“Tell Chi’er to capture them alive for now. Do not kill them—bring them back and imprison them,” the Zhen family patriarch ordered.

On the off chance—however slim—that Yu Guang somehow survived this ordeal, having Wu Jin and the younger brother as hostages would give them leverage.

The Zhen family patriarch, confident in his meticulously prepared fallback plans, believed his victory was certain.

*

At Xiahe Village, Wu Jin stood in front of a ramshackle mud-brick house, his fists clenched, while a few men groaned in pain at his feet.

Zhen Chi stood behind a group of cultivators and household guards, his expression smug with triumph.

“Stop resisting,” he sneered. “Didn’t I just tell you? Your brother, Yu Guang, is as good as dead. He won’t be coming to save you.”

“You heard that loud crash, didn’t you? He’s buried along with the others in the collapsed mine.”

“You’re all alone now. How much longer can you hold out? Why not surrender? Or better yet, kneel and beg for my mercy. Call me grandfather and plead for forgiveness. Maybe then, I’ll consider sparing your life.”

Wu Jin’s face darkened. He moved with an uncharacteristic fierceness, his usually jovial demeanor replaced by an aura of sheer brutality. With a single punch, he killed one of the approaching servants.

No one had expected this seemingly cheerful, burly man to be so terrifying when angered. Paralyzed by fear, the group hesitated to advance.

Zhen Chi, enraged, cursed them. “Cowards! What are you afraid of? Attack him! If you can’t take him down, you’ll all die anyway!”

Wu Jin fought with ruthless determination, striking harder than he ever had before. Yet, as more men charged at him, their sheer numbers began to wear him down.

He was no match for his big brother in strength, but he had made a promise to protect his younger brother, and he intended to keep it.

Clenching his teeth, Wu Jin let out a furious roar, enduring the blows that landed on him as he charged straight for Zhen Chi in the center of the group.

If he could take Zhen Chi down, there might still be a chance.

“Bang!”

Wu Jin crashed heavily to the ground near the yellow-earth doorway, spitting out a mouthful of blood.

Zhen Chi, still shaken, yelled at his men in fury, “What are you idiots doing? He almost got me! Call for reinforcements! I refuse to believe we can’t bring him down!”

Wu Jin coughed, frustrated at his failure, and spat on the ground. Holding his chest, which throbbed with pain, he struggled to stand.

Suddenly, he felt a chill run down his spine.

Looking up, he realized that Yu Yin had woken up at some point and was now standing right behind him.

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**TN

Only 10 chapters left. Ow..