Chapter 199 The Mystery of the Post Station

Chen Mu sat by the door, slowly drinking his soup, his gaze sweeping across the room.

The tables and chairs were old but wiped clean. Although there was dust on the floor, it wasn't cluttered. The charcoal in the hearth had been replenished, and the woodpile in the corner was stacked neatly.

Although the young girl's demeanor had been timid just moments ago, she was methodical in her actions; it was clear this was not her first time dealing with passing government officials on her own.

Everything seemed normal, yet he couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.

His perception of the aura of souls was exceptionally sharp. A faint, strange sensation permeated the post station, but it was neither Demonic Qi nor malicious yin energy.

Chen Mu set down his bowl and stood up, walking toward the cloth curtain behind the counter.

"Chen Mu?" Bai Junyi looked up.

"Just relieving myself," Chen Mu replied briefly, lifting the curtain.

Behind the curtain was a short, narrow corridor. To the left was the kitchen, with the door half-ajar; he could see Lin Xiuer crouching before the stove, adding firewood. To the right was a tightly closed wooden door, likely a storeroom or bedroom. At the end of the corridor was another door, which was bolted shut.

Chen Mu took a few steps forward and reached out to push the bolt; it didn't budge, bolted from the inside.

"Officer?" Lin Xiuer's voice came from the kitchen doorway. She was carrying a wooden basin containing hot water and clean towels, her face showing a mix of confusion and unease.

"Is there something you're looking for, Officer? The latrine is in the corner on the left side of the backyard."

Chen Mu withdrew his gaze and walked over. "Just looking around. Do you need any help?"

Lin Xiuer shook her head hurriedly and placed the wooden basin on a small table in the corridor.

"No, no need. The hot water is ready. You officers can clean your wounds first. The meal will be ready soon; it's just simple fare, I hope you'll forgive the poor hospitality."

As she spoke, she hurried back to the kitchen to stir-fry the wild vegetables in the pot.

Chen Mu didn't say anything more; he picked up the basin and returned to the front hall.

The group used the hot water to simply clean their wounds and apply medicine and bandages. Lin Xiuer soon brought out a few basins of brown rice, two dishes of pickled vegetables, and an earthenware pot of stewed wild vegetables that had been cooked until tender. Although simple, for the group after a fierce battle, it was a rare and welcome hot meal.

Lin Xiuer stood reservedly by the counter, eyes cast down, not daring to look much. Bai Junyi invited her to eat with them, but she just shook her head and said she had already eaten.

Lu Dachuan asked while shoveling rice into his mouth, "Miss Lin, was there anything unusual about your father before he went into the mountains? Or, besides the snake demon in the stone formation, have you seen anything else strange around here?"

Lin Xiuer's body trembled, and she lowered her head, twisting her fingers. "My father often went into the mountains to gather herbs and was very familiar with Black Rock Mountain. That day, he said he was going to pick a rare Rock Heart Herb near the cliff and would return in three days at most, but it has been fifteen days now."

Her voice gradually grew choked with sobs. "In the past half-month, I have searched at the foot of the mountain several times, but only found my father's herb basket, dropped near the cliff edge. As for him... he..."

She couldn't continue and raised a hand to wipe the corners of her eyes.

The group fell silent. In these deep mountains and old forests, herb gatherers slipping off cliffs or encountering wild beasts and demons, leaving no bones behind, was all too common in this world.

Bai Junyi nodded. "Before we return to the city tomorrow, we can take another look at the foot of the mountain. Miss Lin, please don't be too grief-stricken; perhaps your father is just trapped somewhere."

Lin Xiuer thanked him through tears.

After the meal, Lin Xiuer cleared away the bowls and chopsticks, boiled more hot water for everyone to wash up, and brought out bedding for them to rest.

As the night grew deeper, the group was exhausted and soon fell into a deep sleep, with only Feng Qing, who was on night watch, sitting by the door holding his bow.

Chen Mu closed his eyes to regulate his Qi, not falling into a deep sleep.

In the dead of night, that strange sensation seemed to become clearer, and the source appeared to be behind that tightly closed wooden door.

Around the hour of the Rat, Feng Qing swapped shifts, and Shi Yong took over the watch. Chen Mu quietly opened his eyes. Seeing that everyone was fast asleep and Shi Yong was dozing off against the wall while holding his blade, he rose silently and headed toward the corridor again.

The corridor was pitch black, and the wooden door remained tightly closed, with not a sound to be heard.

Chen Mu stood in front of the wooden door. He didn't push it open immediately but instead extended a trace of extremely subtle Soul Power.

There was something behind the door. It wasn't a living thing, nor was it a corpse; it was more like a solidified existence filled with sorrow and resentment.

It was very quiet, quiet as if it had been dead for many years.

"Officer?" A faint voice suddenly came from behind him. Chen Mu turned around; Lin Xiuer was standing behind him, holding an oil lamp, though he didn't know when she had arrived.

"It's late at night, why aren't you resting, Officer?" She asked softly, her tone concerned, yet her eyes were fixed firmly on Chen Mu.

"Couldn't sleep, just walking around," Chen Mu said calmly. "What is kept in this room? It seems to have a stale, aged smell."

Lin Xiuer stepped forward two paces, opened her lips, and said in a low voice, "It's the storeroom where my father used to keep medicinal herbs and miscellaneous items. It hasn't been opened for a long time, so a musty smell is normal. Officer, you should go back and rest. The mountain wind is cold at night; be careful not to catch a chill."

She blocked the way between Chen Mu and the door. Although her posture was respectful, her intent to obstruct was obvious.

Chen Mu glanced at her, nodded, turned around, and walked back to lie down again.

Lin Xiuer stood at the entrance of the corridor holding the oil lamp, watching him quietly for a moment before gently blowing out the flame.

Numerous clues churned in Chen Mu's mind.

There was no Demonic Qi on Lin Xiuer, her words and actions had no flaws, and even her soul belonged to a human. However, her actions indicated that she was definitely not as simple as she appeared on the surface.

What exactly was behind the door?

Chen Mu didn't care if the young girl was human or ghost, demon or monster. What he cared about was the threat this thing posed to him and Team C, as well as how much Lifespan he could gain if he cleared it.

For now, the threat seemed extremely weak and showed no signs of attacking actively. Although Lin Xiuer was hiding something, she had no ill intent and even felt gratitude toward the group.

For now, he would remain still and wait.

Chen Mu gathered his focus and truly entered a state of meditation. His Hunyuan Wuji Calamity Body slowly circulated, repairing the minor injuries left behind from the fierce battle during the day.

The next morning, as dawn broke, the group woke up one after another.

Lin Xiuer had already risen, boiled a pot of thin porridge, and heated up the leftovers from the previous night. Her eyes were somewhat red and swollen, as if she had been crying, but her spirit was still fine as she busied herself serving the group as they washed up and ate.

Bai Junyi's injuries had eased slightly, and he decided to set off immediately to return to the Prefecture. The report of their meritorious service needed to be submitted as soon as possible, and Zhao Si's injuries required better medical treatment.

Before departing, Bai Junyi took out a few pieces of broken silver and placed them on the counter.

"Miss, we've disturbed you for the night; please accept this small amount of silver as a token of our appreciation. Regarding your father's matter, after we return to the Prefecture, we will mention it to the local village elders to see if they can organize people to search the mountains again. Since you are here alone, you must be careful and keep your doors secure."

Lin Xiuer refused repeatedly. "You officers have removed a scourge for the people; how could I, a young woman, accept your money?"

Lu Dachuan also said in a gruff voice, "Just take it. It's not easy for a young girl to guard a post station alone. It'll be good for buying some rice and grain or paying someone to carry a message."

Lin Xiuer then accepted it through tears and thanked them repeatedly.

The group packed their gear and led their horses out of the post station. Lin Xiuer stood at the doorway, watching the team leave until they disappeared at the end of the mountain road.

The fragility, sorrow, and gratitude on her face faded away bit by bit.

Those eyes slowly lifted, but there was no longer a trace of timidity in their depths, leaving only an unfathomable coldness.