Stranger Danger
Chapter 1315: Paper Doll Zhang

Chapter 1315: Paper Doll Zhang

“Two enemies?”

Murong Xianxian quickly figured out who he was talking about. “Papersmith and Ghost Taisui?”

“You are as astute as ever, big sis,” Ye Qing complimented.

Murong Xianxian smiled. “I do not mind lending you my aid, but I must warn you that my fee isn’t cheap.”

“I wouldn’t make you work for free, big sis.”

Ye Qing said smilingly, “How does Ghost Taisui’s Taisui Mountain sound?”

Although he and Murong Xianxian addressed each other as siblings, Ye Qing was aware that Murong Xianxian was helping him only because he possessed the bloodline of the Murong Clan and the inheritance of the Dark Overlord. Nothing else connected the two of them. That was why he never thought to ask for Murong Xianxian’s help without a proper compensation in mind.

For example, the price he paid her to kill Westwind Inn’s Boss was all of Westwind’s wealth and accumulation including Westwind Inn’s killers, Westwind Restaurant’s intelligence network and more.

Naturally, Ye Qing was prepared to pay Murong Xianxian for the containment of Ghost Taisui and Papersmith as well.

“Taisui Mountain?” Murong Xianxian’s smile didn't quite reach the eye. “Ghost Taisui may have fallen into the hands of the three Sages already. In that case, Taisui Mountain would cease to exist as well.”

“Ghost Taisui and Xuanyuan Kun will not perish that easily.”

Ye Qing declared with confidence, “Even if Ghost Taisui did die, and Taisui Mountain is erased from this world, their assets are still mine to do as I please.”

“Oh? It sounds like you have forces planted in Taisui Mountain,” Murong Xianxian remarked curiously.

Ye Qing smirked but said nothing. It was basically a silent admission.

“What about Papersmith? Killing him would be easy, but tracking him down is much harder,” Murong Xianxian said.

Ye Qing answered, “Worry not, big sis. My men have been keeping an eye on him.”

“Sounds like you’ve made all the necessary preparations.” Murong Xianxian chuckled meaningfully. “You have a big appetite, my younger brother.”

“The bold die from indulgence, and the cowardly die from starvation. If I’m going to die either way, I might as well go all in, right?”

Ye Qing chuckled. “Besides, I hate trouble. I prefer to solve my problems permanently.”

“Actually, now that I think about it, you may not need to tackle them personally. I simply ask that you ensure that nothing will go wrong.”

Murong Xianxian smiled. “Understood. I look forward to your work.”

I won’t disappoint you, big sis.”

Ye Qing smiled warm and genial like a gust of spring wind.

......

Wudang City of the Dong Qian region was a beautiful city with four seasons of spring. In Wei, they were nicknamed the Spring City.

There was a Longevity Street[1] in Wudang City. It was where coffins, incense, candles, paper offerings, and other funeral or sacrificial supplies were mainly sold.

Out of all the paper doll stores in Longevity Street, Paper Doll Zhang was the most popular and famous of them all. It was because their price was fair, and the paper dolls they made looked extremely lifelike. One could almost mistake them as real humans.

Besides that, people of this trade were generally reclusive, crippled, or disturbingly eccentric. However, Paper Doll Zhang was honest, good-natured, and kind. He often made paper rabbits, paper pigs, paper goats and other animals for kids to play with. That was why he was fairly popular in the area.

In the past few days though, Paper Doll Zhang seemed to have changed dramatically. His complexion was as white as a sheet, but his face was covered in scorched marks like he was burned. His aura was dark and chaotic, and his gaze was vicious and scary. He looked like a wounded beast, eyeing anyone who happened to enter his sights like a man-eating monster.

More importantly, Paper Doll Zhang had lost an arm.

Although Paper Doll Zhang’s neighbors were curious about his plight, no one was stupid or audacious enough to ask him about it.

Still, Paper Doll Zhang never stopped working despite losing an arm. The quality of the paper dolls he made did not deteriorate despite his disability either.

Paper Doll Zhang had another identity that his neighbors were totally unaware of. His name was Papersmith.

There was a saying that went something like this: the novice hides in the wilderness, the master hides in the city. Who would have thought that the notorious, murderous Papersmith would be the kind, honest Paper Doll Zhang of Longevity Street?

Today, when the cockcrow sounded three times, Papersmith appeared at his courtyard exactly on time and began working on his paper dolls like clockwork.

Obviously, his paper dolls weren’t ordinary paper dolls. They were Paper Puppets.

What was a Paper Puppet? A Paper Puppet was a paper doll created from the souls of the living. The paper doll army he had deployed at East Radiance Mountain were all Paper Puppets.

The reason he was crafting paper dolls and creating Paper Puppets everyday wasn’t because he had nothing to do, nor was it because it was a habit he could not break. It was a necessity.

Back at East Radiance Mountain, he had lost all of his Paper Puppets to Ghost Taisui. However, a large portion of his skill and power were dependent on the Paper Puppets. Without his Paper Puppets, Papersmith was about as deadly as a toothless tiger.

To add hail to snow, Papersmith was grievously injured by Ghost Taisui’s Taisui Ghost Flame, meaning that he wasn’t just toothless, he was ill as well. As intimidating as he looked, even a small breeze was enough to topple him over.

That was why he was working to grow his teeth back. It was the only way he could feel secure.

Sure, he did not think he was in danger. Sure, he did not think that anyone could find him. Sure, he was certain he had enough time to rest and recuperate.

None of that was a reason not to prepare, though. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.

The biggest reason he was doing this though was the fact that he had been feeling a subtle but growing sense of unease ever since he returned from East Radiance Mountain. It was like something bad was about to happen.

At first, he thought his premonition was warning him about Ghost Taisui. However, he quickly heard that Ghost Taisui was being hunted by Xiahou Zun, Wan Lingxiao, and Long-browed Divine Monk. Forget killing him, the bastard could scarcely save himself.

The unease did not disappear, however. On the contrary, it had been growing worse and worse every day.

Naturally, Papersmith was very confused. If Ghost Taisui wasn’t the source of his unease, then who was?

Was it perhaps a victim of his cruelty?

It couldn’t be. He had killed everyone he could kill and ensured that those he couldn’t kill would never be able to find him.

Logically speaking, he wasn’t in any danger whatsoever. However, the sense of unease continued to cling to him like a maggot in his bones, irritating him and terrifying him.

The only thing he could do now was to grow his teeth back and leave as soon as possible.

The reason he hadn’t left already was because it would be a most unwise decision.

For one, he wasn’t sure if his intuition was correct. If it was, then it would be a complete waste of time and energy.

And if his intuition was correct, then he would be on the run while grievously injured and lacking all the tools he needed to defend himself.

He might as well surrender himself to his enemy then.

Besides, staying behind allowed him to play one powerful trump card: the lives of everyone in this city.

He hadn’t been sitting idle during the many years he hid in this city. He had implanted a brand in the minds of every man, woman and child in this city. With one thought, he could kill all of them.

This was his final trump card. If a killer was coming after him, he could take this entire city hostage and threaten them with it. It would be his bargaining chip to escape or live to see another day.

If the killer had no moral compass and did not care if the city lived or died, at least his journey to the afterlife wouldn’t be lonely. How many people had an entire city as their funerary object? It was a win-win scenario no matter how he looked at it.

That was why he could sit here and focus on making his paper doll everyday despite his unease.

1. If you guys remember, there’s a Longevity Alley a looooong time ago. They all follow the same naming convention. ☜