Water Ink Panel: Starting with Bow Technique to Hunt the Sun and Patrol the Skies
Chapter 170 - 94 Monster! Monster! Monster!

Tian Xiaohu obviously hadn't expected such an attitude from the other side, thinking that the old man mistook them for troublemakers.

He stepped forward and quickly explained, "We're not bad people. There's been war in Taiping County, and we're heading to the county town to seek refuge. Could you please help us, old man? We won't freeload."

The middle-aged man impatiently shouted, "Go, go, go! I don't care who you are. If you need to rest, find somewhere else. You're not welcome here. Get out!"

"You old fool, I'm speaking to you kindly, what kind of attitude is that? Do you think we're easy to bully?"

Even a clay Bodhisattva has a bit of anger, not to mention someone like Tian Xiaohu, a hunter from humble beginnings making a living in the mountains.

It was only out of respect for Shen Qing that he restrained himself a little.

Otherwise, he would have long since jumped up and started a fight with such a rude person.

"There's a happy occasion at home, sir, why act like this? Why not invite these gallants inside for a cup of celebratory wine? On such a late night, kicking people out like that is too heartless, no?"

At the moment the man was pushing Shen Qing and the others away, a girl in a red new dress walked out from the gate, warmly saying, "Everyone, my grandpa has a bad temper, please forgive him."

The girl revealed a cheerful smile and opened the gate of the village wall, "It's already dark, please come inside first. I'll talk with a few villagers later about vacating a room for you."

Seeing the understanding and considerate girl from the village, Tian Xiaohu's face instantly improved a lot. He shot a glance at the old man with a stiff expression and adjusted his attitude, happily saying, "Thank you, young lady."

Tian Xiaohu turned back to Shen Qing and the others, shouting, "They agreed, we can stay in the village tonight."

"That's great, we don't have to sleep outside tonight."

Xiao Zhi and Shen Xiaoshan and the others couldn't help but feel a sense of joy, quietly thinking they were lucky.

"Let's go. They've opened the wall, let's go in."

Tian Xiaohu led the cart, guiding everyone into the village.

Shen Qing dismounted, silently falling a step behind, holding the reins and following behind Tian Xiaohu.

As he passed by the old farmer and the girl, he couldn't help but take a second look.

The girl wasn't particularly beautiful; her skin was tanned and rough, her features somewhat aged, like a village girl living in the countryside.

At that moment, she wore a bright red dress, contrasting sharply with the dim mist surrounding them in the nighttime.

The previously aggressive old farmer stood quietly by her side, saying nothing, watching Shen Qing and the others with a complicated expression, as if he wanted to say something but refrained.

Shen Qing only found it somewhat strange.

Once everyone had entered the quiet little village, the girl in red slammed the enclosing gate shut.

She led Shen Qing and the others to a big open area in the village, saying, "This threshing ground is spacious, just park the cart here. People can go into my home for a cup of celebratory wine."

"We've brought a lot of stuff, we have to leave some people here to watch it." Shen Qing smiled slightly, pointing to Tian Xiaohu and Xiao Zhi, saying, "How about this, the three of us will go in first, and after we've eaten, we'll switch with the others."

"Do as you please, then."

The girl in red said nothing further, with no expression on her face.

"We have other things to do, make yourselves comfortable. Grandpa, let's go back."

She took the old farmer by the hand and returned to the house, head down.

Once the girl and the old farmer's figures disappeared from the door, Shen Qing whispered to Tian Xiaohu and Xiao Zhi, "Prepare your weapons, and stand behind me in a moment."

Tian Xiaohu was taken aback, "You think something's off here?"

Shen Qing nodded.

"Then we should leave quickly."

"We probably can't." Shen Qing glanced around, noticing the mist gathering near the village had become thicker, like a white beast crawling on the ground, slowly closing in on them.

Tian Xiaohu and Xiao Zhi felt a chill rise up their spines, shooting straight to their hearts.

"Let's go in and take a look."

Tian Xiaohu didn't say much, heading to the cart and pulling out a heavy crossbow loaded with arrows, holding it in his hand.

Xiao Zhi followed suit.

Once the two were ready, Shen Qing casually walked to the front door and pushed it open.

The creaking of the wooden door sounded particularly piercing in the silent night.

As Shen Qing pushed the door open, he saw the cramped, dark, and damp thatched hut entirely filled with a strange, dark red hue.

Upon closer inspection, it was the same color as congealed blood, even splattering entire walls in some places.

The weak moonlight seeped through broken window sills, making the scene inside the house even clearer.

The living room table was piled high with human flesh, dismembered and chaotically scattered.

Arms were arms, legs were legs, rib bones were rib bones.

Various organs stringed on straw hung by the table, with warm blood still dripping from them.

Though Tian Xiaohu and Xiao Zhi had killed people and seen bloody scenes, compared to the sight before them, those were nothing.

Shen Qing's gaze skipped over the gore, landing on the edge of a bed in the room, his face changing.

In the bedroom with a slightly festive decor, he saw three dog demons looking half-human and half-dog. They appeared like dogs but sat like humans on the bed, their sizes immense.

One dog demon had fur dark as ink, its eyes glowing with a ghostly green light.

"You two did quite well this time. I've decided... to make it quick for you."

The massive black dog reached into the shadows with its paw.

A muffled thud sounded, and it pulled out a fresh, red heart and liver.

The girl in red standing in the shadows stared wide-eyed, but felt no pain or screamed, looking like a puppet, motionless.

Nearby, the old farmer's face was ashen, trembling all over but not daring to act.

The black dog demon held the heart and liver with its paw, licking and gnawing intently.

Here, Tian Xiaohu and Xiao Zhi's hearts pounded, and their legs felt as heavy as lead, wanting to turn and leave, but finding their bodies bound by an invisible force, unable to move.

Fear washed over them like a tide.

What to do? What to do?

The two instinctively looked at Shen Qing, finding his face unusually calm, which settled their minds. Each drew their crossbows, aiming at the dog demons.

Shen Qing's mouth slowly curved upwards, revealing those sharp, white teeth, "I wondered what was in here, turned out to be just three mutts!"

The three old dogs sitting on the bed froze mid-action, staring wide-eyed at Shen Qing as if they were sculptures.

"You seem a bit reckless."

The Black Dog Demon on the outermost edge swallowed the tender heart whole, baring its teeth as it spoke.

Drool constantly dripped from its mouth, sizzling as it hit the ground.