Chapter 45 - Nightmare!
The damp, dark, and enclosed dungeon was filled with the thick stench of rot and mildew.
Although the few torches on the corridor walls struggled to cast their light, they could hardly create a ripple in the deep, chilling darkness.
Li Nan Ke stood before the cage, gazing at the Demonic Creature, Old Qin, who was bound by numerous iron chains.
Compared to his savage and violent demeanor during their first encounter, although the Demonic Creature Old Qin still had the build of a giant bear, one could clearly sense that his life was gradually slipping away.
His once-bloodthirsty eyes were now dim and lifeless, as he stared blankly at the wall in a daze.
On his abdomen was a gruesome wound, the flesh torn open, nearly spilling his intestines. It looked as if he had been brutally ripped open by sharp claws, a sight that sent a chill down one's spine.
“The wound on his abdomen was inflicted by another Demonic Creature.”
Leng Xinnan took out a fragment of a wooden token and said softly,
“We found this in the Demonic Creature Old Qin’s hand. It must have been left behind during their fight.”
Li Nan Ke took the fragment and examined it closely. There was only a small part of a pattern on it.
The pattern looked very familiar. Upon closer thought, it seemed that Leng Xinnan’s Night Patrol identity token had a similar marking.
“Could it be…”
Li Nan Ke’s eyelid twitched as a guess formed in his mind.
Leng Xinnan gave a bitter smile.
“That’s right. The Demonic Creature from Yun City is a member of our Night Patrol who mutated. I’ll tell you the specific reasons later. Right now, we first need to find a way to get some information from the Demonic Creature Old Qin. Unfortunately, the old fellow refuses to say anything. At this rate, he won’t last much longer.”
“He has an obsession in his heart, so naturally, he’s unwilling to cooperate with you.”
“I know he hates Mei Xing Er, so I’ve already told him about the Lin family’s situation, but it’s still not working.”
Leng Xinnan was helpless.
Li Nan Ke walked up to the cage and stared at the Demonic Creature Old Qin, saying,
“I killed Lin Jiao Yue, I captured Mrs. Lin, and Landlord Lin is dead. I think… I should be worthy of your trust, right?”
The Demonic Creature Old Qin remained unresponsive, still in a daze.
“Since I am trustworthy, then please believe me. I will clear your name.”
Li Nan Ke said in a solemn voice.
The Demonic Creature Old Qin’s eyes shifted. He finally reacted.
Li Nan Ke continued.
“I know that what you’ve really cared about all this time is the stigma of having molested Wen Jin Er. I will explain everything clearly to the government, tell the world the truth, and restore your reputation as Old Qin.”
Hearing Li Nan Ke’s words, Leng Xinnan finally had a realization.
So this was what Old Qin was actually obsessed with.
The old man had an upright and unyielding character. Faced with the monetary temptations of the Lin and Wan households, as well as the immense pressure from the authorities, he had steadfastly refused to admit to the crime, all for the sake of a clear name.
One must walk a straight path and sit upright.
Even with his status as a mere house servant, he was unwilling to be gossiped about behind his back, to have people pointing fingers and stabbing him in the spine.
Even in the underworld, he would not be able to rest in peace.
After a long silence, the Demonic Creature, Old Qin, finally spoke, his voice hoarse and unpleasant:
“What do you want to ask?”
“Go ahead and ask.”
Li Nan Ke said to Leng Xinnan, lifting his chin slightly.
The young woman gave him a grateful look, stepped forward, and asked,
“What did the Demonic Creature that injured you look like?”
“It has a pair of enormous hands, shaped like tiger claws, a face like a vajra warrior, and exposed fangs. It is extremely ferocious,” the Demonic Creature Old Qin said slowly.
“However, one of its feet seems to be severely injured, hampering its movement.”
“It's him.”
A glint appeared in Guo Gang's eyes.
Although they had previously said it was the Demonic Creature from Yun City, it had only been speculation. Now that Old Qin had confirmed it himself, everyone’s doubts were erased, and their spirits were lifted.
Leng Xinnan continued to ask, “Which direction did it flee?”
“North of Wenyan Mountain, into that gorge.”
“One last question. Did you see if it was carrying a wooden box, about two *chi* long and half a *chi* wide?”
[N: 1 Chi = 33.33 cm approx.]
Li Nan Ke glanced at the woman.
It seemed this was the key reason why Leng Xinnan had insisted on interrogating the Demonic Creature Old Qin.
The Demonic Creature Old Qin pondered for a moment before saying,
“Yes, there was. He was carrying it on his back.”
Upon hearing this, Leng Xinnan breathed a small sigh of relief.
Next, she asked for some more information, such as the physical changes Old Qin underwent during his mutation into a Demonic Creature.
Beside them, Caiyun and Caiyue were taking detailed notes in a booklet.
This was a Night Patrol rule.
Whenever possible, a detailed analysis of each Demonic Creature was required to determine the degree of mutation caused by a dose of Red Rain, the speed of the transformation, the effects it produced, and so forth.
When the interrogation was over, Leng Xinnan looked at the Demonic Creature Old Qin, who was approaching the end of his life, and asked softly,
“The last moments can be painful. Do you need our help?”
“Thank you.”
The Demonic Creature Old Qin nodded.
“Let me do it.”
Leng Xinnan had intended to let Caiyue do it, but Li Nan Ke cut in, taking out his flintlock pistol and volunteering for the task.
The young woman looked at the man with a somewhat strange expression.
Somehow, it felt like this guy enjoyed carrying out executions.
“I hope you keep your promise,” the Demonic Creature Old Qin said to Li Nan Ke in a weary voice, not caring who executed him.
“I will.”
Li Nan Ke aimed at the creature's head.
The body of the dying Demonic Creature was no longer as tough and thick-skinned as before. With the crack of a gunshot, the Demonic Creature Old Qin’s head was blown apart.
A red mist dissipated, leaving only a pile of mangled flesh on the ground.
At the same time, just as Li Nan Ke had guessed, a white pearl materialized from thin air and sank into his chest.
……
Coming out of the prison, everyone greedily inhaled the fresh outside air.
After all, the smell inside was truly unpleasant.
Meng Xiao Tu stretched lazily in the sunlight, an expression of immense relief on her face.
“Finally, this messy business is over for now. All that’s left is to find that Demonic Creature.”
“Sister Leng, since we resolved an additional incident this time, we should get an extra entry in the merit ledger, right?”
Meng Xiao Tu suddenly sidled up to Leng Xinnan, her small face alight with excitement.
“Then we can get the higher-ups to allocate more funds, or even just some reward silver would do. It’d be best if we could get some Spirit Crystals from the Divine Mechanism Sect. My magical artifact is severely worn and needs maintenance.”
“Why don’t you go ask the Lord Commander for them and see if he gives you any?”
Leng Xinnan said lightly.
“Then forget it.”
The young woman hugged the plump melons on her chest and pouted her red lips.
“There’s no one in the world stingier than him. He even rips off his own sister. I’d have better luck with the General Commander than with him.”
Leng Xinnan offered no comment. Seeing that Li Nan Ke was about to leave, she asked,
“Aren't you going to learn about the situation with the Yun City Demonic Creature?”
Without turning his head, Li Nan Ke waved a hand.
“No, I have a tricky case waiting for me tonight. I need to rest and conserve my energy. Let’s do it another day. Oh, and I’ll leave Old Qin’s last request to you. It’s better if you’re the one to handle it.”
“Fine.”
The young woman didn't refuse.
The case Li Nan Ke was referring to was the one the mysterious woman had alerted him to in her letter the day before.
This was a very arrogant opponent.
And just as conceited.
When dealing with such an enemy, he couldn't let his guard down in the slightest.
Since his opponent had said she would give him a case tonight, it certainly wasn’t a joke. Therefore, Li Nan Ke had to conserve his mental energy.
...
Night fell, dotted with countless stars.
A crescent moon, as fine as a painted eyebrow, hung high in the sky.
Li Nan Ke had just finished dinner when Meng Xiao Tu came running up, her expression extremely grave.
“Big Brain, something’s happened.”
It’s finally happened!
Li Nan Ke raised his thick eyebrows.
Although he was exasperated by the mysterious woman's provocations, it had also, in a rare turn, ignited his fighting spirit.
“We were in the middle of discussing how to capture the Demonic Creature when a yamen runner arrived, saying that Butcher Zheng’s eight-year-old daughter at the end of West Street was having a nightmare and couldn’t be woken up at all.”
Meng Xiao Tu explained while pulling on Li Nan Ke’s arm and dragging him outside.
“Sister Leng and I went over to check and discovered that the little girl is trapped in a Red Rain dream. We were initially going to enter the dream and get rid of the Nightmare directly, but Sister Leng suspects the mysterious woman is playing tricks, so she sent me to get you.”
An eight-year-old girl?
Li Nan Ke’s expression suddenly turned cold.
He had considered that his opponent might create a case related to the ‘Red Rain,’ but he never imagined she would stoop to targeting a little girl.
Then again, the very fact that an eight-year-old girl had a Nightmare was something worth investigating deeply.
The two of them hurried to the victim’s home.
Guo Gang and the others were already standing guard outside.
Butcher Zheng, his wife, and Old Mother Zheng stood nervously in the courtyard.
Li Nan Ke had met Butcher Zheng before when helping his wife buy meat at the butcher shop. The man wasn't a big, burly type; on the contrary, he was rather thin and had a refined and gentle appearance.
The man also had a rather cheerful personality and was on good terms with his neighbors.
“Nan Ke, come in, quick.”
Seeing Li Nan Ke, Leng Xinnan gestured for him to enter the house.
Inside the house, a little girl with delicate features was lying on the bed.
The girl’s face was pale without a trace of blood, her forehead was covered in fine beads of sweat, and her small head tossed from side to side. She seemed to be muttering something incessantly and looked to be in great pain.
Judging by the name Mrs. Zheng was calling, the girl was called Qinqin.
“Confirmed. It’s a Nightmare invasion.”
Leng Xinnan signaled for Guo Gang to close the door, then said to Li Nan Ke:
“I’m not sure if the mysterious woman is behind this, but I’m worried that if Little Rabbit and I enter the dream, some new trouble will arise.”
“You want me to enter this girl’s Red Rain dream?” Li Nan Ke asked.
Leng Xinnan nodded.
“It’s the safest option. Don’t worry. Although you’re not a Dream Weaver, Little Rabbit can take you in with her. She is the strongest Dream Master in Yun City. Once we’re inside, we can protect you.”
The strongest Dream Master?
Li Nan Ke glanced with some surprise at the big-titted cute girl next to him.
Although he had heard from Iron Ox that the girl was a Dream Weaver, he never imagined she was the strongest in all of Yun City.
This girl really had a diverse skillset.
He had originally planned to enter the dream himself, but doing so would make it difficult to analyze why the little girl was experiencing a Nightmare in the first place.
“How many people do you usually use to get rid of Nightmares?”
Li Nan Ke asked curiously.
Leng Xinnan replied, “Usually, it’s just Little Rabbit and me. If the situation is difficult, we bring Caiyun or ask the Azure Dragon Division for help. The mental fortitude of the others is too weak; they can’t be of much use in a Red Rain dream.”
“Alright then, let’s begin,” Li Nan Ke said, having no objections.
Leng Xinnan found a lounge chair, pulled it to the bedside, and sat down. She had Li Nan Ke lie on one side of the bed, closer to the little girl, to ensure no accidents happened during the process of entering the dream.
Meng Xiao Tu, meanwhile, sat on a chair a little farther away.
The young woman extended a slender, jade-white finger and tapped the air above the center of the little girl’s brow, before gently pressing the spot between her own eyebrows.
A purple thread of silk materialized out of thin air, connecting the two of them.
Immediately after, two more purple threads of light branched out, landing on the center of Li Nan Ke's and Leng Xinnan's brows.
Then, a curtain of light enveloped the three of them.
“Are you ready? I’m starting now.”
“Ready.”
Leng Xinnan nodded. After a moment’s hesitation, she gently took Li Nan Ke’s hand, and a warm current immediately coursed through his entire body.
Evidently, she was afraid that Li Nan Ke was too nervous and was using her spiritual power to calm his emotions.
“Don’t worry, I will protect you.”
The young woman reassured him again.
Before the man could speak, she turned her head to the sisters at the door and said,
“Caiyun, Caiyue, stand guard for us. Do not allow anyone to disturb us!”
“Understood.”
The twins guarding the door replied in unison.
Meng Xiao Tu looked at Li Nan Ke with her beautiful eyes, blinked, and said with a comforting smile:
“Big Brain, I’ll protect you too. See you in the dream.”
With that said, she slowly closed her eyes.
An immense drowsiness washed over him like a tide. Li Nan Ke instantly felt as if his eyelids weighed a thousand kg, and they began to close slowly, beyond his control.