Chapter Twenty: A Blood-Soaked Vendetta

As the convoy gradually entered Downwater City, a cacophony of noise suddenly overwhelmed them. Lying inside the carriage, Tong Jin couldn’t help but sit up to take in the bustling cityscape.

“Brother Tong Jin, look! Over there, they’re selling sugar figurines. Wow, those sugar figurines are so cute!” Qinglan exclaimed excitedly, her eyes wide with wonder.

“Hee hee hee, over here they’re performing a monkey show. That monkey is so funny,” Fengyue said, covering her mouth as she laughed while looking in another direction.

Amid their playful chatter, despite the sharp pain tearing through his chest, Tong Jin forced himself to sit up. The scene before him sparked a bright gleam in his eyes; having grown up in Taian City, a medium-sized city in the north, this Downwater City was worlds apart.

The prosperity of Downwater City was utterly astounding to Tong Jin. The streets were wide enough to accommodate dozens of horses abreast, yet even with such spaciousness, they were packed with bustling crowds. On either side of the street, two-story buildings were nowhere to be seen; here, if a house wasn’t built at least three or four stories high, it seemed almost shameful to show it off. These towering buildings were extravagantly decorated without sparing any expense. In Tong Jin’s mind, this was the pinnacle of luxury.

Sure enough, following Fengyue’s finger, Tong Jin saw a large crowd gathered in a circle. Within the ring, two monkeys performed charming tricks under the direction of an elderly man, eliciting rounds of applause from the onlookers.

Just as Tong Jin chuckled at the monkey show in the distance, a sudden disturbance stirred in his arms. Before he could react, there was a faint “click,” followed by a buzzing sound of fluttering wings. Tong Jin’s head instantly throbbed with confusion.

Before he could reach into his怀, a black shadow shot out and darted toward a nearby corner. Almost simultaneously, a leering man with a sinister appearance came running out from the same corner, shrieking grotesquely.

A buzzing sound echoed near Tong Jin’s ear, followed by a wriggling sensation in his怀. Looking down, he saw the now slightly larger mature venomous ant crawling back into his怀, then settling quietly.

The grotesque man’s shrieking abruptly ceased, and he stood frozen in place, as if petrified. His eerie behavior caused the surrounding crowd to quickly part, creating a wide clearing between him and the Nanrong family convoy. Turning his head, Tong Jin saw the man glaring at him with a ferocious and hateful expression.

Tong Jin was baffled. Before he could ponder further, an uproar rose from the crowd. To everyone’s horror, the once lively and vile man began to sprout black pustules all over his body. Within a few breaths, he rotted away into a puddle of flesh and black, foul-smelling liquid that oozed onto the ground.

“What’s happening?” Nanrong Rong, the leader, quickly hurried back to the last carriage where Tong Jin and the two girls were. Frowning, he asked.

“Father, that man was so terrifying!” Qinglan, having witnessed everything, said with a pale face.

Though Tong Jin knew the venomous insect in his怀 was responsible, he was equally confused and remained silent. Nanrong Rong glanced at the blackened, liquefied ground, then gave Tong Jin a meaningful look before ordering the convoy forward, “Nothing to worry about. Continue on.”

---

“Brother Tong, are you alright?” Nanrong Rong asked cautiously.

Tong Jin slowly shook his head. “I’m fine. Rest assured, Master.”

Nanrong Rong nodded, then turned with a grave expression to lead the convoy ahead. He seemed deeply concerned but felt this was not the time or place to discuss the matter further.

Tong Jin had lost all interest in sightseeing and lay back down inside the carriage, his mind in turmoil. “It seems the venomous ant escaped from its box on its own, but I distinctly remember sealing the lid tightly.” Closing his eyes in thought, the last glance of the doomed man — filled with deep malice — flashed before him. “It looks like that man was targeting our convoy or even me personally!” Tong Jin shuddered at his own suspicion.

After a while, the convoy pulled over. Sounds of horses dismounting and unloading filled the air. Soon, Tong Jin was helped down by two young men and, accompanied by the two girls, passed through the opulent inn’s grand hall into a superior guest room.

After helping Tong Jin onto the bed, the two young men left. The two girls, having exhausted their silence, now chattered incessantly, eagerly recounting the city’s marvels to Tong Jin.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.

“Ahem, come in!” Qinglan mimicked Tong Jin’s voice in a small adult tone, causing both Fengyue and Tong Jin to laugh.

“Ah, Father!” Qinglan stuck out her tongue when she saw Nanrong Rong enter.

“Master Nanrong!” Tong Jin greeted respectfully.

Nanrong Rong nodded, then said to the two girls, “You two step outside for a moment. I have something to discuss with Brother Tong.”

The girls made faces and giggled as they dashed out.

Once they were gone, Nanrong Rong’s voice turned serious. “Brother Tong, can you tell me what happened today?”

Tong Jin bit his lip, brow furrowed. “Master, to be honest, I don’t know why it happened. That man’s death was caused by the venomous ant in my怀, but it was not my intention.”

---

“Oh? So even you cannot control these venomous creatures?” Nanrong Rong raised an eyebrow, clearly unsatisfied with the answer.

Tong Jin’s frown deepened. “Master, I suspect that man was targeting us.”

Nanrong Rong let out a thoughtful “Hmm.” “Could it be that you knew this man was an enemy, and that’s why the venomous insect attacked?”

“No, I only thought of that afterward,” Tong Jin replied with a helpless smile.

Nanrong Rong looked puzzled. “If that’s the case, could it be the venomous insect itself identified the enemy and acted on its own?”

Tong Jin realized how far-fetched this sounded but suddenly had an idea. “I just thought of something!”

“Hm?” Nanrong Rong blinked.

“There must have been something on that man’s body that attracted the venomous ant!” Tong Jin exclaimed in sudden realization.

Nanrong Rong stroked the stubble on his chin and nodded. “That’s possible. But what basis do you have to say this man was targeting us?”

Tong Jin immediately recounted how the man had locked eyes with him in a venomous glare just before dying, noting that no one else was around the convoy at that moment.

Nanrong Rong fell into deep thought before slowly asking, “Brother Tong, do you have any enemies?”

Tong Jin sighed lightly, then looked Nanrong Rong straight in the eyes and said firmly, “Yes. And they bear deep blood hatred against me.”