After a while of crying, Shi Ying fell asleep, a few lingering tears still clinging to the corners of her eyes. Huli transformed into her human form and gently wiped away the tears from Shi Ying's face, her fox-girl eyes filled with sadness.
'This child is so young, yet she has already endured so much hardship. But what can I do? Fate is sealed; even destiny cannot change it, let alone a child like this.' - Huli thought.
The next morning, continuing their journey north, they arrived at a small town to buy more supplies. Passing by small grocery stores, Shi Cao noticed several families strolling through the streets, their parents buying toys and playing together.
Shi Cao immediately grabbed her sister's hand tightly. Shi Ying looked at her younger sister without saying anything, holding her small hand while her eyes darted around, considering what to buy.
"Hey little one, look over there!" - Huli
The fox patted Shi Ying's head and pointed towards a large crowd surrounding a wealthy mansion. Shi Ying was about to pull the group away.
"Silly little one, don't leave just yet! Go closer and see what's going on!" - Huli
"But what does that have to do with us? It's their business!" - Shi Ying
"Because I smell money—I mean, evil energy—coming from that house." - Huli
Hearing this, Shi Ying stopped and gazed thoughtfully at the mansion. The fox whispered something into her ear.
"You may not know this, but helping those possessed by evil spirits can earn you a hefty reward. You should check your wallet; you only have a little money left. And we need money for the long journey," said Huli.
She paused for a moment. It seemed Huli was right. Although her parents had given her a credit card to cover the trip, she didn't know if there would be enough money on the card for how long it would last.
"If you say so... shouldn't we earn some money?" - Shi Ying.
"That's the right thing to do! That's the spirit!" - Huli.
At the large mansion, the villagers were looking at the notice board hanging outside. It was entrusted to them by a wealthy man, the owner of the mansion. The notice mentioned a nearby bamboo forest, where many people had gone missing after passing through. Rumors circulated that they could hear the sound of trees being chopped in the night, though it was unclear if it was actually wood being chopped, but it sounded very sharp, like bones being broken.
Despite numerous investigations, no clues were found. Some even recklessly ventured in and never returned. Huli looked at the reward money, extended her front paw, and muttered as she counted.
"Over five million? Why is the amount so small?" - Huli grumbled after counting the money on her toes.
"That's a lot already. This country's currency is one of the five countries with the lowest value compared to others." - Shi Ying said.
Next to the notice board were printed sheets of paper with information to take with her. Shi Ying took one.
Because the place was very dangerous, she had left her younger sister at the inn and lulled her to sleep. Before leaving, she used a protective barrier around the room to prevent intruders. Huli the fox blew a kiss, and a seal appeared in the room.
"That's it, you can leave now without worrying about your sister's safety." - Huli
"Thank you. Making these kinds of barriers makes me uneasy. My aunt often says I'm not qualified for this." - Shi Ying
"That's because you were only taught complex barriers, not the basics. Simple barriers are usually easy to break." - Huli
A girl and a fox going to the bamboo forest at night might worry their families, but now it's just her and her younger sister. Whoever is older has the right to decide.
Standing before the large iron gate, locked with chains and padlocks, Shi Ying easily climbed over the fence. Ahead lay a bamboo forest; even from the outside, one could sense the eerie, chilling atmosphere within. Her shoulders trembled slightly before she regained her composure.
"Do you think there are ghosts inside?" - Shi Ying
"Even demons exist, so what about ghosts? Are you serious?" - Huli
Walking on the cobblestone path, there was nothing around her except the sound of her footsteps and the rustling of leaves. She could also hear a faint whisper, like someone breathing, but it was probably just the wind.
"These bamboo trees don't look very vibrant, do they?" - Shi Ying
"Things contaminated by evil energy will wither and rot. Little one, be careful, some demons have the ability to disguise themselves, so pay attention to the objects around you." - Huli
"So what form do they usually take?" - Shi Ying
"That depends on the length of their cultivation. The more years they cultivate, the stronger their transformation abilities and magic become, even able to conceal their distinctive scent. Everything in the world can be cultivated, but in some cases, those demons become stronger when they come into contact with magical artifacts or have powerful backers." - Huli
"Oh, I see." - Shi Ying
"Besides, this demonic aura is quite strong; it seems like it's been infected with evil spirits for a while." - Huli
Suddenly, they heard a chopping sound echoing in the night, causing them to stop. It was too dark around them, only the moonlight from the sky casting a faint glow. The only thing that filled the space was the crisp sound of a knife chopping something.
Shi Ying had prepared herself for danger, but she was still a little scared because she didn't know what a demon looked like.
"Don't be afraid, I'm here, you won't be in trouble. You've seen many demons before, so what's there to be afraid of?" - Huli
Deep inside the bamboo forest, they saw a faint light behind the mist. A dark figure was making a decisive raising and lowering motion. The chopping sound grew clearer and clearer, making Shi Ying tremble, and the fox that had jumped onto her head also trembled slightly.
With hesitant, slow steps, as she got closer, the dark figure became clear—it was a living person. Shi Ying breathed a sigh of relief, as if a heavy burden had been lifted. The man was simply dressed, his clothes somewhat faded, and his face showed signs of weariness, but his eyes remained resolute.
"Excuse me, may I ask..." - Shi Ying
Hearing her voice, the man turned his head and smiled gently.
"Oh, you're lost, little girl."
"I... Ah yes, I've gotten lost here and don't know the way back. Can you help me get back to my family?" - Shi Ying
Hearing her, the man stopped chopping bamboo and approached her, still holding the sickle, making her wary. Seeing the child's fear, the man put away the sickle.
"Don't be afraid, little girl, I won't hurt you. It's just that at night, dangerous things might jump out of the darkness, and I need something to defend myself."
Saying this, the man turned back to the bamboo stalks he had cut into small sections, tied them together, and carried them on his back.
"Could you help me a little? I can't carry all this by myself."
Since someone was helping her, Shi Ying naturally couldn't refuse, so she also carried a pile of bamboo sections, even more than the man had, on her back.
Walking through the bamboo forest with someone else, the chilly atmosphere lessened somewhat. Not knowing the man's name, she called him Woodcutter. The woodcutter, carrying a lamp, walked ahead of Shi Ying and spoke up.
"Little girl, why did you get lost in here? Didn't you hear the warning not to enter the bamboo forest?" - The Woodcutter
"My family is migrating, and out of curiosity, I got lost here." - Shi Ying
"So that's it. You're quite a mischievous child. Daring to sneak out on your own and get lost here." - The Woodcutter
"And you? It's so late at night, and you're here cutting bamboo, and cutting it into so many sections?" - Shi Ying
"I'm doing something very important..."
The woodcutter stopped mid-sentence.
"Sir, what's wrong?" - Shi Ying
"Something important? What exactly is it? Why am I cutting bamboo into sections?" - The Woodcutter
The woodcutter's voice became confused and disoriented, and a foul stench emanated from his body.
"Little one, step back!" - Huli shouted.