Uncanny Valley

Chapter 28

Li Dingguo, sword in hand, approached Bai Wenxuan step by step, his battle robe already stained crimson with blood. His eyes were wide with fury; though severely wounded, he still exuded a terrifyingly powerful aura. Bai Wenxuan, his face deathly pale, retreated incessantly.

"Bai Wenxuan!" Li Dingguo roared, "You have the guts to betray me, but why don't you dare fight me!"

Bai Wenxuan glanced at the bloodstains scattered along the way, gritted his teeth, and finally swung his sword to meet the attack.

Li Dingguo roared, and his longsword swung out with the force of a thunderbolt. The two swords clashed, producing a crisp "clang". Bai Wenxuan felt an irresistible, powerful force coming from his palm. His tiger's mouth was in excruciating pain, and his five fingers loosened, causing the weapon to fly more than ten feet away, its blade already bent and deformed.

Li Dingguo's longsword slashed down, heading straight for his opponent's neck!

Bai Wenxuan closed his eyes in despair, awaiting death.

The sword's edge had already touched his throat, bringing a chilling sensation. But the sword's momentum abruptly halted. A moment later, Li Dingguo's hoarse voice rang out: "Why...why did you do this?"

Bai Wenxuan's knees buckled, and he collapsed to his knees, letting out a mournful cry: "General..."

"Why are you doing this?!" Li Dingguo roared again, his eyes blazing with fury.

"General..." Bai Wenxuan knelt at Li Dingguo's feet, "Our army has been trapped in the mountains for too long and has no chance of winning. This humble general cannot bear to see the soldiers suffer further from the evil demons, nor does he wish to see the kind-hearted Hamo people dragged into this meaningless war."

Li Dingguo's longsword remained firmly planted on Bai Wenxuan's throat, ready to kill him at any moment. He said bitterly, "Today I will blow up the suspended lake. If this plan succeeds, it will turn the tide. I never expected you... you would ruin my grand plan at this crucial moment!"

Bai Wenxuan looked up at Li Dingguo and mustered his courage to say, "Even if this plan succeeds, so what? How mighty our army was during the great victory at Hengyang and the siege of Zhaoqing! In the end, we were still reduced to wandering the mountains. Now we have less than ten thousand soldiers, and even the Yongli Emperor has been killed by Wu Sangui. General, the fate of the world is sealed. How can you alone reverse it?"

These words struck at Li Dingguo's sore spots. His body trembled, his eyes widened in fury, and tears of blood streamed from the corners of his eyes. After a long while, he finally spoke with a sorrowful tone: "After the great victory at Hengyang, Sun Kewang, with his wolfish ambition, wanted to depose the Yongli Emperor and establish himself as emperor, causing fratricide between my brothers and us, which benefited the foreign enemy; during the siege of Zhaoqing, Zheng Chenggong remained in a corner of the country, failing to send allied troops for half a year, thus missing the opportunity to subdue Guangdong and Guangxi; during the campaign in Yunnan, the Yongli Emperor, cowardly and weak, abandoned his soldiers who had fought desperately, and fled to Burma alone. I, Li Dingguo, have spent my life fighting for the people of the world, yet not a single person in the world has come to my aid... Now, even you, Bai Wenxuan... are you going to betray me?"

Bai Wenxuan was speechless, and gave a bitter smile: "General, just kill me."

“Kill you?” Li Dingguo sighed. “Everyone thinks I, Li Dingguo, am a bloodthirsty devil. Heh, in this chaotic world, how can I establish my army’s prestige if I don’t kill those who deserve to die? Now that things have come to this, what use is killing you… Alas, go and tell your brothers to surrender to the Qing army.”

"What?" Bai Wenxuan opened his mouth wide in disbelief, almost unable to believe his ears.

Li Dingguo lowered his voice: "Surrender to the Qing army to gain a respite. Mi Hong Village holds hidden secrets and can be used as a place to recuperate."

Bai Wenxuan roughly guessed Li Dingguo's meaning: "General..."

Li Dingguo gave a bitter smile: "Are you really determined to be a sinner for the Ming Dynasty for all time?"

Bai Wenxuan gritted his teeth and said, "In that case, I would like to ask the general to grant me one more thing."

"What?"

"Please grant me demonic power, General, to aid in this great undertaking."

Li Dingguo shook his head: "This is the source of evil. I was trapped in the mountains and had no choice but to resort to this desperate measure, which led to the deaths of my soldiers. This power must never be allowed to spread to the world. I have always arranged for my personal guards to watch over those few Miao people, and I will kill them immediately if we are defeated. This secret must be buried in hell forever."

"What?" This was clearly unexpected for Bai Wenxuan, and he was suddenly stunned.

"Bai Wenxuan!" Li Dingguo suddenly roared, "You have committed the grave crime of rebellion, do you know why I haven't killed you?"

Bai Wenxuan prostrated himself, saying, "This humble general understands."

"Good that you understand. The secrets within the Rain God Temple can guarantee your Bai family's generational power in Mi Hong Village. Don't forget who bestowed this power upon you. If you harbor any further disloyalty, I can destroy the foundation of your power at any time!"

"This humble general... dares not..."

"Good, good..." Li Dingguo let out a hoarse and sorrowful laugh, which stopped abruptly with his breath, only lonely tears of blood continued to seep from the corners of his eyes.

...

"So, Li Dingguo didn't kill your ancestor back then in order to preserve the last bloodline of the Southern Ming army, hoping for a chance to rise again?" After listening to Bai Jian'e's story, Luo Fei said with great admiration, "For the sake of the greater good, he disregarded personal grudges. Whether he was a hero or a demon, to have such magnanimity before death, Li Dingguo can be called a rare man."

"Hero? Demon?" Bai Jian'e chewed on these two words repeatedly, seemingly lost in thought. After a moment, he chuckled, "Perhaps there has never been an essential distinction between the two. Right and wrong in this world are judged by success or failure. More than three hundred years ago, if Li Dingguo had been able to break through the encirclement, turn the tide of the war, and restore the Han people's land, he would naturally have been revered as a great hero by later generations; unfortunately, he ultimately perished in the wilderness, and in the history written by the victors, he could only be remembered as a 'demon'."

“Fighting for the people of the world… is admirable.” After saying this, Luo Fei looked around at the beautiful and peaceful village scenery, but couldn’t help shaking his head and saying, “But no matter what the purpose was, to flood the peaceful Hamo village was too cruel. It’s understandable that the Hamo people killed him in the end, called him a ‘demon,’ and cursed him for eternity.”

Bai Jian'e sighed softly: "Everyone has a reason for doing anything. As long as you can find their perspective, many things are not difficult to understand."

Luo Fei nodded in agreement. Without pausing, he turned to another question: "That 'shadow' killed your subordinate but didn't attack you. Is that also related to this history? However, according to Li Dingguo's wishes back then, the Bai family's subsequent performance was not satisfactory."

Bai Jian'e was taken aback, his expression somewhat embarrassed. After hesitating for a moment, he said awkwardly, "The world is now at peace. How easy is it to accomplish great things with the meager strength of a remote mountain village? Our Bai family was already quite remarkable for refusing the Qing court's rewards and willingly lying low in Mi Hong Village for hundreds of years. By the way, Officer Luo, have you noticed that this village is much more lively today than yesterday?"

Bai Jian'e seemed to be changing the subject at the end, but what he said was indeed true. It was already evening, but villagers were still passing by on the paths in the village. They all seemed to be in good spirits, walking briskly with cheerful expressions, as if they were looking forward to some happy event.

"They must be rushing to see the Holy Maiden, right?" Luo Fei guessed.

"Saintess?"

“Don’t you remember what Anmi said yesterday? The people haven’t seen the Holy Maiden for a long time, and she will appear tonight.” Luo Fei smiled slightly. “This is a rare opportunity. I also have many questions to ask this Holy Maiden in person.”

Bai Jian'e remained silent, frowning and shaking his head slightly. Just then, several Hamo people passed by them. Bai Jian'e stepped forward and asked them in Hamo, "Are you going to see the Holy Maiden?"

“Yes,” a middle-aged woman said respectfully. “The Holy Maiden has been ill for a long time, and the village has not held any sacrificial ceremonies. Now that the Holy Maiden has finally recovered, the whole clan will go to pay their respects to her tonight, and no one will believe those bad rumors anymore.”

Luo Fei also came over at this moment. After listening to Bai Jian'e's translation, he immediately asked sensitively, "Bad rumors? What rumors?"

"Rumor has it that the Holy Maiden has been killed by the resurrected demon," Bai Jian'e answered Luo Fei's question directly. "Many Hamo people who believed the rumors passed through Ni Hong Village and fled the mountains."

“That’s a shameless lie!” A Hamo man next to him suddenly interjected emotionally, “Although the demon has been resurrected, the saintess is definitely not dead.”

The man was about forty years old and had an honest-looking face. Luo Fei looked at him with some surprise: "You can speak Chinese?"

The man introduced himself, saying, "My name is Mengsha. I stayed in Mengla County for several months and recently returned to my village."

"Oh." Luo Fei nodded. "You were one of those tribesmen who fled the mountains."

Monsa looked ashamed: "The gods have punished us cowards. I am lucky; my soul has been saved by the saint."

Luo Fei and Bai Jian'e exchanged a glance, clearly not understanding what he meant by "punishment" and "forgiveness".

However, Monsa himself explained further: "We who fled to the mountains couldn't adapt to life outside at all. The Han people in the county town looked down on us; they didn't believe in our gods and had never even heard of the great holy war of the Hamo people. I toiled every day but didn't earn much money. I had no money for lodging and could only sleep under the bridge in the county town. Later, I finally couldn't hold on any longer and fell ill. I lay on the cold riverbed, helpless and alone, for three days and three nights. I was on the verge of death."

As he spoke of the hardships, Meng Sha's eyes reddened slightly. Luo Fei couldn't help but sigh: Indeed. Asking these people, accustomed to hunting in the mountains, to make a living in modern society, with no overlap in language, beliefs, or culture, is unimaginably difficult.

"What happened after that?" Even the usually aloof Bai Jian'e asked with concern.

“Later, the high priest found me. He wanted to cure my illness and take me back to the stronghold,” Monsa replied. “But by then, my heart was filled with despair. The outside world was uninhabitable, and the ‘demon’ had been resurrected, threatening the stronghold with a terrible disaster. I lost the will to live. In fact, if the saint hadn’t appeared, I would surely be dead.”

"The Holy Maiden? Did she also go out with High Priest Sotulan?" Luo Fei asked in surprise. "But didn't you all say that the Holy Maiden has been seriously ill for the past six months?"

Bai Jian'e also frowned: "When Sotulan passed through Ni Hong Village, I entertained him, but I didn't see any 'Holy Maiden'."

“The saintess’s body certainly wouldn’t leave the village, but her spirit came to save us,” Monsa said devoutly. “I was on the verge of death. In my dazed state, I saw the saintess. She was dressed in white, so beautiful, and full of benevolent power. I opened my eyes wide and watched her walk towards me step by step. Then she placed her warm hand on my forehead and said to me: Go back, go back to the village. Everything will be alright, the ‘demon’ will be defeated again, the great Aliya and Helai will be with their people, and the gods of the warriors will forever protect the Hamo tribe.”

The other tribesmen present also clasped their hands together and bowed to the sky. Their expressions were sacred and resolute as they softly chanted in unison, "May the gods of our warriors forever protect the Hamo tribe."

"It was the Holy Maiden who saved my life and gave me a new life. After recovering, I returned to the village. I will never leave here again, even if it means fighting that 'demon' to the death!" Monsa said excitedly, tears welling in his eyes.

The Holy Maiden? Could it be a hallucination caused by his critical illness? Luo Fei wondered to himself, then asked, "Did the Holy Maiden only appear once? Have you seen her again after you regained consciousness?"

“No.” Monsa shook his head, but a happy smile appeared on his lips. “However, I will be able to see her tonight.”

"Can we go together?" Luo Fei asked sincerely. "I really want to see your saintess now."

“Of course. The merciful saint is willing to help anyone who is in trouble,” Monsa replied proudly.

"Thank you." Luo Fei smiled, then turned to look at Bai Jian'e. "Let's go then."

“You go first, I’ll be right behind you,” Bai Jian’e said thoughtfully. Seeing Luo Fei’s confused expression, he added, “I have an old friend in the village, and I’d like to visit him.”

Luo Fei nodded, said nothing more, and headed towards the sacrificial site on the south side of the village with Meng Sha and the others. Bai Jian'e watched them turn the corner at the end of the path before moving on and leaving alone.

Before long, Bai Jian'e appeared in the mountains outside the village. This was the only way to the "Valley of Terror". He had just been here with Luo Fei and others that morning. Now, he came here again. What was he planning to do?

As dusk fell, the mountain forest became especially dark. Bai Jian'e stopped in front of a large tree, beneath which lay a thick branch, clearly cut down with a sharp blade.

Bai Jian'e stopped moving forward. He circled the tree branch, pacing back and forth anxiously, as if he were waiting for something, or perhaps afraid of something.

The woods grew darker and quieter, with only the soft rustling of footsteps on fallen leaves.

Suddenly, Bai Jian'e's expression tightened, his eyelids twitched slightly, and he stopped walking.

The rustling sound continued, but it came from deep within the forest.

"He's here," Bai Jian'e muttered to himself, his eyes wide open, but his pupils contracted nervously as he stared intently in the direction the footsteps were coming from...

Like a ghost in the night, "he" finally emerged from the pitch-black jungle. The "ghost" approached Bai Jian'e step by step, and a power filled with hatred spread in all directions. Even the insects hiding in the dark corners were forced to stop chirping by this power. The forest was deathly silent, devoid of any life.

Bai Jian'e was under immense pressure; he could barely breathe, and cold sweat streamed down his forehead. He knew the kind of rage his opponent was harboring—an rage powerful enough to tear him to shreds.

The cleaver pressed hard against his lower back, burning his body with waves of heat.

Perhaps this is an opportunity, taking advantage of "him" being off guard... Bai Jian'e thought to himself, sweat beading on his forehead becoming even more concentrated, and his right hand twitched almost imperceptibly.

"Don't try to resist... You know my power very well, and you know even better what it means for you to fail in resisting." The voice seemed to come from hell, hoarse, sinister, and chilling to the bone.

Bai Jian'e's heart turned to ice, and his already dwindling courage crumbled in an instant. His knees buckled, and he collapsed onto the damp, decaying leaves.

The Bai family's hereditary power destined him to be the ruler of Ni Hong Village from birth. He had no habit of kneeling before others.

However, on the stone platform at Qingfeng Pass, when he first witnessed that guy's power and learned his identity, he had already knelt down. Anything is always easier the second time than the first.

The dark figure slowly approached Bai Jian'e, and a chilling voice rang out again: "Do you still remember the promise your Bai family made back then?"

“Yes, I… remember. I am your servant… I am willing to do anything for you to atone for my mistakes and beg for your forgiveness.” As Bai Jian’e spoke, he pressed his forehead to the ground, in the same posture as when Bai Wenxuan knelt at Li Dingguo’s feet more than three hundred years ago.

“Very good. Your actions have calmed my anger somewhat.” The shadowy figure said, leaning down to gently touch Bai Jian’e’s shoulder.

Bai Jian'e straightened up, flattered, and looked up. He saw a pair of terrifying eyes, bloodshot and full of red veins, like burning, scorching flames.

"But my rage is still enough to devour you all." The shadowy figure's words were filled with hatred. "You cannot imagine the hellish torment I endured. You don't even know the shameful crimes your Bai family committed in that 'holy war'!"

A look of confusion crossed Bai Jian'e's face; he seemed not to quite understand the shadowy figure's last words.

The dark figure bent down, put his mouth close to Bai Jian'e's ear, and whispered something.

Bai Jian'e trembled and argued vehemently, "No, that's impossible."

“I will prove it to you,” the shadowy figure said coldly. “Now, I have a few things for you to do, and you’d better not disappoint me.”

Bai Jian'e nodded silently, knowing he couldn't refuse.

...

The Hamo people's sacrificial site is located on the edge of the village, and is larger than the square in front of the Rain God Temple in Ni Hong Village. A square altar, about two zhang (approximately 6.6 meters) in size, was built to the east of the sacrificial site, allowing the area to be bathed in the purest first rays of dawn during the morning rituals. To the south of the sacrificial site, it connects with the mountains and forests; heading southwest, over low hills, one reaches the terrifying Valley that strikes fear into the hearts of the people.

When Luo Fei and Meng Sha arrived, a considerable number of tribespeople had already gathered at the field. They stood neatly in two groups, men in front and women behind. Meng Sha and the others quickly bid farewell to Luo Fei and joined the tribespeople. Luo Fei strolled slowly along the edge of the field, habitually looking around to observe the situation and the surrounding terrain, when suddenly he heard someone calling his name.

"Officer Luo, over here, over here!"

Luo Fei looked in the direction of the sound and saw Yue Dongbei standing at the northwest foot of the altar, waving at him. There were four chairs there, and Zhou Liwei was sitting next to him.

When Luo Fei approached, Yue Dongbei waved his hand casually and said with a smug look, "Come on, sit down. These chairs were specially prepared for us by the Hamo people."

Luo Fei nodded, and just as he sat down, Zhou Liwei asked, "Where did Bai Jian'e go?"

"He went to visit a friend and should be here soon."

Zhou Liwei frowned, seemingly harboring some doubts.