Chapter Forty-Three: Too Painful to Recall

While Liang Lingzhi was being beaten over there, things were not much better for Ye Dong and his companions. Ye Dong and Da Chun were still sitting where they had been, accompanying the vacant-eyed Xiao Bao. The three of them were not only clothed in tattered rags, but also covered in dog hair—evidence, no doubt, of a fierce struggle.

Huaiyan, upon seeing their wretched state, could not help but worry. “Instructor He, have the three of them still not recovered their spirits?”

Instructor He shook his head. “It’ll take at least a day and a half for them to regain their composure. After all, any man would be shaken after being set upon by a pack of dogs. No one could take that easily.”

Huaiyan reproached him, “Instructor He, really, you put so much of that secretion on Xiao Bao—no wonder the dogs wouldn’t let go. Listening to Xiao Bao’s anguished screams at the time, I truly pitied him.”

Instructor He could only sigh helplessly. “I was just following orders, nothing more.”

Huaiyan looked at Ye Dong, who seemed lost in thought, her heart full of concern. “I wonder how much longer they can hold out.”

Ye Dong, rubbing his fingers, gently patted Xiao Bao. “Brother, are you really willing to let them toy with us like this?”

Xiao Bao stared back, dazed, eyes brimming with tears. “I... I’m no longer... a whole man.”

Ye Dong choked back his tears. “As long as your soul is whole, you are a whole man!”

Da Chun, sobbing, agreed, “That’s right! We are all whole men! Xiao Bao, you were only caught by the dogs to cover our retreat. We’ll avenge this together!”

At the mention of revenge, something sparked in Xiao Bao’s hollow eyes. “Revenge? How?”

Ye Dong gave a cold smile. “We’ll fight fire with fire. Since they played such a trick on us, we’ll give them something even nastier.”

“But if Master finds out and blames us, what then?” Da Chun muttered worriedly.

Ye Dong waved dismissively and laughed. “Master is off training outside with Senior Brother Zilong and the others. How would he have time to bother with our petty affairs?”

Meanwhile, faced with Yu Menglan’s wailing, Chen Yao looked pained. “If you need to cry, then cry freely.”

At his words, Yu Menglan broke down and sobbed for several minutes in heart-wrenching anguish.

She then continued her lament. “The rain grew heavier, drumming fiercely on the car windows. My little sister was awakened by the noise and began to cry. We tried everything to soothe her, but she kept on wailing.”

Yu Menglan gave a bitter smile and went on, “But then something strange happened. That person made a face at her, moved his lips a few times, and gently pinched her ring finger. Immediately, my sister stopped crying and became eerily quiet and obedient.”

Chen Yao’s brows knitted in deep thought as he searched his memory. “Made a face, moved his lips, pinched her ring finger? Could it be... the ‘Ghost Speech’ of the Mongpolo Sect?”

Yu Menglan said, “She stopped crying, but she became too obedient, so well-behaved it was as if she were a different person—uncannily clever.”

Chen Yao explained, “That’s a secret art from a hidden sect called Mongpolo, known as ‘Ghost Speech.’ The caster can attach their own or a controlled ghost’s spirit to a living person, temporarily controlling their thoughts and actions.”

Yu Menglan asked, “So you mean my sister was already under his control at that time?”

Chen Yao nodded. “These secret sects’ spells often strike when least expected, impossible to guard against.”

Yu Menglan’s heart ached, and tears flowed again. “My poor sister—how could she be so unlucky?”

Chen Yao comforted her. “Steady yourself, and tell me slowly.”

Yu Menglan nodded through clenched teeth. “Suddenly, my sister said she was hungry, which surprised us, since we’d just eaten. How could she be hungry again?”

“Mother took out some meat buns for her, but my once-docile sister suddenly changed completely, grabbing the buns and hurling them at Father’s head. ‘I don’t want meat buns! I want meat! I want meat!’”

“I tried to calm her, telling her to behave and that there’d be a restaurant after the muddy road, but she glared at me, her eyes wide. ‘When did it become your place to boss me around?’”

“Father scolded her, ‘Little one, how can you talk to your sister that way? Apologize to her at once!’”

Yu Menglan mimicked her sister’s voice, “I won’t apologize! Hahaha!”

Her tone was dark and sinister, sending chills down Zilong’s spine. “Was that really how your sister sounded then?”

She nodded. “Mother got angry and smacked her a few times. Mimicking her mother’s tone, she said, ‘Why are you being so naughty, little one?’”

“But who could have guessed—my sister suddenly grabbed Mother’s hand and bit down, hard, harder than ever! I saw blood instantly well up from Mother’s hand.”

Yu Menglan seemed trapped in a nightmare, gripping her hands tightly to control her trembling body. “Mother screamed, ‘Let go, little one! Let go! It hurts!’”

“The blood kept flowing, dripping from Mother’s hand, but my sister wouldn’t stop—she just bit harder! With half her face smeared with blood, she looked sideways at me, suddenly grinned, then let go of Mother’s mangled hand.”

Though Chen Yao remained silent, inwardly he seethed. “That demonic sorcerer is truly cruel, driving them to destroy one another.”

Yu Menglan clenched her fists and stared into the distance. “After letting go of Mother, my sister suddenly sank her teeth into Father’s neck.”

“We never expected her to go mad like that. We tried desperately to pull her off, but her strength was monstrous—Mother and I couldn’t budge her! I cried out, begging that man to help pry her off... but he only sneered and stepped out of the car.”

Yu Menglan fell silent, staring blankly at the ground. “He was so cold-blooded—he stepped out singing some strange, jubilant song, as if celebrating.”

Zilong looked at Chen Yao, his face heavy, but Chen Yao signaled him to stay silent.

Yu Menglan was weeping uncontrollably. “As that man sang, my sister’s teeth grew sharper and her strength increased. Father struggled only briefly before she tore open his neck. The blood didn’t just flow—it sprayed, splattering all over my sister, soaking her in red. Mother, in a frenzy, beat her, but... my sister still wouldn’t let go.”

Suddenly, Yu Menglan paused.

“My father died before our eyes, alive one moment and gone the next.”

Chen Yao drew a long breath and sighed deeply.

Yu Menglan sat dazed, turning to Chen Yao. “Why do good people meet such terrible ends? My father was so kind—why did he have to die at his own daughter’s hands?”

Chen Yao sat beside her. “Because the wicked commit evil, and the good are denied a good end.”

Yu Menglan, face twisted with grief, wept as she spoke. “Mother went mad after Father died... but my sister didn’t stop. She turned her gaze on Mother.”

“But it was my sister who killed him! My mother shook her head, not knowing how to face her. She dragged me out of the car, but my sister—now frighteningly agile—chased after us on all fours! She was so fast I couldn’t outrun her. She caught my leg and bit down...”

Zilong cursed inwardly, “Such wicked sorcery! Poor Yu Menglan, witnessing such a tragedy of love turned to slaughter.”

“Mother grabbed my sister’s feet from behind, urging me to run. I was terrified—I kicked her in the head and fled with all my strength.”

Yu Menglan’s hands gripped the bench tightly, regret etched in every line. “But when I looked back, I saw my sister crouched on Mother like a wild beast.”

She slowly turned to Chen Yao. “I already knew my sister was possessed. I picked up a stick, and, mad with grief, rushed at her from behind...”