The Witch Nichang- Chapter 93 Ghost Town

The Witch Nichang– Chapter 93

Ghost Town

Earlier, I heard from Lian’er that they had found their lair. I thought we would hurry there, but she didn’t seem to be in a rush as we walked down the street. Instead, she took me to the busy market to get some stuff, looking as if she had everything under control. 

Though it was different from what I had expected, I didn’t usually meddle with little things and let her be. Besides, we hadn’t spent a lot of time together lately, and there was even some tension between us a few days ago. Now that we were walking together, a smile on her face, our fingers laced together, I didn’t want to think about anything else. I would just keep an eye on whatever she wanted to buy. 

We had been in this region for a while now, but this was the first time I had been on this foreign street. It was strange, feeling both unfamiliar and yet familiar at the same time. Meanwhile, Lian’er seemed very familiar with this place, even more so than I was. I guess it was because she had been going about in this area these past few days. Thinking about that made me feel a little ashamed of myself. 

As I was walking, hand in hand with her, deep in thoughts, the things we brought gradually piled up. It wasn’t until she tried to purchase a steed from a vendor that I stepped in and said, “Lian’er, we’re not staying here for long. This animal is not suited for long journeys. Why are you buying it?”

She turned around and raised an eyebrow, her smile undiminished, and said, “There will be several miles ahead of us later. It’s to ride it, of course, so you can be comfortable.”

“Don’t worry,” I replied without hesitation. “After all this rest, I’m feeling better. I don’t need it.”

I really thought I didn’t need it, or maybe it was the desire to prove myself speaking. 

But Lian’er wasn’t buying it. She huffed, “I’ll still buy it to carry our stuff even if you don’t want to ride it. We can’t be carrying all these things by ourselves for several miles. That would be too much.”

Although we had quite a few things, it wasn’t so many that it would become a burden. But since I wasn’t familiar with the road, and since she had said so, there was not much I could say. I smiled and let it go. 

When we left the street and were ready to set out, I was heaved onto the horse. I couldn’t even say no even if I wanted to because Lian’er was already on the horse. I was surprised because I thought we would go with qinggong as she didn’t really like to ride. But because of that, I couldn’t refuse. 

After bumping along the road for over two hours on the same horse, and seeing the desolate surroundings, I realized she was right. The farther we went, the more I had to admit that if we had relied solely on qinggong, the journey would have been tough in my current state. 

Wait a minute—could it be that she had thought of that, and that was why she…

I glanced back. She was focused on steering the horse under the sun. Even while she was riding, her vibrant smile remained on her face, and her eyes sparkled with her usual pride. Could it be possible for her to show that she cared in such a subtle way? Or was I reading too much into it? And what could she mean earlier when she said, “I think I’ve understood something”?

A sudden wave of anxiety surged, but I quickly quashed it.

We kept our eyes on the road, not exchanging a word. She was taking the lead, heading in a single direction for some time. As the sun began to dip westward, something started to emerge in the barren landscape ahead. I could see structures standing in the distance. Despite their distorted shapes weathered by the wind, you could still see their frames. As we drew closer, I realized that these were man-made structures—abandoned buildings made of rammed earth, one after another, forming a vast and irregular expanse of ruins. It was… a ghost town.

The sight was so unexpected that I called, “Lian’er?” I turned back, surprised and confused. Seemingly anticipated my question, she removed her veil and explained, “Quite a nice hiding spot, right? I heard this used to be a city a thousand years ago, but for some reason, it was abandoned and became a ghost town. It’s turned into a perfect hideout for bandits. Those guys were hiding here like rats. It took me and Godfather quite some time to track them down.”

As she spoke, she slowed the horse to a trot and began steering the horse into the ruins. The intact walls were next to us. As my initial shock faded, I vaguely recalled that there was an ancient site like this in this place, only that the structures before me were far more intact and alive than it would be centuries later. The narrow, winding streets were lined with rammed earth houses of various shapes, their dark, hollow doors and windows giving off an eerie and lifeless feeling.

Perhaps it was because of this deathly silence. A tinge of fear began to crawl up in me. I didn’t know where it came from, making it impossible to express. It wasn’t until I saw smoke billowing in the distance that I felt a little relieved.

The smoke was black, clearly from burning something. Spurring the horse in that direction, I soon saw that the smoke was coming from a courtyard. The courtyard was no different from the surrounding buildings, all made of rammed earth. It was no longer whole, being eroded by wind and sun, but its structure still held. The only thing that was different was there were many things around—barrels, jars, household tools, and clothes. These things, put together, added a touch of life to the otherwise desolate ghost town. Of course, the most lively thing was the blazing bonfire in the center of the courtyard and the tall figure standing beside it.

“You’re here!” Perhaps he had heard the hoofbeats earlier, as Old Tie didn’t seem surprised by our arrival. He stroked his beard and turned around, chuckling, “The streets of this ghost town are a maze, so I figured you might get lost in them again. That’s why I thought of starting some smoke as a beacon. Sure enough, as soon as I lit it, you showed up. Smart, right?”

“Godfather, don’t flatter yourself.” Lian’er entered the courtyard and dismounted, firing back with a teasing smile, “You were the one who lost your way this morning, and I had to lead the way to get us here. Now you’re saying it was me who got turned around? How shameless. And starting a fire before sunset? Were you scared to be alone and needed it for courage?”

“Hey! What are you saying? I, Tie Feilong, am not a coward. Even if you don’t need the help, the sun was setting. It’s better to start the fire earlier rather than later.” He didn’t get angry at the remark and just laughed it off, waving his hand dismissively, “Besides, this wicked stuff is an eyesore to me. The sooner they burn, the better I’ll feel.”

While the two of them bantered, I had gotten down from the horse, helping Lian’er with hitching the horse and looking around the courtyard. When I heard what Old Tie said, I looked over at the fire without thinking. It was then I noticed the few large objects among the messy pile of burning things. Though they were now engulfed in flames, the bloodstains on them were still visible as they burned.

“These are…” I took a sharp breath, a vague realization dawning on me. I looked over at Old Tie, and he nodded knowingly and said, “Mm, these are torture devices. This is the hideout of those bandits we’ve been searching for. Don’t be fooled by the unassuming exterior. There’s something far more sinister inside that house. These scoundrels didn’t just rob people; they took pleasure in torturing them to death. What a bunch of savages!”

Following Old Tie’s gaze, I looked at the nearby rammed earth house. The black, gaping doorway looked especially eerie. Just moments ago, I had thought about going inside to take a look, but now, a sense of dread began to creep in me.

I didn’t know what came over me—could it be that today’s bloodshed was affecting me more than I thought? I thought I wouldn’t care, but maybe I did after all.

Caught between unease and doubt, I felt someone pull at me. Before I could look away from the house, Lian’er had already dragged me to the fire. Still confused, I heard her laugh and say, “What’s the big deal? It brought us here, didn’t it? That’s what they call karma, right? Today’s fight was exhilarating. If not for these utterly wicked scoundrels, where else would I get a satisfying fight like that? What’s funny is that the ones who got away still thought they could sneak into the inn and get you. Don’t they know themselves?”

“Hah, easy to say now, but I haven’t forgotten how frantic you were when we wormed out of them that some of them had slipped away to the inn. Haha—” Old Tie chimed in at just the right moment, earning a fierce glare from her in return. As the girl’s laughter and Old Tie’s teasing filled the air, the inexplicable unease that had arisen gradually faded away. I smiled and allowed myself to relax. 

I spent the rest of the time around the fire, chatting with them and asking about the whole story. It turned out this bandit’s hideout was the place Old Tie and Lian’er had been looking for. Almost all the inhabitants were disciples of Jin Duyi. Unfortunately, they didn’t find the trusted nephew of Jin Duyi, whom they had once mentioned. Upon interrogation, they learned that he had stayed here for some time but had left in a hurry a few days ago after receiving some news, saying that he was heading to the capital to meet up with Jin Duyi for some business.

After getting all the information they needed, Old Tie dealt with the remaining bandits accordingly, killing those who deserved death and crippling the rest, leaving no one unpunished. He then waited for Lian’er to bring me over to join him. 

“The capital, huh… If the information was correct, this long journey wouldn’t have been in vain. In that case, there’s no reason to stay here any longer. Let’s not waste any more time. Should we start preparing for the return trip?” After sorting through my thoughts, I looked up from my contemplation and asked.  

“No need to worry about that. Everything’s been taken care of. This bandit’s hideout is well-stocked, so we can just take whatever we need. Anything that’s lacking, I’ve told Jadey to get it. Besides, hehe…” Old Tie grinned mysteriously as he got up and strode to the back. After a short while, he came back with a tall camel. “Look! They even left us this. Plus the horse Jadey bought, we’ve got enough mounts for the journey back.”

I was taken aback when I heard what he said. After a moment of stunned silence, I said in surprise, “Wait a minute, Old Tie, are you saying we’re setting off just the three of us with a camel and a horse? Isn’t that a bit…” I almost thought I got it wrong. The memories of the dangers we faced coming here were still fresh in my mind. How could Old Tie be so reckless?

“Don’t worry. There’s a reason for it.” The girl beside me chimed in at that moment, and she explained with a chuckle, “But to understand the reason, we have to start with another mistake Godfather made. Do you remember what he said when we passed the gate? He was so sure that the northern route through Hami was caught up in war, and we might not pass through it for three to five months. But when we interrogated those bandits, we found out that the northern route had been clear half a month ago. So, don’t you think he made us go through an unnecessary tough journey, hmm?”

Hearing Lian’er teasing, Old Tie’s face seemed to flush red and then white, though it was hard to tell with his dark complexion. He awkwardly stroked his short beard and said, “Well, these…these things are hard to predict. You can’t make guarantees. Back then, you’d both agreed, so how can that be my fault? Ahem… besides, it’s a good thing that we’re able to take that route on our way back, isn’t it? Better than crossing the desert again.”

Lian’er was being petty. It seemed this bit of teasing was she getting back at Old Tie for calling her frantic earlier. Seeing a commanding old hero unable to fight back after being mocked by his own goddaughter, I figured it wouldn’t be right to add insult to injury. So, I cleared my throat and changed the subject when I spoke again, “It doesn’t matter anymore as long as we can take the northern route. We’ve learned a lot on this journey, and since we’re ready, are we leaving right away?”

Even though the sun was already setting, it seemed more appealing to hit the road than to spend the night in this ghost town. As I thought about it, a wave of melancholy swept through me. Despite my reluctance to admit it, it did seem that I had been more of a burden on this journey. Especially after arriving here, I hadn’t helped much, nor did I play any part in their search. I simply waited until everything was settled and listened to what they had done, and now, we were heading back. It really was…

About that…. Zhu’er…” As I was quietly brooding over my frustrations, I heard Old Tie say, “How are you holding up? The northern route might be safer, but it can still be tough. How are you doing now? Can you handle the journey?”

“No problem!” I raised my head almost reflexively and responded, “I’m feeling much better. Besides, I think it might be because of the climate that I wasn’t feeling good. Rather than staying here, it’s better to leave.”

It would be one thing if I couldn’t help, but if I were to delay our return and cause any unwanted changes in the capital, I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself. So, I said that with unwavering resolve, my tone firm and decisive. Perhaps because I rarely spoke in a tone like that, as soon as I said that, they cast curious glances at me.

Though they looked, Lian’er said nothing, while Old Tie seemed to ponder for a moment before speaking, “Hmm, let’s decide after tonight. You two stay here. I plan to head into town tonight and take care of this…” As he spoke, he stood up and walked over to the small wooden chest, giving it a pat. “This is the dirty money I found after Jadey left. Earlier, when we were asking around, we met a few victims of the bandits who gave us leads. Some of this might belong to them. I’ll go find out, and if it does, I’ll return it. Whatever’s left, I’ll give it out to the poor folk nearby. Consider doing a good deed.”

Old Tie was a man of action. As he said that, he had already picked up the wooden chest, untying the horse reins, and mounting it. “You two wait here,” he said, “I’ll be back by midnight, or at the latest, by dawn.” With that, he tugged on the reins and was about to leave.

“Hold on a second.” Suddenly recalling something, I called out to stop him.

The old man halted and looked up at me. Without thinking much, I hurried over in a few steps and looked up. “Old Tie, if you’re planning to give out the money, could you let me take a small portion to give to that young guide as a token of my gratitude?”

Honestly, I did feel a bit guilty toward him. After shedding blood, I just left with Lian’er without a word, leaving him to deal with the aftermath. I still remembered the shocked, frozen look on his face, and I felt a little guilty about that. I couldn’t think of a way to make up for it. Now that I saw what Old Tie wanted to do, this idea suddenly came to me. 

I saw nothing wrong with the idea, but when I said that, I felt eyes on my back. I turned around, puzzled. By the campfire, Lian’er wasn’t looking this way; she was focused on adding dry wood to the fire, her expression calm, with the usual hint of a smile at the corner of her lips. 

“Oh? Oh, that’s fair enough. That young man did save your life before and had been diligently taking care of us at the inn these past days. Perfectly reasonable.”

I didn’t notice anything wrong, so I turned back around at Old Tie’s words. Old Tie sat on his horse, stroking his beard with a smile, and said, “But, is just giving some money enough? Do you have anything else you want to say to him? I’ll do you one better. If you have something you want to say, just let me know. I’ll pass it along, wrapping things up for you.”

I hadn’t considered it before, but I felt I should say something at his reminder. I looked and thought for a moment, and I said, “All right then, it’s just a few words. Please tell him—‘We walk different paths, parting with regret; your kindness repaid, my gratitude remains.’” 

A sharp crack sounded behind me. When I turned around again, it was just Lian’er snapping a thick piece of dry wood, nonchalantly tossing it into the fire.

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Slopaw’s note:
Hey everyone, since I can’t guarantee regular updates, I’ve decided to post all the chapters I’ve translated so far. There won’t be any more early chapters on Patreon from now on. Thank you to everyone who has supported me before, it really means a lot!