Yecao Cao let out a loud sneeze and rubbed his itching nose. Lin Hai was quick to give him a handkerchief and looking at him with a worried expression.

“No need to look so distraught, I am fine. Just spring allergies,” said Yecao Cao and watched the budding trees. The demons had been sure to attack at an advantageous time. The snow has melted leaving the paths clear and the grass had started to become greener while the rivers had started flowing again signaling that the spring had arrived.

“You should be in the capital resting, not on the road to a war-torn city,” sighed Lin Hai and Yecao Cao agreed with him though he did not utter such a sentiment if only to avoid looking like a child.

“Some time on the road will do me some good,” muttered Yecao Cao and Lin Hai chuckled.

“Did your brother say that?”

“Is it that obvious?”

The wagon suddenly came to a halt and both Yecao Cao and Lin Hai looked bemused. “Have we arrived?” asked Yecao Cao and tried to move the bamboo curtains. Lin Hai pulled him back putting his finger to his lips.

It was too quiet. Only the horses neighed restlessly. Then something hit Yecao Cao’s nose. Smoke. A lot of it and… He covered his nose when the disgusting scent reached him. He wanted to throw up but refused to do so as he exited to see what was going on. Lin Hai who was pale as newly fallen snow followed suit.

Zhang Xia came riding towards them with a grim face. “What has happened, Zhang Xia?” asked Lin Hai with a trembling voice. Yecao Cao could see his stiff posture and could only assume that he has a clue. Though he has never smelled it before but he was fairly sure that this was the stench of burned bodies.

“A village up ahead, it has been attacked.”

“Any survivors?” Lin Hai asked.

“Not as far as we can see,” the Zhang Xia replied.

“We should search fo-“

“We don’t have time,” said Yecao Cao and Zhang Xia gave him an annoyed expression. “The army needs these supplies and we cannot delay.”

Yecao Cao sighed as Lin Hai did not seem to want to leave without looking for survivors. He kept peering at Yecao Cao with the eyes of a puppy. “Fine, I’ll stay and look for survivors.”

Lin Hai looked distraught,” I cannot leave you here.”

“If you want to search for the survivors then you will.”

“I can-“

“No, one of us has to go to Sichuan and pull the city together so the supplies can be set up. You are the one with connections to the San family. That is your task. Mine comes later so it is only natural that I would be the one to stay behind,” Yecao Cao said and looked at the village. The houses had been burned and bodies littered the streets. This would take time.

“I can leave a few men behind,” said Zhang Xia who seemed to have a complicated look on his face. The man was clearly impressed by Yecao Cao’s grit.

“No, all the soldiers are needed to protect the supplies. That is our priority. I will take my own four men to protect me,” Yecao Cao said and nodded two the An twins and the two former pirates who had followed to guard him. They nodded and moved to take out supplies and horses.

“We can spare a smaller wagon though,” Lin Hai muttered and signaled the soldiers to arrange for it,” Take any supplies or people you can find and get them to the city.”

Yecao Cao nodded and said his farewells as he was left behind in the middle of hostile lands. Every instinct told him that this was insanity but if this was what he had to do to get the Shaofu to move on then so be it.

“Zhiji?” asked Hong who stood by the wagon.

Yecao Cao released a sigh before turning to the village,” let’s get a move on. Search for anything of use, keep an eye out for survivors and be mindful of any demons. Do not take them on by yourself. Call for backup. Understood?”

The An twins did not hesitate to follow the order while the two former pirates Hong and Wei dragged their feet. Neither was that good at fighting and they certainly would not last long against demons. Fortunately, the village seemed to be abandoned. The bodies have since long become cold and burned houses were no longer warm. Only smoke and scorch marks showed the previous wildfire that once ravaged the village.

“Should we bury the bodies?” asked Wei who seemed reluctant to do so as he watched the rotting residue of the villages.

“No, every second we stay here we are in danger. We cannot help the dead but we can protect the living. Have you found anything?” asked Yecao Cao to the twins who had moved through the village to ensure that it was safe.

“Over here, Zhiji!” An Dan shouted and Yecao Cao walked over. It was just around the corner into an alleyway. An Dan was talking to a barrel. Yecao Cao would have found it funny if he did not discover what he was actually doing. Two frighten eyes peeked at him from behind the barrel. A child, no more than five years old squealed in terror and hid again. The child was dirty, filled with soot and the hair was twisted into a torn-like mess. How long had the child hidden here?

“Continue the search, leave this to me,” said Yecao Cao and chuckled when he heard An Dan release a sigh of relief. He apparently wasn’t good with children. Yecao Cao fell to his knees and pulled out a bun he had hidden away for harsher times. He tried not to grieve it as he handed it to the child.

“Are you hungry? Here, take it,” said he with a gentle voice. The child seemed to hesitate before crawling closer to him with greedy eyes not fit for a child. No child should have to starve. The child snatched it without releasing Yecao Cao with his gaze.

“I am Yecao Cao. I’ve come here with the Imperial army to help fight the demons,” said Yecao Cao.

The child’s eyes were suspicious and it turned to the fleshy parts of Yecao Cao. “You don’t look like a soldier.”

“Of course not, but did you see the man who found you? He is an Imperial guard. You can see it on the golden dragon insignia.”

The child’s eyes lit up as he munched on the bun. “He looked strong.”

“He is. We have come with supplies for the sects who are going to hunt the demons who dared do this,” Yecao Cao said and slowly moved closer. The boy seemed too interested in the bun to care and Yecao Cao slowly put his arms around the boy and lifted him up. The boy never stopped eating even when Yecao Cao carried him off.

“Zhiji, we haven’t found any supplies,” said Hong who had looked around the area in hope of finding anything of use. Preferably gold as he still thought like a pirate. Hong frowned at the child who glared at him.

“The demons most likely took them,” muttered Yecao Cao, ”which is not good. That would suggest that they plan on staying for a while. This might be an invasion, not just a raid.”

“Zhiji!” An Xi’s voice reached out to him and Yecao Cao sighed. He sure was favored today. He started to walk over to where he had heard the voice when the child started to struggle in his arms.

“Please behave. I will give you more food if you act reasonably,” Yecao Cao said in order to appease the child but the child merely shook his head briskly. The two dark eyes were wide open and stared at the direction of the voice with ill hidden fear.

Yecao Cao had no other choice but to put the child down though he did not release him as he feared that the child would run away.

“What are you doing? Be calm, child.”

“Not there!”

“What?”

“Don’t go there!”

“Why not?” asked Yecao Cao with a frown. The child’s body trembled but he only shook his head. “You will need to tell me what is wrong?”

“It’s there?”

“What is there?”

“The thing, it goes there to feed,” The child said and tried to pull himself free. Yecao Cao grimaced and gave the child to Hong.

“Take care of him. Stay back, and be on alert,” Yecao Cao moved to where the twins were. He could hear the child shout after him.

“Don’t go there, don’t leave me!”

It broke Yecao Cao’s heart. More than he wanted to admit but he continued on. It was most likely a wild animal coming in from the forest to feast on the bodies and with this amount it might be a Tiangou. They could handle a giant black dog but a Bashe… The giant snake could devour several people alive. Though the giant snake rarely went for corpses. Tiangou sometimes did if there were plenty of them.

Yecao Cao soon saw the two twins. They stood in front of the main street which was littered with corpses. Most were rotten and flies flew all over the street making Yecao Cao wave frantically to avoid them. Yecao Cao covered his nose when the putrid stench made him gag.

“An Dan, An Xi. What have you found?”

An Dan nodded towards a larger pile of bodies. Yecao Cao squinted at the bodies and soon saw it. The back of a woman. Her long hair was let out and she sat curled up in front of the bodies with her back turned away from them. Her body was slowly swaying and strange noises sounded from her. Yecao Cao could not see her face but he assumed she was crying.

“Why haven’t you talked to her?” asked he.

“We have shouted at her but she hasn’t answered,” muttered An Xi who seemed reluctant to let the Zhiji walk closer.

“Is she in shock?”

“Possibly or maybe insane,” said An Dan and his eyes narrowed.

“Honored lady, we are from the-“ Yecao Cao suddenly silence. The twins' eyes looked at him but Yecao Cao could feel his body grow rigid as he senses dark energy coming from the woman. He grabbed onto the twins and pulled them slowly away but it was already too late.

With horrendous crackling noises, the woman turns her head. And turned it more. The head kept turning while the body sends out cracks for each time she turned until her face looked at them even though her body still faced forward. Two hollow pits peered at them and the woman chewed on some rotten flesh.

An Dan cursed and grabbed hold of his Qiang currently resting on his body. He pointed the spear at the woman who swallowed the flesh and opened the unnatural large mouth at let out a horrifying screech that seemed to make the shadows tremble and the air go cold.

“What is that, Zhiji?” asked An Xi as he pulled out a sword. Yecao Cao grimaced as he pulled out a jade dagger gifted to him from the Emperor.

“An Egui.”