Chapter 028 - Intruder at Night

Li Yuan felt like he was on the brink of death, his mind foggy, his forehead burning hot as he coughed uncontrollably.

Auntie Wang helped boil some water, and Yan Yu wiped him down, changed him into clean clothes, and settled him on the bed.

With no doctor in Little Ink Village, she handed Auntie Wang a large copper coin to hire one from the nearby township.

It was a long wait before the doctor finally showed up, and even then, he stood there looking impatient, like he wanted to leave the moment he arrived.

Sensing his attitude, Auntie Wang pulled Yan Yu aside to explain that the doctor hadn’t wanted to come all this way. She had only persuaded him by offering two large coins as a house-call fee.

Realizing the situation, Yan Yu promptly produced yet another coin to give to the doctor.

Auntie Wang looked on, feeling the sting in her chest. Three large coins was more than enough to feed them for half a month. This fee was outrageous.

At last, with the money in hand, the doctor sat down to examine Li Yuan. He said, “It’s not a specific disease. He’s just severely malnourished and exhausted. Judging by his condition, he’s also badly shaken by something. As a hunter, he probably tangled with a tiger or a bear in the mountains. That sort of shock could easily bring him to this state.”

Yan Yu froze. A tiger or a bear? Her husband had tamed a tiger before. How could he be frightened of one now? Yet she couldn’t help wondering what on earth he’d seen that terrified him this much.

Memories of Li Yuan’s plan to head into the distant mountains flickered through her mind, sparking a chill in her heart. Folktales about ghosts and spirits were all too common in villages like theirs. Pushing aside her unease, she asked, “Doctor, what should I do for him now?”

“Have him drink porridge for nourishment. Once he’s stronger, you can think about supplements.”

“Should we start him on medication?”

“His condition is serious. Ordinary medicine won’t do; you’ll need better-quality remedies,” the doctor replied.

“How much per dose?”

“There’s a high-grade option,” he began. “And then there’s an even more potent formula meant for ranked martial artists. It’s pricier, but more effective.”

“How expensive is it?”

He gave her a dismissive look, as if doubting she could afford it. But recalling these were hunters who might have some savings, he continued, “For the higher-grade medicine, it’s 12 large coins per dose. It’ll work faster. You can start with a few doses and see.”

Auntie Wang muttered, “12 large coins? That’s more than a tael of silver. Who can afford to be sick at that rate? Are you just ripping us off because we don’t know any better?”

The doctor’s expression turned uneasy, but he quickly snapped, “If you can’t afford it, don’t buy it.” Then he stood to leave, clearly eager to get away from this backwater place.

Yan Yu glanced at Li Yuan, lying motionless on the bed. She knew he had made a bit of money delivering goods to town in the past, but both of them were careful never to show their savings. Still, she was worried. If she held back now and he failed to pull through, she’d never forgive herself.

Looking up at the doctor with a forced smile, she said, “We’ll buy it. But could you give us a small discount?”

“Which kind do you want?”

Yan Yu gritted her teeth. “The best.”

Eyebrow raised, the doctor asked, “You’re sure? Fine. If you’re getting five doses, I’ll charge you 58 large coins, Two coins off the full price.”

“How about 55 large coins?”

“Do you want the medicine or not?” he snapped.

“Please...a little cheaper?”

“I’ll just leave, then.”

With no other choice, she relented. “Fine...we’ll take it.”

“Where’s the money?”

“Here...”

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In the end, Yan Yu handed the coins to Auntie Wang, who then entrusted her two children to Li Yuan’s household and went into town with two men from the village.

By sundown, Auntie Wang was back with five doses of medicine.

Meanwhile, Yan Yu had been cooking millet porridge. Her two little guests had licked their bowls clean by the time Auntie Wang returned.

After ladling out a bowl of porridge for Auntie Wang, Yan Yu busied herself preparing the medicine. The two women worked tirelessly until well into the night, finally coaxing Li Yuan to drink his first bowl of medicine and rest.

Seeing Auntie Wang and her children to the gate, Yan Yu said quietly, “Thank you, Auntie Wang. Sorry to have troubled you so much.”

Noting the sorrow on Yan Yu’s face, Auntie Wang tried to comfort her. “Don’t overthink it. Having your man come home alive is still a blessing... Not everyone has that luck,” she added with a sigh, thinking of her own husband.

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After Auntie Wang left, Yan Yu shut the door tightly and placed a kitchen knife and a laundry paddle beside the bed. She also took out a small bag of lime powder from beneath the bed, something she’d secretly acquired around the time Zhang Shisi broke in at night.

Satisfied with her preparations, she slipped out of her clothes and loosened the bindings around her chest, then climbed into bed.

The doctor had examined Li Yuan and confirmed he was merely suffering from extreme exhaustion and low energy, so sleeping together wouldn’t be a problem.

In the darkness, she saw her husband sleeping on his side, facing the wall. Gently, she slipped an arm around his waist and pressed herself against his back, the two of them curling together like a pair of snug shrimp.

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Li Yuan slept fitfully. The medicinal effects of the high-grade concoction spread quickly through his body, driving out the cold that lingered inside him.

At midnight, his entire body felt frigid; even under the blanket, he shivered. That eerie chill from the ancient estate seemed to emanate out of him, filling the space.

Yan Yu woke from the cold and touched her husband, her face draining of color when she felt how icy he was. Steeling herself, she wrapped herself around him like a living heater, sharing her warmth.

In his dream, Li Yuan found himself in a frozen hell. Suddenly, a small sun appeared in that icy domain, and he clung to it for dear life, hugging it tight to absorb what little heat it offered.

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By morning, Li Yuan was drenched in sweat but felt reborn. Busy as ever, Yan Yu brewed a pot of porridge, her steps echoing across the mud floor as she bustled about.

The rustic little house filled with the aroma of cooking and the simple rhythms of daily life—grounds for a fleeting sense of normalcy that pulled his mind back from the brink.

Still, Li Yuan felt a heavy weight inside. Memories of that corpse-like estate deep in the mountains and the sinister sound of the door opening haunted him.

It reminded him just how terrifying this world truly was, far beyond anything he had once imagined. Had it not been for the memories force-fed into his mind through his system, he likely would have died on the road back.

“Yan Yu...” Li Yuan struggled out a breath.

“How are you feeling?” she asked.

“Much better,” he replied, then paused, lowering his voice. “We can’t go back into the mountains.”

Yan Yu fell silent before quietly agreeing. “Then don’t go. Just focus on getting your strength back.”

Li Yuan nodded and glanced at the status screen in his peripheral vision. Without a bow in hand, his combat power had dropped from 9~10 to 4~5. It made sense that his injuries had impacted his strength. Besides, he’d lost his bow, arrows, and hatchet on the way back.

It wasn't a big deal. He would recover first. At least he’d glimpsed a fraction of this world’s hidden horrors. Clenching his fists, he resolved that if such terrors lurked in the wilderness, there was only one way forward. That was to make money, then move somewhere with stronger security, somewhere truly safe.

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That night, under the night sky and howling wind, Li Yuan’s condition had already improved from 4~5 to 5~6. It was clear there was no lasting damage; his swift recovery was proof of that.

Around midnight, after a calm and simple moment of intimacy with Yan Yu, the couple drifted off to sleep.

Suddenly, Li Yuan’s eyes snapped open. Despite his injuries, he was still a ranked martial artist, his five senses keener than those of ordinary folk. He distinctly heard soft footsteps outside their house, right under the window.

The footsteps halted near the paper window, and in the faint moonlight, he saw the silhouette of a face pressed against it, as though peering through a gap.

After a moment’s pause, a finger poked a small hole through the oil-paper with a quiet pop. Immediately, a thin tube slid inside, releasing whiffs of dizzying smoke.

Li Yuan’s face grew cold. Holding his breath, he pulled the blanket up to cover Yan Yu. She stirred, only to have him clamp a hand gently over her mouth. Moments later, there was a soft

click

at the door. The bar had been lifted, and a dark figure slipped in.

By the dim light of the moon, Li Yuan noticed a glimmering kitchen knife in the intruder’s hand. Above his head hovered a 1~2.

Without hesitation, the figure crept toward a shut chest in the corner of the room, prying it open in search of valuables. But just as he reached inside, he seemed to sense something was wrong.

Before he could turn around, he felt a hand clamp onto his head. In the darkness, Li Yuan’s five fingers tightened like a vise. With a sudden heave, he slammed the man downward.

BANG!

The intruder crumpled onto the floor, his head hitting the packed dirt with a thud, leaving him dazed and terrified. Fear giving way to desperate violence, the thief swung the kitchen knife wildly behind him.

But before he could fully strike, Li Yuan’s grip dug into the crook of the thief’s elbow, dislocating the arm with a sharp snap. The blade went flying, and the intruder let out a shrill cry of pain.