CHAPTER 16: CHAPTER 10: DISGUISE

"Little Chan, I brought you something to eat and water."

The burly, stubbled Kou Yushan walked in from outside. Seeing the fire, but not the person, he frowned in confusion.

He approached the fire, glanced around, and slowly gripped the machete behind his waist, looking at the collapsed statue beside him.

"Come out!" Kou Yushan commanded in a low voice, his voice full of authority.

Sang Que’s heart skipped a beat. The ground was thick with dust here, and in her haste to hide, she had forgotten to erase the footprints.

With the situation as it was, Sang Que could only slowly step out from behind the statue.

Seeing Sang Que clearly, especially her attire and those strange shoes that were completely out of place in this world, Kou Yushan trembled slightly, his eyes suddenly brightening.

He cautiously glanced toward the broken temple’s entrance, then lowered his voice and said, "You really have returned!"

This time it was Sang Que’s turn to be surprised. However, she didn’t show it, remaining expressionless, fully vigilant, standing silently, wary of the other’s possible deception.

Though she didn’t know what the other might be trying to deceive her about, better to be cautious.

Once more, Kou Yushan looked warily around, picked up a stick from the ground, and quickly wrote two characters.

"I’ve been waiting here for you all these years."

The shape of the characters was peculiar, yet they matched the two large characters on the uppermost left side of the Yansheng coin with engraved spells Sang Que had.

Mountain Ghost!

Sang Que still didn’t speak, but the hint of surprise in her eyes was caught by Kou Yushan.

Kou Yushan erased the characters, stood up, and said in a low voice, "It’s right to be wary of me, and it’s good to stay vigilant. Your mother saved my life. She told me that one day you would take her place and return here."

"My mother?"

Sang Que’s spirits lifted. In fact, she always knew she was a child her adoptive mother found.

Her adoptive mother lost a leg in a car accident at the age of fourteen and was registered as unmarried. She is now thirty-two, while Sang Que is sixteen.

Her adoptive mother couldn’t have given birth to her at sixteen, but since her mother never mentioned it, she never asked.

She had never had any expectations regarding her biological parents.

Only when she was curious about the origin of the Yansheng coin would she ponder who her biological parents might be.

If her biological mother really was someone from this world, everything would make sense.

Her being here was not a mere accident.

"You know nothing about it?" Kou Yushan asked in a low voice.

Sang Que frowned, still in doubt. However, given her current circumstances, it was best to go along with the situation.

"I’ve never met her."

Woof woof! Woof woof!

The sound of barking dogs came from outside, prompting Kou Yushan to hasten his words.

"Now’s not the time to talk about these things. Take this food and water first; I’ll go find some clothes for you. Black Mountain Village is under Yan Daozi’s control. He’s with the Evil Suppression Bureau and not to be trifled with."

"Before nightfall, I’ll find a way to provide you with an identity and get you settled in the village. We can talk slowly then. For now, stay here and don’t wander around. It’s dangerous out there, especially avoid the wheat fields."

Kou Yushan pulled a paper package from his chest, handing it to Sang Que along with a bamboo tube full of water from his waist. After some thought, he also handed her the machete from behind his waist.

"Can you use it?"

Sang Que took the machete and nodded.

"Oh yes, there’s another girl about your age here named Xia Chan. If you see her, share some food with her. If she sees my machete, she won’t hide from you. Make sure you both stay hidden and don’t let anyone else see you."

"And rub some charcoal dust on your face and neck; you’re too fair-skinned."

Sang Que was not only fair-skinned but also exceptionally beautiful. Her eyes, though clear, carried a sharpness, and her eyebrows exuded a sense of heroism. Her tall and ethereal demeanor might make it difficult for her to blend into the village.

"Captain, are you still inside?"

A voice came from outside, and Kou Yushan gave Sang Que a deep look before quickly leaving.

"Coming!"

Looking at the paper package and machete in hand, Sang Que hesitated for a moment but returned to sit by the fire.

Kou Yushan seemed like a pre-arranged welcoming NPC who would help her complete her beginner tasks. If she strayed from the plot and freely explored the map, one life wouldn’t suffice.

"If only this were truly a game," Sang Que mused to herself.

Opening the paper package, she found four black buns infused with some kind of green vegetable.

Picking up one, she took a small bite; it was hard, dry, and bitter, not tasty at all. She swallowed without much chewing.

After a sip of water, Sang Que placed the buns and the bamboo tube aside and quietly waited.

After waiting for about ten minutes without any adverse reactions in her body, she picked up the bun she had bitten and continued munching.

Munch a bite, sip some water, thump her chest to force it down, and continue munching. One needs to be full to deal with unexpected situations.

After consuming two, Sang Que rolled up her sleepwear sleeves, grabbed a handful of charcoal dust from the ground, and began applying it to herself for a makeshift tan.

Face, neck, arms, lower legs, even her hair got a bit of the dust. Naturally, her teeth weren’t overlooked, recalling that charcoal was once used to make tooth powder, as her mom shared while writing a novel.

After finishing, she looked at the fire and machete, steeling her resolve. Using the machete, she hacked her hair around her forehead into a disheveled mess, making herself as ugly as possible.

Compared to survival, dirt and ugliness were insignificant. She had endured much more during her early martial arts training.

With nothing else to do, Sang Que began to sift through the information from her two travels.

To fit into the village and fool Master Ming Zhang and Yan Daozi, just adopting Kou Yushan’s identity, changing clothes, and making herself dirty weren’t enough.

The locals here spoke with an accent resembling those from the northwest. She needed to pay attention to their speaking style and word usage, reducing her words to less than three when necessary, mostly listening, observing, and mimicking.

She had a knack for imitation.

Since few ancient women were literate, she’d have to avoid staring at written texts for long to prevent exposure.

Many modern habits, perceptions, and behaviors would need constant reminding, as her life depended on it, leaving no room for carelessness.

Sang Que contemplated her do’s and don’ts while waiting for Kou Yushan and the possible appearance of Xia Chan.

After waiting for almost half a day without seeing Xia Chan, Sang Que noticed that the two buns by her side had gone missing at some point, sending a chill down her spine. She grasped the machete tightly, remaining alert and not daring to relax for even a moment.

During the hottest part of the day, Kou Yushan returned to the ruined temple, sweating profusely and carrying a bundle. Seeing Sang Que evenly smudged with charcoal, her hair ashy, and her demeanor relaxed and weary, he nodded with satisfaction.

"You’re very smart; that puts my mind at ease. It’s now the hottest time of day. Everyone is at home, avoiding the sun. Yan Daozi is also taking a nap. Change into these clothes and come into the village with me."

Sang Que took the bundle Kou Yushan tossed over and went behind the statue to change.

There were two sets of women’s clothing inside. Sang Que chose the dark gray cross-collared long dress with no patterns, made of rough fabric faded from washing, with a black patch on the shoulder.

The narrow sleeves and waist-cinched with a cloth belt, the skirt reached her ankles without dragging, suitable for a farming girl.

The cloth shoes were a bit tight on her feet, but it was manageable.

Sang Que tied her hair simply with a cloth belt, packed the other set into the bundle, and carried it on her back as she walked out. This was the bundle Kou Yushan had prepared for her.

At this moment, Sang Que didn’t look completely like an ancient villager, but at least she didn’t appear out of place, resembling a travel-worn wayfarer.

She threw her discarded sleepwear and slippers into the fire to burn away the evidence of her modern origins.

After extinguishing the fire, Kou Yushan led Sang Que out of the ruined temple, giving instructions along the way.

"Once in the village, talk less. I’ll tell people you’re my niece ’Yao Yuniang’ seeking refuge. If I’m right, you were with Yan Daozi’s apprentice, Ming Zhang, the night before, weren’t you?"

Kou Yushan glanced back at Sang Que following him. She remained silent, giving nothing away.

"Don’t worry. That night, the Evil Mist was thick, and no one saw what happened outside. But Yan Daozi has some guesses. He should know the origin of the Evil Spirits that killed his apprentice and might even be a bit afraid."

Sang Que looked up at Kou Yushan, about to ask something when a goateed Daoist suddenly emerged from the woods, his hawk-like eyes bypassing Kou Yushan and locking straight onto her.

"Brother Kou, the sun is scorching. Why aren’t you resting at home... and this is?"

Kou Yushan’s heart skipped a beat, and Sang Que too flinched.

Looking at the man’s haggard face and Daoist robe, she instantly knew it was Master Mingzhang, Yan Daozi!