Love on the Turquoise Land

Nie Jiuluo rented a pickup truck from the lumber factory owner and asked the workers if they had any spare jackets or shoes for sale. There were no new ones, of course, but since she offered a good price, someone immediately took off what they were wearing and handed it to her.

Xing Shen only took a jacket, refusing the shoes—he preferred to remain barefoot.

As they drove out, Nie Jiuluo paused briefly outside the factory gate. Xing Shen whistled, summoning Mazha into the truck.

Nie Jiuluo felt the slight weight shift in the truck bed and wrinkled her nose in disgust, but given the circumstances, she couldn’t be bothered to comment.

Once they were back on the road, Xing Shen asked her, “Why bring gasoline?”

“Didn’t you say there were a lot of them? And they have guns. If they’re still there, we can start a fire to create chaos, and in the confusion… maybe we can even rescue Jiang Shu.”

The destination was quite far—at least a forty- to fifty-minute drive. Nie Jiuluo focused on the road.

Xing Shen didn’t ask any more questions, sitting quietly in the passenger seat. After a while, Nie Jiuluo noticed he seemed to be reciting phone numbers under his breath.

She pricked up her ears and listened—it sounded like a sequential list: 139xxxx4695, 139xxxx4696…

Unable to resist, she asked, “Are those phone numbers?”

Xing Shen, abruptly interrupted, took a moment to gather his thoughts before answering, “Yu Rong’s internal number. I don’t remember it clearly, so I’m trying to get the sequence right. Nowadays, you just save contacts and tap a name to call—no one memorizes numbers anymore.”

Nie Jiuluo didn’t respond. It was true—she couldn’t recall a single number from her own contacts.

Yet Xing Shen still remembered hers.

Just as she was feeling a pang of nostalgia, Xing Shen asked, “Have you ever met Yu Rong?”

Nie Jiuluo snapped out of it. “No, but I know of her.”

“She’s about your age. Jiang Shu took her in. If we can reach her, she can prepare in advance—that way, the group at the villa might still have a chance.”

With that, he closed his eyes and resumed mentally sifting through the numbers he’d been reciting.

At ten past three, the car approached the northwest corner of the village. At a glance, the entire area was pitch-black, not a single light visible.

Nie Jiuluo didn’t dare get too close, stopping at a distance and turning off all the headlights.

Her night vision wasn’t great, and without professional equipment, it took her a while to adjust before she could ask Xing Shen, “Is it that tall, three-story building? The one with the walled courtyard?”

The building stood apart from the village residences, isolated like a lone island.

Xing Shen nodded. “I heard they deliberately chose it—didn’t want to be too close to the locals. With over a dozen people moving in, and villagers being naturally curious, they wanted to avoid trouble.”

That made sense, but there was a downside: if something happened, no one would know.

Nie Jiuluo sat in the car, staring intently at the building, her fingers tapping restlessly on the steering wheel. “No scent?”

Xing Shen looked embarrassed. “Can’t smell anything. So I don’t know if it’s a Di Xiao, humans, or something in between.”

“When you left, were the lights on?”

Xing Shen was certain. “Yes.”

Now, with the lights off, there were a few possibilities.

One: they had all left. If they were gone, she could at least try to help nearby while things were still fresh. If they were already gone, there was nothing she could do.

Two: they were still there, just with the lights off—calm on the surface, but turmoil beneath. That would be easy—just start a fire and stir up trouble.Three, the vast majority had left, leaving only one or two behind to observe the situation. These one or two were either inside the house or elsewhere, also keeping an eye on this small building.

She whispered to Xing Shen, "Take a look around. Is there anyone nearby?"

Xing Shen got out of the car, climbed onto the roof to survey the area, then slipped back inside. "No one. How about I send Mazha ahead to scout? If there are earth owls inside, it wouldn’t dare approach. That way, we’ll know what we’re dealing with."

Nie Jiuluo agreed reluctantly. Though she found Mazha’s presence unsettling, desperate times called for desperate measures—now wasn’t the time to be picky.

Xing Shen pressed a finger to his lips and let out a whistle so faint it was almost imperceptible. Mazha quickly darted to the car. Xing Shen leaned out of the half-open door, stroked the back of Mazha’s neck, and in the next moment, the creature was sprinting toward the building.

Nie Jiuluo strained her eyes to follow its movements: Mazha reached the courtyard gate, scaled the wall in a flash, and darted along the top like a wildcat, climbing up the vertical surface...

Xing Shen grew excited. He flung the car door open and stepped out first. "No owls, A-Luo. There definitely aren’t any earth owls inside!"

And as long as there were no earth owls, it didn’t matter how many people were inside. With Mazha around, they had more than enough.

Nie Jiuluo lowered her head to put on a mask. "If there are no owls, then it’s just people inside. Keep Mazha under control—don’t let it attack anyone. Also, once we’re in, cut the power first. You cover me."

At the first half of her words, Xing Shen frowned. In his mind, it didn’t matter if there were ten or eight people—knocking them all out would settle things. Why bother being merciful?

But when he heard the latter part, especially the words "you cover me," memories of their childhood training simulations surfaced, and a warmth spread through his chest. Softly, he replied, "Got it."

The two moved stealthily, quickly approaching the courtyard gate. The snow had left a thin layer on the ground, making footprints inevitable. Fortunately, the snowfall had tapered off earlier, and now it was picking up again. If it kept up for another two or three hours, all traces would be buried.

Nie Jiuluo used the edge of her bracelet to pick the lock, opening the courtyard gate, then the door to the first floor.

Inside, darkness enveloped everything. She considered turning on a flashlight but resisted—while the first floor seemed empty, who knew if someone was hiding on the second or third floor? Better to be cautious and avoid giving away their position with light.

Xing Shen scanned the area and whispered, "A-Luo, here."

He crouched by the wall to the right of the door. "Step on my shoulders."

Nie Jiuluo steadied herself against the wall and stepped onto Xing Shen’s right shoulder.

He reached up to stabilize her calf, then slowly stood. After some fumbling, Nie Jiuluo finally found the high-mounted circuit breaker box. After a few tries, she flipped the main switch.

When she stepped back down, both of them exhaled in relief. Now, with the entire building plunged into darkness, Xing Shen could still "see"—giving them the upper hand.

Xing Shen swiftly and silently checked all the bedrooms on the first floor. No one.

They then proceeded up the stairs to the second floor. Nie Jiuluo, unable to see clearly, gripped the railing and ascended slowly. Xing Shen wanted to offer his hand but swallowed the words before they left his mouth.

Just as they reached the second floor, Xing Shen froze. A bedroom door ahead was slightly ajar, and from within came the uneven rhythm of snoring.

Were they... sleeping?Judging by the breathing, there should only be one person. Xing Shen walked over and gently pushed the door, his movements light and slow. Yet, before the door had even moved a few degrees, a loud crash erupted from behind it, as if several objects of different materials had toppled over, the sound piercingly sharp.

Xing Shen’s mind jolted, and he decisively pushed the door wide open. The person on the bed was clearly startled, flipping upright with a sharp "Who's there?" before instinctively reaching for the switch by the bed.

Xing Shen dodged to the side and quickly said, "Directly ahead, on the bed, one point five meters, head at one point three!"

Before the words had fully left his mouth, Nie Jiuluo darted forward like a shadow.

By now, her eyes had somewhat adjusted to the darkness, allowing her to vaguely discern a dark mass. With Xing Shen’s guidance—"Target directly ahead, distance one point five meters, head at one point three meters"—her aim became even clearer.

The person pressed the switch, but the light didn’t come on. Just as they froze in confusion, they sensed someone rushing toward them. The next moment, their head was seized, and a knee struck their chin with brutal force. Their skull seemed to churn violently, and without so much as a grunt, they collapsed unconscious.

Nie Jiuluo released their head and muttered, "They deliberately piled an earthquake stack behind the door. Don’t push it."

Xing Shen felt a pang of frustration—he hadn’t thought of that.

An earthquake stack was a makeshift anti-earthquake measure. Some people, hearing rumors of an impending quake and fearing they might sleep through it, would set up deliberately unstable "stacks"—like an upturned stool with a beer bottle balanced precariously on one leg, or a wobbly tower of blocks. The slightest tremor would topple the stack, creating enough noise to wake them.

Later, this method was adapted for everyday use as a burglar deterrent. What seemed like a carelessly left-open door might actually have a stack of household items piled behind it, ready to collapse at the slightest push.

The earlier noise had been loud—likely enough to wake anyone else in the house. Now, they could only hope there weren’t many left. One or two would be manageable, but five or seven rushing at once would spell trouble.

Both held their breath in silence. After a moment, a gruff voice called from upstairs, "Gangzi? Is there a blackout? Gangzi?"

Only one left? That made things easier. Xing Shen grabbed Gangzi’s phone from beside the pillow and handed it to Nie Jiuluo, whispering, "Turn on the flashlight—brightest setting."

Nie Jiuluo did as instructed. Xing Shen took it back, pressed the screen against his abdomen, and covered the light with one hand. In the brief flicker of illumination, Nie Jiuluo spotted Gangzi’s pants draped over the bedpost.

She pulled them over and quietly slid the belt free.

Soon after, the sound of shuffling footsteps descended the stairs, accompanied by the erratic sway of a phone’s light. "Gangzi, you dead or what? Why aren’t you answering?" The voice grew noticeably wary toward the end.

Xing Shen remained silent until the light reached the second-floor hallway. Then, clearing his throat loudly, he strode out with a gruff "Hmm."

The moment he stepped out, he moved his hand and flipped the phone, directing the blinding light straight into the man’s eyes.

Late at night, having one’s eyes hit by such a bright light was practically blinding. The man instinctively raised a hand to shield his face. "The hell you—"Almost at the same moment he spoke, Nie Jiuluo had already rushed forward from behind Xing Shen. She saw the man raise his hand—the one covering his eye—now gripping a gun. Without hesitation, she aimed and lashed out with her belt.

The strike landed perfectly. The tip of the belt hissed like a venomous rattlesnake, slashing heavily across the man’s face. He cried out in pain, dropping both the gun and his drained phone. Seizing the opportunity, Nie Jiuluo charged forward two steps, braced against the corridor railing for leverage, and launched herself into the air. Her legs hooked around the man’s neck, and with a mid-air twist, she executed a fierce chokehold, slamming him to the ground.

Even after landing, she didn’t dare release her legs until she was certain he had passed out. Only then did she push herself up from the floor.

Lacking brute strength, she relied on her legwork—a tactic she’d used before to take down Gou Ya and deal with Yan Tuo. This time was no exception. In less than ten seconds, the dust had settled.

Xing Shen reached out to help her up.

Nie Jiuluo hesitated briefly before gripping his arm to steady herself as she stood.

Xing Shen said earnestly, “A’Luo, we make a good team.”

The saying went, “With a blade and a hound, tread the green earth.” The Mad Blade and the Rabid Hound had always been the perfect pair. Beneath the green earth lay utter darkness. In ancient times, torches burned for only so long, and when sudden danger arose, one might face a Di Xiao in complete blackness—and Di Xiao often struck in the dark.

In such moments, the Mad Blade relied on the Rabid Hound to discern scents and directions—left, right, up, down, distances apart. Their synergy had to be flawless, so seamless that at their best, a sound alone could trigger movement, as if they were one.

It had been a long time since he’d worked with Nie Jiuluo, and their past collaborations had mostly been in simulated environments. This time, though it was just an ordinary nighttime encounter in a small building, it was real combat. That exhilarating rush of adrenaline came flooding back instantly.

Nie Jiuluo replied flatly, “It was alright.”

As for the two men, they had been knocked out cold one after the other, only to be abruptly awakened by a dousing of cold water. When they came to, their limbs were tightly bound with cloth strips, their mouths gagged with rags, and their eyes thickly blindfolded.

Nie Jiuluo held her knife and walked behind Gangzi first, pressing his head down before drawing a horizontal cut across the back of his neck.

Nowadays, Di Xiao had no distinctive scent and looked exactly like humans, so the only way to identify them was by drawing blood—though even that wasn’t foolproof. What if this species had evolved to the point where even their blood showed no abnormalities?

Gangzi, however, didn’t understand. He thought they were about to kill him and began thrashing wildly, muffled screams escaping his throat.

Blood quickly welled up—thin and unremarkable. Nie Jiuluo shook her head at Xing Shen, then moved to the other man and made the same cut.

Preliminary conclusion: these two were probably human.

The men struggled even harder. Nie Jiuluo yanked the gag from Gangzi’s mouth first.

Gangzi coughed violently, blind and disoriented, addressing his plea in a random direction: “Boss, sir—no, ma’am, boss, boss, we surrender! We surrender!”

He hadn’t even clearly seen who had taken him down—just a vague sense that there were two people, a man and a woman.

This sudden cry of surrender caught Nie Jiuluo off guard. She wanted to say something but held back—she wouldn’t speak. Let Xing Shen handle everything.However, Gangzi kept babbling incessantly, not waiting to be questioned before spilling everything like a floodgate had opened: "We're just hired hands. They told us to stay here and... wait for the rabbit. Said if anyone came looking for that Jiang guy, we should try to capture them. If we couldn't, then surrender and pass on a message. Really, it's true."

Nie Jiuluo felt a chill in her heart: daring to leave people here to deliver messages meant they were confident that even if these two were caught, they wouldn’t reveal anything substantial.

Xing Shen asked Gangzi, "What do you do for a living?"

Only then did Gangzi realize he had been facing the wrong direction and quickly turned back. "Just... small-time thugs. I hacked someone in Jiangxi, been on the run since. Occasionally take odd jobs, living off the generosity of various bosses. Really, you can check my ID. You can even look me up on the fugitive database—my photo's there."

Xing Shen: "So who hired you for this job?"

Gangzi: "No idea. Just took the money, didn’t ask about the boss."

"What about the people in this house? Where were they taken?"

Gangzi looked even more confused than Xing Shen. "People in the house? No clue. When we were called here, the place was already empty. But there might’ve been people before—some of the beds were unmade, still warm to the touch."

"What message were you supposed to give us?"

Gangzi cleared his throat and straightened his back. "First, our family support fees have been fully paid. You can knock us out and make an anonymous call to the cops to have us arrested. We’ll serve our time, accept legal punishment—if the police ask, we’ll say we were breaking in and got knocked out."

Nie Jiuluo was speechless: they’d even thought of this. The arrangements were downright considerate.

Xing Shen: "And?"

Since he started with "first," there had to be a "second," right?

Gangzi: "Second, they said it’s getting cold. Your friends should be taken home sooner rather than later. As for where to pick them up, you’ve already been told."

Nie Jiuluo froze, not yet processing this, when Gangzi continued: "The third one is for Da Yan—the guy with me."

So the other guy was called Da Yan, and Da Yan clearly knew it was his turn now, nodding repeatedly.

Nie Jiuluo angrily stuffed the cloth back into Gangzi’s mouth and yanked the one out of Da Yan’s. This feeling of being led by the nose was awful, but there was no way around it.

Da Yan gasped for breath. "The message for me is: 'It’s cold, the frozen fruit fell off, so bury it under the tree. Let it bear new fruit until none are left.' There’s also a drawing—in my coat pocket by the bed. I’m on the third floor, the room near the door."

Fruit? Out of nowhere, now they were talking about fruit?

Nie Jiuluo was completely baffled.

She signaled Xing Shen to stay put and went up to the third floor to fetch the coat Da Tou mentioned, checking each pocket as she walked.

Halfway down, she found a neatly folded piece of paper.

Unfolding it under the hallway light, she could clearly see a crudely drawn fruit tree—just the outline—with fruit hanging not from the branches but from dotted lines extending downward.

Counting them, there were four in total.