Chapter 89 — The Good Man and the Wild Dog
The Sword Questions the Heavens · Page 1 of 6
Within the Dead Marsh, along with the ever-growing rain, a wind had gradually begun to blow as well.
The fur on the monkey Xiao Hui was soaked through, clinging to its body. It had now curled itself up, motionless, hiding in Xiao Wan's embrace, only its pair of clever eyes still rolling about, looking at the distance, then back at Xiao Wan.
Threads of rain fell across the whole sky, and the already gloomy marsh now seemed even grayer and darker, everything around shrouded in a hazy gray.
Zhou Yixuan dug out a robe and draped it over his head, sitting beneath a small tree. Xiao Wan could neither stand nor sit; after a moment she gave a bitter laugh, crouched down gently, and held Xiao Hui a little tighter so the wind and rain would not strike it. As for herself, she was already soaked through, and there was nothing to be done about it.
The Daoist Wild Wolf was smug and pleased with himself, striding over with an umbrella held up. Judging by his expression, one could naturally find in him no trace of gallantry, of sharing an umbrella to help another, or of tender chivalry toward a maiden. He simply said, "Heh heh, little girl, want an umbrella? Awful, isn't it, getting soaked in the rain?"
Xiao Wan lifted her head in the wind and rain and glanced at the Daoist Wild Wolf, then smiled faintly. The rain struck her fair, beautiful face and burst apart like scattered pearls.
The Daoist Wild Wolf choked for a moment. He had come over intending to make Xiao Wan beg him for the umbrella to shelter from the rain, whereupon this Wild Dog Daoist would mock the girl soundly and then swagger off in triumph—to be a villain to this degree was truly satisfying and comfortable beyond words!
To his surprise, Xiao Wan proved quite beyond his expectations: she said not a word, let alone opened her mouth to beg him. All his smug calculations collapsed in an instant, and the Daoist Wild Wolf was thoroughly annoyed, glaring fiercely at Xiao Wan.
Yet that glare, somehow, set him somewhat adrift.
Before him, the young and beautiful girl crouched quietly, silently enduring the wind and rain. Between heaven and earth the storm howled, and suddenly in the Wild Dog's eyes it seemed every raindrop fell upon her slightly frail body.
Her clothes were wet, clinging to her body; her black hair was somewhat disheveled, a few strands fallen against her cheek, setting off the pallor the storm had brought to her face—a beauty desolate and breathtaking.
Her shoulders, it turned out, were somewhat thin and slight; each raindrop fell and rebounded and scattered like crystalline fragments, and they seemed to tremble faintly—that pale skin, half-hidden and half-revealed, clinging against her garments.
The Daoist Wild Wolf suddenly spun about, no longer looking at her, his hand involuntarily tightening on the umbrella, and he began repeating over and over as if to remind someone: "I'm a bad man, I'm a bad man, I'm a bad man..."
Xiao Wan had not intended to pay him any mind, but this instead stirred a little curiosity in her. Seeing this Wild Dog's strange behavior, muttering something incomprehensible under his breath, she asked in wonder, "Daoist, what are you saying?"
The Daoist Wild Wolf gave a start; somehow his heart felt a little hollow. He stole a glance at Xiao Wan and saw a strange look in her eyes as she gazed at him, rain sliding down her snow-white face.
Even her figure, in the wind and rain, had a certain pitiful tenderness about it.
"None of your business!" The Wild Dog suddenly flew into a rage, roaring loudly.
Xiao Wan was taken aback. She shrugged her shoulders and lowered her head, and saw that the monkey Xiao Hui was looking at her. She could not help smiling and stuck her tongue out at it.
Xiao Hui grinned and squeaked out two little laughs.