Chapter 35 — The Talisman Painter Who Guards the Village

The Wind From the Wilderness

The wind changed direction in the middle of the night, bringing a strange burning smell through the bedroom window, enough to wake Diệp Sương from a fitful sleep. She sat up, strained her ears to listen, and realized the sounds of animals in the stables neighing in panic.

Before she could put on more clothes, the guard's siren sounded loudly. Diệp Sương rushed out of the room, immediately meeting Thanh Việt running from the opposite direction, his face tense under the flickering torchlight.

"From the direction of Hạn Thủy ravine," he said briefly, without Diệp Sương asking. "I felt an unusual wave of energy, stronger than any before since I arrived here."

*

On the citadel wall, Sầm Nguyên Trạch was commanding soldiers to form a formation, his eyes fixed on a cloud of sand dust rolling up from the west, where the moonlight was obscured by a layer of pale gray mist.

“Trade caravan,” he said, his voice urgent. "There is a group on the way to the pass, planning to camp tonight not far from here. If this sand wind carries something dangerous..."

No need to finish the sentence; Diệp Sương understood. She, Thanh Việt and a small group of soldiers immediately set out, riding horses into the night toward the merchant caravan, while Sầm Nguyên Trạch stayed behind to command the defense at the pass.

Tất Bá Kỳ, suddenly appearing right when the group was about to depart, stopped Diệp Sương's horse for a moment. "Are you going to go with them?" he asked, sounding somewhat surprised. "This is not an official assignment."

"Someone is in danger," Diệp Sương replied briefly, there was no time to argue. "That's reason enough."

He didn't say anything more, just stepped back to make way, but his eyes following the group of people rushing into the darkness had a pensive look that was different from the usual suspicious attitude before.

*

The trading group, when they arrived, was surrounded by a flock of new creatures - different from the six-legged species they had encountered before, this time they were slender black shadows, moving across the sand almost without leaving a trace, only eyes glowing green in the darkness reflecting the torchlight.

"Be careful, they move faster than the eye can keep up!" Thanh Việt shouted, immediately rushing into the middle of the siege, swinging his sword to block one that was rushing towards a trembling cartman.

Diệp Sương jumped off the horse and quickly assessed the situation. The trading group consisted of about fifteen people, most of whom were in extreme panic, goods were scattered everywhere, and strange creatures seemed to be targeting the most vulnerable people, gradually separating small groups from the main squad.

"They hunt in packs, trying to separate their prey!" she shouted, recalling a similar detail from books about wild animal behavior. "We must keep everyone gathered in one place!"

A young woman in the trade caravan, clutching a newborn baby in her arms, was separated from the main group, retreating into a hidden corner between two overturned packages. Two dark shadows were approaching, their blue eyes locked tightly on the small prey.

"Over there!" Diệp Sương shouted. She rushed forward without thinking, quickly drew a shorthand talisman, and threw it straight between the two animals, creating a sudden flash of light that made them stop and giving a soldier enough time to pull the mother and baby to safety.

The woman, once brought into the main protection circle, trembled and held Diệp Sương's hand, unable to say a word, only sobbing in silent gratitude, making Diệp Sương even more determined not to let anyone in the group suffer losses tonight.

*

Diệp Sương quickly drew a series of shorthand talismans, forming a circle of light around the trembling merchant group, enough to prevent the passing black animals from breaking through. But her spiritual energy was quickly depleted, and she realized that this protective circle would not last long against such a large herd of creatures.

"We need to find their weakness!" she shouted to Thanh Việt, who was busy fighting not far away.

"They avoid direct moonlight!" he replied, dodging an attack while observing. "Look, every animal forced to cross the light slows down a beat!"

Diệp Sương understood immediately. She quickly changed tactics, no longer trying to create a static protective circle but continuously drawing small glowing talismans and throwing them around the area, creating bright spots that forced the herd to dodge and gradually drove it toward a single direction where the soldiers were waiting.

*

The plan was effective, but the price to pay was not small. While forcing the herd of creatures into a corner, a much larger one, perhaps the leader, suddenly changed direction, rushing straight towards Diệp Sương who was focusing on drawing spells, not having enough time to dodge.

"Sương!"

Thanh Việt rushed forward and pushed it aside, taking the entire attack on his shoulder instead. He fell to the sand with a deep bloody scratch, but still had time to swing his sword and slash back, forcing the animal to retreat before it could attack a second time.

"Older brother!" Diệp Sương rushed forward in panic, her hands trembling as she checked the wound, while the surrounding soldiers approached and finally defeated the leading beast, sending the remaining herd fleeing into the darkness.

*

"Are you okay?" Diệp Sương asked, her voice trembling as she quickly tore a piece of cloth and wrapped it around Thanh Việt's bleeding wound.

"It's just a scratch," he replied, trying to suppress the pain, but his pale face couldn't hide the fact that the wound was more serious than he said.

"Why did you do that?" he asked, his voice choked up, both angry and worried. "If I had been a step slower, I could have—"

"I can't let that happen to you," Thanh Việt interrupted, his eyes looking straight at her, unusually serious despite the pain. "If I had to choose again, I would still do the same thing."

Diệp Sương was silent, her hand still pressing the wound tightly, tears suddenly flowing down her face. She bowed her head, her forehead almost touching his, both of them breathing heavily in the darkness after a battle that had nearly cost them their lives.

*

On the way back to the border, the trading group was safely escorted by soldiers. Diệp Sương rode next to Thanh Việt, one hand holding the reins, the other placed on his good arm, as if afraid that if he let go, he would be in danger again.

"Thank you," he said softly, his voice still shaking. "But next time, don't be so reckless. I don't want to see you get hurt because of me."

"I told you the exact same thing," Thanh Việt replied, smiling slightly even though it was still painful, "and you didn't listen."

Diệp Sương chuckled softly at that obvious truth, even though tears were still on her eyes. "Maybe," she admitted, "we're both not good at keeping that kind of promise."

"Then," Thanh Việt said, his voice low, his eyes in the moonlight carrying an unprecedented gentleness, "maybe we just need to promise to always be there for each other in times of danger, instead of promising not to be reckless, because obviously neither of us can do that."

Diệp Sương did not answer. She simply squeezed his hand, letting their silence speak for the things they still lacked the courage to say aloud as the group continued beneath the fading stars that signaled the coming dawn.

When they arrived at the gate, the barracks pharmacist immediately took Thanh Việt in to treat his wound, while Diệp Sương waited outside, still anxious. Sầm Nguyên Trạch came to stand beside her and patted her shoulder to comfort her.

"He'll be fine," he said. "I have seen many more serious injuries than that in the military. This scratch, although deep, did not reach important tendons."

"I know," Diệp Sương replied, her voice still shaking. "It's just… I've never been this scared, not even the times I got hurt myself."

Sầm Nguyên Trạch looked at her for a moment, his eyes revealing hard-won understanding. "That's because this time, the fear is not for yourself," he said softly. "It's a different feeling, my child, and I think you've already realized it—you just don't want to admit it aloud yet."

Diệp Sương was silent. She did not refute him; she simply looked at the closed door of the pharmacist's room, her heart full of worry and a new warmth she had never allowed herself to name.

It was not until the first light of dawn dyed the gray stone walls of Tiêu Sa Pass pink that the door to the pharmacist's room opened, and Thanh Việt walked out, his shoulder carefully bandaged, his steps still a bit stiff but steady. Diệp Sương rushed forward immediately, not having time to be careful, hugged him for a moment before realizing her own actions, then quickly backed away, her face red.

"Sorry," he mumbled, "I'm just… glad."

Thanh Việt smiled, not showing any discomfort, his eyes were unusually gentle in the morning sunlight. "No need to apologize," he said softly. "I'm also glad to see you safe."