Chapter 8

Chapter 8

*Chug-chug-chug-chug-chug-*

The motor tricycle rumbled across the vast, open plateau, its engine roaring loud enough to shake the heavens. Jiang Haoyan and I sat huddled together, knees pulled to our chests, staring awkwardly at the goat sharing the ride with us.

“Qiao Moyu, I have to go back. Fang Lu is still waiting for me.”

With a darkened expression, I shot him a glare. “Go back for what? Are you in that much of a hurry to meet your maker?”

As I spoke, I unzipped my backpack. A gu is a specialized form of sorcery. Once a gu insect enters the human body, it hides within the heart or the brain, leaving no outward trace of its malevolent presence.

If I wanted to dispel the gu, the *Compendium of Materia Medica* contained several formulas, but the necessary herbs were hard to find. I also knew a Saintess from Miaojiang named Hua Yuling who could cure most types of Gu Sorcery, but she was too far away. Distant water can’t put out a nearby fire.

After a moment’s thought, I had no choice but to pull out my Thunderstruck Wood Talisman.

If I end up failing my classes next semester, at least I won’t be the only one suffering.

A bolt of lightning crackled through the air. Jiang Haoyan let out a wail and clutched his head.

“Are you awake now? Still want to go back and find your Fang Lu?”

Silence.

Jiang Haoyan held his head, motionless. I worried the lightning might have been too strong-I hadn’t actually broken him, had I?

Panicked, I tried to pull his hands away to check on him, but Jiang Haoyan seized the opportunity to grab my hand instead.

“Qiao Moyu, I don’t like Fang Lu. I like-”

“Young people, we’ve reached our village up ahead.”

The driver stopped the vehicle. Before us lay an ancient village where most of the houses were built from stacked stones.

He parked the tricycle in front of a temple. He pulled a single bill from the wad of hundreds I had given him and stuffed the rest back into my hand, looking embarrassed.

“I’m sorry, my house is small. It wouldn’t be convenient for you to stay there.”

“This is a temple. Many people come here to travel, and there are guest rooms next door. All the outsiders stay here.”

The man rode off on his tricycle with a final *chug-chug-chug*. Jiang Haoyan and I climbed the steps and entered the temple.

The mountain village was exceptionally quiet at night. The moon felt incredibly close, casting mottled shadows through the trees, while the occasional sound of chickens and barking dogs drifted from the distant houses.

I walked with my head down, my mind consumed by thoughts of Fang Lu.

Why had she gone to such lengths to bring Jiang Haoyan to Tibet? What was the connection between her and that Demoness from Xinjiang?

Ever since we left Sichuan, I had the nagging feeling that everything happening was somehow tied to Chiyou.

Jiang Haoyan was uncharacteristically quiet as well. We knocked on the main gate and explained our situation to the temple staff. A lama led us to a nearby building to find a room.

The guest rooms were on the second floor. After setting down my backpack, I walked to the window and looked down.

Damn it.

A small car had pulled up outside the temple gates. The doors opened, and Fang Lu stepped out, followed by three lamas.

Perhaps sensing my gaze, Fang Lu looked up. I immediately ducked down, yanking Jiang Haoyan down with me. He crouched beside me, looking confused.

I whispered, “Fang Lu caught up to us-”

“Crap!” Jiang Haoyan cursed under his breath. “What do we do?”

I scanned the room quickly. There was a wooden bed and a cabinet in the corner; the space was small. I threw open the door, rushed to the room across the hallway, and looked out. Its window faced west, directly overlooking a dense forest.

I pushed the window open, took off my shoes, and pressed a few footprints onto the windowsill. Then, I grabbed a random object and tossed it out.

A sharp *clatter* rang out, sounding incredibly distinct in the silent night.

With the trap set, I ran back to our original room, grabbed Jiang Haoyan, and scrambled under the bed.

Sure enough, a moment later, a series of hurried footsteps thundered up the stairs.

“They ran! After them!”

Two people ran downstairs to give chase. Fang Lu switched on the hallway light, circled the room across from us, and then walked into our room.