# 24
**Chapter 24: Heavy Rain**
"Little Qi, don’t just eat vegetables—have some ribs too!" Auntie picked up a pork rib and dropped it into Lin Qiye’s bowl.
Lin Qiye smiled. "Thanks, Auntie."
"Today’s a big day—eat up, don’t worry about saving me money!"
"Got it, Auntie. A Jin, you eat more too; you’re still growing—"
A Jin?
A Jin!"
Lin Qiye called twice at Yang Jin, who was spacing out.
"Huh? Oh, I’m eating!" Yang Jin came back to himself and scratched his head.
"Child, what’s with you? Getting picky now? Meat right in front of you and you won’t touch it?" Auntie rolled her eyes at Yang Jin and piled more meat into his bowl.
"A Jin’s probably stressed over homework," Lin Qiye said with a laugh. He set down the bone he’d just cleaned, glanced around, and a trace of puzzlement crossed his face.
Auntie noticed too. "Strange—where’s Little Blackie? Usually he’s first at the table, and now there’s a bone and no dog in sight?"
As if summoned, Little Blackie poked his head from the balcony and barked.
"Woof!"
Lin Qiye waved the bone in the air, beckoning, but the dog looked from the bone to the window, torn.
"What’s gotten into him?" Auntie muttered.
Lin Qiye hesitated, then stood and walked to the balcony with the bone. He stroked Little Blackie’s head and whispered, "What’s wrong, huh? Something outside?"
He tossed the bone down. While the dog crunched it, Lin Qiye straightened and looked out.
Endless night, nothing but torrential rain.
Even the nearby apartment blocks were dark. The world was silent, as if only the rain remained.
"Nothing there…" he murmured, turning to go—when tapping sounded at the glass.
A tiny bat, soaked through, was bumping against the pane, desperate for shelter.
Lin Qiye’s eyes lit up.
Come to think of it, he’d never tried the Starry Dancer’s gift of talking to nocturnal creatures. A bat was perfect…
He stood motionless, staring at the bat.
"Little Qi! What are you doing? Food’s getting cold!" Auntie called.
But Lin Qiye was a statue.
Just as Auntie opened her mouth again, Lin Qiye snapped around, pupils trembling!
He sprinted to the door and shoved his feet into his shoes.
"Little Qi, where are you going?"
"Just remembered something urgent—I have to go out."
"Foolish boy, look outside! Pitch-black and pouring—what could be so important?"
"Something only I can do."
"Then—then what about dinner?"
"I’ll eat when I’m back!"
Under Auntie’s stunned gaze he tied his laces, yanked the door open, and rushed out.
At that moment Yang Jin spoke.
"Bro, the rain’s too heavy—don’t go."
"I have to."
"No matter how important, someone else could handle it. The world keeps spinning without you."
"But some things I must do myself." Lin Qiye drew a breath, forced a smile. "Don’t worry—small errand. I’ll be right back. A meal this good deserves to be finished. I’m off."
The door slammed. Footsteps thundered down the stairs.
Only when they faded did Auntie bolt to the doorway and yell down:
"Foolish boy! Take an umbrella!"
The stairwell swallowed her words; no answer came.
She sighed, returned to the table, and suddenly the food tasted bland.
Yang Jin sat silently, eyes fixed on the rain outside.
…
In the rain—
Click, click, click!
Zhao Kongcheng flicked his lighter again and again; each spark died the instant it bloomed.
He clenched the unlit cigarette between his teeth and exhaled in frustration.
Today’s luck… really stinks.
"Screech—!!"
Not far off, the Ghost-Face King stood like a demon sculpted from rain, its presence crushing.
It towered twice the size of ordinary ghost-faces, a small mountain. While common ghost-faces scuttled on all fours, the King stood upright, chest high—almost human if not for the pale mask of a face and scarlet tongue lolling.
Yet that fearsome body was crisscrossed with deep cuts, every slash carved into flesh, blood streaming.
Zhao Kongcheng clicked his tongue at the wounds.
"Captain’s a beast… injured it this badly. Guess he went easy on me in sparring. A River-realm monster, even half-dead, is still a monster. Wonder how many moves I’ll last."
He reached over his shoulder, gripped the hilt of his Straight Blade, and slowly drew.
Blue steel split the rain with a faint hum.
A downpour, a cigarette,
A crimson cloak, a Straight Blade!
The Ghost-Face King rolled its blood-red tongue, eyes hungry for slaughter.
In the same instant both moved!
Zhao Kongcheng shot forward like an arrow, blade flashing, killing intent blazing.
Fast—but the King was faster!
Its massive frame tore through the curtain of rain, hideous face twisted in predatory glee.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
They collided; blade-light flared, three metallic shrieks ringing through the storm as claws met steel, sparks dazzling.
A master of close combat, Zhao Kongcheng struck thrice for vital points, each blocked at inhuman speed. On the third parry the King’s brute strength hurled him into the mud.
The gap was absolute.
One: a mythic creature of River-realm, wielding Forbidden Ruins and monstrous flesh.
The other: a mere man of skill and grit.
Zhao Kongcheng spat out his soggy cigarette and hauled himself upright.
"Damn—so what if you’re a myth? Big muscles don’t make you right!"
The King had no concept of fair fight. It roared, thunder rolling from its throat—
"Grrraaahhh!!"
Around it a huge, snarling ghost-face began to form on the ground…
Zhao Kongcheng’s expression darkened.
"Forbidden Ruins Sequence 176—Ghost-Face Domain."