Child of a Demon
"A— what?!" Chen Ru's shock was written all across his face, his jaw dropping in disbelief.
As an exorcist in training, of course he had learned about demons and knew how dangerous their existence was.
Though their hierarchy remained unclear to humans, one thing for certain, they spelled bad news. They were terrifying beings who resided in Hell and lived off the dark miasma in the air. Notorious for their cruelty, they took pleasure in toying with humans and dragging them to the mire of sins, only to laugh as they suffered from the punishment. They represented the epitome of evil and were harbingers of catastrophes.
As they wouldn't be able to survive in the earthly realm, they dispatched their soldiers to possess human hosts as creatures born from such vessels would easily adapt to the mortal environment.
This was why exorcists like Song Zhuyu and Chen Ru were trained to prevent such disasters and to perform exorcisms on the possessed before it was too late.
Chen Ru had never heard of a case where a demon had successfully crossed over, so how… how could there be a person who was cursed with the demon's blood?!
The villagers must be exaggerating because they had no idea what a demon was capable of… right? Surely, they couldn't possibly mean a real demon! Unable to help himself, he cast a glance at Song Zhuyu and noticed an unusual glint of excitement in Father Song's otherwise calm and deep silver eyes.
Chen Ru: "...!"
No way, was it really the truth?!
"You heard correctly," Ma Boliu released a weary sigh. "It's really a demon. Aiyah, that person's mother…" he clicked his tongue in disapproval. "She had an unusual relationship with a demon, and as a result, an accursed child was born from it. I really don't want to bring up the embarrassing secret of our island, but I'm more afraid that you two will act recklessly and commit a mistake…"
Lao Si slammed his glass on the table and erupted in anger, "Stay away from the summit and that person named Rui Ye, that's all! We have warned you, and if anything happens because you get yourself involved with him, it won't be our responsibility!"
"Alright, alright, calm down, Lao Si. Why are you so agitated?"
"That's right. Here, drink first. Let's not talk about that person again, okay?"
The other villagers tried to soothe Lao Si's anger, while Ma Xiaocai, who sat beside Song Zhuyu, discreetly leaned in to whisper,
"Lao Si really wanted her as a daughter-in-law, but she got herself pregnant with a demon's child, so it has become a bone stuck in his throat until now. Please don't take his words to heart, okay? He means no harm."
Slightly surprised, Song Zhuyu couldn't help but probe further, "How…"
Ma Xiaocai's expression turned bitter. "She's my aunt. Rui Ye should have been my cousin, but alas…" she shook her head with a wistful sigh.
"Hmm…" Song Zhuyu mulled over the information he had just heard as he took a sip of his drink. He had expected the demon to hide himself and mingle among humans, yet as it turned out, he even took a step further and impregnated a human, even resulting in a child…? This was truly out of his expectations.
Rui Ye, huh?
Song Zhuyu could finally put a name to the blind man he encountered last night. But to be completely honest, rather than him, what Song Zhuyu was the most interested in asking was—
Where was the demon now?
What was so special about Rui Ye's mother that he chose her to bear his child?
How did the villagers find out about this matter?
And most importantly, was the 'demon' they were talking about the same demon he was searching for?
Song Zhuyu really wanted to ask further, yet judging from the strained atmosphere, he would most likely turn the situation for the worse if he showed a hint of interest in the demon. As such, he forced himself to suppress the curiosity and diverted the subject smoothly.
After all, he still had a lot of time, and who would be a better person to ask than the related person aka Rui Ye himself?
***
After lunch, Ma Boliu took them around the market to sample local snacks before bringing them to the farm. Once again, poor assistant Chen was forced to do manual labor and study things beyond the scope of his duty. At the end of the day, he was already proficient in milking cows and mixing pig feed, while he learned nothing at all about exorcism from Father Song…
Taking pity on the young man's poor stamina, Song Zhuyu finally concluded the tour for today and asked Ma Boliu to lead them back to the guest house.
Upon arriving, Chen Ru immediately collapsed on the armchair, gasping for breath, "T–This is only for today, right? We aren't going to do this again tomorrow. Right??"
Song Zhuyu released a helpless sigh, "Of course, we're going to do this until the day we leave the island. How else are we going to pass time here?"
Chen Ru: "..."
Chen Ru fell into silence when he heard those words from Song Zhuyu, who did nothing but observe and socialize while dumping all the dirty work on him. For the first time ever, Chen Ru seriously contemplated whether he should quit and go back to being a city boy.
However, as soon as the thought crossed his mind, he promptly dismissed it.
No, he must not give up so easily! He was here to learn from Father Song, and he would not leave until he gained a valuable lesson! Besides, there was a positive outcome to the labor— he could train his stamina and strengthen his physique, so that one day he could become as powerful as his role model!
Steeling his resolve, Chen Ru spoke up, "Father Song?"
"Hmm?"
"Uh, about what we heard earlier…" he was about to inquire further about the demon, but Song Zhuyu cut him off,
"Don't bother yourself with it."
"H–Huh?!" Chen Ru was so shocked that he sat up straight, gazing at Song Zhuyu in disbelief and incredulity. "Pardon?"
However, Song Zhuyu's expression remained calm and composed, rendering Chen Ru unable to guess what he was thinking about. "Do you seriously think they're talking about a real demon?" He cast Chen Ru an amused glance as though looking at a naïve child. "If that were the case, the Special Department would have already been notified about this. That woman most likely got herself pregnant out of wedlock, but because they couldn't find who the culprit is, they conveniently threw the blame on a demon – typical behavior of people with traditional beliefs."
"T–That makes sense!" Chen Ru snapped his fingers. "That's exactly what I'm puzzled about, Father Song! It's impossible for a demon's offspring to be born in this realm while we are all unaware of it, isn't it? Here I am wondering whether they're talking about the real deal…" he patted his chest in relief. "Thank goodness, I almost got a heart attack back there!"
"You've worked hard today," Song Zhuyu remarked with a praising smile, though his next words were ruthless. "Go and take a bath. You stink."
Chen Ru: "..."
He knew he was all sweaty and dirty after working all day, but was there a need to rub the fact to his face?! Alas, under Song Zhuyu's ever genteel smile, he found himself unable to utter a word of complaint.
Swallowing the grievances in his heart, he stood up and dragged his feet to the bathroom.
Song Zhuyu gazed at the young man's retreating figure while tapping his fingers on the armrest, lost in thought. There was actually one crucial detail he didn't tell Chen Ru— demons didn't need to physically descend into this realm to sire offspring. Just like how exorcists could borrow divine power from God to combat evils, demons could also bestow their seed upon a human…
But that could only happen under two circumstances. Either the woman was a fanatic, or she had made a deal with a demon to bear his child.
Child of a demon… what a wonderful creature. Song Zhuyu had to cover his mouth with a hand to suppress a delightful grin that almost formed across his face. Ah, this island was more intriguing than he expected. It seemed like he would never be bored here.
That night, Chen Ru once again went to bed early and passed out almost immediately due to extreme exhaustion and sore muscles. On the other hand, Song Zhuyu forced himself to sleep for three hours before he woke up at twelve thirty sharp.
Donning a hoodie that concealed his hair, he skillfully snuck out of his house. Making sure that no one was in the vicinity, especially Ma Boliu, he hurried to climb the hill, intending to stake out the same spot as last night.
He easily retraced his path until he arrived at the spot where Ma Boliu had left the food, then he hid himself behind the trees. Song Zhuyu had no idea whether he should count himself lucky that the weather was clear tonight; on one hand, he didn't have to be drenched by rain for hours, but on the other hand, he had to be extra careful not to leave any trace that could reveal his presence.
He didn't have to wait long for Ma Boliu to show up.
Around 1.30 AM, he appeared with a familiar box wrapped in a cloth. Just like last night, he placed it down on the ground before making his way back. Song Zhuyu hid himself within the shadows until his figure vanished completely before he stepped out of his hiding place.
Gazing at the box on the ground, he showed a sly grin and relocated it five steps away.
This time, I'm going to catch you whether you're ready or not.