Chapter 4: Seeking Death
The tiger demon’s furious words were completely ignored by Old Ox.
At this moment, Uncle Ox’s eyes were entirely bloodshot; he paid no heed to his own wounds, charging at the tiger demon with wild abandon. The tiger demon, equally enraged, exchanged several violent blows with him. Its sharp claws left deep, bone-exposing gashes on Uncle Ox’s body, but at the same time, it took several heavy blows from his hooves, coughing up blood.
Retreat began to flicker in the tiger demon’s eyes.
After another collision that sent them both crashing to the ground, the tiger demon sprang up, spat out mouthfuls of blood, and crouched low, no longer advancing, though its gaze remained fierce.
Old Ox, however, would not relent. His four hooves thundered as he charged again.
The tiger demon could bear it no longer.
“Damnable stupid ox! Just wait for death—when you’re dead, I’ll come back and eat you myself!”
With these words, the tiger demon cast a venomous glance at the stunned Li Mu, then turned and fled. Its speed far surpassed Old Ox’s; in a few bounding leaps, it vanished into the western mountain woods.
Old Ox huffed after it for a few steps before halting, unleashing a furious, mournful bellow into the forest…
…
The tiger demon was finally driven away.
The heavy stone on Li Mu’s heart was at last lifted.
But at that moment, his entire body froze.
He stood outside the ruined courtyard, staring at Old Ox’s back, then at the collapsed wooden house—he even glimpsed his mother’s severed head.
He was stunned.
Until, at a certain moment—
Thud!
Uncle Ox’s legs buckled, and he suddenly collapsed to the ground.
“Uncle Ox!”
Li Mu finally snapped back to reality and rushed to his side.
When he got a closer look at Old Ox’s body, Li Mu drew a sharp breath.
The once glossy hide was now riddled with wounds, soaked in blood that had already stained his entire body and, within moments, seeped through the ground, dyeing it red.
The worst of the wounds was at the neck—a deep gash, blood gushing, the wound laid open, exposing a severed artery. Even now, blood continued to ooze out.
Not much blood remained.
But that was no good sign.
Quite the opposite—it meant that Uncle Ox’s life’s blood was nearly spent.
“Uncle Ox!”
Li Mu panicked, thinking of nothing else, and pressed his hands to the wound.
But the blood would not stop, and any pressure was futile.
Old Ox’s gaze had regained its clarity. He laid his head to the ground, gazing with effort at the youth, blinking, and spoke with a human voice again.
“Mu’er, kill me.”
“What?”
Li Mu froze, not expecting these to be Uncle Ox’s first words.
Before he could respond, Uncle Ox spoke again, his voice weak but clear: “The wounds are too grave—I cannot survive. Kill me… If I die by the tiger demon’s claws, my soul will become its thrall, bound to serve it for all eternity, never to know rest. Only if you kill me can I be freed…”
Li Mu’s eyes widened in shock.
In an instant, a phrase came to his mind—
To serve the tiger as a ghost!
Legend had it that those devoured by tigers would become their slaves in the afterlife, never to be reborn.
So it was true?!
But the next second, Li Mu shook his head in desperation.
“No! There must be a way! There must be!”
Ever since he’d arrived in this world three months ago, it had always been Old Ox who accompanied him.
At first, he hadn’t known Old Ox could speak, or even think. But as he recalled, when he had only just regained the strength to move, he would often fall asleep while herding the ox. Whenever he awoke, Old Ox would always be curled beside him.
He had thought Old Ox merely obedient, never wandering off.
But now, looking back, it was clear—Old Ox had been shielding him from the mountain winds, keeping him warm.
When food was scarce at home, and there was little to eat, Old Ox would lead him, under the pretense of grazing, to patches of wild vegetables hidden deep in the hills…
And more, so much more…
Scene after scene flooded his mind.
Why had the original owner called him Uncle Ox? Was it not because, though just a child, he could sense Old Ox’s care and protection?
And today, to protect him, Old Ox had battled the tiger demon, laying down his life.
And now, at this very moment…
“Mu’er.”
Old Ox’s voice sounded again, deep yet gentle despite the rasp: “From now on, you are alone in this family. You must be strong. I cannot stay with you any longer.”
“No, Uncle Ox, please—there’s still hope…”
Li Mu’s tears fell like rain.
A wave of grief overwhelmed him.
He might be a soul from another world, but to face such a parting—life and death—this was his first time.
In his past life, not only did both his parents live, but even his grandparents were still hale and hearty.
He had never truly faced the loss of a loved one.
But now, he was forced to.
And not just to lose someone, but in such a brutal way…
He was lost, helpless, at a complete loss.
Suddenly, Old Ox’s face twisted in agony, blood pouring anew from his wound. “Mu’er, do you mean to damn me to eternal torment?!”
“No, no, Uncle Ox, I—I…”
Li Mu was utterly distraught.
But looking into Old Ox’s all-too-human, angry eyes, at last, he gritted his teeth, turned, and staggered toward the collapsed house.
Though the house was in ruins, the woodshed to the side was mostly intact.
Li Mu rummaged inside for a long while before finally finding a sharp knife—his father’s fish-gutting blade.
Tears streaming down his face, he carried the knife back to Old Ox.
Seeing the knife, Old Ox nodded with satisfaction, then struggled to turn slightly.
“Strike here…”
He guided Li Mu’s hand to the right spot.
Li Mu’s tears fell in torrents as he knelt beside Old Ox.
“Uncle Ox, Uncle Ox…”
“I can’t last much longer. Do it quickly…”
Old Ox looked at him, longing only for a swift death.
Li Mu gripped the knife, his hands shaking uncontrollably. His vision blurred again and again, until at last, he gritted his teeth so hard his lips bled, his mouth filled with the taste of blood.
He placed the knife where Old Ox had shown him.
“Uncle Ox… forgive me…”
Then, with all his strength, he pressed down, throwing his entire weight behind the blade.
A sickening crunch.
The knife pierced Old Ox’s chest, straight into his heart.
Old Ox’s body convulsed violently for a moment.
Li Mu’s tears poured down; eyes shut tight, jaw clenched, he twisted the blade with all his might.
He shattered Old Ox’s heart completely.
In the ox’s open eyes, a glimmer of release appeared.
Li Mu thought, perhaps it was only his imagination, but he seemed to see a wisp of black vapor rising from Old Ox’s body and then dissipating into nothing…
Soon after, Old Ox’s body went utterly still.
Li Mu gazed upon the body of his departed Uncle Ox, tears streaming unchecked.
On the western slope of the village, the courtyard was in chaos.
The house lay in ruins; in the yard, a woman’s head gazed blankly at the sky; outside, an ox’s corpse sprawled on the ground. Beside it, a young boy knelt, weeping as if his heart would break…
…
No one knew how long had passed…
“Mu’er?!”
A horrified voice finally broke through Li Mu’s daze.
He turned, bewildered, and realized that a large crowd had gathered outside the courtyard, though he had no idea when they’d arrived.