Chapter 25: The Funeral

The academy buildings stood as silent witnesses to the ongoing battle, their imposing structures shrouded in the soft darkness of early morning. With a resounding "thud," the entrance burst open, villagers flooding in with urgency and determination, their torchlight piercing through the shadows like beacons of hope in the darkness.

With a resounding "thud," a forceful impact echoed from the doorway as villagers exerted considerable effort to force open the classroom door.

The moment the door opened, the torchlight spread out like bright rays from the sky, lighting up the damaged classroom. The light cut through the moving dust, as if announcing the start of a new life after the disaster.

"There are survivors here! Come, help!"

A known voice came from the classroom door, where the headmaster stood up again, leaning on a wooden stick, leading villagers to look for survivors room by room. The headmaster's shadow looked strong and powerful in the shaky torchlight, like a guide leading people to a new life from the ruins.

The girl who survived looked excitedly at the door, sitting weakly on the ground. Tears ran freely from her eyes, but in this moment, they were filled with the start of hope. The headmaster's call brought a bit of hope, and in the dim light of the torches, she felt as if she had gone through a disaster but now finally experienced a surprising new life.

"We have a survivor here!" Cheers of the villagers reverberated in the dilapidated classroom, conveying an incredible joy.

"Hurry, save A-Lai!" the girl pleaded, her voice tinged with urgency and concern, as if time had become incredibly precious in this moment. Her cries filled the air with a tense atmosphere, each moment appearing crucial.

"Where is A-Lai?" the villagers anxiously inquired, their figures shimmering in the torchlight as they rushed.

The girl turned around, stunned. In the blink of an eye, the place where A-Lai had been was now empty, with only dried and clotted blood left.

The girl wiped her eyes, deeply doubting whether she had experienced a hallucination. Her fingers touched the sticky blood, seemingly still carrying the warmth of the young boy.

This couldn't possibly be a dream!

The villagers looked at the girl with suspicion, silently standing there, listening to her narrate the story that unfolded.

In the forest, Gongsun Elder also turned and ran towards the academy, close on the young monk's heels. He understood that if the woman in red escaped, she would become a significant threat. His steps were hurried, his eyes filled with anxiety.

By the time they reached the academy, everything was over. The young monk stood silently beside the massive centipede, its grotesque body still twitching slightly, emitting an unsettling aura.

The young monk's expression was grave. Upon seeing Gongsun Elder, he cautiously stepped back. Gongsun Elder approached, fixing his gaze on the young monk and asking, "Where is the woman in red?"

The young monk did not answer, only glanced around, his worried expression giving Gongsun Elder an ominous feeling. He realized that things were far from over, and the whereabouts of the woman in red remained unknown.

Gongsun Elder felt a headache coming on and frowned as he surveyed the surroundings, suddenly aware of the gravity of the situation. He approached the young monk, asking directly, "What about A Lai? Where is he?"

The headmaster was silent for a moment, then finally spoke, "A Lai is missing."

Gongsun Elder was shocked and anxious. He had come to the academy expecting to find A Lai, not to find things in such a dire state. His expression darkened, his brows knitted.

The middle-aged monk also looked alarmed at the headmaster's words, a flash of anger in his eyes as he turned to Gongsun Elder, his gaze filled with accusation and suspicion. He was about to attack, suspecting Gongsun Elder of being involved in A Lai's disappearance.

However, the headmaster quickly intervened, stepping between them and preventing the conflict. He raised his hand, signaling them to stay calm. He spoke sternly, "Hold on! There's been a misunderstanding here."

Gongsun Elder looked at the headmaster, his eyes filled with confusion and puzzlement. "A misunderstanding? What kind of misunderstanding?"

The headmaster explained, "This monk and the young monk were sent to protect A Lai; they did not know you were A Lai's teacher. Our priority now is to find A Lai, not to fight among ourselves."

The middle-aged monk looked at Gongsun Elder with a trace of apology in his eyes. "Sorry, Master. I misunderstood you. I was entrusted with protecting A Lai. We should not be at odds."

Gongsun Elder nodded, grasping the truth. "I see. I am A Lai's teacher, and I am most concerned for his safety. Given that, we should work together to find A Lai as soon as possible."

"Very well, let's search together!"

After that day, nobody knew what happened; everything came suddenly and disappeared just as quickly.

"Headmaster, where did these monsters come from? Why did they choose our village?"the villagers asked, their eyes filled with fear and confusion.

"Headmaster, is our home still safe? Can we continue to farm and provide for our families as before?" the farmers inquired anxiously.

"Headmaster, are our defenses sufficient? How can we protect ourselves from harm by these monsters?" an elder villager asked, gripping his hoe tightly.

"Headmaster, is this a sign? Is a greater disaster about to befall us?"pondered an old man, his brow furrowed in thought.

Headmaster, should we seek help from the outside world? Perhaps someone knows the secrets of these monsters," suggested a woman, her voice tinged with hope.

"God, save us!" some villagers prayed, kneeling on the ground, hoping for divine protection.

"This is retribution; we must have done something wrong!"

In fear, the villagers began to introspect, searching for the cause of the calamity. The Principal remained silent for a long time, not knowing the answers to all this. He had traveled many places and seen many strange people and things, but this time it was beyond all his imagination.

The villagers and students suffered heavy casualties, with a cemetery filled with numerous new graves. This week, the villagers held funerals everywhere.

Many students and villagers disappeared, much like A-Lai, and their funerals were held on a misty, overcast day. The students who were still around laid a big bunch of wild yellow flowers and some deep red roses from the fields on A-Lai's grave.

Maybe the person who brought the roses didn't know they're not usually for funerals. Color blindness is pretty common, but it's nothing much to talk about.

A few villagers in the group whispered among themselves, "Why hasn't Master Gongsun arrived yet?"

"He got drunk again yesterday and has been sleeping all day!" a middle-aged villager said.

"When will he ever quit drinking?" the middle-aged villager's wife said, her tone filled with worry.

"The old man always said it's hardest for others to quit drinking, but it's a piece of cake for him since he quits at least a dozen times a year!" the middle-aged villager's daughter said dismissively, with a scornful expression.

She suddenly fell silent, seeing a solitary figure sitting on a distant high slope; it was Master Gongsun. Since being misled by the demon general that day, he had been wracked with guilt and spent his sober moments alone and quiet.

The villager's daughter felt a pang of guilt. She had been harsh in her words about the old man, Gongsun, behind his back. It seemed a bit too much. But when a middle-aged monk appeared and handed a gourd of clear liquor to the old man, Gongsun didn't hesitate to accept it. He tilted his head back and drank, the liquid flowing down his throat like a ribbon of silver.

"Old dogs never change their habits!" the little girl muttered under her breath.

"Master Gongsun, please come to our temple. We need your help!" The middle-aged monk bowed with respect.

"I may be bald, but that doesn't mean I'm meant to be a monk," the old man said as he rubbed his head.

"We're not asking you to become a monk, but we need someone with your special abilities to help us fight against the rising evil demon king!"

"What's in it for me if I join you?"

"Our organization is wealthy, and we have all kinds of fine liquors, all made from authentic grains."

The old man pondered for a moment, realizing that he was no longer safe in this quiet village. Perhaps it was time to find a new place to hide. So he tilted his head back again, emptied the gourd of liquor, and then returned it to the monk.

He beckoned to a young monk not far away, "Young man, come here! I see you have an extraordinary physique and talent. Would you like to follow me and learn some real kung fu?"

"Thank you, but my master is far more skilled than you are!" The young monk turned his head to the side with a hint of disdain.

Master Gongsun nodded and burst into hearty laughter. "Ha ha! It's been a long time since I've had such an entertaining match!"

"Come, come! Let me show you whose martial arts skills are superior!" Master Gongsun strode confidently toward the middle-aged monk.

"True martial arts isn't about flashy moves; it's about the unity of heart and mind." Master Gongsun stood firm, took a deep breath, and then slowly performed a series of punches and strikes. Each movement was deliberate and powerful, seamlessly blending with the natural surroundings.

Beside them, in a grove of bamboo, shadows danced as the wind rustled through the leaves.

The young monk watched intently, absorbing the strength and essence behind each movement. Master Gongsun's technique, though simple, was imbued with profound inner power.

"Convinced?" Master Gongsun asked.

The middle-aged monk blocked the blows and looked on, confused. "I'm not his Kung Fu master!"