This Is What a Villain Is Like

"Let her go," Jiang Lan said casually, glancing at the County Captain’s attendants.

The mute girl had a frail, thin frame and was dressed in patched, coarse linen clothes.

Before this, she had clearly been bullied by the villagers, who feared being implicated. Her clothes were soaked through.

Her hair was a mess, matted to her face in strands, its color tinged yellow from malnutrition.

She was like a frightened quail, shivering uncontrollably from the cold.

Even after they let her go, she didn’t dare to lift her head.

"Can you understand what I’m saying?"

"Don’t be afraid. I won’t hurt you."

Jiang Lan spoke, his voice calm and gentle.

Perhaps because his voice was so gentle, the girl timidly raised her head and glanced at him before nodding. She then raised a slender finger to her lips, as if to tell him she couldn’t speak.

Looking into her clear, bright eyes, Jiang Lan smiled. "As long as you can understand me, that’s all that matters. I know you can’t speak."

Mute Girl Xiaoya stared at him, dazed. It was as if she were seeing such a handsome man for the very first time. His skin was as fair as jade, and he wore immaculate white robes, looking like an Immortal who had stepped right out of a painting.

"Do you know who I am?" Jiang Lan asked her.

Mute Girl Xiaoya shook her head, her clear eyes filled with confusion.

In truth, she didn’t even really understand why the villagers had seized her, insulted her, and splashed water on her...

Jiang Lan smiled and asked again, "Do you know of the Prime Minister’s Mansion, then?"

The girl simply shook her head in confusion.

’That Lin Fan is suffering from a chilling ailment, and his injuries are severe. A little girl like her couldn’t possibly save him on her own.’

’The winter air is frigid. If she’s left to freeze like this, she’ll be the first one to die.’

Jiang Lan took off his outer coat, draped it gently over her shoulders, and turned to the County Captain. "The villagers must know this girl’s origins, I presume?"

He was actually a little surprised.

’In the original story, Xiao Yingyue was always accompanied by a young mute girl. This girl had a natural affinity for nature, a heart as pure as a newborn’s, and an absolutely terrifying talent for the Alchemy Dao.’

’Even veteran Pill Masters, steeped in the Alchemy Dao for years, would be left breathless in awe of her alchemical techniques.’

’If I’m not mistaken, Xiao Yingyue’s disciple must be this mute girl right here.’

’It seems she saved Lin Fan by accident.’

"Reporting to you, Young Master, the girl’s name is Xiaoya. Her parents died when she was young, and she’s been mute since childhood. Her grandmother raised her, but after she passed away from illness a few years ago, Xiaoya has lived all by herself. As for her mind... it seems she isn’t quite right. She just gives everyone a simple, foolish smile..."

The County Captain standing nearby answered quickly. He had clearly gathered all this information before arriving.

"Oh? If that’s the case, how did she become the accomplice of the assassin you speak of?"

"Or did you think the Jiang Mansion’s bounty was easy money and decide to try and fool me?"

Jiang Lan’s gaze swept over him coolly. Seeing the man’s expression change and cold sweat bead on his forehead, he smiled dismissively. "Forget it. I doubt you’d have the nerve anyway. Find a woman to take this girl to wash up and change into some warmer clothes."

"Yes, Young Master."

The County Captain responded at once, then gestured for a few nearby village women to hurry over.

Mute Girl Xiaoya stared dazedly at Jiang Lan, gratitude welling in her large, clear eyes. They crinkled into a smile, as if she wanted to thank him, but after gesturing for a long moment, she could only manage a few babbling noises.

Jiang Lan simply smiled, paying her no mind.

Soon, a few village women approached, trembling with apprehension, and led her away.

The next moment, Jiang Lan felt another surge of the Power of Destiny flow into his Mud Ball Palace, but he wasn’t surprised.

’This Mute Girl Xiaoya is also a person of great destiny. My small act of kindness made her feel closer to me, allowing me to gain some of that destiny.’

’Protagonists like him really do meet people of great destiny wherever they go.’

’Even when gravely injured, they manage to be saved by someone with great destiny.’

’Instead of saying the protagonist’s own destiny is astonishing, it’s more accurate to say that destiny itself favors him. All the people with great destiny and all the fated opportunities in this world will naturally converge around him.’

"Young Master, that assassin, Lin Fan, fled deep into the mountains while wounded. He can’t have gotten far. We’ll begin searching everywhere immediately and seal off the mountain range. The Prefect has also been notified and is dispatching a large number of Patrol Guards."

"With a net cast this wide, the assassin won’t be able to escape even if he sprouts wings," the Knight from before said, stepping forward.

"No rush. With injuries that severe, Lin Fan shouldn’t be able to move for a while. The fact that he recovered so quickly is what surprises me." 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

Jiang Lan waved his hand and said flatly, "Go search the mute girl’s home and see if you can find any clues."

’If Mute Girl Xiaoya is in Qingshui Village, then Xiao Yingyue, the Supreme Elder of Medicine King Valley, must be nearby as well.’

After receiving their orders, a few Knights immediately grabbed a villager to guide them. They mounted their Fierce Beasts and soared into the sky on a trail of cloud and mist, heading for Mute Girl Xiaoya’s home.

Jiang Lan, meanwhile, began asking the villagers if there were any well-known physicians in the area.

None of the villagers dared to hide anything. They immediately recounted every last detail they knew. They didn’t just name physicians; they even pointed out which villagers knew a little about medicine.

’So there really is a famous physician in Cyan Mountain Village, fifty li from here, whom the villagers call a Medical Immortal.’ Jiang Lan wasn’t surprised to hear this.

Soon, the Knights returned. They were holding an opened packet of medicinal herbs and a stone pot used for brewing them.

A strong medicinal scent wafted from the pot, which was stained black inside, clearly having been used to brew a decoction.

"Young Master, we found these in the mute girl’s home..." they reported, handing over the packet of herbs and the stone pot.

Jiang Lan merely glanced at the items, his expression calm as understanding dawned on him. "Bring me every physician from the surrounding villages. To dare leave medicine to treat Lin Fan, knowing he is my enemy... I’d like to see who is so bold."

"Yes, Young Master."

Streaks of Divine Rainbows shot away.

The remaining Knights stood guard, while the Fierce Beasts they rode raised their heads and roared, their menacing scales and ferocious appearance a terrifying sight.

All the villagers of Qingshui Village were terrified, trembling with unease. The County Captain’s face was pale, and cold sweat beaded on his forehead.

’If Mute Girl Xiaoya saved Lin Fan out of ignorance, then the person who left medicine to treat his injuries was a knowing offender.’

’After all, Xiaoya is mute. How could she have described Lin Fan’s symptoms to a physician?’

’This clearly meant the physician had seen Lin Fan’s injuries firsthand before prescribing treatment.’

’But if they saw Lin Fan’s injuries, they must have guessed his identity.’

’Especially since wanted posters for Lin Fan had been plastered all over the villages and towns of Jiangling County these past few days.’

’All villagers had been strictly warned to report any suspicious, injured individuals to the authorities at once.’

’Physicians at clinics, owners of medicine shops, and the like had even been personally visited and warned by officials.’

’They were to immediately report anyone who sought treatment for serious injuries, regardless of their identity.’

’Yet now, someone had defied that order, secretly leaving medicine to treat Lin Fan. Wasn’t this a deliberate challenge to the Prime Minister’s Mansion?’