Mortal Dawn and Dusk, My Eternal Life - Chapter 35

In Tianjin, if one were to mention the word “benevolent person,” nine out of ten people would likely think of one individual—Old Master Du.

Old Master Du, whose given name was unknown, was only known by his surname Du. He usually lived a reclusive life but was extremely charitable. It was said that Old Master Du was originally a merchant in his younger days, but later his family fortunes declined, and he experienced many hardships. Through some unknown twist of fate, after he reached middle age, he surprisingly rose again, accumulating a vast family fortune.

After becoming wealthy, Old Master Du did not indulge in extravagance like other newly rich individuals. Instead, he dedicated himself to good deeds, performing many acts of charity in Tianjin. On the first and fifteenth day of every lunar month, he would set up a porridge stall outside his mansion to provide relief to homeless vagrants and beggars. He also frequently donated to education, repaired bridges, and paved roads. In times of disaster, he would open his granaries to distribute food to the victims. Thus, Old Master Du was like a living Bodhisattva in the hearts of the Tianjin populace, praised by everyone and widely acclaimed.

This day was again the first day of the lunar month. In front of the Du mansion, a long queue had formed early in the morning. Those ragged, sallow-faced vagrants and beggars eagerly stretched their necks, staring longingly at the tightly closed vermilion-lacquered gates of the Du mansion, their eyes filled with anticipation.

Just after Chenshi (7-9 AM), the Du mansion’s gates slowly creaked open. A middle-aged man in brocade robes, with a lean face and a wisp of a goatee, slowly walked out, accompanied by several household guards. It was none other than the renowned Old Master Du of Tianjin. At this moment, Old Master Du wore a gentle and benevolent smile, his eyes filled with compassion for the suffering. He was a completely different person from the sharp-eyed figure who strategized in the secret chamber.

“My fellow townspeople, thank you for waiting.” Old Master Du said gently, without any airs of wealth. “Today’s weather is cold; you’ve all worked hard. Men, distribute the hot porridge and steamed buns. Ensure every person gets enough to eat and is warm.”

“Yes, Master!” the household guards replied in unison. Then they systematically began to distribute steaming buckets of rice porridge and baskets of white steamed buns to the already famished vagrants.

Old Master Du did not leave immediately. Instead, he stood by, personally supervising the porridge distribution process. From time to time, he would even bend down to kindly inquire about the health of the elderly and children, urging them to stay warm. His actions drew praise and tearful gratitude from all the vagrants present.

“Old Master Du is truly a living Bodhisattva!”

“Yes! If not for Old Master Du, we poor folk would have starved or frozen to death on the streets!”

“Old Master Du will surely live a long life, blessed with good fortune and health!”

Praises poured forth incessantly.

Su Mingyue, at this moment, happened to be passing by. She had originally intended to go to a nearby herbal medicine shop to purchase some herbs but unexpectedly stumbled upon the scene of the Du mansion distributing porridge. She stood at the periphery of the crowd, quietly observing the Old Master Du, surrounded by people and radiating benevolence. An imperceptible strangeness flashed in her eyes.

This Old Master Du certainly looked like a great philanthropist; his words and actions were beyond reproach. But… for some reason, Su Mingyue felt that a faint, almost imperceptible… chilling aura lingered around him. That aura was very subtle, so subtle it was almost impossible to detect. Had it not been for Su Mingyue, who was extremely sensitive to such auras, she would not have been able to distinguish it.

Moreover, this Old Master Du’s face… Su Mingyue slightly narrowed her eyes. This person’s forehead was dark, and blue veins appeared under his eyes, clearly indicating a serious underlying illness and depleted vitality. Yet, in his eyes, there was a sense of… excitement and greed that was incongruous with his age and sickly appearance. This contradictory facial reading made Su Mingyue’s heart inevitably question him.

Just as Su Mingyue secretly observed, the inconspicuous man who assisted Old Master Du, and who had been spying on her on the street a few days prior, also noticed Su Mingyue standing at the edge of the crowd. His eyes flickered slightly. He subtly moved closer to Old Master Du and whispered a few words.

Old Master Du glanced towards Su Mingyue upon hearing this. When he saw Su Mingyue’s elegant and refined appearance, and her simple attire that nonetheless highlighted her unique temperament, an imperceptible glint flashed in his eyes. He gave Su Mingyue a slight smile and nod, acknowledging her, then continued to converse kindly with the vagrants, as if he had just casually noticed an ordinary passerby.

Su Mingyue also nodded slightly to Old Master Du, returning the greeting, then turned and left. She did not dwell on this small interlude. After all, she was now merely a wandering female physician, and she should have no dealings with these prominent figures in Tianjin.

However, Su Mingyue did not know that after she turned to leave, Old Master Du’s lips curved into a meaningful smile. “Find someone to investigate her background,” he whispered to the inconspicuous man beside him. “Proceed with caution.”

“Yes, Master,” the inconspicuous man respectfully replied.

Over the next few days, Su Mingyue continued to wander around Tianjin. During the day, she would visit herbal medicine shops or markets to purchase herbs, or set up a small stall to treat minor ailments for people, earning a meager consultation fee. In the evenings, she would return to the inn, diligently studying ancient medical texts, or… secretly monitoring the strange murder cases occurring in Tianjin.

Ever since hearing Mr. Zhang’s words in the restaurant last time, Su Mingyue had developed a slight interest in General Gu of the police bureau and his potential connection to those murder cases. She subtly inquired about Gu Mingxuan’s news. As Mr. Zhang said, this General Gu was indeed a prominent figure in Tianjin. Young in age, he had repeatedly solved difficult cases and was highly regarded by his superiors. Especially on the Shanghai-Nanjing front a few days prior, he had personally led his subordinates, fighting bravely in bloody battles, achieving brilliant military exploits, and was hailed as the “God of War of Tianjin.”

However… the rumors about his drastic change in temperament after his “victorious return,” and the possibility of him being tainted by “evil qi,” were not baseless. Some said that after returning from the battlefield, he became taciturn and aloof, his eyes becoming unusually cold, as if he could see through people’s hearts. Others said he often stayed alone in the police bureau’s morgue late into the night, no one knew what he was doing. These rumors shrouded this young hero in a mysterious and eerie veil.

Su Mingyue was noncommittal about these rumors. What concerned her more were the “drained of life force” murder cases. In the past few days, two more similar cases had occurred in Tianjin! Without exception, the victims were all young and strong men, and their manner of death was identical to the previous ones: their vital essence completely drained, turning them into dried corpses.

For a time, the entire city of Tianjin was in a state of panic. Various rumors about “demons eating people” and “evil spirits at work” spread like wildfire, causing widespread alarm. The police bureau was also overwhelmed. Gu Mingxuan even personally led teams, investigating day and night, yet still made no substantial progress.

Su Mingyue had also quietly visited those crime scenes. She could clearly feel a cold and evil aura lingering at the scenes. That aura was somewhat similar to the malevolent yin qi she had sensed years ago in the Huang Mansion’s underground, yet it was also different. The Huang Mansion’s malevolent yin qi was more like a naturally formed energy without autonomous consciousness. The aura remaining at these crime scenes, however, carried a… deliberate, greedy, and desirous… human trace.

“What exactly is at work?” Su Mingyue’s heart was filled with questions. Was it a sorcerer cultivating evil arts? Or some kind of demon that sustained itself by feeding on human vital essence? Layers of mist enveloped Tianjin, and also shrouded Su Mingyue’s heart.