Taoist Chapter 51: The Village Chief Has Died

Thunder roared, rain poured in torrents, and dark clouds pressed heavily over the village. The air was thick with a foul stench, mingled with the metallic scent of blood.

At noon, in front of the village chief’s home, a man clad in a raincoat frantically pounded on the door, shouting anxiously inside.

“Trouble! Big trouble! Old Li’s child has killed someone!”

The village chief, napping at the time, stirred at the commotion. Rising, he opened the door and asked, “What? What happened?”

The villager, breathless with urgency, said, “Old Li’s boy, Li Yan, got into a fight with other children at the village entrance.”

Hearing this, the chief exhaled in relief, dismissing the gravity. “Kids quarrel all the time. Why would you say he killed someone?”

The villager’s face darkened. Muttering, he replied, “The other two children nearly died. There are many bodies on the ground. We tried to stop it, but couldn’t.”

The chief’s expression shifted, recognizing the severity. “Let’s go see what’s going on.”

The two hurried toward the village entrance. Soon, they arrived to find several children surrounding Li Yan, kicking him repeatedly and hurling cruel insults.

At first, Li Yan only curled up, shielding his head without fighting back. But in an instant, he sprang into a fierce brawl with them.

Scattered across the ground were many bodies, their deaths gruesome, marked by countless wounds. Blood stained the earth crimson.

Other villagers stood aside, fearful and hesitant to intervene.

Unfazed, the chief approached Li Yan swiftly and said, “Child, why resort to fighting when you could have spoken calmly?”

Li Yan turned to him, eyes bloodshot, dark energy swirling ominously around his body—a terrifying sight.

Coldly, he said, “They bullied me. They all deserve to die.”

Even the seasoned chief was startled; he had never seen Li Yan like this before.

He patiently asked, “Tell me how they bullied you. I’ll help you teach them a lesson.”

“This boy’s parents died early. I raised him myself; perhaps only I can calm him down,” the chief thought.

Hearing the chief’s words, the dark aura dissipated, and Li Yan’s eyes returned to normal. With a wronged expression, he said, “They called me motherless and unraised, said I was a bastard and beast. They hit me. I don’t know how, but I ended up killing them all. Village chief, will I be locked up?”

The chief smiled, ruffling the ten-year-old’s hair. “Come with me, child. I’ll take care of this.”

Li Yan nodded and followed him home.

The chief cooked for him; after eating, Li Yan went to sleep. But not long after, he was awakened by loud noises outside.

Fearful for the chief’s safety, he hurried to the courtyard.

There, a crowd of angry villagers had gathered, each brandishing a knife.

They demanded, “Hand over Li Yan, the murderer!”

The chief sternly replied, “I will punish him, of course, but he lost control. He’s just a child. Tell me what compensation you want, and I will pay. I know you’re grieving your children, but this boy’s life is hard, and his power is uncontrollable. Give him a chance to reform. If he continues to be a threat when he grows up, I will personally turn him over to the authorities.”

The villagers were unconvinced. They shouted, “No! We obeyed you before, but not this time. Killing means death. This child is a monster; if left alive, disaster will follow.”

The chief rubbed his head, pondering how to persuade them.

Li Yan watched silently.

“No, I have to go. Otherwise, the chief will be bullied. I’d rather pay with my life. The chief must not suffer because of me.”

He stepped forward, shielding the chief with his small frame.

Solemnly, he said, “This is my fault. I couldn’t control myself. I’ll go with you. Do what you want, but please don’t hurt the chief.”

The chief stopped him. “Child, you’re too young to understand how serious this is. Go inside and leave it to me, okay?”

Li Yan ignored him and sided with the villagers.

They bound Li Yan and locked him in a woodshed.

He accepted it calmly.

The merciless night swallowed everything, and Li Yan’s fear only grew.

He didn’t know what they planned for him or what his future held. The unknown was the most terrifying.

But that uncertainty was short-lived.

The woodshed door opened.

Two men entered and dragged Li Yan outside.

“What are they going to do with me? Are they going to kill me so soon?”

“I really wish I could see the chief one last time,” Li Yan thought, scanning the surroundings.

There was a wooden platform with a cross on it, surrounded by piles of firewood.

They tied Li Yan to the cross.

Fear gripped him; tears streaming down his face, he struggled but couldn’t break free.

The villagers doused the firewood with diesel and lit torches.

As a torch soared through the air, the chief caught it, throwing the others to the ground and stamping them out.

Kneeling, he bowed repeatedly before the villagers, pleading, “Please spare Li Yan. I will take responsibility for him. If you must have a life for a life, take mine. I raised him. A child’s misbehavior is the father’s fault.”

The villagers, disapproving of the chief’s stance, tried to pull him away and warned him that if he didn’t step aside, they would kill him first.

Hearing this, Li Yan shouted angrily, “Chief, please leave! If I die, so be it. Don’t sacrifice your life for me.”

But the chief refused to leave, steadfastly protecting Li Yan.

Seeing this, the villagers had no choice but to draw their knives.

They stabbed the chief repeatedly.

He collapsed, blood flowing from his mouth, his face turned toward Li Yan.

“Live well... escape... stop doing evil... no one... can protect you now...” he whispered, then breathed his last.