Chapter 169 - 106: Facing Snipers at the Middle Gate
Beneath the river, shadows of piled bones loomed, and atop the highest point of the heap, a wild child was gripping a bunch of water grass with all his might, pulling downwards with all the strength he could muster.
Xu Qing, expecting more than he got, instantly found the corpse in his hand less fascinating after seeing the heap of bones and the wild child at his feet.
Depositing the corpse in the Box Garden, Xu Qing rubbed his chin, scrutinizing the naked three-year-old child.
Though said to be a three-year-old, it didn’t quite resemble an ordinary child. In fact, it looked more like a water monster.
This monster had small horns on its head, scales like a carp on its body, a tiger’s tail, and knee joints like tiger paws. The key feature was its human-like face, resembling a young child’s.
"This appearance is somewhat similar to the Water Tiger mentioned in the legends..."
Linhe, blessed with abundant water transport, was rife with tales of water monsters, the most famous of which were the Water Tiger and the Water Monkey.
Both were water-loving spirits frequently documented in ancient literature like Xiangmian Records, Commentary on the Water Classic, Bird Scripture, Ten Dao Chronicles, and others.
The Xiangmian Records states: In the water, there is a creature called the Water Tiger. It resembles a three-year-old child, with knee joints like tiger paws and claws often submerged in water. It shows its knee to lure children, then devours them. If someone captures it alive, plucking its "gaoyan" can make it obedient; such a creature is called a Water Tiger...
The Water Tiger is born with heightened hearing, possessing an ear that can understand the languages of fish, birds, and humans.
The Water Tiger’s mouth lacks teeth, but its stomach contains sharp teeth to chew and digest the prey it swallows.