novel bin Chapter 48 Shenmu Village
Chapter 48 Shenmu Village
Dusk fell, and a cold wind howled. Dark clouds gathered along the border, and bursts of thunder rolled within the leaden clouds, creating the scene of an impending storm.
As dusk fell, a thin mist enveloped Shenmu Village, making it difficult to see anything from a distance.
The houses and buildings in Shenmu Village are intricately arranged, and without guidance, it could take several hours to get in and out freely.
Xu Guisheng, who had lost both his eyes, sat hunched over on the bluestone slab at the village entrance, seemingly waiting for something.
The three appeared one after another, their actions revealing a certain pattern.
"You've arrived..."
Xu Guisheng opened her empty eye sockets and stared blankly at the three people who were getting closer and closer.
"Senior...no...no...completely different from the tree spirit we encountered before. This person is shrouded in an aura of decay and resentment..."
Fang Hongxuan, who was about to speak, turned back in frustration and stopped talking.
The two people behind him looked at each other, and finally their gazes were fixed on Fang Hongxuan.
"Lord Chenmu appeared to me in a dream long ago, revealing to me all the characteristics of these three distinguished guests. I suppose you are indeed the honored guests of my Shenmu Village."
"We are honored guests, but we are just passing through and hope that you will take us three brothers in and let us rest for the night."
Fang Hongxuan bowed respectfully, not knowing whether Xu Guisheng could see him or not, but he still performed the proper courtesies.
The old man leaned on his cane and walked towards the village.
"Please come with me. This place has been poor for many years, and we have nothing to offer to our distinguished guests. I hope you will not take it to heart."
"Where are the other villagers?"
Jian Shiqing coughed lightly, knowing that there were many things Fang Hongxuan couldn't say. So he took the liberty of asking.
The old man stroked his beard a few times before slowly revealing the inside story.
"This village is sick. Lord Chenmu has said that after dusk, no household shall leave its house."
"What if someone disagrees?"
Chen Qinghe couldn't resist his curiosity and asked a question.
"If that's the case, then let him fall into the deepest hell, never to be redeemed by Lord Chenmu..."
Although the old man spoke in a calm tone, it evoked a different kind of feeling in the ears of the three of them.
...
'Squeak'
The old man pushed open the fence, which had been repaired many times, and a frail old woman with a full head of white hair and a face full of wrinkles came out of the house.
She was dressed in a patched coarse linen dress, with a worn and faded skirt around her waist, and below the skirt were a pair of nearly faded embroidered shoes.
The group could tell at a glance that this was the result of long washing and beating.
"These must be your three distinguished guests. I extend my greetings."
The old woman bowed slightly and greeted Fang Hongxuan and the other two.
"This is my wife. If you don't mind, you can call her Ah Xiu."
The old man welcomed the three into his home with a smile and then closed the gate.
With just this tiny movement, the three of them felt the surrounding yin energy decrease slightly.
"Ah Xiu, bring the cured meat and Fenjiu liquor to welcome our three distinguished guests."
Smoke curled up from the chimney, carrying the aroma of wine and meat.
Fang Hongxuan naturally had excellent eyesight; even through the crack in the door dozens of steps away, he could see the bluish-red charcoal fire, the rolling chunks of meat in the pot, and the ever-shifting blood foam.
Upon seeing this, Fang Hongxuan, who had been feeling quite hungry, immediately lost interest.
"May I ask, ma'am, what is being steamed in the pot?"
Seemingly sensing something amiss, Jian Shiqing asked a question. Even Chen Qinghe, whose reaction was somewhat slow, had a slightly somber expression.
The reason is simple: steaming or boiling cured meat won't produce any blood foam!
"Hehe, perhaps it was Lord Chenmu's blessing. Yesterday, a plump wild rabbit darted out of the forest and crashed headfirst into my door, dying instantly."
"Originally, I intended to use it as a tonic for my daughter-in-law, haha... Your esteemed guest certainly has a good palate... In that case, let's take it and serve it to our esteemed guest as well."
The old man, seemingly unfazed, chuckled and headed straight for the kitchen.
Inside the pot, the rabbit head, already stewed until tender, kept bobbing and turning. Once the rabbit head sank, the body, chopped into pieces, floated up again.
"There was no trace of resentment or malevolence about them; could it be that we've truly misunderstood them?"
Fang Hongxuan wavered slightly, and even his expression changed a bit.
'Buzz'
A series of tinnitus pierced the three men's minds, and the intense pain felt like being pricked by needles.
As the pain subsided, Fang Hongxuan tried to open his eyes, but the sudden bright light made it impossible for him to open his eyelids. He could only peek through the cracks and see a strangely colorful scene outside, like a large dye vat used for dyeing cloth.
I could vaguely hear the sounds of gongs, drums, melodies, murmurs, and roars. At first, they seemed far away and indistinct.
In an instant, I was surrounded by a cacophony of noise, feeling as if I were in a chaotic mess, and I didn't know how to escape this situation for a moment.
...
The setting sun over the western hills finally sank below the horizon, and the last glimmer of red along the border was completely driven away by the night.
Only when Fang Hongxuan was enveloped in resentment and his bloodshot eyes gleamed did he finally break free from the illusion. However, the scene before him caused his pupils to shrink slightly...
Chen Qinghe, who was closest to the stove, felt an unbearable pain in his head. Just as he was about to cry out to relieve the pain, Fang Hongxuan covered his mouth tightly.
When Chen Qinghe gradually regained his senses and saw his surroundings clearly, his eyes widened and his face showed no doubt.
Even the usually composed Jian Shi was sweating profusely after regaining her senses and was at a loss for words.
...
What was being steamed in the pot wasn't rabbit meat at all, but clearly two cooked male and female heads. The male head had a faint resemblance to Gui Sheng in its features.
The old man and woman had also changed their appearance.
Both men had bloodshot eyes, and pustules on their faces were oozing out of the lumps. Their bodies were covered in red hair, and their fingernails had grown to an inch long.
"These are...the walking corpses infected with the plague..."
The cold sweat hanging down Jian Shiqing's temples was like a string of beads, each bead distinct as it fell straight down.
"Ah Xiu, let me tidy up the guest table first. Only after I call you out can I serve the rabbit meat and cured meat to our distinguished guests."
"Hehe, old man, there's no need for such formalities. Although my two fellow disciples and I are tired from our journey, we are not hungry."
"Just prepare rooms for us. As for this pot of rabbit meat, let's give it back to our father-in-law and daughter-in-law to nourish their bodies."
Fang Hongxuan tried to decline with a blank expression, but the previously amiable old man's face suddenly changed.
Its ferocious fangs protruded directly, and even the surrounding resentment instantly intensified.
The same applies to the old woman stirring the soup.
"As the saying goes, dumplings for mounting a horse, noodles for dismounting. My Shenmu Village hasn't seen peddlers, caravans, or security escort agencies for a long time... so naturally, we don't have any white flour."
I hope our three distinguished guests will not find this bowl of meat soup unappetizing. To be honest, it's one of the few meat dishes available in Shenmu Village.
The old man looked embarrassed and stammered, unable to speak.
In the food bowl, the two pale, swollen heads actually opened their eyelids and stared blankly at the three people in front of them...