Chapter 1, Blood-Feeding Giant Worm

Blood, there is blood, Zhang Lisheng saw the centipede gently rubbing against the lower end of his nose, showing no fear at all, but instead grinning and softly saying: "Hurry up and eat, don't waste it"

If born in a big city, boys of this age are likely to have been diligently attending tutoring sessions day and night, enduring immense pressure in order to gain admission to a prestigious university and secure a promising future

Black fish, have you not heard the old saying that the early bird catches the worm? Taking action first ensures that one does not suffer losses

You, just like the nickname your father gave you, are simply a 'rough stone'

Are you in cahoots with the black fish? Hmph, lacking discernment, you deserve to be beaten up.

Thereafter, he began to shake his head and make a strange sound, akin to a frenzied "hiss hiss, rustle rustle..."

Guo Wo Village, located deep in the mountains, experiences humid and moldy summers, and cold, biting winds in winter. Therefore, the houses in the village were traditionally built as bamboo structures. In recent years, with improvements in the environment, new constructions have also been designed to resemble bamboo houses, featuring buildings with high concrete pillars at each corner of the foundation

A few unruly young boys were arguing on the cobblestone path. One boy, with a face as large as a square melon but eyes as small as broad beans, became so agitated that he turned red in the face and was ready to fight with his companions

However, in this remote mountain village, which has increasingly been imbued with a sense of restlessness by numerous travelers, the youth still appear simple and unadorned

The unruly ones have already learned to engage in romantic relationships, smoke, drink, and fight; some from well-off families have even become regulars at nightclubs

The incantation echoed once more, and the centipede on the ground began to move its elongated body in a strange manner, with thousands of slender legs crawling about chaotically, yet it did not act according to the boy's will.

The old house's door lock is a square bolt made of brass. Zhang Lisheng deftly used the key hanging from his neck to open the brass lock. After entering the old courtyard, he firmly secured the wooden door with two heavy bolts.

As if it understood the words of the youth, the enormous centipede no longer showed affection towards him. It coiled its body into a U shape and slowly descended from beneath his nose, causing all the blood that had flowed from Zhang Lisheng to vanish completely, even the dried remnants.

Seeing the notoriously mischievous Ge Pushi and He Jiaheiyu about to start a fight, the honest children on the way home had already hidden to the side. Meanwhile, the mischievous companions of these two not only did not dissuade them but instead laughed and cheered in unison.

You must be dreaming; for a network company to establish a base station in such a remote corner, that would be foolish.

Finally returned a quarter of an hour ago. After pulling the wooden door with force and finding it tightly shut, Zhang Lisheng, who had not paused at all along the way, finally took a few hurried breaths and murmured with some joy in his voice.

His parents gave him this name with the intention of protecting him from the jealousy of heaven, fearing that he might die young, and with the hope that a good name would help him thrive. As Ge Pushi grew up, he naturally felt ashamed of it, yet he could not vent his anger on his father or mother, so he could only take it out on others whenever they called his name.

With all his strength, he angrily grabbed the centipede off his face and threw it to the ground. Zhang Lisheng, his voice hoarse, said: "Qinghong, you almost got me killed. After consuming so much blood and flesh essence this time, you must obey. You cannot let me be scolded by Father again; otherwise, I will not spare you."

You dare to insult me and call me a crude stone? I will give you a "firework of the eyes" right now

Others may not understand, but although he is young, he is a serious 'Old Miao', fully aware that in the dense jungle, where poisonous insects abound, daring to use the word 'Insect' as a nickname, that lean youth named Zhang Lisheng, how could he be an ordinary person

Zhang Lisheng lay weakly on the ground, gradually regaining a bit of vitality. His emaciated body swelled slightly like an inflatable doll. Although he still appeared skeletal and lacking in form, at least he no longer resembled a terrifying, skin-covered skeleton.

The extent of Zhang Lisheng's pain and fear is matched only by the joy of the venomous creatures he nurtures with his own flesh and blood. The centipede, feasting on the blood of youth, emits a faint glow from its terrifyingly curved body, its head and tail swaying in unison, completely indifferent to the flesh and blood of its emaciated master. Gradually, at a visibly discernible pace, he sinks into a state where he is nothing but skin and bones

In the past, Zhang Lisheng had only fed the centipede a few drops of essence blood, but at this moment, he finally understood how foolish his shortcut had been, akin to courting his own demise. However, it was already too late to turn back, and all he could do was pray to the heavens to help him survive this great calamity

This old brick and stone residence, imbued with a hint of the ancient style of the Central Plains of Huaguo, evokes a somewhat unusual feeling upon entering.

In late autumn, the weather is gloomy and cold. The bright yet unwelcoming sunlight at noon casts shadows on the stone path of Guo Wo Village in Damu Town, reflecting patches of shade.

When students generally see Ge Pushi's face turn red and his neck grow thick with genuine anger, they cannot help but feel guilty, thinking that a few soft words might resolve the situation. However, this time, He Jiaheiyu, who spoke disrespectfully to Ge Pushi, is not a pushover either. Without showing any weakness, he rolled up his sleeves and, cursing and swearing, confronted him like a fighting cock.

As the sound grew increasingly urgent, a very fine rise began to appear on the yellow earth of the old courtyard, moving back and forth. By the time Zhang Lisheng's scream abruptly ceased due to exhaustion, a rope, about the thickness of a thumb and interwoven in black and red, suddenly burst forth from the ground, as if it were a living thing, climbing up his right leg and onto the boy's body.

On the stone slab, hetushu.com, Ge Pu's heart was filled with regret after being punched by Zhang Li, who, unfazed, hurriedly ran away. Before long, he followed the village path and arrived in front of an old house with a weathered peach wood door.

Upon closer inspection, the rope turned out to be a giant centipede measuring over 50 centimeters in length, with a hard shell on its back gleaming in shades of black and red

Unfortunately, simplicity and unadorned nature do not equate to a kind and peaceful disposition, especially since Guawo Village has historically been a place of fierce customs, where both Chinese and non-Chinese people coexist.

However, not long after a smile appeared on his face, he began to feel dizzy and his vision blurred. He felt a nausea in his throat, but could not vomit anything. After a while, his complexion had turned as pale as that of a corpse.

Zhang Lisheng's chanting sounds utterly meaningless, with constant and erratic variations in length, pitch, and speed, devoid of any discernible pattern, yet it imparts a chilling sense of rhythm.

The Zhang surname is one of the twenty-seven Huaxing surnames in the Miao region, alongside Wu, Long, Zhao, Ou, Teng, Hu, Xiang, and others. Although it is not one of the three ancient surnames of the Miao, it has been passed down for over a thousand years. Particularly within the Huaxing surnames of the Miao, it is said that the Zhang surname has historically held the lineage of witchcraft and sorcery, which naturally sets it apart from other families. As a result, travelers with the surname Zhang in the Miao villages of western Sichuan tend to enjoy a certain privilege, experiencing significantly less harassment.

Encouraged by his friends, Ge Pushi let out a loud shout and swung his fist with great force. Unexpectedly, the lean Hejia Heiyu on the opposite side nimbly jumped off the stone slab, evading his swift strike, and kicked sideways, landing a blow right on Ge Pushi's backside

Sichuan Province is located in the northwest region of China, historically known as "Jiuli." The mountains stretch across the territory, and aside from the capital city, Chengdu, which benefits from its mountainous basin topography and fertile land with a long-standing agricultural civilization, most other cities are built in the foothills, often surrounded by towering mountains. Since ancient times, this area has been a land that nurtures various ethnic groups.

Mentioning his father, he recalled that he had not yet completed the homework from hetushu.com this morning. The youth suddenly shivered, as if the aching pain from his weak body was not so unbearable. He hurriedly began to chant the ancient incantation, whispering softly...

With a single movement of the hips, the entire body follows. Ge Pu's punch did not hit the enemy; instead, due to the force exerted on his hips, he was unable to stop his hand, and his fist struck the face of an innocent young man who was walking towards him, unaware of what had just happened, from seven or eight steps away

The frail boy, who had been struck without reason, heard the provocative words of the round-faced boy. Coming to his senses, he surprisingly said nothing, wiped the blood from his nose, and quickly ran away.

The innocent boy, frail in body with prominent cheekbones, appeared to have a face that was somewhat fleshy. After suffering an unprovoked blow, blood began to flow profusely from his nose, leaving him completely stunned

"Mountain, mountain bug, how did I hit you?" Looking at the bloodied face of the frail young boy, Ge Pushi's expression suddenly became awkward. He stammered, but soon the young man's inherent childish vanity made him realize that he could not show weakness at this moment. Therefore, he changed his tone to a domineering one and said, "Why are you standing in front of my fist?"

The centipede had a flat head, with eyes as shiny and black as black beans, exuding a sense of intelligence. Two dark blue fangs at the corners of its mouth revealed a rather menacing intent, and before long, it crawled onto Zhang Lisheng's face

In the distance, dozens of sixteen or seventeen-year-old youths, dressed in slightly worn school uniforms, were playfully walking along the stone-paved road, following the shadows cast by the branches and leaves of the trees lining the path

Stone, give him a glance of the melon boy, only when he sees red will he understand your power

Just as Zhang Lisheng's terrified and bewildered eyes were about to pop out, the centipede finally finished consuming the blood he had spilled. It then leisurely began to rub against the nearby objects, finally granting him a moment to catch his breath

The centipede began to consume blood, and the young man felt a sudden sense of relief, sitting down on the ground.

He County, located in the city of Hengze in western Sichuan, is a small town that seems to be immersed in a primeval forest. It developed from ancient Miao and Yi ethnic villages, which originally faced severe poverty. However, in recent years, with the rapid economic growth of China, the people have become prosperous, and the opening up of the region has invigorated the tourism industry. Paradoxically, due to its geographical isolation, the town's timeless and magnificent natural scenery has gradually led to its newfound wealth.

Look at your low intelligence; those who travel are all wealthy individuals. They use satellite internet and don't rely on base stations. Moreover, the lack of internet makes our village appear more 'pure and natural.' Do you understand what 'pure and natural' means?

"In this era of satellites being launched into space, you still believe in those feudal superstitions. Go watch 'Into Science'; where are the ghosts and deities?" Although Ge Pushi's words were harsh, there was a noticeable hint of regret in his tone.

Big Egg, I heard from my father that a network base station is about to be built in our village. Once it's completed, we won't have to travel far to the town to access the internet.

Why can't we have a connection to our village? This is a "Natural Ecological Folk Tourism Area" approved by the provincial government. Every day, there are tourists and adventurers coming to our village to enjoy the scenery. We are even tired of seeing foreign visitors. Now, we have foreign elderly people coming to give us lectures. Why can't we even get a single internet line?

However, upon closer examination, it is not surprising that this square-faced youth is angry. The villagers of Guo Wo are primarily Miao and Hui people. The youth, named Ge Pu Shi, is indeed a true descendant of the original three branches of the Miao and Hui ethnic groups, namely black, white, and red. He naturally understands that 'coarse stone' refers to the type of stone found in the mountains that is crumbly like a honeycomb and difficult to work with, which has always been used as a base in latrines.

Behind him, there were whispers, "The stone and the mountain bug are nothing, but his father is not someone to be trifled with. You shouldn't be so stubborn."