Chapter 2: The Unusual Fragrance in Famine

... ...

Sumu pretended to be completely unaware, lowered his head and sighed, and said

In this world, there are very few orphans who can survive

He is merely a withered leaf, sinking in the famine, ready to be engulfed by the waves that may strike at any moment

Su Xiaozai, Su Xiaozai, wake up quickly

If only my aunt were still here, with this deer around, she wouldn't have starved to death

What?

If he does not eat anything soon, he can only hold on for one more day at most

After the famine occurred, the animals that were easy to hunt and capture had long been caught.

His malice has erupted in full force

A strong feeling of nausea made him want to vomit, but there was nothing in his stomach to expel, leaving him only able to retch

Upon hearing this, Su Mu's eyes lit up

Am I really to be starved to death like this

The last time Sumu ate was 4 days ago

Seizing the opportunity, Sumu dashed forward and plunged into the desolate forest.

Among the disaster victims, there is a small figure that is somewhat special

The malevolent visage is fully revealed

Not long after fleeing, he died in the midst of hunger and cold

In the crowd from which one cannot escape, Sumu is the only child without any relatives or acquaintances.

This left Sumu somewhat despondent

Aunt! Aunt is standing beside you

Su Mu felt unwilling, yet found himself helpless

Li Tiezhu spoke casually, occasionally glancing at Su Mu, seemingly concerned that he might fall behind

Li Tiezhu, a blacksmith from the same village as Su Mu

As the broth bubbles, many bones can be seen rising and falling.

Su Mu, relying on his small stature, darted left and right in the withered forest, attempting to shake off Li Tiezhu

His expression changed dramatically, and he quickly turned his head to look.

Li Tiezhu paid no attention to Su Mu's thoughts and quickly walked into the dilapidated temple while holding him.

With this kindness in mind, Su Mu is still relatively close to Li Tiezhu

A wave of chills swept through his entire body

One hand was gripping the neck of the Su Mu, while another hand was twisting his arms behind his back

but it is also approaching its limit

The stone has indeed been consumed

Who? Is it Uncle Li? Is there something going on?

... ...

There are many who have been hungry longer than he has, but he is, after all, just a child

Do you see that dilapidated temple ahead? He is waiting for you inside.

The breath of the Su Mu paused, and the feeling of something being amiss grew stronger

Having heard about food before, the extremely hungry Sumu did not think much at the moment

Li Tiezhu's wife reserved the last bit of food for her husband and son, in addition to her ongoing poor health

The flesh above has been completely gnawed clean, yet it is still hard to part with it

The remaining beasts are either "hunters" or exceptionally cunning.

However, before he could think much, Su Mu suddenly pointed beside him and shouted in terror

But he is only 8 years old, and after being hungry for three or four days, how much strength can he have left

Upon hearing these words, Li Tiezhu's gaze sharpened, revealing a hint of guilt and pain amidst his fierce and strange expression

Hehe, luck, luck

Sumu was suppressed and unable to move, resembling a little chick, as Li Tiezhu carried him towards a dilapidated temple not far away

Near the dilapidated temple, Su Mu caught a faint scent of meat.

Although it is merely a few moments of rolling

Although all methods were exhausted, after running for half a quarter of an hour, Su Mu was still caught by Li Tiezhu

It is estimated that later we will have to crack open the bones and consume the marrow inside.

You little rascal, dare to play tricks on me

Under the cover of night, the two individuals walked out of the crowd and made their way through a grove of dead trees into the distance

You little rascal, let's see where you run this time

The temple is very small, with only a half-human tall clay statue situated in the center, flickering in the moonlight

Li Tiezhu's rough, large hands resemble iron tongs.

Uncle Li, what food have you discovered?

By the way, Uncle Li, why haven't I seen Shitou?

Sumu glanced at the newcomer and immediately recognized the person.

Oh, the stone has been eaten, has been eaten

Seeing Li Tiezhu's demeanor, which suggested he was not inclined to provide further explanations, Su Mu's heart sank to the bottom of the valley

Su Mu pretended to be unconcerned and asked Li Tiezhu:

Nightfall begins to descend

Now, calming down, he vaguely sensed that something was amiss

He looked up at Li Tiezhu.

... ...

Li Tiezhu, who had seen nothing, immediately reacted.

With the last remnants of strength surging through my body, I got up and followed behind Li Tiezhu

Let alone surviving during a famine

What is even more terrifying is his gaze, which is both eerie and filled with ferocity and madness, unlike anything a human could possess

Although hungry for a long time, the figure's skeleton remains tall.

One could see that this person's cheeks and eye sockets were deeply sunken, and a pair of bright green eyes were fixed intently on oneself

This Li Tiezhu has issues, absolutely do not go to that dilapidated temple with him

... ...

It is indeed somewhat incredible that he has managed to hold on until now

Death has quietly approached!

Having arrived at this point, Li Tiezhu no longer intends to conceal anything

Just as Sumu was lost in thought, a figure stealthily approached him

If it were not for Sumu's suggestion, his name would probably have been Li Shitou

This statue is significantly damaged, and it is no longer possible to discern which deity it represents

He cursed loudly and hurriedly chased after.

"Su Xiaozai, I have food here, come with me. Be sure not to make a sound!"

Li Tiezhu, a blacksmith, caught a wild deer with his bare hands

In a small space, four men are crowded together

But Sumu had already vaguely guessed what kind of meat it was

"Uncle Li, you can still hunt? But without a bow and arrow, and without traps, how did you manage to hunt a deer?"

The aroma of the meat caused his saliva to flow uncontrollably, and his hunger intensified exponentially

Li Tiezhu was startled by Su Mu's loud shout

It is evident that this person was once a strong man

What kind of joke is this!

In the form of a vengeful spirit

In the middle, there is a large cauldron, with a fire burning underneath, and soup is being cooked inside

Sumu lay weakly beside a tree stump, his consciousness beginning to blur

Throughout the journey, no matter what Su Mu said, Li Tiezhu no longer paid any attention.

Li Tiezhu glanced around warily and, after noticing that no one was paying attention to them, quietly said to Su Mu

His son Li Lei is the same age as Su Mu, and the two have a good relationship

Most importantly, during the three years after the death of his parents, half of the food that Su Mu consumed was provided by Li Tiezhu

This scene made Su Mu secretly think it was bad

I do not know whether I am about to fall asleep or faint.

It is a deer, I have hunted a deer

Stone is Li Lei's nickname

After 4 days without a grain of rice, Su Mu only felt dizzy and weak in his limbs

Li Tiezhu pointed to a dilapidated temple about two to three hundred meters ahead, his voice taking on a sinister tone

But Sumu could see clearly that these were not animal bones at all

He took a few deep breaths and a thought occurred to him