Chapter 5: Punishments for Transgressions

Yu Ziqing pondered for a moment

After taking a few steps, Er Han held the tray with one hand and lifted the bowl of water with the other, casually splashing it to the side.

When did ordinary people become so outrageous, were the ordinary people I saw a few months ago all fake

The village head let out a long sigh, nodded to Er Han, who immediately turned and left. The village head looked around and took a deep breath

Or rather, this place cannot accommodate the cannibalistic outliers

After the old sheep finished these few words, it collapsed into the haystack, its eyes filled with deep fatigue, slowly closing its eyes

The crowd at the back parted to make way, and Er Han supported the village head as he walked forward

Yu Ziqing held a small knife in his hand, gesturing to indicate the depth and position. With his knife skills, it should be nearly perfect.

Because previously, no shepherd dared to truly step into the village

Everyone calls me Er Han, my grandfather is the village chief here. You should rest for a day, but after that, you will need to start working. This place does not support idlers. What skills do you have?

If it is determined that Yu Ziqing is a man-eating shepherd, then he will be buried in a pit

The old sheep nodded, then went to rummage through his bag to find the small knife he had used to cut meat earlier, biting it and handing it to Yu Ziqing

With the warm den, seeing the old sheep's appearance, Yu Ziqing also knew that there was no immediate danger, and finally could sleep soundly. He slept for seven or eight hours straight, until he woke up due to his stomach cramping from hunger.

Yu Ziqing took the hot water, sniffed it, and then took out a hard biscuit from his bag, which was as hard as a stone. He slowly soaked the edge of the biscuit, taking small bites as it softened, and then continued to soak it.

Recalling the village chief who could barely stand just now, needing a cane and assistance from others, not only did he stand closer, but he also took matters into his own hands, seemingly oblivious to the heat.

The only road in and out, on the left is the abyss of despair, and on the right is the forest where entry means death

With a gulp, without any sign of chewing, the food has already slipped down the throat and into the stomach

Er Han could not help but swallow his saliva

Is this feasible

The people around remained silent, while Yu Ziqing continued to nibble on the crumbs of the dry biscuit, allowing his saliva to gradually soften the fragments. He remembered the words of Old Yang, who, even after being stabbed, would remind him, so he was purely there to watch the commotion and, by the way, to understand the people and events in this place

Yu Ziqing did not continue to argue with Old Yang; enduring that blow was likely not as simple as it appeared on the surface

Not wanting to work means there will be no food to eat. If there is no food, one might resort to digging for white meat, which is the greatest taboo here. In that case, there is no other option but to let him have his last meal, at least he won't die of hunger

The pain of being skinned, I may not be able to endure it now, but I can still withstand the act of severing the spine

Speaking of which, why are there so many elderly people this time? I heard that something significant happened outside, just how significant is it?

We still cannot eat this yellow rice cake, it is too cheap for that rascal.

As the blade fell, a two-inch long gash suddenly appeared on the old sheep's throat, penetrating half an inch beneath the skin, the size was just right

At the edge of the crowd, I stretched my neck to take a look, and inside was a thin man bound tightly with ropes. The man was so emaciated that his bones were visible, his gaze somewhat vacant, and saliva was still dribbling from his mouth

In addition to those previous methods of skinning to dispel evil practices, there are those who handle it with ease

Moreover, such a large piece was instantly swallowed down, likely not just because that person was ravenously hungry, but also without even chewing.

The village head, this person went to the back mountain to steal and eat white meat

... ...

Yes, good

"What the hell, you would still get hurt the same way." Old Yang lifted his eyelid slightly, muttering in annoyance, turned around, and fell into a deep sleep

Can this kind of thing really be eaten

Brother Yu, let's go, just in time to take you for a stroll

Yu Ziqing could not help but ponder silently

After the old sheep ate a little, it pointed to its throat with its front hoof and scratched a few characters on the ground

"Sir, you have not mentioned this move to me before"

Yu Ziqing felt both tired and exhausted, and with the air in the cave being murky and the temperature not low, he soon fell into a drowsy state between half-sleep and wakefulness

I want to eat

Stepping out of the burrow, distant sounds of commotion could be heard. Yu Ziqing grabbed a handful of the slowly collected crumbs of dry cakes, took a few sips of water, and began to nibble on the crumbs bit by bit while walking towards the crowd

Secondly, do not meddle in the affairs here, cultivate yourself well, bring sufficient supplies, and leave quickly; do not wait until spring, for by then it will be too late

Recall once more the abyss of despair traversed before entering here, and the unyielding treatment of those who consume white meat in this place

Suddenly, a bold association came to mind

Haven't you been asking about the methods of cultivation all along? If you find a method of cultivation here, aside from the practices for maintaining health, do not pursue anything else. First, focus on nourishing your body; otherwise, it would be tantamount to seeking death

The old sheep let out a muffled grunt, remaining still and unyielding as blood flowed out. However, after just two or three breaths, a dark glow surged from the wound, and it healed once more, leaving only a thin trace. The old sheep then rose from the ground, and its hoarse, aged voice followed suit.

He quietly glanced at Er Han, who seemed completely unaware of the heat, with only two words on his face

Even from such a distance, one can feel the heat; that substance is undoubtedly at a temperature higher than boiling oil. You could say it resembles freshly erupted magma, and Yu Ziqing also finds it quite similar

"Focus on your own responsibilities and do not concern yourself with others." The old man lightly tapped the man with his cane, his smile fading: "The shepherd has died, and there has been another major incident. None of this is your concern; you only need to manage the affairs at the mine. Work must not cease, and the quantity must not decrease. The next person coming to collect the goods should be arriving soon."

The other party, lost in thought, caught a whiff of the fragrance and, without allowing time for reflection, had already swallowed a large piece of it.

The first time I saw him, I knew he was not a shepherd; no shepherd would be so weak, and..." The old man paused slightly, grinning to reveal his gapped teeth

Previously worked as a chef

Are you in such a hurry? Why not take some time to recuperate first before discussing it further

After more than an hour, footsteps were heard outside the door. Yu Ziqing suddenly awoke, one hand reaching for the old sheep and the other gripping the short sword at his waist

The cannibal is certainly unable to escape

I fear that you may lose control, fail to recognize the gravity of the situation, squander your future, and seek your own demise

"Chef, that works too. Looking at your arms and legs, you probably can't go down the mine. Starting the day after tomorrow, you can work with those few women." Er Han chuckled and turned to leave

I will tell you what to do. With those few shepherds present, if I speak, the outcome is undoubtedly death. This method is unknown even to those shepherds. Initially, I had no intention of speaking, but this time, if I cut the skin by two inches, next time, if I use the method of skinning to break the evil, I will have to delve into flesh and blood. However, remaining silent is no longer an option.

"Cut through with one stroke, two inches into the skin, half an inch beneath the skin, not a fraction can be off"

This person was scalded to death by a food of unknown origin

However, after just a few breaths, this person suddenly began to struggle violently, emitting a hissing sound that was not human from his throat, with hot air continuously pouring out of his mouth. After struggling for a while, this person completely fell silent.

Alright

Yu Ziqing stood to the side, feeling a burning pain in his cheeks; just a glance at close range felt as if he had been scalded.

Sir, please have something to eat before going to sleep

Just call me Old Sheep, it's quite good. Old Sheep walked to the entrance of the burrow and glanced outside a couple of times

The village head finished handling the matter and turned to leave

Old gentleman

Little brother, the hot water is ready, do you want some

Yu Ziqing found it somewhat strange, as he seemed to have answered this question before

Er Han watched as Yu Ziqing had not yet left and approached with a tray in hand

The village head opened the lid, revealing something yellow with an orange hue inside. At first glance, it resembled old tofu, yet it also looked like glutinous millet cake. The village head picked it up with a pair of iron chopsticks, and as he clamped and rolled it, steam wafted out, accompanied by the fragrance of grains and the aroma of oil.

He has always been protective of that old sheep, and I knew he was not of the same kind as the shepherd. Most likely, the shepherd brought it over and kept it by his side to do work. That old sheep is probably one of his family members. He claims to be a kidnapped cook, which should be true

The old man said he did not know either, otherwise he would not be without any cultivation; he is just an ordinary person who teaches.

Before long, Er Han approached with a steaming wooden tray, on which there was a bowl of ice water with ice cubes, and another stone bowl covered with a stone lid

Are the people here really all ordinary individuals

The old sheep taught him Mandarin, taught him writing, and also imparted a variety of miscellaneous knowledge. He learned quickly, and the old sheep was pleased to teach, but he never imparted any cultivation methods to Yu Ziqing.

Old sheep? Old sheep?" Yu Ziqing was taken aback and quickly called out twice.

Sir, are you attempting to break the evil spell? Is it not possible to break it all at once, but rather in stages? Is that also feasible?

"Alright, thank you very much." Yu Ziqing stepped out of the cave, took the hot water from the wooden bowl, and thanked the short man, saying: "Thank you, brother. My name is Yu Ziqing. How should I address you, brother?"

Yu Ziqing silently nibbled on the crumbs, quietly watching like everyone else

Er Han quietly lifted a corner of the lid of the rice bowl while holding the tray, and in an instant, it was as if a glowing ember had suddenly appeared, with heat and fragrance surging forth.

Isn't it too coincidental that the abyss of despair has appeared so suddenly?

Just remember two points

The skin centered around that person's abdomen is distinctly different in color from the surrounding area, as if the internal organs have been thoroughly cooked...

Ice water fell to the ground, quickly forming a thin layer of ice. A chilling vapor rose, transforming into clusters of frost branches that crawled along the ground in all directions. In just a brief moment, a layer of frost covered an area of seven to eight feet.

After Yu Ziqing connected a whole series of information, he then filled in some of the missing details in between

The old sheep kicked Yu Ziqing once, continuing to tilt its head back, waiting to have its throat cut.

The village headpinched a piece about half the size of a fist, gently rolled it in the ice water, and the scalding steam dissipated accordingly. He held the food and brought it to the lips of the emaciated man on the ground.

I see that the young man does not seem to be a shepherd, he looks quite thin, we cannot accommodate a shepherd here The man holding the bowl chuckled heartily

After speaking, fearing that Yu Ziqing might not understand, he gestured with his hoof for a long time at the position below his throat

I didn't feel very hungry, nor did I sense anything amiss, so I continued to soak some more and let the old sheep get up to eat a little

The old sheep did not waste any words, but directly fell to the ground, lying on its back, with one hoof pointing to the spot that needed to be cut open

Yu Ziqing treated it as if it were true and never inquired about this matter again

... ...

Some individuals silently handle the corpses, while others attend to their respective tasks, and everything is in perfect order