Chapter 52: Chapter 53: Can a Madman Roast Meat?
Hee Lingchuan frowned. "What do you mean?"
"When you eat a roast chicken, do you like to start with the legs and wings, or the breast?"
"The legs, of course! If I don’t eat them, someone else will." The scramble for food in his old dorm had been a tale of hungry wolves. But then, Hee Lingchuan immediately caught on. "Are you saying... they were eaten?"
Fuzzy Peach picked up another bone from the ground. "This has scorch marks."
Not only were people eaten, they were roasted. Hee Lingchuan’s stomach churned.
’Just when I think I’ve gotten used to this world, it finds a new way to shatter my limits.’ "Are they insane? Why would they eat their own companions?"
"They weren’t insane." Nian Songyu uncovered a few more bone fragments, all half-charred. "Have you ever seen a madman build a fire to roast meat?"
Fuzzy Peach sighed as well. "Eldest Young Master, cannibalism usually happens only out of extreme hunger."
Peace was rare in this world. In times of famine, commoners would sell a son one day and a wife the next, even resorting to swapping children to eat. During the chaos of war, it was common for armies to hold civilians as food reserves, calling them "two-legged sheep." There were even generals who wrote books on which parts of the human body were tastiest and how to cook them.
Cannibalism had existed since ancient times, and this era was no exception.
"There’s no food or water here. They were trapped until they died!" Nian Songyu looked to Sunx Fuping. "National Preceptor, what do we do?"
Panlong City looked prosperous, but in reality, a living person could gain no sustenance here. Stay too long, and you would die of thirst or hunger.
If they couldn’t find the Grand Square Pot, they would suffer the same fate as the Baling Expedition Team!
But Sunx Fuping was very calm. "It’s fine. Let’s keep searching. Don’t forget, we still have an ace up our sleeve."
He was indeed composed, maintaining the air of a lofty master even now.
’The old bastard really does have a trick up his sleeve. Is that why Nian Songyu dared to venture this deep with him?’ Hee Lingchuan watched them closely and saw Nian Songyu glance at him the moment Sunx Fuping finished speaking.
The glance was subconscious. Nian Songyu immediately looked away, acting as if nothing had happened. But alarm bells went off in Hee Lingchuan’s head. ’Why look at me? Don’t tell me their lifesaving measure has something to do with me?’
The thought made his heart skip a beat.
’But on second thought, we haven’t reached the final moment yet. Sunx Fuping probably won’t show his hand just yet.’
He and Fuzzy Peach alone stood no chance against Sunx and Nian. Hee Lingchuan made up his mind: the moment those two made a move, he would turn and bolt without a second thought. The Panlong Wasteland was vast; they wouldn’t necessarily be able to find him.
But for now, the hope of a successful mission still rested on Sunx Fuping.
Hee Lingchuan could practically smell the approaching crisis, and his mind felt sharper than usual. "They lasted long enough to resort to cannibalism, so they must have been here for a long time. Didn’t they figure anything out? If we could find their discoveries, it could save us a lot of trouble."
He walked over to two large vats. A lot of junk was strewn about, things that didn’t seem to belong in an ice cellar.
His words made a lot of sense. Sunx Fuping and Nian Songyu exchanged a look and nodded.
There were clothes and torn rags on the ground, a few empty bottles, and other miscellaneous junk. The four of them were certain these were the belongings of the Baling Expedition Team, but after searching high and low, they found nothing useful.
Sunx Fuping, however, was not discouraged. He stood up and said, "This cellar was just for discarding the bones. The people who ate them aren’t here. We’ll split up to search. You, go with Captain Nian." He pointed at Fuzzy Peach.
"Young Master Hee and I will be a team."
A glint appeared in Hee Lingchuan’s eyes. "Why not split into four groups? More hands would make the search easier."
"There may be unknown dangers in the city. It’s not wise to separate completely." As soon as Sunx Fuping finished speaking, Nian Songyu strode off with Fuzzy Peach in tow.
’Are they afraid I’ll find a place to hide by myself?’ Hee Lingchuan became even more certain that these two were planning to move against him later. Still, he had to remain respectful to Sunx Fuping. "National Preceptor, after you."
...
Walking down the empty streets, Hee Lingchuan couldn’t help but ask Sunx Fuping:
"Even if we find the Grand Square Pot, can it really turn the tide of battle and suppress the rebel army at Woling Pass?"
"In theory, yes. Otherwise, why would we go to such great lengths?" Sunx Fuping was walking quickly; it seemed there was no target on this road.
"If it’s really that useful, why didn’t Zhong Shengguang use it to fight his way back to the Xiluo Kingdom?" This was a doubt Hee Lingchuan had held for a long time. "Instead, he and the city’s residents stayed in this exclave until they were surrounded and killed."
"Divine Objects like that always have many restrictions on their use. Or perhaps the Celestial God who bestowed the treasure back then had other plans."
"Then, what if we can’t break through those restrictions either?"
"You need not worry about that." Sunx Fuping was full of confidence. "As long as we find the Grand Square Pot, I have my own way to shatter the restrictions."
Hee Lingchuan was skeptical. ’The old man has never even seen the Grand Square Pot, nor does he know what restrictions it has, yet he dares to guarantee he can break them? He’s like a doctor prescribing medicine after only asking about symptoms, without taking a pulse, performing an examination, or investigating the cause of the illness.’
Furthermore, he’d used the word "shatter," which sounded like a forcible removal.
But the old man didn’t seem to be bluffing in the slightest.
Sunx Fuping glanced at him, so Hee Lingchuan said, "Once we retrieve the Grand Square Pot, my father and I can return to the Capital City. We’ll be counting on the National Preceptor’s guidance then."
Sunx Fuping smiled. "But of course. You are helping me retrieve a Divine Object; your contribution is immense."
"Captain Nian and I seem to have some..." Hee Lingchuan cleared his throat. "...misunderstanding. How have I offended him?"
"The Xunzhou Governor is leading troops to quell the rebellion, so Captain Nian is probably just a little worried," Sunx Fuping said casually by way of comfort. "Young people are impatient. A few sleepless nights can make anyone irritable and foul-tempered."
Hee Lingchuan looked a little embarrassed. "Could I ask the National Preceptor to mediate for us?"
’So the kid finally knows fear? But he has every reason to be afraid. First, Hee Chunhua and the Black Water City Army aren’t here, so all his usual backing is gone. Second, the Hee Family father and son have always dreamed of returning to the Capital City in glory. In a place like that, what petty official would dare offend the General of the Northern Expedition? It’s only right that he should bow his head and carefully curry favor.’
Thinking this, Sunx Fuping’s smile grew even gentler. "A trivial matter."
Hee Lingchuan looked appropriately grateful. "Many thanks, National Preceptor!"
By now, the two had traveled several dozen yards from the Chen Residence with nothing to show for it. Hee Lingchuan leaped onto a nearby rooftop, scanning the area and muttering, "If I were one of the Baling People, about to die of thirst and hunger, where would I go to try my luck?"
’He needed some luck himself. Otherwise, if they were trapped here for too long, once Nian and Sunx finished their own food and water, they might just decide to have him and Fuzzy Peach as a feast. If it really came to that, the one to do the killing would probably be National Preceptor Sunx, despite his kind and benevolent appearance. No, they would strike early. After all, dried rations could be stored for a long time, but flesh and blood could not. It was more logical to eat the fresh meat before touching the dried rations. Besides, meat was more fragrant, more tender, and more nutritious...’
