Chapter 25: Reclaiming Human Flesh

The guard picked up a pitchfork and walked toward the haystack where Gu Xi was hiding, attempting to skewer the things that were giving him such a headache.

Gu Xi watched as the dejected-looking man approached her position. Although her heart was racing, seeing his frail appearance, she felt she could knock him down with a single punch. This was her golden opportunity!

Just as the man took a stab at the pile and turned his back, Gu Xi slipped out from the haystack. With a swift backhanded elbow strike, she knocked him unconscious. She hurriedly stripped off his jacket and snatched his hat, pulling it down firmly over her own forehead.

Thank goodness she had shaved her hair before leaving; otherwise, she wouldn't have been able to pull off this disguise. With lightning speed, she donned his jacket. While he was still out cold, she shoved him into the haystack. Then, she scooped up a handful of dirt from the ground and smeared it across her fair face, making herself look as unkempt as possible.

To avoid suspicion if someone came by, she picked up the tool he had been using and pretended to load hay into a nearby basket.

"Why are you packing that stuff up?" A farmer-like man passed by just as she was working.

Gu Xi lowered her voice and replied calmly, "It's the City Lord's orders. A real pain in the neck."

She had to play it by ear. Among residents of the same status, complaining about the boss was a necessity; otherwise, she would become the target of their gossip.

"What's wrong with your voice?" the man suddenly asked.

"Exhausted from work! Standing guard for twenty-four hours straight, how could I not be worn out?!" Gu Xi said, pulling her hat lower while busily shoveling hay.

"Ugh, you’re never happy with any task, are you? Never mind, I have to go fetch water. The City Lord is bathing tonight. If I’m late, I’ll be the one in trouble." With that, the farmer carried his bucket and walked out of sight.

It seemed her performance was a success. She hadn't given herself away. As the man walked further off, Gu Xi picked up her pace. Before long, she was pushing a cart, swaggering her way into the city proper. If she could fool that farmer, perhaps she could deceive others in the city as well.

She entered the city boldly, observing the surrounding shops. Some of the information she had overheard from the guard earlier might be useful. The guard had mentioned that the Fang family had captured an outsider.

This implied that such events were not common here. Furthermore, the City Lord’s bath tonight seemed like a rare and grand occasion. Perhaps Wang Yiyi was being held inside. Regardless, she had to try.

As she passed each shop, she was struck by the sickeningly sweet smell of meat. The scent of cooked meat permeated the streets, drilling directly into her nostrils. Every house, save for those with formal signs, had its doors thrown wide open. Almost every living room featured a large pot bubbling away, filling the air with a thick, suffocating steam that made her feel deeply uncomfortable.

Beside each pot stood a young boy, usually with a fierce, murderous look directed at the street, as if guarding their living room from intruders.

"You! Stop! Just move that hay to the back of the City Lord's residence. Tonight, everything revolves around the City Lord's bath."

Gu Xi heard a well-dressed guard calling out. Compared to her own appearance, he seemed to be of a higher rank. She had feared her cover was blown, but she quickly nodded and bowed, pushing the cart rapidly in the direction he pointed.

She didn't see any sign of the "Fang family" on the road—not a single indicator. After dropping off the hay, she struck the unconscious guard again to ensure he stayed out longer. Once she confirmed no one was around, she carefully slipped away and headed back toward the gate where she had first ambushed the guard.

On her way back, she encountered a queue forming in front of Babis Barbecue. The town clock struck 2:00 PM. Everywhere she looked, people were swarming forward, holding bundles wrapped in cowhide paper and waving at the shop clerks.

"Take mine! Take mine!" A burly man shoved his way to the front.

"Screw you, look at what you’re roasting! Don't listen to him, take mine!" A fierce-looking woman cut ahead.

"Who do you think you are? With those scraps you have?"

"Who are you to talk? This is top-grade beef!"

"Beef? What’s the use of beef? Beef is the lowliest meat! This is my youngest son's arm! Tender and soft. How can you compare?" The burly man shoved the woman to the ground.

Hearing the man’s words, the rest of the crowd stopped pushing. The noisy storefront fell into an instant silence.

"Fine, we'll take yours. Go to the back door to collect this month's fruits, vegetables, and your bonus," the clerk replied coldly.

What was going on? Had she heard correctly? His son's arm? Human meat?

Gu Xi glanced sideways at the clerk, relieved that he was too busy to notice her. He opened the cowhide bag the man had handed over. Inside was a pale, fleshy mass, half-cooked and bloody, exuding the same sickeningly sweet smell she had noticed on the street. The clerk took a deep sniff. Seeing this, Gu Xi nearly vomited. It was too cruel! They were actually using human meat.

"Alright, alright, move along. That’s it for today’s collection. See you next month," the clerk said, quickly shooing away the crowd. Some lingered, still begging for their goods to be accepted.

Gu Xi forced down her nausea and pushed her cart forward as fast as she could. In her hurried state, she collided with the fierce woman who had just turned a corner.

"Ouch! Watch where you're going, you little grunt!" the woman snapped, brushing the dust off herself.

"Mom, are you okay? Get up. Let's go home and deal with our meat; maybe we can still make it."

"Bah, Fang Daqiang, are you stupid? They said next month! If this shop doesn't take it, we'll find another way," the woman scolded her disappointing son. It had been a year, and they had only managed one transaction—and even then, they hadn't killed the person yet!

"Mom, listen to me. What we brought back isn't a boy, it's a girl! That's why we haven't acted yet. Come on, Mom, let's go home and figure out what to do."

As the boy helped the woman up, they hurried off in the direction of their home.