Chapter 1 How Can Livestock Cry for Help?

Especially since these livestock appeared no different, just a bit weak, staggering when they walked, not as robust as ordinary livestock. But the more one looked at them, the more awkward they seemed.

Hu Ma was only able to discern the awkwardness after hearing them cry for help, examining them closely.

It was their eyes, their eyes actually held a kind of…

…an expression belonging to humans!

It was this expression that made them increasingly awkward, even triggering a sense of panic.

This was more terrifying than seeing wandering ghosts and monsters.

Hu Ma felt a jolt and took a step back, shielding Xiang丫tou behind him, also gripping the hilt of his knife.

He realized what this was.

Zoanthropy.

This village was full of the products of zoanthropy. These livestock might all be people.

The tragic state of Wu He, the girl he had seen earlier, flashed before his eyes, and he immediately became vigilant. Even the feeling of visiting his own people, outwardly worried but inwardly at ease, dissipated.

He inexplicably began to suspect that Shao Daozi’s words were false, that he was deceiving him, luring him into this den of demons?

But just as the fear and suspicion in his heart reached a peak, he suddenly heard a lazy voice:

"The one in front of you is a robber who kills and steals. For two silver coins and half a jin of Qing Taisui (a type of mushroom), he broke into someone's house at night, killing the entire family, old and young. Even a three-year-old infant was thrown into the soup pot."

"By the time I got there, one of his legs was already gone."

"The one to his left is a flower thief. He learned some tricks from the Ba Xi Men (Acrobatic Sect) and scaled walls, defiling the innocence of women."

"He has a particular habit of striking just before a woman gets married."

"The better the marriage prospects, the more excited he gets."

"In just half a year, he's driven several brides to hang themselves."

"..."

Hu Ma and Xiang丫tou were both startled and quickly looked up. They saw a figure behind the haystack in the village, the voice coming from that person.

While working, she slowly said, "The one next to him, during the famine years, worked as a human trafficker, leading people into bandit dens to become two-legged sheep, just to exchange them for a piece of meat for himself."

"As for the one crying and feeling most wronged, he's even more heinous..."

"..."

As she spoke, the figure slowly walked out, saying, "He actually came into my village to steal things, and even caught a sheep to roast and eat."

"So I made him pay the price."

"..."

She spoke slowly, but her voice was extremely unsettling.

And as she finally emerged from behind the haystack, her body passing through the thin mist that permeated the village, Hu Ma and Xiang丫tou suddenly saw everything clearly.

The person was a woman in her twenties, with an odd aura. She had a delicate and stunning appearance, yet she wore a towel on her head, a pipe attached to her waist, and carried a bundle of dry grass pulled from the haystack, looking at people with a cold expression.

At this moment, she glanced at them and said indifferently, "What, are you here to steal things too?"

Although her face was extremely beautiful, her eyes sent a chill down one's spine.

Meeting her gaze, Xiang丫tou was already frightened. She hurriedly lowered her head and shook it repeatedly, not daring to answer.

"Is this Miss Red Wine?"

Hu Ma was surprised and filled with curiosity about her, but he kept in mind the "martial world rules" Shao Daozi had told him. He quickly bowed slightly to her and said, "Senior, please don't misunderstand. We've come to ask for help. May I ask if you are..."

"Ask for help?"

Hearing this unexpectedly, the village woman on the other side seemed to show a strange expression.

She looked Hu Ma up and down with a smile that was not a smile, and nodded slightly, but said coldly, "Do we know each other?"

"No, we don't."

Hu Ma immediately shook his head, but took out a piece of gray cloth from his sleeve and said, "But I obtained a wanted notice in the Yu Bing Pavilion (Jade Ice Pavilion), knowing that Senior is a chivalrous and evil-punishing person from the Cai Yi Men (Colorful Clothing Sect)."

"You even issued a reward notice in the Jianghu (Martial World), saying you wanted the heads of those demon rogues from the Beggar Gang in Pingnan Prefecture. As it happens…"

"I didn't bring the heads of those demon rogues with me, but..."

After a pause, he barely smiled and said, "Those people did indeed die by my hands."

These words were spoken with preparation on both sides, just a formality, but Xiang丫tou beside him trembled and looked up at Hu Ma.

Just as her little head was working hard to digest this information, the village woman on the other side was stunned and then suddenly sneered, "Boy, we people in the Ba Xi Men (Acrobatic Sect) are quick-handed and sharp-eyed. I can tell you're a Shou Suiren (Night Watcher), but you haven't entered the Fu (Prefecture) yet, have you?"

"I've long wanted to get rid of that Cui Granny and the White Bone Whip in Pingnan Prefecture, but I haven't had the time because I have to take care of the livestock."

"I've heard of their skills, they're not weak. Where did you get the ability to get rid of them?"

"..."

"The acting is not bad at all..."

Hu Ma sighed in his heart and puffed out his chest. He first took out a few things and placed them on the ground.

They were a damaged memorial tablet, a whip that had obviously been broken apart and still had several pieces of bone attached, a craftsman's ruler, a wooden puppet with nail marks, and so on.

He said loudly, "Although I didn't bring their heads, I have their usual tools here as proof."

"To be honest, being able to get rid of these demon rogues was also luck for me. At the time, I had a Da Zou Gui (Great Ghost Walker) helping me, but she was injured and has now returned."

"I was forced to a dead end in Anzhou. I inquired everywhere and learned that Senior had issued a wanted notice for the heads of these demon rogues, so I came to try my luck. I only believe that Senior hates evil as much as I do and will definitely not ignore me."

"..."

"Such childish words!"

Hu Ma's righteous words shocked Xiang丫tou.

But the woman on the other side only smiled faintly and said with interest, "But how did you get to a dead end?"

"Tell me, are you being chased by accomplices of these demon rogues?"

"..."

"Sort of."

Hu Ma knew his chance had come and immediately said, "The matter started with the girl beside me."

"She's actually..."

He turned his head and looked at Xiang丫tou, but deliberately didn't say anything, only saying, "The young lady of a wealthy family in Lingshou Prefecture, but she had a hard life. Cui Granny from Pingnan Prefecture abducted her and sold her to Mingzhou."

"I accidentally rescued her and wanted to send a letter to her family to come and pick her up, but her family didn't respond, so I could only personally escort her to Lingshou Prefecture."

"But I didn't expect Cui Granny to find out on the way and gather a group of demon rogues to silence us..."

"..."

As he spoke, he gave a general account of the matter, filled with righteous indignation, a typical kind-hearted and righteous country boy.

Xiang丫tou was already moved to tears.

At first, she only heard Hu Ma say that he wanted to come out and try his luck, but she didn't understand why.

Now she understood that Gongzi (Young Master) had no choice...

He was only a small shopkeeper from the Blood Food Gang. Sending her here had already reached his limit. Going to Lingshou Prefecture again, he didn't know what he would encounter and was truly helpless.

So, he had taken the liberty of seeking help from his comrades in the martial world?

But Hu Ma and the village woman on the other side, or rather, Miss Red Wine, wouldn't let her understand so quickly. Miss Red Wine's acting was also very good. She showed a surprised expression on her face and said, "There are actually such simple and honest young people these days?"

"Aiyo, you have a good heart, but your little head isn't smart enough. You've done a good deed, but have you seen this girl clearly?"

"If she were really from an ordinary wealthy family, how could she attract so much trouble?"

"..."

Meeting these words, Hu Ma only pretended to be embarrassed and didn't answer. Xiang丫tou had already lowered her head in thought.

But the village woman suddenly smiled again and said, "But it doesn't matter. I'm from the Cai Yi Men (Colorful Clothing Sect). We people who play tricks have many people, and we're also mixed. There are many scoundrels. I have the responsibility to get rid of these people."

"The Beggar Gang should be under the jurisdiction of our Ba Xi Men (Acrobatic Sect). You got rid of Cui Granny and those other scoundrels, which did help our Ba Xi Men (Acrobatic Sect)."

"But you just came to my door like this, wanting me to help?"

She chuckled twice, looked at Hu Ma, and said in a low voice, "I don't even know what trouble you've gotten into, or how much effort it will take to help you. You just came to my door and opened your mouth like this. Do you think it's appropriate?"

"Ah?"

Hu Ma was stunned by this question. Wasn't it said that if he came to the door according to the rules of the martial world, Miss Red Wine would go along with the flow and help him?

How could she still not agree after the words had reached this point?

Then I...

Just as he was wondering, he suddenly heard Granny Han change her tone and mutter to herself, "But being able to get rid of those demon rogues shows that you, kid, have some ability."

"How about this, if you promise to feed the livestock in my village for a few years, I can listen to what you want me to help you with, how about that?"

"..."

"This..."

Hu Ma's face immediately showed difficulty, as if he was hesitating.

"No way."

But at this moment, Xiang丫tou suddenly said loudly, startling Hu Ma and Miss Red Wine, who were already thinking of a way to agree.

Then, Xiang丫tou looked at Hu Ma and said in a low voice, "Gongzi (Young Master), I can't let you suffer this kind of loss for me anymore!"

Then, a thin little girl, wearing dirty and messy clothes to hide her identity, gently straightened them and walked forward slowly.

At this moment, her expression seemed to have changed, with a kind of dignity from a wealthy family.

She carefully came to Miss Red Wine and bowed slightly, saying, "Senior, I know who you are..."

"Father told me that among the masters in Anzhou, there is a stripping and clothing-making Granny Han, a master of the Ba Xi Men (Acrobatic Sect). It must be you, right?"

"This junior is Li Xiangyu, the daughter of the Li family guarding the Dashitou Cliff (Big Stone Cliff) in Lingshou Prefecture. I greet you, Senior."

"Please, Senior, for the sake of the Li family of the Ghost Cave, help us through this tribulation and send me home..."

(End of this chapter)