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nTranslator: Yuzu

nMa Chenggong’s pupils shrank sharply, and his two hands clenched into fists.

nHu Bing’s brain was surprisingly clear as he continued, “Combining yesterday’s accident, I have a bold idea.”

nJin Hong and the others held their breath and stared at him with undivided attention.

n“Cannibalism. There are many records of it in history, even dating back to ancient times. No matter what dynasty it is, once there’s a famine, it’s easy for people to eat each other, and the phenomenon of human cannibalism will be endless!” He paused, “I am certain that sixteen years ago, during the famine, there was cannibalism in this village.”

nThe crowd sucked in a breath of cold air and kept quiet.

nEven Ma Hang couldn’t help but cover his mouth and nose, turning back with a horrified look on his face, and couldn’t help but look at his brother.

nMa Chenggong looked ashen and pondered for two seconds, quirking his lips in mockery, “Yes, your guesses are all right!”

nXiao Chen didn’t make a sound as if he was an outsider and looked at Ma Chenggong with cold eyes.

nAs though Hu Bing had suddenly thought of something, he scowled slightly, “You, all of you, only came back after receiving the letter, right?”

nThe people looked at each other and nodded their heads.

nHu Bing pulled out the letter from his pocket, “That’s strange, how did they know where we live!”

nMa Chenggong was in a state of shock when he heard that.

nYes.

nIt was too strange!

nHe simply didn’t believe that an ordinary village chief in such a remote village could find out where so many people lived.

nMa Chenggong exhaled, his hands trembled a bit.

nThere was even a clipped picture of him eating someone years ago! He simply couldn’t refuse! He had to come back!

nThe moment he was reborn, he realized that it was all just a trap by Tan Jun!

nMa Chenggong wanted to tell the truth, but the words were stuck in his throat, like phlegm. He tried to cough it out but couldn’t, he opened his mouth and closed it again.

nWhat can he say?

nTell them that they’re facing a death sentence, that this village is cursed, that ghosts are coming to claim their lives? Tell them he was born again? That’s how you know the truth?

nHe couldn’t speak, nor could he say it.

nMa Chenggong glanced at Xiao Chen, and his heart trembled a bit.

nHe wasn’t sure if Xiao Chen knew the truth about what he had done to him back then.

nIf he knew, he would never let himself go!

nAs for Zhang Xiaoxian…

nMa Chenggong clenched his teeth.

nIt wasn’t a wrongful death either.

nMa Chenggong crossed his arms and clasped his fingers together. His elbows rested on the dining table, and his forehead leaned on his hands as if he was meditating. It was only when one looked closely could they see that his fingers were shaking.

n“Boy Ma, thanks to you. This is a reward for you!” The man pulled out a piece of meat from the pot. Without taking a plate, the man just cut it off with a knife and handed it to the boy.

nThe boy’s hands were shaking, his two eyes were like a blind person’s, he couldn’t blink, and his body was frozen in place.

nHe was dumbfounded as he grasped the raw meat handed to him by the man with both hands.

nThis meat was fresh, and there was still blood on the meat. When the boy held it in his hands, the blood ran straight down his wrist and even dripped onto his shoes.

nWhen the man saw him like this, he wasn’t dissatisfied and said, “Take this piece of meat and eat it with your brother, haven’t you two been hungry for a long time?”

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nThe boy seemed to suddenly realize something. A shudder ran through his body, and his eyes were a little strained. Then, he looked left and right twice. His hands were like holding some kind of treasure, and he was holding it tightly in his arms for fear of being taken away.

nHe quickly walked in the direction of the door. With a “puffing” sound, he directly collided with the person in front of him, but he managed to hold the meat tightly and did not let it fly out.

nMa Chenggong raised his head and looked.

nIt was a girl.

nThis girl looked to be about sixteen or seventeen years old but was wearing clothes that were not suitable for her. It showed off her thighs and waist. She even wore heavy makeup, but he had to admit, she did look beautiful.

nThe girl stood up from the floor and looked at Ma Chenggong coldly. She tossed her hair and twisted her waist in a flirtatious manner to continue walking inside, not caring at all about Ma Chenggong’s strange eyes.

nMa Chenggong stood up, turned back, and looked behind the door. He could hear the sound of the girl kissing the man after she entered the door.

nMa Chenggong knew the girl, who was known as a socialite in this town. As long as there was food, he could sleep with her for the night.

nIn times like these, he was not ashamed of such tactics.

nDon’t people live just so they can have a meal?

nOh yes, he remembered, this girl was called Zhang Xiaoxian.

nHu Bing’s probing gaze landed on Xiao Chen’s body, sweeping his eyes up and down his body, sizing him up, “You’re anorexic, right?”

nXiao Chen’s face cracked slightly, and he raised his head to meet Hu Bing’s eyes.

nHu Bing didn’t flinch but instead met his eyes seriously. “I’ve observed that you’ve barely eaten anything in the past two days. I even saw you hyperventilating early this morning.”

n“It’s because of the aftermath of living in this village, isn’t it?” Hu Bing hit the nail on the head and stared at Xiao Chen with a burning gaze.

nXiao Chen’s fingers squeezed the pendant he wore around his neck. When he heard the word ‘aftermath’, his fingers tightened, and his face was suddenly incomparably pale.

nHu Bing narrowed his eyes and moved his eyes back from Xiao Chen, “This village reveals a strong sense of strangeness! Haven’t you noticed? Although the old people here are no different from ordinary old people, their hands and feet are surprisingly agile. The village chief we met on our first day here, as well as that old man yesterday, their ability to walk and even their strength, are not inferior to those in their prime.”

nJin Hong nodded, blinked, and clutched her sleeve nervously. As though she had thought of something, she pursed her lips and anxiously said, “Do you think that these old people have eaten all the young people in the village? That’s why we didn’t see any young people from the moment we entered the village?”

nThe words awakened the people in the room.

nMa Hang sucked in a breath of cold air, and Huang Ke’s face directly lost its color in fright.

nMa Chenggong’s expression didn’t change much, and his two hands clenched tightly.

nHu Bing nodded, “I think so.” He pondered for a while and said, “All in all, we must not sit idly by. We must find the secrets of this village!”

nXiao Chen covered his mouth and nose with the collar of his turtleneck sweater.

nThe laws of nature, karma, are like the shadows, and it’s not pleasant at all.

nWho is to blame? These old people?

nThey’re the ones who got themselves into this!

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n“Where did this come from?” Xiao Chen was a little surprised and pointed to the sweets that had been hidden in his suitcase.

nTan Jun blinked and put his hands on his chin, sitting down on the chair, and foolishly said, “You eat it, didn’t you like sweet treats the most when you were little?”

nXiao Chen was lost for words, and his nose was a little sour. He silently moved a chair from the side to sit beside him, examining his face carefully.

nIt was like a dream.

nHe had never thought he would see Tan Jun again.

nThis feeling was so subtle that it made him feel that it was unreal. Even when he went to sleep and woke up these past few days, he would wonder if Tan Jun’s appearance was a beautiful dream of his or if he had some kind of imaginary illness.

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nXiao Chen was fascinated, his eyes were deep and devoted, and they were shining like there were stars in them.

nTan Jun’s face was burning. He wouldn’t have felt this way, but when Xiao Chen’s eyes fell on him, he felt like he was drugged, and his brain was in an indescribable state of pleasure.

nHe gently rested his head on Xiao Chen’s lap, looking very obedient, like a puppy waiting for his master’s touch.

nXiao Chen was stunned.

nThis was the most common position they had used when they were kids.

nXiao Chen’s eyes ached, and he let out a breath. His hand gently stroked Tan Jun’s hair like he was coaxing a child. It was a strange feeling, Tan Jun’s condensed entity that only he could see and touch; Xiao Chen sounded a little choked up, “Why are you still the same as when you were a child?”

nTan Jun lifted his eyes to lock gazes with Xiao Chen, who had his head bowed, and softly said, “In front of you, I will never change.”

nThe same goes for everything I’ve said.

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