novelaction Chapter 449 Is it an immortal or a man-eating demon?
Chapter 449 Is it an immortal or a man-eating demon?
The able-bodied young people in the village all went to the Immortal Temple to worship, leaving mostly elderly women and young children behind.
On days like these, families are filled with fear and trepidation.
Because it meant that forced labor would start again, and some people would leave and never come back.
In times of war, such things are commonplace, and everyone becomes numb to them.
But in these peaceful times, this torment is a gradual despair, day after day.
The New Year is just around the corner. In the past, the festivities would begin as early as the beginning of the twelfth lunar month. Even poor families like theirs would make preparations for the New Year and celebrate it in a lively and festive manner.
The Lunar New Year is a time of hope and anticipation.
But nowadays, where is there even a trace of the New Year atmosphere in the village? It seems that everyone has forgotten what year it is.
When life has gradually lost its hope, the passage of time becomes a torment.
Hearing the screams outside, Wen Qingqing, who was waiting in the carriage, was the first to jump off. She saw a short, disheveled person rushing out in the distance, waving something wildly in his hand. Some people tried to go forward, but they quickly stumbled and fell. Screams of agony rang out all around.
Wen Qingqing watched from afar, quickly reacted, and immediately shouted, "Yangyang, something terrible has happened! It looks like someone has a knife and is hurting people!"
Upon hearing Wen Qingqing's voice, Lu Yangyang hurriedly let go of Huanniang and her daughter and ran outside. Prefect Ling had already rushed out ahead of her.
Luo Jing glanced at Huan Niang and her daughter with concern, then quickly followed them out.
Huanniang had a feeling something was wrong, and she hurriedly got up from the ground and ran outside. Her mother grabbed her, and Huanniang said anxiously, "Mother, that sound just now seemed to come from Sixth Aunt's house. Something must have happened to Sixth Aunt!"
The woman was clearly flustered for a moment, and quickly walked out as well.
The one who went mad was none other than Sixth Aunt Zhang. Her hair was disheveled, her mouth and hands were covered in blood, and she was holding a kitchen knife. Anyone who tried to stop her would be slashed.
Just now, an aunt tried to pull her away, but she slashed at her randomly, and blood was still dripping from the cleaver.
After hearing that scream, most of the villagers came out, but only a few dozen people, around Zhang Shi, stood around hesitantly, none of them daring to step forward.
An old man, his beard bristling and eyes wide, brandished his cane and roared, "Zhang, are you out of your mind? Madwoman! You madwoman!"
"Put down the knife! Are you trying to rebel?! How can our Yu clan tolerate a madwoman like you! When Liu Zi returns, we'll make him divorce you and send you home!"
“Zhang, it was the clan’s decision to let Xiu Niang marry. You are just a woman, and it’s one thing if you don’t understand reason, but how can you hurt people so casually?”
"Put down the knife now, or I will not spare you today!"
Several old men shouted at Zhang Shi, one after another, but none of them stepped forward.
One of the women who was on good terms with Zhang felt sorry for her and said to the old men, "Uncle, Sixth Sister-in-law is also suffering a lot. Let's talk to her properly later."
"Yes, we all know that the village chief is doing this for the good of the village, but Sixth Sister-in-law only has Xiu Niang as her daughter now, so she is pitiful."
Some women whose families were to be forced into labor also cried out, "Pitiful? Who in this village isn't pitiful? My only pity is that my son left and never came back, and my daughter-in-law has been remarried. What's the point of me living like this? Waaah—"
As she spoke, she sat down on the ground and began to cry.
For a moment, no one tried to comfort Zhang; instead, everyone burst into tears.
When Lu Yangyang and the others caught up, this was the scene they saw.
Holding a knife in her hand, Zhang walked forward step by step, her eyes unfocused. After a few steps, she stopped and looked at the villagers who tried to step forward but none of them dared to. Suddenly, she laughed strangely, "That's right, you're right. Pitiful, all of you are pitiful. So let's just die together. Let's all be free from this."
After saying that, she gripped the knife in her hand and slashed at the old man closest to her. The old man was so frightened that he dropped his cane and crawled to the side. The knife that Zhang Shi slammed down on him cut his leg, and blood splattered everywhere.
She raised the knife and slashed at the old man again.
Prefect Ling was sweating profusely and quickly patted Lu Yangyang on the shoulder.
Lu Yangyang frowned as she looked at the blood all over the ground. After hesitating for a moment, she jumped out and grabbed Zhang's arm before Zhang's knife could hit the old man's vital organs.
“Killing this old bastard would mean paying with your life, what bad luck.” Lu Yangyang pulled her up.
Zhang didn't even look at Lu Yangyang. She struggled to cut down the knife again, but found that her arm was restrained and she couldn't move it at all.
Prefect Ling hurriedly stepped forward and shouted to the crowd, "Fellow villagers, listen to me! The government has never forcibly conscripted anyone for labor. My name is Ling Pinzhang, and I am the newly appointed prefect of Yuzhou Prefecture. I am here today to inform each village. Do not be afraid. From today onwards, the government will thoroughly investigate the entire matter of the illegal conscription of labor, ensuring the interests of every citizen of Yuzhou Prefecture. Such things will not happen again. You can all stay at home in peace and wait for the imperial court to investigate and resolve this matter thoroughly. Everyone will be given an explanation! For those whose families have been forcibly conscripted for labor, the government will verify and register every instance and provide compensation, guaranteeing that nothing like this will ever happen again!"
However, after Magistrate Ling finished speaking, the onlookers just watched him silently, their faces expressionless.
It wasn't even as exciting as when I was facing the crazed Zhang.
Lu Yangyang glanced at Prefect Ling, then at the numb crowd around her, and looked down at Zhang, who was still struggling. She grabbed Zhang's hand and made her grip the knife tightly. Looking into Zhang's eyes, Lu Yangyang said, "The Immortal Temple is forcibly conscripting laborers, making your daughter a sacrifice to obtain the elixir of immortality. Do you dare to smash up the Immortal Temple?"
Zhang's numb and unfocused eyes gradually began to focus, and Lu Yangyang's image slowly appeared in her eyes. Her lips, which had been bitten and were bleeding profusely, trembled slightly.
Lu Yangyang looked at her and repeated, word by word, "The Immortal Temple has harmed you so much, do you dare to smash it?"
Zhang's eyes immediately filled with tears, reflecting the bloodshot color in them, as if her eyes were filled with tears of blood.
She gritted her teeth, mustered all her strength, and uttered a single word.
"dare!"
Lu Yangyang gripped her hand tightly. "Then let's smash it! Let's go!"
The onlookers stared at them in disbelief.
Taking advantage of the opportunity, Magistrate Ling shouted, "Fellow villagers, we believe in immortals in order to receive their protection, but you have sacrificed so much, lost your children, and are still forced to perform labor. Have the immortals protected you? No!"
"Even immortals don't protect you, so what's the point of keeping their temples alive! Smash them and see if these immortals are truly immortals or man-eating demons!"