The long, pointed beard on the narrow mouth twitched, and following the gentle breeze, the mingled scents of sweetness and blood surged towards the strongest scent source.
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For a moment, Zhang Guangquan's mind went blank. He stared, his lips trembling, and after a long while, he managed to squeeze out a sentence, "You? Is it you?!"
Fang Ji smiled, and his fingers suddenly tightened. The severed tongue before him instantly turned into a puddle of blood. Then, it enlarged before his eyes, and Fang Ji smeared the minced flesh onto his face.
The slimy sensation passed over his skin, accompanied by the strong smell of blood. Zhang Guangquan's scalp tingled, and rage erupted from his chest. He roared and tried to grab the knife, but Fang Ji quickly flipped the knife, and the blade instantly bit into the palm of his hand, slicing through the tendons of his wrist in the process.
Zhang Guangquan's wrist turned cold, and blood gushed out. He let out a painful scream and fell to the ground. Before he could catch his breath, his scalp tightened again. Fang Ji grabbed his hair, dragging him over to Zhang Xiuhua.
Fang Ji squatted down, his gaze slowly sweeping over Zhang Guangquan's contorted face, twisted with agony. He looked as if he were admiring delicate patterns on porcelain, his expression half-smiling, half-scolding. "Uncle Zhang, your sister is about to die. Why aren't you looking after her properly? What's with the commotion?"
With that, he pressed Zhang Guangquan's head forward. Zhang Guangquan's breath hitched, and the sight before his eyes reflected Zhang Xiuhua's bloodless face. She emitted a few faint gasps like a dying breath, and her twitching gradually subsided. After a few seconds, her fish-like eyes finally dulled, her head slumping to the side, motionless.
It felt as though a bolt of lightning had struck Zhang Guangquan's head. He remained in a daze for several seconds, and then his throat let out a shattering cry. Tears streamed down his face, and he hoarsely exclaimed, "Why... why?! You! You beast!"
"Why?" Fang Ji tilted his head, fixing his gaze on Zhang Guangquan's eyes, and spoke softly, "You should understand my reasons."
"I'll kill you!" Zhang Guangquan stared at Fang Ji with bloodshot eyes. "I'll kill you!" With those words, he struggled violently, tearing off a piece of his bloody scalp. He turned around and raised his hand to strangle Fang Ji's neck. Fang Ji sneered, grabbed his wrist, and twisted. A cracking sound rang out, and Zhang Guangquan's arm contorted at an unnatural angle. He fell to the ground, his mouth agape, gasping for air in pain, without the strength to even scream.
A cold sensation suddenly appeared around his neck. He knew it was the knife's edge pressing against his throat. He half-closed his eyes, and a despairing sound emerged from his throat, sounding like a mix between a cry and a sigh of impending death.
Pain...
Too painful...
If it could all end in an instant, that would be fine...
Such thoughts emerged in his mind. The image of Xiuhua's face seemed to flash before his eyes, and he closed his eyes. Tears flowed down the corners of his eyes and reached his temples.
However, the knife's edge had not cut his throat yet. It lingered there for a while before gradually moving downward. It sliced through his clothing, exposing his stomach. The cold sensation made him shiver.
After a moment, a slippery liquid dripped onto his abdomen, and a strong, sweet scent wafted through the air.
Honey...
His eyes stared fixedly at the darkening sky, and his heart began to race inexplicably.
Shasha... (Rustling)
Shashasha...
A rustling sound emerged all around, countless dark shadows converging, weaving through the gaps in the grass. Their sharp, black tentacles waved in the air, while the slender pointed beards on their mouths quivered. They followed the faint breeze, which carried the scents of sweetness and blood, surging towards the most intense smell.
The remnants of crimson in the sky resembled blood, casting a scarlet hue over everything atop the mountain. A plump rat emerged from the grass, its damp fur tainted with a touch of red. Its belly was swollen, and it held a greasy piece of intestines in its mouth. The rat scurried through the grass roots, disappearing into the unknown.
When Fang Ji returned, the sky had already turned completely dark.
A coal lamp flickered inside the room, casting a dim yellow glow on the window paper.
Lin Lang sat on a chair in the main room, glanced at him, then stood up and walked outside.
Seeing Lin Lang leaving without saying a word, Fang Ji couldn't help but pause in confusion.
He collapsed into the chair and sat for a while, gradually regaining some strength. His eyelids felt heavy, and he seemed on the verge of falling asleep while sitting.
After a while, he heard footsteps outside the door. He raised his eyes and saw Lin Lang walking in, holding a bowl and plate. He pushed them in front of Fang Ji and said, "The food is hot."
Fang Ji was momentarily stunned, but then he couldn't help but smile. "...I thought you were mad at me and left."
"I'm not."
Fang Ji smelled the aroma of the food and involuntarily swallowed. He looked down and noticed an extra chicken leg on the plate. He bit his chopsticks and asked, "Did I steal the pregnant woman's chicken leg?"
"No, she has hers."
A faint smile appeared in Fang Ji's eyes as he looked at Lin Lang's face. He asked, "Then... do you have one?"
Lin Lang didn't answer.
"In a few days, I'll go to the town to buy some meat. If you want anything, let me know. Don't hold back," Fang Ji said, using his chopsticks to remove the meat from the chicken leg bone. He picked out the biggest piece and held it up to Lin Lang's lips. "You're injured too, so have some meat to replenish your nutrition, alright?"
Lin Lang lowered his gaze, his eyes stopping on Fang Ji's arm. Suddenly, he asked, "Did your wound reopen?"
Fang Ji was taken aback, subconsciously retracting his hand. His face stiffened for a moment before he forced a smile again. "Yes, I accidentally fell again today. Later, you'll need to help me bandage it once more."
Lin Lang's expression softened, and he was about to say something when suddenly, a knocking sound came from outside the courtyard.
His complexion changed instantly, and he stood up abruptly, turning to walk outside.
Watching Lin Lang disappear behind the door, Fang Ji also got up.
Just now, the face that Lin Lang usually kept devoid of expression showed a look of surprise.
Fang Ji narrowed his eyes, and as he looked outside, he saw a man with a tanned complexion stepping across the threshold, swaying as he entered.
The man had a face covered in oily sweat, with a reddish tint to his dark complexion. As soon as he entered the room, a heavy alcohol scent filled the air.
Lin Lang followed behind him, raising his hand to take the man's leather bag.
Fang Ji hid in the shadowy corner of the room. He watched as the man removed the bag from his shoulder and then viciously slammed it against Lin Lang's forehead.
Lin Lang's face stiffened, and he instinctively closed his eyes, enduring the blow. A loud thud echoed as the bag hit the ground, blood trickling down from his forehead.
Fang Ji's heart skipped a beat. Lin Lang lowered his head, silently picking up the fallen bag and placing it on the table. He wiped away the dirt that had stuck to it, letting the blood flow into his eyes without bothering to wipe it away.
The man tilted his head, staring at Lin Lang's face with a sinister expression. "It's been a few days since we last fought. Is your itch acting up again, you brat?" He raised his hand, as if to strike Lin Lang's face.
A hand extended out from the darkness, intercepting the man's wrist. Startled, the man trembled and turned his head to see a pair of eyes belonging to Fang Ji.
He froze momentarily, carefully examining Fang Ji from head to toe and then back up again. His gaze fixed on Fang Ji's eyebrows and eyes, his expression somewhat dazed. He licked his lips, turned away, and approached Fang Ji with a step.
Allowing Fang Ji to grip his wrist, a tickling sensation arose within him. He lifted his hand, pinched Fang Ji's chin, and his fingertip playfully caressed Fang Ji's cheek. His gaze gradually grew unfocused, as if he had downed a couple of ounces of aged wine. His dark face reddened further, his lips curled into a smile, and with a breathy voice in Fang Ji's ear, he said, "A Shui! It's been so long since we've met. You're getting more and more pleasing to the eye!"