The group of people who came here were the refugees from Yexi Village. Among them are Xiangmaozi's parents.
I started talking about this half a month ago.
At first, in Yexi Village, the Erlang family's cow was lost in the mountains. The village chief and the Erlang family jointly mobilized the whole village to help find the cow, and promised several benefits.
When a countryman loses a cow, that is a serious matter.
It makes people worried even if they lose their children, they don't even lose their cows.
So that night, except for the old and the weak, as well as women and children who needed to look after their children, the rest of the people gathered at the west entrance of the village. When everyone gathered, everyone lit torches wrapped in rosin and started searching in the forest.
The team looking for cattle at night must have many people and go together. The last key is to move forward with fire. This will scare away many beasts lurking in the dark.
And cattle are domestic animals and relatives.
When it sees human sounds or human traces, it will moo to let people find it.
A group of people held torches and shouted in the forest. They planned to search from the first watch to the third watch. If they couldn't find it, they had no choice but to forget it. It was probably eaten by wild animals.
I kept looking and looking, but found nothing.
At midnight, the dew became heavy and everyone planned to go back. However, the Erlang family kowtowed and begged, saying that the cow was their entire family property and hope, and they could never get lost like this, and begged everyone to help look for it again.
Helpless, everyone continued to search.
After walking all night, they searched through the surrounding mountains and forests, but couldn't find even a cow's hair.
It was almost five o'clock at this time, and they could only drag their tired bodies back.
When they were about to reach the entrance of the village, Erlang's father suddenly let out an angry roar. In the open space at the entrance of the village, there was half a cow's leg, and there was a crescent-shaped scar on the cow's leg.
This is the Erlang family's cow. Because the Tianshan family accidentally injured the Erlang family's cow, the two families fought fiercely and never spoke to each other again. Later, the hair on the cow leg stopped growing, leaving a crescent-shaped scar of about two inches.
Everyone in Yexi Village knew about this, so not only Erlang's father, many people also recognized it!
Erlang's father started to cry and cursed at the sky and the earth, saying that he would not let go of the man who killed the cow.
Many people tried to persuade Erlang's father, but he was so sad that he kept crying while holding the cow's leg.
At this time, Xin Wang thought of a question, who killed the cow.
For such a big cow, even if the butcher kills the cow, there must be stakes to tie it up, and several people to help find a big basin to collect the blood. But there is no place to kill cattle in this barren mountain and wilderness. And there were no traces of cow blood around.
Besides, where are the remaining cows? !
It can't be that the thief stole the cow elsewhere, killed it, and then threw a cow leg on the road waiting for others to find it!
Cattle are such important agricultural livestock. In Yinzhou counties, every family that raises cattle needs to register with the government. Except for old and sick cattle, they are not allowed to be slaughtered.
How did this cow die? !
The more Xin Lang thought about it, the more wrong he became.
Unfortunately, except for him, everyone else only gathered around to comfort Erlang's father, and cursed those who killed the cows to die miserably.
Xin Wang walked over, pulled the leg of the cow and said, "Dad Erlang, something is wrong. Please give me the leg of cow to take a look at first."
Although Erlang's father was sad, he still held up the cow leg and handed it to Xin Wang.
The hair on the cow's leg was still stained with blood and was stiff. The cracks were uneven, and it clearly looked like it had been torn off with great force. It was not like someone was stealing the cow, but it looked like it had been bitten by some ferocious beast.
But a beast as strong as a cow, even a tiger or leopard, cannot be mutilated like this, unless it is a beast even more ferocious than a tiger or leopard!
Thinking of this, Xin Wang suddenly sensed the danger. If this beast can bite even cattle like this, what about humans? !
He immediately said to Erlang's father, "Stop howling, this cow was not slaughtered!"
"What?!" Erlang's father looked at Xin Lang with tears in his eyes, not quite understanding.
Xin Wang raised the leg of cow and showed him the torn marks on it. He was about to talk to Erlang's father about the leg of cow. Suddenly, I smelled a strong fishy stench. Not to mention the stench, it was the same as the excrement from the dog days of summer.
Many people also smelled it, and they all wrinkled their noses and sniffed briefly, "Where did it come from? What does this smell like?"
Suddenly, Lao Shuanzi, who was standing at the back near the village, flew into the air. He screamed in horror, and then a huge black shadow stood behind him, as big as half a mountain, with a strong Stink.
Everyone followed Lao Shuanzi's cry and saw this terrifying shadow. However, what was even more terrifying was yet to come. This shadow was extremely agitated and agile. It ran behind everyone almost without making any sound. No one was aware of it. .
I don't know how it flung Old Shuan into the air. When Old Shuan fell, the big monster opened its mouth as big as a blood basin, revealing fangs as thick as a child's arm. It stretched its neck and clicked, Old Shuan. The child was bitten into two pieces from the middle. It seemed as if there was a rain of blood in the air.
And Lao Shuanzi was swallowed whole by it!
"Mom!"
"Ghost!"
Some villagers turned around and ran away, wishing they had two more feet. And Xin Lang was among the first people to turn around and run back.
The other part, like a quail, didn't dare to move, its whole body was trembling, feces and urine were flowing out, but it didn't dare to run. It just muttered, "Grandpa Mountain God, have mercy on me, Grandpa Mountain God, have mercy on me."
This was the last time Xin Wang and the others saw these people.
After the monster came out, Xin Wang and the others ran as fast as they could into the mountains. They stopped when they saw no more sound. After arriving at almost noon, the remaining people were gathered together. In total, there were less than thirty people.
Now everyone was worried.
There was nothing in the mountains, but let's get back to it - everyone thought of the monster's bloody mouth and the old Shuanzi who was bitten into two pieces in one bite.
They all shuddered, and no one was willing to take a step home.
Fortunately, we are all villagers, and we often go into the mountains to hunt and pick mountain products. Seeing that it was already daylight, everyone divided the work. Those who trapped rabbits trapped rabbits, those who hunted pheasants, and the rest went to fish in the mountain streams. The women went to pick wild vegetables, mushrooms, etc., and some even brought flints. Another person found a large fruit shell, broke open the hard shell and took out the pulp, and actually made a pot.
In this way, everyone is finally full in the mountains.
After eating, everyone began to discuss what to do next.
Those who can react and run away are those who have a clear mind and quick reactions.
Everyone started talking about the mountain god marrying a wife, and then talked about the cows of the Erlang family. Everyone felt that something was wrong, but they couldn't tell exactly what was wrong.
It was Xin Wang who said cruelly, "That thing doesn't look like a mountain god to me, but more like a monster."
Many people actually think this, but they dare not say it for fear of offending the gods.
Lady Xin heard this and pinched Xin Lang's arm nervously to prevent him from saying, "Master!"
Xin Wang waved his hand, "Whether you want to talk about this or not, leave it here. For so many years, we have made offerings to the mountain god on time and every month, and every few years we have to give it a yellow flower girl. It's just a request. Peace. But now, is this still a mountain god? Do you still dare to go home? "
"Why should you worship a god who can't even return home?"
Xin Wang's words were not very loud, but everyone felt that he had a backbone.
"Yes! Xin Wang is right."
"No, my mother-in-law and baby are still in the village. I don't know if this bitch has harmed the village?"
"What's going on? My mother is also in the village..."
After mentioning this, many people began to miss their relatives left in the village.
"No, my baby is still young, I have to go back and take a look."
"My mother-in-law is very timid. She usually cries when she sees a mouse. If this ghost thing is the housekeeper, why should she be scared to death?! I have to take her out too."
Xin Lang and Mrs. Xin were also worried about the children at home, especially Mrs. Xin, who had already gone crazy with anxiety. If Xin Wang hadn't been by his side like a backbone, she would have run back to see Xin Mao regardless.
"Aren't you afraid of that monster?" Xin Wang asked in a deep voice.
Everyone was suddenly at a loss for words. It was true that they cared about the flesh and blood of their relatives, but it was also true that they were afraid of the monster!
Everyone was silent for a moment, and then someone said directly, "Brother Xinwang, what do you think we should do? Give us a move. We all believe in you."
This proposal has been supported by everyone.
"Yes, yes, we all listen to you!"
Xin Wang thought for a moment and then suggested, "I think we must go back. After all, we have parents, wives and children in the village. If we don't take a look, we can't rest assured."
Everyone nodded.
"But we can't go back directly. If the beast is still there, we will give it food when we go back. Let's go to the edge of the mountain road first, and then send two representatives back to take a look. It's agreed that no matter what the beast is, Whether you are still here or not, I can't stay in the village anymore, so hurry up and pick up your family, and when everyone is gathered, we can go to Huangshi Town together." Xin Wang suggested.
No one has any objection to this approach. On the contrary, many people have relatives in the town. If they can go and seek refuge, they can still have a place to stay.
"Then who should we ask to take a look?" someone asked again.
"Draw lots! Take turns to go back in order. It's just a matter of priority. Everyone has to go back to pick up people and see how their homes are doing. Besides, they also need to pack some clothes and money, right?" Xin Wang had already thought about it from the beginning.
So everyone grabbed a handful of grass stems, divided them into short and long ones, and began to draw lots.
The order of priority was quickly determined, and Erxi and Shan Yangzi went back first. Everyone bypassed the road into the village and walked around the mountain path, and then came to another path into the village. This road is the road Xiangmaozi took Xinlang to Huangshi Town.
It's just that it was already afternoon when Xin Lang and the others took a detour back. By this time, Xiangmaozi had already brought Xin Mao to Wang's old shop.
Erxi and Shan Yangzi plan to enter the village.
"After you go in, no matter what the situation is at home, don't waste time. Get the most important things out quickly. Come on! Remember?" Xin Wang warned again.
Erxi and Shanyangzi agreed wholeheartedly.
Then, when they left, there was no trace.
Everyone listened with open ears outside the village, waiting and waiting. After they were tired after rotating their feet several times, they still didn't wait until the two people came back.
There was not a sound.
None of the dogs in the village barked, nor did the chickens crow. Erxi and Shanyangzi who entered were as if they had been swallowed, and they never made a sound again.
"Something is wrong." Xin Wang murmured.
"His father!" Mrs. Xin pinched Xin Lang's arm tightly, covered her mouth and began to cry.
"Who is next? Go in and take a look. If there is no news, then stop looking. It is estimated that there is no one alive inside."
The next two people were Mrs. Wang and Zhuang Shunzi. One of them had children at home, and the other had an old woman at home. They both wanted to go in and have a look even if they died.
Xin Wang still urged him to come out quickly, and the two of them agreed.
Seeing their backs rushing into the village without any hesitation, everyone felt anxious.
But this time, unexpectedly, both of them came back very quickly. Zhuang Shunzi even carried his mother back intact. Lady Wang's eyes were red and she didn't bring anything out.
Everyone kept asking what was going on.
The doors and windows of Madam Wang's house were smashed, and the floor was covered with flesh and blood. Her son could not be found. Only a bloody shoe was left on the ground. She squeezed the little shoe and burst into tears.
Everyone was sad, it seemed that the ferocious beast had really gone to cause trouble in the village.
Everyone asked Zhuang Shunzi and Zhuang Lao Niang again, but Zhuang Lao Niang didn't know anything.
She is old, her eyesight is blurred, and her hearing is deaf. She went to bed early last night, and in order to allow Shunzi to come back easily, she didn't even latch the door. He slept like this until dawn the next day. The old man got up early, went to the well at the entrance of the village to fetch water, came back and made a fire to cook. He had already eaten two meals.
When Zhuang Shunzi came home, the old lady was chopping vegetables on the cutting board with a kitchen knife, making a loud thumping sound.
This is strange, why is nothing wrong with the old lady? !
Does that mean that besides the old lady, there are other people in the village?
Zhuang Shunzi's success this time gave many people hope, and everyone planned to go home to pick up their relatives immediately. But Xin Wang stopped everyone, insisting that they should go in two by two.
Mrs. Xin was also anxious. She said to Xin Lang, "His father, why don't we go in together?"
Xin Wang was very insistent, "No, if this monster suddenly becomes ferocious, the pot will be ruined!"
At Xin Wang's insistence, everyone walked to the village two by two according to the order of drawing lots.
Then, an accident happened again. This time the two people who went there encountered a ferocious beast again. One was chased and bitten, and the other was frightened and ran out.
Everyone confirmed that the beast was indeed in the village.
It was late at night, and everyone had no choice but to hide in the mountains and forests again. Waiting for the next day to come.
In this way, they played hide and seek with the ferocious beasts, and gradually, through countless bloody experiments, they got some rules.
The ferocious beast loves to eat people morning, noon and night.
When it is full, it will take a nap for an hour. It will be relatively safe if you enter the village at this time. But it's only relative. It's okay if you don't get within ten feet of it. If you get within ten feet, it will smell it and will still get up to hunt.
Later, the villagers discovered that making the body smelly would effectively reduce its hunting range.
It took more than ten days to test this back and forth.
We really found a dozen lucky people from the village, but they lost about ten people here.
Xin Wang and Lady Xin were relatively low in the rankings. When they returned home, the door was open, the ground was covered with dust and weeds, the yard was in a mess, and there was nothing left!
Mrs. Xin almost collapsed and cried on the spot. Xin Wang pinched her mouth hard and dragged her out of the village.
After seeing the tragic situation at home, Mrs. Xin thought that Xin Mao and Xiangmaozi had been swallowed by ferocious beasts, and not even a piece of meat or a shoe was left. This thought tortured her day and night, making her miserable.
When the last house in the village was searched, everyone decided to seek refuge in Huangshi Town.
Thanks to them wasting this time, if they had come earlier, they would have caught up with the epidemic, and it would have been another round of suffering.
When the old, weak, sick and disabled villagers of Yexi Village rushed to Huangshi Town, they happened to see Huang Anshi leading his team in a hurry towards Fucheng.
They quickly stopped by the roadside, not daring to delay the adults' errands.
Huang Anshi's troops were busy going back to resume their duties. At this moment, they didn't even look at these country bumpkins as they blew past them like a whirlwind.
After a while, people in Yexi Village dared to stick to the roadside and wander toward the town. It's not like I was wandering around on purpose. It's just that I have been short of rice and oil these days, and my body is very weak.
As soon as I walked along the road to a crowded place, I heard a crisp, "Dad, Mom!"
Mrs. Xin felt like she heard Xin Mao's cry. She looked around and saw a young man wearing new green and white clothes with long arms rushing towards him like a little swallow!
The head is round and the eyes are big and bright.
It was the piece of meat on the tip of her heart, Xin Mao!
~~~~~~~~~~The author has something to say about the dividing line~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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