Many years later, standing in front of the swampy pond he had guarded for decades, Wang Tu would recall that distant afternoon when the wondrous Lao Deng resolutely opened his arms and leaped backward, tracing an arc into the swamp.
That day, three tough gigs became the talk of the town in Beiliang City, gossip for citizens over tea and after meals.
The first tough gig involved two artistically talented zombie corpses. No one could have imagined that such gruesome-looking zombies could die in such a humorous and delightful manner. Someone even made one-to-one clay reproductions of the zombies, ready to exhibit them in cities far and wide.
The theme of the exhibition was: "Is it cooler up top or hotter down below?"
The second source of amusement was Li Kuan, Beiliang City's renowned master of slothfulness. Under the theme of "building a civilized city," he gave a lecture lasting two shichen at the entrance to the vegetable market.
