"Fang Zhixing, come over here."
Suddenly, Xigou called out.
Fang Zhixing's gaze retracted from the skeletons, his scattered thoughts collecting, as he turned and walked into a house.
Inside, the scene was in complete disarray, utterly chaotic.
The table was smashed, stools overturned on the floor, shards of ceramics scattered everywhere, the air thick with densely interwoven white cobwebs, and a musty smell pervading.
Xigou stood in the corner, scrabbling at something with his little paws.
Fang Zhixing leaned in to look and couldn't help but raise his eyebrows.
Beside a clay jar, under a thick layer of mud and ash, there unmistakably lay a book.
Fang Zhixing quickly picked it up, shook off the ash, revealing a black cover with several unknown characters.
He flipped it open and found page upon page of white paper, filled with text. The writing appeared neat and graceful, arrange intricately like undulating hills, possessing an indescribable beauty.
At first glance, this unfamiliar script looked very much like ancient oracle bone inscriptions, containing the essence of pictographs and exuding a mysterious and aesthetic charm.
Xigou sent a telepathic message, "Books in this world must be high-level items, right? Funiu Village doesn't have a single one, never even seen one, they use leaves to wipe their butts."
Fang Zhixing nodded in agreement, sighing, "What a pity, I am illiterate, being uneducated is too scary, having lost the chance to connect with high society..."
Before he had finished speaking, his system panel suddenly flashed with light.
[Literacy·Full Level Conditions:
1. Read a dictionary 10 times (Incomplete)]
"Holy crap, this works?!"
Fang Zhixing's eyes suddenly lit up, his mood instantly turbulent, like stormy seas.
"Awesome!"
Xigou clicked his tongue in amazement, filled with envy, "They say that reading a book a hundred times will bring its meaning to light, but, my good man! You don't need a hundred reads, ten will suffice."
Fang Zhixing couldn't contain his joy, exclaiming in amazement, "If we were to return to Earth, with these Full Level Cheats, scoring first place in the college entrance examination for the whole province would be a breeze."
"Ah, Earth!"
Xigou couldn't help but drift into contemplation—he remembered his first girlfriend, then his second, his third…
The man and dog returned to their dwelling.
Fang Zhixing first gathered some grass to feed the donkey, then started a fire to cook. Bacon with rice, delicious beyond compare—he ate his fill, utterly contented.
Night fell.
The silent village seemed even more tranquil.
In the first half of the night Fang Zhixing slept, and in the latter half, Xigou went to sleep.
Although cautious, fearing some accident might occur, the night passed without incident, smoothly.
As dawn began to break, Fang Zhixing felt drowsy, yawned several times, and went back to sleep.
When he woke up again, the sun was already high.
After hastily eating breakfast, the man and dog set off once more.
As they journeyed on, Fang Zhixing noticed the mountain path becoming broader, and even saw the impressions of cartwheels on the road.
Soon, after surmounting a mountainside, an expansive road suddenly came into view, wide enough for running carriages.
"There are people!"
Fang Zhixing ascended for a better view and soon spotted figures moving along the road.
Xigou, unable to see clearly, asked, "Who are they? They aren't highway robbers, are they?"
Fang Zhixing pondered, "The figures are all heading south, minding their own business; they don't seem to be bandits."
Xigou immediately said, "They might be heading to the market as well, we should follow."
Fang Zhixing nodded, led the donkey down the mountain, took a turn, and stepped onto the main road.
There were people ahead and behind them.
Fang Zhixing glanced back and saw three raggedly dressed people—a man, a woman, and a child, possibly a family of three.
They were disheveled and grimy, with sallow skin clinging to their bones and deep-set eyes.
Even a beggar would possess a broken bowl, yet these three people carried nothing, walking barefoot without even a pair of straw sandals.
Fang Zhixing turned his head and looked forward.
Those walking in front of him also had dirty and disheveled appearances, each one more wretched than the last.
"Refugees!!"
Fang Zhixing and Xigou exchanged a glance and immediately understood the plight of these people.
Homeless and possessing nothing.
The Funiu mountain range was vast, with many villages and hamlets, Funiu Village being just one of them.
Now it seemed that Funiu Village was not in the direst of straits.
As Fang Zhixing appeared on the main road, people in front and behind cast their eyes on him.
A man, a dog, a donkey, and a heavy hemp sack...
Such a sight was like a vivid scene, engraving itself in the hearts of many.
Some stared straight at Fang Zhixing, their expressions changing, especially after seeing the donkey he was leading, revealing a fierce glint in their eyes and their eyeballs rolling around. Their Adam's apples bobbed continuously, clearly swallowing their saliva.
"Oh no!"
Seeing this, Xigou exclaimed nervously, "What do we do? They are starving; they will surely come and rob us!"
Fang Zhixing's face darkened, and he silently took up his bow in hand.
Then, the people behind quickened their pace, crowding in close behind Fang Zhixing, and the people in front also deliberately slowed down, gradually getting nearer.
Without a word, they fixed their gaze on Fang Zhixing, practically encircling him.
Unconsciously, the number of people surrounding Fang Zhixing grew, to around sixty or seventy.
Soon, noon arrived.
Fang Zhixing did not stop walking and picked up the pace.
Some of the refugees began to lag due to a lack of strength, unable to keep up with his pace and falling behind.
Suddenly, a disheveled youth burst forth unpredictably, leaping forward like a frog and pounced towards Xigou.
"Woof woof!"
Xigou was startled, leaping on the spot, biting the hand that was reaching for him.
Almost at the same time, Fang Zhixing drew his sword from the sheath, swinging it diagonally in a swift cut.
Slash!
The sword's blade grazed the youth's belly, bringing forth a spurt of blood plasma.
"Ah!!!"
The youth screamed miserably as he fell to the ground, a gaping cut opening in his stomach.
Xigou had bitten his hand.
At that moment, as if some beastly instinct was activated, Xigou looked ferocious, biting hard and vigorously tearing and shaking his head from side to side. The hot blood seeped through the gaps in his teeth, gushing into his mouth, tasting bittersweet!
"Ah ah!!"
The youth continued to scream in agony while those around him were shocked and frightened, hastily retreating.
After a while, the screams stopped, and the youth lay still on the ground without moving.
"Eh, he died so quickly?" Fang Zhixing felt a strange sensation. Glancing at the wound on the youth's hand, he suddenly noticed it was turning black and purple.
His eyes narrowed slightly, and he glanced sideways at Xigou but said nothing, keeping his composure.
At this time, the group of refugees was filled with fear and did not dare to approach.
"Let's go!"
Fang Zhixing immediately took the reins of the donkey and charged out of the encirclement, striding quickly forward.
Xigou licked his tongue, gave a glaring look at the refugees, and proudly raised his head.