Lunchtime arrived swiftly. Zhao Fen’s house was meagerly stocked, but thankfully, we had come prepared, making the meal quite abundant. Worth noting were the wild vegetables Zhao Fen had preserved; their fragrance was intoxicating. The three of us couldn't stop praising the flavor, especially Fang Yanmeng, who loudly declared that being kidnapped this time was worth it, as she’d never encounter such delicious wild greens back in the capital.

In the afternoon, the four girls tidied up the house, and then Zhao Fen and Zhao Fang guided us through the surroundings of the North Village. There were eighteen households in total, and the village head, Li Tieniu, also resided there.

Although he was the village head, in the two years since his appointment, he had only visited the township government in the nearest large town once for a meeting. The township government was short on funds and hadn't paid him a cent of salary for two years; the title of village head was rather nominal.

Li Tieniu was in his forties, built as sturdy as an ox, and possessed a very friendly nature. His wife had passed away many years ago, and he had no children. He owned a few meager acres of land in the mountains, but irregular rainfall in recent years—either drought or flood—meant these fields could barely sustain his basic needs.

Besides gathering medicinal herbs during his free time like ordinary villagers, Li Tieniu often hunted deep in the mountains. Around this area, he was a rare and skilled hunter. He kept a fierce, human-sized hunting dog and a crude, well-polished shotgun that he carried everywhere.

Zhao Fen’s house only had two beds, so I had to find lodging elsewhere. Village Head Li Tieniu’s home was the best option. When Zhao Fen explained the situation, Li Tieniu readily agreed and immediately brought out a set of new bedding for me.

The village head’s home was larger than Zhao Fen’s; besides three main rooms that were taller and more solid than Zhao Fen’s, he also had two eastern annex rooms. However, the eastern annex doors were locked and windows covered, and all daily life—eating and sleeping—took place in the main house.

The layout of the three main rooms was identical to Zhao Fen’s: the middle room served as the kitchen, and the rooms on either side were bedrooms. The only access to the main rooms was the door within the kitchen.

We had originally planned for me to stay the night at Zhao Fen’s house for dinner and then come over to sleep alone, but the village head insisted we eat dinner at his house, providing a very solid reason.

“I am the village head. It’s been years since a guest has visited Peach Blossom Village, and now I have these distinguished guests from the city. I must express my welcome as the head. Don't leave; I’ll start cooking now. I may not have delicacies from the mountains and seas, but the food here is pollution-free and guaranteed fresh.”

Heh, it seemed this village head was quite progressive in his thinking. The few of us conferred and felt it would be rude to refuse the village head’s warm hospitality. We decided to send me back to fetch some food supplies and gifts, while the girls stayed to help the village head in the kitchen.

Soon, fragrant dishes were served in large ceramic bowls—there were no plates here. The village head poured several bowls of pale purple ** from an earthenware jar.

“This is the mountain wine I brewed myself. Everyone, try some. Little Zhao, you need to drink a few more cups with me.”

I wasn't much of a drinker; whether I drank or not was immaterial. However, it was hard to refuse the village head’s earnestness, so I reluctantly kept him company for a few cups. I must admit, this mountain wine was sweet and delicious, with a very faint alcoholic bite; it tasted more like a beverage.

On the table was a plate of game meat that immediately drew Fang Yanmeng’s chopsticks. Tempted, I picked up a piece myself. It was thinly sliced, cured, and air-dried meat. From its appearance, it was hard to tell what kind of animal it came from. Its taste was quite different from pork, yet its texture was richer than pork, carrying the essence of mountain wildflowers and wild vegetables—fitting the external meaning of the term "game meat."

“Village Head, what kind of meat is this? It tastes excellent, but the way the fibers are shaped is very odd; it doesn't look like wild boar or deer,” I asked the village head as I ate.

The village head took a large gulp of wine, seeming thoughtful as he replied, “It’s a rare creature from the mountains, one without a proper name. Just eat without worry, everyone.”

Fang Yanmeng kept eating and said, “Eat your food, Zhao Qian. Are you afraid it’s human flesh? Even if it were, so what? It’s a rare opportunity to taste it, you coward.”

The village head’s expression shifted, and he addressed Fang Yanmeng, “The young girl certainly has courage. If it truly were human flesh, I suspect you wouldn't even have time to spit it out.”

Fang Yanmeng chuckled, raising her bowl to toast me. I felt a slight dizziness. It turned out this mountain wine had a delayed kick; drinking too much could indeed make one drunk.

“You drink it yourself; I’m done. Eating meat and drinking wine—be careful you don't get fat as a pig.”

Fang Yanmeng looked displeased. “It’s none of your business. I’m not your girlfriend, and besides, I never gain weight no matter how much I eat.”

After the meal, the four girls went home together, while I stayed at the village head’s house to sleep, each of us taking a separate room. Having drunk more than I realized, I was severely headachy and dizzy. I quickly changed into my pajamas and collapsed onto the bed, drifting off into a stupor.

I don’t know what time it was in the middle of the night, but I woke up thirsty. I stumbled out of bed intending to get some water from the kitchen. Through the paper-covered window, I vaguely noticed a light glowing from the eastern annex outside.

Logically, there shouldn’t be thieves here. Firstly, the population was sparse; secondly, there wasn't much worth stealing; moreover, the village head had that huge hunting dog. Furthermore, would a thief sneak around in the middle of the night carrying a lamp? That meant the light in the eastern annex had to be from the village head himself.

Why wasn’t he sleeping so late? The eastern annex had been tightly locked during the day, which was unusual in this small village. If there were no thieves, or nothing worth stealing, what was he guarding against? Could the eastern annex hide a secret? No, I had to go take a look. What if this man, so kind on the surface, was up to some secret mischief?

Having made up my mind, I crept to the kitchen and opened the door leading to the courtyard. Suddenly, a low growl reached my ears—bad news, it was the village head’s large hunting dog. If it barked, the village head would surely discover me.

The memory of two nights ago flashed in my mind: Sun Lao’er’s wolfdog being scared off by me. Strange, I hadn’t thought much of it then and had forgotten about it later. That wolfdog seemed terrified when I got angry; one glare and it scurried into a corner, refusing to move no matter how much its owner kicked it. Did dogs actually fear me?

I gathered my resolve, my eyes snapping wide like bronze bells, and shot a fierce gaze at the village head’s large hound. Blast it all, the half-human-sized dog didn't utter a sound; it actually slunk away to the base of the wall and lay down meekly.

My God, tomorrow I absolutely must find a mirror to look at my own eyes. Why are dogs terrified of them? If I get laid off, couldn't I just buy some sacks and specialize in stealing large dogs from the countryside to sell in the city? I’d make a fortune!

This mountain region truly was extraordinary, constantly presenting mysterious events that were making me increasingly jumpy. Suddenly possessing immense spiritual power wasn't necessarily a bad thing, but why did dogs fear me now? Will people start fearing me too in the future? Haha, if I glare, will Manager Su be so scared that he hands over his position to me?

Never mind the fanciful thoughts. While the large hunting dog remained docile, I hurried towards the eastern annex to observe. I tiptoed to the annex door; it was closed. I dared not push it open even a crack, fearing the village head might hear the noise and misunderstand me. The window was covered with thick paper, through which only faint slivers of light seeped.

Anyone who has watched martial arts dramas knows that all you need is a little saliva on the window paper, and voilà. I replicated the move, but with extra caution, poking the hole in a spot that was highly inconspicuous, lest the village head discover the torn paper in the morning and suspect me.

I bent over, peering through the hole I had made. Since there was light inside, I quickly took in the scene, and then promptly slid to the ground, sitting down hard. Good heavens! Village Head Li Tieniu was using a knife to slice up a dried human leg!