I am absolutely certain I wasn't hallucinating; my eyesight has always been excellent. Despite having drunk heavily tonight, I clearly saw Li Tieniu hacking away at a dried, leg-shaped object with a cleaver, slice after slice. I called it a leg-shaped object because I truly didn't want to confirm it was an actual human leg. After all, we had eaten some unidentifiable meat for dinner, and I feared knowing the truth would make me vomit up days' worth of meals.

After sitting on the ground for a while, I calmed down. I still didn't know what was going on, so I decided to keep watching. Inside the East Wing, Li Tieniu was still chopping at the desiccated 'leg' piece by piece. The exposed bone was unmistakably that of a human leg. Looking closer at the end of the limb, there were even the ankle, foot, and toes. What the hell was this if not a human leg? I had never seen a pig or cow leg that looked like this.

Li Tieniu’s expression was utterly serene, exactly like a gourmet preparing his late-night snack. Slice after slice, and then another one, until he suddenly seemed unable to resist his craving and popped a piece of meat into his mouth. The sheer enjoyment on his face—this was truly no ordinary wild game.

Ugh! I couldn't hold it in any longer. I stumbled to the corner and heaved up everything I’d eaten that evening. A perverted demon, an absolute homicidal maniac. Though I, Zhao Qian, am no heroic champion of justice, I couldn’t just stand by and watch this degenerate cannibalistic fiend run rampant. Tonight, I would eliminate this menace for the good of the people.

But I wasn't going to charge in blindly. I ran over and kicked open the door to the East Wing, shouting a direct challenge at him face-to-face. After spitting up to my satisfaction, I crawled back into the little hole to assess Li Tieniu’s 'arsenal.' Good heavens, besides the gleaming, reinforced cleaver in his hand, there was a crudely fashioned, black and highly polished musket resting by his feet.

Could this guy have sensed me already? Whether I could gain an advantage by rushing in unarmed was highly questionable. While I was strong, Li Tieniu’s name wasn't given for nothing; he was already huge and powerfully built, and on top of that, he had the moniker 'Iron Bull.' How could his strength be small? Could my frame withstand a chop from that cleaver, combined with the blast of gunpowder and buckshot from that firearm? The outcome was far from certain; I might end up being the one who suffered.

I should probably head back to Zhao Fen’s house first to inform them of the situation, prepare some suitable weapons—especially retrieving that super snakeskin hide to wear as armor—and then capture Li Tieniu in one go.

I resolved to leave immediately. The courtyard wall was low enough to clear with a single kick; there was no need to creak open any doors. I still remembered the way to Zhao Fen’s house; the two places weren't far apart. Taking two steps at a time, I was quickly standing before her door.

With a slight creak, Zhao Fen’s door opened on its own, and a beam of flashlight cut through the darkness, shining directly into my eyes and forcing me to shut them tight.

“Damn you, Zhao Qian, you scared me to death! What brings you around this late at night? Tell me, do you have some wicked intention, trying to sneak in and cause trouble?” It was Fang Yanmeng’s voice.

I was startled by her, too, but I had no time for banter now. “Hurry up and wake the other three. I have something urgent to tell you.”

Fang Yanmeng blocked the doorway. “Tell me first, or I won’t let you in.”

Since I had come back to tell all four of them, talking to her first was fine. Maybe she could throw up for a while too. She had even mocked me for being long-winded at dinner, saying something like, ‘So what if it’s human flesh? It’s a rare opportunity to taste it.’ Now that it was actual human flesh, let’s see what she says.

I pulled Fang Yanmeng aside, genuinely afraid she would vomit right at the doorstep and pollute the area. “Miss Fang…”

“Call me Mengmeng,” Fang Yanmeng interrupted.

“Miss Mengmeng, I’ve returned to inform you of a most unfortunate piece of news—no, for you, this should be extremely joyful news. It turns out your wish from dinner time has finally been fulfilled.”

Fang Yanmeng looked confused. “What wish did I have at dinner? You’re talking nonsense.”

“Didn’t you say you wanted a chance to taste human flesh? I’ve come back to tell you that your wish has come true.”

Fang Yanmeng nearly jumped up. “You killed someone so I could taste human flesh! While I’m touched, are you insane? That’s a capital offense.”

“Who said I killed someone? I only said you finally ate the human flesh you dreamed of, and you ate the most. If you haven't had enough, I can take you to enjoy more tomorrow morning.”

“Zhao Qian, what kind of joke are you playing on me in the middle of the night? Go back to sleep now, or don’t blame me if I badmouth you to Fenfen.”

“I’m not joking with you. I’m officially informing you now: that plate of seasoned preserved meat from this evening was human leg. If you don’t believe me, I’ll take you to see. Li Tieniu is probably still chopping thigh meat with his cleaver, preparing for tomorrow’s meal. If you feel you didn’t eat enough tonight, you must get up early tomorrow morning, or there won't be any left.”

I couldn't see Fang Yanmeng’s expression, but her voice was trembling intensely. “Zhao Qian, you’re lying to me, aren't you? There’s absolutely no way that was human meat. I was just talking carelessly at dinner.”

“Am I sick, running all the way back here in the dead of night to lie to you? Hurry up and wake the others. This Li Tieniu is an extremely dangerous character; we need to discuss how to deal with him.”

Fang Yanmeng grabbed me tightly. “I don’t believe there’s anyone in this world who actually enjoys eating human flesh. Take me to see it first, or beware that I might beat you up.”

“My dear Mengmeng, don't be so naive. Eating human flesh has been around since ancient times. Even in today’s civilized society, some perverts dig out hearts and livers to consume, claiming they are great tonics. Did you not see the news reports recently about people specifically drinking fetal soup for virility?”

“I’ve heard classmates mention things like that, but I thought they were joking. My parents cut off my internet access ages ago; I can’t even download an adult film.”

“What? You download adult films online?”

“What, is that not allowed? Only you boys can download them?”

“Nothing, you’re something else. I’m not wasting time arguing; let me in now.”

Fang Yanmeng pulled me along. “Take me to look first. What if you were just seeing things because you were drunk? The village chief is such a kind and honest person; I refuse to believe he would kill someone.”

Dealing with a difficult girl like Fang Yanmeng, I had no choice. “If you must see, fine. Turn off that flashlight first. And whatever you do, don't speak loudly. Tread lightly when you walk. Whatever you see, clamp your hand over your mouth—absolutely no screaming or shouting. Understand?”

“Yes, my dear big brother Zhao Qian. Why are you so naggy? Are you worried that what you just said was fake, and you’ll lose face if I expose you?”

Hmph. I didn't bother arguing with Fang Yanmeng anymore. She would know once she saw. Then, I’d watch her turn green and throw up.