landbeastnovel Chapter 25 Gejia Village
Chapter 25 Gejia Village
Giant trees compete for height, and the sun is blocked by thick shade.
From the thin mist in the mountains, a black, glossy horse suddenly emerged, with a man dressed as a knight holding the reins, swaying his head drowsily.
Two days had passed since Fang Hongxuan parted ways with his master and his two disciples. This vast mountain forest, like a natural cage, had trapped the man and his horse here.
There was little sound in the forest, and even birds flying by were rarely seen.
After expending countless hours and exhausting countless steps, the knight-errant finally awoke from his reverie and headed eastward.
The reason was simple: every day at midday, the blazing sun would pierce through the thin mist, guiding Fang Hongxuan in the right direction.
In an ordinary mountain forest, one could discern directions by observing the dense foliage of the trees. But this place was truly eerie; one could not smell or distinguish anything until midday.
In the dusty mountains, hundreds of paths with varying gaps eventually converge into a solid stone road.
After galloping for several incense sticks' time, the black horse finally carried Fang Hongxuan out of the bewitching forest.
Following the stone path over the hill, you'll see a vast depression. In the center of this depression lies a large cluster of abandoned and dilapidated buildings.
The buildings, varying in height, appear scattered like stars in the sky, yet arranged in a harmonious and orderly fashion.
"In that case, let's rest here tonight."
In times of war and chaos, the world is in turmoil. A moment of carelessness can lead to abandoning one's village and fleeing in groups, for the reason that bandits come and go like combs and soldiers like fine hairpins.
After several upheavals, the local people were naturally suffering immensely. Their already precarious and arduous lives became the final straw that broke the camel's back.
Therefore, those with a little wealth migrated with their families, hoping for a peaceful life. As people left, only ghosts remained, as proof that this place was once inhabited.
The ground is riddled with gullies and fissures that stretch to the shadows that are invisible in the distance.
There were absolutely no crops; the vast field was left with only a few weeds mixed in withered straw, swaying in the wind.
The heavy hoofbeats shook the surrounding area slightly.
The situation in the village was even worse than the village Fang Hongxuan had seen before. Although the houses were arranged in a neat and orderly fashion, the village was still in a dire state.
However, the slightest disturbance could cause the entire house to collapse in an instant.
At this moment, the swordsman, sword in hand, stood speechless for a long time, staring at the houses that had collapsed due to the tremors of his horse's hooves.
In such a situation, let alone finding a place to rest, even the safety of passing through is questionable.
"call out"
Three arrows, accompanied by wind and thunder, arrived suddenly.
'Clang'
He drew his sword and blocked them all.
When Fang Hongxuan looked around, he saw the man who had shot the cold arrow hiding in the ruins. The man was sallow and emaciated, looking as if he hadn't eaten or drunk anything for a long time.
The man was initially flustered, then disappeared into the depths of the village as if fleeing.
In the past, Fang Hongxuan would never have given up. However, he was currently unwell, and even the act of breaking the arrow with a knife had left him in excruciating pain.
This was the consequence of draining all the essence and blood from his body. However, Fang Hongxuan did not feel any regret. Instead, he calmly accepted the bitter result.
After walking for a while...
Amidst the surrounding ruins, figures of all shapes and sizes, men and women, young and old, were scattered about. Their only distinguishing feature was their sallow complexion, thinning hair, and reddened eyes.
An extremely subtle stench of decay crept into Fang Hongxuan's mouth and nose from who knows where, and he subconsciously twitched his nose.
"I see..."
The man who had been hiding in the shadows, holding a bow and arrow, pushed his way out of the crowd. His eyes were bloodshot, and his face was filled with barely concealed excitement.
"According to the rules, I should get a leg from that black horse!"
"Hmph, can you even finish that? Aren't you afraid of bursting your stomach?" A middle-aged man with a fierce look stepped out from beside the man.
"In this day and age, cannibalism is not so bad."
The whispers among the crowd grew louder and louder, eventually turning into a craving for meat. And so, everyone stared at the taciturn swordsman like wolves.
"Ge Xiong, Ge Han. What do you want?"
A weak and aged voice came from behind the crowd, and the menacing crowd immediately fell silent and parted to make way.
A thin, frail old man with sparse white hair, a wrinkled face, a hunched back, and a cane slowly walked up to the crowd.
"Cough cough..."
"Young man, night is falling, this is not the place to talk. If you still want to save your life, come back to the village with us."
Fang Hongxuan did not agree, but stared at the old man, as if trying to figure out what was going on.
"Village chief, the food in the village is almost gone. Those infants are waiting for us to hunt down food."
The man with the bow was called Ge Xiong. He looked at the old man with confusion and tried to resist his orders.
"Yes, village chief. If we can't bring back food, who knows how many of the old and young in the village will survive."
Ge Han echoed, his gaze never leaving the horse beneath Fang Hongxuan. The throng of people also stirred, all rejecting the old man's suggestion.
"My mind is made up. If not, you may simply roll my mangled body into a pot and stew it for a few hours, then you can all share a bowl of meat soup."
The old man's attitude was extremely firm, and the crowd erupted into a heated argument. No one mentioned the food again.
Fang Hongxuan spurred his horse forward, then bowed and dismounted to stand shoulder to shoulder with the old man.
"Old man, I am unaware of the dangers lurking here. I would appreciate your guidance."
Fang Hongxuan had gone to great lengths this time, and the old man, upon hearing this, stroked his beard and nodded with a smile: "It's nothing more than that there are demons here who choose to devour people."
"Anyone who doesn't leave the vicinity of Ge Family Village before nightfall will inevitably disappear, regardless of their martial prowess."
"Is that so? Then why does the old man still have the energy to stroll around here with people? Could it be that the old man possesses a method to exorcise evil spirits?"
Upon hearing this, the old man's face twitched slightly, but he quickly covered it up.
"If only I truly possessed such abilities, then my Ge Family Village, with its 65 households and 170 people, would not have dwindled to just 63 people."
"It was just that the strong men of the village risked their lives to find out the demon's hunting patterns and where it appeared."
Fang Hongxuan was extremely perceptive, yet he remained unfazed.
"If you do not mind, I am willing to listen attentively."
The old man sighed deeply, and then began to tell his story.
The old man's name was Ge Qifeng, and he was the village head of Gejia Village. This place was barren and remote, and even mountain bandits and soldiers were unwilling to set foot here.
Therefore, although life was hard in Gejia Village, they were able to enjoy the tranquility of their secluded corner.
However, since when, the woods to the west of the village have been shrouded in an eerie mist, through which no one can pass.
Surrounded by sheer cliffs to the north and south, and rugged mountain roads to the east, the village was teeming with bandits and soldiers. Thus, the people of Gejia Village were trapped there, with no way out.
If that were the case, men farming and women weaving could still maintain their basic needs. But suddenly, a demon appeared in the forest, and every night it would come out of the forest to search for people.
No fewer than thirty people died at his hands!
If they couldn't find the person, they would destroy the ridges and cut off the food supply to Gejia Village.
Left with no other choice, the entire village had to relocate and settle on the cliff.