Chapter 10: Leaving the Village
Burning the fields was not done by arbitrarily picking a spot to set a fire. They merely wished to clear the wild undergrowth and drive away the evil creatures, not to burn down their own homes.
After careful deliberation among the village's most experienced old farmers and some preparatory work, several ignition points were meticulously selected. The smoke from the burning dead wood and wild grass also had a repellent effect on those evil creatures.
The Daoist Master had said that evil creatures feared fire, just like wild beasts; a large amount of smoke would make them fear the flames and avoid them. Thus, by burning off a large swathe of wasteland in front of them, the villagers could drive away not only the wild beasts and evil creatures hiding in the grass but also burn away the wild grass and branches that obstructed their vision and hampered their movement.
Some villagers looked on with regret. In the past, the dry grass and branches were useful; they could be cut and brought back to start fires in the stoves or woven into things.
"Such good firewood!" more than one person thought. The village chief turned to look at them, "You want it? Then you go cut it?"
"No, no!" The villagers, who had been sighing just moments before, shook their heads vigorously.
They could perhaps pick some up near the village, but who would dare go further away? If they were to be possessed by evil spirits, they wouldn't have the face to see their ancestors!
Not far away, Wen Gu stared blankly at the patches of fire igniting in the fields. This time, Daoist Master Qingyi did not mouth off to ask; if it were another preposterous rumor of the sort this "dog scholar" had heard during his travels, he wouldn't know how to respond.
However, when they arrived back in their hometown, Tan City, it was already destroyed and its inhabitants decimated. Through the traces left in the city and the information pieced together from the accounts of survivors, "Wen Gu" reconstructed the truth: the County Magistrate of the city had privately received news and simultaneously discovered that many people in the city had been possessed by evil spirits.
The households closest to the water source had already been possessed by the malevolent entities. Hearing that fire could exorcise evil spirits, or perhaps feeling that they had to do something for the city's residents before their end, or to prevent threats from behind as they fled, the Magistrate had ordered people to set fire to those households before fleeing overnight.
Those carrying out the order, believing they needed to better execute their master's command, poured a large amount of oil to ensure none of those households could escape. They never considered the potential hazards, or perhaps they didn't have the time to think about it then and didn't care.
However, it was dry weather, and the city's houses were mostly brick and wood structures. coupled with a strong wind that night, it was a recipe for disaster.
At that time, the vegetation was also dry and yellow, with no rain for many days. Several shops adjacent to the ignition points directly caught fire.
The flames quickly engulfed the streets and alleys where those houses were located and, aided by the wind, spread rapidly. The Wen family mansion was too close to several of the burning locations and was soon surrounded by flames.
Even before the fire reached them, dense smoke enveloped the area. Moreover, as more people in the city became "possessed" throughout the night, the fire and smoke stirred the entities into a frenzy, making them vicious and causing them to run wild and attack people indiscriminately.
The county yamen officials had long since fled, leaving no one to control the chaos in the city.
It was dark at night, fires were breaking out in multiple locations, the city gates were closed, and evil creatures were attacking people.
Hiding at home meant being burned; fleeing outside meant being killed. The poor visibility at night, the multiple fires, the closed city gates, and the eventual congestion of carts and people once the gates were opened meant that only a small number of the city's residents managed to escape successfully.
The Wen family had sensed trouble beforehand and had made preparations to leave, but ultimately, they were a step too late. More than ten members of the Wen family who remained in the city perished without exception.
Previously, he had only considered the County Magistrate of the city to be mediocre and incompetent, relying on the support of his family to hold such an official position. The Magistrate usually paid no mind to governance, and the influential families in the city had their own connections and networks, so they didn't take him very seriously.
However, no one expected that this fool could deliver such a fatal blow. If the imperial court had been stable, perhaps the Magistrate's family could have suppressed the matter and blamed it on an epidemic infecting the city's residents, stating it was unavoidable.
Since they were far away, as long as they acted ruthlessly enough, cleaned up quickly, and managed things properly, their superiors would not have been too concerned. However, the chaotic times had truly arrived.
Even the County Magistrate who had fled did not escape as he had hoped. He had contracted the plague and become "possessed."
The Wen brothers had encountered him and personally killed him. After the city was destroyed and the family broken, and with their hearts deeply wounded, "Wen Gu," after collecting the remains of his relatives, found the secret box left by his father.
Using the token, he and his cousin headed north to seek refuge with relatives.
Sorting through the information in his memory, Wen Gu adjusted his emotions.
At the same time, he had some thoughts. In such a world, escaping and surviving would undoubtedly be difficult, but when choosing companions, one should either have obedient people or those intelligent enough; it was best to avoid the self-righteous fools, as they could truly lead to total annihilation.
He looked up into the distance. Liu the Hunter, with about a dozen agile villagers, ignited the designated fire points in order.
As the flames spread and the smoke dispersed, the evil creatures hidden in the thick grass began to move. Accompanied by beast-like roars, a humanoid figure sprang from a hollow.
Tattered clothes clung to its body, and large expanses of exposed skin were covered in purplish-brown patterns. This was a person "possessed by evil spirits," and had been for quite some time.
The longer one was "possessed," the deeper their body was transformed. Their strength, speed, and other attributes would also increase.
This could be identified by the patterns on their bodies, the degree of mutation in their skin and muscles, and so on. Liu the Hunter calmly drew his bow and shot, hitting the target.
Wen Gu saw clearly that the evil creature was hit in the abdomen. It merely paused for a moment, as if its ferocity had been aroused, and turned to lunges towards Liu the Hunter.
The second arrow arrived, piercing directly through its throat. Even so, the evil creature did not fall immediately, merely staggering forward.
However, the flames of the dry grass on the field had already reached it. A shrill roar, like that of a wild beast, echoed across the wilderness, and then disappeared shortly after.
The others did not look back, busy igniting the fire points further ahead.
Wen Gu was envious of Liu the Hunter's archery skills.
However, archery was not something that could be mastered in a day or two. Besides eyesight and talent, one's physical fitness was also insufficient to wield a bow.
Further away, figures with bared teeth and flailing limbs could be seen fleeing from the smoke of the fire. They could not concern themselves with those on that side.
In the vicinity of the village, the scorched earth left behind by the fire provided a sense of security for the villagers. The Daoist Master had said that all areas where evil creatures had been active in the fields needed to be burned to drive away evil.
Liu the Hunter led the group in burning the fields and scouting ahead. Those behind also acted quickly.
They covered their mouths and noses with breathable cloth and also covered their heads to avoid contamination and make cleaning easier. If they didn't have hats, they used clean cloth to wrap their heads.
Wen Gu imitated them, wrapping his hair, and thought that he must find a hat when they entered the town. The village carpenter had people push out the repaired wooden carts and also brought out various strangely shaped weapons, modified from farming tools.
Many villagers had experience hunting wild beasts and setting traps. They also had bows and arrows, not for their quality but simply for their usability.
Wen Gu also saw long forks, which villagers used to spear fish and wild beasts in the past, but now were mostly used to fight evil creatures. There were also larger long forks, with the middle prong removed, leaving only one on each side.
Wen Gu immediately understood their use; they resembled riot control forks from his original world. It was just that most of these in the village were made of wood and needed to be replaced frequently.
No wonder the carpenter's home was always busy; he had to make many in reserve.
Initially, the villagers behind only operated near the village.
They collected useful items left in the fields, such as unburned wood, which they dragged back to store as firewood. Firewood was also in high demand.
They planned to go into the mountains to cut firewood and store it for the winter. For now, they would drag back as much as they could collect along the way.
Stones were also collected. For those without bows and arrows or with poor archery skills, stones were their weapons.
The villagers might not be skilled in other areas, but they were accurate at throwing stones, a game they had played since childhood. In times of peace, when encountering wild animals, they could even hit a few and bring them home for some extra food.
Stones could also be used in the upcoming fortification construction. As the fields were burned, the fire would also scorch the stones in the ground.
Since fire could drive away evil, the villagers could safely collect the scorched stones. Some villagers also collected grass ash and soil that had been burned by the flames, taking them back to plant something in their small yards.
Daoist Master Qingyi had said that evil spirits were cunning and required constant vigilance. Planting some vegetables in one's own yard, transplanting a few fruit trees, without fear of being attacked by evil spirits, and tending them carefully while paying attention to diet and daily life would be fine.
Having lived off the land for generations, they felt uneasy if they couldn't grow something for themselves. Wen Gu put on his gloves and, holding a long bamboo clamp, helped to pick up anything useful he found.
This type of long bamboo clamp was a replica made by the village. Wealthy families had fire tongs, made of copper or iron, used to handle firewood in the stove.
With the village's limited resources, they could only make similar imitations from bamboo and wood. The surroundings were open, and with villagers all around, they didn't have to worry too much about their safety.
His cousin, with a chopping knife at his waist and holding a long spear, guarded Wen Gu's side.
As Wen Gu searched the blackened fields, he listened to the conversations of the old and young villagers.
"This land outside the village can't be used for farming anymore. Why not plant some medicinal herbs with strong scents? Dou Miao, do you think that's feasible?"
"It's possible. When spring arrives next year and the mosquitoes breed, and the evil spirits become more numerous, it could help to repel them, but the effect might be limited."
"Ah, as long as it's effective."
They discussed that the village also understood how to cultivate mugwort and other medicinal plants, and they could plant them near the village first, as a precaution.
"Let's find some with thorns and transplant them outside the village.
Precious medicinal herbs should be planted inside the village, valuable things should be kept at home… Oh, Village Chief, does your planning map include a medicinal field?"
"Transplanting them outside the village, and if they grow slowly, it won't do. Why not plant bamboo? It grows fast, requires no tending, and will eventually form a wall to protect the village."
As for whose land to plant on, that was no longer their concern; the priority now was the survival of the entire village.
After spending half a day near the village, a falcon flew back from the sky, bringing news of the smooth progress ahead.
Only then did the subsequent teams officially set off. The villagers brought out the wooden carts to load and unload goods.
Nearly twenty people were able to go out, regardless of gender, as long as they could work, they were all assigned a task. Those too weak or with mobility issues could not go; if something unexpected happened, they wouldn't be able to escape.
Those with impetuous personalities were also not suitable; they would be a liability. These people would remain in the village, and once the goods arrived, they would need people to sort them.
The village chief and several village elders would stay behind.
Daoist Master Qingyi had already performed rituals, and now that the fields had been burned, it was certainly safer than usual.
Not much work needed to be done, and if one or two monsters approached, those left behind could simply shoot arrows or use blades and spears; it would be fine. The half-grown children in the village were not entirely useless, and the elders had experienced many things.
If they really couldn't handle something, they could stall for time until the team returning with the goods arrived to help resolve it.
Wen Gu was also to join the team heading to the town.
Initially, the village chief wanted to persuade him otherwise, but considering that the Wen brothers would be leaving the village soon anyway, this trip to town could serve as an initial adaptation. Wen Gu had now completely shed his sickly aura and appeared much more energetic.
However, when he was among others, he remained the most distinctive one. It wasn't that he was thin and weak, but his demeanor was completely different, making him appear even more frail in comparison.
Daoist Master Qingyi had not intended to go to town, but after glancing at Wen Gu, he decided to accompany him. If this "dog scholar" were to encounter any accidents, he would have to find another escort for his journey north.
To enter the town, Wen Gu was carrying more than just a bamboo clamp; he had also found a chopping knife to bring along. Daoist Master Qingyi glanced at it and sneered inwardly: "Putting on an act, can you even wield it? Be careful you don't cut yourself."
Wen Gu walked in the middle of the team, observing the surroundings.
On the burnt fields, remnants of skeletons could be seen, both human and other animal. There was a skeleton resembling a cow, which the villagers lamented deeply.
"That was a cow capable of plowing!" As for the evil creatures that had been burned, some were reduced to skeletons, while others, not having existed for long, had arrows stuck in them, likely killed by the team led by Liu the Hunter. These were not to be concerned with; nature would quickly level them.
With the wild grass burned away, the visibility was greatly improved. Birds and beasts moved about, carrying seeds of plants to various places.
Without human intervention, these plants encroached upon every inch of land. Unattended graves, without anyone to pay respects, were overgrown.
New trees grew larger and larger, their roots deeply piercing the burial mounds, their trunks reaching towards the sky.
As they approached the town, the atmosphere in the team grew silent.
It wasn't due to being moved by the surrounding scenery, but rather from nervousness and apprehension. However, thinking that the Daoist Master was among them, they calmed down somewhat.
After all, this was not the first day they had experienced such things. As they were about to enter the town, Little Liu the Hunter, who had been given a task by his father, loudly reminded everyone: "Watch out for the tree roots on the ground."
"Don't fall, and if you do fall, don't gasp immediately!" Wen Gu avoided a protruding tree root at his feet, and then heard his cousin suddenly shout: "Grass!"
Wen Gu: "You've improved, Tietou! You can curse now!" However, he quickly reacted and looked forward.
"What the heck!" Such big grass! The houses on the outskirts of the town, within the low courtyard walls, had several giant herbaceous plants growing from within, towering far above the eaves. Although the leaves had already turned yellow, one could imagine how lush they were a month or two ago.
Without the influence of cities and people, the already wild flora and fauna of this era had become even more rampant. Wen Gu had never seen the species of large grass before him in his own world.
The villagers' reactions were calm; it was likely not uncommon here. They were still discussing what good firewood it would make, and how, in the past, it could have been chopped and burned in their stoves.
(End of Chapter)