Chapter 52: Can a Madman Roast Meat?

He Lingchuan frowned. "What do you mean?"

"When you eat roast chicken, do you prefer to start with the legs and wings, or the breast?"

"The legs, of course! If I don't, someone will snatch them." In the past, food wars in the men's dormitory were legendary tales of hungry wolves. However, He Lingchuan reacted immediately. "Are you saying... they were eaten by someone?"

Mao Tao picked up another bone from the ground. "There are marks of being burned here."

Not only were they being eaten, but they were being roasted. He Lingchuan felt his stomach churn.

Every time he thought he had adapted to this world, it pushed his limits once again. "Are they insane? Why would they eat their own companions?"

"They aren't insane." Nian Songyu dug up several more broken bone fragments, half of which were charred. "Have you ever seen a madman set up a fire to roast meat?"

Mao Tao also sighed. "Young Master, cannibalism usually happens when people are driven to extreme starvation."

Peace was rare in this world. In times of famine, a commoner might sell a son one day and a wife the next, or even resort to exchanging children to eat one another. During times of war, it was common to see armies holding civilians as food reserves, referred to as "two-legged sheep." There were even generals who wrote books teaching which parts of the human body tasted best and how to cook them.

Cannibalism has existed since ancient times, and the present era was no exception.

"There is no water or food here; they were trapped until they died!" Nian Songyu looked toward Sun Fuping. "State Preceptor, what should we do?"

This Panlong City looked prosperous, but in reality, the living could not consume a single thing here. If one stayed too long, they would either die of thirst or hunger.

If they failed to find the Great Square Pot, they would follow in the footsteps of the Baling Kingdom expedition!

Sun Fuping, however, remained calm. "No matter. Keep searching. Do not forget that we have our reliance."

He was indeed composed, maintaining his persona of a transcendent master even now.

The old man truly had trump cards up his sleeve; perhaps this was why Nian Songyu dared to follow him on such a dangerous adventure? He Lingchuan kept a close eye on the two of them and noticed that after Nian Songyu finished speaking, he cast a glance toward him.

It was a subconscious look; Nian Songyu withdrew his gaze immediately, acting as if nothing had happened. But alarm bells rang in He Lingchuan's mind: *Why did he look at me? Could this life-saving method be related to me?*

As the thought arose, his heart skipped a beat.

But then he reconsidered; it wasn't the final moment yet, so Sun Fuping probably wouldn't reveal his hand immediately.

With just himself and Mao Tao, it would be impossible to contend with Sun and Nian. He Lingchuan made up his mind: the moment those two made a move, he would turn and flee without a second word. The Panlong Wasteland was vast; they might not necessarily find him.

But for now, the hope of success rested on Sun Fuping.

He Lingchuan felt as if he could smell the approaching crisis, and his mind became sharper than usual. "They reached the point of cannibalism, which means they must have stayed here for a long time. Surely they must have researched something? If we can find their findings, it could save us a lot of trouble."

He walked to the side of two large vats. Many miscellaneous items were thrown here, which didn't seem like things that belonged in an ice cellar.

His words made perfect sense; Sun Fuping and Nian Songyu exchanged a glance and nodded.

The clothes and rags on the ground were about it, along with a few empty bottles and a mess of junk. The four of them could conclude these were the remains of the Baling expedition, but after searching through everything, they found nothing useful.

Sun Fuping was undeterred. He stood up and said, "This cellar was only used for discarding bone fragments; the people who ate them are not here. We will split up to search. You and Commander Nian will be a group." He pointed at Mao Tao.

"And I will be with Young Master He."

He Lingchuan's eyes flashed. "Why not split into four groups? It would be easier to find things with more manpower."

"There may be unknown dangers in the city; it is not advisable to split up." As soon as Sun Fuping finished speaking, Nian Songyu led Mao Tao away.

*Is he afraid I'll find a place to hide on my own?* He Lingchuan became increasingly certain that these two were plotting against him, yet he still had to remain respectful to Sun Fuping. "State Preceptor, please lead the way."

...

Walking down the empty streets, He Lingchuan couldn't help but ask Sun Fuping

"Even if we find the Great Square Pot, can it truly turn the tide and suppress the rebels at Woling Pass?"

"Theoretically, yes. Otherwise, why would we exert such great effort?" Sun Fuping walked quickly; it seemed he had no specific destination in mind for this path.

"If it were truly that useful, why didn't Zhong Shengguang use it to fight his way back to the Xiluo Kingdom?" He Lingchuan had harbored this question for a long time. "In the end, he and the citizens remained in this enclave until they were surrounded and killed."

"Divine artifacts like that have many restrictions on their use. Or perhaps, the gods who bestowed the treasure back then had other plans."

"Then, what if we also cannot break through those restrictions?"

"There is no need for you to worry." Sun Fuping spoke with absolute confidence. "As long as we find the Great Square Pot, I have my own ways to break the restrictions."

He Lingchuan was skeptical. The old man had never seen the Great Square Pot and didn't know what restrictions it had, yet he dared to guarantee he could resolve them? It was like a doctor prescribing medicine after only asking about symptoms, without even checking a pulse or investigating the history of the illness.

Furthermore, he said "break," which sounded like a forced removal.

Yet, the old man didn't seem intimidated at all.

Sun Fuping glanced at him, so He Lingchuan added, "Once we retrieve the Great Square Pot, my father and I can return to the capital. I will have to ask the State Preceptor for much guidance then."

Sun Fuping smiled. "Of course. Your assistance in retrieving the divine object will be a great merit indeed."

"Commander Nian and I seem to have some..." He Lingchuan cleared his throat, "misunderstandings. Have I offended him somewhere?"

"The Governor of Xunzhou led troops to suppress the rebellion; Commander Nian likely holds some grievances." Sun Fuping offered casual comfort. "Young people lack composure. After a few sleepless nights, their tempers can become quite foul."

He Lingchuan felt a bit embarrassed. "Could the State Preceptor act as a mediator?"

*Has this kid finally learned to show respect?* But it was only natural for him to be afraid. Firstly, He Chunhua and the Blackwater City army were not here; his past crutches were gone. Secondly, the He father and son had always dreamed of returning to the capital in glory; in a place like that, how would a minor official dare to offend the Great General of the Northern Expedition?

He should indeed bow and scrape and carefully build a relationship with the man.

Thinking of this, Sun Fuping's smile became even more gentle. "A trivial matter."

He Lingchuan was indeed grateful. "Thank you, State Preceptor!"

By now, the two had traveled dozens of yards away from the Chen residence, still having found nothing. He Lingchuan jumped onto a roadside roof, muttering to himself as he looked around, "If I were a member of the Baling expedition, on the verge of dying from thirst and hunger, where would I go to try my luck?"

He also needed luck very much; otherwise, if they remained trapped here for too long, once Nian and Sun finished consuming their own supplies, they might just decide to make a meal out of him and Mao Tao.

If it truly came to that, the one to strike might even be State Preceptor Sun, despite his kind and benevolent appearance.

No, they would strike early. After all, dry rations can last a long time, but flesh cannot.

It was more logical to eat the flesh first before gnawing on dry rations—besides, meat is more fragrant, tender, and nutritious...

(End of Chapter)