Chapter 118: Told You Not to Go, But You Had To
A strange look came over everyone’s faces.
Boss Zhang spat resentfully. "Damn it. If I’d known, I would’ve gotten more water."
After they ate, everyone finished packing up. Only then did the bald-headed man and the woman emerge from the side hall.
The woman was covering her face, but Gu Fei could see the faint traces of tears on her chin.
When the woman passed Gu Rong, he turned his head away and spat fiercely on the ground.
The woman and the bald-headed man sat down again by the fire in the main hall.
Uncle Ma suddenly patted Chen Hu’s shoulder and gave him a meaningful look.
Chen Hu followed Uncle Ma outside.
Uncle Ma said in a low voice, "Come with me. Let’s take a look around."
The two of them went from the side of the main hall to the back. Behind it was another large hall, which housed a wooden statue of Guanyin. The paint was peeling, and it was covered in dust.
This hall was smaller than the one in the front, and it also had two side halls.
Uncle Ma looked around, then entered the left side hall with Chen Hu.
The moment they stepped inside, they both froze.
A hook was hanging from the rafters of the side hall.
It was the kind of thick, large iron hook used by butchers at the market.
A human skeleton hung from the hook, all the flesh picked clean. Only the frame and the head remained, and even two chunks of its cheeks were missing.
The two men scrambled back out and exchanged a glance. Uncle Ma clenched his fists. "Beasts!"
Chen Hu’s face twisted, and he gritted his teeth. "Uncle Ma, why don’t we just do them in?"
Uncle Ma took a deep breath and, after a long moment, shook his head. "This is how the world is now. What’s the use in killing them?"
"Let’s go. We need to be more vigilant tonight."
Returning to the front hall, they happened to run into Gu Fei, Lian’er, and Lan Zhi. The three were heading off together to relieve themselves.
Uncle Ma stopped in his tracks. "You girls, don’t go to the side halls in the back."
Gu Fei acknowledged him. The group found an empty room in the alleyway beside the side hall to do their business.
When Gu Fei came out, she couldn’t help but glance toward the back. If Uncle Ma hadn’t said anything, she wouldn’t have even thought of going there, but his warning had piqued her curiosity.
While Lan Zhi was still tying her pants, she quickly slipped over to the window of that side hall and peeked inside.
With just one look, Gu Fei ran back, her face deathly pale.
After they finished up and returned to the main hall, Uncle Ma saw Gu Fei’s snow-white face and sneered, "I told you not to go, but you just had to, didn’t you!"
Gu Fei shot Uncle Ma a resentful look. ’If you hadn’t said anything, I wouldn’t have gone! Don’t you know curiosity killed the cat?’
She suddenly turned her head to look at the woman nestled beside the bald-headed man.
’This woman abandoned her husband and children just to survive. Utterly shameless.’
’But who’s to say that when the bald man gets tired of her, she won’t be the next one hanging from those rafters?’
The famine caused by the drought had brought out the very worst in human nature.
No one knew what they would become if they fell into such desperate circumstances. They might not turn out any better than this woman or these men.
Perhaps it was because there were so many people in their group, or perhaps it was because the men were full and had a "reserve" of food, but the night passed quietly. Everyone made it through without incident.
They woke up early, ate breakfast, and continued on their journey.
Compared to West Mountain County, Hedong County had slightly fewer refugees. Still, the main road was filled with teetering figures carrying their bundles, wandering aimlessly.
They traveled for several days without any major incidents.
That evening, the group found a village beside the main road to stop for the night.
The village was deserted.
Not daring to split up, they found a larger residence and began building a stove to cook.
Mrs. Chen had just finished cooking when Shanzimama came over and stammered, "Second Sister-in-law Gu, over half a bag of my family’s grain was stolen earlier. We’re out of food now, and I was hoping to borrow some from your family."