Disaster beast meat was not something commonly seen. There were not many hunters in the village, resources were scarce, and ordinary villagers could go an entire year without eating a single meal containing meat.
When facing disaster beasts, humans seemed fragile and insignificant. Since Spark Village was under the jurisdiction of East Glory City, whenever disaster beasts attacked the village, the village chief would have every household contribute money to hire East Glory City’s patrol team to deal with the nearby beasts.
As long as the villagers stayed away from Falling Moon Mountain and did not wander outside recklessly, it was difficult for them to encounter disaster beasts.
Disaster beasts were dangerous, and their meat contained varying amounts of Gray Mist toxins. As a result, villagers rarely had the chance to taste disaster beast meat.
The trading station sold jerky, but few villagers bought it. Jerky was far more expensive than mushrooms, and most people could only afford to eat it a few times a year.
Even Du Meiqin, who had followed Huang Tao for many years, had never seen this much meat before. All the disaster beast meat was kept locked away in Huang Tao’s inner warehouse. She was lucky to eat meat once a month; the rest of the time, mushrooms were all she had to fill her stomach.
Du Meiqin had already guessed that the young man had either hunted a disaster beast himself or was backed by someone powerful. Otherwise, he would not have come alone to inquire about trading Purification Mushrooms.
“What is this…?”
The meat had been smoked and roasted. Because of the toxins it contained, its surface was gray, making it impossible to tell what kind of disaster beast it came from.
Not all disaster beasts were edible. Some could not be eaten even if they were free of Gray Mist contamination.
Jiang Li did not hide the truth.
“A Withered Leap Frog.”
Du Meiqin was greatly shocked.
The Withered Leap Frog excelled at camouflage and hid within deadwood forests. Quite a few miners from the village, traveling to and from the mining site, had been ambushed by Withered Leap Frogs and killed on the spot.
Although she had never seen one personally, she knew how powerful the creature was.
Because Withered Leap Frogs lurked in the Deadwood Forest, villagers never dared travel alone. They usually gathered in groups to go to the mines together and return together.
When there were many people, the frogs would not dare attack easily.
Du Meiqin wanted to ask whether he had killed the Withered Leap Frog himself or how he had obtained it, but the question was too intrusive. Suppressing her curiosity, she said,
“Come in.”
She had not returned the bag of Purification Mushrooms to the outer warehouse. Instead, she had brought it home. Yesterday, she could tell that the young man urgently needed Purification Mushrooms, so she had thought he might come looking for her again.
Her guess had been correct.
The young man had indeed come to her home.
Jiang Li carried the wooden bucket inside.
The house looked the same as the last time he had visited—simple and crude. However, a girl with a ponytail was squatting near the doorway, holding a dead branch and drawing on the dirt ground.
Hearing footsteps, the girl quickly looked up. When she saw her mother, she immediately broke into a foolish grin. But the moment she noticed the stranger behind her mother, she jumped like a startled kitten and ran to her mother’s side, lowering her head.
Du Meiqin gently rubbed the girl’s head to comfort her, then turned to Jiang Li with an apologetic look.
“My daughter is afraid of strangers. Sorry, please don’t mind her.”
Jiang Li shook his head indifferently.
The girl ran into the bedroom, leaving the two of them alone in the living room.
Du Meiqin poured Jiang Li a cup of water.
“The water has been filtered and boiled. We don’t really have anything else to offer you, so please forgive the poor hospitality.”
Jiang Li did not drink the water. Partly out of caution, and partly because he simply was not thirsty.
Getting straight to the point, he asked,
“Besides exchanging for Purification Mushrooms, I’d also like to ask whether you have any medicine for Gray Mist Disease.”
Du Meiqin froze for a moment. Her gaze unconsciously dropped to the young man’s exposed wrist, where several faint gray patches could be seen.
She had not expected him to be infected with Gray Mist Disease.
She remembered that at the trading station, he had exchanged stone tools with Huang Tao for two oil lamps.
So how had he become infected?
Suppressing her questions, she shook her head.
“I don’t have any medicine for Gray Mist Disease. Only Huang Tao does.”
Medicine was precious. It was Huang Tao’s most valuable reserve. Unless a customer could produce enough Flame Star Stones, Huang Tao would never take the medicine out of the inner warehouse.
Jiang Li had expected this answer. Hearing it, he showed no disappointment.
“Then let’s exchange for the Purification Mushrooms. None of this meat has been purified yet. How do you want to trade?”
Having worked at the trading station for years, Du Meiqin naturally understood the value of meat.
She first brought out the bag of Purification Mushrooms and handed it to him. Then she picked up a palm-sized strip of meat from the bucket and cut it in half with a knife before standing up.
“This is enough. Take the rest of the meat back.”
Jiang Li looked at the jerky in her hand. It weighed less than half a pound.
Picking up the half she had cut off, he then took several Purification Mushrooms from the bag—enough to purify the meat she was holding—and tossed them over as well.
“I checked the trading station’s price list. This is the proper price. You don’t need to be polite with me.”
Holding the two heavy pieces of meat, Du Meiqin’s feelings became complicated. The way she looked at the young man changed slightly.
The impression she had of him shifted from merely being withdrawn, cautious, and unwilling to owe favors to someone who was also kind.
Yes.
Kind.
Even according to the trading station’s prices, that bag of Purification Mushrooms was not worth this much meat.
He had even given her additional mushrooms to purify it.
“Thank you,” Du Meiqin said sincerely.
Jiang Li picked up the wooden bucket. Without saying anything more, he stood and prepared to leave.
Just then, a loud pounding came from the courtyard gate.
“Routine inspection!”
Hearing the knocking, Du Meiqin’s heart tightened.
Looking through the gate, she saw three patrol soldiers outside. They wore heavy armor and carried cold weapons. All of them had come from the main city.
In this disaster-ridden world, technology had regressed. Firearms no longer existed, and everyone relied on cold weapons.
“Guest, hide in my room for a moment. I’ll go see what’s going on.”
Jiang Li understood the seriousness of the situation.
No matter why these patrol soldiers had come to Spark Village, being found in Du Meiqin’s home carrying half a bucket of meat would be troublesome.
Moreover, his identity was special. This body should have died and been discarded in a mass grave. If they asked him for identification papers, Jiang Li would have none to show.
Hiding could not be the wrong choice.
Entering the inner room, he set the wooden bucket in a corner. Worried that the soldiers might search the house, he crawled beneath the bed.
Through the wall, he heard Du Meiqin open the courtyard gate. Her voice drifted over from afar.
“Officers, may I ask what this is about?”
One of the patrol soldiers replied coldly,
“A malevolent wraith above Rank Five has appeared in the mining area. This wraith is unusual. It can appear in broad daylight and is not even afraid of Flame Star Stones.
“It can split and reproduce. It eats people, wears their skin, disguises itself as a human, and hides among the population. Even our instruments cannot detect it.
“Any village near the mining area may already have been infiltrated by them. We’ve sealed every entrance and exit to Spark Village. For the next few days, none of you should leave your homes.”
After hearing this, Du Meiqin broke out in a cold sweat.
She immediately thought of the young man who had just entered her house and who was now with her daughter.
Her legs nearly gave way beneath her.
The three soldiers assumed she had simply been frightened.
“They bleed human blood once they put on human skin. They’re extremely difficult to distinguish with the naked eye. Specialists have already been dispatched by our superiors. Just stay at home and do not open your door to strangers.”
“Don’t worry. Once they transform into humans, they’re no different from ordinary people—and just as easy to kill.”
After saying this, the three patrol soldiers left and headed for the next house to deliver the same warning.