Chapter 52: Madman Can Grill Meat?

He Lingchuan frowned. "How so?"

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

"Drumsticks, of course! If I didn't eat them quickly, someone else would grab them." The grabbing of food in his old male dormitory was a tale of hungry wolves. However, He Lingchuan immediately realized, "Are you saying they were eaten by others?"

Mao Tao picked up another bone from the ground. "This one has scorch marks."

Not only were people eaten, but they were also roasted. He Lingchuan immediately felt his stomach churn.

Whenever he thought he had adapted to this world, it would once again push him past his limits. "Are they insane? Why would they eat their companions?"

"They're not insane." Nian Songyu pulled out several more broken bones, all half-charred. "Have you ever seen a madman build a fire to roast meat?"

Mao Tao also sighed, "Young Master, cannibalism usually happens when people are starving."

Peace is rare in this world. During times of famine, people would sell a son today and a wife tomorrow, even resorting to eating their own children. In times of war, armies often held civilians as food reserves, referring to them as "two-legged sheep." There were even generals who wrote books detailing which parts of the human body were delicious and how to cook them.

Cannibalism has existed since ancient times and is still not uncommon today.

"There's no water or food here; they were trapped until they died!" Nian Songyu looked at Sun Fuping. "Grand Tutor, what should we do?"

This Panlong City appears prosperous, but in reality, living people cannot consume anything here. If they stay too long, they will die of thirst or starvation.

If they don't find the Great Fang Pot, they will follow in the footsteps of the Baling Kingdom's expedition!

Sun Fuping, however, remained calm. "No matter. Let's keep looking. Don't forget we have something to rely on."

He was indeed very calm, maintaining the demeanor of an eminent figure even now.

The old man certainly had a hidden ace up his sleeve. Perhaps this was why Nian Songyu dared to venture so deep with him? He Lingchuan watched the two closely and noticed Nian Songyu glanced at him after hearing Sun Fuping's words.

The look was subconscious; Nian Songyu withdrew his gaze immediately, acting as if nothing had happened. But a loud alarm rang in He Lingchuan's mind: "Why did he look at me? Could this life-saving method have something to do with me?"

At this thought, his heart skipped two beats.

However, he then reconsidered: it wasn't the final moment yet, so Sun Fuping probably wouldn't reveal his hand immediately?

He and Mao Tao alone stood no chance against Sun Fuping and Nian Songyu. He Lingchuan decided that if those two made a move, he would turn and flee without a word. The Panlong Wasteland was vast; they might not be able to find him.

But for now, the hope for a successful operation still rested on Sun Fuping.

He Lingchuan could almost smell the approaching danger, and his mind was sharper than usual: "They endured until they resorted to cannibalism, so they must have been here for a long time. Didn't they discover anything? If we could find it, it would save us a lot of effort."

He walked to the side of two large vats, where a lot of miscellaneous items were discarded—things that shouldn't be in an ice cellar.

His words made perfect sense. Sun Fuping and Nian Songyu exchanged glances and nodded.

There were also clothes and rags on the ground, along with several empty bottles and various other miscellaneous items. The four could confirm these were relics of the Baling expedition team, but no matter how they searched, they found nothing useful.

Sun Fuping, however, was not discouraged. He stood up and said, "This cellar is only for discarding leftover bones. The people who ate them are not here. We will search separately. You and Commander Nian will be one group." He pointed to Mao Tao.

"Young Master He and I will be another group."

He Lingchuan's eyes flickered. "Why not split into four groups? More people might find things more easily."

"There might be unknown dangers in the city; it's not advisable to split up." As soon as Sun Fuping finished speaking, Nian Songyu left with Mao Tao.

Was this because they feared he would find a place to hide by himself? He Lingchuan became even more certain that these two were plotting against him, but he still had to respectfully address Sun Fuping: "Grand Tutor, please lead the way."

Walking along the desolate street, He Lingchuan couldn't help but ask Sun Fuping:

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

"Theoretically, yes. Otherwise, why would we expend so much effort?" Sun Fuping walked quickly; it seemed there was no specific target along this path.

"If it's so effective, why didn't Zhong Shengguang use it to retake Xiluo Kingdom?" He Lingchuan had wondered this for a long time. "Instead, he and the city's residents remained in this enclave until they were surrounded and killed."

"Divine artifacts like that often have many limitations in their use, or perhaps the heavenly deity who bestowed the treasure had other plans back then."

"What if we also can't overcome those limitations?"

"You needn't worry about that." Sun Fuping was confident. "As long as we find the Great Fang Pot, I will have a way to break through the restrictions."

He Lingchuan was skeptical. The old man hadn't even seen the Great Fang Pot or known its restrictions, yet he dared to guarantee he could break them? It was like a doctor prescribing medicine after only asking about symptoms, without taking a pulse, examining the patient, or understanding the full context.

Moreover, he used the phrase "break through," which sounded like a forceful removal.

Yet, the old man seemed completely unfazed.

Sun Fuping glanced at him, and He Lingchuan then said, "Once we retrieve the Great Fang Pot, my father and I can return to the capital. We'll certainly need your continued patronage then, Grand Tutor."

Sun Fuping smiled. "Of course. You've rendered a great service by helping me retrieve this divine artifact."

"Commander Nian and I seem to have some..." He Lingchuan cleared his throat. "...misunderstanding. How did I offend him?"

"The Governor of Xunzhou led troops to suppress the rebellion, and Commander Nian probably has some concerns." Sun Fuping casually reassured him, "Young people are impatient; a few nights of poor sleep can make them irritable and short-tempered."

He Lingchuan felt a little embarrassed. "May I ask the Grand Tutor to mediate?"

Did this young man finally learn reverence? But his fear was understandable; first, He Chunhua and the Blackwater City army weren't here, so his past reliance was gone. Second, the He father and son had always dreamed of returning to the capital in splendid attire, and in such a place, how could a petty official dare to offend the Great General who Conquered the North?

He should indeed bow and scrape, careful to maintain good relations with such people.

Thinking of this, Sun Fuping's smile became even gentler. "It's a small matter."

He Lingchuan was indeed grateful. "Thank you, Grand Tutor!"

By now, the two had moved dozens of yards from the Chen residence, still without finding anything. He Lingchuan jumped onto a roadside rooftop, muttering as he looked around: "If I were a Baling person, on the verge of dying of thirst and hunger, where would I go to try my luck?"

He also needed luck, or else if they remained trapped here for too long, Nian Songyu and Sun Fuping might just use him and Mao Tao for a meal once their own provisions ran out.

If it really came to that, Grand Tutor Sun might be the one to do the killing, despite his benevolent appearance.

No, they would act early. After all, dried provisions could be stored for a long time, but flesh could not.

It would be more logical to eat the fresh meat first and then gnaw on the dried provisions, especially since meat is more fragrant, tender, and nutritious...