Aunt Xie Guilan was clearly taken aback by the acceptance notice Han San presented.
"Your paperwork is quite complete, but I don't know about your capabilities. It took me considerable effort to pull strings to get someone from Maoshan, and you send a few young lads... sigh!"
Xie Guilan grumbled as she signed the acceptance notice.
Han San collected the notice, explaining with a smile, "We Maoshan disciples must complete several tasks each year. It determines where we can cultivate the following year, so there's a bit more paperwork. But please don't worry. While we may be young, our skills are considerable!"
Xie Guilan scoffed, "What skills do you have?"
"We guarantee service until you're satisfied!" Han San replied.
Yan Shouyi, listening beside him, found it strangely off. It felt as if Han San wasn't a Maoshan Taoist priest but some young master from a nightclub, and Xie Guilan was a wealthy patron seeking thrills.
However, jokes aside, Maoshan's strict management and standardized procedures were quite commendable. Despite Han San's fawning demeanor, his professional competence was undeniable, clearly a testament to Maoshan's influence.
After Han San finished with the paperwork, Yan Shouyi said, "Aunt Xie, you..."
"Cough cough!" Xie Guilan let out a few heavy coughs.
"...Sister Xie," Yan Shouyi corrected himself, "could you tell us what strange things have been happening in your village?"
Xie Guilan frowned. "I can't say yet."
"Not now? Then when?" Long Feicheng glanced at his watch; it was already past four in the afternoon, and dusk would soon settle.
Xie Guilan replied, "You all come to my house and sit for a while. After dinner, I'll tell you."
Faced with Xie Guilan's peculiar request, Yan Shouyi and the others felt obliged to accept and followed her to her home.
Rural areas today were vastly different from the past, especially in prosperous regions like Qiantang. Even in remote areas far from the city, traditional mud houses were rare. Instead, every household had built three-story buildings.
However, even after moving into new homes, some rural habits persisted, such as cultivating small vegetable patches in their yards or raising chickens in small coops.
Along the way, Yan Shouyi learned a bit about Xie Guilan and the village.
Although the village was near Qiantang, it was still a rural area. Most young people had gone to the city to earn a living, leaving behind only the old, the weak, the sick, and the disabled.
Xie Guilan was the village head. She handled all the village's affairs. Unfortunately, she was unable to have children. So, at her age, without a husband or children, she dedicated herself entirely to serving the villagers and performing her grassroots work.
Upon arriving at Xie Guilan's home, the aunt was unhesitating. She immediately went into the kitchen, grabbed a cleaver, and without a word, lifted a large rooster from the coop and began to bleed it.
Seeing this, Long Feicheng nervously asked Weng Qianxiang, "Old Weng, was I disrespectful to Sister Xie just now?"
Weng Qianxiang shook his head and asked, "What about me?"
Despite following Yan Shouyi for a long time, Long Feicheng could now handle killing zombies but not chickens. There was a fundamental difference between a dead object and a living one.
While bleeding the chicken, Xie Guilan said, "It's rare to have guests, so I'll stew a chicken soup for you tonight! My chickens are much better than those fed on commercial feed. The chicken soup will have a layer of golden oil floating on top, making it incredibly fragrant!"
Yan Shouyi couldn't help himself. "Sister Xie, you went to great lengths to invite us, which means something very serious has happened in the village. We saw earlier that quite a few people have gone missing nearby recently. Why are you unwilling to clarify things sooner?"
But Xie Guilan remained unmoved, only replying that she would tell them after the meal.
Helpless, Yan Shouyi and the others could only wait.
At six o'clock, the sky was nearly dark. Xie Guilan carried a large iron basin to the dining table. When she lifted the lid, the previously listless Yan Shouyi and the others were instantly captivated by the rich aroma of the chicken soup, their spirits immediately soaring!
In the large iron basin, a layer of golden oil covered the clear chicken soup, which contained plump, free-range chickens. The legs of this large rooster were almost as thick as a child's arm. Just looking at it made one's mouth water.
"Sister Xie, you're like my own mother!" Long Feicheng immediately began to get familiar.
The others, without a word, transformed into voracious eaters.
Xie Guilan, having worked all afternoon, sat beside them wiping sweat. She said proudly, "Although cities have everything, when it comes to food, they can't compare to our countryside. Our vegetables are grown by ourselves, and our chickens are raised by ourselves. They aren't sprayed with pesticides or fed commercial feed. You city folk can't buy this even with money!"
"What my mother says is right!" Long Feicheng was the first to support Xie Guilan, mainly because Xie Guilan's chicken legs were truly irresistible.
Yan Shouyi was also tempted, but as he ate, he subtly observed Xie Guilan.
Xie Guilan herself seemed fine. Her face indicated a kindhearted person, and she hosted Yan Shouyi and the others warmly and generously.
However, her persistent refusal to discuss the village's affairs made Yan Shouyi suspicious.
Yan Shouyi noticed that ever since Xie Guilan sat down, she kept looking out the window.
Was there something outside the window?
Outside the window, apart from an old tree, there were only a few distant utility poles.
Just as Yan Shouyi was wondering, Xie Guilan said in a low voice, "The sun has set."
The sun outside had completely disappeared below the horizon, and the world seemed to plunge into darkness in an instant.
Everyone seemed to sense the change in Xie Guilan's mood and put down their chopsticks. Only Long Feicheng was still gnawing on a chicken leg.
"Delicious, delicious, so delicious!"
Yan Shouyi nudged Long Feicheng with his elbow, his expression grim. Long Feicheng looked up and saw everyone's serious expressions, finally realizing that it was time to get down to business.
He quickly put down the chicken leg, swallowed the meat in his mouth, wiped the oil from his lips, and finally fell silent.
Under the dim light, Xie Guilan's face appeared somewhat eerie.
She spoke in a low voice:
"You asked me what happened in the village. I was afraid you wouldn't believe me if I told you, so I insisted that you stay until dark to speak.
"Now that it's dark, if you don't believe what I say, you can go out directly and see for yourselves.
Xie Guilan took a deep breath, paused for a long moment, and then slowly said:
"Our village has a rule during this period, which everyone must unconditionally obey.
"That is..."
"After dark, do not go out!"