"We're husband and wife now, speak frankly," Yu Longting corrected, clearly displeased.
I had never questioned Yu Longting's decisions, so I cautiously responded, "As far as I'm aware, Tree Infants are very afraid of people; maybe it wouldn't barge into a stranger's house."
"Hmm, that makes some sense, continue," Yu Longting said, probably anxious not to have me stand too long, leading me to sit down on a stone bench.
I tilted my head up and blinked at him, "You and Zhang Shuying are considering that it could become extremely hungry and its evil nature could erupt. But there's another possibility..."
"Hmm," Yu Longting listened seriously, his timely response conveyed that he was genuinely attentive to my words.
My lack of confidence smoothed over by his touch, I articulated my thoughts fluidly, "The Tree Infant harmed the family that raised it, likely because it was startled, combined with its fear of people. It might seek out a place to hide, somewhere that can still satisfy its enormous appetite."
"The slaughterhouse... My wife, I've discovered you are a genius among women; I underestimated your intelligence before." Yu Longting instantly understood what I meant and lavishly praised me, his eyes filled with approving smiles.
The light in his clear, shimmering eyes was filled with brilliance, reflecting only my figure.
Basking in the praise, I clasped his hand, "That's what I think too. Now we just need to ask someone if there's a place like that in the village."
I wasn't exactly the most confident girl to begin with.
Getting the recognition of someone important by my side effortlessly built up a staunch confidence in me.
"The folks in the southwest are fierce; asking around is easy, but getting the cold shoulder is easier. It's best to ask that armless farmer." Yu Longting touched my cheek and walked into the farmhouse.
I knew he didn't want me to see the situation inside the farmhouse again, including the terrifying sight of the farmer's severed arm.
However, there was still a part of me that couldn't let go, so I followed him closely.
The farmhouse reeked of blood.
The fetid stench was beyond what normal people could tolerate, capable of inducing nausea in anyone who entered.
And even more so for a pregnant woman, but I couldn't show that, so I held back a little to avoid worrying Yu Longting.
The armless farmer was sprawled on the ground, his eyes empty and unfocused.
He clearly had sustained psychological damage, as if his soul had left his body.
"Hey, uncle, is there a slaughterhouse in your village?" Yu Longting walked in casually. Although he looked refined, the moment he spoke, his voice betrayed a bandit-like roughness, like some mountain king.
The armless farmer seemed not to have registered seeing Yu Longting before, crying out in fear upon hearing his words, "Slaughterhouse…blood…so much blood…don't kill me…help…"
"Hey, who's planning to kill you? Look carefully, I'm human, not a Tree Infant," Yu Longting said impatiently, grabbing the farmer by the collar.
The farmer grew even more terrified, spurting out blood, "Let go of me…help…wuu wuu wuu…I don't want to die…"
"Why can't you make sense when you talk? Seems like you were scared into madness." Yu Longting noticed me beside him and retracted the charm that had already appeared in his hand, then switched to playing the victim, "Wife, this guy has gone crazy, we can't get anything out of him. Using a talisman would hurt the Earth Soul, potentially affecting his future intelligence and memory, which isn't very ethical. Let's ask someone else; we'll find someone willing to answer eventually."
As if I hadn't noticed the yellow Spirit Talisman in his hand.
If I hadn't followed him in, I doubt he would have cared about ethics at all.
He would've just used talisman paper to force the answers out…
"Two outsiders, a young man and woman, asking about the location of a slaughterhouse is too strange. Let me try talking to this uncle, and if that doesn't work, we can think of other ways." I tugged at Yu Longting and pulled him behind me, so the uncle wouldn't see his villainous demeanor and panic too much.