Bai Sheng glanced towards the well. Seeing that there was still a bit of meat broth left in the pot and several vegetable pancakes on the table, she asked Lu Yun to call everyone by the well over.
As if they had been waiting to be called, the moment Lu Yun opened his mouth to them, before he could even finish a single word, they rushed over without hesitation, standing before the dining table, their eyes fixed on the food.
Fortunately, Bai Sheng hadn't spoken, so none of them dared to move.
Being stared at by a pack of hungry wolves, Bai Sheng suddenly felt as if the meat broth and pancakes shivered.
She had Du Min ladle a small bowl of meat broth for each person, and then distributed half a pancake to everyone.
Even Li Qiang and Lu Fengshou received their share.
The two were so moved that they almost immediately wanted to become good people. They wolfed down the fragrant vegetable pancake and drank the meat broth until the bowl was clean, even licking it until it was several layers thinner.
It was the most delicious meal they had eaten in a long time. Though the portion was small, it was incredibly tasty, making them feel as if their past lives had been lived in vain.
The children from Hongliu Village and Caomiao Village looked stunned after they finished eating, unable to believe that such delicious food could exist in the world.
Looking at their expressions, Bai Sheng felt both heartbroken and amused.
Only the girl from Hongliu Village named Qian Zhaodi, after taking a few bites of the pancake, clutched it tightly in her hand, refusing to take another bite.
After finishing the wolf meat soup, she took out the wolf bone with meat on it and placed it in a tattered cloth bag.
Bai Sheng looked at her a couple more times and asked why she hadn't finished the meal.
Qian Zhaodi's voice was as small as a mosquito's. She said she wanted to take it home for her younger brother.
Bai Sheng was stunned for a moment, then said nothing more.
The midday heat was intense, so everyone rested under the thatched pavilion, planning to resume work in the afternoon when it was cooler.
Just as everyone drifted off to sleep, a sudden scream pierced the silence of the scorching sun.
Following the cry, everyone rushed out.
They saw Zhou Ligen desperately clinging to Liu Shi's leg, crying and begging her to save him.
Zhou Ligen, unseen for several days, had become a terrifying sight, neither human nor ghost.
His entire body was covered in brown corpse spots. Black, thick fluid oozed from his eyes, nose, and mouth, while his body had withered to mere skin and bone, emitting a pungent stench.
This was likely caused by long-term consumption of human corpses, his body completely degenerating towards the state of a corpse, more horrific than kuru.
"Wife, save...save me, I...I don't want to...die," Zhou Ligen said, clinging to Liu Shi's calf with his last ounce of strength. The festering skin on his arm left Liu Shi's leg sticky and blackened.
Seeing his ghastly, zombie-like appearance, Liu Shi trembled in fear. Noticing everyone had come out, she shifted her gaze to Bai Sheng, "Big...Big Madam...save me...wuwuwu..."
Bai Sheng signaled to Zhao Dazhuang and Ma San. The two immediately stepped forward, looped ropes around Zhou Ligen's feet, and pulled him away.
Freed from Zhou Ligen's grip, Liu Shi immediately jumped up and dodged behind Bai Sheng, her body trembling uncontrollably.
Seeing Bai Sheng, Zhou Ligen seemed to have found his last hope. He exerted all his strength to slowly crawl towards her. Lu Ye, seeing this, immediately stepped forward to stand in front of Bai Sheng, shielding her behind him.
"Big Madam, Sir, save...save me, I...I don't want to die," Zhou Ligen's voice was muffled, as if liquid was surging in his throat.
Lu Ye's gaze was cold, his expressionless face fixed on Zhou Ligen, silent.
Bai Sheng supported Lu Ye's waist and poked her head out from behind him, saying sternly, "Zhou Ligen, you deserve this. Back then, didn't you say the water we gave you was problematic? Now that you're dying, you come begging us. I'm sorry, but we're closed for business!"
Tian Guihua covered her mouth and nose, cursing with disgust, "Back then, only you slandered Sir and Madam, saying they gave us poisonous water. But the fact is, our bodies have gotten better and better, while you've contracted the 'kuru disease' that Big Madam mentioned, which is incurable!"
"You'd rather believe the people from Huangsha Village and collude with them to harm the people of Hongshupo. Now you have the audacity to beg Sir and Madam for forgiveness? Truly not human!" Du Min spat.
Li Qiang and Lu Fengshou, watching from the side, silently lowered their heads, searching for a crack in the ground to disappear into.
Granny Zhong shook her head and sighed, "As a person, you must have a conscience. If not for Sir and Madam's kindness, many of us might have already died. Zhou Ligen, an ungrateful wretch, will never have a good end. You're like this now, no one can save you. Be a good person in your next life."
Listening to everyone's words, Zhou Ligen collapsed on the ground as if falling apart, despair in his eyes.
Although Old Man Ye and his companions didn't know what had happened before, they understood the gist of the situation from everyone's words. This human-like monster lying on the ground might look pitiful, but he had no intention of showing mercy. Those who do evil should be punished.
Bai Sheng told everyone to go back and rest and not to mind Zhou Ligen. After he was completely dead, they should pick him up and throw him into the sand gully.
After everyone had returned for their midday rest, Bai Sheng called Liu Shi aside. Lu Ye, worried about Bai Sheng, followed them.
Liu Shi's body was still trembling uncontrollably, whether from the fright of Zhou Ligen or from pity and sadness for him.
Bai Sheng looked at her steadily and asked gently, "Sister Liu, let me tell you the truth. If Zhou Ligen hadn't gone to find the people of Huangsha Village, hadn't betrayed everything about Hongshupo to Zhang Jiawang, and hadn't colluded with them to harm us, I would have saved him today.
After all, back then, he only suspected us. Although there were some ungrateful people, they hadn't done anything too egregious. But now, he has done those egregious deeds, showing that wickedness has deeply penetrated his bones. Therefore, from a personal emotional standpoint, I would absolutely not save him.
However, Sister Liu, you are one of our Lu family, and Zhou Ligen is ultimately your husband. As the saying goes, a day of marriage is a hundred days of affection. I still want to ask for your opinion. If you wish to save him, I will try to save him for your sake. If you are unwilling, then we will let him fend for himself."
Liu Shi looked up and looked at Bai Sheng with immense gratitude, asking with a trembling voice, "Big Madam, can...can he still be saved?"
Bai Sheng shook her head and sighed, "It's difficult. Looking at him, his internal organs are probably corrupted. Even if he were saved, he'd likely become a living dead person."
"Then don't save him!" Liu Shi said, as if hardening her heart, her tone firm. "This is all his own doing, and he has no one else to blame!"
Bai Sheng looked at Liu Shi deeply, walked closer to her, patted her shoulder, and said, "Just look forward. In the future, your days will only get better."
"Thank you, Big Madam..." Liu Shi began to cry.