Wang Wu was taken aback by what he heard and then let out a cold breath: "Really?"
"I saw it with my own eyes. That Blacksmith Cui even secretly withheld materials and forged a knife for me." Zhang Chen feared Wang Wu wouldn’t believe him, so he went to the basket nearby and took out the big knife.
"Hiss~~~" Wang Wu gasped several times: "How dare he?"
Wang Wu felt a tingling sensation down his spine, a chill rushing from his feet to the top of his head.
Zhang Chen fell silent, placed the knife back, and looked at Wang Wu, saying, "When someone comes knocking, does he have any right to refuse? If he refused, he might already be feeding grass on his grave to the deer."
Hearing this, Wang Wu’s face turned serious, his voice full of solemnity, "This might lead to a big problem."
Wang Wu couldn’t help but lower his voice by three notches.
"A massive problem," Zhang Chen replied softly.
"Should we report to the authorities?" Wang Wu asked after a moment of silence.
"No!" Zhang Chen didn’t even think before shaking his head in direct refusal: "If the authorities come, the entire village will be implicated. Our entire village is under mutual pledge; if one person rebels and commits misdeeds, the whole village will be exiled. I don’t mind, exile is just exile, where can’t one survive? But my little sister still needs someone to take care of her! Moreover, since the other side can forge swords and armor and find iron mines, they’re likely powerful with extensive connections, possibly with informers within the authorities. If they get wind of it and seek revenge, and if they lose their minds and kill to silence, our whole village will be slaughtered clean."
Zhang Chen quickly shook his head, rejecting Wang Wu’s suggestion. Reporting to authorities not only doesn’t help but also brings big trouble.
Reporting won’t bring any rewards; it will only get you, the whistleblower, arrested. Based on the authorities’ usual conduct, they won’t release you without skinning you and making you bankrupt.
Even today, someone calling the police has to make a record, let alone in this world?
In such matters, it’s better to have less trouble than more.
"You have a point, but if word gets out and the authorities pursue the matter, we’ll still be in trouble." Wang Wu’s face turned bitter, staring at Zhang Chen in despair.
"Let’s delay as long as we can. Besides, the authorities might not notice any information about those people. If they haven’t caught wind of it, can’t we pass the time peacefully? If that group can hide until just before the rebellion, once the rebellion breaks out and the world is in chaos, who will have the time to track the source of the weapons?" Zhang Chen reassured Wang Wu.
Reporting to the authorities is absolutely out of the question. Once you do, even the reporter will have a tough fate, not dying but at least losing a layer of skin.
"Damn it, how did I get involved in such a thing!" Wang Wu cursed under his breath, then got up to cook broth for Zhang Chen.
The broth was a mixed soup, made from the internal organs of a roe, along with roe belly, lean meat, roe head, and hooves, stewed into a big pot. It was cooked until soft and off the bone, then served directly to Zhang Chen, who devoured three large bowls of the stew before sleeping soundly.
After cleaning the table, Wang Wu looked at the sleeping Zhang Chen, sighed gently, and closed the door before going out.
Late at night.
Zhang Chen felt the flame within him growing even hotter, the intense fire magnified a hundredfold, making his brain hazy. He slept drowsily until midnight, then crawled out of bed in a daze and jumped into the water tank in the courtyard. He immediately felt a refreshing sensation that slightly eased his feeling of heat.
Next door
A frightened Fox Spirit peeked through the window, watching Zhang Chen, who had jumped into the tank for a nap in the courtyard, with a puzzled gaze, "What’s this fool doing in the middle of the night? Why’s he sleeping in the big tank? But with this fool keeping watch, there’s nothing to worry about tonight."
The Fox Spirit didn’t notice the change in Zhang Chen’s body, then closed the window, relaxing, and soon the sound of snoring filled the air.
The next day at dawn, Zhang Chen was awakened by the dazzling sunlight. Seeing himself soaking in the tank, he quickly remembered the events of the previous day and scrambled out of the tank. He noted that the heat within him hadn’t subsided, but after a night of sleep, his hematopoiesis improved, replenishing his blood, easing his dizziness and discomfort.
"So hungry! I’m starving!" Zhang Chen climbed out of the tank and rushed into the house, and without bothering to reheat the leftover stew from last night, he wolfed it down eagerly.
Wang Wu entered the courtyard just as he saw Zhang Chen ravenously eating the meat.
"Oh, Mr. Wang has come. Have some with me." Zhang Chen invited Wang Wu as soon as he saw him.
"I’ve already eaten. I was just worried something might’ve happened to you, so I came to check on you. Seeing you fine, I’m relieved. You should rest at home today, and I’ll hunt and check the traps in the mountains for you," Wang Wu said.
"No need to trouble you, Uncle. I’m much better now and planning to go to the mountains myself. Staying in the house all the time isn’t good for my health." Zhang Chen hurriedly replied.
He needed to go up the mountains to feed, and if Wang Wu accidentally killed the prey, it would be troublesome. Who knows if his third skill would consume the blood of a dead animal?
Besides, he did feel much better now, except for a bit of anemia and the burning sensation inside, there was no other discomfort.
Wang Wu scrutinized Zhang Chen. Seeing him indeed much better, except for a pale complexion, he seemed fine, so Wang Wu left satisfied.
After sending Wang Wu away, Zhang Chen breathed a sigh of relief. Once he finished eating, the hunger abated, and he had the time to check on his skills.
Zhang Chen sensed the recovery of his own bloodline and was suddenly stunned, his eyes filled with astonishment. In his perception, there was a little brilliant golden light flickering in his blood. Though the golden light was the size of a speck of dust, roughly a tenth the size of a grain of millet, it had a grand, majestic feeling as if it could illuminate the entire world.
"What is that?" Zhang Chen ’saw’ the golden light in his blood, his eyes showing shock. He noticed that with blood circulation, the golden light traveled through his body, not stopping at any specific organ but swimming through his body like a fish.
Zhang Chen’s numerous blood vessels were like the Yangtze River, his heart like the vast and Infinite Sea, and that gold light seemed like a fish, darting through rivers, lakes, and seas.
"What’s going on?" Zhang Chen watched the golden light, noticing it’s different from the Light of the True God. The Light of the True God was pure, containing magnificent Divine Power, but this little golden light had a touch of wickedness, as if a blood-colored light swirled within.