Chapter 3: Chapter 3: Village Entrance Ritual

Chapter 3: Village Entrance Ritual

Meanwhile, Little Liu the Hunter, having delivered food, returned to the Village Chief's home to report on the situation.

"Second Brother Wen is fine now, his complexion has improved a lot.

He's just weak from being sick for a long time, struggling even to stand. Scholars, tsk! But I think he should be able to move around in a couple more days," Little Liu the Hunter said.

"We should send more things to help him recover. He can draw faster then.

When I went over earlier, he had already drawn so much!"

The Village Chief couldn't help but show his joy, "Really? That's great!"

Hearing the wails from that side today, he had been worried. Compared to the grain they had given away, he naturally valued the fortress more.

Scholars had extensive knowledge and experience. Without Wen Gu, how would commoners like them know how to build a fortress?

Now, with the plague rampant outside, fields were abandoned, and no one dared to plant them. The stockpiled supplies would only diminish with each use.

However, most of the surrounding villages and towns were uninhabited. The "people" who had become monsters after being possessed by "evil spirits" did not eat grain.

With properly preserved food, the villagers could likely survive for one to two years without any new income, even if they ate sparingly.

Supplies were managed jointly by the Village Chief and several other elders with higher seniority and a more impartial demeanor.

However, compared to food and supplies, they now placed more importance on the fortress. A fortress was necessary for defense, built to save lives! What use was there for more grain if lives were lost? How could one be content if they died before the grain was finished?!

Little Liu the Hunter remembered something else.

"Oh, right, Village Chief, should we move another desk over? Those blueprints Wen Gu is drawing are almost running out of space. They also have to eat on the desk, which isn't good. A small desk would suffice; a large one won't fit."

The Village Chief agreed, "We'll look for a suitable one later and carry it over."

Previously, Wen Gu had been mostly confined to his sickbed, with little time to draw, so more desks would have been useless.

Now, as he was recovering and his spirits were high, he would surely spend more time drawing, and it was indeed necessary to improve his conditions.

The Village Chief's main concern was still the fortress blueprints.

He asked again, "You saw the blueprints, how are they coming along?"

Little Liu the Hunter's face was full of admiration, "They're drawn really well!"

The Village Chief: "…I asked what he was drawing! You've seen them, tell me."

Little Liu the Hunter thought carefully.

"It's this, and that style." He gestured for a long time, then concluded, "It looks really powerful!"

The Village Chief: "…" Just tell me *how* powerful it is!

Not expecting anything from this dullard, the Village Chief turned to his grandson, who was arranging medicinal herbs, "Dou Miao, next time you deliver food, take a look to see if Second Brother Wen has recovered from his illness.

And… gather some more medicinal herbs to help him recover his strength."

Dou Miao had worked as an apprentice in a pharmacy in the city and had gained experience, making him more reliable.

Medicinal herbs were now even more precious, and the Village Chief would not have easily allocated more to an ordinary person. However, to build the fortress as soon as possible, these things had to be spared! He hoped Wen Gu could finish drawing by winter.

As the temperature dropped, the external evil creatures would be restricted by the cold, significantly reducing their threat, and that would be the time for them to start constructing the walls.

As they were talking, they suddenly heard several whistles from outside, signaling the return of the team that had gone out to search for herbs.

Different whistle sounds represented different meanings. The sound just now indicated that the team sent to dig for herbs was returning.

The village burned medicinal herbs, using their scent to ward off external dangers. Burning a bundle of several herbs could exorcise evil.

This was thanks to Daoist Master Qingyi's guidance. Before the Daoist Master went into seclusion, he had told them which herbs needed to be harvested, as they would be out of season soon.

The Daoist Master's instructions were taken to heart, and not forgotten. Thus, Liu the Hunter led several villagers to gather herbs.

Little Liu the Hunter, who had been bored indoors, quickly got up and ran out upon hearing the commotion, to see if his father had returned safely.

At the village entrance, the tall fence was moved aside to allow the returning team to enter with their findings.

Those entering the village did not dare to go straight home but instead went to a shed. There, they removed their leather armor and loosened their face coverings.

Inside, a bundle of processed, dried herbs was placed. The leader, Liu the Hunter, lit the herbs and fumigated the shed.

The Daoist Master had said that this step was to remove evil energy and prevent them from bringing evil spirits into the village. The smoke was not dense and could be tolerated by people, but those possessed by evil spirits would show obvious discomfort.

These individuals would stay in the shed until tomorrow. If they remained unaffected, they could return home.

Conversely, if they showed discomfort, it meant they had contracted the evil plague and were possessed by evil spirits.

Not long after, villagers brought food.

Little Liu the Hunter chatted with his father from outside the door and window, mentioning the matter of Wen Gu. Liu the Hunter was a steady man and could converse about other things calmly.

However, hearing that Wen Gu was recovering and drawing blueprints for the fortress, he couldn't help but show joy.

"We found several types of medicinal herbs this time. I think there are tonic herbs to nourish the body that Dou Miao mentioned. Have your son check later; he probably didn't dig the wrong ones."

Meanwhile, Wen Gu was stretching his legs appropriately indoors, unable to hear what everyone was discussing about him.

However, he could guess to some extent. He had heard the whistles earlier; the team returning from outside must have arrived.

Since there was no major commotion in the village yet, their outing had likely been successful, and everyone had returned. Well, with the new medicinal herbs arriving, the Daoist Master, who had been in seclusion refining pills, should also come out soon.

Wen Gu walked to the window and looked outside. The village was bathed in the reddish glow of the setting sun.

The house closest to them belonged to a carpenter. That family usually kept to themselves, and they could occasionally hear the sound of wood being worked in their backyard.

He wondered if he was making bows and arrows or doing some other craft. At this moment, a "carousel lamp" had been placed under the eaves of their house – a lantern that rotated when lit by a candle.

The heat from the candle drove the windmill to turn. Wen Gu sat by the window, vaguely seeing the rotating blades inside the lantern.

The buzzing sound of the turbine seemed to echo in his ears. It felt like a different world.

Oh, no, it *was* a different world now. Wen Gu sighed softly and his gaze shifted to the talismans pasted on the outside of the lantern.

He heard that the carpenter had specially asked the Daoist Master for these talismans, pasted on the lantern to ward off ghosts and evil spirits! Whether they were effective against evil was unknown, but they certainly provided psychological comfort. From his perspective as an observer, this world had no supernatural powers.

As evening approached, every household in the village closed their doors and windows. At night, some light-attracted flying insects and small animals might be drawn to the candlelight, bringing more potential danger.

Wen Gu also closed his window. As the sun set, they slept.

He followed local customs. He slept soundly.

The next day dawned with clear skies. A few more sounds of laughter could be heard in the village, indicating that those who returned yesterday were all well.

The village had two meals a day. Little Liu the Hunter was still the one delivering food in the morning.

Dou Miao, who had been assigned by the Village Chief to deliver meals, was busy processing the medicinal herbs brought back by the expedition team. Therefore, Little Liu the Hunter managed to grab the delivery task again.

This young hunter seemed lighter today, with an even brighter smile. His father had returned safely, so of course, he was happy.

In addition to the food box he carried, he also brought a bow. After delivering the meal, he would go on patrol.

Once his patrol duty for the day was completed, he would bring a desk to Wen Gu.

After a few scattered noises in the village, quiet returned.

Although most houses had people inside, the overall silence was profound, as if they were afraid that making too much noise would attract evil spirits. There was a sense of absurd desolation.

It felt like the entire world was heading towards its end. If one passed by the open windows, they would see faces filled with worry and silence inside.

Despite this, compared to the numb and resigned people in these chaotic times, this village had not given up hope. They still had the courage to struggle and the possibility of seeing more life.

In fact, the evil creatures outside generally had poor hearing and relied more on their sense of smell. Therefore, if no evil creatures were visible in the area, normal vocal communication would not attract them.

However, a shadow now hung over everyone's hearts; they had no desire to communicate and were wary of each other.

Two days later, with improved meals and nourishing medicinal soup, Wen Gu visibly recovered and shed his sickly appearance.

Although he still looked thin, the villagers regarded it as the delicate scholarly aura of a scholar, not pathological weakness. This morning, the village was noticeably more restless than usual.

Wen Gu knew the reason: the Daoist Master, who had been in seclusion for many days, had emerged and was going to perform a ritual. When the Daoist Master first arrived in the village, he had given the villagers some talismans.

The paper was covered with complex inscriptions, and the character "聻" (jiè) was written on it. The Daoist Master said, "Humans turn into ghosts when they die, and ghosts turn into '聻' when they die.

Humans fear ghosts, and ghosts fear '聻'. This time, the world is in great chaos, and epidemics are caused by ghosts and evil spirits, but this talisman can make ghosts and evil spirits fear it."

However, the Daoist Master claimed his magical powers were damaged, and the talismans' effectiveness was limited, requiring ritual blessings at intervals. The villagers believed him wholeheartedly.

Now that the time had come, the Daoist Master emerged from seclusion and could also check if the harvested herbs were the ones he needed.

The divine deeds of Daoist Master Qingyi, as described by the villagers, made Wen Gu pay attention.

A Daoist priest… Initially, Wen Gu felt a bit insecure as an outsider. However, he quickly adjusted his mindset.

What outsider? "Wen Gu" is Wen Gu! "I" am "I"! Where is this outsider coming from! Wen Gu tidied his clothes and went out with his cousin.

Some villagers were also out and about, all for the Daoist Master's ritual today.

Seeing Wen Gu, an outsider, the villagers showed no interest in conversing. They only exchanged a few words with acquaintances and hurried along.

His cousin stayed by Wen Gu's side, vigilantly watching others to prevent anyone from suddenly going mad and harming Wen Gu. The location for the Daoist Master's ritual was set at the village entrance.

The location was not fixed; the Daoist Master decided it temporarily, and then the village would notify each household. The fence at the village entrance had been opened, and a shrine had been set up at the entrance.

Wen Gu had calculated the time to arrive, but by the time he got there, almost all the villagers were present, with dozens, nearly a hundred people gathered. These were not all native villagers; some were refugees or had come to join relatives.

Regardless of their origin, everyone now approached the matter with great enthusiasm. Only when the Daoist Master performed rituals did people's faces relax slightly, and they were more willing to interact.

To facilitate escape and combat, everyone wore narrow sleeves and tight-fitting clothing, ensuring convenience and flexibility when going out. The clothing for young children had added weaving bands, with tightly bound cuffs and trouser legs, providing a secure fit to prevent poisonous insects and objects contaminated with the evil plague from entering through collars, sleeves, and trouser legs, thus harming the body.

Previously, "Wen Gu" had missed many rituals due to illness, so his memory of the villagers was not complete. This time, he recognized some people and observed the village's simple defensive fortifications.

Some patrolling villagers wore makeshift armor, scavenged from outside. Even seemingly tattered armor would have been unattainable for commoners like them in the past.

A small number of simple farming tools and crude bows and arrows were nothing. But back then, having a suit of armor at home would have caused a major incident! If someone reported it, it was a serious crime! Even more so for powerful bows, crossbows, and armor; without a certain status, one would not dare to possess them.

Even if they had them or knew how to make them, they could not be displayed openly. But now, no one cared anymore; the officials in the city had fled! For the sake of survival, who would care about past restrictions? Whoever found it owned it! Whoever could make it could possess it! There was no limit to the quantity!

Around the village perimeter, besides the erected fences and a few low stone and earth walls, traps were set, and obstacles were placed, such as sharpened bamboo spikes, similar to caltrops or abatis.

Further away, vast tracts of abandoned farmland were overgrown with weeds, some tall enough to completely conceal a person. At the village entrance, a simple altar had been erected.

Wen Gu arrived late and had no good spot. The Village Chief had specifically reserved a front-row standing spot for Wen Gu; otherwise, he would have hardly seen anything.

Next to the Village Chief stood a tall, sturdy man with a resemblance to Little Liu the Hunter. This was Little Liu the Hunter's father, the village's primary combat force.

Liu the Hunter showed a slight smile on his stern face upon seeing Wen Gu and specifically inquired about his recovery. Old Liu was much more composed than his son, Little Liu.

The front-row position was good. It was a rare opportunity for gossip.

After exchanging pleasantries with the important people in the front row, Wen Gu tilted his ear to listen to the discussions of the villagers, young and old, and waited for Daoist Master Qingyi to appear.

Soon, a handsome… ahem, a Daoist priest with an extraordinary aura appeared.

Today, the Daoist Master was not in his usual reclusive attire but had specifically put on his professional gear for going out. Dressed in ritual robes, with priestly implements, his wide sleeves fluttered as he strode with a commanding presence.

A glance revealed his unusual majestic and ethereal bearing. With his posture set, before doing anything, a sense of sacred solemnity was already present.

Wen Gu's spirits lifted. Alive! A live performance! A Daoist priest performing a ritual!! In his original world, he had only heard about Daoist priests performing rituals as a child and had never seen one in person.

As he grew older, he encountered war and only knew some things through limited texts and images. Now, he had the opportunity to witness it up close! Wen Gu's gaze swept over the Daoist Master's attire.

In this survival environment fraught with danger, anyone who could wear loose robes and move about outside must have something extraordinary about them—either an idiot or a genius.