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Sweeping Through Demons with the System Chapter 006: Local Ruffians
🕑 Added 2023-09-29 18:30:46 +0000 UTC
The two men's laughter came to a halt at the sight of the approaching donkey cart.
With a smirk, Wu Cheng drew a dagger from behind him and toyed with it in his hand, eyeing the cart as it drew near.
Li Cai quickly discerned that the two were seeking trouble. As the donkey cart came to a halt, he spoke deliberately loud: "Little Brother Lu, where did you place the vicious wolf you killed?"
After speaking, Li Cai alighted from the donkey cart and headed to the back to retrieve the corpse of the wolf.
The sight of the wolf's corpse, as large as a small calf, immediately caught Wu Cheng's attention. Slowly sheathing his dagger, he turned away without giving Lu Shaolin another look and began to walk off.
Li Sanbao was quick to fall in step behind him.
Puzzled, Lu Shaolin wondered why these two ruffians had sought to make trouble for him. Had they assumed that, with Lu Zhong gone, they could easily intimidate him, a mere youth?
Shaking his head in amusement, Lu Shaolin dismounted from the donkey cart. He opened the courtyard door and, with Li Cai's assistance, carried the wolf's corpse into the yard.
"Little Brother Lu, those two were trying to pick a fight with you, weren't they?" Li Cai inquired.
"Most likely! But it's no big deal—just a pair of insignificant jesters," Lu Shaolin responded, shaking his head and laughing.
He genuinely didn't consider the two ruffians a threat. With strength surpassing even that of Lu Zhong, he had no reason to fear them.
"As long as you know what you're doing, Little Brother Lu," Li Cai nodded approvingly.
Puzzled, Li Cai glanced around the house and asked, "I don't see a memorial hall. Has anyone in your family passed away, Little Brother Lu?"
"My father passed away. We never found the body, so we kept the memorial simple," Lu Shaolin answered.
He then added, "Please take the coffin down to the foot of the mountain for me. I'll go grab the shovel," and headed indoors to retrieve the tools.
When he emerged with the tools, Li Cai was already seated in the cart, waiting.
Silently, Lu Shaolin placed the tools onto the cart, secured the courtyard door, and climbed aboard, sitting beside Li Cai.
With a flick of the reins from Li Cai, the donkey cart made its way toward the village outskirts.
The cart quickly reached the foot of the mountain, where Lu Shaolin chose a level patch of land. Li Cai willingly pitched in, and they began to dig.
Both men were strong and capable, and within half an hour, they had excavated a sufficiently large hole.
Lu Shaolin then hurried back home to collect an old set of Lu Zhong's clothes and some offerings before returning.
After arranging the clothes inside the coffin and sealing the lid, they jointly lowered the coffin into the hole.
Fortunately, the pine coffin was not particularly heavy; otherwise, the task might have proved too much for the two of them.
"The hour has grown late, and I've taken up much of your time. I can manage the rest myself. Thank you, Brother Li!" Lu Shaolin said, expressing his gratitude with a traditional hand-cupping gesture.
"What are you saying, Little Brother Lu? Helping you was my pleasure, and your skills are admirable; there's no need for thanks," Li Cai shook his head.
"Even so, a thanks is warranted! Best head back soon to avoid the shopkeeper's wrath," Lu Shaolin responded earnestly.
"You're right. I've been away for a while; returning late would surely earn me a scolding. When you have the time, Little Brother Lu, do come find me," Li Cai said, smiling.
"Absolutely!" Lu Shaolin returned the smile.
Climbing onto the donkey cart, Li Cai gave Lu Shaolin a respectful bow. With a flick of the reins, he steered the cart toward the county town.
Meanwhile, Lu Shaolin picked up his iron shovel and began to move dirt.
Quickly, a mound took shape.
No gravestone marked the spot. According to local customs, a gravestone could only be erected after a period of three full years.
Lu Shaolin meticulously laid out the offerings before the grave, then respectfully bowed his head to the ground three times.
Inhabiting a young body as he did, it felt appropriate to shoulder the responsibilities that came with it. Besides, Lu Zhong had been a devoted father, willing to give up his life for his child.
After the kowtows, Lu Shaolin rose to his feet, committing the location of the grave to memory to ensure he wouldn't forget it over time.
He then collected his tools and made his way back to the village.
Upon returning to his modest courtyard, Lu Shaolin went directly to the kitchen to prepare a meal. His stomach was unbearably hungry, as he had subsisted only on the five buns he ate for half a day.
With the rice cooked, he emerged holding a butcher knife, intending to skin the wolf for its meat. His supply of meat at home had run out, and his body required substantial nutrients. The wolf presented a good source for this.
Reaching the wolf's corpse, Lu Shaolin mustered a burst of strength in both arms and effortlessly suspended the wolf's body from the iron hook of a cassia tree.
This was the usual spot for processing game at home.
Drawing from his memory of proper skinning techniques, Lu Shaolin wielded the butcher knife and got down to work.
In under half an hour, a perfectly intact wolf pelt had been expertly removed by him.
After hanging the pelt aside, he lopped off a hind leg with a swift cut of his knife. Carrying the leg, Lu Shaolin headed into the kitchen.
Soon, the savory scent of cooking meat filled the air.
Lu Shaolin brought a pot of wolf meat stew and a pot of rice to the wooden table. Seating himself, he dug in with gusto.
Finishing a satisfying meal, he divided and seasoned the remaining wolf meat, then hung it up in the kitchen.
As for the wolf pelt, his plan was to sell it in the county town first thing the next morning, given his dwindling funds.
...
Meanwhile, in the village chief's residence.
Wu Cheng spoke to a woman who was seated in the main hall, casually eating sunflower seeds. "Aunt, that youngster from the Lu Family took down a wolf as big as a calf. I don't think I can take him."
"You're truly useless, unable to even beat a kid! What are you good for, other than harassing women?" The woman harshly scolded, ejecting a sunflower seed shell from her mouth with a disdainful "pfft."
"Aunt, I'm not as useless as you think. I suspect that kid from the Lu Family has been hiding his abilities," Wu Cheng protested, his voice tinged with indignation.
"Alright, enough. Jian'er will return from the county town in a few days. I'll have him accompany you to deal with this matter and drive that brat from the Lu Family away," the woman said, clearly impatient.
"Cousin's coming back in a few days? Fantastic! I've heard he's reached the Skin Refinement realm within the Black River Gang. Taking care of that kid from the Lu Family will be child's play!" Wu Cheng said, a smile breaking out on his face.
"Absolutely, my son is naturally gifted and has already climbed the ranks to become a minor gang leader. Once this Lu Family issue is sorted out, I'll have Jian'er take you into the gang as well. Then you won't waste your days loafing around!" the woman declared, her face flush with pride.
"Aunt, thank you. I'll definitely follow my cousin and heed his guidance," Wu Cheng responded, visibly overjoyed.
"Good, that's what I like to hear," the woman nodded.
...
The following morning, Lu Shaolin stewed another pot of wolf meat.
Once satiated, he slung his long spear over his shoulder, grabbed the wolf pelt, and headed toward the county town.
An hour or so later, he reached the city gates.
Recognizing him from the day before, the city guards merely glanced at the wolf pelt Lu Shaolin carried and turned their attention elsewhere.
Clearly, he was a young hunter!
Guided by his memory, Lu Shaolin navigated with confidence to a furrier's store.
The signboard displayed 'Qiu's Fur Shop'.
His family had a long-standing relationship with this shop, as all the furs hunted by Lu Zhong were sold here.
The shopkeeper was a face he recognized well.
Holding the wolf pelt, Lu Shaolin entered the shop. An attendant by the door promptly greeted him, "Ah, Little Brother Lu, is it? Are you here by yourself?"
Lu Shaolin responded with a nod and a smile, "Yes, is the shopkeeper in?"
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