Chapter 227 The Road to Inhumanity (a 5100-character chapter!)
Chapter 227 The Inhuman Road (5100 words long chapter!)
Author: Bachelor in White
Chapter 227 The Inhuman Road (5100 words long chapter!)
Three hundred and sixty lines, roughly divided into nine categories: upper, middle and lower, which contain people's prejudices and preferences for a certain profession.
Nowadays, under the influence of Chang An, these professions have given birth to doorway thaumaturgy. However, this so-called "upper, middle and lower" distinction does not mean the strength or weirdness of this doorway.
There are many professions that work with the dead, which are feared by people, and they are mostly classified in the middle and ninth ranks.
Among the lower classes, most are shady businesses. The most commendable ones are the so-called: kidnapping, cheating, stealing, and prostitution.
Liars, known among the people as "thousand-door generals", Zheng Xiu encountered many of them some time ago and killed many of them.
As for "stealing the door", it sounds high-end, but in fact it is just a sneaky thing.
Prostitutes are "orchids". The four maids around Zheng Xiu, "Zhizhi, Bobo, Pingping, and Lily", were once the four golden flowers in heaven and earth. Because they did not sell themselves, they accidentally stepped into the "Orchid". branch, in the crossroads of [Geisha].
Among the abductions and prostitutions, the last one is the most despicable... abductions.
——Time Demon.
"Time demon?"
Zheng Xiu thought about it for a moment and remembered this side business.
To put it nicely, it is called "Shi Yao", but to put it worse, it is called "Kai Po".
The origin of this title is a bit interesting to talk about. In ancient times, kidnappers hid their heads and tails and did not dare to speak out. When they "acted", most of them were not noticed. After abducting a child, many years after the child grew up, he was called "being kidnapped". In order to scare the children in the village and stop them from running around blindly, the adults said to them, "Don't leave the village at night. You will be abducted by the "Time Demon" and you will grow old in the blink of an eye. .
The origin cannot be ascertained, but gradually the "Kaipao Po" became known as the "Shi Yao" as others followed.
Like Ye Weiyang's Tiger Wolf Wall Water, "Time Demon" is also a rare profession in today's peaceful and prosperous age, and no one is doing it anymore. After all, if you don't make money, you can easily lose your head.
Zheng Xiu never expected that the emperor would casually send a stranger over. Zheng Xiu stared at Yin Qingqing's exposed back in trance. At this time, Feng Bei heard the familiar music and followed the sound happily. When I arrived at the lobby, I saw Zheng Xiu staring at other people's buttocks and waists without moving.
The hall was full of women, some were playing and singing, and some were taking off their bellybands. This scene was very imaginative. But Feng Bei knew that Zheng Xiu was not a person who indulged in pleasure, so he tiptoed behind Zheng Xiu out of curiosity.
"Jiyou?"
When Feng Bei couldn't help but make a confused sound behind him, Zheng Xiu noticed Feng Bei's existence. He glared fiercely at Zhi Zhi, who was enjoying himself and watching the fun, not thinking it was a big deal, "I'll take care of you later." !", Zheng Xiu's eyes revealed this line, and he coughed twice, with a calm expression, as wise as a holy Buddha, and said softly: "Put it on."
Yin Qingqing obediently tied the little red string on her bellyband again and turned around. Jing Xuemei took a large cloak and put it on Yin Qingqing, and glared at Zhizhi: "Don't make trouble."
Feng Bei counted them on his fingers and whispered beside Zheng Xiu: "We are very close to Ding Wei."
What confused and surprised her was not that Yin Qingqing was a strange person.
She has seen a lot of strange people these days.
Monk and Zheng Xiu are like that.
What puzzles her is that Yin Qingqing's "number" is very close to hers in ranking.
"Shi Yao." Zheng Xiu said. Feng Bei had stayed in Ye Weiyang for many years, and she looked suddenly enlightened when she heard this. She had obviously heard of this rarely used doorway.
At this time, Zheng Xiu finally became interested in Yin Qingqing.
Of course, it is not an interest in the male-female sense, but an interest in the path of "time demon" itself.
This is a novel "doorway" that has never been seen before. Zheng Xiu is very curious about Yin Qingqing's magical skills.
Considering what she said, she can look like she is in her early twenties at the age of thirty-five. Could it be that Shi Yao really lives up to her name and abducts people's years and years?
Zheng Xiu Dang even said that he wanted to experience Yin Qingqing's strange magic. At first, Yin Qingqing was stunned when he heard the words. At first, he lowered his head and remained silent. Zheng Xiu also smiled and saw that she didn't speak. In the silence, Yin Qingqing sighed softly.
, she lowered her eyebrows and lowered her head, pointing to the squeaking guzheng and said: "Please allow me to borrow my sister's guzheng."
"Call me sister." Zhizhi raised his underdeveloped pectoralis major muscles and said in dissatisfaction: "Everything is first come, first served. Whoever comes first is the sister."
Zheng Xiu acquiesced.
Yin Qingqing's face was calm, and she did not show any displeasure at Zhizhi's deliberate attempt to make things difficult for her. She stepped back and said, "Sister Zhizhi, please lend me the piano."
Zhizhi said yes generously.
I saw Yin Qingqing reaching out and rubbing her fair arm. This rub actually removed a piece of thin human skin the size of a fingernail. The piece of human skin was like a wriggling insect, spinning in Yin Qingqing's palm.
suddenly became larger.
"go."
Yin Qingqing took a step forward. Under everyone's surprised gaze, the "human skin" spinning in her palm suddenly turned into a "curtain" with a faint gray mist, covering the arm-long zither, blinking it away
Wrapped into a package.
The package shrank strangely at a speed visible to the naked eye, and finally shrunk to the size of a fingernail. Yin Qingqing held it in her palms, and the squeaking zither disappeared in Yin Qingqing's palm.
From the time Yin Qingqing rubbed the human skin to the time Zhengqin disappeared, the whole process took just one breath. Zheng Xiu suspected that if Yin Qingqing hadn't slowed down for the sake of "demonstration", she could have "abducted" Zhengqin faster.
"Can it be used on people?"
Zheng Xiu's breath was stagnant. He knew very well that the reason for Yin Qingqing's hesitation was because thaumaturgy could not be easily revealed to others. When she finally decided to show off her skills, she accepted her fate and wanted Zheng Xiu to feel at ease with her.
As the saying goes, trust is mutual, Yin Qingqing first surrendered her trust in Zheng Xiu.
Yin Qingqing nodded: "Yes."
After a while, she released the squeaking zither. The process of "releasing" was exactly the same as the process of "taking in". A "human skin package" the size of a fingernail instantly grew larger, and the human skin spit out the zither like a big mouth.
.
"Come on, try it on me!"
Zheng Xiu pointed at himself curiously.
Yin Qingqing could no longer maintain a calm expression.
Zhizhi and the other four were even more shocked.
Qing Shisan, who was secretly listening to music on the eaves, rolled over and landed on the ground, appearing silently at the entrance of the hall, blowing out smoke rings and saying softly: "Master, please don't put yourself in danger."
Shadows swayed on the wall.
The fraternity chanted in unison, "All things are false, all things are permitted."
For a moment, because of Zheng Xiu's words, the entire Zheng family suddenly became a little more tense than the initial peace.
They were afraid that Zheng Xiu would be abducted by the "Time Demon".
Feng Bei silently took off his gloves and looked at Yin Qingqing: "What did you do to him?"
Yin Qingqing didn't know at this time that if she answered incorrectly, she would face the thunderous strike of Zheng's "nuclear bomb". Her face was a little panicked, and she knelt down quickly: "No slave!"
Zheng Xiu was stunned for a moment by everyone's excessive reaction. He couldn't laugh or cry at the same time but was secretly moved at the same time. It seemed that the emperor sent Yin Qingqing here, just like throwing a little she-wolf into a pack of tigers. Zheng Xiu himself felt that it was nothing.
, but the brothers under his command were cautious about this, for fear that this little female wolf would secretly torment their tiger king.
If you think about it carefully, Mr. Zheng should like this kind of tone. Looking at eighteen is actually thirty-five, eighteen every year, eighteen every year, and eighteen every night. It's exciting to think about it.
Qing Shisan thought the same way, and while he was vigilant, he couldn't help but sigh: The emperor is really good at judging people.
"It's okay. Just wait and see, she really dares to do something to me. With the few of you here, what kind of trouble can she cause? Besides, I believe she won't be that stupid, and I also believe that the emperor won't be so confused." Zheng Xiuxiao
He waved to the others and squeezed Feng Bei's hand.
The small actions of Zheng Xiu and Feng Bei were seen in Yin Qingqing's eyes, and Yin Qingqing's pupils were shaking. She had heard that Feng Bei's hand was like an unsheathed sword, which could cut anyone who touched it into fly ash. But
Why can Mr. Zheng be so close to Feng Bei and regard the terrible "ominous" as nothing?
At Zheng Xiu's request, Yin Qingqing, who was in a confused mood, gritted her teeth, used the Innate Stranger Technique, rubbed a piece of human skin, and patted Zheng Xiu carefully.
The rotating human skin first enlarged, glowing with gray mist. As the "human skin" approached, Zheng Xiu suddenly felt an itch on his forehead, as if something was about to break out. Bang! Yin Qingqing's hand slapped Zheng Xiu,
A piece of human skin the size of a fingernail fell limply to the side.
Yin Qingqing was stunned.
Feng Bei was stunned.
Qing Shisan choked on the cigarette.
Several brothers fell off the wall.
In the awkward silence, Zheng Xiu leaned over and picked up the small piece of human skin. The human skin gradually turned into fine powder in his hands, and when he blew it, it completely dissipated. He looked at the helpless and panic-stricken people.
Yin Qingqing glanced at him, and then said to Qing Shisan: "You accompany Qingqing on a trip to the palace to report to the emperor. By the way, you can meet the brothers who know the Secret Service. In the future, they may be in the Brotherhood Department."
Qing Shisan smoked silently, pondering the deep meaning of the master's words. He soon figured it out and accepted the order with a smile.
"Wait a minute."
Before going out, Zheng Xiu remembered something and said to Yin Qingqing in a serious tone: "Since the emperor has handed you over to me, from now on you will belong to my Zheng family."
Yin Qingqing lowered her head: "I understand."
"From now on, you will go wherever I tell you to go."
"yes."
"When I come, you cannot refuse."
Yin Qingqing was stunned, she misunderstood, her eyes were filled with sorrow, and she gritted her teeth and agreed: "I understand."
The moment Yin Qingqing agreed.
A line of small characters appeared in front of Zheng Xiu's eyes.
[You have discovered the inn. You can reach "Inn·Shi Yao·Jiyou·Yin Qingqing".]
[Inn: Yin Qingqing, I agree to your entry.]
【You have permission to enter the inn.】
【You can enter the inn and stay at any time.】
Zheng Xiu, who was inexplicably happy about the new [Inn], did not notice Yin Qingqing's dull expression as if he was resigned to his fate. Yin Qingqing followed Qing Shisan out in a daze.
Zheng Xiu took the opportunity to calm down, closed his eyes, and looked at Xinyi Station before talking.
The scenery in Xinlao remained the same. Zheng Xiu went straight to the game table without stopping. The middle seat on the game table seemed a bit crowded.
After all, [Inn Fengbei] is also in the same location.
Next to the [Station Station Fengbei] mini-doll, there is a big-headed girl with closed eyes, wearing a red bellyband, with a sad face. Zheng Xiu was stunned, why did this Inn wear a bellyband?
【Inn】Yin Qingqing
【Friendly】Master and servant
[Pathway] Time Demon (Jiyou)
[luck] turning bad luck into good luck
[Physique] Winding paths lead to seclusion
"A winding path leads to a secluded place...?"
Are you talking about... the inn?
Zheng Xiu poked open [Yizhan Fengbei] again and took a look. It was only when he poked in that he saw that [Yuzhan Fengbei] introduced that there had been many changes after the cannibal painting incident.
【Inn】Fengbei
【affiliation】admiration
【Door】Executioner (Ding Wei)
【Luck】Tiansha Lonely Star
【Physique】The palace is glorious
Zheng Xiu was stunned.
When I poked the monk again, he also changed.
【Inn】Huahua
[Friendship] The acquaintance of life and death
[Pathway] Ascetic Monk (Renchen)
【Luck】Lucky stars shine brightly
[Physique] Boundless as far as the eye can see
Before, the monk's [Inn] was "Unnamed". After the cannibal painting, he found himself again and became "Huahua".
[Yizhan Huahua]'s physique has skyrocketed to "endless as far as the eye can see".
"The winding paths lead to secluded areas, and the palaces are brilliant and endless as far as the eye can see."
This seems to be a literal distinction between "big and small".
To put it simply, Fengbei has swelled, Monk has become wider, and Yin Qingqing... is still small?
Zheng Xiu felt that he should understand it this way.
Not difficult to understand.
As soon as he thought about it, Zheng Xiu looked strange and opened his eyes again. In Yin Qingqing's [Inn] description, the word "Master and Servant" in the "Friendly" column made Zheng Xiu believe that Yin Qingqing recognized "Master and Servant" from the bottom of his heart.
Feng Bei didn't know that Zheng Xiu had secretly studied her status again, while still looking at the back of Yin Qingqing who left.
After leaving the hall, while waiting for Yin Qingqing to change clothes, Qing Shisan squatted on the wall. A whistle came from another part of Zheng's house. It was Ji Hongou. Upon hearing this, Qing Shisan pricked up his ears.
Ji Hongou's whistle was first curious about why Qing Shisan took a girl out. After Qing Shisan came back to explain, Ji Hongou asked for leave and said that the person at home was unwell. Thinking of Ji Hongou's current situation, Qing Shisan's heart
Feeling a little anxious for no reason, I whistled back casually and then fell into silence.
"Take a step to speak."
After Qing Shisan and Yin Qingqing left, Feng Bei took Zheng Xiu back to the room.
Others had long been accustomed to the two people's commotion. They kept snickering and feeling sad in silence. It was a kind of sadness called "the master was taken away".
"Is your 'prisoner' a natural way to defeat 'foreigners'?"
Feng Bei's eyes were blazing. She rarely showed this expression in front of Zheng Xiu: "This can explain why you can touch my ominous side and why Yin Qingqing's alien technique is ineffective on you."
Zheng Xiu shook his head: "It's not completely ineffective." He touched the knot on his forehead and said thoughtfully: "My trick just moved."
"Did you do it on purpose?" Feng Bei looked worried and warned: "You should be more careful next time and don't accidentally expose your true method. Once Zhu knows that you restrained the stranger, Zhu may do whatever it takes to deal with him.
You do it."
"I really didn't expect it at first, but it turned out to be this reason."
Prisoner, prisoner of strange things, prisoner of strange people, prisoner of self. Zheng Xiu assured Feng Bei softly: "In the future, I will be exposed as a 'painter'. Who would have thought that one person can possess so many magical arts.
"
"Don't forget the monk." Since that incident, Feng Bei also followed Zheng Xiu's example and affectionately called the monk "monk".
"Yes," Zheng Xiu was slightly startled when he heard this, and said with a smile, "Monk is the same. With the power of one person, he can develop a variety of miraculous arts, which is quite miraculous."
The two sat beside the bed and chatted quietly.
Feng Bei: "Why are you so interested in foreigners?"
Zheng Xiu raised his index finger and asked mysteriously, "What do you think?"
Feng Bei thought for a moment, looked at the face in front of him that needed a beating, and soon figured it out: "Could it be that you want to 'collect' as many aliens as possible before Zhu?"
Feng Bei hesitated for a while before using the word "collect".
Yes, she felt like Zheng Xiu was "collecting" strangers now.
"You come with me."
Zheng Xiu led Feng Bei to the study.
After closing the door tightly, Feng Bei glanced at the covered "statue" from time to time. The more he glanced at it, the softer his eyes became.
Zheng Xiu ignored Feng Bei, who was looking at the unfinished statue alone. He cleared the table and spread out a piece of white paper. He first wrote the word "Prisoner" on it and marked "Jia Zi" next to "Prisoner".
He also drew many blank lines under the prisoner, a total of forty-eight lines.
Zheng Xiu recalled the illusion that appeared in front of his eyes on the first day he became a [prisoner]. The huge eyeball like a scorching sun, and the forty-nine rays of light that escaped after the eyeball exploded.
Everything has a reason.
"You have been in Ye Weiyang for many years, and you must have learned a lot about it. Please try to fill it in."
Feng Bei obediently took the pen from Zheng Xiu's hand and hung there for a moment, but was unable to start.
"The order is not important, you can fill it in backwards and sort it by the heavenly stems and earthly branches."
Feng Bei thought for a while and then tried to fill it in. He filled in the "doorways" one after another on the white paper according to his impression.
Zheng Xiu added from time to time based on his experiences over the years: "The executioner is Ding Wei, the creditor is Yisi, the ascetic is Renchen, the demon of time is Jiyou... By the way, the painter is Wuzi."
"There are also corpse stitchers, skilled hands, walkers, official servants, actors, officials, spiritual people, chess players, literati..."
After Feng Bei filled in a few words, Zheng Xiu was inspired. There was a strange light in his eyes. He grabbed Feng Bei's pen and filled in the blanks at will, muttering to himself as he filled in:
"Have you noticed that the birth of the door is not so much in accordance with the regular 'order', but more in accordance with people's 'cognition'. The top, middle and bottom nine streams clearly correspond to the common people's cognition and their impression of this profession.
.”
As Zheng Xiu started writing, the white paper gradually became fuller, but it also left many blank spaces.
"There are countless side roads hidden in every doorway."
"Menjing, rather than being born with Chang An's approach, I think it is more like the manifestation of a human's 'wishes'."
"Chang An made this 'wishes' come true."
"Just like a child, when he was a child, he dreamed of flying high in the sky. It was this kind of pure 'wishes'."
"I have always been curious about which path the 'crowkeeper' belongs to."
"Later, I had a flash of inspiration and thought, is there a possibility that crow raising is not a path that 'humans' can take?"
Zheng Xiu stopped writing, pointed at the large blank space between [Prisoner] and the Painter, and circled it.
"There is a vast void here. Is it possible that there is a path that non-human beings can dream of and walk on?"
"Like...something else?"
Feng Bei's thoughts were limited to this era, and she was unable to come up with such bizarre ideas like Zheng Xiu. But with Zheng Xiu's explanation, she quickly figured out the link.
"You mean..."
Feng Bei suddenly remembered something and grabbed Zheng Xiu's arm in shock.
The two looked at each other, and after a moment of silence, they had a clear understanding and thought of the same thing.
They said one word in unison:
"cat!"
Recommend a book and you will know it just by looking at the title. Read it and cherish it!