Zhang Qishan looked back at Qi Tiezui and smiled. What was that? Could you repeat that again?
Fo Ye, this is a monster called Erfu. Its a human-faced snake that eats human brains. The hunter we saw just now was eaten by it. But now its also dead, which ans that theres a more formidable monster here in the mountains, Qi Tiezui said.
Zhang Qishan waved his hand. Co here.
Qi Tiezui felt that Zhang Qishan looked like he had ill intentions, so he imdiately shook his head. No. Im not going.
Zhang Qishan glanced at Zhang Xiaoyu, who nodded and kicked Qi Tiezuis horse in the ass. The horse moved forward unhurriedly, but Qi Tiezui couldnt get it to stop no matter how hard he tried. As a result, he ended up right next to Zhang Qishan.
Zhang Qishan looked at him and smiled evilly. Qi Tiezui covered his nose and looked at the Erfus carcass, finding that its neck had been twisted. But at this ti, he also realized why Zhang Qishan had asked him to co closer.
This wasnt a monsters carcass. A persons body had been attached to a big snake. Qi Tiezui smiled awkwardly at Zhang Qishan before his face turned grim. He was puzzled. What is the aning of this? Is there any purpose in connecting a human body with a snake? This place is already far away from any villages. Could it bethe Lisuma who did this?
The Lisuma was a branch of the Lisu people (1). Over the past few decades, they were usually seen in the jungles of Burma and Guangxi, or in Guizhou and Xiangxi. The Miao people called this branch of Lisu people Guma people (2) because there were so very strange Lisu tribal structures at that ti. So Lisu tribes were very developed and even had many villages, but so tribes were very primitive, wore clothes made of hemp, and practically lived under a system of slavery.
At that ti, the Germans inspected this area and said that Lisu was actually a collective na for several ethnic groups of people. They called the primitive Lisu in the deep mountains Old Lisu. The Guma people were said to be a branch of the Old Lisu.
The Lisuma were nomads in the jungles who also had the custom of headhunting. Whenever they arrived at so place, they would hunt, eat, and live there. Moreover, each tribe had its own unique religious rituals.
Skinning people and connecting dead bodies together had to be sothing done by intelligent human beings, which was why it was feasible to attribute this to the Lisuma.
Zhang Qishan looked at the corpse silently, not making any conclusions. He gestured from atop his horse and everyone imdiately dismounted. The group of people hid their horses in a well-trained manner before loading their guns and sharpening their daggers.
Zhang Qishan said, We dont know whats killed these people, but its very naughty to be playing with corpses. In this world, the cruelest people Ive ever seen are those who take delight in playing with corpses, even going so far as to act like those corpses are alive. But that isnt the case here.
Qi Tiezui imdiately understood Zhang Qishans words and looked back at the Erfu corpse. Whatever had killed these people and treated their corpses as inanimate pieces of flesh that could be played with was a thing that had no secular humanity.
The group of people put on cloaks of leaves that could conceal them and help them hide in the jungle. Zhang Xiaoyu said, Theres still a long way to go before we reach our destination. We cant stay here for too long. After night falls, we need to search this place thoroughly.
Can we even find it? Qi Tiezui asked.
That thing is nearby. Zhang Qishan looked at the dense forest around him. The air was very humid and there was miasma everywhere. Although there was so sunlight, it was still stuffy in the woods so no one felt refreshed. Its not going to venture far from its toy. Its probably watching us now.
There are so many of us here that even tigers will be scared away by us, Qi Tiezui said. Moreover, youre here and as formidable as ever. Look at you. What dares to approach you?
Qi Tiezui looked around Zhang Qishan. It seed that the blood in Zhang Qishans body was more active and vigorous, so the miasma scurried away as soon as it got close to him. It was as if the whole person had a protective layer around his body.
Zhang Qishan looked at Qi Tiezui and thought for a while. What you said makes sense. Lets change our strategy. Xiaoyu, let Ba Ye walk alone tonight as a bait. Well follow him from behind.
Qi Tiezuis eyes widened. Fo Ye, youre the one whos playing with humanity!
Dont worry, Zhang Qishan said. Youve made the calculations. There wont be any surprises or dangers.
The group of people began to laugh secretly. As Qi Tiezui imdiately took out his copper coins and began to calculate again, Zhang Qishan said to Zhang Xiaoyu, Xiaoyu, prepare that thing and put it on Ba Ye later.
What thing?! Qi Tiezui was startled again.
Zhang Xiaoyu held the child in his arms, teased it a bit, and said, The secret weapon of the Zhang family. Its the magic weapon of tomb robbing. Youre going to like it. Fo Ye, this child
This child seldom cries. Hell beco an exceptional man in the future. Take him while youre hunting. You need to protect him well.
Zhang Qishan played with the childs face and noticed that the child was staring at a tree above them with unwavering eyes.
Zhang Qishan suddenly felt alert and looked back at the tree.
There was nothing there.
****
TN Notes:
(1) The Lisu people are a Tibeto-Burman ethnic group who inhabit mountainous regions of Myanmar (Burma), southwest China, Thailand, and the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. Wiki link here.
(2) The Chinese characters of Guma are . Gu () ans ancient, and ans hemp. This refers to the next paragraph about how so of their tribes were primitive and wore clothes made of hemp.
****
rebear note: ahahahahaha Ba Ye! After all this ti, you still haven't learned to keep your mouth shut. Where's Lieutenant Zhang Rishan to protect you? Let's hope Xiaoyu is up to the task
Reviews
All reviews (0)