Night fell, and the people in the town all returned to their homes. Those who had houses shut their doors tight, while those living in shacks pulled their curtains down to cover every gap.
On the way back, Ren Xiaosu heard that a man from the glue factory had been stabbed to death that night. Someone had learned that he liked to save money and developed evil intentions.
People in the town usually lived in groups—friends, brothers, lovers—taking turns on the night watch, as if that could make things safer. Ren Xiaosu and Yan Liuyuan had started out living together for that reason.
Yet some people were killed precisely by the ones they lived with.
Perpetrators were always shortsighted; they didn't realize that once they harmed their own companions, no one would ever trust them again.
And lone wolves like that usually ended up badly.
Ren Xiaosu sat in his shack and unwrapped the cloth on his hand. When he saw the state of the wound, his brows knitted. The skin around it was red and swollen—an inflammation. He looked up and saw Yan Liuyuan walking over, so he quickly covered it back up.
"Brother, is your wound okay?" Yan Liuyuan asked.
"I'm fine," Ren Xiaosu said calmly.
"I don't believe you. Let me see," Yan Liuyuan said, reaching out to undo the cloth.
"I said I'm fine," Ren Xiaosu pushed him away. "If it gets serious, I'll buy medicine."
"Don't lie to me. Last time you tried to tough it out," Yan Liuyuan said, looking aggrieved.
Ren Xiaosu sighed. "Relax. I won't gamble with my life."
In the animal world, beasts rarely hunt recklessly. They all understand that getting injured—even slightly—could mean death.
If even beasts know that, how could Ren Xiaosu not?
"Huh, brother, look! There are two potatoes under the chair, and three pills. These look like the anti-inflammatory medicine you wanted to buy. Did you put them there?" Yan Liuyuan said excitedly.
"I didn't." Ren Xiaosu shook his head, then examined the pills. "They're basic anti-inflammatory meds."
"Then they must be from Sister Xiao Yu. I'm the only one who told her you were hurt," Yan Liuyuan grinned and handed him a pill. "She treats you so well. Why don't you just marry her?"
Ren Xiaosu almost coughed blood. "Damn, you flip faces faster than a book. When she gives you food, she's amazing; when she doesn't, you bully her."
"Hehe," Yan Liuyuan giggled and happily gnawed on a potato. They usually didn't eat dinner—Ren Xiaosu always said one should eat well in the morning, eat full at noon, and avoid food at night.
It was a saying passed down from before the Cataclysm. But Ren Xiaosu knew the real reason—they were too poor.
"Brother."
Ren Xiaosu turned his head, seeing Yan Liuyuan lower his gaze, his voice suddenly quiet.
"What is it?" Ren Xiaosu asked.
"You remember last year when you ran into that wolf pack and barely made it back alive? Someone secretly left medicine for us—that's what saved you," Yan Liuyuan said.
"Of course I remember. I've been trying to find out who that was," Ren Xiaosu replied.
"I think those pills were from Sister Xiao Yu too," Yan Liuyuan said. "They were left in the exact same spot as the ones today."
Ren Xiaosu fell into thought.
Just then, he heard footsteps outside.
A lot of them.
It was rare for people to move around at night in town, but Ren Xiaosu instantly guessed who they were—and what they wanted.
The band had to cross Jing Mountain this time. Just as Ren Xiaosu had suspected, the mercenaries indeed had additional tasks—like investigating data suggesting Jing Mountain was formed by violent crustal movements and might contain relics from before the Cataclysm.
They had gathered information about Ren Xiaosu from Old Wang at the grocery shop. Although they had doubts about the "brain illness," they continued asking around, and soon everyone told them the same thing: Ren Xiaosu was their best option for a guide.
Some were even curious—what was so special about this boy that he was famous in town?
After persistent questioning, they finally heard a vague answer: Ren Xiaosu seemed to be the only person in the entire settlement who had encountered a wolf pack and returned alive.
Last year, when Ren Xiaosu came back from hunting, he was completely exhausted, covered in claw marks.
No matter how cruel the people here were, they wouldn't prey on a dying teen. They merely watched coldly.
But just when everyone thought he was doomed, he survived—and even lived well afterward.
The band members asked how he survived. Old Wang laughed and said it was all thanks to Yan Liuyuan kneeling door-to-door for food, begging to keep him alive. Someone might have donated some medicine too, but no one knew who.
Everyone also knew that although Ren Xiaosu survived, he had since become… mentally abnormal.
"Hey, Wang Fugui," someone in the group asked the same Old Wang, "what do you mean he's mentally ill?"
"Oh, nothing, nothing, just a figure of speech," Old Wang said with a wide smile, wrinkles squeezing together. "It's not serious. You'll see—we're almost there."
Only when walking with these nobles from the barrier city would Old Wang dare stroll around at night. He purposely raised his voice, clearly wanting the whole town to know that he had connections with the upper class.
"Xiaosu, come out! We've got important guests!" Old Wang called.
Suddenly, the shack's curtain was flung open.
Ren Xiaosu burst out smiling brightly, grabbed Old Wang's hands, and said cheerfully, "Congratulations! Mother and son are safe! Six jin and six liang!"
Old Wang: "???"
The band: "???"
The mercenaries: "???"
A staff member of the band pointed at Ren Xiaosu and looked at Old Wang as if saying: This is what you call "not serious"?
Also—mother and son? What the hell? Shouldn't it be mother and child?!
The band member snapped, "Wang Fugui, do you know the consequences of lying to us? This is what you call 'fine'?!"
As soon as he finished, he turned to leave. Moments ago they had been slightly excited about meeting the legendary Ren Xiaosu, but instead they found a lunatic.
No wonder the townsfolk said Ren Xiaosu's brain was broken—wasn't this clearly broken?!