Chapter 55: Is a Madman Good at Barbecue?

He Lingchuan frowned. "What do you mean?"

"When you eat roast chicken, do you prefer to start with the drumsticks and wings, or the breast?"

"Legs, of course! If I didn't eat them, someone else would snatch them." The scramble for food in the old male dormitory was a true "Hungry Wolves" legend. But He Lingchuan immediately reacted, "Are you saying they were eaten?"

Mao Tao picked up another bone from the ground. "This has scorch marks."

Not only were people eaten, but they were roasted first. He Lingchuan's stomach immediately churned.

Every time he thought he had adapted to this world, it would once again push him past his limits. "Are they crazy? Why would they eat their companions?"

"No, not crazy." Nian Songyu pulled out a few more bone fragments, all half-charred. "Have you ever seen a madman build a fire to roast meat?"

Mao Tao also sighed. "Young Master, cannibalism usually happens when people are extremely hungry."

Peace was rare in this world. During times of famine, people would sell a child one day and a wife the next, even resorting to exchanging children to eat. In times of war, armies often held civilians as food reserves, calling them "two-legged sheep." There were even generals who wrote books specifically teaching which parts of the human body were delicious and how to cook them.

Cannibalism had existed since ancient times, and it was unavoidable even now.

"There's no water or food here; they were trapped until they died!" Nian Songyu looked at Sun Fuping. "Grand Tutor, what should we do?"

This Coiling Dragon City looked prosperous, but living people couldn't consume anything here. If they stayed too long, they would die of thirst or starvation.

If they didn't find the Great Square Jar, they would follow in the footsteps of the Baling Kingdom's expedition!

Sun Fuping, however, remained calm. "No matter, let's keep searching. Don't forget, we still have something to rely on."

He was indeed very composed, maintaining the demeanor of an eminent figure.

The old man truly had a trump card hidden away. Was this perhaps why Nian Songyu dared to follow him into such a deep adventure? He Lingchuan watched the two intently and noticed Nian Songyu glancing at him after hearing the remark.

The glance was subconscious; Nian Songyu quickly withdrew his gaze, acting as if nothing had happened. But a loud alarm rang in He Lingchuan's mind: "Why did he look at me? Could this life-saving method have something to do with me?"

At this thought, his heart skipped two beats.

However, he then thought, it wasn't the final moment yet, so Sun Fuping probably wouldn't reveal his hand immediately?

With just himself and Mao Tao, it would be impossible to fight Sun and Nian. He Lingchuan decided that if those two made a move, he would turn and run without a second thought. The Coiling Dragon Wilderness was vast; they might not find him.

But for now, the hope of success still rested with Sun Fuping.

He Lingchuan could almost smell the coming danger, and at that moment, his mind was sharper than usual. "They endured until cannibalism, so they must have been here for a long time. Didn't they discover anything? If we could find something, it would save us a lot of trouble."

He walked to the two large vats, where a lot of miscellaneous items were discarded, things that shouldn't be in an ice cellar.

This made a lot of sense. Sun Fuping and Nian Songyu exchanged glances and nodded.

There were also clothes and rags on the ground, a few empty bottles, and various other miscellaneous items. The four of them could confirm these were the remnants of the Baling expedition team, but they searched everywhere and found nothing useful.

Sun Fuping, however, wasn't discouraged. He stood up and said, "This cellar was just for discarding the remains; the people who ate them aren't here. Let's split up and search. You and Commander Nian will be a team." He pointed at Mao Tao.

"And Young Master He will be with me."

He Lingchuan's eyes flickered. "Why not split into four groups? More people means an easier search."

"There might be unknown dangers in the city, so it's not advisable to split up too much." After Sun Fuping finished speaking, Nian Songyu took Mao Tao and strode away.

Were they afraid he would find a place to hide by himself? He Lingchuan became even more convinced that these two planned to scheme against him later, but he still had to remain respectful towards Sun Fuping. "Grand Tutor, please lead the way."

Walking along the empty street, He Lingchuan couldn't help but ask Sun Fuping:

"Even if we find the Great Square Jar, can it truly turn the tide of the war and quell the rebellion at Woling Pass?"

"Theoretically, yes. Otherwise, why would we expend such great effort?" Sun Fuping walked quickly; it seemed there was no specific target on this path.

"If it's really that effective, why didn't Zhong Shengguang use it to fight his way back to Xiluo Kingdom?" He Lingchuan had this question for a long time. "Instead, he and the city residents remained trapped in this enclave until they were surrounded and died."

"Divine artifacts like that often have many limitations on their use, or perhaps the deity who bestowed the treasure had other plans back then."

"What if we also can't overcome these limitations?"

"You don't need to worry about that," Sun Fuping said confidently. "As long as we find the Great Square Jar, I have my own way to break through the restrictions."

He Lingchuan was skeptical. The old man hadn't even seen the Great Square Jar and didn't know its enchantments, yet he dared to guarantee he could undo them? It was like a doctor prescribing medicine just by asking about symptoms, without feeling the pulse, examining the patient, or understanding the full history of the illness.

Moreover, he said "break through," which sounded like a forceful removal.

Yet the old man didn't seem to be bluffing at all.

Sun Fuping glanced at him, so He Lingchuan said, "Once we retrieve the Great Square Jar, my father and I can return to the capital. We'll need the Grand Tutor's continued support then."

Sun Fuping smiled. "Of course. Your help in recovering this divine artifact will be a great service."

"Commander Nian and I seem to have some..." He Lingchuan coughed lightly. "Misunderstanding. Where did I offend him?"

"The Prefect of Xun Province is leading troops to suppress the rebellion, and Commander Nian is probably concerned," Sun Fuping casually consoled. "Young people can be impatient. A few sleepless nights can make them hot-tempered and irritable."

He Lingchuan looked a bit embarrassed. "Would the Grand Tutor be able to mediate between us?"

Did this young man finally learn respect? But his fear was understandable. Firstly, He Chunhua and the Blackwater City army weren't here, so his past reliance was gone. Secondly, the He family father and son had always dreamed of returning to the capital in splendid attire. In such a place, how could a petty official dare to offend a Great General who conquered the north?

It was time to bow and scrape, and carefully cultivate good relations with them.

At this thought, Sun Fuping's smile grew even gentler. "A small matter."

He Lingchuan was indeed grateful. "Thank you, Grand Tutor!"

By this time, the two had walked dozens of meters from the Chen Residence, still without finding anything. He Lingchuan jumped onto a roadside rooftop, muttering as he looked around: "If I were a Baling native, on the verge of dying from thirst and starvation, where would I go to try my luck?"

He needed luck too, otherwise, if they were trapped here for too long, after Nian and Sun finished their own food and water, they might just decide to make a meal out of him and Mao Tao.

If it truly came to that, it might even be Grand Tutor Sun who did the killing, despite his benevolent appearance.

No, they would act sooner. After all, dried rations could be stored for a long time, but flesh could not.

It would be more logical to eat the flesh first and then gnaw on the dry rations, not to mention meat was tastier, tenderer, and more nutritious…