"Just wild dogs, and there's so much to say about them?"
Aunt Zhang's sudden remark caught Hu Ma by surprise as well. He had heard of wild dogs that ate corpses, even humans, but he hadn't heard of anything so supernatural. Digging up graves was already bad enough, but now they wanted to eat what was inside the coffin too?
"They've eaten too much human flesh and got tainted by evil spirits..." Aunt Zhang sighed softly. "When wild dogs get hungry, they will dig up graves, pull out the dead bodies from the coffins, and eat them. The more they eat, the more they acquire a taste for human flesh. Their eyes turn red, their mouths carry corpse poison, and their behavior becomes increasingly evil. They've developed their own set of rules. When we escort the spirit, we fear two things the most. One is the risen corpse, and the other is this kind of corpse-stealing."
Hu Ma saw that Aunt Zhang spoke seriously and focused his attention. "So how do we deal with them?" he asked. "Should we just hack them all to pieces?"
He was only somewhat familiar with the Path of the Ghost Walker, but his skills as a Shousui man were undeniable. I have a knife with me, so there's no reason to fear these wild dogs.
"Absolutely not..."
To his surprise, Aunt Zhang was startled. "If you kill them, that's when the trouble starts," she said hurriedly. "Once you make a move, regardless of how many you kill, you'll have offended these wild dogs. They will follow you along the way and summon every evil spirit to harass you. They'll even gather more allies. They'll relieve themselves near water sources or upwind, and their urine is also poisonous. The place we're traveling through now is sparsely populated, with many more dead than living. Who knows how many evil spirits are lurking, waiting to entangle with us? If they get involved, we won't have a moment's peace."
Hu Ma was astonished as he listened. "They have this kind of ability?"
Aunt Zhang shook her head. "In places where there are fewer living people, these evil demons adapt and develop rules that don't belong among the living..."
Hu Ma nodded and turned his head, seeing only desolate weeds and ruins. In the cold wind, who knew how many emaciated, red-eyed vicious dogs occasionally ran about in the distance? Some even whispered among themselves, glancing at them from afar, as if discussing something in low voices.
Aunt Zhang pondered. "How much meat did we trade from the caravan yesterday?" she asked.
Hu Ma replied, "We traded for two large pieces of cured pork yesterday and haven't eaten much. We also have plenty of rice and flour."
"Bring a piece of the pork," Aunt Zhang said in a low voice. "Among this pack of wild dogs, there must be one that has achieved some cultivation. It's the one ordering these wild dogs to follow us, demanding corpses to eat. If things get tense, it's this one that has the ability to call on the surrounding evil spirits to cause us trouble. We should follow the rules first, give it some benefit, and ask it to show mercy and let us pass."
"I never thought there would be a day I'd have to negotiate with wild dogs..." Hu Ma smiled wryly. He turned around and retrieved a bundle from beside the coffin on the donkey cart. In it were two large pieces of cured pork, one weighing over ten pounds and the other over twenty pounds. Aunt Zhang wasn't stingy and told Hu Ma to grab the piece weighing over twenty pounds. Just as he was about to go, he heard Aunt Zhang say softly,
"Bring your knife as well."
Hu Ma was taken aback for a moment before smiling and turning to bring his knife.
This was the first time Aunt Zhang, who had always been gentle and kind throughout their journey, had suggested he bring a knife.
Hu Ma secured the saw-toothed knife at his waist and held the cured pork. Meanwhile, Aunt Zhang picked up a stick from the roadside. She then took out a red string from her bundle, wrapped it around the stick several times, and hid it in her wide sleeve before leading Hu Ma toward the wild dogs ahead.
The driver and workers, seeing their peculiar behavior, widened their eyes in curiosity. Housekeeper Zhou remained silent, guarding the coffin.
"WOOF..."
As Hu Ma and Aunt Zhang approached, several wild dogs blocking the way instinctively wanted to flee. However, seeing them holding the cured pork without displaying hostility, the dogs hesitated. They took a few steps back and looked at them, letting out low growls, seemingly ordering them to stop.
Aunt Zhang indeed paused before them and respectfully said, "Dear friends ahead, we are Ghost Walkers traversing the land, entrusted to escort the deceased back to their hometown, without past grievances or recent grudges with you. Today, we pass through your land, grateful for your warmhearted protection along the way. We have no means to repay you but offer a piece of cured pork. We hope you will kindly accept it."
The surroundings fell silent. It was unclear how many pairs of dark red eyes were fixed intently on the cured pork in Hu Ma's hand.
Aunt Zhang spoke politely, but there wasn't any visible reaction from them... Could it be that these creatures aren't smart enough to understand human speech?
While he was pondering, the pack of vicious dogs unexpectedly stared at the cured pork, drooling for a long time. In the end, they turned their heads and ran to the roadside. Then, glancing back at them as if signaling for them to follow, they darted into the wild fields by the roadside.
Seeing Aunt Zhang follow, Hu Ma also went along, trailing after the lead wild dog. They meandered into a graveyard nestled in the hills.
Surrounding them were tall black steles, apparently marking the ancestral graves of a prominent family. However, the graves had been dug up and ransacked, leaving scattered burial clothing, decayed wood, and assorted antique items strewn across the ground. Even the skeletal remains in the coffins had been pulled out, teeth marks scarring the bones. Flies buzzed about, epitomizing utter desolation.
The leading wild dog retreated behind a stele and disappeared. The surroundings fell eerily silent.
Aunt Zhang let out a soft breath and signaled Hu Ma to hold up the cured pork. Standing in the empty graveyard, he repeated her earlier words.
They waited quietly. After a while, a low growl suddenly sounded from behind the circle of graves, and a wild dog emerged, staring at them with sinister intent.
Seeing this wild dog, Hu Ma couldn't help but shudder. It was as large as a calf, with dark red, blood-like eyes. Its most striking feature was several large, pus-filled lesions on its head and body.
Perhaps it had eaten too much human flesh, for the lesions faintly resembled human faces.
The lesion on its back had even formed facial features—squished together and wrinkled—resembling a human face growing out of the dog's back.
Seeing this wild dog, even Aunt Zhang let out a soft sigh. She turned to Hu Ma. "Shopkeeper," she said, "present the gift we've prepared for our friends!"
Hu Ma nodded and stepped forward. When the wild dog's eyes fixed on him, he stopped and laid the cured pork flat on the ground.
Aunt Zhang respectfully addressed the wild dog, "No past grudges, no present enmity. Friends should reconcile, not feud. Please accept this piece of cured pork. Would you kindly let us pass?"
She maintained her courtesy, but her tone had subtly shifted.
The wild dog glanced grimly at the cured pork on the ground, its dark red eyes eerie and unreadable. It raised its head to look at Aunt Zhang and Hu Ma, saliva beginning to drip from its mouth. Something seemed to pass through its mind as its eyes darted between Hu Ma, Aunt Zhang, and the meat on the ground. Finally, its eyes grew even redder. Suddenly, it let out a low, hoarse "WOOF," sounding like a ghostly wail.
Immediately, the surrounding tall grass rustled, and one by one, furry heads emerged from the shadows. Pairs of vaguely demonic eyes fixed on them, growling in unison.
Hu Ma surveyed the scene. He saw wild dogs with mangy patches, some wounded, others covered in lice, and some emaciated to the bone. Yet, every one of them looked fiercely aggressive, their drool dripping from their sharp teeth.
He lowered his voice. "What's going on?"
"They disagree."
Aunt Zhang sighed softly. "They not only want what's in the coffin but also us!" she said. "When I saw this leader, I knew today's troubles couldn't be resolved easily. This pack has eaten who knows how many dead bodies, perhaps even living ones, and has developed human-face sores. Each additional sore makes it more malevolent. Who knows how many dead people's brains it's devoured to grow so many..."
Hu Ma also glanced at the sores on the leader. "Then..." he said.
"Fight these beasts," Aunt Zhang gritted her teeth slightly, then suddenly said, "But, Shopkeeper, make sure not to let this leader escape, or there will be endless trouble..."
Before she could finish her sentence, the leader saw the wild dogs surrounding Hu Ma and Aunt Zhang and let out a long howl. The other wild dogs' eyes, already dark red, seemed to fill with blood. They suddenly became frenzied, clawed the ground, and charged fiercely at Hu Ma and Aunt Zhang.
A sickening wind blew. The stench from the dogs' mouths was dizzying, and all around were sharp fangs and claws.
Aunt Zhang, usually timid and shy, now swung the wooden stick she had hidden behind her back, striking one of the dogs on the head.
But the leader, after giving the order, displayed an insidious, human-like smile on its dog face. It didn't charge but slowly withdrew deeper into the graveyard.
But at that moment, Hu Ma didn't rush into action. As the wild dogs charged, he had already placed a hand on his side, silently harnessing his skills. His Five Organs trembled, and with a thunderous shout, he roared:
"HAH!"
Five Thunders Golden Toad Roar!
Unfamiliar with the situation and fearing the wild dogs might be too difficult to handle, Hu Ma released the power of two organs.
Even with just two organs, the roar was like a clap of thunder in a clear sky. It terrified the pack of wild dogs, causing them to whimper and scurry away with their tails between their legs. Some, in their fright, lay flat on the ground.
Meanwhile, the wild dog leader, which had retreated halfway into the graveyard, froze. Its expression changed instantly, its eyes widening.
By then, Hu Ma had drawn his saw-toothed knife and gave the leader a cold smile.