Chapter 21: A Battle of Wits with the Village Chief

Smoke curled from the village chief’s chimney, but at this hour, there was no chance they were cooking. That meant only one thing...

Jiang Cha and the others quietly conferred, devising a plan to buy time by summoning the police for Song Bo.

Jiang Cha took the lead with Zhong Jialin to engage the village chief, while Song Yang and Fan Minghui were tasked with sneaking into the village chief’s cellar, creating a diversion. Deng Yixiang stood watch, ready to sound the whistle at any sign of trouble.

Jiang Cha and Zhong Jialin approached the door first, their hearts pounding wildly. Forcing calm, they knocked, and the door creaked open to reveal Feng Jiayou, drooling.

“Who’s there?” came a raspy voice from inside.

Feng Jiayou spun around, “Sister! It’s the beautiful sister!”

Jiang Cha and Zhong Jialin forced faint smiles.

“Jiang Cha, why are you here again?”

They had prepared an excuse beforehand and hurried inside.

Jiang Cha looked apologetic. “Village chief, I’m sorry, but I accidentally broke your tractor.”

“What? Broken? You only borrowed it for a day, and it’s already broken?”

As expected, the village chief exploded with rage at those words.

Jiang Cha rubbed her eyes, tears welling up, her hands deliberately stained with onion juice before coming. Her eyes reddened, tears glistening at the corners. “I’m sorry, village chief, I didn’t mean to.”

At that moment, she began to cry.

Meanwhile, under the cover of darkness, Song Yang and Fan Minghui slipped past the village chief and made their way to the base of the bamboo house.

They groped in the dark and opened the iron cage on the perimeter.

Song Yang shivered, tugging at Fan Minghui’s sleeve. “Why is it so dark here?”

Fan Minghui took the lead, feeling his way forward.

Jiang Cha had told them there was a hidden passage beneath a thin layer of soil in the innermost part.

As he searched, he also looked out for Song Yang. “If you’re scared, you can stay with Deng Yixiang to keep watch. I can go down alone.”

Song Yang straightened immediately. “What are you saying? I’m not the type to run away. I’m coming with you.”

He reached out with trembling hands, feeling around here and there.

The base of the bamboo house was about thirty square meters. The deeper they went, the darker it became. Without lights, they had no choice but to rely on touch.

Fan Minghui tapped lightly with his hand, producing a crisp hollow “dong dong” sound. “This is it.”

They dug away the thin soil layer to reveal a heavy wooden door.

Fan Minghui tried to open it but it was stuck. Together, they heaved the heavy door open.

Inside was pitch black, not even a glimpse of light.

Song Yang was terrified. Fan Minghui sighed. “Wait up here. I’ll go down alone.”

They had come prepared.

Jiang Cha had brought along a sharp kitchen scissors, and Song Yang had a pair of pliers, perfect for prying open chains.

Fan Minghui took the tools from Song Yang and descended alone.

In the darkness, he found the torch lying by the door and, nearby, the flint. Striking it, the space was instantly illuminated.

Fan Minghui marveled; he had never seen a cellar like this before.

Although most homes had cellars, none were this large.

The passage opened into a wider chamber.

Groups of green peacocks were chained tightly with thick iron chains, bleeding at their feet, their feathers dull and lifeless, eyes sunken and listless.

They became alert immediately upon seeing Fan Minghui.

Unable to understand their calls, Fan Minghui flailed his arms. “Don’t worry, Jiang Cha sent me to rescue you!”

Jiang Cha had instructed him to identify himself to the peacocks so they wouldn’t feel threatened.

Whether the peacocks understood or not was uncertain.

Fan Minghui began his task, snipping chains with the scissors and then using the pliers to slowly pry open the locks.

“Fan Minghui, hurry! Jiang Cha over there might not hold out much longer!” Song Yang’s small, muffled voice came from above.

Luckily nimble, Fan Minghui quickly freed all the chains.

He counted six green peacocks in total.

Yet the feathers scattered on the ground suggested far more than six had been kept here.

He ignored that for now. After freeing some, they rushed toward the passageway. For those badly injured, Fan Minghui hoisted them and carried them toward the cellar entrance.

Song Yang watched anxiously, when suddenly a beaked creature flew out, startling him so much he shushed himself to keep from screaming.

“What are you doing?!”

Oh no.

Only one thought raced through Song Yang’s mind—this is it.

Outside the hollow base of the bamboo house, the village chief stood, eyes blazing with fury, staring at Song Yang as if ready to devour him.

Jiang Cha and Zhong Jialin hurried down, shouting, “Fan Minghui?”

Fan Minghui emerged from inside, clutching a green peacock. “I’m here, all rescued!”

The village chief advanced, holding a kitchen knife, watching the peacocks scatter.

Song Yang and Fan Minghui stood together, Fan Minghui brandishing the scissors at the chief. “What do you want to do?”

In the darkness, the village chief’s face twisted sinisterly. “What do I want? You freed my green peacocks after all the trouble I went through. What else would I do?”

Song Yang’s lips trembled. “I... I warn you, don’t make a move. My brother’s already called the police. If you dare, he won’t let you off!”

Blood tinged the village chief’s eyes as he swung the knife wildly at the fleeing peacocks.

“I finally found these green peacocks. According to the master, if I eat six more, my son’s mental affliction will be cured. You worthless brats, none of you are leaving today!”

He had lost his mind.

In the chaos, Jiang Cha grabbed two wooden sticks and handed one to Zhong Jialin.

Though the village chief was old, they were young and physically stronger.

“Hey! Old man! I planned all this. If you want to settle this, come find me!” Jiang Cha shouted furiously, pointing at him.

The village chief charged forward with the knife.

In the scramble, Song Yang and Fan Minghui seized their weapons and rushed out after him.

The peacocks cowered to the side.

“Big brother, you guys go! Don’t worry about me. I’m hurt and can’t run, but you still have a chance!”

“Don’t be foolish! If we go, we go together.”

It proved true—madmen wield terrifying strength.