"Cannibalism?"
I swallowed, looking at Xu Fu. He nodded.
"It's true. Many times, things like that have happened. I'm no exception—I've eaten human flesh too. But the taste, the sensation... it's not as good as you might think."
A wave of nausea and dread swept through me.
"Was it out of desperation?"
"You could say that. But tell me, how do you think a person should live?"
I didn't know how to answer. Everyone has their own path in life, their own reasons for living. There's no single way to live.
"Whether good or evil, the only way is to live with dignity, isn't it?"
Xu Fu pointed at me, then suddenly covered his cheek and started laughing. There was a hint of sorrow in his voice.
"Even beasts won't eat the corpses of their own kind. But humans will."
Below the city wall, chaos reigned. Adam Dale caught a whiff of something fragrant. He saw a crowd of people shouting, screaming, and more and more pressed toward the source. Unable to resist, Adam Dale stepped closer, drawn in by the scent.
They were people—starving refugees who had been trapped for days beneath the city wall. Now, they had begun to eat the dead, roasting corpses over open flames.
At that moment, the soldiers atop the city wall seemed to notice something was wrong. Adam Dale kept swallowing, his stomach growling. He reached out, ready to grab a share. Death held no meaning for him—he'd seen too much of it, whether from battle, disease, or murder.
"They've gone mad. Hurry, report to Master Luo."
Adam Dale struggled to squeeze into the crowd. Nothing seemed out of place to him. He snatched a piece of falling meat and shoved it into his mouth without hesitation.
Whether shot dead trying to enter the city, starved, or so weak they could barely move, even those on the verge of death were dragged off. Outside the city wall, thousands of starving people gathered—fifteen or twenty bodies were nowhere near enough.
A chorus of wailing erupted. An old man, barely alive, was killed with a knife and quickly hauled to the fire. Driven mad by the scent of food, the people beneath the wall lost all reason. The shortest had starved for three or four days like Adam Dale; the longest, over a month—skin and bones, hollow-eyed.
Adam Dale could endure hunger, but hopeless hunger was something he couldn't bear any longer.
"Prepare..."
A shout rang out. Soldiers crowded the city wall. Adam Dale dropped his food and looked up in terror.
"Kill all these lunatics. Leave none alive."
Adam Dale started running. Years of surviving on battlefields had taught him well—if he didn't run now, he'd die.
Arrows rained down from the city wall, more and more with each passing moment. Those still gnawing at flesh were struck and fell immediately.
Adam Dale was crushed beneath a falling body. He covered his ears as blood and screams filled the air. The arrows didn't stop—they kept coming, relentless.
Only when the wailing finally ceased and darkness fell did the arrows stop. Adam Dale lay motionless among the corpses, not daring to breathe. At last, the city gate opened.
Fearing plague, those who emerged were fully armed. Adam Dale smelled something bitter as they carried barrels of oil and piles of firewood. They doused the corpses outside the city with oil, preparing to burn them all. If they found anyone still alive, a sword finished the job.
Taking advantage of the night, Adam Dale crawled on his belly, eyes fixed on the open gate. As the darkness deepened and preparations finished, he inched closer to the entrance. Soldiers continued to check for any survivors.
Adam Dale looked around and spotted a barrel of oil. Bit by bit, he squeezed himself inside, enduring the stench, and waited in silence.
In that moment, a glimmer of hope shone in Adam Dale's eyes. He didn't want to die here.
The fire roared to life. Adam Dale felt himself being lifted. He stayed silent, hearing the city gate close, the screams of those not yet dead, and the crackle of flames consuming everything.
Finally, the chaos subsided. Adam Dale crawled out of the barrel, exhaling in relief. He was utterly exhausted. Inside a warehouse stacked with supplies, he searched every corner.
Noises sounded outside. Adam Dale found a door, but patrols kept passing. He could only curl up inside the warehouse. It was warmer than outside, but hunger gnawed at him.
Desperate for food, Adam Dale waited for a break in the patrols and dashed out. There were several warehouses without doors, and he searched each one. At last, he found dry rations in one and devoured them. Sated, he curled up in a corner and fell asleep.
"Kid, how did you get in here?"
Early next morning, Adam Dale was discovered. Some soldiers grabbed him. He was terrified, but the smell of oil on him made the soldiers wary—they realized he'd snuck in.
"Quick, burn the child. If he brought the plague in, we're finished."
The soldiers panicked. Everyone in the camp was afraid.
"What's the panic? If he had the plague, he'd be dead by now."
Just then, an old man appeared, sly-faced. He glanced at Adam Dale and questioned him for an hour.
"Did you come from the plague-ridden post station up ahead?"
The old man looked incredulous. Adam Dale explained how, after those people collapsed, he helped boil water and cook meals for them.
The old man was Lin Huainan, a medicine peddler and doctor. He was fascinated by Adam Dale's unusual constitution and persuaded the officers to let the boy stay with him. Lin Huainan was only here to personally deliver medicine from the State of Qi.
Lin Huainan saw Adam Dale's value—he could fetch a high price, sold to other doctors as a medicine slave.
Among doctors, medicine slaves were a secret never spoken aloud. Every doctor knew the practice, but none would admit it.
Medicine slaves weren't easily obtained—they were rare. Lin Huainan was delighted to have found someone as strong as Adam Dale. He couldn't wait to return to Qi, where there was no war.
Eager to leave, Lin Huainan watched the officials' handover daily. A large shipment of medicine had arrived, but even now, he hadn't seen a single coin.
Each time he went to collect, the steward surnamed Luo made excuses. Though the fighting had just subsided, it was only temporary. Orders kept coming to stockpile supplies, and for now, there was no money—he'd have to wait until spring.
Lin Huainan was furious, but having Adam Dale made him excited—a good medicine slave was worth many times this deal.
But the medicine was piling up, and Lin Huainan ached for the payment. All he could do was wait. He treated Adam Dale well, making sure he ate his fill every day.
Adam Dale was deeply grateful to Lin Huainan, unaware of the scheming hidden inside him. He lived in the camp, watched the soldiers drill every morning, and happily mimicked their moves.
Time passed, and winter was in full grip. Everything was calm, but Lin Huainan grew more anxious by the day—worry etched deeper into his face.
"I fear we'll never get the money. This business will be a total loss."
For the medicine traders, if the money didn't come, half a year's effort hauling medicine from Qi would be wasted—a complete disaster.
"Let me fetch water for you."
Adam Dale saw Lin Huainan's furrowed brow and wanted to help, so he brought over a large bucket of hot water. In the cold winter mornings, hands and feet were numb, and Lin Huainan was pleased. Adam Dale always helped out around the camp when he could.
Lin Huainan even felt a pang of guilt about making Adam Dale a medicine slave. But the thought of all that gold waiting for him quickly snuffed out his conscience.
Just then, Lord Luo arrived—fat-faced and big-eared. As soon as he entered, he exchanged pleasantries with Lin Huainan. After all, this shipment of medicine was no small matter; most were for treating wounds, and come spring, they'd be in high demand. Adam Dale served tea and water quietly to the side.
Lord Luo glanced at Adam Dale.
"This child..."
"Oh, Lord Luo, I picked up this child on the road. He looked pitiful, so I took him in."
Lord Luo's gaze flickered, then he finally stated his purpose: only half the money could be paid now. The rest would come in spring, once the funds were released.
Experienced as he was, Lin Huainan understood immediately. If he left now, he'd never see the rest of the money. He wasn't in a hurry.
"Ah, Lord Luo, if I return with only half, I can't explain to the others. You're putting me in a tough spot. How about eighty percent? If I get eighty percent, I'll go back."
That was Lin Huainan's bottom line. With eighty percent, he'd make a profit, and having lucked into Adam Dale, he felt much better. At worst, selling Adam Dale would recoup his losses several times over.
"Fine, fine. I'll go back and discuss it."
Lord Luo left. Adam Dale burst out laughing, pointing at where Lord Luo had gone and said:
"That guy smells weird."
Lin Huainan looked at Adam Dale, and the boy continued speaking.
"I've seen it many times. People close to death always have that smell."