As he was speaking, Li Dali suddenly burst into tears.
"Er Gouzi, we were bewitched before, that's why we went against you! Please be magnanimous and forgive us! We just can't live like this anymore! Waaaaah! Er Gouzi, Er Gouzi!!"
屮!
They're wailing!
Zhang Cheng's eyes remained completely expressionless.
He stared silently at Li Dali's face, a mixture of snot, tears, and blood, as if watching a poorly made drama.
“You were driven out of the village by your own choice, and you deserve it.”
Zhang Cheng's voice was calm, yet it was like an ice pick piercing Li Dali's eardrum.
"Er Gouzi, Er Gouzi!!!"
Still crying?
A faint, cold smile curled at the corner of Zhang Cheng's lips.
It's really bad luck to have someone calling your name like they're wailing at a grave late at night.
"roll."
Zhang Cheng only said one word.
As soon as the words were spoken, Zhang Guangtian and Zhang Guilan subconsciously let go of each other's hands.
"I won't leave! I won't leave!"
Li Dali suddenly leaped up from the ground, knelt down, and frantically crawled towards Zhang Cheng on his knees, appearing almost crazed.
"Ergouzi! I truly know I was wrong! My parents have worried themselves sick in Huangdian Village because of me, their hair has turned white! I'm so unfilial! Please, let me go back to the village! I'll be your servant!"
"When my three older brothers come back, they'll all work like slaves for you, our whole family will risk our lives for you!"
"It's too late."
Zhang Cheng's answer was still those two words, devoid of any emotion.
The old village chief and the others sighed as they watched this scene unfold.
Hearing these uncompromising words, Li Dali completely lost his mind. He lay down on the ground, throwing a tantrum and screaming:
"I'm not leaving! I'm not leaving! Just kill me today! Just kill me!"
The old village chief couldn't stand it any longer. He looked at Zhang Guangtian and the others and said in a deep voice, "Throw him out of the village!"
Zhang Guangtian and the others gritted their teeth and stepped forward, lifting Li Dali and walking out of the village.
"Alright, everyone go back to sleep," the old village chief said, clapping his hands.
"People from the township are coming tomorrow. Don't cause any more trouble with the land allocation."
Before he could finish speaking...
"Er Gouzi!!!"
The piercing cries came again from afar.
Li Dali lost his shoes while running, and barefoot, he rushed back like a madman, collapsing once again on the open ground in front of the store.
The villagers were both amused and exasperated.
Zhang Cheng's patience seemed to have run out. He took a step forward, leaning on his cane, and looked down at Li Dali, who was rolling on the ground.
"Li Dali, do you still want your face?"
"No more! I don't care about my reputation anymore! I just want to go back to the village!" Li Dali cried out. "Even if I die, I want to die here!"
Shi Yangyang held Zhang Cheng's arm, her beautiful eyes filled with worry.
"Er Gouzi, how about..." The old village chief frowned and began to speak, wanting to act as a peacemaker.
Zhang Cheng suddenly turned his head, his gaze sharp as lightning, and stared directly at the old village chief.
"Uncle."
He interrupted the old village chief.
"When he stole my things, who gave him the opportunity?"
“I didn’t call the police to arrest him, which is already out of consideration for the villagers.”
"Now, he's threatening me with death?"
Zhang Cheng's voice suddenly turned cold.
"OK."
Li Dali was stunned for a moment upon hearing this, then a look of manic joy flashed in his eyes. He suddenly darted toward the old village chief with astonishing speed!
The old village chief didn't even have time to react!
Li Dali shoved the old village chief to the ground and snatched the gleaming sickle from his waist!
He raised the sickle high, aimed it at his left arm, and roared hysterically at Zhang Cheng:
"Zhang Ergou! This is my return payment to you!!!"
All the villagers held their breath!
Shi Yangyang screamed in fright!
However, Zhang Cheng smiled.
Instead of stopping him, he took another step forward and said in a calm, almost cruel tone:
"cut."
"I'm watching."
Just two words were like a bucket of ice water poured over Li Dali's head and down to his feet.
The hand holding the sickle froze in mid-air.
The madness on Li Dali's face froze instantly, replaced by endless astonishment and fear.
How could he... how dare he?
"What, you're scared now?" Zhang Cheng's lips curled into a mocking smile.
"Wouldn't it be a good deal to trade an arm for the chance for your whole family to enter the village and for my protection, Zhang Cheng?"
"Cut it down, and I'll bring your parents back right away."
"I...I..." Li Dali trembled all over. The sickle was as heavy as a thousand pounds, but he couldn't bring himself to chop it down.
He was putting on an act; he was betting that Zhang Cheng wouldn't dare let him die on his own doorstep!
He lost his bet.
"waste."
Zhang Cheng uttered two words dismissively and turned to leave.
"No! Don't go!" Li Dali completely broke down, throwing away his sickle and scrambling to grab Zhang Cheng's leg.
"Brother Cheng! I was wrong! I was really wrong! I'm an animal! I'm not human! Please give me a way out! I'll do anything you want!"
Zhang Cheng stopped and looked down at him, his eyes filled with no pity, only calculation.
"Want to live?"
"Yes! Yes!" Li Dali kowtowed repeatedly, as if pounding garlic.
“Okay,” Zhang Cheng said slowly. “I’ll give you a chance.”
“Deep in the back mountains, there is a forest known as ‘the forest that even ghosts fear.’ It is said that no one who goes in ever comes out alive.”
"Go there before dawn and bring me back a live wild boar."
“You’ve done it. Li Dali and your family can go back to the village.”
"I can't do it..."
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