Wu Yan remained unmoved, his expression both fanatical and cruel:
"For the sake of the village's survival, we can't worry about anything else. Anyway, they were the ones who angered the mountain god first. Their lives are the only way to ensure the safety of the whole village. This is the will of heaven and their chance to atone for their sins!"
Just then, Luo Tianhe couldn't stand it any longer. He roared and stood in front of the tourists:
"Hey Wu, are you even human? They just lost a comrade and are terrified, and you still want to feed it to that monster?"
I didn't stop Luo Tianhe. These young people, though somewhat ignorant, didn't deserve to die.
And if the vines eat them, we'll probably be in even more trouble.
Although the villagers behind Wu Yan also showed reluctance and fear on their faces, under the weight of Wu Yan's long-standing prestige and the safety of the entire village, they still gritted their teeth and forced their way forward with ropes and sticks.
The other villagers either remained silent, avoided eye contact, or even whispered in agreement, but no one stood up to object.
Sun Wang tried to speak, but his wife held him back tightly.
"Heh heh, let's see who dares to make a move!" Luo Tianhe swung his baton.
Most of these villagers were skin and bones, with only Wu Yan and a few others being burly. It was hard to say who would win or lose if a fight broke out.
The tourists looked at us with eyes full of gratitude.
"Sun Wang, is this your guest?"
Wu Yan ignored us and instead put pressure on Sun Wang.
Sun Wang froze on the spot, speechless for a long time.
Just when I thought he would deny it, he suddenly spoke:
"That's right!"
Although it consists of only two words, it represents his stance on which side he has chosen.
I felt somewhat relieved, took a step forward, and said:
"Old Wu, you say they angered the mountain god and brought disaster upon themselves. Then let me ask you, how did Wu Laosi's cow die? These outsiders weren't here at that time. Could it be that they angered the mountain god from hundreds of miles away?"
These words hit the nail on the head. Wu Yan's face stiffened, and the surrounding disaster victims began to stir, with discussions gradually rising.
"That's right, that son of a bitch is just spouting nonsense. What mountain god or whatever? We're just here to have fun, what does it have to do with us!"
The young man in the baseball cap cursed, tears streaming down his face. Even at a time like this, he still dared to curse out loud; he really had some guts.
I glanced at him, then pressed on, raising my voice even louder: "And what happened to the village elder's grandson? Why is the mountain god's appetite getting bigger and bigger, from livestock to children, and now he wants living people? If you sacrifice them today, who will you offer tomorrow when he's hungry again? Which family in the village has extra children to offer you?"
"You're talking nonsense, you're blaspheming the gods!" Wu Yan was so angry that his face turned blue. He pointed at my nose and cursed, "Go! Take them all down! These outsiders are colluding with Sun Wang. They must be accomplices in the mountain god's punishment. Deal with them all!"
The scene instantly spiraled out of control as Wu Yan's men pounced on them menacingly.
Luo Tianhe was not intimidated at all, wielding his baton with great force, producing dull thuds.
At this chaotic juncture, a hoarse, piercing roar suddenly erupted from the depths of the village:
"Wu Yan!"
A mad old man, dressed in tattered clothes and barefoot, stumbled and rushed over like a vengeful ghost crawling out of a grave.
His gaunt face was distorted by the torchlight, but his eyes were fixed on Wu Yan.
"You beast, you childless beast, do you want to commit the same atrocities I did back then? That book is an evil book. No matter how many living people you offer him, he will never be satisfied! He will eat everyone in the village! Look at me, look at my fate. Do you want the village to be doomed forever?"
This guy is the village elder, how did he regain consciousness?
I was completely puzzled. Doctor Sun had clearly said he was crazy and told us not to believe him, but now he was on our side.
Li Huai was also stunned, staring blankly at the crazy old man.
Only Luo Tianhe seized the opportunity and kicked over several burly men who pounced on him.
At this moment, the burly men following behind Wu Yan paused, looking at the old village elder with surprise and uncertainty.
It must be said that the old village elder is quite dignified!
After all, he sacrificed his own grandson alive for the sake of the other villagers.
This is not something an ordinary person could do; anyone would owe him a debt of gratitude.
Wu Yan's pupils contracted sharply, and the fervent look on his face faded slightly, replaced by a hint of guilt.
He never expected that the village elder would wake up at this moment and so accurately hit his sore spot.
The old village elder rushed forward, but instead of attacking Wu Yan, he suddenly turned around, spread his arms, and stood in front of us.
His voice was hoarse, but his words were unusually clear:
"Look at me, all of you! Look at me, Wu Qingshan, you son of a bitch!"
He shouted his name at the top of his lungs.
"Look at this old madman who sent his own grandson into the tiger's den back then. You think I really went mad because of the pain of losing my grandson? Bullshit!"
He pounded his sunken chest violently, making a loud thud.
"Old man, my son died young, and my daughter-in-law died young too. I'm heartbroken, but I'm not crazy at all! The reason I'm crazy is because that evil thing has affected me. It forced a bunch of evil thoughts into my brain. I'm sometimes crazy and sometimes awake. When I'm awake, I wish I could slit my own throat!"
He suddenly turned around, his withered fingers almost poking Wu Yan's nose:
"You really think you're lucky, the chosen one selected by the mountain god? Bullshit!"
"That thing deliberately left it there. It ate my grandson and nourished itself with his soul for over a decade, becoming even more cunning. It knows that vines alone aren't enough to catch people; it also needs people to willingly offer them food. The nonsense in that booklet is its poison to deceive people!"
"Do you think it's only natural to exchange other people's lives for the safety of the village, and even feel smug because you promoted it and protected the people of the village?"
Wu Yan turned pale at his words and subconsciously took a half step back.
His eyes were filled with panic, his lips moved as if he wanted to refute, but he couldn't utter a word.
I rubbed my chin. These plot twists were too fast; we'd become the bystanders.
Sun Wang stared wide-eyed, never expecting it to be like this.
The villagers' gazes toward Wu Yan gradually turned from astonishment to fear.
If what the old village elder said is true, then everything he did was just the work of a puppet controlled by evil forces. Who would still dare to believe him?!
"Bullshit, you motherfucking rubbish!" Wu Yan finally caught his breath and roared, his voice filled with bravado but utter fear.
"You're a madman. Who would believe a madman? I think you've been bought off by these outsiders to spread rumors and mislead the public!"
"Hehe, it's easy for you to prove yourself. Just feed yourself to the mountain god, and everyone in the village will believe you!"
I snorted coldly and said sarcastically.
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