The weak scholar in the end of ancient times

Chapter 10 Leaving the Village
Burning the wasteland does not mean just picking a place to light a fire.

They just wanted to clear the wild obstacles and drive away evil spirits, not burn their own homes.

The most experienced farmers in the village held a serious discussion and made preliminary preparations before carefully selecting several burning points.

The smoke from burning dead trees and weeds can also drive away evil spirits.

The Taoist priest said that evil creatures are afraid of fire, just like wild beasts. Large amounts of smoke will make them afraid of fire and avoid it.

Therefore, the villagers burned the large area of wasteland in front of them, which not only drove away the wild beasts and evil creatures hiding in the weeds, but also burned the weeds and branches that interfered with their vision and affected their walking.

Some villagers were filled with regret.

In the past, dead grass and branches were all useful. They were either cut and used to start fires in the stove or to weave things.

"What great firewood!" More than one person thought so.

The village chief turned his head and looked over: "You want it? Then go and cut it?"

"No, no!"

The villagers who had been sighing just now shook their heads vigorously.

If it’s close to the village, you can still pick up some, but if it’s far away, who would dare to go there?

If you get possessed by evil spirits accidentally, you won’t even be able to face your ancestors!

Not far away, Wen Gu was staring at the flames burning in the fields in a trance.

This time, Taoist Qingyi did not ask any questions. If it was another outrageous rumor that the scholar had heard while studying abroad, he would not know how to respond.

When I review the past, I don’t think about anything else. I just recall old things, which are the original memories of my body.

The original body took his cousin abroad to study, and immediately returned when the world became chaotic. However, when he returned to his hometown, Qincheng, the city had been destroyed and everyone had died.

Through the traces left in the city and the information described by the survivors, we piece together the truth.

The county magistrate in the city received the news privately and discovered that many people in the city had been possessed by evil spirits.

Several households closest to the water source had been possessed by evil spirits. He heard that fire could drive away evil spirits, or he felt that he should do something for the citizens before leaving, or he wanted to prevent threats from behind when escaping. In short, before he fled at night, he had those households set on fire.

The people in charge thought that in order to better carry out the master's orders, they poured a lot of kerosene to ensure that none of those households could escape. They did not think about the hidden dangers at all, or perhaps they did not have time to think about it at that time and did not take it to heart.

However, the weather was dry and most of the houses in the city were made of brick and wood, and it happened to be windy that night.

At that time, the grass and trees were withered and the climate was dry. It had not rained for many days, and many shops next to the fire point caught fire directly.

The fire quickly covered the streets where the houses were located and spread with the help of the wind.

The Wen family's house was too close to several burning locations and was soon surrounded by flames.

Even though there was no fire and it had not yet spread over, thick smoke was already surrounding them. In addition, people in the city were "possessed" one after another that night, and the fire and smoke made them even more ferocious. They ran around in all directions and attacked people crazily.

The people from the county government had fled long ago, and there was no one to control the chaos in the city.

It was dark at night, fires broke out in many places, the city gates were closed, and evil creatures hurt people.

If you hide at home, you will be burned; if you run out, you will be killed. The night vision is poor and the city gates are closed. When the city gates are finally opened, there will be a traffic jam of carriages and people.

In the end, only a few residents of the city managed to escape.

The Wen family had actually noticed this beforehand and had packed up their belongings to leave, but they were ultimately a step too late. Of the more than ten Wen family members who remained in the city, none survived.

In the past, I thought that the county magistrate in the city was mediocre and could only hold such an official position by relying on his family's support.

On weekdays, the county magistrate did not take care of things. The wealthy people in the city had their own connections and did not take him seriously.

However, no one expected that this idiot could deliver such a fatal blow.

If the court was stable, perhaps the county magistrate's family could suppress the matter and shift the blame for the epidemic infecting the city residents. They would have to do so.

Anyway, it's far away. As long as you do it thoroughly, clean up quickly, and operate properly, the people above won't care too much.

However, troubled times really came.

Even the magistrate who had tried to escape was unable to do so, as he had been infected with the plague and "possessed".

The Wen brothers encountered it before and killed it with their own hands.

However, the city was destroyed and the family was broken, and he was heartbroken. After collecting the remains of his relatives, "Wen Gu" found the secret box left by his father, took the token and went north with his cousin to seek refuge with relatives.

Organizing the information in memory, reviewing it and adjusting my mood.

At the same time, I have some thoughts.

In such a world, escaping and surviving must be difficult, but the people you choose to travel with should either be obedient or smart enough. They must not be the kind of self-righteous fools, as that can really lead to the destruction of the whole group.

Look up into the distance.

Hunter Liu brought a dozen or so skilled villagers and set fire to the designated fire points in order.

As the flames spread and the smoke dissipated, the evil creatures hidden in the thick grass began to move.

With a beast-like roar, a humanoid figure leaped from the hollow, its tattered clothing hanging from its body, revealing large areas of skin covered in purple-brown markings.

This is a person who has been possessed by evil spirits, and it has been going on for quite some time.

The longer they are "possessed," the more their bodies become alienated. Their strength and speed also increase. They can be identified by their markings and the degree of alienation of their skin and muscles.

Hunter Liu calmly drew his bow and shot the arrow, which hit the target.

Wen Gu saw clearly that the evil creature was shot in the abdomen, but it only paused for a moment, as if its ferocity was aroused, and turned around to pounce towards Liu the Hunter.

The second arrow arrived, aiming at the target and piercing the throat.

Even so, the evil creature did not fall down immediately, but stumbled forward. However, the flames from the burning dry grass in the field had already reached it.

The sharp roar of a wild beast sounded in the wilderness and disappeared after a while.

No one took a second look at it and was busy continuing to light the fire in front of them.

Wen Gu was very envious of Liu the Hunter's archery skills.

However, archery is not something that can be mastered in a day or two. Besides eyesight and talent, lack of physical fitness is also not enough to use a bow.

Farther away, a ferocious figure, sensing the smoke of fire, fled.

I can't control what's happening over there.

Near the village, the flames left a scorched earth, but this scene gave the villagers a sense of security.

The Taoist priest said that any place in the fields where evil spirits have been active must be burned to drive away the evil spirits.

Hunter Liu led his men in front to light a fire and explore the way, while the people behind him also quickly took action.

Cover your mouth and nose with a breathable cloth, and also cover your head to avoid contamination and inconvenience in cleaning.

If you don't have a hat, wrap it in a clean cloth.

Wen Gu learned how to wrap his hair and thought to himself that he must look carefully to see if there were any hats when he entered the town this time.

The village carpenter had people push out the repaired wooden carts and also took out all kinds of strange-shaped weapons made from farm tools.

The villagers have plenty of experience in hunting wild animals and setting traps.

I also have a bow and arrow. I don’t ask for it to be very good, as long as it can be used.

Wen Gu also saw long forks, which villagers used to harpoon wild animals in the past, but now they are more used to resist evil spirits.

There are also larger forks with the middle prongs removed, leaving only one on each side.

Wen Gu knew how to use it right away. It was a bit like the riot forks from his original world. The only difference was that most of the ones in the village were made of wood and needed to be replaced frequently. No wonder the carpenter's house was always busy, having to make extra supplies.

At first, the villagers behind only moved around the village.

Pick up the usable things left on the ground, such as the unburned trees, and drag them back to stockpile as firewood.

Firewood was also in great demand. They planned to go into the mountains to cut and store it for the winter. Now, they would bring back as much as they could.

And there are stones.

For those who do not have bows and arrows or are not good at archery, stones can also be their weapons.

The villagers might not be good at other things, but they were pretty good at throwing stones, a game they'd played since childhood. In the past, when things were peaceful, if they came across wild animals, they'd be lucky enough to smash a few and take them home to make some extra money.

The stones can also be used in subsequent fortification projects.

As the wasteland is burned, the flames will also burn the stones in the ground. Fire can drive away evil spirits, and the villagers can pick up the burned stones with peace of mind.

Some villagers also packed some ashes and soil from the burnt wood and took them back home to plant something in their own yard.

Taoist Master Qingyi once said that evil spirits are full of tricks and we must be on guard at all times.

You can plant some vegetables in your own yard and transplant one or two fruit trees. You don’t have to worry about being attacked by evil spirits. As long as you take good care of them and pay attention to your diet and daily life, there will be no problem.

Our ancestors have relied on the fields for survival for generations. We cannot leave the village to farm, so we have to grow something at home to feel at ease.

Wen Gu put on gloves, took a long bamboo clip, and helped pick up anything he could use.

This long bamboo clip was imitated in the village.

Rich people have fire tongs made of copper and iron to hold firewood in the fire.

Due to limited conditions in the village, they could only imitate something similar using bamboo and wood.

The surrounding view is wide and there are villagers around, so you don’t have to worry too much about your safety.

The cousin had a hatchet on his waist and a spear in his hand, protecting Wen Gu.

While searching the charred fields, Wen Gu listened to the conversations of the young and old villagers.

"We can't grow crops in the fields outside the village anymore. How about planting some fragrant herbs? Bean sprouts, what do you think?"

"Yes. When the spring comes next year and mosquitoes and insects breed, and evil spirits increase in number, it will be able to repel them. However, the effect may be limited."

"Well, as long as it works."

They discussed that the villagers also knew how to grow mugwort and other medicinal plants, so they could plant them near the village first in case of emergency.

"Go find some more with thorns and transplant them outside the village. Plant the precious herbs within the village, and keep the valuables at home... Hey, Village Chief, does that planning map of yours include any medicinal plots?"

“Plants transplanted from outside the village will grow slowly, so why not plant bamboo?
It grows fast and doesn't require any care. When it grows into a wall, it will protect the village."

As for whose land the crops are grown, that is no longer a concern. The most important thing now is to save the lives of the entire village.

We stayed near the village for half a day, waiting for a falcon to fly back from the sky, bringing back the news that everything was going well ahead.

The team then officially set off.

The villagers pushed out wooden carts to load and unload goods.

There are nearly twenty people who can go out, regardless of gender, as long as they can work, they will all be arranged.

Those who are too weak or have difficulty moving should not go out with us. If something happens, they won't be able to escape. Those who are too reckless are also not allowed to go out with us, as they will hinder us.

These people will stay in the village, and when the things are delivered, someone will be needed to sort them out.

The village chief and several village elders stayed behind.

The Taoist priest had already performed a ritual, and the wasteland had just been burned, so it was definitely safer than usual. There wasn't much to do. If one or two monsters did approach, the people left behind could simply shoot arrows or use swords and guns.

The half-grown children in the village are not completely helpless, and the elderly have all experienced things.

If the problem really cannot be solved, delay it. When the person who is transporting the goods comes back, he can help solve it.

Wen Gu also had to follow the team into the town.

The village chief originally wanted to persuade them, but considering that the two Wen brothers would also be leaving the village soon, they would be able to adapt to the town first.

Now Wen Gu has completely recovered from his illness and looks much more energetic. But when he is with everyone, he is still the most special one.

It’s not that he is thin, but his temperament is completely different, making him look more frail in comparison.

Taoist Qingyi hadn't originally planned to go into town, but after glancing at Wen Gu, he decided to follow. If anything happened to the unlucky scholar, he would have to find another candidate to take to the north.

When going into the town, Wen Gu not only took the bamboo tongs with him, but also brought a hatchet.

Taoist Qingyi glanced at him and sneered in his heart: "You are just pretending, can you really do it? Don't hurt yourself."

Wen Gu walked in the middle of the team, looking at the scenery around him.

The remains of skeletons can be seen in the burned fields, some of which are human and some of which are other animals.

There was a skeleton that looked like a cow, and the villagers were very distressed.

"That's a cow that can plow the land!"

As for the evil creatures that were burned, some were left with only skeletons, and some had only existed for a short time and were stuck with arrows. They must have been hunted by the people in front of Liu the Hunter and his team.

Don't worry about these things, nature will soon smooth them out.

After the weeds burned, the view became clearer.

Birds and wild animals carry the seeds of plants everywhere. Without people, these plants invade every inch of land.

The earthen graves that no one came to worship and no one cleaned were used. New trees grew bigger and bigger, their roots penetrated deeply into the graves, and their trunks pointed towards the sky.

The closer they got to the town, the quieter the group grew. It wasn't because they were moved by the surroundings, but rather because they were nervous and anxious.

However, thinking of the Taoist priest in the team, they calmed down a bit. After all, it was not the first day they had experienced this.

As they entered the town, Hunter Liu, who had been assigned a task by his father, loudly reminded everyone:

“Watch out for tree roots in the ground.”

"Don't fall, and if you do, don't exhale immediately!"

Wen Gu dodged a raised tree root just as his cousin next to him suddenly yelled, "Fuck!"

Review: You've made it big, Tietou! You can still swear!

But he reacted quickly and looked forward.

I go!

What a big grass!

Inside the low walls of the houses on the outskirts of the town, several huge herbaceous plants grew from inside, much taller than the eaves.

Although the leaves have turned yellow, one can imagine how lush they were a month or two ago.

Without the influence of cities and people, the already wild animals and plants of this era have become even more rampant.

I don’t know what kind of grass it is in front of me. I have never seen it in my own world.

The villagers' reaction was very indifferent, which should not be surprising here. They also talked about how good the firewood was. If it were in the past, they could have cut it back to burn in the stove.

(End of this chapter)