Starting with the flesh-based stimulant

Approaching the cave dwelling, it was not quite what Zhou He had imagined.

The two wooden doors of the cave dwelling were wide open, and it didn't feel as cramped and dark as I had imagined.

The arched glass above has a faint green tint, like the old glass used in the past, with impurities, but it unexpectedly softens the light that shines through.

Sunlight streamed through the greenery, creating a bright and clean atmosphere. The ground was compacted and swept clean.

It gleamed with a warm sheen when illuminated by the light.

Walking inside, it looks like a normal home living room.

There was an eight-immortal table directly opposite the door. The tabletop was empty, but the lacquer was well-maintained, and you could faintly see your reflection in it.

Behind the table was a mahogany cabinet with its doors tightly locked. The brass latches were covered in green rust, indicating that it had been there for quite some time.

A short man, who was only about waist-high, was pushing open the door on the left wall and walking out.

He was dressed in a drab, coarse cloth outfit and wore black cloth shoes, walking very quietly.

He didn't react much when he saw Zhou He, but the next second when he saw the peddler behind Zhou He, his lips immediately curled down.

He clicked his tongue, the sound high-pitched and thin, carrying undisguised disdain:

"What bad luck! I was wondering why there was a row of crows at the door this morning. Turns out, we really did have some unpleasant guests."

The peddler didn't think there was anything wrong with what the other person said, and still had that sly smile on his face.

With his eyes squinted and the flesh on his cheekbones bunched up, he looked just like a weasel that had come to life.

He didn't know when he had hidden his cart. The cart, which was full of odds and ends, had disappeared without a trace, and he hadn't even heard a sound.

The peddler cupped his hands in a respectful gesture to the short man, flicked his sleeves deftly, and spoke with a familiar and warm tone:

"Boss Liu, we've been doing business together for years. With friends here, please give us some face."

The eldest brother Liu snorted coldly, the sound coming out of his nose. He didn't say anything more, turned around and waved, signaling Zhou He to follow him.

Zhou He glanced back and saw that the peddler had already sat down at the octagonal table, crossed his legs, and was taking out a cigarette roll from his pocket, twisting tobacco leaves onto it.

Seeing Zhou He looking over, the peddler waved his hand at him, meaning he wouldn't go in with him.

"Don't even look. If he dares to go in and take a peek at this pool of wild meat, he'll be nothing but a skeleton by tomorrow."

Liu Laoda's shrill voice came from the front. As he spoke, he struggled to push the small door on the left a little wider.

The door appeared to be made of solid wood, but it made almost no sound when pushed.

A cool breeze, carrying a damp, musty smell, wafted out from the crack behind the door, making Zhou He frown.

Old Liu turned his head, his small eyes scanning Zhou He up and down, and asked:

"A friend who just went out?"

The question seemed abrupt, but Zhou He understood it.

He nodded, but instead of rushing inside, he turned around and asked the peddler again:

"Is there anything special about the meat the host requested this time?"

The peddler had already rolled the cigarette, licked the end of the roll with his tongue until it stuck together, then took out a match, lit it, took a puff, and waved with a smile:

"There's no special requirement, as long as it's genuine wild meat. Don't worry, there's no deception here with Boss Liu."

Zhou He nodded and followed Boss Liu through the side door. Looking up, he was momentarily distracted.

The space behind the door is not large, and there is a huge mirror embedded in the wall directly opposite.

Without a frame, it's less like it's embedded in the wall and more like the entire wall is a mirror.

Strangely, Zhou He didn't see his own reflection in the mirror, nor did he see Boss Liu.

The mirror only showed an empty room, and in front of the mirror sat a person sitting crookedly.

It was a middle-aged man missing an arm, dressed in tattered clothes, with his left sleeve hanging limply, and he was pretending to be asleep with his eyes closed.

In front of the man was a broken bowl filled with water.

The reason Zhou lost his composure was because of that bowl of water.

The bowl is small, with two rims missing, and a red rooster is painted on the rim, its head held high as it crows at the sun.

The water in the bowl was clear, but the bottom was not visible. Occasionally, a small splash would appear, and there would be a sound in the splash.

The voice was soft, yet surprisingly clear, as if it came from a very, very far place, or as if it were whispering right next to your ear.

Zhou He heard it as soon as he came in.

Someone was singing, their voice melodious, echoing through the empty stadium. They were singing:

Tonight, I watch the snow fall in the cold night.

"With a heart that has cooled, I drift far away."

Cantonese songs, old songs, very old Cantonese songs.

Zhou and Jiang remained rooted to the spot.

The original singer of this song was a band he really liked before he traveled through time. He even bought tickets specifically to attend their concert.

Of course, it wasn't the original band; the lead singer of that band is no longer with us.

The singer holding the concert is a female singer known for her singing skills.

I'm coming to Zhou He's city soon, and this song is on the playlist that's been leaked.

"Friend, what's wrong? You don't look too well."

The short man looked up at Zhou He.

Zhou He shook his head, his arms crossed over his chest. The metal box against his chest pressed against him, bringing him back to his senses.

He smiled and said:

"I must not have slept last night, I'm feeling a bit unwell."

The short man nodded, no longer asking questions, and instead called out to the man missing a hand:

"Liu Qi, we have a guest. Be careful and bring over some good meat."

The man with the missing hand, Liu Qi, opened his eyes, stood up, and without saying a word, glanced at Zhou He and gave a stiff smile.

"Get moving! What kind of behavior is this, dawdling like that!"

Short Liu Laoda was not satisfied with Liu Qi's actions.

He scurried over on his short legs, jumped up, and kicked Chen Qi's knee hard, almost falling over in the process. A little embarrassed, he said:

"Please excuse my rudeness. Liu Qi is a master at catching meat swindlers, but that's just his nature; he's a bit too mild-mannered."

Zhou smiled, indicating that he didn't care and focused his attention on Liu Qi's actions.

Liu Qi was kicked, but he didn't say anything. He touched his missing left arm with his right hand and muttered something under his breath.

Zhou was far away, so he couldn't hear clearly or see Zhou's lips.

After a while, as he finished muttering, Liu Qi's empty left sleeve slowly seemed to grow something and gradually took shape.

A thick iron chain slowly grew out of the sleeve.

With a clang.

The iron chain fell to the ground, and Liu Qi silently picked it up, looking at the short Liu Laoda.

Liu Laoda searched his body for a long time and pulled out a wooden box, which he then opened.

Rows of hooks, gleaming with a metallic sheen, were neatly stacked.

The hooks vary in size and shape; some are curved like a crescent moon, some are straight like a silver needle, some have barbs, and some are smooth as a mirror.

Each hook gleamed with the unique luster of metal, but their colors varied: a deep, dark black; a stark, cold white; a shimmering, golden yellow; and a few with a strange, coppery green hue.

"Friends, take a good look. This time I'm using silver hooks, which are worth the price you paid."

He selected a sharp, silver-gleaming hook from among them, squatted down, and attached it to the bottom of Liu Qi's chain.