e didn't know how to cherish such unique individuals until they lost them forever!"You're a good person; I have a favor to ask you that you don't need to agree to," Chen Xi said looking at the stone."...Chapter 332: Alcohol and Meat Part 2
"That's right, it's them. Have you seen this couple"
"No!" Xiaoyao shook his head with a bitter smile. If he had seen them before, there would still be differences in age since the portraits drawn previously did not match the young man and woman he was currently painting. These individuals should have been around twenty years ago instead of now.
Then where exactly did Xiaoyao see these two men and women No, to be more precise, had he seen their portraits If the Young Lady were here now, she would definitely find it strange: What are you painting about this couple from the Martial Realm
That's right, they're the young man and woman from the Martial Realm. The two who came to the small village back then were them!
This way, Xiaoyao could connect some things together, making certain matters seem normal.
The people in the small village said that these men and women felt like they were coming from another world. This wasn't what Xiaoyao previously thought; he had imagined that these individuals might be young masters and mistresses from noble families who didn’t understand the outside world, having grown up sheltered.
They truly came from another world—the Martial Realm!
Furthermore, they never tried to find Xiaoyao because there was no way for them to do so. They were already on their side of the realm, and this passage might have some restrictions. It’s also possible that their families didn't want them to come over.
Xiaoyao now felt like he couldn’t accept it if this were true, as it would mean he is connected to the Martial Realm. He needs to visit there once; fortunately, the old man had a way in, otherwise, finding his way there would be impossible.
However, without that old man’s portrait, none of this could have been confirmed either, which might be fate.
The matter seemed to become increasingly complicated—this was something Xiaoyao hadn't expected. He originally thought his background was already complex enough, involving the Princess Zhuo Yue from the Tang Empire and Fang Chunxue from the Fang family. Now, there's an additional couple from the Martial Realm.
Adding another possibility only made things messier. He never imagined that this possible origin would connect to the Martial Realm; his new possible parents are from the Martial Realm.
Of course, this is still just a possibility. Xiaoyao isn't yet certain if it’s one of them. Even though it seems very likely right now, he can’t be 100% sure and can only say that it's the most probable scenario.
The matter is becoming more complicated with each investigation; he wouldn't feel surprised when another possibility arises, having become numb to such developments.
However, considering these potential parents, one background is deeper than the next. Does he still have to play out that melodramatic story of a nobleman fallen on hard times
This really makes him want to spread his legs wide open, put his hands on his waist, bend backwards with his lower body forward and shout at the sky—
Sun!
However, this possibility of being from the Martial Realm is still a problem. According to the situation’s development, if he were their child, it would be something they can’t openly acknowledge. Moreover, there seems to be significant pressure on them which makes this a huge issue.
But even if it's a big issue, Xiaoyao has decided to visit the Martial Realm once. If he didn't know about it before, he could ignore it, but now that he knows, no matter what difficulty there is, he must go at least once.
This isn’t because he wants to see his parents; it's just that he wants to figure out his origins. He doesn't want to be left with a nagging itch of curiosity knowing the answer is somewhere within reach but not being able to obtain it.
That goes against Xiaoyao’s casual nature; if he wants to do something, he'll simply do it rather than just thinking about it.
But these are all things for later. Currently, his focus is on rescuing someone and naturally asking others about this matter without missing any details.
"Continue doing what you did before. In a few days, I'll tell you how to proceed." After speaking, Xiaoyao went to find another person from the small village, contacting them discreetly so no one noticed him.
In truth, the role of a minor bandit he was playing wasn't significant; nobody paid attention. Even if someone found him suspicious, they wouldn’t give it much thought either.
Ultimately, the safety awareness of this Black Wind Gang is somewhat lacking, a result of excessive comfort and complacency.
If one were to say that finding the way in was hard before, now that Xiaoyao has entered through a door, the rest of his task would be simple—like cooking up a common meal at home.
During the next few days, Xiaoyao contacted everyone from the small village and obtained virtually no information. This was expected, so he didn't feel disappointed; he just wanted to see if there were any surprises.
In these few days, Xiao Yao wasn't just interacting with the people of the small village. He also got to know some patterns and habits of Black Wind Fort and prepared things he needed. This required a bit of time for everything to be foolproof.
If he had to do it temporarily, Xiao Yao could find ways too, but there were many possibilities involved, which made him feel that risking wasn't necessary. A few more days of preparation wouldn't hurt either; besides, he could also use the opportunity to ask around the people from the small village anyway.
The reason why he asked those in the small villages now was not just for doing what he wanted but also making sure everyone's safety.
Now, Xiao Yao had an opportunity: every month on the night of a full moon, Black Wind Fort would have an event where everyone would gather around a bonfire and drink heavily while feasting. Each person would have some alcohol and meat.
The side dishes were simple, just one type of meat – roasted or boiled. However, it could be marinated, with the broth being specially made to achieve the desired effect.
And for Xiao Yao's plan, this was ideal because there was only a single choice of meat, eliminating the worry that someone might not get any. To encourage consumption, he had also carefully designed seasonings, making the food exceptionally delicious.
"Cook and marinate the meat according to what is written here."
When people from the small village received Xiao Yao's list of ingredients, they were a bit puzzled as it seemed like common materials. But when the finished products came out, they found them even more perplexing.
In their view, these dishes were perfect in terms of color, aroma, and taste. They doubted that such perfection was what they made themselves.
They had tasted it; its flavor was so delightful that they wanted to continue eating but feared adverse effects since Xiao Yao mentioned it was meant for the bandits.
Knowing this, why did they still try Actually, it wasn't because they couldn't resist. It was just as Xiao Yao said: individually eating these items wouldn't cause issues, only when paired with alcohol would problems arise. Thus, he strictly advised them not to drink, or else the consequences would be severe.
Eating meat and drinking separately posed no issue at all; together, however, it resulted in gradual poisoning. The onset was slow enough for everyone to partake without immediate danger—something Xiao Yao had calculated meticulously.
Of course, some might slip through the net, but this couldn't be helped. Yet such individuals wouldn't pose a threat to Xiao Yao as he could handle them alone.
The bandits in Black Wind Fort didn’t have many high-ranking experts; they were mere robbers. If they were so powerful, they wouldn't resort to being bandits, especially in this small country.
As night fell and the moon rose, bonfire night commenced exactly as Xiao Yao had planned: one by one, the bandits collapsed after their feast of alcohol and meat.
"What's happening There’s something wrong with this wine and meat!"
The leaders roared in anger but could only do so. Death awaited them; those who fell would slowly die, with heavier consumption resulting in quicker demise. Xiao Yao showed no mercy for these village-murdering bandits; he killed each one.
Xiao Yao wasn't concerned about mistakenly killing anyone because according to Black Wind Fort's rules, only key figures could have large portions of meat and wine while minor bandits received mere scraps and drops of alcohol. This ensured the latter suffered lingering effects as punishment.
Those captured by these bandits might receive a small piece of meat if they were lucky; drinking was virtually impossible unless it was just a sip, which would only incapacitate them temporarily before recovery.
As for leaders, most faced certain death with few exceptions already within Xiao Yao's calculations.
"Impossible! The wine and meat are fine—I’ve checked and tested everything…" said one bandit. This was someone who had been cautious and indeed verified and tasted the items before without finding any issues.
Typically, those behind such plans would appear to explain their cleverness at this juncture, but these bandits saw no one despite all their fallen comrades.
Xiao Yao wouldn't emerge to explain anything; there was no point. They were dying men with nothing of value left to discuss.
As for whether they would die frustrated… that wasn’t his concern!
"Who is it Show yourself! Let me know who I’m up against before I die—I don't want to go without knowing." The bandits shouted but remained clueless about who had targeted them and why.
No one explained these matters, leaving them confused until the end. Perhaps they would regret not knowing if it mattered, but ignorance was more frustrating than regret.
(To be continued), she would definitely find it strange: What are you painting about this couple from the Martial RealmThat's right, they're the young man and woman from the Martial Realm. The two who came to the smal...