Chapter 133: Eastern Specialty Poison

Bid farewell to the old and welcome the new.

This is the meaning of the New Year.

It is also the beautiful wish of countless suffering people.

Bid farewell to the old body and welcome a new life.

For now, Xu Xi cannot ensure that every member of the Army of Survival can live a happy and beautiful life.

But on this occasion of the New Year, Xu Xi feels there are some things he can do.

For example, letting everyone in the Army of Survival have a good meal.

“A Niu, catch those chickens over there.”

“Gou Dan, quick, quick, surround them!”

“Chase! Chase! Chase!”

On the outskirts of Pingshui County, Xu Xi led a large group of dusty, starving refugees, setting up several large iron pots and pouring water and rice into them.

Not far away, A Niu and a few others were catching free-range chickens.

With their seasoned experience,

they quickly caught the chickens.

After carefully cleaning them, they chopped the chicken meat into fine, tiny pieces.

The number of people in the Army of Survival was too large, and it was quite unrealistic for everyone to have meat.

Xu Xi could only spread the chicken meat throughout the entire pot of rice soup, allowing everyone who drank the soup to taste a bit of meat.

In reality, there wasn’t enough rice either.

So, they had to pour water into the rice, a lot of water.

In the end,

even wheat bran was added.

Wheat bran wasn’t tasty, but compared to the cold, bitter meat of demons and monsters, it was as precious as a delicacy in the eyes of the starving refugees.

“Boom—!”

“Boom—!”

Under Xu Xi’s watchful gaze, the dozen or so large iron pots began to burn fiercely.

The firewood burned intensely, crackling and popping, the scorching flames licking the bottom of the pots, transferring the heat to the water.

Gradually,

the water began to boil.

Someone stepped forward, carefully sprinkling a bit of salt into the pots.

The flames roared, and steam billowed.

At some point, people began to gather around the large pots, staring intently at the boiling water, their throats moving occasionally.

The smell of the porridge was faint, as too much water had been added.

Whether it was the finely chopped chicken or the salt sprinkled in earlier, it was hard to detect any scent.

All that could be smelled

was the simple steam.

Yet, even so, the people’s eyes were filled with longing.

As if gazing at a rare and precious treasure, they endured the stomach acid rising in their bellies, swallowing their saliva over and over, patiently waiting for the rice soup to be ready.

Finally, the rice soup was done.

The people of the Army of Survival all turned their eyes to Xu Xi, who nodded with a smile, and they eagerly began scooping up the soup.

The soup was scalding hot, ninety percent water.

It burned their mouths, making them cry out.

The water they drank entered through their mouths but flowed out from their eyes—the more they drank, the more they cried.

“Brother Xu, it’s so hot, so hot!” A Niu, with his rough hands, held a bowl and gulped down the soup. He winced from the heat but couldn’t stop himself from drinking more.

“It’s really good.”

After finishing,

A Niu gave this simple evaluation and licked his lips, still wanting more.

He even used his tongue to carefully lick the rim of the bowl, cleaning off every bit of soup residue.

“Do you like it, A Niu?”

“Yeah, I like it!”

Looking at the honest man before him, Xu Xi smiled. “That’s good. Just don’t be in such a hurry next time.”

“Hehe, I got it!”

A Niu scratched his head and grinned foolishly.

He scooped another bowl, but this time not for himself—he took it to his mother not far away.

There were too many people in the Army of Survival.

Even if they kept adding water, endlessly adding it,

the rice soup in the pots was limited. Each person could only get a small bowl, no more.

No one complained. After enjoying the simple pleasure of the soup, their faces filled with happiness as they returned to chewing the dry, tough meat of demons and monsters.

They ate quickly, laughing as they ate.

Their once cold, lifeless hearts

seemed to have been warmed by that small bowl of rice soup.

“Things will get better in the future…” Xu Xi gazed at the crowded crowd, his eyes passing over the smiling faces, and his mood lifted as well.

“It’s time to go back. There’s still a lot of administrative work to handle.”

“About martial arts techniques, about the Second Stage of the Innate Realm, I need to continue my research. I have a feeling I’m not far from the Soul Nurturing Realm.”

Xu Xi turned around,

ready to return to the official residence.

But behind him, A Niu and the others called out.

They ran over, holding a large plate with two plump, juicy chicken legs in the middle.

These were for “Great Master Xu” and “Little Master Wu.”

The people said this, eagerly handing over the plate, wanting Xu Xi to take it.

Xu Xi was momentarily stunned. Meeting their expectant eyes, he suddenly realized he couldn’t refuse their kindness.

At the very least, he couldn’t not take a bite.

So,

Xu Xi smiled, using his Gang Qi as a knife to cut a large piece of meat from the greasy chicken leg. Under everyone’s watchful gaze, he tossed it into his mouth and chewed.

“It’s really delicious,” the grease burst in his mouth, releasing its fragrant aroma.

Even though no seasoning had been added,

it was incredibly tasty.

“Amazing, they must have added something special…” Xu Xi muttered to himself. What had been added to the chicken leg was the expectation of tens of thousands of people.

It was something intangible, yet irresistibly alluring.

It was the unique “poison” of the East.

Once you took a bite, it was hard to break free.

“It’s time to go,” Xu Xi used his Gang Qi to cut off the remaining meat from the chicken leg and cooked another pot of “meat soup.”

Even though his stomach was churning, urging him to eat it all,

reason reminded Xu Xi.

Not eating this meat wouldn’t affect him much.

But for these suffering people before him, this might very well be the last “meat” they would have in their lives.

No one knew how many members of the Army of Survival would still be alive next year.

As for Wu Yingxue’s chicken leg, Xu Xi didn’t touch it.

He was willing to give up his own share, but he wouldn’t force others to do the same.

“That girl has been working hard too.”

“Recently, she’s been helping to slay demons and monsters, gathering enough demon flesh.”

“Plus, she’s been helping me handle a lot of administrative work.”

“By all accounts, a chicken leg is a reward Yingxue deserves.”

Xu Xi wrapped the chicken leg in his Gang Qi.

He quickly returned to the city.

But when he arrived at the girl’s residence, he found the room empty.

“Strange, is she not home?”

Xu Xi was puzzled and could only return to the official residence. When he pushed open the door, he found the girl asleep on the desk.