Roter Satin

Kapitel 5

"Didn't he tell you?" the eldest asked.

"No—and I don't want to know. But that was before. Now I think it's better to know more."

"Corner," the old man said. "In today's underworld, the powerful have formed a large alliance, collectively known as the 'Underworld Alliance,' also called 'Upright and Harmonious,' referring to two major systems. It comprises two large groups and four smaller groups. They are all very young, and the four have become the 'Four Overlords,' jointly ruling the underworld and cooperating in joint operations. They control the domestic underworld and most real organized crime groups. Besides 'Upright and Harmonious,' the top leadership also includes 'Prefects and Administrators,' namely the deans of the four major underworld academies and the chief administrators handling underworld secrets. In the underworld, where there are large overlords, there are inevitably smaller ones. Those usually called the 'Outlaws' are also quite powerful." Remarkable. Yet, under the suppression of "Fangzheng Yuanrong," they find it difficult to rise above their circumstances. Below "Fangzheng Yuanrong Prefecture" lies a mid-level think tank group, leading the overt and covert forces of various large and small groups. Below them are those called "Corner Leaders," meaning minor leaders who oversee one or more provinces. Your husband is the deputy Corner Leader within this province, in charge of seventy-three large and small groups within the city. Anyone entering or leaving the country, regardless of their status, must first pay their respects and then depart; otherwise, it constitutes a breach of contract. He also bears a certain responsibility for the safety of those entering from outside the region. He mediates disputes within the underworld, and he is responsible for rescues when the legitimate world intervenes.

Huang Zilan smiled wryly, "He looks more like a mayor or something."

The eldest brother said calmly, "He has a much harder job than the mayor—at least, the mayor doesn't have to worry about being arrested by the police or assassinated by another mayor."

Huang Zilan asked, "Then he must be very busy, right?"

"You should know whether I'm busy or not." The boss's tone was somewhat displeased.

Huang Zilan said, "What I mean is—how could he have the leisure to learn so many random things? In the past... he has always been a person who doesn't like to study at all."

"That's related to the underworld. It was the dean's idea. He established numerous academies, one purpose being to equip everyone with specialized skills and the ability to adapt to more complex environments; the second purpose was to replace the existing leaders of various factions with outstanding students, thus firmly controlling the entire alliance. The system implemented, of course, is survival of the fittest, requiring us—every representative of the underworld—to produce something. For people like us, it requires each person to produce a paper that can be explained by modern science as 'feudal superstition.' Otherwise, when the era of information warfare develops, what will allow the underworld to remain standing?"

---Magpie Bridge Fairy

Reply [16]: Huang Zilan nodded thoughtfully, “That’s right. The police’s weapons can never compare to those of the underworld.”

The boss nodded. "That's right. If the underworld wants to survive, it must stay at the forefront of the times, not just engage in ordinary crimes."

"So, what is your thesis?"

"The title is 'The Relationship Between the Acupoint Spirit and Feng Shui - On the Condensation and Emission of Earth Qi.' Now it seems that the acupoint spirit can't be taken away. The magnetic field strength is so great that the acupoint spirit can only be transported by an aircraft carrier..." The eldest brother suddenly stopped, and a trace of regret couldn't help but show in his eyes.

But Xiao Chan and Xiao Dao asked together, "Thesis?" They were both surprised.

Not only were they surprised, but they also seemed thoughtful.

—Not only did he seem thoughtful, but a hint of wariness also appeared in his eyes.

An Yingying noticed that Chen Xing's eyes suddenly lit up after witnessing all these changes in expression.

The eldest brother smiled bitterly: "I didn't tell you. And you don't really need to know." He sighed deeply and continued: "I always think that since our sect leader passed away, our status in the underworld has plummeted. If we can snag a good paper, perhaps we can revive our sect's prestige—then, the tomb raiding industry won't be looked down upon anymore..." (See my book series "The Great Escape from the Underworld" for details.) ※ ...

"But this is human flesh," Er Gou continued his malicious teasing.

Chen Xing frowned, looking at the person who used to resemble both a wolf and a dog but now looked only like a skeleton. "What good is human flesh?"

You're all eating it too, aren't you? When you eat it, do you have a reason?

Er Gou's eyes widened. "I didn't, so do you?"

"Of course! And I guarantee you won't have anything to say!" Chen Xing said arrogantly.

Er Gou laughed instead, "Alright, then tell me. If you're right—here's a piece of meat weighing one pound, with a good balance of fat and lean, which is both chewy and good for your health."

"Then you can start cutting first. I'll finish talking once you're done cutting."

Er Gou indeed took out a small bag, took out a piece of meat, and began to cut it. Chen Xing cleared his throat and began to say, "That's right. Modern people don't eat human flesh. It's simply because it's too cruel. But when modern people eat the flesh of other creatures, have they ever thought about whether it's cruel?"

"Why don't people eat it? It's so cruel that there's no other creature that can compare, yet people still claim to be kind. It's truly laughable."

"Humans are the most hypocritical beings. To survive and enjoy life, they eat all kinds of plants and animals, all kinds of edible life, and the entire earth that gave them life and nurtured them; yet they preach about benevolence, loyalty, filial piety, and righteousness. Moreover, even if people consider cannibalism to be the most cruel thing, aren't we doing it all the time?"

"From ancient times to the present, from China to the world, wherever there are people, there is no place where cannibalism has not occurred?"

"It's just that some people eat very cleverly, while others eat very directly."

"The law of the jungle prevails over all men; it is an age-old truth. Who dares to ask themselves if they have never eaten a human? From the moment you were born, you have been eating your parents; from the moment you have lived in this world, you have been unknowingly eating others."

"Eat the people who love you, eat the people who hate you; eat the people you love, and eat the people you hate even more."

"Perhaps you didn't eat human flesh directly. But—when you eat a whole person, skin and bones, without leaving a single piece, what's the difference between that and eating human flesh directly?"

---Magpie Bridge Fairy

Reply [17]: "Moreover, given the circumstances, some things are simply nothing under certain conditions. The various things done for survival are an important reason why humans are so powerful, it's just that other creatures don't make excuses for themselves. So humans are always just and benevolent. They can exterminate all creatures and then build a nature reserve to name the few remaining species as endangered rare plants and animals; they can wantonly destroy the earth that gave birth to them and then condemn their ancestors and the world, and then build an environmental protection association; they can drive out a country and a race." To exterminate, plunder all wealth, then conduct archaeological research, lamenting the fall of civilization and the world's violence; when people create military strategists and politicians, leaving countless bones, we can praise their greatness, marveling at how circumstances create heroes and heroes change circumstances; but when people create a thief, a murderer, we must lament humanity's cruelty and ruthlessness, the horror of some, and how some cannot even be called human. What is a human being? A human being is actually the most ferocious, cold-blooded, ruthless, insidious, despicable, and vicious… but also, therefore, the kindest, most upright, and most powerful animal, a life form!

He finished speaking, but Er Gou only cut half of it—he was already stunned.

"good!"

Suddenly, the eldest brother, Little Shovel, Little Knife, and Er Gou all cheered. The eldest brother couldn't help but exclaim, "Great! [A series of seemingly random characters] ...

"

Amidst cheers and excitement, Er Gou suddenly froze: "Yi Yi! Wei Yi Yi!" He nudged Wei Yi Yi, "—Why isn't she responding? Master, she…" The eldest grabbed Wei Yi Yi's left hand, "It's alright. She's just temporarily unconscious. We need to feed her something." Turning to An Yingying and Huang Zilan, he added, "You two are the same. You have to eat, whether you like it or not. Otherwise, you'll only have one path left: to be eaten!"

He put away the fluorescent light, plunging the room into darkness. "Alright. Now that you can't see anything, just pretend it's pork, beef, lamb, chicken—any kind of meat, as long as you can accept it psychologically. —What difference does it make? Is human flesh really that terrifying?"

"Delicious. Mmm, delicious..." Chen Xing mumbled indistinctly.

Xiao Chan said lazily, “Ladies, you heard what Chen Xing said. Why hesitate any longer? In this world, it’s either you eat me or I eat you. Since it all comes down to eating, why not eat others instead of letting others eat you? You’re only concerned with one simple word: survival! When there’s nothing else to eat, what else will you eat if not people? Think about it, even if you starve to death, we will still be alive. Can we not eat you? Even if you don’t starve to death, can you escape the different ways people eat you in real life? Think it through, understand it. Survival is the most important thing. No matter how humble or lowly you live, living is better than dying. But don’t worry—we are the Gentlemen, and we have never eaten living people. Not eating living people is one of our rules: as long as you firmly believe that you can survive without eating people, you don’t have to.”

silence.

After a moment of silence, An Yingying asked Huang Zilan, "Lanlan, have you heard the survival stories of the scientists on the Antarctic expedition team?"

"

"No."

"The exact era, the country, and the number of people are all forgotten. All we know is that they all died. In the icy wilderness of Antarctica, corpses do not decompose, yet later generations only found two complete bodies. The others were reduced to bones. After studying the bones, it was determined that they survived by eating the corpses of their companions. The living ate the dead, and those who survived ate those who could not endure. In the end, only two people remained, who died around the same time, and neither could eat the other."

An Yingying narrated in a gentle, melodious voice, like a kindergarten teacher telling a story to children—a chick was hungry and saw some worms on the ground. It ate them. Do you know why the chick ate the worms? Because they had no bread to eat and no milk to drink. Children, would you like to donate some of your pocket money to buy the chick a loaf of bread and a glass of milk? —It was full of compassionate educational meaning.

Huang Zilan remained silent, like a child refusing to cooperate.

An Yingying continued, "...After investigation, we learned that these scientists, when eating their companions, started with the less distinctive parts of the body, such as the buttocks, legs, and arms. But after eating all the meat, they could only scrape the remaining meat off the bones with a knife. The marrow from the larger bones had already been eaten. The smaller bones were inedible, so they were left."

Huang Zilan asked, "Are they... scientists?"

“Yes,” An Yingying said. “Moreover, each of them is a top-notch, most humanitarian scientist. They work together and overcome difficulties, but when all their food supplies run out, they have no choice but to eat each other in order to survive. In this respect, scientists are no different from ordinary people. If we have to find a difference, we can only say that they are more likely to accept the challenges that reality presents to them.”

Huang Zilan was silent for a moment, then said softly, "I can't believe it."

"So, have you ever eaten placenta?" An Yingying asked again. "If you haven't eaten placenta, you must have used placenta cream, right? I remember it was one of your favorite cosmetics."

Huang Zilan was stunned, then smiled bitterly, "So... I've actually eaten people before..." "Even if you haven't eaten a placenta or used placenta extract, even if you've been a vegetarian your whole life and never touched meat, were you breastfed after birth? When you couldn't support yourself, were you raised by someone else? Even if you were a wolf child or an ape child, how can you guarantee that the wolf or ape that raised you didn't eat people? — So, it can be said that, in terms of cannibalism, broadly speaking, everyone is doing it, and has done it in the past. In a narrow sense, most people have also done cannibalism or cannibalism. The only difference is whether it's direct or not, whether it's obvious or not. It's all the same, without exception."

---Magpie Bridge Fairy

Reply [18]: At this moment, An Yingying actually became more like the boss than the boss, more like Chen Xing than Chen Xing, and continued to say: "Times change. There are differences and different thoughts at all times. Since everyone is like this, why bother to pretend? Chen Xing's behavior is indeed very much like a gentleman, but unfortunately he only revealed the truth of hypocrisy, but ignored that he himself is also a hypocrite - after all, he still needs to find some reasons before eating - but in fact, a true gentleman eats, so why say so much nonsense? If we must get to the point, eating at this moment is for the purpose of living better. What can you do if you live? There are too many things to do. But it also depends on the 'time' of this and that. For example: when I was first kidnapped, I was afraid, ashamed and angry, and only wanted revenge; but at this moment, I must thank them. Without them, I might be dead now."

The dead can do nothing! As for the future, I may still harbor resentment and seek revenge, but the future, everything in the future, can only begin now. Let's start by living.

Huang Zilan waved her hands wearily, "You don't need to say anymore. Let's eat together. How is Yiyi? — Is she still not awake?" She paused, then continued, "She is awake. Whatever you do, don't tell her that we're eating human flesh. If you tell her, she'd rather die than eat it."

Chen Xing sneered, "If we don't tell her, she won't know?"

“That’s different. That involves a person’s self-esteem,” Huang Zilan said.

"Is it just about pride?" Chen Xing was even more dismissive. "There's also the issue of principles and right and wrong!"

"Oh...no wonder," Er Gou couldn't help but interject. "But it's strange, she actually managed to hold back without making a sound. Her endurance is truly terrifying—that kind of thing isn't like pain that can be endured..." The eldest scolded, "Er Gou! [Is this a sign of arrogance or thievery?]"

On the platform overlooking the hometown, everyone has participated in the third "meal".

II. Inside the Bridge of Helplessness

On the "Path of Ghosts" in the "Platform of Longing for Home," eight people are eating human flesh. So, what about Du Liu and Xu Fangfang inside the "Bridge of Helplessness"?

—They are the luckiest people.

Not long after the transparent cover was applied, black blood suddenly trickled from the corner of Du Liu's mouth. Xu Fangfang was shocked and frightened, at a loss for what to do, "Du Liu!"

"Du Liu! How are you!" she cried anxiously.

Black blood continued to flow out. A moment later, Du Liu suddenly shouted and sat up straight, as if he had risen from the dead. He also spat out a mouthful of black blood, which splattered all over the horrified Xu Fangfang.

Xu Fangfang didn't bother wiping herself clean. She reached out to help, but then hesitated, unsure whether she should. She could only ask, "How...are you?...How are you?"

Du Liu opened his eyes.

He looked around blankly and slowly, like an idiot who had just woken up from a dream, and his gaze finally landed on the anxious Xu Fangfang's face.

“Fang…it’s you,” he said dreamily.

Xu Fangfang asked anxiously, "Du... how are you?"

Du Liu did not answer. He just smiled blankly and stared at his hands.

The blood had congealed. But the cracks that spread like the lips of an infant looked even more terrifying.

Du Liu stared blankly, incredulous, and suddenly a crystal tear rolled down his cheek.

Only one tear.

Tears were streaming from his left eye, but deep within his right eye lay a profound pain and a deep despair.

He then fixed his right eye, filled with pain and despair, on his right hand.

"Fang... I'm afraid... I'll never be able to use a knife again in my life..." His voice was devoid of emotion. "This hand... from now on..." He suddenly laughed bitterly, his voice simultaneously filled with pain and despair: "—It's crippled!"

Then he looked up, and another tear fell.

For a moment, Xu Fangfang didn't know what to say. But an indescribable sorrow welled up in her heart.

True love is revealed in times of hardship. In this dark and hopeless environment, only two love stories unfold. One is between her and Du Liu; the other is between A Ding and Tong Rong. For A Ding's sake, Tong Rong so desperately begged Chen Xing to hit her, just so she could shed tears to heal the dehydrated A Ding; for Tong Rong's sake, A Ding was trapped in the ground, only his head sticking out. Then, the two clung to each other, sharing life and death. When Tong Rong died, A Ding only wished for death. As chains slowly emerged from A Ding's body, he endured it without moving or uttering a sound. But when he saw Tong Rong about to fall due to the collapse of the road foundation (or so she thought), he rushed out without hesitation, even pulling his intestines out with him.

Looking back now, it was so touching.

But what about her?

Wasn't she always taking care of and caring for Du Liu? What did Du Liu do in return? Besides holding her hand tightly at all times, what did he do when faced with a real life-or-death situation?

---Magpie Bridge Fairy

Reply [19]: -- He glared at her and told her to get lost!

(But now, all he cares about is his own hands!)

Tears of grievance streamed down her face uncontrollably. Through her teary eyes, she didn't see Du Liu's gaze—a very peculiar gaze.

Xu Fangfang closed her eyes. She finally couldn't hold back anymore, choking back tears, "Just now, if I hadn't said anything, you would have been alright, right?... Du, do you... hate me?"

Du Liu also became saddened. "No," he said, "Only you truly care about me. Although, in many situations, care only brings harm, even irreparable harm."

Xu Fangfang felt even more aggrieved, and her sobs deepened. "Then—why don't you hate me?" Du Liuqiang laughed. "How could I hate you?—Having you by my side is my greatest happiness. What does one hand matter?"

Xu Fangfang wiped away her tears, "You're lying! [Illegible]"

(If this continues, it'll never end, won't it?) Du Liu became serious. "Because of my fierce gaze? Because I told you to 'get out'?"

Xu Fangfang cried even more aggrievedly.