A villager nearby chimed in, "Young man, you're right!"
"The fat zombies in the village are even worse than the black zombies outside!"
"It's not just about squeezing us dry; they want to twist us up completely before they'll stop!"
...
Hearing the commotion outside, a man who was flipping through an account book in the rice shop slammed the account book down and went out, shaking off his robe.
This man was of medium build, and his well-maintained face did not reveal his age, but his piercing eyes revealed a sharp and mean-spirited look.
Upon seeing him, the noisy villagers immediately shut up and quieted down, with some even smiling obsequiously and saying, "Master Luo, may you prosper."
Master Luo looked at Lin Yi with his head held high and asked slowly, "Are you from out of town?"
Lin Yi nodded and said, "Yes."
Master Luo's face twitched, a forced smile playing on his lips, like a snake eyeing its prey. He said, "You've come here to buy glutinous rice, haven't you? Is your village also plagued by zombies?"
Upon hearing this, Lin Yi immediately understood Luo Yuanwai's current mindset. He wished that everyone in the world would be threatened by zombies so that he could make money forever. He was truly heartless, selfish, and insatiable.
He shook his head and said, "Now that demons are causing chaos and people are in a state of panic, Master Luo is extremely wealthy. It's one thing for him not to help the poor, but he also takes the opportunity to inflate prices and make a fortune through unscrupulous means. Isn't he afraid of divine retribution?"
Master Luo had heard this kind of talk many times before, and said indifferently, "Young brother, what you say is really laughable. I didn't summon the zombies. When the zombies were rampant in Blackwater Town, what did the people here do? They were all gloating and didn't take it seriously."
"Only I was worried and quickly bought up all the glutinous rice in the vicinity. If I hadn't stockpiled so much, how would the whole village have enough to eat? I had foresight, which is why I was able to become the savior of this village."
“Life is priceless. Those who want to live must show some sincerity. The people of Blackwater Town are helpless and have no one to turn to. In comparison, I, Luo, am truly compassionate and dedicated to saving all living beings.”
I don't mind hooligans, I just fear those who are too cultured.
Master Luo's fallacies were so convincing, they actually sounded quite plausible. He managed to concoct a whole host of excuses for hoarding and profiteering.
"Clap clap clap." Lin Yi clapped his hands in praise, "Well said."
Master Luo waved his sleeve and said righteously, "Young man, if you have nothing else to do, then leave. Don't get in my way of saving people."
Lin Yi smiled slightly, took out a talisman, and said, "I have a talisman here. If you dissolve it in water, it can cure corpse poison. Don't blame Master Luo for stealing your business."
Master Luo stared intently at the talisman in Lin Yi's hand, and said forcefully, "Playing tricks."
"Fellow villagers, please follow me," Lin Yi called out, and led the way toward Doctor Han's clinic.
People watching the spectacle immediately followed, whispering amongst themselves in small groups.
The clinic's doors were wide open, but everyone who came to the door stopped in their tracks, unwilling to go in.
Inside the gate was a spacious courtyard, covered with many white coarse cloths, where a group of dying patients lay sprawled.
A young girl moved among them, feeding water and medicine, and occasionally giving instructions to the boy holding the medicine bottle next to her.
Those lying on the ground all looked like they were not alive. Although they could move, their faces were either black or their eyes were dull. Some of them had grown strange fangs and were bound to the ground.
The young girl was fearless as she moved among them, caring for them with utmost tenderness and recording their symptoms. She had a beautiful face, and her long, elegant eyes radiated a kind and compassionate light.
After Lin Yi walked in, the girl stood up and asked, "What brings you here, Taoist priest?"
Lin Yi smiled and said, "May I borrow your well?"
The girl was puzzled, but she did not refuse, saying, "Please, Daoist Master."
Lin Yi said "thank you," flicked his finger, and the talisman in his hand flew out, turning into a streak of green light and flying into the well.
He looked at the people lying in the courtyard and instructed the girl, "These people were injured by zombies and are poisoned by the zombie. Fetch a bucket of water and have each person drink a large bowl of it. It will have a miraculous effect."
Using talisman water to cure diseases was a common practice in ancient times. Even in today's scientifically advanced society, it has not completely disappeared (during the SARS outbreak, my family forced me to drink talisman water).
A tall, thin old man in a wide robe came out of the house and said, "Mengci, do as this Taoist priest said and fetch a bucket of water to try."
The girl, Han Mengci, hummed in agreement, then walked to the well and quickly drew up a bucket of water. She then took a sip from the bucket and fed it to someone next to her.
A while later, the dark aura on the patient's face, which had drunk the well water, not only did not disappear, but instead accumulated and thickened, turning his entire face as black as ink.
Suddenly, with a "whoosh," the man not only spat out black, bloody blood, but also black blood flowed from his nostrils, the corners of his eyes, and his ears.
Upon seeing this, the person outside whispered, "Dead, someone's dead."
"Brother Li was killed by a Taoist priest."
...
Han Mengci said, "Everyone, please calm down, let me see." She wiped all the blood off the man's face, and upon seeing what was on his face, her expression changed drastically. She cried out, "Father! Father! Come quickly!"
Master Luo said smugly, "Young Taoist priest, don't think you're so great just because you can draw a few talismans. Don't act recklessly."
Lin Yi smiled, not taking it to heart, and said, "Master Luo spoke too soon."
In the courtyard, Doctor Han took out a few qi-tonifying pills and fed them to the patient. The person slowly opened his eyes and let out a few groans.
"It's all done, really all done."
"The Taoist priest is an immortal."
The crowd immediately changed their tune and began showering him with compliments.
Lin Yi shook his head slightly. The words of outsiders could disturb his Daoist mind. Detoxifying, curing illnesses, and accumulating good karma were part of his cultivation. (To find this site, please search "6mao" or enter the URL: [website address missing])
------------