[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-after-the-immortals-disappeared":3,"chapter-after-the-immortals-disappeared-after-the-immortals-disappeared-chapter-52":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","After the Immortals Disappeared",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2283936,4468,"Chapter 52: Can a Madman Roast Meat?","after-the-immortals-disappeared-chapter-52",52,"\u003Cp>\"When you eat roast chicken, do you prefer to start with the legs and wings, or the breast?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The legs, of course! If I don't eat them, someone else will snatch them.\" The scramble for food in the men's dormitory back in the day was like a legend of hungry wolves. However, He Lingchuan immediately reacted, \"Are you saying they were eaten by someone?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mao Tao picked up another bone from the ground: \"There are traces of fire here.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not only were they eaten, they were roasted. He Lingchuan felt his stomach churn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every time he thought he had adapted to this world, it would once again push his limits. \"Are they crazy? Why would they eat their own companions?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Not crazy.\" Nian Songyu flipped over a few more broken bones, all half-charred, \"Have you ever seen a madman set up a fire to roast meat?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mao Tao also sighed: \"Young Master, cannibalism is usually because people are starving to death.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There is little peace in this world. In times of famine, commoners sell their sons today and their wives tomorrow, even swapping children to eat; in times of war, it is common for armies to hold civilians as food reserves, known as \"two-legged sheep,\" and some generals even write books teaching which parts of the human body are tasty and how to cook them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cannibalism has existed since ancient times, and today is no exception.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"There is no water or food here; they were trapped until they died!\" Nian Songyu looked toward Sun Fu. \"State Preceptor, what should we do?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This Panlong City looks prosperous, but in reality, the living cannot obtain a single thing here. If you stay too long, you either die of thirst or hunger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If they cannot find the Great Square Pot, they will follow in the footsteps of the Baling Kingdom's team! Sun Fu, however, was very calm: \"No matter. Let's keep looking. Don't forget we still have something to rely on.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was indeed very composed, maintaining the demeanor of an expert even now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old thing really has a trick up his sleeve; is this perhaps why Nian Songyu dares to follow him deep into this adventure? He Lingchuan stared closely at the two of them and noticed that Nian Songyu glanced at him after hearing this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This look was subconscious; Nian Songyu withdrew his gaze after a single glance, acting as if nothing had happened. But alarm bells rang in He Lingchuan's heart: \"Why look at me? Could this life-saving trump card have something to do with me?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once this thought arose, his heart skipped two beats.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, he thought again that it was not yet the final moment, and Sun Fu probably wouldn't show his hand immediately. With just himself and Mao Tao, it was absolutely impossible to oppose Sun and Nian. He Lingchuan made up his mind: once these two made a move, he would turn and run without a word. The Panlong Wasteland was so vast that they might not be able to find him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But for now, the hope of success still rested on Sun Fu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Lingchuan could almost smell the coming crisis, and his mind was sharper than usual: \"They were driven to cannibalism, so they must have been here a long time. Didn't they figure anything out? If we could find it, it would save us a lot of trouble.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He walked over to two large vats; there was a lot of miscellaneous debris thrown here, which didn't seem like something that should be in an ice cellar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This made perfect sense, and Sun Fu and Nian Songyu exchanged a glance and nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The clothes and rags on the ground were much the same, along with a few empty bottles and various bits of clutter. The four of them could conclude that these were relics of the Baling expedition, but after searching high and low, they found nothing useful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Fu was not discouraged, however, and stood up saying: \"This cellar was only used to discard the remains; the people who ate them are not here. We will search separately. You and Commandant Nian will be in a group.\" He pointed at Mao Tao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I will be in a group with Young Master He.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Lingchuan's eyes flashed: \"Why not split into four groups? It would be easier to find things with more people.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"There may still be unknown dangers in the city; it is not advisable to split up.\" After Sun Fu finished speaking, Nian Songyu took Mao Tao and strode away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was this because he was afraid he would find a place to hide alone? He Lingchuan became more convinced that these two were going to plot against him later, but he still had to be respectful to Sun Fu: \"State Preceptor, please.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Walking on the empty street, He Lingchuan couldn't help but ask Sun Fu: \"Even if we find the Great Square Pot, can it really turn the tide of the war and pacify the rebel army at Woling Pass?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"In theory, yes. Otherwise, why would we spend so much effort?\" Sun Fu walked very quickly; it seemed there was no target on this road.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If it were really that useful, why didn't Zhong Shengguang use it to fight his way back to the Xiluo Kingdom?\" He Lingchuan had had this question for a long time, \"Instead, he and the city residents remained in this enclave until they were surrounded and died.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Divine objects like that have many restrictions on their use, or perhaps the god who bestowed the treasure had other plans.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then, what if we also cannot break through these restrictions?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That is not for you to worry about.\" Sun Fu was confident, \"As long as we find the Great Square Pot, I have my own ways to break the restrictions.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Lingchuan was skeptical. The old man hadn't even seen the Great Square Pot, nor did he know what restrictions it had, yet he dared to guarantee he could solve them? It was like a doctor prescribing medicine without even seeing the patient, just asking about symptoms without checking the pulse or investigating the history.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Furthermore, he said \"break,\" which sounded like a forced removal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet this old man didn't look the least bit unsure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Fu glanced at him, and He Lingchuan said: \"Once we retrieve the Great Square Pot, my father and we will be able to return to the capital. I will have to ask for the State Preceptor's continued support then.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Fu smiled: \"That goes without saying. You helped me retrieve the divine object; your contribution is immense.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Commandant Nian seems to have some...\" He Lingchuan coughed lightly, \"misunderstanding with me. Did I offend him somewhere?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Xunzhou Governor is leading troops to suppress the rebellion, and Commandant Nian is likely a bit preoccupied.\" Sun Fu comforted him casually, \"Young people are impatient; after losing a few nights of sleep, their tempers get short.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Lingchuan felt a bit embarrassed: \"Could I ask the State Preceptor to mediate?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This brat finally knows how to be respectful? But it is only right that he is afraid. For one, He Chunhua and the Heishuicheng army are not here, and his past reliance is gone; for another, the He father and son have always dreamed of returning to the capital in glory. In such a place, how would a small official dare to offend a Grand General of the North? It is only right to bow and scrape and carefully try to get on good terms with others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thinking of this, Sun Fu smiled even more gently: \"A small matter.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Lingchuan was indeed grateful: \"Thank you, State Preceptor!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By now, the two had left the Chen residence by several dozen yards, still with nothing to show for it. He Lingchuan jumped onto a rooftop by the road, muttering as he looked around: \"If I were a Baling person, about to die of thirst and hunger, where would I go to try my luck?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He also desperately needed luck; otherwise, if they remained trapped here, once Nian and Sun finished their own food and water, they might just decide to use him and Mao Tao as a snack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If it really came to that, the one to kill him might be State Preceptor Sun. Even though he looked kind and benevolent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No, they would act early. After all, dry rations can be stored for a long time, but flesh and blood cannot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It would be more logical to eat the flesh and blood first before chewing on the dry rations, not to mention that meat is tastier, more tender, and more nutritious...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1449,"2026-06-20T02:23:30.219Z",1,"Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite","babb207c5016f8cfc29f2af8f36847e4c860e574238f58cd8f2e663f751db889","after-the-immortals-disappeared-chapter-53","after-the-immortals-disappeared-chapter-51",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fafter-the-immortals-disappeared-cover.jpg"]