[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-lord-of-the-proles":3,"chapter-lord-of-the-proles-lord-of-the-proles-chapter-65":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Lord of the Proles",{"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},2290363,4478,"Chapter 65: Lotus Doesn't Eat the Living; I Don't Eat the Dead","lord-of-the-proles-chapter-65",65,"\u003Cp>After searching for a long time without seeing any figures, the “watermelon men” returned to the front courtyard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One “watermelon man” was injured, his watermelon juice oozing out; Geng Zhiwei immediately ordered his staff to bandage him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jia Quansheng remarked from the side: “Brother, you’re being way too careful—this thing isn’t even alive.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Geng Zhiwei glanced at Jia Quansheng: “Do you even know how much each one costs? If it weren’t for you, would I have sunk this much capital?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course, of course,” Jia Quansheng smiled obsequiously, “it’s all for me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But inwardly, Jia Quansheng was displeased.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It sounded as if Geng Zhiwei had suffered a loss, yet Qin Xiaopang’s ten Snake-Spotted Pills had all been taken by Geng Zhiwei, and Yu Nan’s Yu Family Cloth Shop had ultimately become his!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the end, he’d only lost one Rong Jinan, and spent money on twenty-odd watermelons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jia Quansheng had seen that cultivation expert—the price of one “watermelon man” was only around twenty thousand, yet Geng Zhiwei had traded them for a cloth shop—where was the loss?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, these “watermelon men” last a year; if injured, just water them and they heal themselves—such a cheap price for something so useful, how could Geng Zhiwei possibly be at a loss?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, these were all thoughts he dared not voice aloud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The “watermelon men” couldn’t speak; since one was injured, it must have encountered an ambush. Geng Zhiwei led his men to personally inspect the back courtyard, saw no one, and ordered the place set on fire—burning the Yu family’s old mansion to ashes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amid rolling flames, the entire mansion turned to ash.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Geng Zhiwei told Jia Quansheng: “Tomorrow, post notices around Ligou: Yu Nan is forbidden from ever showing her face in Medicine King Gully again. Anyone who sees her and fails to report it will be my enemy from now on!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Geng Zhiwei shouted: “Let’s go!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A group of subordinates followed behind Geng Zhiwei, the “watermelon men” marching in formation behind them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng, inside the Portable Dwelling, gently stroked the phonograph and asked softly: “My beloved wife, what level of cultivation expert would be needed to create such ‘watermelon men’?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’m not trying to fight him—I want to befriend him, so someday I can buy some good things back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wife, what do you think of a cucumber man? The kind with spines!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wife, say something to me—I’ll be home all day, and if you keep silent, you’ll suffocate me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hss! Hss! Hss!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The phonograph spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clang! Lang! Lang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The gongs and drums began to sound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The phonograph was singing opera.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Su San! Leaving Hongdong County, I now stand before the bustling street,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They say Luoyang’s flowers are like brocade, yet when I arrived, frost and snow chilled me to the bone!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A familiar aria: “Su San’s Departure” from The Jade Hall Spring.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The phonograph sang with deep emotion; after two lines, her voice trembled, as if weeping.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No—it was weeping.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the phonograph’s speaker, droplets of water fell amid bursts of steam, rolling down like tears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng was no cold-hearted man—he was a tender soul.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the phonograph so heartbroken, Li Banfeng hurried forward to comfort her: “Wife, why are you crying?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hss! Hss!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The phonograph sobbed once, then spoke in recitative: “My husband, you haven’t brought home rice in days—I’m starving, I can’t bear it~ ah~ ah~ ah~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The melody stretched on interminably.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just say you’re hungry, why make such a drama?” Li Banfeng was annoyed. “Back at that old woman’s house, I fed you plenty, and the day before yesterday you ate a Rong Jinan—fresh! Now you’re hungry again?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clang clang clang~~\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The phonograph changed rhythm and sang on: “Poor couples suffer in every matter—I know my husband toils outside, eating when he can, going hungry when he must—I dare not complain a word, oh~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Here, the phonograph began crying again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng sighed: “It must be from last time—you ate too much, and your belly swelled up.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The phonograph wept bitterly, her recitative even more piercing: “I never complained of hardship—how can you mock me, my husband? Ah~ ah~ ah~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Stop crying!” Li Banfeng’s mood was sour.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Logically, sharing a roof, I should give my wife better food.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng wasn’t short on money; he couldn’t promise daily delicacies, but going hungry one day and full the next was unacceptable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the food my wife eats is unusual.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such rare ingredients are hard to come by.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wife, I’ll go catch you a watermelon man to eat—how’s that?” Li Banfeng held up the remaining watermelon pulp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hss!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The phonograph huffed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Those are watermelons grown by cultivation experts—devoid of spirit—how could I possibly eat them~~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wife disliked watermelons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then I’ll bring back corpses for you to eat.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hss hss~\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Little wife won’t eat corpses!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng frowned: “Why are you so picky? Even Lotus eats them with relish.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Husband, don’t mention that vile Lotus!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lotus?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Is she referring to the copper lotus?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The phonograph continued reciting: “You dote on that vile woman, giving her the finest food and drink—yet you ignore my life and death~ ah~ ah~ ah~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This made no sense; Li Banfeng replied: “Wife, the corpses are right there—if you want to eat, eat them!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Puff~\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A large cloud of steam shot from the speaker, as if she’d spat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That filthy filth—how could I possibly swallow it? Lotus doesn’t eat the living; I don’t eat the dead!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng grew angry: “You’re the most difficult woman to please!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Husband doesn’t cherish me, doesn’t cherish me~~~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hss la~\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A wave of steam surged forth, scalding Li Banfeng until his whole body turned red.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng fell silent; the phonograph fell silent too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lotus doesn’t eat the living” means Lotus doesn’t consume living things—she eats corpses, herbs, and special weapons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The phonograph doesn’t eat the dead” means she refuses dead matter—she consumes wronged souls.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wronged souls are hard to obtain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng had an idea—but it carried great risk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Geng Zhiwei returned to the pharmacy and set aside a sunlit room to house the “watermelon men.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The room held over twenty buckets; each “watermelon man” stood upright with his feet in a bucket. Standing like this for a full day and night restored their energy, readying them for battle the next day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By day, the “watermelon men” soaked in sunlight, their wounds fully healed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At night, pharmacy staff came to replenish their water.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At one a.m., one “watermelon man” swelled up, then—CRACK!—his entire body exploded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng, holding the key, rose from the bucket filled with watermelon pulp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Portable Dwelling followed the key; the key followed the “watermelon man.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng emerged from the “watermelon man’s” belly—he was now inside the Geng family pharmacy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The shattered “watermelon man” remained calm; the others stood silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They hadn’t eaten fertilizer, had no combat strength, and showed no hostility toward Li Banfeng as he devoured the watermelon pulp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After eating the pulp and sweating profusely, Li Banfeng glanced around the watermelon room and quickly crouched down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The room had several glass windows, offering excellent light—clearly revealing the courtyard outside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two guards stood watch at the door—they were Geng Zhiwei’s trusted subordinates, assigned here specifically because the “watermelon men” were of critical importance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having heard the explosion, they were peering inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, this “watermelon man” stood in the corner, outside their line of sight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One whispered: “You keep watch—I’ll go inside.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other shook his head: “What’s there to see? These things are creepy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re scared now? Last month, when the Young Master ordered you to collect debts, you killed every man in a family of ten and slept with every woman—ghosts tremble at your sight—what’s so scary about a few watermelons?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s different! These are sentient watermelons! You saw them in battle—they’re wickedly strange!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“These are the Young Master’s expensive purchases—if anything goes wrong, we can’t bear the blame. Let’s go in together?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re really something…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two guards unlocked the door and cautiously entered, finding one “watermelon man” exploded, pulp scattered everywhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were startled; one asked: “What happened?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other turned to check the other “watermelon men,” and saw one standing in each bucket—none missing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All the “watermelon men” were accounted for—so how did this one explode?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An extra one?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How could this be…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man’s body hair stood on end; he scanned the group of “watermelon people” again and sensed something was off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, one “watermelon person” was missing—Li Banfeng stood motionless in the basin, pretending to be one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Zhaixiu had a knack for being overlooked; these two guards hadn’t noticed him at first glance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One guard stepped up to Li Banfeng, eyes wide: “This one isn’t…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Puff~\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng swung his sickle and slit the guard’s throat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other guard was still examining the shattered watermelons on the ground; hearing movement behind him, he turned—only to find a sickle across his neck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t make a sound. I’m a good man,” Li Banfeng whispered in his ear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The guard stayed silent. Li Banfeng asked: “I have a question. Tell me the truth, and I’ll let you go. Where do you keep your most valuable medicines?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“All in the medicine storehouse—east wing of the front courtyard,” the guard answered honestly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What good medicines are there?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you mean herbs or elixirs? I don’t know all the herbs, but I know some of the elixirs.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then tell me about the elixirs.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There are dozens of Snake-Spot Elixirs—I don’t know the exact number.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng didn’t believe him: “A major Geng family pharmacy like this only has Snake-Spot Elixirs? I’m a good man—don’t lie to me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The good medicines aren’t on the shelves—they’re all in Master’s residence.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man wasn’t lying. Pharmacies rarely kept expensive elixirs on-site; customers had to order in advance, and the seller would fetch them later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng asked again: “Where is the money kept in the pharmacy?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Some is in the front counter; the large sums are in the back courtyard—in the Young Master’s room.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Where does your Young Master live?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Back courtyard—he sleeps in the Third Madam’s room.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are there guards in the back courtyard?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, usually ten.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do they have cultivation?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes. The head guard, Song Baiming, is a Level Two Body Cultivator, with two Level One Wu Xiu under him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was problematic—one Level Two, two Level One, and seven thugs. Li Banfeng couldn’t handle them alone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Where are the other guards?” Li Banfeng remembered Geng Zhiwei had over thirty guards.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The rest are sleeping in this courtyard, hero. I’m telling the truth—I promised you’d let me go. Spare my life, I swear I won’t alert anyone.” The guard was weeping.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fine, I’ll let you go,” Li Banfeng smiled. “But I heard you kill an entire family of ten. I heard it all.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The guard wept: “Hero, it was the Young Master’s order—we do whatever he says. Don’t believe that bastard—he’s even crueler than me, killed more people than me!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“More than you?” Li Banfeng glanced at the corpses on the ground. “I see you two are close. I’ll send you to join him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Spare me…” The guard tried to scream—but no sound came out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Banfeng lightly swung his blade and slit the guard’s throat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>PS: Give and take—we’ve got Banfeng here. Give him a cheer!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1883,"2026-06-20T03:43:13.043Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","44a944bbb04ad3ba7f80fa98913de2caa0cf8fec21ad889736ceb58e243fe6fb","lord-of-the-proles-chapter-66","lord-of-the-proles-chapter-64",863,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Flord-of-the-proles-cover.jpg"]