[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-nothing-is-taboo":3,"chapter-nothing-is-taboo-nothing-is-taboo-chapter-2":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Nothing Is Taboo",{"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},2310387,4514,"Chapter 2: Stepmother","nothing-is-taboo-chapter-2",2,"\u003Cp>The burly man was a Spirit Cultivator, a practitioner who specialized in trapping souls and forging ghost soldiers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan pointed in one direction: “The two of you walk another three li that way, and you’ll reach Wangxiang Village. I won’t go further—there’s no danger ahead, but my firewood-gathering spot is on the other side…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two exchanged a glance: act now?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The burly man nodded, and from beneath his shadow, three ghostly horrors silently lunged forth!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eyes blood-red, aura chilling and sinister!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two seized Xu Yuan’s ankles, one lunged for his throat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan stumbled forward into the woods ahead as the two ghostly shadows gripped his ankles—just barely avoiding the fatal strike.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From within the woods, swift, snake-like forms shot out, coiling around Xu Yuan’s neck and limbs, dragging him deep into the forest in an instant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two ghostly shadows clinging to his legs refused to let go, but the “strange snakes” suddenly opened their mouths and sucked—instantly swallowing the two shadows. The third fled in panic, trembling with fear and daring not to pursue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hey!” The burly man winced in anguish, his mismatched eyes wide with suspicion as he stared at the woods, too afraid to step beyond the boundary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sssshhh!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Strange sounds came from within the woods—as if something was watching them, yet unable to leave the forest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is this kid been watching us all along—or was it just luck?” The mismatched eyes couldn’t be sure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The burly man still mourned his ghost soldiers: “Who cares? My ghost soldiers couldn’t even stand against these things—he’s just an ordinary man, he’s dead.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mismatched eyes hesitated: “Should we go in and check? We came to Ghost Witch Mountain for that thing—we can’t let our trail be found.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The burly man sensed it: his ghost soldiers all radiated overwhelming terror toward the woods.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you want to go, go.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mismatched eyes took one cautious step forward—half his body had just entered the woods when dozens of black shadows shot toward him; he scrambled back: “That kid’s definitely dead.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deep in the woods, Xu Yuan tore open a hidden pouch on his collar with his teeth, spilling out realgar powder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The “snake-vines” panicked and fled with a hiss.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These strange vines had always believed themselves to be snakes—and thus feared realgar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan freed himself, smeared realgar powder over his body, crept silently to the forest’s edge, and listened to their conversation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Our guide’s gone—we’ll have to find Wangxiang Village ourselves. Fortunately, it shouldn’t be far.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two resumed their journey cautiously. The burly man couldn’t help asking: “Just what exactly is this ‘June Bug’? Even Zheng the miser would pay this much to send us out for it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mismatched eyes glanced at him: “Do you think that because Zheng was willing to pay so much, the June Bug must be worth far more than his offer?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The burly man said: “Of course.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mismatched eyes warned him: “We’re paid to do a job—don’t get greedy! Zheng isn’t a man to cross. If you steal his prize, you’ll be hunted to the ends of heaven and earth.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The burly man fell silent. The mismatched eyes thought: There’s only one June Bug—how do we split it? Once found, I’ll kill him and take it all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan, hidden in the woods, frowned. This was the third group he’d led into the mountains searching for something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first two groups were already dead in the mountains.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There must be others in town still leading people in—the true number is surely higher.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this was the first time Xu Yuan learned the thing they sought was called the “June Bug.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two merchants walked away. Xu Yuan emerged from the opposite side of the woods—this was the correct path. The two would never reach Wangxiang Village.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They’d never intended good faith—they never planned to pay any reward, and the burly man had coveted Xu Yuan’s soul.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Too bad they didn’t know the people of this town—if they could be tricked so easily, they wouldn’t have lasted three days here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan avoided a ghostly stream in the mountains, walked a while longer, and reached a sunlit slope where the sunlight felt softer, warmer than elsewhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The yang energy here was strong—thus detested by evil spirits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was where Xu Yuan gathered firewood; the slope was thick with scrub trees.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan climbed to the very top, where a half-arm-thick old walnut tree stood, its trunk bearing a hollow the size of a basket.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside rested a small bamboo cage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan pulled out the cage, his eyelid twitching—inside crouched a plump, white worm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is what they’re looking for… the June Bug?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The small cage had been given to Xu Yuan by his stepmother.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His stepmother was four years older than him—originally his father’s disciple, somehow she’d become his stepmother.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Half a month ago, Xu Yuan’s father passed away. After the funeral, his stepmother inherited all his assets, then found Xu Yuan this job at the inn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before he left home, she handed him the cage and said coldly: “When you get there, find an old tree hollow at your firewood spot and put it inside. Check it every day. If you catch a white, plump worm, eat it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What if I don’t catch one?” Xu Yuan asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you don’t catch one… don’t come back.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the small bamboo cage, his stepmother had placed a few old grains of rice as bait.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After arriving at the inn, the first day an elder showed him where to gather firewood; the second day he went alone, and placed the cage inside the walnut tree’s hollow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For over ten days, Xu Yuan checked the cage every time he came to gather wood—always empty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the few old grains of rice remained, unchanged. He wondered if the insects here were different from those outside—did they not like rice?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Until today, Xu Yuan had never imagined that those people rushing into the mountains like moths to flame were also searching for this worm!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The cage was exquisitely made—once inside, escape was impossible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One thing Xu Yuan had to admit: his stepmother was indeed clever and skilled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The little worm, trapped inside, seemed to have given up—lying motionless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan plucked the worm out, opened his mouth—then felt a pang of disgust. After hesitation, he closed his eyes, gritted his teeth, and swallowed it whole.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To his surprise, it was delicious—melting on his tongue, a fresh, sweet flavor sliding smoothly down his throat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1094,"2026-06-20T12:07:23.516Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","99e36e457b002b7d45d37b5516444ff070e3d8b54634c7c6aec4a6ecd7b33e3e","nothing-is-taboo-chapter-3","nothing-is-taboo-chapter-1",413,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fnothing-is-taboo-cover.jpg"]