Night Sacrifice

In the front courtyard of the Garrison, torches crackled and burned, casting dancing, ghost-like shadows. The four teams gathered again, but the Ding Team was conspicuously small, numbering only three including their captain, Wei Dayong. Beside them, however, stood five new figures, their hands bound behind their backs and rags stuffed into their mouths, only able to emit muffled grunts.

Wei Dayong's face was pale in the torchlight. Without a word, he silently led the way toward the armory. Wang Quan and Hou San followed behind him, each taking a familiar standard-issue long saber from the racks. The blades felt cold to the touch, as if still carrying the blood and mud from the previous night.

Then, Wei Dayong retrieved several thicker hemp ropes from a corner. Without speaking, he tightened the ropes around the waists of the five Blood Tax prisoners again, finally handing the long ends to Wang Quan, Hou San, and himself. Wei Dayong held two, while Wang Quan and Hou San each took one. The chosen prisoners seemed to sense what was coming and struggled more fiercely, their eyes filled with terror. But bound by the rags in their mouths and the ropes around their waists, all their struggles were in vain.

"Let's go," Wei Dayong's voice was hoarse as he took the first step. He walked slowly, his left arm still in a sling, but each step was firm. Wang Quan and Hou San followed, silently leading their respective "cargo." The entire Garrison was deathly silent, save for the sound of footsteps, the crackling torches, and the whimpers of those being dragged. No one spoke, and their gazes rarely met. The air was so heavy it felt like it could be wrung out.

They didn't leave through the main gate but skirted around to a hidden side entrance on the west side of the Garrison, used only for carts and horses. The guard checked Wei Dayong's token and silently drew back the heavy bolts. The hinges groaned with a grating sound as the gate swung open, letting in a gust of wind far colder and more desolate than within the city walls, carrying the stench of mud and the distant swamp.

Outside the gate lay boundless darkness and a silent wilderness.

The group left the last shadow cast by the city walls and disappeared completely into the wilderness. The moonlight barely illuminated the pitted dirt road underfoot, and the surroundings were shadowy, as if teeming with countless unspeakable things.

After about half an hour, far from any trace of human activity, a range of low hills appeared ahead, littered with jagged rocks and gnarled dead trees. Wei Dayong's steps finally slowed.

He stopped, turned, and swept his gaze over the faces of his two remaining team members. In the torchlight, his eyes were tired yet sharp, like two dying embers.

"Listen up," he said, his voice low but clear. "In a moment, no matter what you see or hear, do not move or make a sound without my command. Control the cargo you're holding, and control yourselves. If anyone dares to act rashly," he paused, his gaze like ice, "don't wait for those things to act. I'll deal with them first. Understand?"

Wang Quan's heart tightened, and he nodded. Hou San also responded with a low hum, his face unnaturally pale in the moonlight.

Just then, Wei Dayong leaned close to Wang Quan, almost whispering in his ear. "Hold out your hand."

Wang Quan blinked in surprise and, as instructed, subtly opened his left hand from beneath the hand holding the rope.

Wei Dayong quickly pulled something from his embrace and pressed it into Wang Quan's palm. It was about the size of a thumb, round, warm to the touch, and carried a strange, pungent medicinal scent.

"Keep it safe," Wei Dayong's lips barely moved, his voice barely audible. "If things go south, if you're cornered, swallow it. Maybe… it'll buy you half a chance at survival."

With that, he immediately stepped back as if nothing had happened, merely rechecking the knots on the two prisoners he was holding.

Wang Quan's heart pounded. He quickly clenched the pill and hid it in his sleeve. At the same time, those few lines of text automatically appeared in his mind:

Discovered Item: Exploding Pill

[Effect: Upon consumption, stimulates potential, forcibly boosting the user's strength to the Martial Realm for approximately half an hour. Efficacy rapidly declines over time, accompanied by severe weakness, meridian damage, and other after-effects.]

Martial Realm! Temporary boost! Wang Quan's pupils contracted. So, above Mortal, the first clear realm was called Martial Realm! This small pill could allow someone to briefly enter that level? Although the price was immense, it was undoubtedly a trump card in a critical moment. Did Wei Dayong give him this because he saw something, or merely because of the "value" he showed yesterday?

He didn't have time to ponder. Wei Dayong had already started walking again, heading towards a leeward hollow within the hills. The darkness there seemed particularly dense, impenetrable even to the moonlight.

In the center of the hollow, two massive dark figures were already waiting.

It was the Pig Demon from last night. Standing beside it was an even more imposing figure. That creature also stood on two legs, nearly ten feet tall, covered in thick, iron-gray short fur. A huge bull's head with two curved horns gleamed dully in the moonlight, its nostrils expelling hot white mist. It held a mace as thick as a man's leg, studded with ferocious wooden spikes.

A pig and a bull, simply standing there, exuded a suffocating aura of ferocity and bloodlust. The five prisoners being led seemed to sense the presence of natural enemies, their struggles intensifying, their muffled grunts filled with despair.

"Hmph, punctual enough," the Pig Demon grunted, its scarlet eyes sweeping over Wei Dayong and his two companions, finally landing on the cargo they were leading. Its voice was laced with undisguised greed and impatience.

The Ox Demon took a step forward. Thump! The ground vibrated slightly as an invisible wave of energy rippled outward. It lowered its bull's head, its ox-like eyes scanning each of the five prisoners, appraising them roughly like livestock.

"Brother," the Ox Demon's voice rumbled like thunder, with a low moo, "three are strong, their Blood Qi is decent. The other two," it gestured with its mace towards two gaunt, terrified middle-aged prisoners, "are listless and weak, their essence almost gone. They'd be too stringy even to gnaw on."

Hearing this, the Pig Demon's scarlet eyes narrowed instantly, a fierce glint appearing. Its massive body moved with startling speed, leaving afterimages. In the next instant, it appeared abruptly before Wei Dayong, its bristly, foul-smelling snout almost touching Wei Dayong's nose.

"Hah…" A hot breath, reeking of decay, sprayed onto Wei Dayong's face. The Pig Demon's tusks parted, thick saliva dripping from its mouth. A few drops splashed onto Wei Dayong's cheek, emitting a faint sizzling sound, instantly burning red spots, his skin showing signs of corrosion!

"What I said yesterday," the Pig Demon's voice rasped from its throat, low and slow, yet filled with volcanic rage, "did you not understand? Or do you think… I, Old Pig, am too easy to talk to? Hmm?!"

The last "hmm" exploded like a thunderclap, making Wei Dayong's eardrums ring. Wei Dayong's body stiffened. The corroded skin on his face burned with intense pain, but he dared not move, not even to flinch away from the disgusting saliva.

"Lord Pig… Lord Pig, please calm down!" Wei Dayong's voice trembled uncontrollably, his waist bending almost to the ground. "This subordinate understood, I've kept every word in my heart! These, these are truly the best we could pick from the Garrison's prison! All strong and healthy, wicked criminals, with ample Blood Qi…"

"Nonsense!" the Pig Demon roared, interrupting him. Saliva sprayed across Wei Dayong's face. "The best? This? Those two half-dead wretches are the best? Do you think I'm a scrap collector?!"

"I wouldn't dare! This subordinate wouldn't dare!" Wei Dayong fell to his knees with a thud on the cold, dirty ground, burying his head deeply. His voice was choked with tears. "Lord Pig, please see reason! It's truly… it's truly that the 'harvest' has been poor lately! We have to bribe the lords in the city, and the other Demon King sirs, and the flow of refugees has been cut off… We've racked our brains to gather these five… Next month! Next month there will be good goods! As soon as there are new refugees or some fool wanders in, I'll be the first to offer them to you, Lord Pig! I guarantee they'll all be strong and full of Blood Qi! Please, grant us leniency this once and spare us!"

Wei Dayong kowtowed like he was pounding garlic, his forehead striking the gravelly ground with dull thuds. He was as humble as an ant, nowhere near the fierce captain who had risked his life against zombies the previous night.

The Pig Demon looked down at the trembling Wei Dayong at its feet, a cruel amusement and satisfaction flashing in its scarlet eyes. It craved this complete submission and fear.

Silence stretched for a few breaths, broken only by the night wind whistling through the rocks and Wei Dayong's suppressed gasps and kowtows.

Finally, the Pig Demon grunted and took half a step back, temporarily retracting its overwhelming ferocity.

"Enough, I see your pathetic state," the Pig Demon said, casually nudging Wei Dayong's head with a mud-caked hoof. "This time, it's settled. Remember what you said. Next month, I want to see good goods. If you try to fool me with such subpar items again…"

It didn't finish, but the chilling killing intent said it all.

"Yes, yes, yes! Thank you, Lord Pig, for your mercy! Thank you, Lord Pig, for your mercy!" Wei Dayong felt as if he had received a great pardon. He kowtowed a few more times before daring to shakily get to his feet. Tears streamed down his face, mixing with the red spots from the corrosion and the dirt, leaving him utterly disheveled.

"Get lost," the Pig Demon waved its hoof impatiently, its gaze already turning to the five trembling prisoners, its scarlet tongue licking its tusks.

The three felt a wave of relief and quickly turned, eager to leave this nightmarish place as soon as possible.

However, they had only taken two steps…

"Hmm? Brother Pig, wait!" the Ox Demon's thunderous voice suddenly rang out. It nudged one of the slumped prisoners on the ground with a thick finger. It was a gaunt middle-aged man, his eyes wide, his face purplish-blue, and no breath coming from his nose or mouth. "This one… seems to have been scared to death? No, he's just… stopped breathing!"

The Ox Demon kicked the limp corpse with its hoof, muttering in dissatisfaction, "What do we do with this thing? It's stone dead, its flesh and essence are already dissipating, it's tough and smelly, who wants this unlucky thing? And now the count is off!"

The three, about to leave, froze instantly, as if doused in invisible ice water. Wang Quan could even hear his own heart pounding wildly.

The Pig Demon slowly turned its head, its scarlet eyes sweeping slowly over Wei Dayong, Wang Quan, and Hou San. The ferocity that had just subsided flared up again like wildfire doused in boiling oil, more intense and frantic than before.

"The count is off…" the Pig Demon's voice was terrifyingly low. It bared its teeth, revealing its bone-white tusks, saliva gushing out like a spring. "Since you can't pay the full Blood Tax, then you… will make up for it yourselves."

Its massive hooves lifted, pointing towards Wei Dayong from afar. "You, scram back and report. Tell Captain Chen to prepare double next time! As for these two..." Its gaze fell upon Wang Quan and Hou San, like tangible blades. "Consider them the... interest for this time!"

Wei Dayong trembled violently, his face instantly draining of all color. He abruptly knelt again, slamming his head against the ground with resounding thuds, his voice hoarse with despair. "Lord Pig! Lord Pig, spare me! You can't do this! They're city patrol soldiers! If they're gone, there'll be no one to patrol tonight! Those mindless Corpse Puppets and wandering Nightmare Souls will approach the city walls, they'll disturb the city, they'll break the rules for you Lords and the city! I beg Lord Pig for mercy! Next month! I'll make it up next month, no, I'll double it! Please, show some leniency and spare them this once!"

As he cried out, he reached out and desperately grabbed the pant legs of Wang Quan and Hou San beside him, frantically pulling them down to signal them to quickly kneel and beg for mercy.

Wang Quan felt a chill rush from the base of his spine straight to the crown of his head. He followed suit and knelt, his heart nearly leaping out of his chest. Hou San had already gone limp, practically dragged to the ground by Wei Dayong. He trembled like a sieve, his crotch quickly becoming wet, a foul stench spreading.

The Pig Demon watched silently as the three men, kowtowing like pounding garlic and humble as insects, prostrated themselves. Its scarlet eyes held no pity, only a pure, cruel amusement. It seemed to be savoring their deathly fear.

After a few breaths, a low, rumbling growl emanated from the Pig Demon's throat, like muffled thunder brewing in heavy clouds.

"Are you..." it began slowly, its voice not loud, yet causing the very air to congeal. "Telling me what to do?"

The instant the last word left its mouth, a tempestuous surge of Monster Qi exploded! It violently raised its front hooves and delivered a brutal kick to Wei Dayong's chest!

Wei Dayong didn't even have time to scream. His entire body was sent flying like a tattered sack, crashing heavily into a pile of rocks several yards away. Blood spurted from his mouth, and a visible indentation appeared on his chest. He was clearly on his last breath.

"To hell with your rules!" the Pig Demon roared, its voice so loud it painfully pierced the eardrums. Wei Dayong's words seemed to have completely enraged it, or perhaps it had simply needed an excuse to indulge its bloodlust.

Its gaze, like that of the most precise predator, instantly locked onto Hou San, who was closest and already trembling uncontrollably.

"No... no..." Hou San lay sprawled on the ground, his legs flailing, trying to retreat, but unable to muster even a sliver of strength.

The Pig Demon bared its wide maw, revealing an extremely cruel smile. It didn't use a weapon, merely extended its fan-sized hoof, its claws sharp as hooks, and with lightning speed, grasped Hou San's left arm.

"No!!!"

Hou San let out a non-human, piercing shriek.

Screech!

A sickening, muffled sound of flesh and bone being forcibly torn apart!

An entire arm, still attached to shreds of flesh and twitching faintly, was ripped from Hou San's shoulder by the Pig Demon! Blood gushed from the gaping wound, the size of a rice bowl, instantly dyeing the ground beneath him red.

"Ugh!" Hou San's scream abruptly ceased. His eyes rolled back, and the intense pain and blood loss caused him to instantly lose consciousness, his body still twitching uncontrollably.

The Pig Demon, however, was unfazed. It lifted the severed arm before its face, its scarlet tongue greedily licking the warm blood from the stump. Then, it opened its cavernous mouth and with a crunch, bit off more than half of the forearm, chewing it with relish. The sound of bone being crushed was clearly audible.

"Mmm... just as I thought," the Pig Demon mumbled contentedly as it chewed, its gaze passing over the horrific sight of Hou San to land on the pale-faced Wang Quan, the only one still kneeling. Its eyes held the surprise of discovering "hidden delicacies." "Good stuff, you dog lackeys were hoarding it all for yourselves! This Blood Qi is much better than those useless prisoners!"

It swallowed the rest of the severed arm in a few bites, then licked the blood foam from its tusks, still unsatisfied. Its scarlet gaze, like tangible chains, bound Wang Quan firmly.

"It seems none of you are leaving tonight," the Pig Demon said with cruel pleasure. "Perfect, I'm still not full. After I've eaten you all, I'll personally go find Captain Chen and have a chat, tell him to 'carefully select' another batch of sensible dogs who know to hand over the good merchandise... As for you,"

It took a step forward, its shadow completely engulfing the kneeling Wang Quan. The thick stench of blood and decay was almost suffocating.

"You'll obediently become our shit! Hahaha!"