The Law of the Jungle

Ever since he helped Dugu Bo resolve the issue of his backlash, Qian Lingche had nothing left to do, so he simply decided to head out for a stroll.

He wandered through the streets of Nuoding City, where the cries of vendors rose and fell in a rhythmic chorus.

He paused slightly, his gaze sweeping over the busy merchants and the passing pedestrians. Their faces bore satisfied smiles, as if all the troubles of life had been cast to the back of their minds in this very moment.

Qian Lingche sighed softly, a complex emotion stirring within his heart.

For people like them, such a life was far too distant.

However, walking among these ordinary people at this moment, he suddenly felt a long-lost sense of peace and warmth.

"The happiness of an ordinary person, I suppose this is it." He whispered to himself, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

But this tranquility did not last long; his gaze gradually deepened, and his thoughts drifted into the distance.

With the two great empires now at war, although the flames of conflict had yet to reach a border town like Nuoding City, who could guarantee how long this peace would last?

Once the fires of war spread, the happy lives of these ordinary people would be destroyed in an instant, and their smiles would be replaced by fear and despair.

Qian Lingche's line of sight was suddenly drawn to a stall.

The stall was filled with all sorts of food, the aroma wafting through the air, with the pungent scent of bright red chili oil and Sichuan peppercorns hitting his nose.

The sign read: Spicy Rabbit Meat, Spicy Rabbit Heads, Spicy Rabbit Legs, and Spicy Rabbit Skewers.

He raised an eyebrow slightly, a flicker of curiosity flashing in his eyes.

His diet had always been refined and fastidious; he had never tried such street food before.

But at this moment, that rich, savory fragrance made his heart stir.

He walked slowly toward the stall. The vendor was a middle-aged man with a warm smile on his face. Seeing Qian Lingche approach, he immediately called out:

"Young man, come and have a taste! My spicy rabbit is a specialty of Nuoding City; I guarantee you'll be craving more after the first bite!"

Qian Lingche looked at the food on the stall and asked curiously, "Did you make all of these yourself?"

The vendor patted his chest and said proudly, "Of course! It's a secret recipe passed down through my Li family for generations. This spicy rabbit meat uses over a dozen spices; I guarantee you'll find the aftertaste endless!"

"And every single rabbit is a Soft Bone Rabbit, a spirit beast over ten years old."

Qian Lingche nodded, picked up a skewer of spicy rabbit meat, and took a light bite.

Instantly, the spicy, numbing flavor exploded in his mouth. The stimulation of the chili and the numbing sensation of the peppercorns intertwined, instantly awakening his taste buds.

He narrowed his eyes slightly, a trace of satisfaction flashing in them: "The taste is not bad."

Qian Lingche took ten gold spirit coins from his sleeve and tossed them to the vendor: "Keep the change."

The vendor took the gold coins, his eyes widening in shock, his face filled with disbelief: "This... this is too much! You've given me far too much; my entire stall isn't worth this much money!"

Qian Lingche shook his head: "Your craft is worth the price. Take it, no need to say more."

Seeing that Qian Lingche was satisfied, the vendor smiled even more happily: "As long as the guest is pleased! Would you like some rabbit heads? These are the most popular items!"

Qian Lingche looked at the spicy rabbit heads on the stall, pondered for a moment, and nodded: "Fine, pack one portion for me."

The vendor quickly and skillfully packed a portion of spicy rabbit heads and handed them to Qian Lingche: "Safe travels, guest, come back again next time!"

Qian Lingche took the bag and turned to leave the stall.

As he walked, he continued to savor the delicacy in his hand, a faint smile playing on his lips.

Suddenly, a loud crash came from behind, followed by an angry interrogation: "How could you kill these rabbits!"

Qian Lingche's footsteps faltered, his brows furrowed slightly, and he turned to look at the source of the sound.

He saw that the spicy rabbit heads, legs, and meat from the stall were scattered all over the ground. Pots, bowls, and ladles were smashed to pieces, and broth and seasonings were splashed everywhere.

The vendor was stunned by this sudden turn of events and asked in disbelief: "Little girl, what are you doing?"

A young girl wearing a blue school uniform was standing in front of the stall, glaring at the vendor with a face full of rage, her eyes even brimming with tears.

Judging by her attire, she seemed to be a student from the nearby Nuoding Academy.

She was clutching a fluffy white rabbit in her arms, clearly feeling extreme dissatisfaction with the presence of this spicy rabbit meat.

The vendor was startled by the sudden accusation and hurriedly explained: "Young lady, these rabbits are spirit beasts I specifically caught in the wild to use as ingredients; they aren't pets!"

Hearing this, the girl became even more furious, her voice rising an octave: "Does being a spirit beast mean they can be killed at will? Rabbits have lives too; they feel pain and fear! How can you be so cruel!"

Her voice drew the attention of nearby pedestrians, and many stopped in their tracks, looking over with curiosity.

The vendor felt somewhat awkward under her questioning and wore a look of helplessness: "Little girl, this... this is our human way of life. If you don't eat meat, does that mean no one else can?"

At this moment, a young boy in the same uniform ran over.

Seeing the situation, he didn't say a word before immediately shielding the girl behind him, his gaze fixed on the vendor with vigilance, his tone carrying a hint of coldness: "What are you trying to do to her?"

The vendor was caught off guard by this sudden confrontation and waved his hands in a hurry to explain: "Little brother, you've misunderstood! I haven't done anything. This young lady suddenly ran over and demanded to know why I kill rabbits, and I was just explaining!"

The girl turned her head, her eyes filled with grievance and anger, her voice choking up: "Xiao San, how can he be like this? Rabbits are so cute, how could they have the heart to..."

Qian Lingche stood not far away, taking in the entire scene. Despite his excellent upbringing, his mouth couldn't help but twitch.

He walked over slowly, looking at the girl with a calm gaze: "This is his way of survival. Why is it not allowed?"

Hearing this, the girl turned her head sharply: "Way of survival? Does survival mean you can arbitrarily strip away other lives? Rabbits have feelings too; they feel pain and fear!"

Qian Lingche was stunned for a moment upon hearing this; was this something a human could actually say?

"The weak are prey to the strong; that is the law of this world. Just as soul beasts feed on humans, this is simply the natural order of things."

The little girl was choked by his retort, momentarily at a loss for how to respond. She could only bite her lip tightly, a flicker of pain flashing through her eyes.

Passersby witnessed the scene and began to whisper among themselves.

A middle-aged man among them furrowed his brows and pointed at the little girl, saying, "Is there something wrong with this little girl? Making such a scene over a few rabbits and even ruining the stall owner's business."

Another woman chimed in, "Indeed. The stall owner is just roasting rabbits to sell meat; it's a legitimate business. What does she think she's doing by causing such a ruckus?"

An old man nearby shook his head, his tone laced with helplessness, "Sigh, the young people these days—always so emotional, never stopping to consider the hardships of others."

Hearing these comments, the little girl's face turned slightly pale, and a flash of grievance crossed her eyes. She opened her mouth, wanting to defend herself, but the little boy gently tugged on her hand.

Qian Lingche had just reached out to help the stall owner upright his stall when, suddenly, his gaze caught a flash of cold light flickering in the little boy's hand.