Guanyin Village.
As soon as dawn broke that day, the village took on a grand, festive air.
First came the sound of gongs and drums, and then the village bustled with noise and excitement.
It was the big day celebrating Guanyin's arrival in the village. Yes... they celebrated it every month on the twenty-fifth, toward the end of the month. It had become Monthly Celebration Day.
The bitter cold of the previous day had vanished too. Strangely enough, ever since those two Outsiders appeared, the chill in the air had disappeared completely.
The Village Chief had already led people to repair the road in and out of the village. The sun rose above the treetops, a breeze brushed past, and everything seemed to have returned to normal.
Most of the villagers were busy outside, preparing all kinds of offerings. These offerings were really just food from each household. There was no need to make them too elaborate; preparing them well and putting some thought into them was enough.
But in a pitch-black underground chamber, everyone in the village with even a slight family connection or friendship with the Village Chief was crammed into the small space.
The Old Village Chief's eyes were calm. In the center of the chamber, beneath the dim yellow candlelight, an old man tied up with rope, his body covered in long needles, stared at him with wide, despairing eyes.
Beside the old man lay a whole pig.
Old Man Zhao rubbed his chin and stepped forward. With one hand, he lifted the pig's head and rolled it onto its back, belly up. With the other, he took out a butcher's knife and pressed it against the pig's belly.
The pig was still alive and naturally struggled with all its might, but the people around it