mtl008 Chapter 255 Rationality Debunks Superstition
Chapter 255 Rationality Debunks Superstition
“Fine, although I can’t explain the current situation well, you don’t have to believe any talkative nonsense. If it could really talk, I’d twist its head off and let you kick it around like a ball,” Li Xiangyang said coldly.
As they were talking, the three-tailed weasel suddenly let out a sharp cry and led the other weasels to quickly dart into the bushes and disappear without a trace.
The villagers stared in disbelief at the scene, speechless.
“Look,” Li Xiangyang pointed in the direction the weasel had disappeared, “even the smartest wild beast is still just a wild beast. As long as we show enough deterrence, they will naturally leave.”
Wang Ergou nodded: "Brother Xiangyang is right, there are no demons or monsters, people just scare themselves."
Yang Zhonghou breathed a long sigh of relief: "Brother Li, thank goodness you saw through Wang Deshun's tricks, otherwise our village would have been swindled terribly."
“This is nothing,” Li Xiangyang waved his hand. “Now we need to discuss how to completely solve the problem of these weasels.”
The group returned to the village and sat down in the village committee office to discuss countermeasures.
“I suggest,” Li Xiangyang said, “that we first strengthen the defenses around the village, keeping chickens, ducks, pigs, and other livestock confined to prevent them from roaming at night. Second, Er Gou and I will take turns setting traps around the village to catch weasels. Finally, if the situation worsens, we’ll take our hunting rifles and go directly up the mountain to destroy their nests.”
After listening, Yang Zhonghou and the villagers all nodded in agreement.
“It’s settled then,” Yang Zhonghou said. “Brother Li, this matter is entirely in your hands. As for the payment, the agreed-upon one thousand yuan will be paid in full.”
Li Xiangyang nodded: "Okay, then Er Gou and I will start today."
After saying that, Li Xiangyang stood up and said to Wang Ergou, "Let's go see that sick old man Wang first. I have an idea."
Wang Ergou followed Li Xiangyang to Grandpa Wang's house.
Grandpa Wang was lying on the kang (a heated brick bed), his face pale, his breathing rapid, and his whole body feverish.
Grandpa Wang's family members were busy inside the house, bringing him water and medicine.
Li Xiangyang walked to the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), carefully observed Grandpa Wang's condition, and then turned to Wang Ergou: "Let's go find Doctor Qian and get some medicine."
The two hurriedly returned to Xiaoliang Village, got some medicine from Doctor Qian, and then went back to Yangjia Village.
Li Xiangyang crushed the medicine, dissolved it in warm water, and carefully fed it to Grandpa Wang. Then, he soaked a towel in cool water and applied it to Grandpa Wang's forehead, changing it frequently to help lower his fever.
"In this situation, it's most likely due to a fright combined with catching a chill at night, leading to a persistent high fever," Li Xiangyang told Grandpa Wang's family. "Don't worry, with me here, he'll get better soon."
Li Xiangyang and Wang Ergou took turns caring for Grandpa Wang. By the next morning, Grandpa Wang's fever had finally subsided, and he regained consciousness.
"Thank you... thank you all..." Grandpa Wang said weakly.
"Uncle Wang, can you tell us what you saw that night?" Li Xiangyang asked softly.
Grandpa Wang's eyes flickered, seemingly frightened: "I...I saw a group of weasels...they were huddled together, like they were having a meeting...the one in the middle was especially big, with a three-pronged tail..."
"It's alright, don't be afraid," Li Xiangyang comforted him. "Those are just ordinary wild animals; they won't hurt you. Er Gou and I will take care of them. Just focus on getting better."
After leaving Grandpa Wang's house, Li Xiangyang and Wang Ergou began setting traps around the village. They made lassos out of wire and buried them in places where weasels often appeared; they dug some deep pits and covered them with branches and a thin layer of soil; and they also placed baited snares in some places.
At the same time, Li Xiangyang's reputation spread throughout the village.
Although it was all thanks to Dr. Qian that he was able to cure the person, it didn't change the fact that he was the one who did it, which shrouded him in mystery.
That evening, the villagers closed their doors and windows early and kept their livestock in pens to prevent them from roaming outside.
Li Xiangyang and Wang Ergou took turns patrolling around the village, ready to deal with any emergencies.
Around midnight, the traps around the village began to take effect.
One after another, the pitiful cries of weasels pierced the night sky and echoed around the village.
The piercing screams terrified the villagers.
"Judging from the sound, they caught at least seven or eight tonight," Wang Ergou said excitedly. "Let's go harvest them tomorrow."
Li Xiangyang nodded, gazing into the darkness surrounding the village: "This is just the beginning. There are many weasels; it may take several days to eradicate them all."
The next morning, Li Xiangyang and Wang Ergou went to check the trap.
Eight weasels were captured, six of which died, and the other two were seriously injured and struggling to escape.
Without hesitation, Li Xiangyang ended their suffering with a shotgun, and then he and Wang Ergou collected the weasel carcasses.
“These pelts are quite good,” Wang Ergou said, inspecting the weasel's fur. “They’ll fetch a good price in winter.”
Li Xiangyang nodded, glanced at the weasel carcasses, and suddenly had a flash of inspiration: "Ergou, let's skin these and hang them directly at the village entrance."
"Hang at the village entrance?" Wang Ergou asked in confusion.
“Yes,” Li Xiangyang explained, “wild animals have a sense of territory. When they see the corpse of their own kind, they know there is danger here, and naturally they won’t dare to come back easily.”
Wang Ergou suddenly realized: "Brother Xiangyang, that was a brilliant move!"
The two immediately began to carefully peel off the weasel's pelt and hang it on several large trees at the entrance of the village.
The leather swayed in the wind, and from a distance, it certainly had a certain intimidating effect.
Seeing Li Xiangyang and Wang Ergou's actions, Yang Zhonghou asked with great concern, "Brother Li, aren't you completely enraging them by doing this? What if you leave..."
"Don't worry, we'll leave after we've completely resolved this. Er Gou and I will be staying in the village for the next few days."
Knowing what the other party was worried about, Li Xiangyang assured them.
"That's great," Yang Zhonghou breathed a sigh of relief. "Leave the food and lodging to us; we'll make sure you're comfortable and satisfied."
And so, Li Xiangyang and Wang Ergou temporarily stayed in Yangjia Village, setting traps and checking the surrounding area during the day, and patrolling and keeping watch at night.
The villagers were very hospitable to them, bringing them all kinds of home-cooked dishes, and a constant stream of good wine and meat.
Wang Ergou, beaming with satisfaction, held his wine bowl, his face flushed from drinking: "Brother Xiangyang, this job was worthwhile! We got paid, ate and drank well, and even got so many hides!"
Li Xiangyang smiled and said, "Don't be too happy yet, things aren't completely resolved."