You Wuqiang ignored him, took the bayonet from the chopping board, and cut the piece of meat into small chunks. Then he jumped up, sat down on the pork chopping board, and used the tip of the bayonet to pick up a small piece of meat and put it into his mouth. You Wuqiang chewed the raw pork forcefully, swallowed it after a few chews, and said to Zheng Mashui, who was frozen in pce, "Damn it, your meat is indeed not fresh!"

  Zheng Mashui nodded repeatedly, "Yes, yes, it's not fresh. Didn't I tell you beforehand?"

  Zheng Mashui suspected that You Wuqiang had gone mad. If he hadn't gone mad, he should have gone crazy after eating these two pounds of raw pork. According to the people of Tang Town, eating raw pork would cause pig madness. Pig madness is an incurable disease, and those who get it don't live long.

  Zheng Mashui stared bnkly as You Wuqiang stuffed piece after piece of raw pork into his mouth.

  The blood vessels on both sides of You Wuqiang's temples bulged out like worms. At that moment, a few people gathered around. Someone said to him, "Hero You, you can't eat raw pig meat like this; you'll get pig epilepsy!"

  While chewing the raw pig meat, You Wuqiang replied, "I've eaten raw human flesh, so why would I be afraid of raw pig meat?"

  Your Wuqiang's eyes were bloodshot. The way he ate the raw pig meat looked like he was eating human flesh, which was quite horrifying. At that moment, Zhong Qi's wife, Shen Wenxiu, was hiding behind a wall at the entrance of an alley, watching You Wuqiang eat the raw pig meat, her eyes filled with tears.

  You Wuqiang quickly finished eating the two pounds of raw pork, wiped his mouth, and loudly said to Zheng Mashui, "How much is it?"

  Zheng Mashui said, "Brother Wuqiang, consider these two pounds of pork as a gift from me. You don't need to pay. Just go. If you want more pork, come anytime. You can have as much as you want, all for free. After all, you're a hero!"

  You Wuqiang pulled a silver dolr from the pocket of his old military uniform and threw it onto the counter, saying, "Do you think I'm begging for food, you bastard Zheng Mashui? Keep the change; no need to give it back. If I still have my life to come back and eat your old pork, we'll settle it then! Rest assured, this money was earned with my life, not stolen like a bandit!"

  After Wuqiang finished speaking, he picked up the rusty bayonet that had been used to cut raw meat and walked towards the Emperor's Alley. The rain hit him, crackling as it fell, and the downpour intensified. Some people followed behind him.

  As he was about to enter Emperor Alley, Zhang Shaobing, the coffin shop owner, chased after him with an oil-paper umbrel and stopped You Wuqiang: "Brother Wuqiang, what's wrong with you today? What are you trying to do? Go back quickly. Just coming back means you're lucky. I've been trying to arrange a marriage for you these days so you can live a good life for a while! Why are you thinking like this? He's a deserter; you're a hero; you should live on!"

  You, Wuqiang, pushed Zhang Shaobing aside: "Shaobing, you're my brother. I know you're timid; even the coffins in your own funeral home scare you. You should live well. You have elders above and children below. I'm different from you. I'm a lone wolf. I don't care about this worthless life. I live for a breath and die for a breath! You don't need to stop me. If you truly consider me a brother, if I die, just give me a good coffin, and I'll be satisfied!"

  Zhang Shaobing knew his temper; once he decided to do something, no one could stop him. He could only watch helplessly as he went.

  You Wuqiang arrived at the town hall.

  At that time, the town mayor, You Changshui, and three local gentry from Tang Town were pying mahjong. Such rainy days were perfect for leisure. They were in the middle of their game when a security guard rushed in, flustered, and said, "No, this is bad—"

  You Changshui grabbed a mahjong tile but didn't py it. He calmly said to the security guard, "What's going on? Why the rush? Did the Tang Creek flood? Or did Chen Lantou steal something from someone again?"

  The security guard replied, "Neither. The flood hasn't exceeded the warning line on the riverbank, and Chen Lantou hasn't stolen anything from anyone. We haven't heard from him in a long time. It's your nephew, You Wuqiang, who's causing trouble!"

  You Changshui's hand trembled slightly as he held the mahjong tile. "Say that again. Who's causing trouble?"

  The security guard said, "It's your nephew, You Wuqiang."

  You Changshui sighed and said, "This bastard finally came knocking!"

  He then asked the security team member, "Where's your captain?"

  The security team member replied, "Didn't you ask him to go to the Hongfu Tavern across the street to order food?"

  You Changshui said, "Oh," stood up, and walked out. The three gentry also stood up and followed You Changshui. You Changshui stood at the door of the town office, solemnly watching You Wuqiang, who was standing in the rain, drenched like a rat.

  You Wuqiang's eyes were blood-red, exuding a murderous aura. He tightly gripped the rusty bayonet in his hand, its bde marred with some notches—were they left from killing? The bloodstains on the bayonet were they remnants of human blood that hadn't been cleaned off?

  You Changshui sneered and said, "How many days have you been back? Why did you only come to see me now? I am your uncle, after all, and I raised you since you were a child. Do you hate me this much?"

  You Wuqiang coldly replied, "Where's Zhong Qi?"

  You Changshui understood that Zhong Qi must be hiding in the Hongfu Tavern, too scared to come out. Seeing several security team members standing with guns at his sides, You Changshui coldly said, "What do you want with Zhong Qi?"

  You Wuqiang replied coldly, "This is a matter between me and Zhong Qi, and it has nothing to do with you. Where is Zhong Qi?"

  You Changshui said, "His legs are his own; where he goes is his own business. How would I know? If you want to find me, you can talk inside; we are still uncle and nephew. If you have nothing to say, just go where you should go; don't interfere with our official duties here!"

  You Wuqiang said, "Zhong Qi is a dog under your feet. You tell him, today he is here, I am not. I am here; he is not. I am waiting for him at the cemetery on Wugong Ridge. If he is a man, he will come to me! If he doesn't come to me today, I will take his life tomorrow!"

  Immediately, You Wuqiang shouted loudly, "Zhong Qi—listen up, you bastard! I know you're holed up in the town office right now! If you have any guts, come to Wugong Ridge. You can bring your box gun; I'll be waiting for you!"

  You Wuqiang strode away.

  After You Wuqiang left Emperor Alley, Zhong Qi finally emerged from the Hongfu Tavern. You Changshui coldly said to him, "How did you get involved with that scoundrel? He has never listened to me since he was a child. I beat him and scolded him, but he never obeyed my discipline. He even hated me and left home early, wandering outside! What chance do you have against him?"

  Zhong Qi's face darkened, like a sky shrouded in gloom.

  Many people in Tang Town knew that something was about to happen! Only the outsider Song Ke was completely unaware of what was about to unfold. He simply closed the door of the painting studio tightly and, in the attic of the shop, worried endlessly for San Laizi. Amidst the noisy sound of the rain, Song Ke pyed the bamboo flute, and the sound of the flute drifted through the window frames, lingering in the desote, rain-soaked Tang Town.