Wielding the Thunders Across Two Worlds-Chapter 60: Butcher Shop

Ordinarily, if Demons and Ghosts concealed their auras, the average Mage wouldn’t be able to detect them. However, if they killed too many people or grew too reckless, they would naturally begin to reveal all sorts of anomalies.

Take, for instance, the residence and two shops Gu Zhao had discovered the last time he was in Xiuyue County.

"What can I get for you, folks?"

At the entrance to the butcher shop, a stout, barrel-chested man wielding a sharp knife looked over at the group with a broad smile. "Everything here was freshly butchered this morning. Can’t get any fresher."

"What kinds of meat do you have?" Gu Zhao asked.

"Mutton! Dog meat!" the large man said, pointing to the cuts on the board and then to the pieces hanging from the surrounding iron hooks. "It’s fresh, tender, fragrant, and juicy. Perfect for roasting or making soup back home. Absolutely delicious."

Gu Zhao glanced from the shop to the burly man.

The butcher shop was situated at the end of a side street. Its windowless interior was pitch-black, obscuring any details besides a cutting board, some knives, and a few scattered scraps of bone and flesh.

A rack stood by the entrance, from which a dozen iron hooks held up as many pieces of fresh, deboned meat with the hair removed. Another cutting board displayed several large, evenly cut slabs of meat, well-marbled with fat.

The man was dressed in coarse, short-sleeved work clothes and a square cap, his chest exposed. Though he looked stout and unrefined, his face was wreathed in smiles, giving him a good-natured air.

Gu Zhao looked from the man to the meat. "Is this really mutton and dog meat?"

"Of course it is!" The man chuckled, picking up a cut from the board. "See for yourself, sir. This here is clearly a goat’s foreleg!"

As Gu Zhao took the piece of meat, the corner of his eye twitched. He instinctively placed it back down.

"This meat doesn’t look very fresh to me," Taoist Yan Song said, taking a step forward. "Are you sure it was butchered this morning?"

"Of course!" The man slapped his chest. "I slaughter goats and dogs here every single morning. All my neighbors can hear it. How could I lie about that?"

Gu Zhao peered into the shop. "Do you raise the goats and dogs in your backyard?"

The man snorted. "You kids don’t know a thing. How could I raise livestock in the middle of the county seat? I go to the nearby towns to buy my goats and dogs after I close up for the day, then I rush back overnight to butcher them for sale."

Just then, a street vendor carrying a shoulder pole deliberately turned into the alley. "Zhu Da, cut me half a catty of dog meat. I’m going home to make steamed buns."

"You got it!"

Zhu Da picked up his sharp knife and expertly sliced off a piece of meat. He tossed it on the scale, then wrapped it in oiled paper and tied it with a strand of straw. Handing it to the vendor, he said, "Five taels and six maces. We’ll call it an even half-catty."

"You’re a stand-up guy, Zhu Da. I’ll buy you a drink next time." The vendor placed the meat in one of his baskets and walked away, humming a little tune.

Zhu Da smiled and waved as he watched the vendor leave. Only then did he turn back to Gu Zhao and the others. "You must be from out of town, here to stay with relatives, right? Once you’ve lived here a while, you’ll get to know—my meat is always the freshest."

Taoist Yan Song was dressed in a long blue robe, and on his head, he wore a Primordial Hat that covered his hair and neck, making him look like an old man sensitive to drafts and chills.

The Silk Embroideress wore a skirt of green floral-patterned cloth; it was clean but well-worn. She looked naive and clueless, hardly like someone who had seen much of the world.

Only Gu Zhao appeared young and strong. He was handsome, with sharp features. His cyan robe was fairly new but simple and plain, nothing luxurious.

’This trio is obviously a young master from a fallen noble house, traveling with his old servant and a Maid. Since they’re not from around here, they’re not just sitting on their ruined family fortune. They must be here to seek shelter with relatives. And now they’re here to buy meat...’

At this thought, Zhu Da’s gaze fell on the bundle on the Silk Embroideress’s back. An idea struck him. He glanced between Gu Zhao and the Silk Embroideress, the corner of his mouth twitching into a barely perceptible smile. "You’re buying meat as a gift, aren’t you? You haven’t paid your relatives a visit yet, have you?"

"Not yet," Gu Zhao replied, playing along as he probed, "Why do you ask?"

"Well, sir, you’ve asked the right person. All this meat out here is cut into small pieces, just for the neighbors to buy for their own meals. If you’re giving it as a gift, it might look a bit unseemly."

Zhu Da’s smile widened, revealing his front teeth. "I have a few whole legs of mutton in the back. Perfect for taking as a gift when you pay a visit."

Fearing Gu Zhao might refuse, Zhu Da added pointedly, "It must be fate that you found my shop on your first day in the city, sir. Since this is our first time meeting and you’ll surely be back, I’ll give you a good price."

Gu Zhao and Taoist Yan Song exchanged a glance. Then, Gu Zhao said to Zhu Da, "Then we’ll have to trouble you."

"No trouble at all! Please, come on in and pick one out!" Zhu Da chuckled, stepping aside to let them pass. He then shot a furtive glance outside.

The secluded street was deserted; the vendor from a moment ago had already turned the corner and disappeared.

"He’s not going to make a move in broad daylight, is he?" Taoist Yan Song said in a surprised voice transmission. "There are other shops nearby, and people live all around here. Isn’t he afraid of being discovered?"

"The last time I was here, both the Painting Demon and the Divine General from Golden Wind Hall made their moves during the day," Gu Zhao replied grimly. "Ordinary people are completely helpless. As long as they stay out of sight and don’t make a big scene, what difference is there between day and night?"

"Good point." Taoist Yan Song nodded and followed Zhu Da into the shop.

The three of them filed past Zhu Da. He casually shut the shop door behind them and led them around the front room, through a narrow passage. After they had walked for more than ten meters, they arrived at the door to a room in the back.

Hearing the footsteps trailing steadily behind him, Zhu Da’s smile grew wilder. As if anticipating a good show, he pulled the door open and bowed. "After you!"

The moment the door opened, the thick, coppery smell of blood washed over them. The only light in the room was a dim sliver filtering through a paper window, making it impossible to see clearly what lay within.

A sudden sense of foreboding washed over Gu Zhao. He pinched his nose, took a step back, and blocked the Silk Embroideress, who had been about to move forward.

"Young Master?" the Silk Embroideress asked, looking at Gu Zhao.

Gu Zhao turned to Zhu Da. "We won’t go inside. If you could just trouble yourself to bring a leg of mutton out to us, that would be fine."

Standing in the doorway, Zhu Da insisted, "There are plenty of mutton legs inside. Please, Young Master, go take a look and pick one out yourself."

"There’s really no need," Gu Zhao refused again. "The smell in that room is a bit overpowering. I’ll stay out here."

Seeing Gu Zhao pinching his nose, Zhu Da curled his lip in disdain. He didn’t insist, however. Then, as if another amusing thought had occurred to him, he nodded and entered the back room. "Just a moment, Young Master. I’ll pick out a good one for you!"

As Zhu Da went inside, Gu Zhao turned his gaze to Taoist Yan Song. "What’s in there?"

While Gu Zhao had been speaking with Zhu Da, Taoist Yan Song had craned his neck for a quick look. An ordinary person would have seen nothing, but he, of course, could see the room’s contents quite clearly.

"A classic horror scene," Taoist Yan Song replied, also taking a step back. "You wouldn’t want to see it."

The next moment, Zhu Da strode excitedly out of the room. In one hand, he held up a human skull, and in the other, he brandished a human spine, scraps of flesh and blood still clinging to the bone.

With a savage, wide-mouthed grin, Zhu Da bellowed, "What do you think of this..."

Then he saw them. The trio that had, just a moment ago, looked like a broke young master, an old servant, and a simple Maid had transformed.

The "broke young master" was now expressionless, his hands forming intricate seals as a vast, magnificent aura erupted from him.

A red mask had suddenly appeared on the "old servant’s" face. He held one hand over his abdomen and the other before his chest, his index and middle fingers pressed together and pointing at his own body.

A White Fox had appeared on the "Maid’s" shoulder, staring at him with tense gravity. She now held a Cyan Feather Fan that pulsed with waves of Spiritual Power.

Zhu Da’s laughter died in his throat.

"Gah?"