Chapter 264: Chapter 111 First Encounter at the Execution Ground_2

Lu Tong stopped in her tracks.

At the very edge of the burial mound, a few bodies lay exposed on the flat ground.

Perhaps because the heavy snow made it too cold and brought an early dusk, the execution ground staff hadn’t even covered these fresh corpses with burial cloths, letting the white snow pile up layer upon layer, freezing the bodies into frosty white, hard ice sculptures.

The girl squatted down, rubbed her hands together, and, by the dim moonlight, began proficiently searching over the bodies with her hands.

After a moment of searching, Lu Tong found a corpse that was to her satisfaction.

It was the body of a headless, burly man who seemed to be middle-aged, more robust than the other corpses. He should be able to meet Lady Yun’s needs.

Lu Tong brushed the ice and snow off the body, opened her medical box, took out a jar and a small knife, and forcefully sliced open the chest cavity of the corpse. She resisted her discomfort as she searched within it for what she needed.

As the snow howled and fell upon her, the girl’s figure in the empty execution ground appeared frail and vulnerable like a small, foraging animal, agile and vigilant.

Lu Tong put the last piece of bloody flesh into the jar filled with ice and snow, secured the lid, placed it in her medical box, and then scooped up a handful of snow from the ground to wash the blood off her hands.

The icy water, soaking her fingertips, was bone-chillingly cold, just like the human heart she had just dug out.

A dead person has no warmth. No matter how scalding their blood was, once life had ebbed away completely, it would turn into a pool of cold, deep water.

She positioned the body properly and searched around for a while until she finally found the corpse’s head. It was the head of a thin, middle-aged man with ferocious, sullen features and bulging eyes.

Lu Tong had vaguely heard the commoners who had come to watch the execution mention that this man had assaulted and killed passersby, dumping their bodies, and that was why he had been convicted and imprisoned.

She placed the head atop the body, took a couple of steps back, knelt down, and bowed several times to the dead body.

"Uncle, I only took some things from you. I have already found your head for you; we’re even now," she said earnestly.

"It wasn’t me who killed you. You were executed because you murdered others. There’s a clear distinction for grievances and debts. It wasn’t I who harmed you. If you feel unsettled, please don’t find your way to me."

"When the Qingming festival comes next year, I will burn some paper money for you. Please don’t blame me, please don’t blame me."

She had once heard that the souls of those who had been executed for heinous crimes would become fierce ghosts after death. Digging through corpses for hearts and livers was a deed that lost one’s moral integrity; feeling guilty, she could only try to alleviate some of her conscience this way.

Just as she finished speaking and before she had risen, she suddenly heard a "tch" of light laughter close by.

"Who’s there?!"

The next moment, something cold and sharp pressed against her neck, and someone was behind her, their voice clear but somewhat hoarse and guttural in her ear.

"Who’s this little thief, daring to steal from the dead?"

Lu Tong felt chilled to the bone, her scalp tingling in an instant.

She’d been in the execution ground for so long and yet hadn’t noticed when this person had arrived. When had he come? How much had he seen of her digging through the corpse and extracting its heart?

After collecting herself, Lu Tong tried to sound composed, "Who are you?"

No sooner had she spoken than she smelled a strong scent of fresh blood.

This scent of blood was different from the putrid stench of the lifeless bodies. It was fresh and strong, coming from the person behind her who was holding her captive. With the cold edge of a knife pressed against her neck, Lu Tong couldn’t turn to look or see the person’s face.

The man stayed silent for a moment. The blade lifted slightly, increasing the sense of pressure on Lu Tong’s neck, accompanied by his voice, now smiling.

"I’m lost, and it’s quite cold here. Take me to a place where I can rest. Otherwise," his voice lowered, "I will kill you."

Frozen in place, Lu Tong realized this person might be a wounded fugitive hiding out here. His knife was still against her neck, so arguing with him now would be too dangerous.

After a tense standoff, she relented.

"I know of a ruined temple nearby where you can shelter from the cold... I’ll take you there," Lu Tong said slowly.

The other person laughed shortly, as if pleased by her sensibility. Soon after, an arm wrapped around Lu Tong from behind, resting on her shoulder.

From a distance, it looked like a drunk person holding her in his embrace.

If one could ignore the dagger in his hand aimed at her neck.

Lu Tong allowed the man to hold her as they walked unsteadily toward the edge of the execution ground.

With half of his body leaning on her, Lu Tong had no choice but to support much of his weight; he was tall, and as she helped him walk, she could smell an even stronger scent of blood emanating from him.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay Read