Steel torrents pioneering a different world

Chapter 123 The Madness of Longevity! The Dark Room and the Savage! (10,000 words, please subscribe)

I was a bit tipsy yesterday, and I messed up the last chapter, making a lot of typos. I fixed the parts I wasn't satisfied with. Today it's raining and there's a power outage, so I'm working overtime again to write!
-

Su Mingjin held the yellow talisman paper in her hands, her fingertips able to clearly feel the rough texture of the paper and the slightly raised texture left by the cinnabar when the talisman was drawn.

"The Mind-Cleansing Mantra..." she murmured, shifting her gaze from the talisman to the Taoist priest Chen before her. "Does the Taoist priest mean it can block the spirits' elusive mental magic?"

The question was rather direct, but Su Mingjin didn't bother with formalities.

If it were true, its significance would be immense.

The exorcism talisman they had previously used had already broadened their horizons, and Deng Dakang had described it as a tactical item "enough to change the rules of the battlefield".

It did indeed help Deng Dakang break through the illusion and allow the troops to better understand the spellcasters of the other world!
Now, another one that can target mind magic?
If it really works, then it should be deployed on a large scale.

Humans have a great fear of mind magic.

People aren't afraid of military threats. It's just a matter of using larger caliber weapons, higher yields, or, if all else fails, a massive armored sweep.

To date, no human body has been found capable of withstanding modern firepower.

However, attacks on the mind and magic are truly impossible to defend against.

Mind magic is not like a bullet; you can see it and dodge it.

It's like a gust of wind, a wisp of smoke, silently creeping into your mind when you're most relaxed, changing your perception, and distorting your thoughts.

In the frontline command post, the interrogation report on the female elf prisoner Anise was still on the table, with one of the appendices listed as an extremely high threat.

The report details how a determined veteran, exhausted from continuous combat, nearly opened the door to his cell after less than two hours in custody of Annie.

When asked why afterward, he said he felt that Annie was "very pitiful" and an "innocent person who should be rescued".

If his partner hadn't noticed something was wrong with his eyes and immediately used a stun gun to subdue him, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

The soldier simply took off his helmet to relax his head and neck.

He was wearing the latest brainwave shielding device developed by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, but that thing only lowered the threat level from "extremely lethal" to "relatively dangerous".

It's like giving someone in a downpour a leaky raincoat—better than nothing.

Because of the ever-evolving and bizarre methods of magic, everyone is very wary of it.

The University of Tokyo's pioneering efforts have always been confined to a steady and cautious framework, with each step taken with utmost care, for fear of stepping into a mental trap set by others.

Su Mingjin took a deep breath, suppressing her turbulent thoughts, and her tone became extremely solemn.

"Master Chen, this is a matter of great importance, we need to verify it."

"That's only right." Master Chen smiled calmly, as if he had long anticipated Su Mingjin's choice.

Su Mingjin gently stroked the talisman paper with her fingertips, the rough texture seemingly carrying a soothing power.

She looked up at her assistant, Xiao Li, and said, "Connect Gong Pengfei to the video call."

"Yes, Mr. Su."

The order was executed swiftly, and a slightly tired face soon appeared on the conference room screen.

Gong Pengfei still had faint dark circles under his eyes, clearly indicating that he had been working late into the night.

"President Su." Gong Pengfei nodded.

Without wasting words, Su Mingjin pointed the talisman in her hand directly at the camera: "Gonggong, look at this. This is something new that Master Chen brought, the Purification Mantra Talisman. It might be effective in resisting infiltration at the spiritual level."

Gong Pengfei's expression changed instantly on the other side of the screen.

It was a complex gaze, a mixture of caution, skepticism, and a hint of barely concealed longing.

He subconsciously raised his hand and rubbed his temples.

"……Really?"

Everyone present knew that during the interrogation of the female elf Annis late last night, even Gong Pengfei, the presiding judge, suffered a mental shock.

If it weren't for his exceptional willpower and the special helmet that served as his last line of defense, he probably would have followed in the footsteps of that veteran long ago.

In his subsequent report, he made no mention of his predicament, but the lingering fear was truly etched in his heart.

“It needs to be verified,” Su Mingjin said. “Have you finished your analysis? What are the arrangements? We want to use Annie to test the effect of this talisman.”

Gong Pengfei remained silent for a moment, seemingly weighing the pros and cons quickly.

“President Su, I really want to stick it on my forehead right now and rush in.” He rarely made a joke, but no one laughed. “However, the timing is not right.”

"How to say?"

“We just put her under immense pressure yesterday, and her psychological defenses are currently at their strongest. Going in now, no matter what methods we use, will only be a waste of time and will hardly make a breakthrough.”

Gong Pengfei's voice carried a unique professional calmness and expertise.

"Interrogation is like training a hawk; you have to hand it the straw that breaks the camel's back when it is most exhausted and desperate."

Su Mingjin nodded slightly, signaling him to continue.

"It'll be quick. I'm waiting for a batch of special props." A cold smile appeared on Gong Pengfei's lips. "The broken specimen of the red-leafed human-face tree that I picked up is already on its way."

"Those trees?"

“Yes.” Gong Pengfei’s eyes gleamed with a hunter’s light. “That female elf’s reverence for those trees goes beyond the realm of species dependence; it’s more like a fanatical faith. Yesterday, when we tested her with AI-generated animations and photos, she already showed intense emotional fluctuations.”

"When those sacred relics, cut down, damaged, covered in mud and scars, are actually placed in front of her, that's when her psychological defenses will completely collapse!"

“At that time,” Gong Pengfei’s gaze swept across the screen as if he could see the yellow talisman, “we will go in with this talisman and be able to dig out all the secrets she has hidden in her mind, word by word!”
-

On the other side, the modern world.

Zhu Rihe's laboratory was brightly lit.

This is the exclusive domain of the Zhu Rihe Otherworld Life Science Research Group.

Interdimensional portals act as a perfect natural filter, keeping out unobservable magical particles and deadly pathogens from other worlds without wiping out all active factors affecting plants and animals. Humans can then conduct scientific research using modern equipment in an undisturbed environment.

This provides unprecedented convenience for scientists on Earth.

Although many biological specimens lose their magical effects once they leave the environment of this alien world, here, with the support of the most advanced and complete equipment completely free from electromagnetic interference, and with the joint efforts of professional scientists, the research progress is advancing by leaps and bounds.

At this moment, Professor Zhong Zhenguo, a leading figure in the field of life sciences, is staring intently at a set of data on his computer, his gray hair appearing much more energetic.

"Old Zhong, stop looking, your eyeballs are going to fall into the petri dish if you keep staring," joked an older colleague with thinning hair beside him. "How could the result be fake?"

Zhong Zhenguo ignored him, adjusted his reading glasses, and asked his young assistant beside him in a slightly trembling voice, "Xiao Sun, read it to me again, just read the comprehensive conclusion."

“Yes, Professor.” Assistant Xiao Sun cleared his throat, his voice trembling with excitement.

"Through comparison of bones and teeth, detection of biological telomere length, and multiple cross-validations such as DNA methylation clocks... we have confirmed that the youngest of the obtained Elf specimens is estimated to be two hundred years old, and the oldest... is over four hundred and fifty years old."

"Furthermore, the activity of all the specimens' organs is younger and healthier than the theoretical peak of human life."

"Four hundred and fifty years old..."

Zhong Zhenguo took off his glasses and wiped the lenses repeatedly, as if to make sure that his eyesight wasn't failing due to old age.

"If I'm 450 years old, I'm an ancient relic who's lived from the Ming Dynasty to the present day!"

His old friend next to him clicked his tongue and rubbed his aching back: "A 450-year-old's organs are healthier than a 20-year-old's... I've really wasted my life."

The words, though crude, were not without merit, drawing a burst of good-natured laughter that diluted the sense of unreality brought on by the shock just moments before.

"Longevity! Immortality! These things that once only existed in myths are now right before us!"

"Compared to this, the enhanced genes and super organs we've been talking about are utterly insignificant!"

Zhong Zhenguo grabbed his assistant Xiao Sun's shoulder and shook him hard: "Xiao Sun! Do you understand? Once we crack the secret of the elves' longevity, it will be a leap forward for all human civilization! It will be an unprecedented revolution in life!"

"If Qin Shi Huang had known about this thing back then, why would he have bothered with making elixirs!"

Just as the entire laboratory was immersed in boundless daydreams about the future, a researcher suddenly looked at the latest data as if he had seen a ghost and exclaimed in astonishment, "Pro...Professor!"

He pointed to the tablet in his hand, his words slurred: "Professor, more detailed data on the stem cells and telomeres in the elf's body has come out."

Zhong Zhenguo snatched the tablet computer, his eyes fixed on the screen like those of a hawk.

He stared intently at one line of key data, without even blinking.

"Free radicals and photosynthetic catalase..."

He muttered to himself, his voice dry and hoarse, like sandpaper being rubbed.

As is well known, free radicals are one of the main culprits of aging and disease in living organisms.

The effectiveness of the human body's superoxide dismutase declines with age, eventually allowing free radicals to run rampant in the body, attacking cells and inducing disease.

This is an inviolable iron law of life.

But the data before us is like a heavy hammer, shattering this ironclad rule!
"...In addition to the conventional superoxide dismutase, the elves can also produce catalase through a mechanism similar to plant photosynthesis, which can selectively eliminate free radicals in their bodies!"

When Zhong Zhenguo read this, his voice suddenly rose, and every word squeezed out of his throat was filled with an uncontrollable tremor.

Everyone who heard this was shocked and their scalps tingled with fear upon hearing it.

Controllable free radicals, and even dual-mode, this is not just simple longevity; it's a dimensional reduction attack on the human population from the very foundation of life's logic!
"Gentlemen, it's not just this!" Zhong Zhenguo slammed his finger down on another spot on the screen, his fingertip turning white from the force. "Look here! The cells' photosynthetic energy has mutated... their telomeres seem to have self-repair capabilities!"

If what came before was merely a turbulent storm, then this single sentence is like detonating a deep-sea nuclear bomb!
The entire laboratory was deathly silent.

Telomeres!

That's the life clock that determines the number of cell divisions!

It is important to know that human telomeres shorten a little with each cell division, until they are completely depleted, at which point the cell dies.

And the telomeres of elves can actually repair themselves!
In addition to the previous control of free radicals, there is also the reduction in repair of senescent cells. What does this mean?
This means that, theoretically, elves can live forever!

It must be some kind of longevity gene that far surpasses that of humans.

"What are the results for the detection of galactosidase and p16 and p21 proteins?"

Zhong Zhenguo turned around abruptly, staring intently at his assistant, Xiao Sun, his gaze burning as if he wanted to set him on fire.

Galactosidase and other enzymes are among the most direct and scientific indicators for detecting the degree of cell division and aging.

Xiao Sun swallowed hard, adjusted his glasses, and said with difficulty, "Reporting to the professor... all indicators show an extremely balanced state of low activity."

He paused, seemingly searching for a suitable metaphor, but eventually gave up.

"The detection model... determines their level of physiological aging in the same way as the gene activity of a thirteen or fourteen-year-old human!"

"boom--!"

The crowd erupted in chaos!

"Four hundred and fifty years old, with the body of a middle school student? Is that really that outrageous?"

Zhong Zhenguo closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and when he opened them again, his eyes were filled with a raging sea of ​​fire.

"A near-perfect race! Except for a slightly stronger stress response to sound and light stimuli, they completely outclass us in every other vital sign!"

He stopped abruptly and gave the order: "Send our analysis data to the Otherworld Frontline Team! Hopefully, they will increase their focus on elf research."

"Yes!"

Zhong Zhenguo stared at the tightly closed teleportation portal, feeling a deep sense of regret for the first time: "It's a pity I wasn't on the front lines, otherwise..."

Otherwise, human life sciences will enter the realm of gods overnight!

"Professor, our colleagues in the other world are also actively conducting research!" Xiao Sun whispered from the side, a mysterious smile on his face. "Materials are precious right now, so maybe we'll be able to obtain more experimental materials soon?"

Zhong Zhenguo was taken aback, then understood what was going on. He gave his student an approving look.

Yes, isn't there still one alive being held at the front line?

If we can pry open her mouth and uncover the secrets of her race...

Zhong Zhenguo's gaze became deep and distant, and the corners of his mouth involuntarily turned up.

More material, more in-depth research... it seems that the door to immortality has opened a crack for him, and for all of humanity.
-

Another world, 173 kilometers away.

The roar of the excavator shattered the silence of this strange world. The tracks rolled over the unfamiliar land, leaving deep imprints of modern industry on the hillside.

This hillside is now a huge construction site.

Warriors in full stab-proof suits, with translators hanging around their necks, were communicating with savages dressed in modern military overcoats, but behaving in a barbaric manner and with extremely unkempt hair and appearance.

Those were the young and strong men of the Ice River tribe, more than three hundred of them, wielding brand-new shovels and hoes, their movements clumsy yet full of primal strength.

They loaded the excavated soil and rocks onto military trucks, which were then transported by others to low-lying areas to compact the foundation.

A highly aggressive fragrance wafted through the air.

It was the overpowering aroma of braised pork cans, self-heating hot pot, and instant noodles mixed together, like an invisible hand gripping the stomachs of every savage, making their Adam's apples bob incessantly.

Outside the quarantine line, a group of children from a savage tribe clung to the railing, their dark eyes fixed on the direction of the cooking station, drool practically dripping down their dirty chests.

Several daring children squeezed to the front, pushing and shoving each other to get a good spot, almost falling over in the process.

A young soldier from the mess hall noticed the commotion. He glanced around, then raised his index finger to the children and put it to his lips.

"Shh!"

The children immediately quieted down and looked around mischievously.

The soldier grinned, deftly pulled a bag of hard candy from under the stove, and quickly packed some sweet and sour fish pieces into his lunchbox. When no one was looking, he hurriedly stuffed them into the arms of the leading child.

"Hide it well before you eat!" he said quickly through the translator. "Don't let our class monitor see it, or he'll make me wash the pots for a week!"

The children nodded vigorously, their little faces beaming with bright smiles. Clutching their hard-won "treasure," they dashed into the snow-covered bushes nearby.

Watching their disappearing figures, the young soldier chuckled, turned around and continued tossing the wok, the potato and beef stew in the pot emitting an even richer aroma.

The authorities have always turned a blind eye to the practice of giving snacks to children.

Rules are dead, people are alive.

The military's ironclad rule is equal exchange; excessive goodwill towards these uncivilized tribes will only breed ingrates.

They believe in the law of the jungle, where the strong prey on the weak. If you are weak and vulnerable, they will not hesitate to pounce on you and bite your throat.

Therefore, to live well, one must work.

Only by showing a little extra kindness to these children who have not yet been completely influenced by the law of the jungle can we plant a seed for future integration.

Not far away, a veteran squad leader watched all of this and silently smoked a cigarette.

“There’s not enough for those children!” one of the soldiers said.

Hearing the new soldier beside him speak, he said coldly, a cigarette dangling from his lips, "Kid, you just flew here today, so you'd better put away your overflowing sympathy. On this land, sympathy is the cheapest thing. These savage tribe brats were once ruthless people who dared to fight the undead Scourge with weapons. They're not the porcelain dolls protected in the modern world!"

"The cooks giving them candy and such was also part of a mission!"

“Kid, remember this: a little kindness is fine, but excessive kindness is a crime! If you give them a bowl of rice for free today, they’ll dare to ask you for a cow tomorrow.”

The veteran spat out the cigarette butt from his mouth, his eyes sharpening.

“We give them jobs, but we also need to set rules so they understand that if they want to live like human beings, they have to earn their living with their own hands!”

The new soldier nodded, seemingly understanding but not quite.

The old soldier patted him on the shoulder, looked at the savages who were working hard, and seemed to be thinking about something.

Humans are social animals.

The elders and all the able-bodied men of the Ice River Wildman tribe must work in order to reap the corresponding rewards.

This is to create order and rules.

Contact with humans from another world is not going smoothly; in the future, humans will need to properly "tame" these otherworldly beings.

The current actions are merely preparation for what's to come.

Once everyone has more interaction, and some typical cases of violating principles are dealt with severely, and their fanatical belief in gods is dispelled, the initial integration of the ethnic group can be basically completed!

Zhao Chong stood on the hillside with his hands behind his back, a satisfied smile on his face.

The manual brick-making machine underfoot was creaking and groaning as it operated.

It was a simple iron contraption that relied entirely on manual labor for compaction.

A burly man from the Ice River tribe was imitating a warrior, pouring a wet mixture of cement and sand into a mold, and then laboriously pulling a long pressure bar.

"Hey!"

The burly man let out a low growl, his bronze muscles bulging instantly, and he used all his strength to press the lever all the way down.

Another soldier shouted through a translator, "Yes! That's it! Demold! Slow down!"

A gray brick blank was pushed out. Although the edges and corners were still a bit rough, it already had the most basic shape.

The burly man looked at his masterpiece, then at the sample house built with the same bricks not far away, grinned, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth, and was as happy as a child.

Not far away, more tribal members, both men and women, were repeating similar procedures.

They had already witnessed how solid these boulders became after adding a little bit of magic powder.

The promises these divine messengers made were incredibly tempting.

As long as you work, you can earn points. Once you have enough points, you can get a stone house that can shelter you from the wind and rain, protect you from wild animals, and is ten thousand times sturdier than their best igloo.

Such a good thing is something one wouldn't even dare to dream of in the bitter cold of the far north.

Some of the more astute members of the tribe even whispered among themselves that these messengers from the south might be planning to have them build their houses before wiping them out.

The words had barely left his mouth when he was glared at by the others as if he were an idiot.

Are you kidding me?
Why would it take so much effort to kill those people with heavenly fire that can flatten mountains and iron birds that can make steel fly?
Not to mention the thermal coats, iron pots, and glasses that people casually pull out... each one is a precious heirloom in their eyes.

Would a giant with wealth comparable to a nation scheme against you for a few copper coins in your pocket?

Will not!
The difference between savages and modern humans is too great. If the other party is a pathetic creature, and you offer to hunt with him, then split the spoils afterward, it might arouse the suspicion of the Ice Age tribe warriors.

The far north is bitterly cold, and scattered tribes are dispersed across thousands of miles of icy and snowy world.

Those living in extremely difficult circumstances would be wary of such promises.

However, if the person who says this to you is someone who holds the power to destroy the world and has abundant food, then this doubt will be greatly dispelled.

When this person exchanges something very cheap for countless precious, even luxurious, resources, your doubts will be completely dispelled.

Modern humans are too wealthy, and too terrifying.

Once you bring out the weapons and goods, the cooperation goes very smoothly.

Zhao Chong thoroughly enjoyed the atmosphere of farming and construction.

The sense of accomplishment from construction and the satisfaction of being a guide to civilization intertwined, making him feel that this journey to another world was full of meaning.

Just then, Xiao Zhou walked over quickly, his face looking rather grim.

"team leader."

"What's wrong?" Zhao Chong's smile hadn't faded yet.

“There’s a savage among us who’s not behaving properly and has some dirty tricks up his sleeve.” Xiao Zhou handed over a tactical tablet.

Zhao Chong's brows furrowed immediately.

He took the tablet, on which was playing a surveillance video.

In the scene, a thin, savage man hides a military thermos while the soldiers go to relieve themselves.

The other party thought they were getting away with it, but the surveillance cameras had already recorded it.

The warm atmosphere was instantly shattered by this trivial matter.

The smile on Zhao Chong's face gradually faded, finally turning into a cold, hard expression.

He didn't react immediately, but just quietly watched the thin figure on the tablet, watching how he clumsily hid a military thermos, which was nothing special to the soldiers at the base, into his clothes as if it were a priceless treasure.

“Contact Chief Jinhe,” Zhao Chong’s voice was not loud, but it carried an undeniable chill. “Tell him I have something to discuss with him. We… need to establish a new set of rules in front of everyone.”

Rules are power; they set the standards for good and evil!

In the past, they did good and evil deeds, which modern people did not care about. But now, on their ancient land, these savages from another world must obey the rules!
Earthlings won't adapt to them; instead, they'll make the other side adapt to them!

Do you go along with everything the other party says, send them food and drinks, and do charity work?
They're here to reclaim wasteland, not to deliver steaks!

If that really happens, wouldn't they have come all this way for nothing?
"Yes!" Xiao Zhou puffed out his chest excitedly, his face even glowing red.

He loved watching the captain enforce discipline.

A few minutes later, Chief Jinhe jogged up the hillside.

He wasn't used to wearing his brand-new down jacket yet, and his walking posture was a bit awkward. His clean-shaven chin and short hair made him look less wild and more comical.

"Your Excellency, the Divine Envoy, you sought me out?" Jinhe tried his best to stand straight like the warriors, but he couldn't hide the awe and obsequiousness in his eyes.

Without wasting any words, Zhao Chong handed the tactical tablet directly to him.

“Chief of the Golden River, our cooperation is based on trust and rules. I have said that theft, robbery, and any behavior that crosses our bottom line will be severely punished. Now, your people have broken the rules.”

Jinhe's gaze fell on the screen, and when he saw the clear, moving image, he froze.

What... what kind of witchcraft is this? How can it possibly contain the things a person has done inside this little iron plate?
A flicker of fear crossed his mind, but when he saw the familiar figure in the picture, the fear was immediately replaced by overwhelming rage.

"Big fish! That bastard!"

Chief Jinhe trembled with rage, his bronze face turning a deep purplish-red. He bowed deeply to Zhao Chong and roared in the tribe's language, "Divine Envoy! Hand over this shameless thief to me! I will cut off his hand and show him no mercy!"

"Cut off his hand?" Zhao Chong put away his tablet, his tone calm. "There's no need to be so bloody. We have a more suitable way that will teach him a lesson without killing him."

Jinhe was stunned for a moment upon hearing this, then overjoyed surged into his heart.

His anger just now actually concealed a hint of heartache and embarrassment.

Although the tribesman named Big Fish was dishonest, he was the most astute scout in the tribe, with eyes sharper than a snow wolf and legs faster than a snow rabbit.

If you really cut off your hand, you'll be ruined.

"Your Excellency is merciful!" Chief Jinhe was so moved he didn't know what to say. "I...we will all follow your arrangements! Whatever you say, we will do!"

Zhao Chong nodded and said nothing more.

Just then, the rich aroma of meat broth wafted from the canteen at the foot of the mountain. Jinhe subconsciously sniffed, nervously rubbed his hands on his brand-new down jacket, and asked cautiously, "Sir... is it... time to eat?"

"It'll be soon." Zhao Chong's gaze turned down the mountain. "The real show will only begin once everyone has eaten and drunk their fill."

Down the mountain, as soon as the order to stop work was given, the wild people who were still working hard instantly erupted in excitement.

"Bang!"

"Boom!"

The shovels and carts that they had just cherished were now carelessly left lying on the ground, making a mess of noise.

Everyone rushed toward the canteen like a pack of starving wild dogs.

However, once they reached the cafeteria entrance, they strangely quieted down and began shoving and jostling each other to form a queue.

It's not that they are particularly well-mannered; it's just that they had been taught a lesson by armed soldiers using electric batons several times before, and they had learned their lesson.

Looking at the tools that had been carelessly discarded, Xiao Zhou frowned deeply: "I'll have to teach them a special lesson later, to show them how to take care of their tools!"

Zhao Chong's gaze, however, passed over the chaotic crowd and landed on the thin figure who had been "invited" out of the line by two soldiers and was looking bewildered.

This meal today will probably be unforgettable for some people.

The rules in the simple canteen were even stricter than when we were working.

The dining area is divided into three distinct zones.

At the very head of the table were Zhao Chong and the base soldiers.

The white rice here is piled up like a small mountain, with eight dishes and a soup. The glistening oil of the braised pork and the vibrant green of the stir-fried vegetables complement each other beautifully, and the aroma dominates the entire space.

In the center are the Golden River Chief and several newly promoted savage overseers.

The same rice was placed in front of them, but the side dishes were replaced with a large pot of stewed meat and a plate of pickled vegetables.

Even so, it was enough to make them stand tall and enjoy the envious and awe-inspiring gazes of their surrounding tribesmen.

At the very edge of the area, hundreds of ordinary savages were crammed together.

Each person was given a large bowl containing corn porridge mixed with minced meat and vegetable leaves.

It's enough to fill you up, but that's all.

No one complained, and no one even dared to speak loudly.

Everyone's eyes were fixed on the food at the head of the table, their Adam's apples bobbing uncontrollably.

That wasn't food; it was the hope they earned through their hard work, a tangible future.

Want to eat meat?
Want some white rice?
can.

It is earned through sweat, loyalty, and the work points posted daily on the wooden board.

Well done, you might get an extra spoonful of meat in your bowl tomorrow.

Trying to slack off and cheat?

Sure, if you can't even see any vegetable leaves in your corn porridge tomorrow, and you fail to meet the standard for three consecutive days, then you'll be packing your bags and getting out of this land.

Cruel, but effective.

Chief Jinhe ate with grease dripping from his mouth, then wiped it with his sleeve, stood up, and cleared his throat.

He tried his best to imitate Zhao Chong's demeanor during meetings, puffing out his chest and speaking in a loud voice: "This is a blessing from the gods, allowing us to eat our fill and stay warm! The arrival of the divine messenger is the protection of our ancestors! We..."

His halting and stammering words of gratitude made the soldiers want to laugh.

Zhao Chong listened expressionlessly, but a different voice echoed in his heart.

A gift from the gods?
No, you should thank the great nation that built all of this in the far East, and every compatriot who devoted their heart and soul to this plan!
It's us!
Not those hateful gods!

Zhao Chong was very unhappy, but for the sake of the overall situation, he endured it for the time being.

"All right."

Zhao Chong calmly interrupted Jin He's speech, and the entire cafeteria fell silent the moment he opened his mouth.

All the savages stopped eating, held their breath, and stared at him with awe in their eyes.

"Bring the people up."

No sooner had he finished speaking than a commotion arose at the entrance of the cafeteria.

Two fully armed soldiers, one on each side, carried a thin figure in.

It was a big fish.

His mouth was still smeared with cornmeal mush, and he looked completely bewildered and lost, utterly unaware of what had happened.

It wasn't until he was pushed to the center of the canteen and saw Zhao Chong's sullen face and Chief Jinhe's furious rage that a sense of foreboding suddenly surged into his heart.

"Big fish!" Chief Jinhe pointed at him, trembling with rage. He turned to all the savages and roared in the tribe's language, "This shameless thief! He stole the divine messenger's things! According to the tribe's rules, stealing food and valuables from one's companions results in having one hand cut off and being expelled!"

"Om-"

The crowd exploded.

The savages who were on good terms with the big fish were even more astonished.

Chop off hands? Drive away?
The savages looked at the big fish with fear and disdain, as if they were looking at a dead man.

In their view, being banished by the divine messenger was worse than death.

The big fish fell to its knees with a "plop," terrified out of its wits. Its crotch was instantly soaked, and a fishy, ​​foul smell filled the air.

He kowtowed incoherently, pleading, "Chief, spare me! Divine Messenger, spare me! I'll never do it again! I didn't mean to..."

"We won't cut off your hand. Nor will we take your life!"

Zhao Chong finally spoke. His voice wasn't loud, but it reached everyone's ears clearly, instantly silencing all the noise.

He stood up, walked slowly to the big fish, and looked down at it.

"But we came here to give you food, clothes, and teach you how to build houses, not to raise a bunch of ungrateful wretches."

"Our cooperation is based on trust and adherence to rules. And rules are the cornerstone of maintaining trust." Zhao Chong's gaze swept over every savage present. "Today, he shattered that cornerstone."

"Friend, do you want me to do it? My knife is very fast!" Jinhe took out a fruit knife.

Zhao Chong shook his head, looking at the trembling fish, a cold smile curving his lips.

"Chief of the Golden River, our rules are different from yours. We don't kill people indiscriminately!"

"Let's eat first! We can talk about punishment after we finish eating."

After Zhao Chong finished speaking, he turned around and walked back to his seat, saying something to Xiao Zhou in a low voice.

"Let's eat, the food's getting cold."

Aside from the big fish that was caught, everyone enjoyed the meal very much.

After everyone had eaten and drunk their fill, the aroma of the broth still lingered in the air, but no one's attention was on the food anymore.

Two soldiers escorted the large fish to the center of the open space, where a wooden box about half a person's height had appeared out of nowhere.

The box was rough, as if it had been hastily made from scraps, and it was dark in color, with only a small door on one side.

“According to our rules, there are two types of punishments.” Zhao Chong’s voice was particularly clear in the quiet night. “One is physical punishment, to make you remember the pain in your skin. The other is to make you remember the pain in your mind.”

He glanced at Chief Jinhe.

The chief was still brooding over not being able to cut off the big fish's hand, and waved his hand sullenly.

Immediately, a soldier stepped forward and pinned the big fish to the ground, while another soldier approached, holding a water-soaked rattan whip.

"Snapped!"

A crisp crack tore through the night sky as the vine whip lashed solidly across the back of the large fish, leaving an instant bloody welt.

"Ow—!"

The big fish let out a scream.

"Snapped!"

"Snapped!"

The whip struck one after another, rhythmically and mercilessly.

The soldier's expression remained unchanged, as if he were executing a very simple procedure.

The savages around them watched with twitching eyelids.

They weren't afraid of fighting or bloodshed, but this one-sided, procedural form of whipping made them feel uncomfortable. It was completely different from the venting brawls in the tribe; it was a higher-level, unquestionable rule.

After thirty lashes, the big fish was like a lump of mud, lying on the ground, barely breathing, with its back torn and bleeding.

Several savage overseers were secretly astonished; this beating was far more severe than any they had received in the tribe. It seemed the divine messenger wasn't so merciful after all.

Zhao Chong walked up to the big fish: "Treat it!"

Soon, the big fish was treated with wound medicine, given anti-inflammatory medication, and its wound was bandaged with gauze!
No one said anything, seeing how the big fish was treated.

Because just yesterday, some injuries were treated in this way.

They said they could save lives.

Zhao Chong squatted down, looking at the wild man's face, which was contorted with pain: "Now it's the second type of punishment."

He pointed to the black box: "Go in and stay inside for three days and three nights. If you can survive, your theft will be forgiven. You'll still be one of us and can continue to exchange work points for meat."

The big fish was in so much pain that his consciousness was becoming hazy. He struggled to open his eyes and looked at the small black box.

It's just... staying inside, isn't it?
No need to cut off hands, no need to be expelled, just stay in the box for three days?
A surge of elation at surviving a catastrophe washed away the excruciating pain in his back, and he even felt that this divine messenger was truly a compassionate bodhisattva.

"I'm willing! I'm willing to accept the punishment!" he struggled, shouting hoarsely.

As he eagerly and proactively climbed into the black box, the surrounding savages let out a suppressed burst of laughter.

"That's it? Living in a tiny house? Big Fish is a man who survived for days in an ice cave!"

"What kind of punishment is this? I can sleep in there for three days!"

"The divine messenger is still too soft-hearted."

Chief Jinhe frowned, completely baffled. In his view, this was practically letting the thief go free.

Zhao Chong ignored the crowd's discussion and simply signaled to the soldiers to close the door.

"boom!"

The latch fell, and the last glimmer of light before the big fish's eyes disappeared.

The space inside the box was extremely cramped, and he could only curl up, making it difficult even to turn over.

At first, he was filled with relief. He endured the pain in his back, listening to the footsteps and chatter of his tribesmen gradually dispersing outside, and even a smug smile appeared on his lips.

After three sunrises, he'll be a hero again!
Half an hour later, the smile on his face disappeared.

Absolute darkness, absolute silence.

He could see nothing and hear nothing. All he could hear was his own heartbeat growing louder and his breathing.

An hour later, he began to get restless. He tried to change his position, but found that no matter how he moved, his body would hit the rough wooden planks. He started banging on the planks with his hands, trying to make some noise.

"Boom... boom..."

No one responded.

Three hours later, he completely broke down. Darkness, like an invisible hand, gripped his throat, and silence, like countless steel needles, pierced his brain.

"Ah! Open the door! Let me out!"

"Is anyone there? Please, let me out!"

He began banging his head against the door frantically, howling in a hoarse voice filled with terror.

It wasn't until late at night that the small door of the box was opened a crack, and a bowl of corn porridge and a bowl of water were handed in.

The sudden light blinded the big fish, and he scrambled to the door, grabbed the soldier's trouser leg, and cried out, "Let me out! Please, I was wrong! I'll never do it again! I don't want to stay in here!"

The soldier glanced down at him, his eyes expressionless, put down his rice bowl, and uttered a few words.

"Two and a half days left."

"boom!"

The door was slammed shut again.

The boundless darkness and deathly silence swallowed the giant fish once more. He clutched the bowl of still-warm corn porridge and let out a desperate sob.

Outside the open space, several savages who were still awake listened to the intermittent wails coming from the black box. The mockery on their faces had long since disappeared, replaced by a chilling fear.

They suddenly realized that what was most terrifying about the divine messenger was not the deadly vine whip, but this black box that could drive people mad.

The small dark house that Zhao Chong and his men built was in a very tricky location, far away from their camp.

The mouthpiece is horn-shaped, and the angle is directly facing the settlement of the savage tribe.

In this way, the screams of the big fish became the tribe's exclusive background music, without affecting the sleep quality of the warriors on the other side of the river in the slightest.

(End of this chapter)