Oh no! I've been reincarnated as a corpse!

Lu You glanced at herself a few more times, a little narcissistic, before standing up and getting dressed again.

They called it clothes, but it was really just a few tattered strips of cloth hanging on the body.

To be honest, it's all a bit too revealing.

But he didn't have any extra clothes on him, so he could only wear what he had.

At least there's a cloth covering me; it's better than being naked.

Let's see if we can find a place where people live later.

I'll get myself a normal outfit to wear then.

He continued on his journey.

After passing through the forest, we were quite close to the mountain range. Before us lay an open plain, with a few clumps of wild grass scattered across the gray earth, offering a much better view than in the forest.

What caught Lu You's eye was that there was a small village not far ahead.

The village is small, with only a few dozen households, scattered across a gentle slope.

The surrounding area consisted of reclaimed farmland, but the crops were sparse and looked rather unhealthy.

The sky is gradually darkening, and the setting sun has turned the western clouds into a fiery orange-red.

Wisps of smoke rose from the low rooftops of the houses in the village.

The smoke from the chimneys rose slowly in the twilight, and was dispersed into a pale blue mist by the evening breeze, as if covering the small village with a soft veil.

Occasionally, a few barks of dogs could be heard in the distance, along with a woman calling her children home for dinner; the sounds drifted far across the open fields.

It exudes a down-to-earth, everyday charm.

Lu You was immediately excited.

He had been thinking of finding a place to get some clothes, but he didn't expect to find a village so soon!

He ran quickly toward the small village.

Considering that he was unfamiliar with this world and couldn't even tell which way was north, south, east, or west, and that he was a corpse, he figured that if the villagers saw him, it would probably scare them half to death.

Therefore, Lu You was quite cautious, even sneaky.

Taking advantage of the gradually darkening night, Lu You quietly crossed the farmland and crouched down to approach a small house on the outermost edge of the village.

This village has a typical ancient style.

The house had walls made of rammed earth and a thick thatched roof, and looked very dilapidated.

The surface of the low earthen wall is mottled, with grooves etched by rainwater.

The base of the wall was covered with dark green moss, which was slippery.

In some places, the thatch on the roof was so sparse that light could almost see through, revealing the dark wooden rafters underneath.

Perhaps because it was getting late, there were no people to be seen on the farmland and village paths.

Only a few old hens were still slowly pawing at the dirt in the yard, occasionally lowering their heads to peck at the ground and making satisfied "clucking" sounds.

The small house that Lu You approached had a faint light shining through its window.

Dim yellow light leaked through the window cracks, casting thin shadows on the muddy ground outside, which flickered gently with the dancing flames inside.

Lu You's original plan was to sneak into the small house after the people inside fell asleep, grab some clothes, and leave.

Of course, he would also leave some money behind.

As for where the money comes from?

It was naturally in the storage bag of that man surnamed Qin.

Lu You had already carefully examined the storage bag on the way.

There were quite a few miscellaneous things inside.

There were some herbs he didn't recognize, dried and bundled together, emitting a faint medicinal fragrance.

There were several pieces of ore of different colors, some as black as ink, and others with a metallic luster.

There were also some monster hides and bones that were cleaned up fairly well.

However, he didn't know much about herbs and minerals in his previous life, and he couldn't even distinguish between angelica and codonopsis, let alone those in this world.

It can only be said that they suffered from a lack of education.

They're guarding a treasure trove but have no idea what's inside.

In addition to these materials, there was also a bone longsword in the bag.

The sword was made from a single bone of some unknown monster, with an ivory-like texture. It felt just the right weight in his hand, many times stronger than the broken blade he had pulled from his chest.

There were also two talismans, covered with runes that Lu You couldn't understand at all. The vermilion strokes meandered across the yellow paper, looking quite intimidating.

There was also a small flag.

Lu You recognized the flag; the man surnamed Qin had used it to control the corpse puppets.

Besides these, there were about ten stones that exuded a faint spiritual aura.

Each piece is about the size of a thumb, and when you hold it in your hand, you can feel a cool sensation seeping into your skin.

This must be the legendary spirit stone, the hard currency of the cultivation world.

Finally, there was a small pile of gold and silver.

It looks to be in good condition and feels quite heavy.

Precious metals should also be a common currency in this world, since gold and silver are valuable in any world.

Lu You intended to pay the bill with silver.

After all, farmers in such remote rural areas are certainly not well-off.

A single piece of clothing could be a considerable asset for them.

If he takes the clothes and they don't have money to buy new ones, and when winter comes and the temperature drops sharply, they might freeze to death, then his sin would be enormous.

Even though he had become a corpse, he still didn't intend to do such a despicable thing.

As his gaze swept across the open space outside the cabin, he paused for a moment.

A simple clothes rack stood in the open space; it was made of two wooden sticks stuck in the ground with a bamboo pole tied horizontally in the middle.

Several coarse cloth clothes hung on a bamboo pole, swaying gently in the night breeze, as if beckoning to him.

There are ready-made ones!

Then he wouldn't have to wait for the people inside to fall asleep; he could go and get it directly.

Lu You arrived silently in front of the clothes rack, like a ghost.

There was no sound underfoot, and even the shadows on the ground were so faint that they were almost invisible.

He reached out and took down the largest hemp garment, unfolded it, and examined it.

The fabric was so rough it could rub against your skin, and its color was a faded grayish-white that had been washed countless times. It also had several patches on it.

But at least it's a complete set of clothes.

He happily stuffed the linen clothes into his storage bag, planning to change into them after he left.

Just then, he keenly sensed a gaze looking at him from behind.

The zombie instincts made his senses much sharper than when he was alive; the feeling of being watched was like a needle gently pricking his back.

Lu You's body stiffened slightly, and he slowly turned his head.

Then he saw a little kid lying by the window of the little house.

The little boy had a high ponytail tied with a red string, pointing straight up at the sky.

Perhaps due to malnutrition, his face was not as round and chubby as that of a normal child; instead, it was rather thin, with his cheekbones protruding slightly.

But his eyes were large and bright, with a clear distinction between black and white, making them particularly striking in the dim light, like two black grapes.

The little brat was staring at him with wide eyes, not blinking an eye.

Lu You was immediately embarrassed.

He gave the little kid what he thought was a polite smile.

It's that standard fake smile that says, "Hello, little friend, I'm not a bad guy."

With a slight upturn of the corners of his mouth and his eyes narrowed into slits, he tried his best to appear kind and approachable.

Of course, with his current face, even a fake smile would probably look quite good.

Just then, a loud voice boomed from inside the hut: "Dazhu! Dinner's ready! What are you looking at through the window, you little brat?"

Before the words had even finished, a rough, large hand reached out from the side and slapped the little kid on the forehead.

With a crisp, loud "smack," like smashing a watermelon.

The little kid was in so much pain that he covered his head and squatted down, his pigtails trembling three times.

"Oh my god! It hurts so much!"

Before Dazhu's tears could even well up in his eyes, a rough hand grabbed his ear and pulled it up impatiently: "Eat!"

Dazhu was pulled up by the ear, and in pain he had to stand on tiptoe, howling, "Mother! Mother! Let go! Let go! I see someone outside!"

Upon hearing this, the owner of the hand immediately fell silent.

Dazhu's mother was a thin, petite woman.

Perhaps because she was exposed to the wind and sun in the fields all year round, her skin was dry and rough, with a dark yellow color.

The back of my hand was covered with cracks, some deep and some shallow, like parched land.

The large, deformed knuckles are clearly the result of years of holding a hoe and doing farm work.

Her actions changed instantly.

Like a mother hen protecting her chicks, she pulled Dazhu behind her, shielding him with her body, and then looked warily out the window.

The man who was already sitting at the table and had picked up his chopsticks reacted even faster.

He quickly put down his chopsticks, stood up from the stool, walked briskly to the wall, and grabbed the wood-chopping knife leaning against it.

The man was also very thin, and his skin was several shades darker than the woman's.

His shoulders were not broad, and his arm muscles were not well-developed; he only had lean lines left by years of hard work.

His back was somewhat hunched, as if the burdens of life had bent his spine so low that he could never straighten it again.

But the way he held the machete was like that of a wild wolf.

Fierce, resolute, and ruthless.

Those eyes were fixed on the window, the veins on the back of his hand gripping the knife bulged, and his knuckles turned white from the force.

"Dazhu's father..."

When the woman saw the man approaching, her voice carried a hint of nervousness, and even a barely perceptible fear.

In this world, all sorts of demons and monsters can appear.

Their small village is unlike those big towns, where there are martial arts masters or even legendary immortals protecting them.

The gentlemen living in the town wouldn't care about the lives of these peasants.

Who knows, at any moment, they might be snatched away by some demon or monster that appears out of nowhere, and eaten alive, leaving not even bones behind.

This has happened before.

Just six days ago, the Li Gouzi family in the west of the village had an accident.

A family of three was found lying on their bed at home, their chests and abdomens ripped out, their hearts and lungs gone, completely dead.

The village elder has already sent someone to the town to invite the magistrate to come and take a look.

But so far, that gentleman hasn't come.

"Could it be from Li Gouzi's family...?" the woman asked in a trembling voice, not daring to say the rest of the sentence.

The man rudely interrupted the woman: "Don't speak!"

He gripped the wood-chopping knife tightly, the blade flashing a cold light in the dim firelight.

He lowered his voice and growled, "Take Dazhu and hide in the back."

The woman quickly pulled Dazhu back into the depths of the house.

But the house is so small; it's only a few steps from the door to the innermost corner.

Even though the mother and son were huddled together in the corner, they weren't far from the door.

This is just for psychological comfort.

If something really rushes in, hiding anywhere won't help.

The man, holding a machete, cautiously approached the window.

He took a deep breath, his eyes were focused, and his expression was calm, like a warrior preparing to die.

But he knew how scared he was.

His palms and back were sweating profusely, and he couldn't stop.

Sweat streamed down his back, soaking his worn-out hemp clothes.

My heart was pounding in my chest, so fast it felt like it was going to jump out of my throat.

A while ago, he went to the foot of the mountain to chop firewood and encountered a wild wolf.

He wasn't this nervous back then.

He has already made up his mind.

If he really encountered any demons or monsters, he would shout loudly, alerting everyone in the village.

He's definitely not going to make it.

But his offspring might survive.

The man stuck his head out of the window.

The sky outside had completely darkened.

A crescent moon and a few sparse stars hung in the night sky, casting a cool, silvery glow.

Even with the moonlight, the nearby scenery was still clearly visible.

The clothes rack stood quietly in the open space, a few clothes swaying gently in the night breeze, as if beckoning to him.

However, there were no grotesque demons or monsters outside the cabin as he had imagined.

There was no one outside.

The man was a little confused.

Undeterred, he leaned out again and looked around carefully. He even peered into the shadows on both sides of the house.

There was nothing there.

After confirming that there were no demons or monsters, his face immediately darkened.

It was even darker than the sky outside.

The man gritted his teeth, the muscles in his cheeks bulging.

He turned to look at Dazhu, leaned the machete against the wall, strode over, and slapped him across the face.

"Snapped!"

This slap was loud and clear, much harder than the one his mother had given him earlier.

Dazhu was stunned on the spot.

He burst into tears, sobbing and snot streaming down his face: "Dad! Why did you hit me?!"

The man cursed and swore, feeling one slap wasn't enough, and slapped him again, still wanting more: "Cry! What are you crying for?! You think you're all grown up now, huh? You even dare to lie to your own father? Who do you think you have outside?!"

Dazhu's crying stopped abruptly, like a chicken being choked.

He was stunned for a moment, forgetting even the pain on his face.

He covered his swollen cheek, broke free from his father's hand, ran to the window, and stood on tiptoe to look outside.

The clothes rack is still there.

A few pieces of clothing were still swaying in the night wind.

But the person who was standing in front of the clothes rack was gone.

Dazhu rubbed his eyes, then rubbed them again, to make sure they were really gone.

He immediately shouted, "Dad! You believe me! I really didn't lie to you! There really was someone just now! Standing right there by the clothesline!"

Then Dazhu's gaze fell on the clothes rack, and he suddenly noticed something was wrong.

One piece of clothing was missing from the bamboo pole.

He pointed at the clothes rack and shouted, "Dad! Look! Your clothes are gone!"

The man was furious that Dazhu was still trying to argue, and he was about to let him experience the weight of fatherly love.

Upon hearing the last sentence, his expression changed drastically. He quickly walked to the window and peered out at the clothes rack.

The hempen garment that had been hanging on the bamboo pole was indeed gone.

Only his wife's and child's two small outfits remained, swaying forlornly in the wind.

The man's face turned very ugly.

It looked even worse than when he thought Dazhu was lying to him.

He gritted his teeth and cursed, each word distinct: "Damn it! Which son-less-an-an-or-be-an-or-be-a-pig stole my clothes?!"