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Human, they not only don"t have the claws like tiger and wolf, but also don"t have the strength like lion and elephant, but they can capture the wolf and tied the tiger, tame lion and elephant, no other reason, simply because they have wisdom.
-- "Secret code of Qianmen· preface"
Prologue
High sky and wide earth, cloudless, the red sun still hanging on the sky, lit the earth all red. In the vast expanse of the Gobi desert, there is a small team struggling marching in the sand. In addition to the four leaders ride on camel or mule, the remaining 10 people actually tied in one chain, under the whip of several riders, they struggling creeping forward.
The midday sun is very hot, people and camel are very tired, when they saw the station lonely in front of them, several riders can not help but cheer in unison, whip all people accelerated the pace. An old post a.s.sistant bobbed up. The first rider once see him and immediately shouting at him: "Old Nian! To prepare water and forage! The d.a.m.n weather almost fry me!" His face has a blood red scar, it constantly moved with his expression changes, from a distance, like his cheek opened another mouth.
"Already well prepared! Blade Ye!" Old Nian promised and come up. He knew the comer was the famous sheriff of Ganliang Road, his nickname is Scar, but not many people know his real name. Although there is the border of Qinghai, but the Scar has responsible to sent the prisoners from mainland to Ganliang Road, then send them to the farther Qinghai to penal servitude, so he often pa.s.s by this lonely station, so he and Old Nian familiar with each other quite well.
Several officers dismounted, and rushed toward the water and steamed bread that Old Nian prepared, several prisoners with flail stumbling hiding in the shade, lurched paralysis on the ground and gasping for breath, like the fish leave the water.
Old Nian walk to them with a bucket of water, although he know most of prisoners are nefarious men, not worthy of sympathy. But he lonely stay in the station for many years, rare to see a few people throughout the year, even if it is a prisoner, in the eyes of Old Nian, they are also welcome.
Old Nian scoop a spoonful of water, several prisoners immediately fall over each other to open mouth. Old Nian just going to feed, but behind him an officer suddenly shouted: "Wait a minute!"
Old Nian feel inexplicably and turned back, he see an officer came up with a wicked smile, s.n.a.t.c.hed Old Nian"s bailer and thrown it back in the bucket, then opened his legs, untie pants peeing in the bucket, he mentioned to Old Nian: "Go! Feed them drink!"
Old Nian embarra.s.sed looked at the side Scar, see he did not stop this behavior, but with interest. Old Nian hasn" other choice, he had to scoop the urine gave a prisoner, the prisoner after a slight hesitation, then close his eyes "gululu" drink it clean.
The officers all laughed, in the laugh of the crowd, Old Nian feed the prisoners one by one. Some prisoners have numbness, some prisoners put on a long face, some prisoners with great anger. But in extreme hunger, they still without hesitate but drink it. When Old Nian fed to the last prisoner, but see him disdainfully turn his head. Old Nian advised: "Drink! Such a hot weather, how can you do not drink?"
"I am a man, how can I without dignity?" The prisoner bitterness replies. Although his voice was hoa.r.s.e, but with incontrovertible pride.
Dignity? Old Nian was in a daze, he has to looked at this prisoner. This prisoner"s body is thin, his eyes seems very young, although his face is dirty, but still could not conceal his bookish.
"What"s the matter?" Behind him the Scar asked, Old Nian didn"t get a chance to explain, he already strode over and grabbed the bailer, spit sputum inside, bring to the mouth of the prisoner, "Do you think it"s not enough? I add a little for you!"
The prisoner struggle desperately knockdown the bailer on the ground. Scar lose his temper and kick down of him, harshly scold: "Unappreciative beast, why you don"t drink?"
The prisoner struggled to sit up, and said: "I"m human, I"m not beast!"
"Human? You f.u.c.king dare to claim to be human? You are all garbage!" Scar waving whip, whip the prisoner"s head one by one, "You! A human trafficker! You! A s.e.x thief! And you! A sea-robber! You f.u.c.king are all garbage, which of you can claim to be human? I can"t wait to executed all of you on the spot, lest I in such a hot weather, still need to take you trip to Qinghai! " Scar turned to the first prisoner and lift whip, "Especially you! I heard that before you were a Xiucai, but rape and murder, bluff and deceive. Based on this, you are deserve doubly guilty!"(Xiucai: ancient China scholar, government endors.e.m.e.nt)
"I don"t have!" The prisoner screaming, "I"m not rape and murder, I"m not bluff and deceive. I was wronged!"
"Hum! Every prisoner says so." Scar said and scoop urine handed to the prisoner"s mouth again, "I ask you again, drink or not?"
The prisoner look at Scar"s eyes: "I am a man, I"m not beast!" Scar suddenly poured the urine on the prisoner"s face: "Good! As long as you can hold until tomorrow, I will admit that you are a man! Come on! Tie him on the hitching post, we can see how long that he can keep!"
Several officers put the prisoner out of the shade, tied him on the hitching post. Over the head is strong sunlight, on the ground is burning sand, normal people obviously cannot last long. The prisoner licking chapped lips, eyes closed, in the baked of the fiery sun, although look exhausted, but there is still a unfightable aloof on his face.
"No one is allowed to give him water! I want to see how long he can keep!" Scar waved to Old Nian, "Prepare food and forage, let"s go tomorrow morning."
It was getting dark, Old Nian after feeding the horses, when he through the hitching post, he through the lantern light see the prisoner"s limp body hanging in the wood, don"t know whether has dead. Old Nian put his hand to touch his breath, his breathing has weak like gossamer. Old Nian knew if the prisoner didn"t drink, he can"t living through tonight. He could not forget the aloof eyes of the prisoner, can not help but to scoop a spoonful of water, hold the jaw of the prisoner, carefully pouring water into the prisoner"s mouth. A moment later, his eyelashes slightly fibrillation, and finally slowly wake up.
"Thank G.o.d! I"m afraid you can"t wake up!" Old Nian muttered, feeding he drink all the water. After drink enough water, the spirit of the prisoner has recovery a little, he can not help but choke with sobs to Old Nian: "Uncle, thank you for your help! If I, Luo Wenjia, can see the light of day, I must will repay your help!"
Old Nian waved his hand: "I don"t need your repay, if you can get out Qinghai alive then you can consider these things. As far as I know, all the prisoners, no one can out of here alive."
The prisoner was surprised: "Why?"
Old Nian sighed: "Would rather die on the ground, not live in the mine. Forced labor in the mine, you can only eat the mortal world"s rice, but work for the nether world! Don"t know how many man can alive for a year! Any persioner banished to that place, or buried in the mine, or tortured to death by heavy labor, without exception."
"I want to live! I was wronged! I want to practice supreme kungfu, let those guys who framed me get what they deserve!" The prisoner struggled hard, his efforts were not enough to shake the hitching post, but instead make him tried and dizzy, then he fainted. "I want to live, I must live!" In a coma, Luo Wenjia still whispered muttered. His dirty face flashing a strange look... His consciousness seems to be back to the worst past...