FTS Chapter 12

Chapter 12: Shock

The villagers who noticed the movement all gathered around. 

They watched with their own eyes as these insects, as if bewitched by something fatal, piled layer upon layer onto the small stone, gradually forming a massive black ball.

It wasn't until the scent stopped wafting from the stone hollow that the agitated insects in the field gradually settled down and began crawling back onto the crops.

"Zhizhong, what's going on here?" a villager asked Song Zhizhong. The two siblings had been tinkering here just moments ago when the insects suddenly started crawling toward them like they were possessed.

Song Zhizhong looked completely dazed: "I don't know!" 

He had just followed Zhuzhu's instructions to mash up those various grasses and fruits, and then it turned out like this.

"Fifth Brother, burn those bugs." The villagers wanted to ask more, but Song Baozhu, who had been ignored, suddenly spoke up in her crisp voice.

"Burn them? Oh, right! These bugs are so hateful. Watch me burn them all to a crisp with one fire!" 

In his daze, Song Zhizhong followed Song Baozhu's lead and set fire to the black ball formed by the piled-up insects. 

At first, he was afraid the bugs would flee, but to his surprise, even as the fire rose and a roasted aroma began to waft out, the insects remained motionless on the stone.

These insects seemed very flammable; the fire leaped high the moment it was lit. From time to time, the fragrance of rendered fat drifted out, making the nearby villagers even involuntarily swallow their saliva.

The villagers all crowded around, staring at the flames in the center. For a moment, the fields were silent except for the crackling and popping of the fire.

It was a long time before someone murmured: "If the other bugs could be lured together like this, wouldn't we be able to burn them all?"

These words acted like a switch, turning back on the hope that had been suppressed. Their eyes shone with incredible brightness.

"That's right! If all the bugs can be burned to death like this, why would we even need pesticide?"

"But why did these bugs crawl here like they were crazy? What exactly was the reason?" some villagers asked anxiously. 

If they knew the reason, wouldn't they be able to use the same method to burn these damned insects to death?

In an instant, everyone’s gaze shifted simultaneously toward the siblings, Song Zhizhong and Song Baozhu. 

Song Baozhu was too small, so they ignored her directly; someone asked Song Zhizhong in a trembling voice: "Zhizhong, what did you just do? Why did it cause these bugs to act like this?"

Song Zhizhong held Song Baozhu tightly. "I... I don't know." 

Everything had been done at Song Baozhu's request. He had assumed Baozhu just thought it was fun, so he did whatever she said; he never imagined it would cause such a massive stir.

"How can you not know! Zhizhong, think carefully again, this concerns the lives of everyone in our village!" some villagers cried out, so anxious they nearly knelt before him.

Wang Guifang, Song Dezhu, and the other four Song brothers all hurried over. 

Hearing that this matter was actually related to the fifth son of the family, they all came over to question him.

"What did you just do? Hurry up and say it!" Seeing Song Zhizhong’s dazed expression, Wang Guifang slapped the back of his head in a fit of 'hating iron for not becoming steel.'

*To be frustrated with sb who has failed to meet one's expectations.

"Mom, I really don't know! It was all Baozhu’s doing. I just did whatever she told me to do, but we didn't really do anything, we just mixed those flowers and grasses together and mashed them up." 

Song Zhizhong was utterly bewildered; he even began to doubt if he had hallucinated the scene just now.

"Baozhu told you to do it?" Wang Guifang was stunned as she took Song Baozhu from Song Zhizhong’s arms. 

Song Baozhu smiled and clung to Wang Guifang’s neck: "Mama, Fifth Brother is right. I’m the one who made him do it."

Wang Guifang’s voice trembled: "Baozhu... do you still remember how you did it just now?"

"I remember! I already said I had a way to kill these bugs, but none of you believed me!" She pouted her lips, acting a bit angry.

The entire village overheard the conversation between the mother and daughter.

Some were bewildered, some were skeptical, and some fell to their knees with a thud: "Thank the Heavens for giving us a way to survive!"

Song Deling walked toward Wang Guifang with trembling hands, his lips quivering. 

"Ba... Baozhu, tell Cousin, if you were asked to lure those bugs here one more time right now, could you do it?"

Song Baozhu nodded with a smile: "Cousin, I can."

Song Deling’s entire body couldn't stop shaking, and his voice was hoarse with excitement. 

Fearing he might scare Song Baozhu, he had to force himself to endure it, slowing his voice as much as possible to coax her: "Baozhu, do it one more time for Cousin and the uncles and aunties in the village to see, okay?"

Song Baozhu patted Wang Guifang’s shoulder: "Mama, put me down."

Wang Guifang bent down, and Song Baozhu slid down from her body with a chiliu sound. 

She walked back to the spot where she and Song Zhizhong had stood earlier; the previous insects had already been burned to ash, and half of the materials were still lying there unused.

Under the watchful eyes of the entire village, Song Baozhu beckoned to Song Zhizhong: "Fifth Brother, come quickly! Let's do it one more time for Cousin and the others to see."

Song Zhizhong was usually extraordinarily brave, but being stared at by the whole village made him feel a bit uneasy. 

He rubbed his neck and walked to Song Baozhu’s side. "Baozhu, you tell me what to do."

Just like before, Song Baozhu began instructing Song Zhizhong to divide the flowers and grasses into several portions. 

As the villagers crowded closer and closer, they heard Song Baozhu’s crisp, tender voice reminding Song Zhizhong from time to time: "Too much of this grass juice, a bit too little of that one... put the Jiji leaves in first..."

Listening to this made the villagers incredibly anxious, and they couldn't help but call out to remind him, "Zhizhong, you be careful! For heaven's sake, don't get it wrong."

The impatient Wang Guifang cursed directly, "You're so big and tall, how can you be so clumsy? Your sister already told you what to do, how can you still get it wrong? If you mess up later, see if I don't beat you to death!"

Song Zhizhong felt quite wronged. Despite being just a few flowers and grasses, the steps were actually quite complex. 

At one moment this grass had to be mashed with that leaf, then another kind later, even the intervals for adding materials were specific. 

How was he supposed to remember it all?

"Stop shouting! Let them do it slowly. Baozhu, Zhizhong, take your time. We're in no rush, no rush at all!" 

Song Deling glared at the villagers to quiet them down, then spoke up himself to soothe Song Baozhu and Song Zhizhong.

Song Zhizhong looked at Song Deling gratefully. 

Earlier, he had just been messing around for fun, but now, with all the villagers watching and knowing that the thing Baozhu casually came up with might solve the pest infestation, the pressure on him was immense. 

The hand he used to mash the grass juice was actually trembling.

After about half an hour, as Song Zhizhong completed the final step, Song Baozhu said in her crisp, tender voice, "It’s ready."

The moment the words left her mouth, an indescribable scent wafted out, growing stronger and stronger. 

Then, a buzzing sound followed. Under the witness of the entire village, they saw with their own eyes the insects near the area crawling like mad toward the spot where Song Baozhu and Song Zhizhong stood.

Song Zhizhong, extremely practiced now, scooped up Song Baozhu in one arm and ran away with her.

"It’s real!" Watching the bugs pile on top of each other frantically, quickly forming an insect ball just like the one before, someone murmured in disbelief.

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Jade: Won't be able to update tomorrow, so I'm dropping tomorrow's 2 chapters today~