CHAPTER 458: CHAPTER 452 1.22 POINTS

Hu Ma’s heart was not as large as Immortal Miaoshan’s; she seemed utterly unconcerned about the Great Hall Officer outside, focusing solely on making her Lantern Festival lively.

Now his heart felt heavy, with a vague sense that the situation in Shima Town had become somewhat uncontrollable. The One Coin Sect had initially planned to organize the Lantern Festival and had already spread the news. The Great Virtuous Master had also laid down corresponding principles. However, everyone knew the current situation was severe, making the so-called Lantern Festival far less important.

With lives on the line, who still has the mind to play at being gods and ghosts?

Moreover, after the town was sealed, it should have been easy to deceive people. Most were the sect’s followers and merchants who wouldn’t take it too seriously. But now that so many commoners have surged in, what’s to be done?

It was easy to fool when there were few people, but with so many around now, the sheer number of heads represents an immense weight of cause and effect...

Besides, the arrival of these people is strange. Haven’t they noticed the dangers surrounding the town? Didn’t they discover the ghostly fog blocking the way when they came?

Or could it be that the Great Hall Officer outside and the Meng Family deliberately let them in?

No, even if they were simply let in, there shouldn’t be this many commoners here. It’s mountainous terrain, and the mountain roads are difficult. Even if there’s a blessing, how many people could have come? Now it seems as though people from within a hundred miles have all rushed over.

The more he pondered these issues, the heavier Hu Ma’s mood became.

Lost in thought, he stepped out the door and walked into the now extremely lively town, his eyes scanning the faces filled with the joys and sorrows of human life.

Most of those who came to Shima Town were in tattered clothes and looked malnourished; some seemed to be barely clinging to life, having exerted all their strength just to reach the town.

Shima Town, originally bustling with a large population, became even more crowded and lively with the influx of commoners from a hundred miles around. It was as if the pressure from the Shousui Great Hall Officer outside had become insignificant.

Hu Ma, accompanied by Little Hongtang, walked among the crowd. He wanted to see if any sinister schemes were hidden within, but the result surprised him: the town was now genuinely filled with commoners who had flocked from all directions.

He walked a full circle, yet saw only poverty everywhere, as if someone had deliberately gathered all the commoners from several hundred miles around to this very spot.

"Don’t worry, don’t worry, the Lantern Festival will begin at night! An immortal official will bestow blessings upon you."

In the streets and alleys, One Coin Sect disciples wearing white paper clothing welcomed these commoners arriving from various places. They stood guard before large cauldrons, burning Paper Talismans and tossing them into the pots, then shouting to the commoners, "But this talisman water that cures all ailments, we’re giving it out now!"

Sallow, emaciated faces desperately held out bowls, waiting for a share of the talisman water purported to cure all diseases. They showed no aversion to the black talisman ashes, as if truly believing it was life-saving spiritual medicine...

...Hu Ma would believe it too. After all, the talisman water had large globules of oil floating on top and contained bones with meat. It occasionally bubbled, looking like it possessed much Mana.

Seeing those famished faces, he knew this wasn’t some trick orchestrated by others. These were, indeed, commoners who had rushed here seeking relief from their suffering; otherwise, they wouldn’t crave the talisman water so desperately.

That scrawny, dark-skinned child, nestled in an adult’s arms, looked as if he wanted to plunge his little head straight into the large cauldron...

"But it’s strange..."

Standing amidst the bustling crowd of commoners, Hu Ma frowned slightly, muttering to himself, "There’s been no word of any major droughts or floods in the vicinity. This is Gunzhou territory, and the earlier disaster caused by the Five Evil in Mingzhou didn’t affect this area..."

"...Why, then, are there so many destitute commoners here, as if they’ve been struck by some calamity?"

"..."

"Where would so many disaster-stricken people come from? They’re just commoners..."

As he was deep in thought, a weak voice sounded beside him. Hu Ma turned his head in surprise to see the mournful face of Calculation. Beside him stood an equally mournful donkey and a horse that looked on with disdain.

Calculation also held a bowl, squeezed into the crowd, waiting to receive talisman water. His attire was indeed quite similar to that of the surrounding refugees; one could easily miss him in the throng.

"There are still many people behind us; I fear the Mana in this talisman water won’t be enough..."

He queued, received a bowl of talisman water, and squatted beside Hu Ma, sipping it. He didn’t forget to suggest to the One Coin Sect disciple by the cauldron, "...That half-carcass of sheep over there, you should quickly throw it in to cook as well!"

Hu Ma wasn’t surprised by the old fellow’s appearance. He simply voiced the doubts in his heart, "This Gunzhou area, even if the weather isn’t perfect, is close to it. The government still collects taxes but is low-key enough not to oppress excessively. Are the commoners really unable to make a living?"

Indeed, he harbored doubts. If it were just one or two families struggling, it wouldn’t escalate to the point of rebellion. This was one reason he had previously been unable to agree with the One Coin Sect’s rebellion.

In his past life, he knew that rebellions mostly occurred when people had no way out of poverty. If life could continue peacefully, yet people were instigated into rebellion, it was usually the work of demon people, causing countless heads to roll.

"But the situation just now wasn’t just one or two families..."

Calculation craned his neck, looking at the large cauldron ahead, and said in a low voice, "It’s like this all over the world, especially in recent years. It’s becoming increasingly apparent."

"The yield from the fields is getting smaller and smaller, and strange disasters and illnesses are becoming more and more frequent."

"Of course, if you look at a single household, it’s not obvious. Perhaps the grain collected is ten or twenty percent less, and occasionally a family might have one or two people fall ill. But what if it’s like this everywhere?"

"Compared to twenty years ago, taxes haven’t increased, and the authorities are suppressing banditry. However, yields decrease by one or two percent each year. Accumulated over time, grain production is now down by a full twelve percent..."

"Fields all across the land are yielding twelve percent less. What do you think this means?"

"Those with Silver, especially those whose Silver increases year by year, don’t care about this twelve percent. They even feel that with less oversight from above, things are becoming more relaxed..."

He spoke slowly, his eyes sweeping over the people on the street, and whispered, "But *they* can feel it..."

"Those at the top can fill their bellies by spending just a few more taels of Silver. But for those at the bottom, this mere twelve percent shortfall means countless people will starve to death..."

"..."

"Twelve percent?"

Hearing Calculation’s words, Hu Ma’s heart couldn’t help but tremble. He inexplicably recalled what the white-bearded old man had told him. Is this what the old man meant by ’the world becoming lighter’?

Suddenly, the information Big Red Robe had given him about weighing the world and similar matters vaguely began to coalesce.

The world has become lighter, hence more calamities.

Could it be that the world is indeed gradually being sold off, and the consequences of this trade are already manifesting?

No wonder there are so many impoverished commoners. No wonder that once the One Coin Sect showed signs of uprising, it immediately affected so many people...

Rebellions only happen in a Chaotic World; people only rebel when they can no longer survive. The Beef Avoidance Sect Disciples are teaching rebellion everywhere. It wasn’t just their forcible bewitchment of commoners and ambitious Chaebols; there was also this underlying internal reason.

Upon careful thought, nothing was more terrifying. For twenty continuous years, field yields have diminished year by year, coupled with ghostly gods and calamities. For ordinary commoners to survive through that... that would truly be an act of ghosts...

"Why that expression?"

Seeing Hu Ma’s look of dawning, yet resigned, understanding, Calculation also seemed somewhat reflective. He slowly finished his half-bowl of meat soup, then handed the bowl and the remaining meat to a small, frail child with a disproportionately large head. Turning to Hu Ma, he smiled, "It’s these paupers who can’t survive, not us."

"You are the fine manager of the Blood Food Gang. You wouldn’t be led by those demonic words to join the One Coin Sect’s rebellion, would you?"

"..."

"How could I?"

Hu Ma smiled back at him. "I’m not proficient in such matters. Besides, with our meager abilities, even if we wanted to join them, they might not necessarily accept us!"

"You should stop wandering around too. Go back to the inn and stay there. Keep a good eye on our donkey and horse. I see many poor people have come to this town. If someone gets too hungry and desperate and eats our livestock, we’ll have nowhere to turn to even cry!"

"..."

"I..."

Calculation hesitated, wanting to say more but stopping. Seeing Hu Ma walk away with such apparent ease, he could only let out a heavy sigh, his face full of helplessness. He could only remind him, "You should be more careful too..."

"My old life is still riding on you, you know..."

"..."

"I know."

Hu Ma merely waved his hand. "Your life is quite valuable to me!"

These words considerably lightened Calculation’s mood. He led the donkey towards the inn, muttering, "Finally showing some conscience..."

Having understood this point, Hu Ma let out a long sigh. He squeezed out of the crowd and headed towards the main altar’s mansion. Immortal Miaoshan hadn’t followed him earlier but had been waiting by the mansion. Bai Shanzi and others were with her, anxiously waiting to ask her some questions.

But when she saw Hu Ma approaching from a distance, she waved them away. Composed, she waited for Hu Ma to draw near, her face bearing a probing expression. "Martial Uncle, what does your esteemed self think of our Lantern Festival..."

"The people are already here, and the word has been spread. How could we not proceed?"

Hu Ma sighed softly, waved his hand, and said, "I’ve looked at your ledgers. The preparations are very thorough, are they not?"

Immortal Miaoshan beamed with joy, as if Hu Ma’s mere words had already ensured the success of the Lantern Festival. She quickly said, "But about the matter of bestowing blessings on the altar..."

Hu Ma stopped in his tracks. "The deities on the altar are all dead, aren’t they? In that case, I’ll lend you someone with a tenacious life force to use..."