If someone were to look down from high above at this moment, they would see every household in West Huangshu Village, as if coordinated, turning on their lights one after another and donning coats to head onto the streets, marching majestically toward the source of the scent.

The scene is quite spectacular, but in the dead of night, it appears somewhat eerie.

"Old Xiao, you're really something, waking up the entire village with just one kick," Zhao Guo'an said admiringly.

The young girl rolled her eyes at him, "You should blame Shao Wenxing, not Brother Xiao Feng. He didn't do it on purpose."

"You've got that wrong," Zhao Guo'an retorted, "Shao Wenxing kept the smell locked inside properly, and old Xiao just released it with one kick. Don't you think this feels like a scene from a fairy tale?

The hero has a fierce battle with the demon, finally managing to lock the demon in a box. Then, years later, someone releases the demon from the box by coincidence. Whether intentional or not, can you really say the person who releases the demon bears no responsibility at all?"

At that moment, footsteps echoed from all directions, as if many people were approaching, and staying here would undoubtedly lead to discovery.

Of course, given the capabilities of Xiao Feng and the others, concealing themselves from these villagers would be easy; it just depended on whether they wanted to show themselves.

"Up the tree!" Xiao Feng ordered.

It wasn't about avoiding responsibility urgently but rather seeing how Shao Wenxing would handle these villagers or, more accurately, how the villagers would treat Shao Wenxing.

This tree had a large crown; although its leaves had fallen due to the season, its branches were densely wrapped with red and yellow cloth strips, seemingly for blessings, making it perfect for hiding.

Moreover, since it was nighttime, without careful observation, no one would notice anyone in the tree.

"Lu Yao," Su Yuzhuo looked at Lu Yao.

Lu Yao nodded, immediately pulled Su Yuzhuo from the wheelchair, held her waist with one hand, and guided her up the tree.

Meanwhile, Fujiwara Keiaki swiftly hid the wheelchair, took a few quick strides, and jumped onto the branch without making much noise.

In fact, merely climbing the tree reflected one's skill level; the lower the skill, the greater the sound produced, and vice versa.

"Oh come on, does nobody have any compassion? Nobody's gonna give me a hand?"

Below the tree, Zhao Guo'an whispered angrily, hearing the approaching footsteps and unable to suppress his growing panic.

"Weren't you awfully brave while mocking me just now?" Xiao Feng sneered, seemingly really not planning to pull Zhao Guo'an up.

Lin Zhiyan glanced at Zhao Guo'an, considering he was someone who prepared medicine for her sister. Though he charged money, she felt somewhat indebted to him and should help him up.

But after weighing her options repeatedly, she decided it wasn't worth offending Xiao Feng over such a minor issue, so she turned a blind eye.

"Alright, nobody's gonna care about me?" Zhao Guo'an resignedly said, "Then we'll just go down together—after all, if I'm discovered, so are all of you. You better decide."

Having said that, he simply plopped down on the ground, acting defiantly.

Xiao Feng looked at the young girl, "It's up to you."

"Alrighty!" The young girl agreed cheerfully, then lifted her shirt, pulled at her waist, revealing a whip, which flew toward Zhao Guo'an like a snake perched in the tree.

"Ugh..."

Zhao Guo'an instantly felt something coil around his waist, then tighten, causing a temporary pause in his breathing before being dragged up uncontrollably.

Suppressing the urge to cough violently, Zhao Guo'an complained, "Couldn't you give me a heads-up beforehand?"

The young girl ignored him, secretly thinking: Serves you right for slandering Brother Xiao Feng!

...

Through the gaps between the cloth strips, Xiao Feng saw villagers gathering in groups, like countless streams converging into the sea, forming an unstoppable tide heading toward Shao Wenxing's hut, their faces all looking unpleasant.

But this was understandable; after all, no one would be in a good mood being awoken in the middle of a deep sleep.

Among the two or three hundred people, not everyone had been awakened by the smell; those farther away had come out voluntarily after hearing sounds.

"I knew it was this bastard. He used to play his broken flute at the village entrance on the fifteenth night. If it sounded nice, we'd endure it, but now this sound is more annoying than a cat's meow. This time, he outdid himself, not using sound but stinking us out with smell."

A big burly man cursed, "This smell is worse than a pigsty; how can he live with it?"

"Don't say that; the kid's got a tough life, losing his parents early, and then becoming paralyzed. It's not easy for him." An elderly man with gray hair advised.

Hearing this, a middle-aged woman nearby scoffed, "Fourth uncle, you talk so carefree, feeling fine being awakened likely due to your age and sleeping less. But we have work early tomorrow morning; will you cover the loss from our docked wages?"

"Stop arguing; let's find someone to go over and check the situation. Standing here arguing solves nothing."

Someone said this within the crowd, leading to a silence.

Who will go?

Who dares to go?

The crowd exchanged glances, lips tightly sealed, nobody willing to speak first.

This hut was roughly over a hundred meters away, enough for the smell to be choking; the closer one got, the stronger the scent. No one could guarantee emerging alive after going inside, or even reaching the hut without vomiting was uncertain.

After a while, as if agreed upon, their gazes fell upon a small-statured middle-aged man.

This man's name was Li Xibao and he was Shao Wenxing's neighbor. At present, his entire family was in the crowd, evidently escaping due to the unbearable odor.

"Why are you all staring at me?" Li Xibao instinctively wrapped his cotton jacket tighter, shrinking away, "With my physique, I might not make it inside. Better choose someone more robust."

"I'd say, Brother Bao, you should take the lead on this since it concerns your direct interest. We can endure anything; a little stink is bearable, but Brother Bao, it's different. Without resolving this, you can't return home."

The young man next to Li Xibao said with evident schadenfreude.

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