Chapter Seventy-One: The City Forsaken by Heaven (Part Five)

“Heh, Fairy, you’re too modest. Since it’s the will of the Divine Lord, I trust there won’t be any mistake. As for how to save our city, I believe once the Time Machine arrives, you’ll naturally understand. For now, let’s return to the temple. These beasts are best eaten fresh—the taste is quite good. You may join us in sampling them,” Mo Fan replied with a carefree smile.

Perhaps it was Ji Mo’s arrival, or maybe the once-in-a-decade beast tide had replenished their food sources, but Elder Mo Fan’s mood seemed particularly pleasant.

Ji Mo glanced at him but said nothing more, quietly following him back to the temple. Mo Fan, as the temple elder, held a high status in the Abandoned City and never had to prepare his own meals. Soon after Ji Mo returned to the temple with him, a young man arrived carrying a slab of fresh beast meat weighing well over a hundred pounds.

The meat bearer was a young man of about twenty, with a dark complexion and a strong, sturdy build—clearly one of the city’s robust laborers. Mo Fan seemed familiar with him and, upon seeing him, instructed, “Mo Yong, take the meat to the back of the temple, wash it with well water, roast it, and stay to dine with us.”

“Thank you, Elder.” Mo Yong was momentarily stunned. He first looked at Mo Fan, then at Ji Mo, the joy on his face impossible to conceal. Dining with the temple elder was a rare honor in the Abandoned City, not to mention the presence of the fairy who had just arrived.

“He shares your surname—is he one of your descendants?” Ji Mo asked curiously after Mo Yong left.

“No. All temple elders are solitary, without descendants. As for the surname Mo, the Abandoned City has only two great clans—Mo and Bai.” Mo Fan’s expression revealed a faint sadness; whether it was for his lack of heirs or something else, Ji Mo could not tell.

Ji Mo did not press further, unsure what else to ask. Fortunately, Mo Fan was accustomed to solitude and did not mind silence. About half an hour passed before Mo Yong came in from the back courtyard, carrying a large silver basin brimming with golden, roasted meat. The aroma that wafted from the basin was mouthwatering.

Breathing in the savory scent and seeing the faint joy on Mo Yong’s dark face, Ji Mo felt, for the first time since arriving in this uncanny city, a hint of vitality. Mo Fan produced several low stools and a short table from somewhere, instructed Mo Yong to set the basin on the table, and addressed Ji Mo, “Fairy, please try it.”

Ji Mo did not stand on ceremony. Lacking utensils, she simply tore off a three-pound chunk of beast meat and took a hearty bite, not noticing Mo Yong’s anxious gaze as she bit into the roast.

“Mm, delicious, truly delicious—so aromatic and fresh, and the meat is incredibly tender! This is the best roast I’ve ever tasted!” Ji Mo exclaimed, mouth full, after several more bites. The flavor of the beast meat was so exquisite it defied description. Ji Mo nearly swallowed her own tongue in her enthusiasm.

Hearing her praise, Mo Yong visibly relaxed. Though he had never met Ji Mo before, he knew she was the fairy who had appeared with the city dwellers. If his first attempt at roasting didn’t suit her taste, who knew what might happen next?

“Why aren’t you eating? Why are you just staring at me?” Ji Mo had already eaten most of her piece and looked up to find Mo Fan and Mo Yong still watching her, not eating at all. Surprised, she urged them, and they exchanged glances before each tearing off a large chunk and eating in earnest.

Their speed far exceeded Ji Mo’s. Such fresh, fragrant meat—they hadn’t tasted it in ten years. The beast tide only came once a decade; fresh meat was available only in those few days. Afterward, the meat would be dried bit by bit and stored as rations for the next ten years.

The flavor was indescribably delicious. After finishing her piece, Ji Mo reached for another, only to find the basin empty—over a hundred pounds of meat had vanished, with only Mo Fan and Mo Yong each holding a final piece. Ji Mo was stunned. How could these two eat so much? In just a moment, all that meat was gone.

Beast meat contained immense energy. With Ji Mo’s current abilities, she could eat at most five or six pounds at once. But these two? Each had devoured at least fifty pounds. With appetites like theirs, would the meat from this tide last the city ten years?

Ji Mo stared, lost in thought.

Mo Fan, already quite full, caught the astonishment in Ji Mo’s eyes and flushed with embarrassment. The last piece of meat in his hand was awkward—should he eat it or not? Thinking it over, he decided not to waste it and quickly swallowed it. Catching his breath, he spoke, face red, “Fairy, normally we each eat three to five pounds of dried meat per meal, just enough to avoid starving. Only during the beast tide can we truly feast.”

“Oh, it’s fine. Being able to eat is a good thing—no wonder you’re all so strong,” Ji Mo recovered, waving her hand. With such strength—able to kill a beast with just a few blows—it made sense they could eat so much. Her reaction was unnecessary.

“Mo Yong, you may go. In two hours, another wave of beasts will arrive. Tell those on the city walls to be careful and try to avoid casualties. If any beasts escape, let them go once they are two kilometers beyond the city—don’t pursue them further,” Mo Fan instructed, unsure how to respond to Ji Mo’s remark.

“Yes, Elder.” Mo Yong bowed respectfully to Ji Mo and Mo Fan, took the basin, and left the temple.

For the next five days, Ji Mo did not leave the temple. During this time, she studied the statue and the painting of herself as an adult, hoping to glean something from them. Unfortunately, her efforts yielded nothing. Here, day and night were indistinguishable; they measured time in sixteen-hour cycles.

On the sixth day, after dining with Mo Fan, Ji Mo was reflecting on how life here was even more leisurely than in Zhao Village when a shrill horn sounded. The tone was distinctly different from the previous times—urgent and agitated. Mo Fan’s expression changed dramatically as he heard it, exclaiming, “This is bad!”