Water Margin: Did we kill Zheng Tu today?

Chapter 3 Everyone's a Villain

"run!"

Zheng Tu struggled to sit up from the recliner, his heart pounding.

He finally understood.

Naruto didn't just come to cause trouble; he clearly came to take his life!

What is this "ten pounds of lean meat, chopped into minced meat, not a single bit of fat should be seen"? And what is this "ten pounds of fatty meat, chopped into minced meat, not a single bit of lean meat should be seen"?

Such harassment was something even the 800,000 Imperial Guards of Tokyo had never experienced!

I really believed him and actually obediently cut meat for him!

Just based on his reputation as the "Town of Guanxi," he figured he wouldn't survive in Lu Da's eyes!

"Time is running out..."

Oily sweat beaded on Zheng Tu's forehead as he glanced around the shop.

A dozen or so butchers were busy chopping meat.

He beckoned to the strongest of the men, Niu Dagou, and instructed, "You all take care of the shop. I'm going back to my residence. If anyone looks for me today, just say I'm not here."

Niu Da put down his cleaver, wiped his hands on his greasy apron, and looked up with a somewhat unfocused gaze: "Don't worry, boss."

This man usually had a loud voice, but his reply was light and airy, as if he were somewhat absent-minded.

Zheng Tu didn't have time to think it through; he turned and left without looking back.

He kept his head down and his legs moved quickly backward.

After crossing Lion Bridge and passing through Horse Street, the population became increasingly sparse.

Only when he saw the pair of stone drum door knockers from his memory did Zheng Tu stop, panting heavily.

What a magnificent residence! White walls and black tiles, animal-head eaves dripping water, and the two characters "Zheng Residence" painted black and shiny above the door.

Who would have thought that the original owner of this body, a pig butcher, had amassed such a fortune for himself!

Zheng Tu's heart warmed: As long as he could escape that evil star Lu Da, wouldn't it be a life of bliss to stay at home, drinking and listening to music?

I reached out and pushed the door, but it didn't budge.

"Strange..." Zheng Tu frowned. The original owner of this body usually didn't return until after 5 PM, so the door should be ajar at this hour. He pressed harder, and the door made a dull thud, but it was quiet inside.

Just as he was about to push again, light footsteps suddenly sounded in the courtyard. A woman's voice drifted out from under the door, tinged with panic and urgency:

"They're here! They're here like they're on a death knell!"

The latch clicked open.

But then they saw a round-faced, broad-bodied woman with disheveled hair standing panting behind the door. It was none other than Madam Fu, the eldest daughter-in-law of Zheng Tu, the butcher of Zhenguan.

This woman, who was usually quite shrewish, looked extremely flustered at this moment. Her eyes darted around Zheng Tu's face as she forced a smile and said, "You shrew, why are you back so early today?"

Zheng Tu was preoccupied with the trouble caused by that Lu Zhishen, so he didn't bother to look at her closely.

He replied gruffly, "It's my own house. I can come and go as I please. Why did you bolt the door so tightly?"

As he spoke, he stepped into the courtyard, his eyes scanning the surroundings.

After all, this was the first time he had seen such a sight, so he looked around at the original owner's home and felt incredibly curious.

For a time, they took Lu Zhishen's provocation lightly.

When the woman saw him looking around and heard what he said that seemed to be a veiled reference, her face turned pale and then flushed.

Seeing that Zheng Tu was about to turn into the bedroom, he hurriedly stepped forward and grabbed his sleeve, saying, "Sir, you've had a long day. Please sit down in the hall, have a cup of tea, and rest your feet."

Zheng Tu Hun didn't care and followed her to sit down in the main room.

The two sat facing each other, looking at each other blankly.

Zheng Tu sized up Fu's face and thought she was plain-looking and unremarkable. He was about to say something when...

But Madam Fu spoke first, saying, "Please sit down, sir. I'll go pour you some tea."

Zheng Tu nodded, thinking to himself, "Although he's not handsome, he does know a thing or two about human nature."

A moment later, the woman brought out the tea, handed it to him, and kept staring at the teacup, urging, "Eat it while it's hot, don't let it get cold."

Zheng Tu wanted to get some information from her so he could prepare for his future business development. Just as he was about to speak, the woman urged him again, "The tea is getting cold."

"That woman is quite considerate."

Zheng Tu secretly praised him and took a big sip of tea.

The tea soup had a strange, astringent taste when it went down my throat.

After chatting for a while, the strange taste in my mouth lingered.

He was puzzled, so he picked up the tea and smelled it again, but the strange smell persisted.

"How come this big company's tea tastes like this?"

He frowned, about to speak, when he suddenly felt a heat beneath his nose, and two streams of crimson blood gushed down. He raised his hand to wipe it away, and his palm was covered in blood!

Just as they were wondering what was going on, they saw the panic on Fu's face gradually fade, and the corners of her mouth slowly turned up.

"Come out now."

The bedroom curtain was lifted, and a thin, pale-faced young man emerged, standing beside the woman with hunched shoulders and rubbing his hands.

Madam Fu took his arm and leaned softly against him, saying, "Good Zhang Lang! Things are finally settled. From now on, we will be husband and wife forever!"

Zheng Tu's eyes widened, and a hoarse sound came from his throat. He tried to get up and say something, but his internal organs felt as if they were being stabbed, and he vomited a mouthful of black blood.

Suddenly, the world spun before my eyes, and my body fell headfirst like a collapsing mountain.

Poor Zhen Guanxi, the butcher who dominated the meat trade, didn't die from the fists of heroes, but from the poisoned cup of a woman. Indeed:

There's always someone stronger, and wicked schemes are always hidden in one's pillow.

A heart of a tyrant feeds on poisoned blood; the butcher ultimately dies a wrongful death.

[Zheng Tu, died! 】

Inventory days: 0 days

……

A deathly silence of darkness.

Zheng Tu suddenly opened his eyes!

A buzzing sound filled my ears; it was clearly the old knifesmith scolding his apprentice. The stench of oil and meat assaulted my nostrils.

Zheng Tu was stunned for a moment, then raised his hand to touch his philtrum. It was clean and there was no bloodstains left.

"Hahaha...hahaha!" Zheng Tu suddenly burst into laughter, "Good! Good! How dare you fool your grandpa like that!"

All the butchers in the room stopped what they were doing and stared blankly at their employer.

A timid young man huddled behind the meat counter and whispered:

"The landlord was snoring just now, how did he suddenly go mad?"

"If he really goes crazy, who will he ask for his wages this month?"

While everyone was whispering among themselves, Zheng Tu suddenly stood up.

He strode up to the foreman, Niu Da, and said, "You take care of the shop. I'm going home for a walk. Even if it were the King of Heaven himself coming looking for me, I'd just say I'm not here!"

Before he finished speaking, his hand had already reached for the desk.

He silently slid the three-foot-long dagger into his sleeve; the cold iron against his wrist sent shivers down his spine.

Everyone saw the shop owner emerge from the shop like a gust of wind, disappearing in the blink of an eye around the street corner.

Niu Da stared blankly for a long while, then turned around and shouted at the crowd, "What are you looking at? Go chop your own flesh!"

His gaze darted around, unfocused: "Strange... just now, when the master's gaze swept over me, it felt so cold..."

Meanwhile, Zheng Tu lowered his head and walked quickly along the wall, the hilt of his knife in his sleeve growing hotter and hotter with each grip.

When neighbors greeted him, he only gave vague replies, his steps never faltering.

As I crossed the Drum Tower Bridge, I bumped into a familiar vegetable vendor carrying his load. He smiled and asked, "Master Zheng, why are you in such a hurry? Has your wife cooked some delicious meat?"

Zheng Tu's noodles twitched, and he laughed, "Absolutely, absolutely!"

The vegetable vendor was terrified by the fierce glint in his eyes, shrank back and moved to the side of the road, watching helplessly as the butcher's figure disappeared into the depths of the alley.