First Victim

Song Zhuyu understood now why the villagers behaved like firecrackers that would explode with the slightest friction. 

This crying sound was truly insidious. It seemed to exist solely to grate on people's nerves and evoke negative emotions from within, like a mantra driving them to the brink of madness. Coupled with the sleep deprivation, it was a sure-fire recipe for irrational behavior. 

Taking a deep breath, Song Zhuyu murmured a brief prayer for peace of mind before turning to Chen Ru, finding the young man was doing the same as well.

"How are you holding up?" Song Zhuyu asked.

Chen Ru put on a grin, though it looked more like a grimace. "I'm still okay… I think I've kinda gotten used to it now."