Shen Xiaoxiaoโs expression was as if she had eaten something rotten.
Staring at the young calfโs pale, blank, polished face, she couldnโt tell which frightened her more: the cowโs current face, those previous seven or eight eyes, or the fact that it could even speak at all.
She took half a step back, hiding behind her older sister.
Shen Huanhuan patted her hand reassuringly.
After finishing its words, the calf returned to the cowshed. Mrs. Wang did not stand but instead, still in the same position, crawled inside. The rest exchanged a look and followed suit.
The interior of the cowshed was even more comfortable and clean than they had imagined.
Piles of soft hay, a clear stream running through the trough, and a dozen newly born calves lying in cozy nestsโeach with two eyes, appearing entirely ordinary.
Everyone fixed their gaze upon these calves, as if determined to restore their sense of reality, unwilling to look away. The calves, in return, peered at the visitors with innocent and curious faces.
Mrs. Wang turned her face toward the herd, her expression every bit as devout as by the door just moments ago:
โHonored Sir Cow Immortals, this batch of new believers is foolish and garrulous. I have already enlightened them many times, yet their stupidity is simply infuriating! Perhaps they got in through the back door; anyway, I truly cannot fathom how they were admitted!!โ
At this, she issued a heavy snort through her nose, her voice returning to its natural coarseness. But, perhaps remembering the Sir Cow Immortalsโ presence, her tone instantly grew syrupy sweet again.
โYour blessings bring fortune to all people. Your teachings are sure to make them the most devout of believers. By then, you can choose the mostโฆโ
Here, Mrs. Wang abruptly covered her mouth, squinting her eyes and sweeping a sly, malicious gaze over the group.
โAll right. Step aside now.โ
A voice rose from among the cattle.
At once, Mrs. Wang knelt and retreated half a meter.
The calves looked lively, rolling on the hay before standing up.
One by one, the calves approached the group. Mint Candy whispered, โWhatโs this for? Werenโt we supposed to feed them, then pick one to raise?โ
Lan Lin murmured in reply, โNow they are the Cow Immortals; we are the believers. Of course, itโs up to them to choose us.โ
Jiang Yan remained perfectly still, scrutinizing these calves. Some paid her no attention; others seemed vaguely interested, turning to look her up and down as they passed.
One calf, particularly conflicted, circled Jiang Yan three times before finally lifting a forehoof, patting her arm, and taking a playful nip of her hair.
โMuscular and strong.โ
โYour hair smells nice. I like clean believers.โ
ใ???ใ
ใNice-smelling hair, this cow is surprisingly good at compliments.ใ
ใPfft, wait a second, I was so nervous I broke a cold sweatโwhy is the atmosphere suddenly like this??ใ
The calf couldnโt seem to get enough of Jiang Yan, eventually trying to take her hand and lead her away. Just then, a larger calf sauntered over to Jiang Yan as well. โLet me see.โ
It nudged Jiang Yanโs leg with its horn. โDefinitely sturdy.โ
โI want to play toss-the-person, and toss her aroundโsheโs so sturdy I could throw her all day.โ
โI like this one too.โ
Jiang Yan did not look pleased.
She had no idea if declining was an option. The second calf was the spitting image of some terrible, bratty kid; the first, at least, was rather sweet, with a cute, milky voice.
Yet before she could ponder how to politely convey her preference, a third calf appeared. This one was rather vain, with several braided locks along its coat.
โI want this one too.โ
The first two calves glanced back. โWhat do you like about her?โ
The third calf answered, โNothing in particular.โ
โBut sheโs popular. Winning her over would feel especially rewarding.โ
Jiang Yan understood now.
This was a green-tea calfโit wanted to win not out of fondness, but for the thrill of victory.
Comparing the three, Jiang Yan still preferred the first.
But she didnโt get to choose.
The three calves huddled together, discussing. At last, the green-tea, dreadlocked calf walked up to Jiang Yan. โYouโre mine now.โ
Jiang Yan turned to the first, good-smelling calf.
The good-smelling calf stomped the hay in dejection, then stretched its hoof toward Yu Renwan. โYou smell nice too.โ
Yu Renwan looked at Jiang Yan: โ…โ
Jiang Yan replied, โIf we have a choice, letโs share a room tonight.โ
Sick of the green-tea calf, she could at least tease the good-smelling oneโkilling two birds with one stone.
Yu Renwan nodded quickly.
Ten minutes later, everyone had been chosen. Since there were more calves than people, a few, left without believers, lazily curled up on the hay to nap.
Mrs. Wang now got up from the floor, though her back remained hunched.
โNow, we will begin the Cow-Raising lesson.โ
She lifted her shirt hem, brushed her lower back, and pulled out a stack of grubby papers. This time, she made no attempt to conceal the rules, handing them directly to everyone.
Cow-Raising Class Code of Conduct, Wuhai Secondary School
Congratulations on your admission. As the schoolโs guardian spirits, the Cow Immortals see multiple batches of believers undergo arduous trials at Wuhai each year. To better serve the Cow Immortals, please abide by the following:
1. The cows hold the highest authority in this school; offer them your deepest care.
2. The cowsโ instructions are absolute; do not refuse any of their demands.
3. Cows have no third eye. If you see one sprout a third eye, sing immediately.
4. Cows like chicks and lambs. When singing to a cow, hold a chick and a lamb; it will forgive all your mistakes.
5. When singing to a cow, be sincere. If youโre patient enough, its eye(s) will disappear.
6. Their meals are handled by dedicated staff; do not feed them otherwise.
7. When a cow enjoys beef, you may partake. This is the only way to become a cow.
Jiang Yan let out a quiet breath.
This set of rules differed from what she had expected.
One thing was now clear about the cowsโ third eye.
In the Student Code, rule two states:
โCow-Raising is a night class. If, when drowsy, you notice a cow grow a third eye, donโt be afraid; youโre just too sleepyโsinging a song is an excellent way to wake up.โ
She had originally suspected that the spirit behind the energy field would target their vocal cordsโmaking them unable to sing, for instance.
But she had underestimated the malevolence of the spirit.
Now, in these Cow-Raising rules, the fourth stipulation was: โCows like chicks and lambs. When singing to a cow, hold a chick and a lamb; it will forgive all your mistakes.โ
And the fifth: โWhen singing to a cow, be sincere. If youโre patient, its eyes will disappear.โ
Thinking them through together, the conclusion was obvious.
โWhen a cow sprouts a third eye, you must cradle the chick and lamb, sing to it until the extra eye disappears. The lyrics should be the same as those Mrs. Wang sang, crawling in front of the cowshed.
That song spoke of the chick and the lamb, with lines like:
โLambs are lovely, chicks are wonderfulโฆโ
โโฆI caress them with my hands, adore them with my heartโฆโ
So the energy field wasnโt interfering with their voices, but with the songโs lyrics.
The conditions for the chick and lamb growing up were either enough patience or feeding them plentifully.
Jiang Yan had originally thought both points easy to overcome: have the baby animals spit out any food, and never show patienceโblockading the two conditions, so they would never grow. But now everything had changed.
When the cow sprouts a third eye, she must, with sincerity, cradle the chick and lamb, and patiently sing. It was foreseeable that the cowโs third eye would vanish only when it sensed her piety and patience while hearing the song.
And because part of the lyrics were about the chick and lamb, she would inevitably let them feel her patience through her singing, causing them to grow.
The spirit behind the energy field was truly doing everything possible to ensure the chick and lamb matured.
So, to clear the Cow-Raising class, the chick and lamb had to die while still infants.
Howโthey would have to figure out.
Finishing this line of thought, Jiang Yan turned to rule six.
โThe cows have dedicated staff for feeding; on ordinary days, you need not feed them anything.โ
That matched her expectations. The cowsโ food was probably the infant chick and lamb, but they could not offer them up directlyโa way must be found to induce the cows to eat them.
And the final rule:
โWhen the cows eat beef, you may participate. This is the only way to become a cow.โ
This must be viewed with Student Code rule six:
โIf someone turns into a cow before your eyes, donโt panicโbeef is the tastiest thing.โ
Jiang Yan recalled, just earlier, at the cowshed door, when the man crawled on the ground and carried a cow on his back to open the door for them.
That, perhaps, was what it meant to โbecome a cow.โ
The beef that could be eaten was human flesh.
Thus, the spirit was making people consume the flesh of their own kind. Whether this โfeastโ was chosen in despair or after collapse, Jiang Yan felt sure there would be those who voluntarily ate beef, and some who, despite not wanting to, would still find themselves doing so.
Perhaps this was the result of oneโs SAN value hitting zero.
In other words, if, when the cow grows a third, or even fourth eye, people did not sing in time, and SAN value plummeted, one might become a โcowโโor eat โbeef,โ thus becoming a โcow.โ
But a fresh problem arose.
If the SAN-draining cause is the cow sprouting too many eyes, and the only cure is to singโ
Then whatโs so difficult?
If a calf grows extra eyes, just sing!
Or was the worry that singing would make the chick and lamb grow? In that case, would anyone really risk draining their own SAN for the sake of keeping the babies small?
Jiang Yan frowned thoughtfully.
She scanned her surroundings.
Every calf in the barn now had two eyes.
Even the one that initially had seven or eight also now only had two.
Jiang Yan gazed contemplatively at the very first calf, recalling everything that had happened. The energy field would never set an inescapable death trap; there was always some clue, no matter how well concealed.
Finally, she withdrew her gaze and gave a soft, knowing chuckle.
She understood now.
Everyone lost SAN precisely because they didnโt understand what was happening.
After Mrs. Wang sang, the calfโs face changed from having seven or eight eyes to a blank mask.
The statement โCows have no third eyeโ in the rules was a word game.
Having no third eye didnโt mean having two.
Nor did it mean having any at all.
In this world, cows simply do not have eyes.
Two eyes was the abnormal state.
Jiang Yan gave Yu Renwan a nudge, then decisively said, โIโll go start the fire.โ
โYou start singing.โ