Siheyuan, integrating everything, cultivating the city

Li Xiangqian took a deep breath and waited patiently. Xu Damao stopped talking and remained silent for a moment, as if thinking about how to start. Finally, he sighed, with a gleam of determination in his eyes: "These people are not ordinary businessmen, nor are they ordinary vagrants. They are some 'items' brought from outside." He paused, "These 'items' may have a great impact on the situation here."

Li Xiangqian felt a sinking feeling in his heart. "'Items'? What does that mean?"

Xu Damao glanced at him, and the complex emotions in his eyes became more and more obvious. "Do you remember those strange rumors a few months ago? Some people said that some new things began to spread outside. Legend has it that they can not only bring new food, but also... change some things."

Li Xiangqian frowned, "Change what?"

"Change people's status, or in other words, change the fate of some people." Xu Damao whispered, "Those people are not simple wanderers, they are here specifically to bring back these 'items'. As for what they are specifically, I don't know, but I have heard some rumors..." His voice gradually lowered.

Li Xiangqian felt a sense of uneasiness in his heart. Behind these "items", there were things that he could not understand. "What do these "items" have to do with the chicken?" he asked, his voice becoming more urgent.

Xu Damao shook his head slowly, as if he couldn't look Li Xiangqian in the eye. "That chicken, like the other 'objects', may be part of the experiment. You see, although this chicken looks like an ordinary poultry, its eyes, its behavior, and the way it was injured are not normal." Xu Damao whispered, "If you have a chance and observe it carefully, you will find that there are some strange things about it, especially those unnatural movements."

Li Xiangqian frowned, his heartbeat instantly speeding up. Every word was like a heavy stone pressing on his chest, making it almost impossible for him to breathe. "You mean, this chicken may not be an ordinary poultry? It has some kind of abnormal power?"

Xu Damao did not answer immediately. He was silent for a few seconds, then whispered, "I can only tell you that the people outside are doing some experiments. They are not just trying to survive. Their purpose is..." He paused, as if he did not dare to say the following words, "Their purpose is to make people no longer look like humans. In other words, they are doing some experiments to change humans. These 'items' they brought back are probably part of their experiments."

Li Xiangqian's mind went blank. Those words were like cold needles piercing his heart, making it almost impossible for him to breathe. "So, that chicken is not an ordinary chicken. What kind of terrifying power is behind it?"

Xu Damao nodded slowly. "These people are no longer just trying to survive. What they are pursuing is far beyond what you and I can understand. And that chicken may be part of their experiment, or a test of some intention."

Li Xiangqian's heart was in turmoil, and an indescribable fear and confusion quickly surged into his heart. Blurred images flashed in his mind, including the eyes of strangers, the chickens brought back by He Yuzhu, and even everything in the yard just now... These seemingly unrelated fragments seemed to be connected into a huge net in an instant, gradually swallowing him up.

Li Xiangqian sat opposite Xu Damao, his whole body seemed to be tied up by heavy chains, unable to move. Xu Damao's words were like dense needles, piercing his heart. Gradually, his thoughts became confused, as if the whole world began to crumble. Every detail, every hint, lingered in his mind. He wanted to do something, but the entanglement between reason and fear made him unable to act, as if an insurmountable chasm lay ahead.

"The chicken that Yu Zhu brought back is really not simple." Xu Damao's voice broke the silence again, low and trembling, "Moreover, these people are not only conducting experiments, they are also controlling the situation here step by step."

Li Xiangqian took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down. His eyes drifted out the window. On the wall outside the courtyard, the sun was already setting, and the sunset dyed the sky blood red. Occasionally, a dog barked in the yard, but the calmness of it all made Li Xiangqian feel an indescribable oppression. Just as he was about to speak, Xu Damao continued:

"You want to know what to do, but I don't know either. We were all dragged into this. Who could have thought that they would do such a thing? If you want to call the police, the outside world has been blocked long ago. What can the police do? They may have known about it for a long time, but they are unable to resist." There was a sense of helplessness and despair in Xu Damao's tone. The fear that flashed in his eyes made Li Xiangqian's heart skip a beat.

"Aren't you afraid?" Li Xiangqian couldn't help but ask, staring at Xu Damao. Xu Damao didn't answer immediately, but lowered his head, his eyes a little blurry, as if he was recalling something from the past.

"Afraid," he finally answered in a low voice, with deep fear in his tone, "But this is not something to be afraid of, Li Xiangqian. What do you think the motives of those people outside are? What do they want to change? Change the future of mankind, or use us as part of an experiment?"

Li Xiangqian was silent. He didn't know how to answer. All this was too strange and difficult to understand for him. He thought that the rules of this world were still simple life and death, hunger and fighting, but now, everything seemed to have been redefined.

He lowered his head, holding the edge of the table tightly with both hands, his fingertips turned white. He realized that he had been forced into a dead end, with no way out. Whether to investigate the chicken, question He Yuzhu, or try to uncover the deeper secrets behind it, it seemed full of danger. Li Xiangqian felt confused and his head seemed to be about to explode. All the choices could not bring him hope, but deepened his confusion and anxiety.

"Xu Damao," he said in a low and hoarse voice, "I don't know what to do either." He paused, a trace of fatigue in his eyes, "I thought things could go back to the way they were before, but now... I don't know how far we can go."

Xu Damao looked at Li Xiangqian silently for a moment, and finally sighed: "We have no choice. At least not yet." He smiled slightly, although there was a hint of bitterness in his smile. "However, Li Xiangqian, perhaps we can find a breakthrough from other places. For example, investigate those people. Those merchants who brought back the 'items' must have a complicated background. As long as we can find clues, we may be able to know their real purpose."