Mortal Mirror

Li Ergou stared at the disappearing pancake, rubbed his eyes, and was filled with disbelief.

"What's going on? What's happening here?"

He was somewhat dazed, wondering if he had seen a ghost. He quickly picked up the mirror and searched around, but he couldn't find where the pancake had gone.

Just as he was at a loss, the mirror suddenly flickered with a faint light, and then, with a 'pop, pop,' two pancakes fell out in succession.

Li Ergou was dumbfounded. He picked up the pancakes from the ground in disbelief, looked at them, and found that the two pancakes were exactly the same, even the tooth marks on them hadn't changed.

Seeing this, he was immediately excited. He realized that this mirror was no ordinary object, but a magical treasure that could replicate food.

However, even though the things look the same, can they be eaten!

He hesitated for a moment, and with some doubt, he picked up the replicated pancake and put it in his mouth, taking a small bite. "Hiss…" It seemed softer than the original dry food. He chewed it a couple of times.

"Wow, not only is it not as hard, but it also has a slight sweetness. What's going on here? This mirror is truly a great treasure!" He couldn't help but exclaim excitedly.

But he immediately covered his mouth, afraid that someone would hear him. Fortunately, it was late at night, and only the sound of the cold wind howling could be heard outside.

While thinking about how to use the mirror, he threw the remaining dry food into his mouth. He felt that the replicated pancake was very delicious and filling. After eating it, his stomach felt warm and comfortable.

He picked up another original pancake and took a bite, only to find that it was still very unappetizing.

He curled his lip, understanding that the replicated things would be more delicious, but he didn't know why.

After eating the replicated food, he felt very sleepy for some reason. It was now late at night, and Ergou, who had been working hard all day, couldn't help but fall asleep while thinking about how to use the mirror.

The next day, Li Ergou woke up before dawn. He had been too excited last night and hadn't slept well at all. He had many, many dreams throughout the night.

He even dreamed that he actually ate mutton.

He touched the small mirror in his hand. Everything was real. Great, he wouldn't have to go hungry anymore. Thinking of his dream last night, a bold idea suddenly flashed in his mind: can sheep be replicated?

He felt that he was indeed a bit daring, even thinking about eating mutton. If this idea were known to Gou'dan at the village entrance, it would scare him to death.

He got up and fetched a basin of cold water from the woodshed. He quickly washed his face to refresh himself, then prepared some pig feed and fed the pigs. He also filled food for the chickens, ducks, and geese, and then rushed to the sheepfold to clean up the manure inside.

The landlord's family of a dozen people relied on him for everything, from eating and drinking to relieving themselves. He was busy giving this person washing water and that person a chamber pot.

By the time he finished all this, it was already broad daylight.

Back in the woodshed, there were only a few dirty bowls with some vegetable soup left on the chopping board. Over the years, no one had ever treated him like a human being, and he had never eaten breakfast.

There was also a cornbread bun the size of an egg on the table, which was his food for the day. Although he hated all this, he was powerless to change it. He touched the small mirror inside his clothes, feeling a sense of hope for the future.

He picked up the cornbread bun and drove the sheep up the mountain.

He usually found this road very difficult to walk, but perhaps because he was too excited today, he didn't feel tired at all.

Arriving at the mountain, this was his territory. After all, in this freezing weather, almost no one would come out. The rich were busy sunbathing at home, and the poor would choose to lie on the kang to save energy. By not expending energy, they could eat less, and by eating less, they could save food.

Saving food would allow them to have another child, and that child could work for the landlord and earn money for the family.

Li Ergou shook his head, shaking off the many strange thoughts in his head. Looking around to make sure no one was there, he quickly took out the mirror and then took out the cornbread bun, preparing to replicate it.

At this moment, he suddenly hesitated, looked at the sheep, and then cursed himself for being stupid. He should quickly get a sheep! If he had mutton, who would eat this broken dry food?

Thinking of this, he became bold and stuffed the cornbread bun into his arms and walked towards the sheep.

These sheep had all been raised by him since they were little, and they were very familiar with him. Without much effort, he caught a half-grown sheep.

He carefully placed the mirror on the sheep's butt, his heart filled with worry. Success or failure depended on this one move. This was a major event concerning whether or not he could eat mutton.

He excitedly looked at the mirror, constantly praying in his heart, and then saw a faint light flash on the mirror, and the sheep instantly disappeared.

At this moment, his hands trembled uncontrollably, and his breathing became rapid, perhaps because he was too excited.

For some reason, time passed, but the mirror didn't move at all. After about half a quarter of an hour, just as Li Ergou was becoming impatient and anxious, he saw the mirror flicker with light, and then it spat out two sheep.

"Success! Success!" Li Ergou cried with joy.

If he hadn't had some sense of reason, he would have wanted to eat the sheep alive.

He immediately grabbed the fat sheep, took out the knife he had prepared long ago, and without hesitation, stabbed the sheep's neck with it.