Chapter 47: The Village of Virtuous Women

Zhen Zhen looked at the bowl of food she usually loved, but suddenly found it hard to swallow.

“Why?!” she burst out angrily. “She died for him—why does he still get to live, even marrying someone new?”

Yes… why?

For thousands of years, countless women must have asked this same question—but no one ever answered. The shackles of chastity never loosened; they endured through centuries.

It didn’t just bind their freedom—it corroded their thoughts like acid. Society created endless doctrines and rules to tame them, demanded perfection with the standards of saints, until women accepted it willingly—even defended it wholeheartedly.

Just like the story’s Zhen Niang, who joyfully embraced death out of love for her husband, only to witness his remarriage with her own eyes before her body had even cooled.

So she became filled with resentment, her soul refusing to pass on—not seeking vengeance against her unfaithful husband, but instead targeting other widows, just like herself. Because by then, she had become a willing supporter of those very chains. Even in death, she could not escape the prison of her mind. She was both a pitiful victim—and a hateful perpetrator.

“Since then, every time a woman in our village lost her husband, she would perform her suicide onstage on the seventh day after his death,” Grandma Zhen recalled the many scenes of self-sacrifice she had witnessed over the decades, shuddering as she spoke. “At first, villagers were afraid. Everyone knew it was her doing. But later, when they realized that each virtuous woman brought the village a Chastity Arch, they quietly accepted it.”

In the past, a Chastity Arch wasn’t just an honor—it brought real benefits. One virtuous woman could exempt the entire family from taxes and labor duties. What a bargain.

So they enshrined Zhen Niang, knowing full well her spirit lingered. As long as she remained, generation after generation of virtuous women would rise in the village, bringing prosperity and wealth to its people.

That growing wealth allowed them to endure even during famine years—fields golden with wheat, bellies full, and enough spare money to enjoy opera.

This peaceful, prosperous village was built upon the bones of countless women forced into death.

Even now, after dynasties have changed and such sacrifices no longer bring rewards, they can’t stop. The evil god they’ve worshipped in the Hall of Chaste Women won’t allow it. Every virtuous woman sent there has likely become the god’s nourishment.

And in recent years, fewer and fewer women have chosen death—so even newcomers like Fang Lin, who had just lost her husband, became targets.

Hearing the full story, Zhen Zhen felt a storm of emotions. “Grandma, why didn’t we leave here earlier? We should’ve left long ago!”

The old woman sighed, holding her hand. “Where else could a woman go in this world? Isn’t everywhere else just as cruel? Your parents wanted to take you and your sister away—they went out searching for a way forward, only to be killed by bandits on the road. At least here, life is comfortable—you just have to gamble your fate.”

Most men didn’t want to leave either, because they benefited from this system. A single woman alone in the outside world had little chance of survival. So she had no choice but to stake her life on her husband—to hope he wouldn’t die young, to hope she wouldn’t become a widow.

Some won the bet and lived comfortably in this wealthy village. Others lost—and became another nameless plaque in the Hall of Chaste Women.

As Zhen Zhen once said, it was all fate. And they had resigned themselves to it.

The old woman sighed, looking at Li Zhi deep in thought. “Now that you know everything… will you still try to save Zhen Zhen?”

Li Zhi shook her pinky finger slightly. “I made a pinky promise with Zhen Zhen’s younger sister.”

“Grandma, I believe in Li Zhi!” Zhen Zhen’s eyes sparkled. “Li Zhi definitely has a plan!”

Li Zhi smiled. “I do have an idea—but it’s a bit risky. Are you willing to try?”

Zhen Zhen didn’t hesitate. “The worst that can happen is death. I’ll try anything.”

Li Zhi looked at the girl in front of her—wild and untamed like weeds. Raised in this cage yet never fully broken. She was rebirth, sunrise, and freedom that could never be killed.

Leaning closer, Li Zhi whispered her plan into Zhen Zhen’s ear.

Zhen Zhen clenched her fists, lips tight, and nodded firmly. “I understand!”

Outside the house, Zhen Zhen’s mother-in-law had been peeking around anxiously. As soon as she saw Zhen Zhen still inside, she quickly locked the door behind her and turned to smile at Grandma.

“Grandma Zhen, I won’t walk you out—I still need to dry the wheat.”

The old woman gave her a cold glance and walked away with Li Zhi.

“Grandma, just keep watching,” Li Zhi whispered as they left the yard. “I’ll save Zhen Zhen.”

At this point, there was nothing left to do but place her hope in Li Zhi. The old woman sighed.

After sending Grandma off, Li Zhi returned to the courtyard inn. The waiting players immediately gathered around.

“Well?”

Li Zhi told them about Zhen Niang. After hearing the tale, everyone was both horrified and furious.

“She doesn’t seek revenge on her betrayer—she harms other helpless widows instead! How despicable!”

“It’s denial,” someone analyzed. “She was a product of her era, completely tamed and stripped of self-identity. Even in death, she clings to the illusion of that cage.”

Li Zhi thought for a moment. “There’s still something I need to confirm. I need to search the village chief’s house.”

They weren’t sure how to deal with ghosts—but humans? That was a different story. Everyone brainstormed together and came up with a coordinated plan to help Li Zhi sneak in.

With everyone busy harvesting, the village chief’s household was no exception—especially since they owned more land than most. During the day, the house was mostly empty.

The only danger was the risk of someone returning unexpectedly with bundles of wheat. As long as they timed it right—sneaking in while the family was away and keeping them occupied before their return—Li Zhi would have enough time.

The plan wasn’t difficult. By now, Li Zhi’s wall-scaling and sneaking skills were top-notch. Pinky stayed on lookout, watching Li Zhi leap over walls with admiration glowing in his eyes.

The village chief’s home was larger than others, but layout-wise, it was similar. Li Zhi had a clear goal—once she spotted a room lined with bookshelves, she slipped straight in. When she came out, the players assigned to stall the chief hadn’t even gotten a chance to act.

Hearing the prearranged whistle for retreat, the group reluctantly withdrew.

Before sunset, they wandered through the village again. Seemingly aimlessly—but in truth, memorizing the route. From the village entrance to the Hall of Chaste Women, they needed to know every turn. It would determine whether Li Zhi’s plan succeeded tomorrow night.

Only when darkness fully settled did the players return to the courtyard.

As soon as they stepped in, Tao Yu’s voice rang out in anger: “Never look into the well in the morning or gaze at flowers at night! You’ve been with the troupe this long and still don’t know these basic rules?”

The players exchanged glances. They remembered how, in the early days, they fetched water from the well every morning—breaking the taboo of viewing wells at dawn. No wonder Fang Lin had come for them.

Fortunately, Fang Lin was now an ally NPC. That night passed unusually peacefully. Everyone slept soundly until morning.

By then, the troupe had already begun moving props toward the stage, setting up curtains and preparing for tonight’s traditional festival.

The players didn’t waste time either—after helping carry equipment, they began secretly setting up their own plan.

Audiences rarely saw players so united in a副本. Some viewers calculated that this was actually the lowest player mortality rate since Terror Variety Show began. If Li Zhi’s plan went smoothly tonight, survival rates could reach as high as eighty percent.

Many fans rushed online to promote the Village of Virtuous Women, drawing in new viewers. More viewers meant more votes for the players. In today’s Terror Variety Show, where audiences had more choices and higher standards, standing out required a unique selling point.

Ninety percent survival rate after five days—that was the highlight of the Village of Virtuous Women.

Chat exploded with messages:

[Why are the players in this副本acting so suspiciously?]

[They seem way too sane. That’s weird. Why aren’t they losing it? I wanna see breakdowns!]

[Their leader’s sanity is too strong. They can’t go crazy.]

[Five days in and only one dead? Is this real?! Are the ghosts in this副本just weaklings?]

[You idiot upstairs! It’s not that the ghosts are weak—it’s Li Zhi!]

[Never seen a vengeful ghost turn sides? Well, now you have.]

[Li Zhi’s vote count is skyrocketing! I’m voting for her too—not for any reason, I just like following trends.]

...

With wave after wave of new viewers flooding in, time in the副本slowly approached nightfall.

The open-air stage was already set up. To celebrate the traditional festival, red lanterns and silk banners adorned the area, making it look especially festive.

As soon as night fell, villagers arrived with benches, chatting and laughing happily. The crowd below buzzed with excitement.

Kuang Shu peeked behind the curtain and patted Tao Yu’s shoulder. “This is your debut performance as lead actress. Make us proud! Let everyone enjoy the holiday!”

Tao Yu let out a bitter smirk, knowing the truth.

The opera program consisted of five acts. The first four were requested by the villagers. The final one was Ji Jiang—the piece Tao Yu sang in memory of Fang Lin.

Drums rolled, music echoed, applause roared—the night grew lively. As the final act ended, Zhen Zhen was led onto the stage.