Chapter 7: "The Village Burial"
The wax monster did not chase them out. Instead, it slithered back into a sticky, formless mass, oozing over the doors and windows before vanishing without a trace.
The ancestral hall’s door closed silently behind them. The air was thick with the metallic stench of blood, a thin, twisted red line of droplets trailing down the steps like a macabre thread.
Li Zhi held the severed half of Pei Xu’s body, feeling the last traces of warmth fade from her hands as the corpse stiffened, turning cold. Pei Xu’s fingers had locked around her wrist in death, the bones like ghostly claws, frozen in a grip of unwillingness and rage.
Gao Shijun, watching from a distance, broke down. "Why the hell are you bringing her out?!"
The mutilated flesh was still coated in hardened wax, now stained red with blood—like the festive candles at a wedding.
Li Zhi glanced down at the remains in her hands. "We’ll bury her somewhere."
At her words, the group slowly regained their composure, grief settling over them. Zhang Xiao’s body had vanished, and Pei Xu hadn’t even been left whole. These had once been vibrant performers on screen, now reduced to spectacles of death for countless viewers.
When will it be my turn? It will be. Sooner or later.
The silence was suffocating.
A patch of woods lay ahead. Li Zhi chose a flat spot and began prying Pei Xu’s fingers loose one by one. The corpse’s lifeless eyes stared wide, reflecting the lush green leaves above.
Lian Qinglin returned with a rusted shovel from a nearby abandoned house and started digging.
Li Zhi suddenly stood and walked away.
Chi Yi tensed. "Zhi Zhi?"
Li Zhi didn’t respond, only waving a hand behind her.
Xu Shu sighed. "Let her be alone for a while."
He had teamed up with players like her before—been saved by them, too.
In a world where death was routine, those who still risked themselves to save others were rarer than mythical creatures. They were different—not just in kindness, but in an unshakable respect for life, even after witnessing endless horrors.
Xu Shu watched her retreating figure, expression complicated.
Once far enough, the stench of blood faded, replaced by the scent of grass and earth. Li Zhi leaned against a tree and vomited.
Acid burned her throat.
Footsteps rustled through the grass behind her.
Assuming it was a concerned teammate, she wiped her mouth and turned—only to pause in surprise. "Mr. Li? What are you doing here?"
Li Jianxi stood there, dressed in his usual blue scholar’s robe, holding a compass. "Surveying burial sites," he said tersely.
The village chief’s funeral was in two days. As the Yin-Yang Master, it was his duty to select a grave location based on the deceased’s birth chart and feng shui.
Li Zhi nodded, her face still pale from vomiting but composed. "Hard work."
Li Jianxi studied her for a moment before continuing forward, as if merely passing by. But as he walked past, he hesitated, glancing back once more.
Li Zhi tilted her head slightly, blinking at him with a faint smile.
He spoke abruptly. "That place—only at night."
Li Zhi’s expression shifted. He means the ancestral hall.
This NPC… wasn’t like the others.
Suppressing her unease, she smiled wider. "Why help me?"
Li Jianxi didn’t answer. He simply watched her, his beautiful eyes clear yet empty—like a newborn’s, lost in exploration. After a few seconds, he turned and disappeared into the trees.
Li Zhi stared after him, thoughtful.
The audience erupted:
[Is this a solo quest trigger?!]
[Is this ultra-hot Yin-Yang Master the key to clearing the level? Why’s he helping players?!]
[Someone that handsome wouldn’t lie, right?]
[Pretty people lie the most! Regardless of gender! Zhi Zhi, don’t trust him! Stay away from the ancestral hall! That monster’s terrifying!]
[NPCs have zero reason to help players. He’s luring her to her death!]
[The guide said nights are the most dangerous, and he’s telling her to go at night?! Handsome but evil!]
[Please, no more deaths. Let them all survive…]
By the time Li Zhi returned, the grave was ready. They lowered Pei Xu inside, and Li Zhi gently closed her unseeing eyes before placing a handful of wildflowers over her chest.
Once buried, they marked the spot with a makeshift wooden stake. The group stood silently before the crude grave, weighed down by loss.
No one spoke on the way back. As they neared the courtyard, they saw villagers arriving for the funeral—the same ones they’d notified earlier.
The usually eerie yard was now bustling. Round banquet tables had been set up. Uncle Jiu directed two men carrying a massive pot, placing it over the firewood pile. A chopping board nearby held chunks of meat.
Spotting them, he scowled. "Guests are here, and you’re still dawdling? Get to the kitchen and cook! Serve the mourning feast!"
As he spoke, he scraped the meat into the pot, stirring vigorously.
Gao Shijun trembled. "That meat… it’s not—"
Someone retched behind him.
They didn’t dare dwell on the pot’s contents. In the kitchen, they busied themselves—those who could cook did, others chopped vegetables. Keeping hands occupied kept minds from wandering.
By dusk, the feast began. Tables packed with villagers eating, drinking, and laughing. If not for Uncle Jiu serving that suspicious stew—enthusiastically urging players to try it—they might’ve mistaken the scene for a genuine celebration.
But the liveliness was fleeting. Before dark, the villagers left hurriedly, as if fearing something.
The yard fell silent again. Wind rustled the paper effigies flanking the mourning hall. When the players finished cleaning up, they found the Yin-Yang Master standing before the coffin, holding an oil lamp.
"Tonight’s vigil. The eternal flame must not go out."
The lamp’s flickering flame was frail as incense ash, one gust away from extinguishing.
He set it down and left. Lian Qinglin quickly moved it deeper under the canopy, where the wind couldn’t reach it.
Though nights were perilous, the vigil couldn’t be avoided. Xu Shu proposed, "Draw lots. Pairs take four-hour shifts."
No one objected. Chi Yi immediately said, "I’m with Zhi Zhi!"
But Li Zhi, usually indulgent toward her, refused. "Pair with someone else."
Chi Yi looked hurt. Lian Qinglin jumped in. "Team up with me! I’m tough too!"
Li Zhi turned to Xu Shu. "You and I will take a shift."
Xu Shu nodded.
They divided into three pairs. Li Zhi and Xu Shu drew the first shift—until midnight.
The others retreated to rest, leaving the two of them alone in the courtyard with the smiling corpse.
As night deepened, temperatures dropped. Mist curled through the darkness, damp and clinging. The eternal flame burned steadily, casting dim, flickering shadows on the canopy.
Xu Shu glanced at Li Zhi, who sat quietly in thought, and finally spoke. "I acted rashly earlier, choosing the coffin. Sorry."
Li Zhi turned, her beautiful eyes amused but tone flat. "Unusual mistake for a veteran."
Xu Shu shifted uncomfortably. "I’m not exactly top-tier in my world."
Li Zhi studied him. "For points, then? You thought a beginner level would be easy—take the guide role for extra rewards."
Xu Shu gaped. "I never mentioned points!"
She smiled. "You said you came for fame, but fame alone is useless. It must convert to something—points, redeemable rewards. That’s why you took the risk. Earlier, you said we’d understand after clearing the level. The reward comes after, right?"
Xu Shu stared, stunned. From the moment he’d seen her, he’d known she was sharp—calm, intelligent, observant, the makings of a top player. But he hadn’t expected her to deduce the point system.
Li Zhi continued, "Defensive rewards, perhaps? Protection against ghosts?" She didn’t need his confirmation; his expression said it all. "That’s why you were reckless. You had a safety net. If the coffin was wrong, only others would die. You used us to test the waters."
The lamplight flickered over Xu Shu’s face, now flushed with anger and guilt. He opened his mouth, but Li Zhi stood.
"I’m leaving for a bit. You’ll manage alone?"
Xu Shu forgot his embarrassment. "Where?! Are you insane?!"
Li Zhi gazed into the dark. "The ancestral hall."
The audience, still reeling from her flawless deduction, now wailed in despair.
[She’s been fooled by his looks! She actually believes him!]
[Li Zhi can’t die!!! Without her, this team’s doomed!!!]
[Out of a dozen streams, she’s the smartest! I just bet on her! Don’t throw it away now!]
But once Li Zhi made a decision, there was no changing it.
Xu Shu couldn’t stop her. He watched her walk out, his hand clenched around the reward item from his last run—hesitating, but ultimately keeping it tucked away.