Chapter 75: Fortune Inn (Part Ten)

Chapter 75: Fortune Inn (Part Ten)

Sure, this was absolutely acceptable.

It was clearly a seller's market now; which player would dare to object?

Initially, a few players who had hastily decided to exchange points for safety yesterday afternoon were also the first batch today to decide to pay points to accompany the group to the lakeside.

As these few set off, the inn became even less occupied, naturally compelling the remaining players to decide to join in, one after another.

Everyone vividly remembered yesterday's situation and feared that Zheng Daoan might suddenly impose an overtime charge. After all, he wasn't Nie Shuangshuang; he wouldn't hesitate to let them die if he declared no rescue was available. Hence, the decisions were made relatively quickly, even Sun Yan didn't hesitate and was ready to pay up without further ado.

Consequently, in just a few minutes, a sixteen-member party was grandiosely heading towards the lake on the west side of the city.

Inside the city, there was a bleak atmosphere with desolate streets, and the area outside the city presented a scene of decay with fallen leaves and barren branches.

Upon reaching the lakeside, Zheng Daoan stood with his hands in his pockets, silently gazing at the lake's surface.

Seeing him immersed in his thoughts without speaking, Nie Shuangshuang was curious about how such a quick-witted individual planned to clear the level, following suit with fervent observations.

Aunt Li was getting accustomed to the game environment and was equally engaged in seeking clues at this moment. As for Sun Yan, it goes without saying that he was fervently hoping to integrate into Jie Fangcheng's inner circle. Hence, he was also synchronously looking left and right, trying to find some clues to prove his usefulness.

Only Jie Fangcheng seemed to be zoning out, leaning against a tree by the lake, appearing as if he might doze off at any moment.

The newbie players were puzzled about what the veteran players were scrutinizing, whispering among themselves discreetly.

“What are they observing right now? Is there something special about this place?”

“Can't tell, but since all these veteran players are inspecting this way, they must have their reasons. Let's try to mimic them.”

For these new players, having expended their points, they couldn't afford to come for nothing; learning even a bit would be beneficial.

Consequently, the fourteen players by the lake resembled the sunflowers in "Plants vs.

Zombies,"

their heads moving irregularly on their necks, searching for clues they themselves weren't aware of.

Soon, Zheng Daoan finished his observation: "Let's move on."

“Huh?”

Everyone looked bewildered, but Nie Shuangshuang quickly spoke up, asking, "Have you finished observing?"

"Yes."

"Did you find anything?"

Zheng Daoan spoke calmly, "The lake is vast, and there are no fish in it."

"…Ah, so what?"

Zheng Daoan glanced at her, and although his tone was calm and his explanation seemed normal, Nie Shuangshuang inexplicably felt a hint of disdain from him.

"The lake contains aquatic plants and the water quality seems quite good, which would typically be suitable for the habitation of fish and shrimp. The absence of fish in such a large lake indicates that there might be something else in the lake, substantiating my speculation. Moreover, given the vastness of the lake, locating the city lord and the celestial master isn't going to be an easy task. It's unrealistic to expect you to find them on your own."

Nie Shuangshuang opened her mouth, quickly processing his words and retorted, "Your reasoning makes sense, but if we are to search in the water, shouldn't it be Jie brother and I doing it together?"

Zheng Daoan glanced at the daydreaming Jie Fangcheng and then returned his gaze to her, stating, "He won't be going."

"?" Nie Shuangshuang inquired, "Why not?"

Zheng Daoan turned his head, commanding, "Let's move. We need to find Han, the innkeeper, in the city."

"?? Hey!" Nie Shuangshuang exclaimed in astonishment, "Bro, you can't be serious! This kind of blatant double standard isn't acceptable, right??"

Zheng Daoan chose to ignore her outcry.

Jie Fangcheng, however, had heard, and he felt a sense of relief.

Although the lake appeared pristine, it was still lake water. He had been forced to plunge underground yesterday out of necessity, but given a choice, he wouldn't voluntarily swim in the lake; it wasn't a water park after all.

Whether it was a double standard or not didn't bother him, as long as he was not tasked with an unexpected job.

But this Zheng fellow truly was a great buddy!

It wasn't a waste to... well, summon him using Nie Shuangshuang's precious item.

Reflecting on this made him feel even more fortunate.

Thank goodness the points spent weren't his own...

Nie Shuangshuang couldn't fully grasp Jie Fangcheng's sentiments, but her mood swings were quick. Before even entering the city gate, she began to bombard with questions again.

"Hey, why are we going to find Han, the innkeeper? Are we getting candles from him? We don't need candles at night now, right? By the way, do you know where to find Han, the innkeeper? Should we ask around? Hey! There's an NPC, shall we ask them?"

As she spoke, Nie Shuangshuang had already gone to inquire and was back shortly.

"The NPC mentioned that the beast is in the east of the city, the east... wasn't that the direction we headed to find the celestial master? Did we see any beast on the way?"

While speaking, Nie Shuangshuang turned her attention to Jie Fangcheng, seeking his input.

Jie Fangcheng gave her a gentle tug: "Given what you've said, neither of us even took notice of the basic details when we were down there."

"Missing such distinctive clues, how can we hope to track the murderous beast? Isn't this self-humiliation?"

It was Aunt Li who spoke next: "I did see a shop on the road that day, with white cloth and joss paper hanging outside; that should be the place, shouldn't it?"

Zheng Daoan nodded, "This clue is indeed valuable. In the future, make sure to take note of such information."

Nie Shuangshuang touched her nose sheepishly.

Jie Fangcheng was gazing at the sky.

The group moved en masse from the west of the city to the east, once again confronting the desolation of Fulai City with a renewed sense of objectivity.

The streets were devoid of pedestrians and echoed with an eerie silence. A closer look revealed many houses adorned with white cloth strips on their doors, with some even displaying coffins at the entrance. The more deserted streets saw joss paper being swept up by the wind, only to float down again.

The broader streets still housed a few shops, but they were predominantly closed at this time.

It was midday, yet the atmosphere bore the desolation of dusk.

Upon reaching the eastern part of the city, they indeed found a shop near the east city gate draped with white cloth and joss paper. Two paper effigies stood at the entrance, beside a large water jar filled with water. Jie Fangcheng suddenly whispered, "Someone is watching us."

"Who? Where? Is it the city lord or the celestial master?" Nie Shuangshuang immediately became alert, her hand poised at the entrance of her system backpack.

Jie Fangcheng shook his head, "Not sure, they seem too weak."

Nie Shuangshuang tried to gauge the level of this 'weakness', "Compared to Aunt Li? Or Sun Yan? Or me? What kind of level are we talking about?"

Jie Fangcheng hesitated for a moment, seemingly uncertain.

Nie Shuangshuang pressed, "Why aren't you speaking?"

Jie Fangcheng admitted honestly, "It's a bit hard to compare; they all seem somewhat on par."

It took Nie Shuangshuang a moment before she comprehended what he meant.

She burst into anger, "Are you implying that I'm also relatively weak? Huh??"

"No, no, no," Jie Fangcheng hurriedly appeased, "Everyone is more or less the same."

Nie Shuangshuang demanded the truth, "If you find both of us weak, then who do you think is strong? Brother Zhang?"

Just as Jie Fangcheng was about to hesitate, Zheng Daoan had already knocked on the door of the suspect place, the sound echoing clearly in the quiet street.

There was no response from inside, but a few seconds later, the door opened.

A middle-aged man with partly grey hair and sallow, waxen skin appeared, his gaunt cheeks accentuating his deep-set, pitch-black eyes that seemed somewhat sinister in this setting.

"Who are you looking for?"

"Innkeeper Han?"

Innkeeper Han nodded, his parched lips resembling those of someone who hadn't sipped water in a long while, giving off a sense of impending doom.

"We are here to purchase some candles."

Hearing Zheng Daoan's statement, Innkeeper Han's eyeballs moved slightly. He stood there like a withered tree, even his voice bore a grating sense of dryness.

"Ah, very well."

With that, Innkeeper Han stepped aside to open the door, turning around to walk back inside.

The players followed suit, entering one after another.

Cold.

The first sensation was the cold. It didn't feel like being inside a room but rather within a chilly, damp pond.

The room was engulfed in darkness, not a trace of light to be seen.

Although the outer world of Lai Fu City was quite desolate, it was still a splendid sunlit day approaching noon.

But this shop seemed devoid of windows, preventing even a sliver of sunlight from permeating inside.

"We don't accept money here. If you want candles, bring something to barter." Innkeeper Han walked up to the counter, taking out a candle and placing it firmly on it, his gaze fixed intently on Zheng Daoan. "Your clothes, exchange them for a candle."

Zheng Daoan remained silent, merely surveying his surroundings.

Innkeeper Han waited for a moment before showing signs of impatience, "So, are we trading or not?"

The environment was too dark, having only cleared the level twice, Zheng Daoan couldn't clearly see the entirety of their surroundings.

He listened intently to the ambient noises before suddenly spinning his head around.

"Over there!"

Having collaborated on a mission before, Jie Fangcheng was already well-prepared.

Before entering the ominous place, he had already gripped a baseball bat in hand. Now, at Zheng Daoan's cue, he sprinted forth like an arrow released from a bow.

Innkeeper Han hesitated momentarily, tracking his rushing figure before stamping his foot in dismay and crying out, "Nannan!"

But Jie Fangcheng had already smashed his bat against a wall.

Following the resounding 'boom', the wall collapsed accordingly.

Nie Shuangshuang was a beat late in reacting, first stopping Innkeeper Han before turning her gaze to where Jie Fangcheng had headed, falling into a thoughtful silence.

"What are you people up to? I'll fight you to the death!" Innkeeper Han exclaimed as he drew a knife from his waist. Nie Shuangshuang swiftly knocked the weapon to the ground.

The novice players, unfamiliar with the enhanced system, could barely discern vague outlines in the room's darkness, blind to everything else. They whispered urgently among themselves, asking, "What's happening? What occurred?"

Nie Shuangshuang snapped her fingers, kindling a flame in her hand.

Illuminated by the flickering flame, everyone could finally discern the scene before them. Instantly, someone succumbed to nausea, retching a couple of times.

"What is that..."

Behind the wall that Jie Fangcheng had shattered, there lay a massive pool.

Within the pool, a little girl of about three or four years floated in the water, half her body missing, staring blankly at the players with a solitary eye.

"Nannan!" Innkeeper Han, in a state of panic, attempted to rush towards his daughter in the pool but was restrained once again by Nie Shuangshuang.

Nie Shuangshuang turned to Zheng Daoan with a questioning look, to which he nodded in response.

Nie Shuangshuang questioned, "Why are you nodding at me? Speak up, how am I supposed to know what you mean with just a nod?"

Rarely caught off guard, Zheng Daoan paused before replying, "I mean, let him go."

"Oh, okay." Nie Shuangshuang released her grip, not forgetting to voice her opinion, "Next time just say it outright. We haven't teamed up before, I can't grasp your intentions like Jie can."

Zheng Daoan glanced at her once more before sighing.

Meanwhile, Innkeeper Han stumbled towards the pool, reaching out to tenderly touch his "daughter" in the water. "Don't be afraid, Nannan, daddy will come to feed you once I deal with them, okay?"

The "daughter," now only half a body, gazed at him and suddenly snapped her mouth open, fiercely biting down on his hand.

Innkeeper Han appeared terrifyingly emaciated, his hand resembling a withered branch. As it was bitten by the “daughter,” only a few drops of blood trickled into the water from the torn flesh.

The "daughter" sucked on the dripping blood, retreating back into the water to search for the dispersed blood only when she couldn't extract any more.

Innkeeper Han only grunted in pain when bitten, subsequently allowing her to continue drawing blood without resistance.

Once she retreated back into the water, Innkeeper Han stood up to face the players.

"You're courting death! I refuse to sell you any candles!"

At this remark, Jie Fangcheng queried, "Just because you say you won't sell, we can't buy?"

Innkeeper Han responded with nothing but a cold, mocking laughter.

Meanwhile, Nie Shuangshuang had proficiently climbed over the counter, searching through it before straightening up with a somewhat startled expression.

"There are only these candles."

She displayed the found candles on the counter.

Sixteen in total.

As if foreknowing the exact number of visitors, there were precisely sixteen candles available - not one more, not one less.

Innkeeper Han scoffed, "These sixteen candles are the last ones you’ll be able to purchase, now leave!"

In this town, possessing candles allows one to be spared from the wrath of vengeful spirits during the night. Without them, death is certain, effectively granting him control over the lives of the townsfolk.

This was a "privilege" he gained through collaboration with the town's master.

Typically, his word would be enough to have people comply immediately. However, at this moment, seeing only sixteen candles available, the group that came to purchase them seemed undeterred, their focus still firmly on Innkeeper Han and the "daughter" in the pond behind him.

"Vengeful spirits? Similar to those in the courtyard well?" Nie Shuangshuang inquired.

Jie Fangcheng nodded: "More or less. The one in the pool is hanging by a thread, although she's technically already dead."

Her spirit has either vanished or been corrupted by dark forces. But due to insufficient power, she hasn't transformed into a malevolent ghost, only evolving into a vengeful infant spirit.

However, since she has been nurtured with flesh and blood continuously, half of her body remains animate.

Innkeeper Han's eyes widened in denial: "You're lying!! Nannan has been moving more frequently lately! She will be back soon!!"

"She won't return." Jie Fangcheng stated calmly, outlining the harsh truth, "Once a person dies, it's like a snuffed out candle, resurrection is a nonexistent concept. Even if revival was possible, what returns wouldn't be the person we knew."

Zheng Daoan suddenly turned to glance at him, his expression seemingly complex.

Jie Fangcheng met his gaze, unable to decipher the reason behind his expression. But before he could inquire, Zheng Daoan had already turned his face back.

Innkeeper Han was inflamed with rage: "What do you know?! You understand nothing at all!!!"

"The water in your pond, it's sourced from the courtyard well, isn't it? The town master told you this?"

The layout of the inn and the town master's mansion were both quadrangular compounds, each with a central courtyard where a well collected rainwater dripping from the eaves, embodying the philosophy of "accumulating water to accumulate wealth".

But in this place, what accumulated was far from wealth.

Innkeeper Han glared at him sinisterly: "Stop spouting nonsense! It certainly serves a purpose! I know... I know! The town master's son was saved in this manner... He was clearly a stillborn, yet he survived! This method works!!"

Zheng Daoan spoke up: "So, how your daughter died, you're not concerned about that?"

Innkeeper Han shot a fierce glance at him.

Observing his reaction, Zheng Daoan understood.

"You're aware that the town master killed the children of the town, including your child, yet you heeded his words, assisting him in 'controlling' the townspeople in exchange for your daughter's resurrection, correct?"

"So what if it's true?? I would do anything for my daughter!"

Zheng Daoan sighed deeply: "Such foolishness."

"What did you say??"

Zheng Daoan's gaze drifted towards the pool.

"You actually trust the murderer of your daughter, believing that he would show mercy, sharing with you a method to resurrect her... Have you ever considered why the town master needed to kill so many children?"

Han, the innkeeper, was stunned.

Zong Dao'an continued, "To resurrect his own son, he required the lives of so many; yet to resurrect your daughter, just a soak in the water suffices? Haven't you pondered upon the simplicity of this?"

Han's parched lips quivered.

The sound of Zong Dao'an's sigh echoed once more.

"You suspected the water to be tainted, hence you refrain from drinking well or lake water, only daring to consume rainwater. The day before yesterday, it rained, filling the barrel at your doorstep, but relying on the sky for sustenance is inevitably unreliable. You dare not drink much, leaving you perpetually thirsty. I noticed the white cloth hanging both outside and inside your house, and a freshly made paper figure at your door. Since you believe your daughter hasn't passed away, it seems someone else in the house has, perhaps your wife?"

Words failed Han, the innkeeper.

"The city lord brought ruin upon your family, forcing you into a living purgatory. Naturally, you despise him, but your fear prevents any form of resistance. You even cling to his deceitful words, hoping he genuinely intends to assist in resurrecting your child. But look at the entity in that pool—"

Following his words, Han slowly turned his head back.

Every day, he convinced himself that the being was his daughter.

Although she was left with only half a body, it didn't matter. Look, her eyes still moved. As long as he dutifully aided the city lord in governing the populace as instructed, his daughter would resurrect, just like the city lord's son did.

But at this moment, as he met "his daughter’s" gaze, the thing in the pool rotated its remaining eye endlessly, its mouth half open, no longer playfully asking for candied hawthorns as it used to.

Instead, it mimicked chewing, as if still craving more of the flesh it had consumed earlier, hungry for more.

...Would his sweet and innocent daughter act this way?

"Impossible... impossible!" Han's legs gave way, and he fell to the ground, "The city lord's son resurrected like this... it resurrected this way!"

"How exactly did it resurrect?" Zong Dao'an asked, guiding him gently, "By merely soaking in this narrow pool, it returned to life?"

"No..." Han regained his senses, "It was in the lake! The city lord’s child was stillborn, a... a monstrous fetus with only a brain! But the city lord placed it in the center of the lake... where numerous children's corpses were submerged. There, it gradually opened its eyes, slowly growing limbs. You only need to go to the lake!!"

As if having found the method to resurrect his daughter, Han looked fervently at Zong Dao'an before him, "You are clever. If you promise to assist in bringing my girl back, I'll teach you the secret method of crafting candles. Only I know this method!"

Zong Dao'an shook his head, "Do you ever wonder why the city lord took you to the lake to witness the revival of his son?"

"What?"

Zong Dao'an whispered, "Would he genuinely be so kind as to show you, a grieving father, how he sacrificed numerous children to restore his son's life?"

Han froze in realization.

"You mentioned it yourself, his son... grew a head."

Han looked towards the pool.

In the pool, his daughter was missing half of her body, her brain incomplete.

"What if... what if it's possible? I want to try... I, I have to try!"

Tears streaked with blood flowed from Han's eyes. He clutched his head in agony, verbally holding on to hope, yet deep down understanding the high likelihood of truth in the sharp insights of the man before him.

Zong Daoan continued to sigh, his tone laden with compassion.

"Condolences."

Then, he turned around, as if remembering something, “However, there is something else that I perhaps should tell you.”

"...What?"

Zong Daoan looked at him, his expression seemingly very sincere, “The reason we have come here is to kill the city lord. We indeed require the candle-making technique that you possess. If you have a change of heart and decide to assist us, perhaps you can avenge your wife and daughter before the city lord flees.”

Mr. Han, the innkeeper, was stunned for a moment, unable to respond promptly, "What did you say? The city lord is fleeing?"

"Yes. We caused a great disturbance at the city lord's residence yesterday, and now he is too frightened to show his face, possibly planning to flee soon. Therefore, if you decide to seek vengeance for your family, please contact us as soon as possible."

Having said this, Zong Daoan nodded politely towards him, "I apologize for the disturbance."

Then he led the players away from the ominous place.

As soon as they left, Nie Shuangshuang seemed eager to say something, but Xie Fangcheng gently nudged her, "Someone is following us."

Nie Shuangshuang let out an "ah", holding back a belly full of questions, unable to ask them in the end.

The grand group of sixteen individuals returned to the inn, and only when they were near the inn did Xie Fangcheng speak again, "No one is following us now."

The questions Nie Shuangshuang had been holding back immediately came pouring out.

"Is that innkeeper affiliated with the city lord? Is speaking to him this way effective? Has the city lord really fled? Who was following us? How did you know the things you told him?"

Zong Daoan responded with subtlety, "Could you think about it?"

Xie Fangcheng couldn't resist adding, "But why did you approach him? What use is this NPC to us?"

Zong Daoan explained, "On the surface, this Mr. Han is aligned with the city lord, but in reality, he harbors deep resentment towards him. He knows how to make candles that can dispel the vengeful infant spirits, which we very much need."

"Ah? Why do we need candles?" Nie Shuangshuang asked.

Xie Fangcheng was also looking at him.

Zong Daoan began, "Because we need the assistance of the NPCs in this city. They are numerous, and relying solely on you would be insufficient to protect so many people, right?"

"Ohhh!"

Xie Fangcheng understood.

He and Nie Shuangshuang could focus on capturing the head perpetrator first, but the two of them couldn't possibly capture all those vengeful infant spirits at once, there were just too many.

However, with the candles from Mr. Han, at least the NPCs and the players wouldn't have to worry about being harassed by the vengeful infant spirits.

Nie Shuangshuang was still somewhat confused, "But although there are many NPCs in the city, their capabilities are limited, right? How can they be used to counter the city lord?"

Indeed, seeing the unfavorable circumstances, the city lord and the celestial master retreated directly into the lake. On land, Nie Shuangshuang could have caught up with these two NPCs given her speed, but the water presented greater resistance. Furthermore, most of Nie Shuangshuang's skills were fire-based, greatly limiting her capabilities in this situation.

Could it be that the people in Fuli City have some effective methods at their disposal?

Zong Daoan asked, "Did you observe anything else in the eastern part of the city?"

"Huh?" Nie Shuangshuang was bewildered, "What else is there in the east of the city?"

"A mountain."

"A mountain? What about it?"

Zong Daoan gazed into the inn's central courtyard well, a well that seemed bottomless - yet no matter how deep it appeared, it surely had a bottom.

"Have you heard of the tale of Yugong moving a mountain?"

"?" Nie Shuangshuang seemed to have a premonition, her mouth gaping wide, even feeling a touch of bewilderment.

What on earth was happening? Was she not trying to clear a horror-themed instance? How did it escalate to schemes, coups, rebellions, and now, possibly involving terraforming and lake-filling operations??

The next moment, Zong Daoan's words confirmed her speculation.

"It's just a somewhat larger lake," Zong Daoan smiled, "With so many people in this city, it shouldn't be impossible to fill it up, right?"