Chapter 149: Recollections of the Wax Figure Museum (Part 8)

Chapter 149: Recollections of the Wax Figure Museum (Part 8)

Sour.

Extremely sour!

Qi Chanyang's brows and nose were almost crinkled together, yet Xie Fangcheng remained blissfully unaware, even questioning, "Ah? Really? I don't think so."

Yang Dao'an, feeling the sour mood but choosing not to comment further, turned his attention towards Yan Xiaohua, who was nuzzling Xie Fangcheng's palm.

The little devil wore a floral dress, her appearance resembling someone who had been concealed in a refrigerator, with a foggy aura enveloping her. Her eyes displayed only white scleras crisscrossed with green veins, a sight barely more appealing than a zombie.

Her hair was still dripping water. Xie Fangcheng, usually a stickler for cleanliness, seemed completely oblivious at this moment. He ruffled her hair, only removing his hand when Yang Dao'an discreetly handed him a handkerchief.

Yan Xiaohua glanced at him with her eerie eyes before walking towards the assistant manager.

The assistant manager had not anticipated that the reinforcement he called seemed to be acquainted with the individual vandalizing the wax figures. But as Xiaohua approached him, the old man hastily grabbed her arm, scrutinizing her up and down before seemingly letting out a sigh of relief.

In his presence, Yan Xiaohua behaved like a genuine little child, silently nestling by his side.

The assistant manager, looking at the shattered wax figures and mixed-in remnants of various flesh and organs on the ground, displayed a fluctuating expression as he raised his head to face Xie Fangcheng.

Xie Fangcheng twirled his massive sword, creating a circle of sword flowers. Facing the old man who was both adorned in golden light and emitting a foul stench, he offered a patient warning.

"If you persist in this, death will be certain. It's time to back off."

The old man chuckled ominously.

"Doomed to die? Why is it me who is doomed!"

With his roar, a sudden gust surged around, rattling the glass windows relentlessly. Outside, the skies were lit with thunder and lightning, and even the tree branches shook as if possessed by specters.

The deputy manager, now gaunt and withered, swelled in size, his eyes flaming red as he fixed his gaze on Xie Fangcheng.

"I have been kind and virtuous... What good has come from it?!"

In the blink of an eye, everyone felt as if propelled forward by an unseen force, stumbling a few steps into a dizzying vortex.

The pitch-black wax museum before them abruptly changed, the twisted whirlpool seeming capable of swallowing everyone whole.

In what felt like a fleeting moment yet also years, everyone became spectators floating in mid-air, entering Qiu Jianye's memories.

They saw a series of dilapidated mud houses, one after another, their walls wearing patches of crumbling mud and roofs covered with swathes of dry grass.

Hundreds of such houses constituted the barren Qiu Family Village atop a desolate hill.

The scene was tranquil and serene as Qiu Jianye experienced intermittent growth, reaching the age of sixteen.

Just after his sixteenth birthday, two men dressed in suits entered the village, representing a company recruiting workers from the mountains.

Qiu Jianye followed them, somewhat bewildered, out of the mountains, witnessing the world beyond for the first time.

Even from the perspective of a bystander, the moment of stepping out from the impoverished mountains seemed to coat the scenery in a gentle, vibrant, and colorful oil painting filter.

Skyscrapers, neatly dressed urbanites, and well-fed, warmly clothed upper class citizens filled the view.

Qiu Jianye was like a weed sprouting from the soil, transplanted into a warm greenhouse.

They entered a factory that provided food and lodging, with a monthly salary to boot.

The money, an amount unimaginable by their family's annual crop earnings, was saved carefully by Qiu Jianye, not spending a single penny frivolously.

Grateful to the manager who brought them out, Qiu Jianye scrimped and saved half a month's wages to buy him cigarettes as a token of appreciation.

Upon receiving the gift, the manager seemed momentarily stunned, his expression somewhat uneasy.

At that time, Qiu Jianye did not understand the reason behind the manager's reaction. It was only later, when he met workers from other factories, did he realize that despite working longer hours, his wages were only a fifth of theirs.

Bringing this information back to the factory, he and his fellow villagers quit their jobs. Though some suggested confronting the manager to vent their anger, Qiu Jianye merely shook his head.

"Let it be. He may be a bad person, but without him, we wouldn't have known about the opportunity to work outside."

His outlook remained positive and bright, and his kindness almost seemed overly susceptible to exploitation. Even the world witnessed by the audience was radiant.

After leaving the factory, Qiu Jianye worked numerous jobs.

Lacking education and literacy, he could only engage in physical labor

One day, after work, Qiu Jianye returned to his rental home and noticed someone drowning in the river.

Without a second thought, Qiu Jianye jumped in to rescue the person.

It was his first act of spontaneous bravery, and the reward money exceeded two months of his salary.

Of course, what he saw went beyond just the pile of reward money.

The man he rescued from the river tearfully narrated his own plight.

He had become disabled in the same car accident that killed his parents; their family's backbone had fallen. During his hospital stay, it was discovered that his only daughter was seriously ill. Despite selling everything valuable, they still couldn’t afford her surgery and could only watch her wilt away like a fading flower.

When he returned to the hospital after finishing his night shift, he found that his wife had hung herself.

She chose this painful method because she, being uneducated, thought her organs would remain intact and could perhaps be sold to prolong their daughter’s life for a few more days.

Overwhelmed by these calamities, even the strongest spirit would falter. With legs left untreated due to lack of funds, he jumped into the river, only to be saved by Qiu Jianye.

Qiu Jianye took the reward money for his act of bravery back to his rental home.

He worked hard to earn money with the hope of sending it back home, wanting to improve the lives of his elderly mother and young brother.

Yet that night, Qiu Jianye tossed and turned, unable to sleep.

The next day, he rose early and made his way to the hospital, armed with the reward money for his act of valor.

He thought to himself that although the money was awarded to him, the person who had attempted suicide clearly needed it more.

He couldn't donate his salary—that was meant for his family—but he figured he could donate this bonus.

With that thought, Qiu Jianye donated the sum.

The lame man who received the money nearly fell to his knees in gratitude, prompting Qiu Jianye to hastily leave the hospital.

As he walked the streets—a man already gentle and kind-hearted—he felt as though a door had swung open before him.

Through that door lay countless eyes filled with the tears of suffering.

"If poor, be good to oneself; if prosperous, be good to the world."

Qiu Jianye had never heard that saying. Although he himself wasn't well-off, he saw others in greater pain.

From that point on, he volunteered to help those in greater need whenever he was not working.

Most of his salary was sent home, a part was donated, and once his elderly parents passed away and his young brother settled down, almost all the money he earned went to helping others.

His world was forever bathed in sunshine, bursting with color, because he was always walking down the brightest path.

When he grew older and could no longer do manual labor—without any formal education or even the ability to write more than a few words—

Under such circumstances, Qiu Fu, a fellow townsman who owned a wax museum in the city, was willing to take him in. Consequently, Qiu Jianye moved to the wax museum and became an employee there.

Although termed an employee, his role was nearly akin to that of a manager, as Qiu Fu, engrossed with other ventures, seldom visited the wax museum.

It was during this year that Qiu Jianye adopted a baby girl who had been abandoned due to her congenital intellectual disability. He named her Qiu Baihua, harboring hopes that she would bloom like flowers in spring.

Later on, when Qiu Fu sporadically visited the store and encountered Qiu Baihua, he didn't remark much. As Baihua grew older, during his happier moments, Qiu Fu would even teach her how to write.

Sunlight continued to flood Qiu Jianye's world, and with the arrival of Baihua, who became his “granddaughter,” his life seemed to truly blossom with vibrant flowers under this radiant sun.

Just as the audience began to share in this joyous atmosphere, feeling as though they were immersed in a delightful dream... issues seemingly arose with Qiu Fu's businesses, and he appeared to be in search of something incessantly.

Until one day, he casually glanced at Qiu Jianye’s pocket watch.

The line of words on the photo inside the pocket watch pierced directly into Qiu Fu's eyes, causing him to emit a sinister glow as he exclaimed, "Was Xiao Hua born on July 15th?"

Qiu Jianye wasn't aware of this, and cheerfully responded, "I'm not sure, I adopted Xiao Hua on July 15th, so that day became her birthday."

It was unclear whether Qiu Fu truly absorbed what was said.

A few days later, the road connecting Qiu's village to the outer world was finally completed.

Qiu Fu inquired, "Would you like to visit the village? I heard your younger brother also has a new granddaughter."

The idea stirred the heart of Qiu Jianye, who hadn't returned home for many years.

Taking Qiu Baihua with him, he boarded the bus heading towards Qiu village.

The bus traversed the road, not particularly wide, yet Qiu Jianye was in high spirits.

His happiness was not only due to his homecoming but also because he had contributed donations towards the construction of this road.

While working in the city, Qiu Jianye never forgot about his impoverished kin back in the village. He wished for them all to have the opportunity to leave the mountains and witness the beautiful sights of the city.

Changes in the village were subtle, with residences appearing more spacious and the addition of a convenience store.

The villagers surrounded him, showing great warmth and continually toasting him during the meal, a reception Qiu Jianye attributed to his charitable contributions.

As he drank, he eventually slumped over the table, faintly hearing a bustling discussion underway in the vicinity.

"...eliminate the roots... what if he wakes up?"

"But... the donations... if he earns more in the future, he might donate to us again..."

"We can say that the girl ran away on her own, couldn’t be saved... after all, she's an imbecile..."

"As for his brother, your family already has three daughters; letting him take one would allow her to enjoy a prosperous life in the city."

"I didn't want to raise her in the first place... a loss-making venture. It would be better if he took her away!"

"Then let's proceed with this plan... Da Fu, have you caught her yet..."

"Ah! Uncle... Grandpa... Grandpa!"

"Hurry! Gag her mouth! Isn't she supposed to be mute? How can she speak?"

"Ah— Grandpa... it hurts..."

"Is she dead? Quickly..."

"East, West, South, North..."

"Bury..."

"It's done!"

No... this isn't right.

What is happening?

Wasn't he welcomed back to his hometown? Hasn't he been donating to the village year after year? Wasn't he the one who initiated the construction of that road?

Those familiar voices... when they used to call him, they were so cordial... they are his family members, aren't they?

The scene resembles an overcooked golden syrup, emitting a foul smell, and the imagery becomes sticky and dark.

Qiu Jianye opened his eyes.

With a dull expression in his eyes, he surveyed the room, the place where he grew up but now stood dilapidated and neglected.

Due to years of abandonment, the room was covered in dust and cobwebs.

Creak...

The door opened.

A man, bearing a striking resemblance to Qiu Jianye, walked in with a smile plastered on his face, looking at Qiu Jianye.

"Big brother, look, this is Yuan Yuan, my granddaughter. Why don't you take her with you? We are family, after all. That little fool you adopted is nothing but an illegitimate child, right? Look how much Yuan Yuan resembles you!"

The baby in the swaddle opened her big, pitch-black eyes to look at him, her chubby face seemingly revealing the flow of blood under the tender skin.

Qiu Jianye asked, "Where is Xiao Hua?"

"Tsk, that idiot has a screw loose. Everyone took their eyes off her for a moment, and she ran away swiftly, no one knows where she went."

Qiu Jianye pushed him aside abruptly, staggering forward.

The surrounding smiling faces transformed into hyenas brandishing fangs, eagerly waiting to feast on his flesh, as numerous hands, previously extended for money, now blocked his path.

Chaotic, frigid.

Qiu Jianye frantically stumbled through the viscous black syrup, desperately searching for his granddaughter.

He called out Baihua's name time and again towards the expansive mountains and crowded woods, but no one responded.

Why?

He spent a lifetime devoted to acts of kindness, tirelessly alleviating others' suffering, a lifelong benefactor—

Why?!

The scene became distorted and unclear, it seemed as if he was brandishing a knife, storming somewhere, fervently searching for any signs or traces... until he found a floral dress smeared with bloodstains.

From the dark corners, murmurs of resentment seemed to emanate.

"Whose family is this? Who brought this thing back home?"

"...Yaor said she liked the dress, it wasn't ruined, it could still be worn after a good wash..."

Ahhhhhhh!!!

Qiu Jianye's figure stretched and distorted as he frenziedly swung the knife in his hand.

A man inherently kind, who would never harm others, even in moments of desperate anger appeared not as a venomous snake but as a harmless hemp rope.

This aged hemp rope couldn't harm anyone.

Why!

Why!!!

Thunder roared and flashes of lightning dispersed the dark scenes as a gust of wild wind blew through.

Everyone finally snapped back to reality, the assistant manager before them had swollen to over two meters in height, roaring in anger.

In this moment, everyone looked at him with complex expressions, taking two steps back.

Although the players held weapons in their hands, faced with such a colossal "monster", not one had the heart to attack.

Was Qiu Baihua born on the fifteenth of July?

Perhaps she was, but more likely, she wasn't.

The fifteenth of July was the day Qiu Jianye found her, could it really be just a coincidence?

The prosperity that later graced Qiu Family Village was likely due to the construction of the road.

This road allowed the mountain dwellers to venture out, transforming the impoverished village into a picturesque tourist spot.

A road bearing the name "Qiu Jianye" ironically became the path where Qiu Baihua met her end.

"Can any of you tell me!! What did I do wrong? What fault have I committed!!"

Qiu Jianye waved his arms about, having completely lost his sanity.

Yet, his madness only induced a heavier sense of grief in the observers, making the weapons in their hands feel as if they weighed a ton.

Just as everyone hesitated, a flash of green light zipped by, and Xie Fangcheng blocked Qiu Jianye's frenzied arms with a sword.

"Qiu Jianye!" he shouted fiercely, as if the swirling winds around them paused momentarily.

In the fleeting trance, a majestic and formidable black shadow of a palace seemed to appear behind him, suppressing the entire instance with its presence, with distant bell tones echoing from the apparition.

But upon a closer look, there was no shadow to be seen.

Qiu Jianye's bloodshot eyes cleared momentarily, only to plunge back into madness shortly after.

He roared, his arms, once blocked by the great sword, came crashing down once more.

With a booming sound, the entire wax museum trembled.

"Everyone out!"

Following Xie Fangcheng's fierce command, people hurriedly evacuated the wax museum.

Inside the museum, the previously wizened old man had disappeared, replaced by a figure enveloped in black mist, from which the screams of men, women, and children occasionally emanated... a fierce ghost.

How had this old man turned into a fierce ghost?

Although the NPCs in the game were spirits, they were essentially fragmented spirits, and even the thickest resentful energy in the instance couldn't foster a fierce ghost.

"Hey! Transforming into a ghost right before me, you've got quite the nerve, huh?!"

Qiu Jianye was now deaf to everything.

His eyes were fixed intently on Xie Fangcheng.

"I know you..."

A voice, neither clearly male nor female, rang out.

"... being suppressed under... the Eastern Peak deity statue..."

A mocking smile surfaced on Qiu Jianye's face.

Xie Fangcheng had no interest in discussing his own affairs, he flicked the giant sword in his hand dismissively.

"Being a ghost is miserable, stop it! Serve a few years in prison, and you can still be a hero when you get out."

Qiu Jianye looked at him, questioning, "Why should I be punished? What did I do wrong? Answer me!!"

Xie Fangcheng shook his head, "This form of vengeance won't work. The mortal world has its laws, let alone the underworld."

His expression was too calm, a tranquility that stirred indignation in those who witnessed it.

Qiu Jianye roared, his arms unfurling expansively.

"Let me see... just how much strength the legendary Mr. Xie has left!"

Outside the wax museum, a vast expanse of dark mist could be seen erupting from within, and then with an overpowering momentum, it crashed down ruthlessly.

Ghostly wails and howls of wind resounded, as if the space between heaven and earth was experiencing an apocalyptic catastrophe.

Yet, within the wax museum, where no one else could glimpse, a golden sword swung in an unremarkably plain manner.

"Thud".

Amidst the terrifying scene, there lay an undercurrent of strange absurdity.

The sword strike seemed too ordinary, but upon striking Qiu Jianye, the dark mist dissipated instantly like a burst balloon.

"Aaaaaaaaaaah!!"

The giant, who had expanded to over two meters, rolled on the ground clutching his head, one eye wide and staring at Xie Fangcheng in disbelief.

In the light-deprived wax museum, only the fierce ghost and the underworld officials could see... a fragmented layer of golden merit light enveloping Xie Fangcheng. Although the light was dense, it lacked cohesion.

Underneath that golden radiance, a heavy, almost overwhelming dark aura lingered, seemingly poised to one day engulf the golden light entirely.

"You...you..."

Xie Fangcheng sighed, squatting down in front of him.

"There are only a few stronger than me; what purpose does your headstrong resistance serve?"

As he spoke, Xie Fangcheng extended his hand, faint black patterns forming on his forehead.

Qiu Jianye writhed wildly on the ground.

"I won't go!! I won't!!"

Xie Fangcheng decisively struck him down.

Qiu Jianye shattered like glass upon contact, but with the strike, a strand of golden light seeped into his body, seemingly absorbing the foul stench that originally emanated from him.

Qiu Jianye's eyes widened, filled with disbelief.

"Go."

Enveloped in a gentle golden glow, Qiu Jianye's previously bloodshot eyes finally cleared. Tears streaming down, he bowed deeply to Xie Fangcheng before dissipating into the instance, an invisible force seemingly guiding him to where he belonged.

As the dark mist cleared, the players outside rushed in immediately.

Everyone knew of Xie Fangcheng's prowess, yet none truly understood the extent of his limits.

This Qiu Jianye clearly isn't a typical dungeon NPC anymore. Somehow... everyone feels like this NPC seems to hail from another dimension, as if something distinct is undergoing a transformation.

However, when the crowd rushed in, they only witnessed the fragile and devastated wax museum, with no trace of Qiu Jianye to be found.

A beam of green light stood there, nonchalantly cleaning the blade of the sword.

Someone couldn't help but inquire, "Where is Qiu Jianye?"

Xie Fangcheng responded calmly, "Slain."