Chapter 60: Offering (3)

Chapter 60: Offering (3)

◎[Three-in-one] Companion◎

The NPC's task is out - each player needs to prepare three meals a day as offerings.

Luo Yanzhong commented, “Let’s do as that person said. If we follow the rules, there should be no ghosts during the day... And I’ve heard that in some places, it’s a custom to prepare three meals a day for the ancestors before the Ghost Festival.”

“This task is too easy!” The rice container was in a corner not far away. Hao Tianxiang quickly found a pot and, along with Xia Yue, figured out the right amount of rice to cook.

The clay stove was at the doorway, and several people helped to start the fire.

A moment later, Shi Youqing returned to the room, staring thoughtfully at the empty altar.

“I’ll call the others over to see what happened last night,” said Luo Yanzhong as he stepped outside.

Soon, the other players arrived – or more precisely, the ones who were still alive.

Eight people were missing from last night.

Here, missing usually meant dead.

“...All those who entered the coffins?” Hao Tianxiang asked.

“Yes! Those who slept in the coffins last night all disappeared by morning!” said one of the men who had accused Shi Youqing of being a traitor the night before. He looked terrified, “I almost went in too, but he knocked me out! We have a grudge from a previous instance! He must have wanted to kill me! Maybe he saw that I was fine outside, so he came out of the coffin! This guy is too cunning... I definitely won’t stay in the same room with him today!” He pointed at a slightly chubby man beside him.

“Hello, my name is Zheng Ping,” the chubby man said, smiling, not annoyed. “Lin Yong is really overthinking. I simply felt that the coffins were meant for the dead. Besides, with the rule of returning home before dark, it seemed unnecessary to go into a coffin. So, I advised him not to, but when he wouldn’t listen, I had to knock him out... As it turns out, my guess wasn't wrong.”

“Justify it however you want!” Lin Yong kept his distance, “I know you. You’re not that clever. You deliberately knocked me out to use me as a test! It was pure luck that I survived last night!”

Zheng Ping sighed, no longer trying to explain.

Qiao Mingcheng’s group all survived the night. He said, “Our decision not to enter the coffins was mainly because we didn't trust the NPC’s words, and it seems we were lucky.”

The other two rooms were led by Zong Zhengyuan and Chu Wei, with three people surviving in the former’s room and two in the latter’s.

Seventeen players remained in total.

“The two rules contradicted each other. Chu Wei had already said the coffin rule was false, yet those three still chose to believe the NPC…” a bald youth next to Chu Wei muttered, “Now they’ve completely vanished, not even a body to be found!”

A player retorted, “Yeah, right. Just the two of you survived, who knows what really happened…”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Just what it sounds like…”

“Enough, stop arguing,” Hao Tianxiang returned to the clay stove to fan the fire, “It’s morning now. Better to focus on the task at hand.”

“Who doesn’t know that! We’re cooking already, can’t just stay cooped up here all day,” the bald man said. “To find a way out, we need to explore this island... Let’s all start moving. If you find any clues, you can come to us to exchange information.”

Zong Zhengyuan spoke up, “Let’s just focus on surviving today.”

The bald man’s face changed, and he was about to charge over but was stopped by Chu Wei’s hand, “Calm down.”

“Chu Wei! He started it!”

“Control yourself.”

“……”

The bald man looked aggrieved, glared at Zong Zhengyuan one more time, and walked away.

Shi Youqing noted the numbers and said, “Alright, everyone, let's disperse.”

"I have something else to say," Chu Wei, with a faint smile in his eyes, mostly directed at Shi Youqing, said, "This task isn't difficult. Even those who can't cook can manage by imitating others. Don't you find that strange?"

Shi Youqing remained silent, while Qiao Mingcheng added, "It's not that simple. The NPC asks for meals three times a day, morning, noon, and evening. But we also need to investigate clues. If we go out in the morning after cooking and can't return by noon due to some accidents... wouldn't that be dangerous?"

Chu Wei, still looking at Shi Youqing, remained silent.

"Lin Yong left first, seeing little information in their conversation, with Zheng Ping following close behind. Lin Yong walked away irritably, and Zheng Ping awkwardly said, 'We’ve already booked the house and can’t change it now. You can’t expect me to just die, can you?'"

"Muttering under his breath, Lin Yong quickened his pace and soon entered the neighboring wooden house."

"Zongjin Yuan’s main purpose was to check if Shi Youqing was still alive. Seeing him unharmed, he yawned and left as well."

"At this point, all the other players had departed, leaving only Chu Wei at the door."

"Shi Youqing: 'I don't know you, and there’s nothing for us to talk about.'"

"Surprisingly, Chu Wei didn’t take offense, simply responding, 'I see.'"

"Shi Youqing found him peculiar and turned to check the fire under the clay stove, discussing with Hao Tianshuo the approximate time it would take for the rice to cook. When he looked back, Chu Wei had already discreetly left."

"The rice cooked quickly on the clay stove. Shi Youqing took out five sets of bowls and chopsticks, and Hao Tianshuo filled them generously. They each placed the bowls of rice on the offering table."

"Xia Yue, fiddling with the bowls and chopsticks, asked Guo Yalan, 'Li Dajie said they are going to worship the gods during the day. Could that deity be the key to clearing the game?'"

"Guo Yalan replied, 'I don’t know.'"

"Hao Tianshuo glanced at his wristwatch and suggested, 'I’m wearing a watch, and so is Qingge. Let’s split into two teams, each with a watch. Generally, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. is considered noon. There’s extra rice in the pot, so we should aim to return by 11 a.m. to change the offerings in time.'"

"Everyone agreed to the plan. Hao Tianshuo and Luo Yanzhong would team up, while Shi Youqing would go with Guo Yalan and Xia Yue."

"Shi Youqing didn’t rush to leave. He felt uneasy and wanted to study the offering of rice a bit more. Coincidentally, Guo Yalan had a stomachache and went to the outhouse."

"While waiting, Shi Youqing paced back and forth in front of the offering table, his gaze shifting among the bowls of rice."

"Sounds of a door opening came from the nearby wooden house. He walked to the door to look out."

"Lin Yong and Zheng Ping were leaving their house. Zheng Ping was talking continuously, but Lin Yong, without stopping, quickened his pace, evidently trying to shake him off."

"Soon, the two disappeared into the peach blossom forest."

"Shi Youqing lowered his eyelids, glancing at his wristwatch."

"Only ten minutes had passed since they finished preparing the offering."

"After some thought, he called Xia Yue over to watch the offering table and then stepped out, heading towards Lin Yong’s house."

"The door was unlocked; a gentle push easily opened it."

"In a similarly eerie and cramped room, with six coffins laid out in the main hall, Shi Youqing froze upon looking up—the two bowls of offerings on the table were toppled over, ravaged by two rats that had eaten everything clean!"

"These rats were twice the size of ordinary ones, with red eyes, and were rapidly rolling away the few remaining grains of rice. Spotting Shi Youqing, they quickly scurried into a corner of the offering table and vanished."

"...So that's what's happening!"

"Shi Youqing's face turned pale, and he hastily retreated. By the time he got back to his house, he saw Xia Yue frantically shooing away several rats."

"'Quick, help! They’re going after the offerings!' Xia Yue was sweating profusely. 'These rats are too clever! As soon as I chase one away, another sneaks up to steal the food when I’m not looking... What do we do?'"

"Shi Youqing pursed his lips tightly. He had the knife Bo Huai had given him and now, stepping forward, he drew it and swung at the approaching rats. The blade was sharp, and within a few strokes, he decapitated one, its blood spilling everywhere."

"The other rats scattered, squealing in terror."

"'Xia Yue,' he said, suppressing his disgust, 'go get Hao Tianshuo and the others back here! The purpose of the offering is to appease the spirits, and it can't be eaten by anything else... Tell them to come back and guard the offerings first!'"

"Xia Yue, quick on the uptake, nodded and dashed out."

Fortunately, Hao Tianshuo and his group hadn't gone far and were quickly caught up by Xia Yue within a few minutes.

The group returned to the cabin together. The first thing that caught their eye was a table full of dead rats, followed by Shi Youqing and Guo Yalan holding knives.

The former, exhausted and drenched in sweat, relaxed and put down the knife upon their return, sinking into a wooden chair nearby.

Hao Tianshuo and Luo Yanzhong quickly stepped forward to take over.

"Hao Tianshuo gritted his teeth: 'You guys rest a bit! I’m going to kill all these damned rats! How dare they steal the food I made!!!'"

After a moment of silence, Shi Youqing said softly, “Remember, the offering is for the spirits. Our task, more precisely, is to make offerings to the spirits during the day. Preparing the offering is just a part of the task. If the food is eaten by something else, then the offering to the spirits is invalidated.”

Luo Yanzhong hurriedly went to check on the food, then paused, “It’s gone, only half of the food is left…”

“It wasn’t the rats,” Guo Yalan panted, “We’ve been guarding it and drove away or killed any rats that came close.”

“You mean…” Hao Tianshuo widened his eyes, his voice strained, “the offering might have been…”

Guo Yalan smiled, “Exactly what you’re thinking.”

Shi Youqing, with his eyelids slightly lowered, said, “The offerings here are genuinely for the spirits. They will consume it within a certain time. We must wait for them to finish eating the offering to complete the ritual.”

Xia Yue said dreamily, “That was really close…”

"Luo Yanzhong glanced at Hao Tianshuo’s watch and noted, 'It took them less than half an hour to eat half of it, so they should finish everything in under an hour. From now on, we only need to guard the offerings for less than an hour after making them. We can use this time to eat too, so it won’t really delay us much.'"

Hao Tianshuo, looking at the blood-stained ground, smacked his lips, “I’m afraid by that time… no one will have the appetite to eat.”

Xia Yue asked, “Should we inform the others?”

"Guo Yalan shook her head: 'Apart from Lin Yong, who left early from that house, no one else has come out from the other three houses. They must have encountered the rats during this time and figured out what to do.'"

Upon hearing this, Hao Tianshuo blurted out, “Does that mean those two people… are doomed?”

“Possibly, their food has already been eaten by the rats,” Shi Youqing slowly opened his thermos, thinking of their departing figures and feeling something was amiss.

The way Zheng Ping looked back then… it was as if he was persuading Lin Yong to stay.

If Zheng Ping had realized the trap in the task of food offering and persuaded someone to stay, then he shouldn’t have left with them…

This game instance was bizarrely unusual, not only in its design but also in the smoke and mirrors among the players.

He suddenly felt grateful for his decision to enter alone.

*

Deep in the woods at this moment.

The ground was covered with a thick layer of fallen leaves. Lin Yongzhen trudged forward, occasionally glancing back.

No one had followed.

He had finally shaken off Zheng Ping.

Lin Yongzhen never expected his luck to be so bad. Encountering someone he had seen die was one thing; those who didn't believe him, he couldn't bother to explain. After all, Shi Youqing couldn't harm him from afar. But he never anticipated running into Zheng Ping…

Zheng Ping was a teammate from a previous game instance. They hadn't gotten along, even fighting over differing opinions. Lin had accidentally knocked out one of Zheng's teeth, and later, it turned out he was wrong. Fortunately, they found another exit and survived, but Lin still remembered Zheng’s resentful gaze, hand covering his mouth.

Reflecting on his past foolishness, how could he not be disliked?

He initially didn’t want to share a cabin with Zheng Ping. Being with a player who held a grudge was too risky.

But under the time pressure, Zheng had approached him unnoticed, and before he could object, the teams were already formed.

Indeed, everything happened as he had feared. Zheng played a dirty trick on him, attacking from behind and knocking him out just as he was about to enter a coffin!

What if the rules weren’t wrong, and he had died unwittingly?

Moreover, Zheng had even stopped him from going out while he was preparing the offering!

…All to prevent him from gathering information, what lengths he went to!

Thinking back, Lin Yongzhen felt a shiver of fear.

That he was still alive was nothing short of a miracle.

Lin Yongzhen had a clear goal for venturing out: to find the local places of worship. The deities and spirits tied to this island, and to the ghosts, seemed key to finding the Black Chess piece.

The NPCs had mentioned the night before that the dead were cast into the sea as offerings to the deities. So, the deities they referred to must reside in the sea… and naturally, the rituals would be conducted by the seaside.

The island was surrounded by sea on all sides. Whichever direction he took would lead to the sea, and Lin Yongzhen had chosen this path because he remembered the direction the NPCs had taken that morning.

"The path grew steeper, and Lin Yong, drenched in sweat, sat down under a tree to rest. But then, Zheng Ping, whom he had shaken off earlier, surprisingly caught up."

Zheng Ping's face was etched with urgency: “Lin Yong! You should go back!”

Startled, Lin Yong got up and ran: “Damn it! Stay away from me! Don’t force me to get physical!”

The path was rough, and he ran breathlessly. Zheng Ping, tirelessly shadowing him, began to ramble strangely: “Don’t go any further, go back, remember, following Shi Youqing might be your only chance of survival… Lin Yong…”

Lin Yong was nearly driven mad by his words. Follow Shi Youqing? The person he had seen die with his own eyes?

Was he really trying to get him killed? Over a fight they once had?

He couldn’t stop; that madman might kill him in this deserted place!

Exhausted, Lin Yong's face turned beet red, and he was nearly out of breath. Only when the blinding light and the sound of waves hit him did he realize he had unknowingly run to the seaside!

He cautiously looked back several times, ensuring no one had followed. Relieved, he began to breathe deeply, his eyes scanning the surroundings.

Ahead lay a cliff, not too high, with the sea below, and not far to the right was a sandy beach. Lin Yong, who grew up by the sea and was a skilled swimmer, wasn’t afraid. Even if Zheng Ping came to harm him, he could always jump and escape through the water.

As for Zheng Ping, Lin remembered that he couldn’t swim in that game instance. If anyone should be afraid, it should be Zheng Ping!

Soon, Lin Yong made a discovery—a well-like object hidden under a crooked tree near the edge of the cliff.

“A well by the sea… That’s suspicious.” He muttered, walking over. After some thought, he prudently retracted his hand and used a stick to carefully push the well cover aside.

Once the cover was fully opened, he didn’t dare approach it at first, pacing back and forth nearby, occasionally glancing at the well.

There was nothing unusual about the well, no sounds from within, just an ordinary well.

Lin Yong was torn. Going back for help was time-consuming and risked encountering Zheng Ping. Besides, the rules mentioned danger at night, not during the day. Surely that thing wouldn’t be there, right?

…Perhaps the Black Chess piece was inside?

Bolstered by this thought, Lin Yong took a deep breath and strode towards the well.

The sea breeze had stopped suddenly, and an eerie silence enveloped the area.

Lin Yong peered down into the well.

Then, he took a step back.

A sudden, overwhelming fear rendered him completely voiceless, unable to control his own body. Though he desperately wanted to run, he found himself paralyzed.

Below in the well, there surged a pool of blood.

And floating in the center of the blood was a head, its face swollen and pale from soaking, staring up at him in silence.

It was Zheng Ping!!!

Just then, a hand forcefully pushed him from behind.

……

In less than an hour, all the food in the bowl had vanished into thin air.

Luo Yanzhong stood up: “We can move now, but remember, we must return before eleven o’clock!”

“Don’t worry, Uncle!”

Hao Tianshuo followed him out.

Shi Youqing, Guo Yalan, and Xia Yue, deciding not to venture far, wandered from house to house in the village where the locals lived.

Not everyone went out for the rituals; mostly children and the elderly stayed behind. However, these elders were extremely cautious around them, either shaking their heads without answering their questions or hurrying back inside their homes.

The few children they encountered behaved similarly.

Xia Yue, feeling defeated, said, “Even the candy I brought is useless. The adults must have warned them in advance! There’s definitely something wrong with this place!”

Guo Yalan chuckled, “How could there not be problems when ghosts are involved?”

"Shi Youqing looked up: 'There are a few more households over there.'"

The trio continued walking, with Xia Yue fanning herself in the heat. She turned to Guo Yalan and said instinctively, “Senior, why do I feel you’ve become less talkative? Aren’t you hot?”

"'Are there?' Guo Yalan smiled at her, 'I don’t mind the heat much.'"

Xia Yue acknowledged with a sound, then walked down a small path. Ahead was a cabin where a child had been cooking at the entrance but quickly hid inside upon seeing them, peeking out with wide, black eyes through the gap in the door.

Xia Yue sighed, “Again, the same reaction…”

Shi Youqing approached to knock on the door.

There was no response from inside.

Shi Youqing, also eyeing the gap in the door, suddenly said, “We’re hungry. If there’s no one inside, we might just borrow the food cooking at the entrance.”

“No way!” The door was immediately pushed open, and a sun-tanned child hurried to protect his pot, “You can’t take it! This is the meal I cooked for my grandfather, and he hasn’t eaten yet!”

“We won’t take it,” Xia Yue stepped forward with a smile, “We just thought your house was empty.”

The child timidly stepped back, about to return indoors, but Shi Youqing stopped him and coughed twice, “It’s too hot outside, can we rest in your house for a bit?”

The child initially wanted to refuse, but upon seeing Shi Youqing's frail appearance, his pale lips, and clothes billowing in the wind as if he could be blown away at any moment, the child's sympathy was aroused.

"'Are you... sick too?' asked the child, whose compassion seemed boundless, in a soft voice."

"'Yeah, he's very sick,' Xia Yue, noticing the child's empathy, quickly interjected, 'Would it be okay for this brother to rest at your house for a bit?'"

The child hesitated but eventually nodded, “My grandfather is sick and at home too. Please don’t disturb him.”

Shi Youqing smiled, “Thank you, we’ll be quiet.”

Inside the house, the familiar yet eerie layout greeted them. The child's grandfather wasn’t in a coffin but lying in a bed in the inner room.

The child explained, “They say my grandfather is seriously ill and will soon go to the spirits. If he leaves while sleeping in a coffin, he won’t be able to see the spirits.”

The elderly man on the bed was almost skeletal, occasionally humming in his sleep, clearly restless.

Shi Youqing sat down in the main room and asked the child, “What’s your name?”

The child, looking down, answered, “Xiao Hai.”

Xia Yue offered him a piece of candy, but Xiao Hai shook his head, “Dad says we shouldn’t take things from strangers.”

Shi Youqing asked, “Did your father go out for the ritual?”

Xiao Hai nodded.

Shi Youqing continued, “Do you perform these rituals daily? Is it the same in other months?”

Xiao Hai kept nodding.

Shi Youqing feigned surprise, “If everyone’s out for rituals, where do you get your daily food from?”

"Little Hai beamed with pride: 'We worship the deities, and they nurture us. On our island, the grains in the soil grow by themselves, and every so often, the waves bring fresh fish and shrimp... People on Taohuayuan Island don’t need to work.'"

Xia Yue remarked, “In that case, doesn’t worshiping the spirits become your work?”

Her voice was low, and Xiao Hai didn’t hear her. Seeing their friendly demeanor, he couldn’t help but continue, “But you mustn’t tell anyone, this is the secret of our Peach Blossom Island.”

Shi Youqing smiled again, softly asking, “Your grandfather is very ill; why not see a doctor?”

Xiao Hai paused, his young voice filled with distress, “Dad says it’s incurable, and Grandpa will be free from pain when he joins the spirits.”

Xia Yue and Guo Yalan exchanged glances.

Shi Youqing said, “I know a bit about medicine. May I take a look at your grandfather?”

Xiao Hai’s eyes widened, “Really?”

Shi Youqing, with a gentle smile and a trustworthy adult demeanor, looked at him. His attractive appearance made him easily approachable for children. Believing him, Xiao Hai led him to the inner room, “Then please check on my grandpa. I want to spend more time with him.”

Shi Youqing stood beside the bed, observing the elderly man.

The man, around sixty or seventy years old with white hair, stirred as Shi Youqing examined him. He woke up, slowly opened his eyes, and then, trembling, shouted, “Go away! Leave!”

They were all startled. Xiao Hai reacted quickly, pulling Shi Youqing back to the main room, “Grandpa doesn’t like strangers. Even before he was sick, he never allowed outsiders on the island! You, you better leave now!”

Shi Youqing asked, “Why?”

Xiao Hai just shook his head, near tears, “Please go, my grandpa is sick, we can’t make him angry again…”

Shi Youqing patted his shoulder, “Okay, we’ll meet again another time.”

“Okay…”

Before leaving, Xia Yue left the uneaten candy on the table.

As the three walked back, Xia Yue looked at the vibrant orchard in the distance and said, “To live without labor and have all needs met, could it be that the spirit is really nurturing this island?”

Guo Yalan responded, “There's no such thing as a free lunch in the world. Gain comes only with effort.”

As Xia Yue was about to speak again, someone stumbled out from behind the woods. Recognizing the person's face, she stopped in surprise: "Isn't that Lin Yong?!"

Shi Youqing glanced up and immediately frowned deeply.

He had personally seen the food offerings of Lin Yong and Zheng Ping devoured by rats, suspecting then that something bad was bound to happen to them. But now, Lin Yong had returned unharmed.

No, only his body returned unharmed.

Lin Yong had gone mad.

He could hardly form complete sentences, his eyes were vacant, and he struggled to maintain his balance while walking. His hands constantly gestured in the air... After watching for a while, Shi Youqing realized he was mimicking swimming movements.

It was time to change the food offerings at noon, and everyone had returned.

“How... how did he end up like this?" Hao Tianshuo was stunned to see Lin Yong, who was tied up and babbling nonsense.

The next second, they heard even more shocking news from Shi Youqing: "Zheng Ping is dead."

“……”

Xia Yue looked distressed: "We wanted to take him back to his cabin, and that's when we found Zheng Ping's corpse on the floor... But Zheng Ping had left with him!"

Shi Youqing noted: "Zheng Ping's body shows slight decay; he definitely didn't die today."

Luo Yanzhong couldn't keep calm anymore and shook his head vigorously: "Impossible, even if it was yesterday, the body couldn’t decay that fast..."

Guo Yalan said, “The focus should be on Lin Yong; we need to find out what he went through.”

However, no matter how they questioned him, Lin Yong just kept repeating the same nonsense.

"Ah... help... go away... sob... I was wrong..."

"Just tie him up for now, forget it..." Hao Tianshuo, running out of patience, placed the food offerings on the altar and then turned to Shi Youqing, "What about Lin Yong’s offering?"

Shi Youqing replied, "Fill it up, I'll take him there."

Hao Tianshuo prepared a new bowl and said, "He's too unstable; I'll come with you."

The others stayed to guard the food offerings, while the two went to the neighboring cabin.

Zheng Ping's body had disappeared, a common occurrence in this realm, which didn't surprise either of them.

Just as Hao Tianshuo placed the bowl of rice on the altar, Lin Yong, whose arms were tied, suddenly lit up with a fierce look in his eyes and lunged forward...

“Hey, you can't eat that…”

Before he could finish, Hao Tianshuo was shocked by the scene unfolding before him.

He had assumed Lin Yong was just hungry and wanted to eat, especially since he was now insane and capable of anything. He never expected Lin Yong to break free from the ropes, despite the pain, and protect the food offering with his life, as if fearing something might approach it...

Hao Tianshuo: “This is…”

Shi Youqing, observing Lin Yong's drastically changed behavior, was reminded of the hint he had received.

With a growing suspicion in his mind, he stepped forward and asked, "Lin Yong, did Zheng Ping die long ago?"

At the mention of "Zheng Ping," Lin Yong reacted dramatically, but his eyes revealed not the previous hatred and fear, but deep sorrow. He stammered, "I, I was wrong again… Sorry… It’s my… my foolishness…"

Unmoved, Shi Youqing continued, "Zheng Ping died in another instance, right?"

Lin Yong started to cry out in despair, yet his hands still tightly guarded the bowl.

Shi Youqing asked, "You once helped Zheng Ping by the way and forgot about it, didn’t you?"

Lin Yong screamed out loud, clearly agitated.

Shi Youqing had understood.

He left and returned to his original cabin.

Part of the food in the bowl had disappeared, consumed by a ghost. He went to guard his own bowl.

Hao Tianshuo, puzzled, asked, “What exactly is going on with Lin Yong?”

After pondering for a moment, Shi Youqing leaned in and whispered, "In this instance, have you encountered any players you met in previous instances?"

Hao Tianshuo nodded, “You are one.”

Shi Youqing: “Besides me?”

Hao Tianshuo: "Chu Wei and Qiao Mingcheng, I mentioned them yesterday."

Shi Youqing paused.

As Hao Tianshuo was about to continue, Shi Youqing signaled him to be silent. After noticing Guo Yalan had left, he then turned to Xia Yue: "Is this your first time going through an instance with your senior?"

Xia Yue shook her head, her voice tinged with discomfort: "We've encountered them before. Back then, my senior's boyfriend was still with us... I didn’t expect something to happen to him."

Shi Youqing quickly asked, "Did you ever help her?"

Xia Yue: "Well... sort of. I just gave her a hand in that instance. It wasn’t much."

Shi Youqing lowered his eyes.

The hint he received in this instance was "Traveling Companion." Influenced by the literal meaning of the word and their identity as travelers stranded by a shipwreck, he had initially assumed that it meant they should always stay together. He had forgotten that this was a fairy tale...

In Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tales, there's a story called "The Traveling Companion," one his mother used to tell him as a child.

The protagonist, a kind-hearted person, finds two men about to throw a corpse out of a coffin because the deceased owed them money. Unable to bear seeing the body mistreated, the protagonist pays off the debt to ensure the deceased rests in peace.

Later, the protagonist meets an extraordinary traveling companion who helps him escape several dangers, ultimately defeating the devil, breaking the princess's curse, and living happily ever after with her.

That traveling companion turned out to be the very corpse the protagonist had helped earlier.

The hint had been telling him from the start – there was a dead person among the players.

Guo Yalan wasn't an NPC, but a deceased soul, a “Traveling Companion” helping him in this instance.

In the previous instance, he followed her advice and took Yu Ze with him...

Similarly, Zheng Ping, whom Lin Yong thought bore a grudge against him, had actually died in another instance. Perhaps Zheng Ping, as a former companion, helped Lin Yong once, which is why he chose to assist him this time. But Lin Yong, unaware of Zheng Ping's death, only remembered their past grudges, not the help he had received, and refused to trust Zheng Ping. Now, Zheng Ping was eliminated as a “Traveling Companion” trying to save him.

So, looking at it from another angle, not all traveling companions are benevolent.

Some will help you, while others might kill you.

Shi Youqing warned Hao Tianshuo, “Just to be safe, you'd better avoid being alone with Chu Wei and Qiao Mingcheng.”

Hao Tianshuo trusted him unconditionally: “OK!”

While guarding the food offerings, they took turns watching for rats, casually cooked some dishes to eat, and once all the offerings had disappeared, they headed out again.

Shi Youqing and others went to the neighboring cabin, where Lin Yong still clutched the bowl, now empty.

As he turned to leave, Lin Yong suddenly called out to him from behind.

Shi Youqing looked back.

Lin Yong was still in his delirious state: “The well…”

Shi Youqing immediately stepped forward: “What well? Where is it?”

Lin Yong, trembling all over, could only repeat unclearly: “The well... the well…”

Shi Youqing and Guo Yalan exchanged a glance, and the latter found a wooden stick and knocked Lin Yong unconscious.

Xia Yue exclaimed in surprise: “Why did you do that?”

Shi Youqing explained: “It’s safest for him to stay inside the cabin. If he’s not knocked out, he might go crazy and run off. We can ask about the well once he’s awake.”

Xia Yue nodded in understanding.

The trio prepared to head to the seaside, and it wasn’t long before they encountered someone.

Chu Wei approached them: “Are you heading to the seaside?”

Shi Youqing responded nonchalantly and continued forward, but Chu Wei blocked his path, smiling politely and warmly: “How about exchanging information?”

Shi Youqing looked at him: “What information do you have?”

Chu Wei: “The location for the deity worship.”

Shi Youqing: “But I don’t have any information to exchange.”

The other party seemed surprised: “Really?”

Shi Youqing: “If we’re to cooperate, you can tell me now, and I'll repay you later.”

Xia Yue struggled to suppress a laugh, seeing how Shi Youqing effortlessly bluffed for information.

Chu Wei: “That’s not very sincere, is it?”

Shi Youqing walked past him, heading straight on.

After a distance, Xia Yue couldn't help but laugh: “You're really serious when you lie.”

Shi Youqing: “He's not a good person.”

Xia Yue: “I know. Honestly, I found him creepy from the first glance. I felt uncomfortable around him. I thought I was being judgmental, but now it seems we see eye to eye!”

Shi Youqing smiled faintly, considering but ultimately deciding not to reveal his suspicion that the other might not even be human.

This instance was extraordinarily dangerous, and he was certain he had been targeted by that individual.

The three of them walked along the beach for a long time, never encountering the crowd for the deity worship, and eventually ran into Hao Tianshuo and his group.

Hao Tianshuo had gathered several coconuts, carrying them along with Luo Yanzhong, who seemed resigned despite his reluctance, mindful that the other was his employer.

Xia Yue teased: “Do you think you’re on vacation?”

Hao Tianshuo chuckled: “Eating well and having fun is never wrong! Besides, Qingqing Bro! You like them, right?”

Shi Youqing: “I like anything sweet.”

Xia Yue laughed: “That’s because you're using your brain too much! Don’t worry, I’ve got candy here for a quick energy boost!”

Shi Youqing's mood lightened as he cracked a smile.

The group of five turned back together.

Halfway, they unexpectedly encountered Xiao Hai.

The child, tears streaming down his face, was running and didn’t stop even upon seeing them. Xia Yue swiftly intercepted him: “Hey, what’s wrong?”

“Grandpa... Grandpa can’t hold on much longer! I need to find my dad!”

“Where is your dad? We’ll take you to him!”

This made Xiao Hai cry even harder: “I don’t know… I’ve run to so many places looking… Children aren’t allowed to join the adults in the deity worship... I don’t know where he is, but my grandpa…”

“Don’t worry,” Shi Youqing said, “we have a doctor among us tourists. Stop crying, we’ll bring the doctor to him, don’t be afraid.”

“Really? You… said earlier that you knew medical skills, was it you?”

Shi Youqing turned to Hao Tianshuo and asked, “Did you see Qiao Mingcheng on the way?” He remembered from the Red Shoes instance that Qiao Mingcheng had mentioned he was a doctor.

Hao Tianshuo: “He seemed to have gone back a while ago.”

Shi Youqing took the child’s hand: “It’s not me, but there really is a doctor. If you don’t believe me, you can come with us to find him.”

Xiao Hai wiped his face and, with tears in his eyes, clung to Shi Youqing’s hand: “Thank you, brother… I don’t want grandpa to die…”

……

They found Qiao Mingcheng at home, cooking with a teammate in front of the cabin, likely having returned for a meal after exhausting themselves.

After Shi Youqing explained the situation, Qiao Mingcheng put down his utensils: “Let’s go quickly!”

Hao Tianshuo also set down his coconuts: “You should bring some food. It’s no good to go hungry.”

Qiao Mingcheng sheepishly wolfed down a few bites: “I’m full enough, let’s hurry.”

In less than five minutes, the group made a grand entrance into Xiao Hai’s home.

Inside, Qiao Mingcheng felt the old man’s forehead and said, “He’s got a fever.”

Xiao Hai, crying, asked: “Is grandpa going to die?”

Qiao Mingcheng sighed, took out a fever-reducing pill, and helped the old man swallow it with water: “The fever is real, but whether he'll die, I can’t say. To the naked eye, I can’t see any serious illness in him.”

“So you’re saying… my grandpa won’t die?” Xiao Hai's eyes brightened.

“Hopefully,” Qiao Mingcheng touched his nose, “Let’s see if your grandpa’s fever breaks by tonight.”

Xiao Hai’s eyes welled up with tears, about to speak, when the old man on the bed seemed to regain some consciousness. Seeing the strangers, his expression turned fierce, and he bellowed unclearly, “Leave! Get… out! Go away!!!”

“Why should we leave?” Qiao Mingcheng, closest to him, quickly asked in a low voice, “Old man, do you know something?”

The old man's cloudy eyes slowly closed, and he shook his head forcefully, refusing to speak again.

With the man still ill, they had no choice but to step outside for the time being.

As evening approached, it was time to offer the meal. Shi Youqing suggested, “Let’s head back.”

Xiao Hai followed them reluctantly, and Xia Yue gently smiled, saying, “Little buddy, stay good at home, and we'll come to play with you again tomorrow.”

“Okay!”

……

The meals were prepared in advance. After changing the food offering, Hao Tianshuo brought Lin Yong’s bowl to him and returned, saying, “That guy seems a bit more alert now, though he still can't speak clearly. He knew to protect his meal, though.”

Shi Youqing commented, “Zheng Ping must have instructed him before leaving.”

Hao Tianshuo, not fully understanding, just gave a goofy smile, took a knife, and began to open coconuts on the offering table, sharing them with everyone.

Shi Youqing drank slowly. By the time the food offering completely vanished, he had just finished his coconut juice. The sunset outside was fiery, but it wasn’t dark yet.

He stepped outside with his thermos, gazing at the horizon. His mind broadened like the vast sky, the perfect time for reflection. He caressed the cup, pondering deeply about today and the previous night.

At the same time, Zong Zhu Yuan emerged from another cabin and saw this scene.

Against the backdrop of the glorious sunset and surrounded by a fiery halo, the slender figure of the young man stood with his sleeves billowing in the wind. His silhouette, like an ink painting, was ethereal and beautiful, irresistibly captivating yet only to be admired from a distance.

Zong Zhu Yuan watched intently, his imagination running wild, but his expression gradually turned cold.

Because at that moment, the young man across from him noticed his gaze. Frowning, he displayed an expression of disdain, almost as if avoiding a plague, and quickly entered the cabin.

“……”

[Author’s Note]

Special thanks to the angel who gifted a rocket launcher: --Waiting for the Aurora-- 1;

Thanks to the angels who watered with nutrient solution: lilin 20 bottles; Not Eating Cilantro QAQ 14 bottles; Addicted to Reading, Men Who Don’t Love Themselves Are Like Spoiled Cabbages 10 bottles; zbht (Love Raising Little Beauty version) 6 bottles; Jiang He Hu Hai, Yun Qi 5 bottles; Teng Xiao Xi 4 bottles; Listen to My Meow 3 bottles; Silver Starlight 2 bottles; Qian Dai 1 bottle;

I’m deeply grateful for everyone’s support, and I will continue to work hard!