Chapter 42: The Never-Sleeping Imperial City 4

Xia Qi frowned, scrutinizing the sister who had turned into a zombie in front of him.

However, facing Xia Qi, an adult male, the sister clearly felt pressured. She took a step back, looking uneasy. "Why are you staring at me?"

Seeing her genuine reaction, Xia Qi had no choice but to give up.

The zombie sister in front of him didn't recognize him at all.

But why did she know the old man but not him from the game?

"Is she your student?" Xia Qi turned his head and asked the old man.

The old man raised his hand to wipe the sweat from his neck, trembling as he said, "I... I don't know either. With so many students, how could I remember each one?"

Especially since she was a dead female student; he wished he had never taught her.

The old man's behavior was too suspicious, making Xia Qi doubt the truthfulness of his words.

"Sorry, I must have mistaken her for someone else." After apologizing to the sister, Xia Qi turned around and walked out of the courtyard.

Due to the interruption by Xia Qi and the red-haired woman, the sister did not insist on seeing the old man off. She called out "Teacher" in a soft voice a few times before reluctantly closing her courtyard gate.

Xia Qi noticed that every time the sister called out "Teacher," the old man would shudder violently.

When there were no other zombies around, the old man wiped his face and said, "I... I won't go join the others. I need to rest."

After the old man left, the red-haired woman couldn't help but ask, "Do you know that girl? Of course, if it's inconvenient to say, I won't mind."

"We do know each other; she was my teammate before." Xia Qi didn't intend to hide it. The red-haired woman seemed like a reliable teammate, and he didn't mind sharing information with her.

After all, this was a team game, and he needed his teammates' help.

Hearing this, the red-haired woman was surprised, her voice rising involuntarily. "Impossible! How can someone who died in the game appear in a normal instance?"

It sounded as if dead people went somewhere else.

"Where do those who die in the game go?" Xia Qi asked, puzzled.

"To the Cycle of Hell," the red-haired woman said, gazing ahead and suddenly smiling faintly. "Because I've been there."

Xia Qi drew a sharp breath. "What happens to those who die and go to the Cycle of Hell?"

He knew that those who lost the game went to the Cycle of Hell, but he didn't expect that dead people could also go there.

"Hah, their lives are worse than death," the red-haired woman shook her head, seemingly not wanting to talk about the Cycle of Hell. "Anyway, only the living have a chance to escape the Cycle of Hell. And when they do, they'll find the game instances feel like heaven, with all the NPCs and bosses looking like little angels, even their roars sound pleasant."

Xia Qi fell silent, thinking that the red-haired woman had indeed seen a lot. No wonder she dared to insult the NPCs.

"Oh, call me Sister Hong," the red-haired woman offered, exchanging names with Xia Qi.

Xia Qi looked at the gradually darkening sky and said, "I need to go back."

He had promised Grandma Meng to return for dinner.

"I need to go back and cook too," Sister Hong said with a bitter smile, her demeanor becoming dejected. "Xiao Yu wants to eat my cooking..."

Xiao Yu was the little zombie girl Sister Hong had taken in.

Thinking of Grandma Meng's empty basket, Xia Qi gave her a sympathetic look.

Thankfully, he was the one eating, not the one cooking. He couldn't imagine how to cook for the dead.

After bidding farewell to Sister Hong, Xia Qi returned to Grandma Meng's house.

As he approached the door, the light had already dimmed.

In the black sky of Nightless City, a full moon hung, resembling a beautiful gem embedded in the center, radiating a warm glow.

The gentle moonlight illuminated Grandma Meng's courtyard, bringing life to its abstract plants and trees. Xia Qi walked to the small stool where he had picked vegetables in the morning, sensing something different.

"Qi baby, you're back." Grandma Meng was busy in the kitchen. Hearing her voice, Xia Qi instinctively moved closer.

Just as he reached the kitchen door, he noticed something amiss. Steam was rising from the kitchen, and Grandma Meng was holding a spatula, flipping colorful dishes in the wok. Due to the heavy smoke, she occasionally coughed.

Xia Qi leaned against the door frame, watching Grandma Meng quietly, unable to look away.

At that moment, a mix of food aroma and smoke wafted out, causing Xia Qi to cough twice, pulling him out of a strange state.

Grandma Meng placed the cooked dishes on plates, wiped her hands, and said to Xia Qi, "Bring the dishes inside."

"...Okay." Xia Qi moved to Grandma Meng's side and carried the dishes into the room.

After placing all the dishes on the table, Xia Qi looked at the three dishes and one soup, falling silent.

These dishes didn't seem to be made of zombie meat or anything strange. They were just ordinary home-cooked meals.

"Qi baby, I've served you some rice," Grandma Meng said, carrying two bowls of steaming white rice and smiling as she entered.

Xia Qi turned around and, under the light, saw Grandma Meng's face clearly. He was momentarily stunned.

Her complexion was very rosy, her brown eyes sparkling with warmth as she looked at Xia Qi with a smile.

She stepped over the threshold naturally, placing the two bowls of rice on the table swiftly. If he hadn't seen her as a zombie earlier, Xia Qi wouldn't have believed that Grandma Meng was a dead person.

With a shocked expression, Xia Qi accepted the chopsticks she handed him. She chuckled, "Silly child, are you hungry? Eat quickly."

Xia Qi wasn't planning to eat, but for some reason, looking at the bowl of white rice, he couldn't resist.

"Is it delicious?" Grandma Meng asked with a smile as she watched Xia Qi take a bite of the dish.

Under the warm candlelight, Grandma Meng's gentle smile and loving gaze seemed to have flowed through many years, never fading from his heart.

"Mmm... delicious." Xia Qi nodded slowly, a tear sliding down the corner of his eye.

"If it's delicious, eat more." Grandma Meng placed another chicken leg on his plate.

Looking at the large chicken leg in front of him, Xia Qi fell silent once again.

In restaurants, the chicken parts were usually chopped up, but only family members would chop out an entire chicken leg, reserving the best part for the younger generation.

Just as Xia Qi was lost in thought, Grandma Meng urged him, "Baby Qi, hurry up and finish your meal. You need to attend tonight’s Moon God Lantern Festival."

"Moon God Lantern Festival?" Xia Qi paused abruptly.

"In Nightless City, the Moon God Lantern Festival is held every eighteen years. It’s said that eligible young men and women who attend will surely meet their destined partner." Grandma Meng smiled gently, then turned her head, her eyes filled with anticipation as she looked at Xia Qi.

Xia Qi: "..."

He suddenly had a bad feeling.

"Ding! Congratulations to survivor Xia Qi for accepting the main quest!"

"Main Quest Name: Meet Your True Love!"

"Quest Description: He, single for a thousand years, has lost all hope! He has pleaded before the Buddha for thousands of years, just to earn you a lifetime of love."

[Quest Countdown: 06:00:00.] Xia Qi: "..."

...Again?

Xia Qi's eye twitched, and he began to grind his teeth, feeling a deep resentment.

"My baby Qi, don't worry. You will definitely meet your destined partner! Once you get married, grandma can die in peace." Grandma Meng said, clutching her heart with emotion.

Xia Qi: "..."

But, grandma, haven't you been dead for a long time already?

The familiar sense of powerlessness washed over him again. Xia Qi's lips twitched, and he couldn’t help but ask, "Grandma, do I need to wear specific clothes to attend the Moon God Lantern Festival?"

"That's right! Grandma has already prepared clothes for you. You will definitely stand out!" Grandma Meng clenched her fists excitedly.

"Okay." Xia Qi mechanically stuffed a piece of meat into his mouth and coldly said, "Grandma, I prefer wearing men's clothing."

Grandma Meng: "..."

After dinner, Grandma Meng led Xia Qi to her wardrobe and showed him various colorful women's outfits, hoping he would change his mind.

Xia Qi took out a moon-white robe embroidered with bamboo patterns from the edge of the wardrobe and said expressionlessly, "This one."

"This was worn by your grandfather." Grandma Meng looked at him regretfully, then pulled out a red qipao with peony patterns from the wardrobe and said, "Are you really not going to wear this beautiful dress? Why must you cross-dress in your grandfather's clothes?"

Xia Qi gritted his teeth and said, "Men's clothing is more convenient."

"Sigh." Grandma Meng sighed, seemingly troubled by her granddaughter's rebellious phase.

Worried that Grandma Meng might change her mind, Xia Qi went straight into the room, closed the door, and changed into the moon-white robe.

When he came out wearing the wide robe and matching cloud-patterned boots, Grandma Meng's eyes lit up, and she exclaimed, "My baby Qi, even in men's clothing, you are the most beautiful moon in the world!"

Xia Qi: "..."

Forget it, let it be.

Xia Qi shook his head helplessly, bid farewell to Grandma Meng, and walked out of the courtyard with a resigned look.

Fortunately, Sister Hong lived nearby. After walking for a while, Xia Qi arrived, and just as he was about to knock, Sister Hong opened the door.

"You've also changed clothes?"

Sister Hong had put on a bright red brocade gown, her hair styled in a complex bun adorned with a sparkling red gemstone hairpin.

Xia Qi's gaze drifted downward, noticing that Sister Hong was holding the little girl zombie's hand.

Unlike during the day, Xiao Yu had transformed into a normal human at night. Her long water sleeves draped over her elbows, revealing a section of her white arms. Because her skin was very pale, veins could be faintly seen on her wrists.

However, compared to Sister Hong's traditional attire, Xiao Yu's outfit was quite unconventional. She wore a bright yellow short-sleeved costume, her face painted with theatrical makeup, and held a peach blossom fan in her hand.

Xia Qi was momentarily stunned, realizing that all the zombies in Nightless City transformed into humans at night.

Xia Qi asked Sister Hong, "Are you also going to the Moon God Lantern Festival?"

Sister Hong gritted her teeth, showing a look of shared frustration with Xia Qi, and irritably said, "Xiao Yu wants me to attend the Moon God Lantern Festival to find her a stepfather."

"No, mommy," Xiao Yu suddenly shook her head and said in a sweet voice, "I just want mommy to find happiness."

Hearing this, Sister Hong's expression changed, becoming even more dejected than when she had to cook. Compared to her fierce demeanor during the day, Sister Hong now resembled a woman scorned by a lover.

Even more frighteningly, tears welled up in Sister Hong's eyes, making her look like she was about to cry. She stood in the corridor, fragile like a balloon that could burst with a single prick.

After a long silence, Sister Hong choked out, "...Let's give it a try."

"Great!" Hearing Sister Hong finally agree, Xiao Yu happily jumped out of the threshold, "Mommy, I'll take you to the Moon God River."

Xia Qi followed Xiao Yu and Sister Hong through the bustling streets.

Compared to the daytime, Nightless City was even more prosperous at night. People seemed to be heading in the same direction to attend the Moon God Lantern Festival held every eighteen years, crowding the streets so densely that they were almost impassable.

Xia Qi admired the lively expressions of the people around him. If it weren't for the fact that he had seen zombies with his own eyes during the day, he would have thought he had returned to a normal world.

At that moment, a familiar figure flashed by in the distance among the crowd. Although the person was wearing a yellow daoist robe, Xia Qi recognized him at once.

Cha Gong?

People from Tian Ji actually managed to sneak into Nightless City?!

Feeling a sense of unease, Xia Qi quickly strode forward and interrupted Sister Hong, who was buying sugar figurines for Xiao Yu, whispering, "The Tian Ji people are here!"

Author's note: Xia Qi: I want to play an intense and thrilling infinite flow game, preferably with some ghostly elements.

Author: No problem, an intense and thrilling dating game with ghostly elements is arranged for you!

Someone: Ready and waiting.