Translator: Dj22031
Editor: Dj22031
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Gu Wuji knew there was something fishy going on, but for some reason, he, supposedly an ordinary student, felt a surge of enthusiasm for performance!
“I want to ask how the selection was made, and what the content is about. Should I ask the village chief?” Gu Wuji swore he was just asking casually.
The villagers were bewildered by his sudden enthusiasm. It was the first time they’d seen someone so eager to participate in an event. Normally, they considered it unlucky, and no one would step up unless there was something to gain.
“Well, the actor selection is complicated. In the past, the village chief made the decision, and there’s nothing we can do about it,” the villagers said, seeming to try to persuade Gu Wuji. “I think you should try to turn it down and even hide during the event.”
“Okay, thank you very much,” Gu Wuji said, thanking the villagers for their advice.
Despite the danger, he felt a surge of urgency, even a pity for the village’s troubles. Otherwise, he would have signed up immediately.
“Should I change my career?” Gu Wuji thought to himself, feeling as if he had finally found true love after all this time.
But then again, why didn’t he start out studying acting? This only made Gu Wuji more confused.
Yang Shao and Xiao Qin, fearing Gu Wuji would get so excited that he’d throw himself at the enemy, hurriedly thanked the villagers and took Gu Wuji away.
They soon reached their destination, one of the rare wealthy households in the village. The house had been renovated, and a rather beat-up tricycle was parked in the yard… While mysterious, it was a rare form of transportation in the village.
The three of them felt a little relieved at the thought of meeting someone who had left the village; such a person would probably be easier to communicate with.
Upon arriving, Yang Shao’s expression suddenly grew serious. “This house is one of those seven buildings.”
But compared to the others, it looked perfectly normal, not even haunted.
Was this a coincidence, or had the dungeon anticipated Gu Wuji’s plans? Surprisingly, their destination happened to be the building with the offerings.
Seeing Gu Wuji and the others about to knock on the door, a villager immediately warned them, “This family is very difficult to get along with. Be careful.”
This villager didn’t look like the kind person who would give a kind warning. Instead, he had a face full of doubts, as if he was worried that these outsiders would get into trouble.
Xiao Qin was a little surprised. “Even the villagers are coming to warn us. Is this family really okay?”
Yang Shao knocked on the door, and soon a middle-aged man with a sullen look on his face opened it. He seemed about to curse, but when he saw that the visitor was from outside the village, his expression became more subtle, and his temper was slightly restrained. “What do you want to do?”
Gu Wuji said, “We would like to ask if we can borrow the tricycle outside…”
A hint of fear appeared in the middle-aged man’s eyes. “What are you going to do?”
“After all, there is no signal in the village. I want to go out and contact someone.” Gu Wuji said, “Of course, we will also give a reward as a thank you…”
“Forget it! I can’t possibly agree to such a thing! You outsiders—”
Before the middle-aged man could finish his words, Yang Shao, with an even more arrogant air than he, suddenly pulled out a huge wad of bills from his pocket and sneered, “Is this enough? We don’t even need this broken tricycle; we’re just using it for a bit.”
With that amount, let alone borrowing it, could buy a dozen of these secondhand tricycles. The middle-aged man’s eyes widened, a thought clearly stirring.
Everyone couldn’t help but sigh at the power of money… it could even buy off the stubborn and superstitious villagers.
Finally, the middle-aged man looked around and whispered, “This village doesn’t allow things to be handed over to outsiders without permission, and no one is allowed to leave before or after the event. If you want anything, come see me tonight after midnight.”
Xiao Qin frowned. After what had happened, he had developed a psychological scar about the dark, and he didn’t have the courage to leave after midnight.
Yang Shao thought the same, but he considered more. One look at the middle-aged man’s shifty eyes told him he was hiding some important information, likely related to the offerings in the room.
Despite repeated threats and inducements, the middle-aged man refused to agree to borrow the car in advance. Although he appeared to be tempted, he was wary of something.
Gu Wuji had memorized the middle-aged man’s expression. He was no fool; of course he saw something was amiss. But that didn’t stop him from agreeing now… As long as they could actually borrow the vehicle and leave that night, it would be enough.
After the three men left, the middle-aged man returned to the house. A cowering man who had been waiting in the hall said, “Brother, is this really okay? Driving out after midnight will definitely get you into trouble…”
“What’s the big deal? For the money, a little risk is worth it.”
“That’s true,” the man nodded.
“And since that man pulled out so much money so easily, he must have quite a bit on him. We can follow him and maybe even get some more.” The middle-aged man sneered, “They’re destined to die anyway, so let’s not waste the money.”
“Is that really okay?” the man said, clearly terrified. “What if they find out? Maybe they’re trying to scam us…”
“No big deal, they’re just three weak city scum. I can take them all down by myself.” The middle-aged man dismissed Gu Wuji and the others. “Once we get the money, we can leave this shabby place and never come back!”
The thought of leaving this eerie place brightened the cowering man’s eyes, and he instinctively glanced deeper into the house.
The house was clearly new, yet it was pitch black, as if no light could penetrate, and it felt gloomy and cold.
With even a little light, one could see a pitch-black coffin placed in the center.
….
With some time left before nightfall, Gu Wuji was ready to visit the family he had stayed with the day before yesterday. He still remembered the poor daughter of that family.
That family also had a sealed residence for a sacrifice. However, the information Gu Wuji and the others had obtained was from more than ten years ago. If they hadn’t met that villager before and told them the news, they probably wouldn’t have known about it at all.
Moreover, the family’s location was quite close to here, just a short walk up the mountain road.
On the way, Gu Wuji helped the villagers he met, and Xiao Qin, who had been used to what had happened before, also eagerly offered his help.
If it weren’t for the strange things that had happened in the village, the scene would have been warm, harmonious, and joyful.
Yang Shao stood aside to maintain his persona, but he also felt an extremely strong gaze fixed on him, and his heart sank.
After all, he remembered that his two bodyguards were still missing. From what Gu Wuji had said before, they were probably ghosts, and they wouldn’t let him go so easily.
….
Meanwhile, from outside, a faint arguing could be heard coming from the house. The girl was inside, surrounded by several unruly-looking young men, holding a large amount of valuables they had found. They grabbed the girl and demanded to know where she had kept the money.
These young men were clearly the village’s scoundrels, young and distrustful of legends. Seeing someone in trouble, they came to rob her.
“Your parents are dead anyway, so there’s no point in a little girl like you holding these things. We are taking them for your own good, so you wouldn’t be unsure what to do with them.”
“Yeah, we didn’t say we were taking the money outright. We’re just borrowing some money to spend. We’ll pay you back when we remember. What’s there to be unhappy about?”
The girl’s face was grim, her hand tightly gripping the necklace hanging around her neck, her eyes constantly glancing around the empty house, as if hoping someone would rescue her.
“You still think someone will come to rescue you? Everyone else has stayed away, fearing the rumors about this shabby place… What are you hiding? Is this some valuable necklace? Hand it over!”
The young man suddenly grabbed the girl’s hand, trying to force her to produce the necklace. The girl shook her head and pleaded, “You can take the other things, but not this necklace! There’s nothing else valuable in the house. You can leave now.”
“You say you don’t have anything?” the other young man sneered. “I’m telling you, don’t think I won’t dare to do anything just because you’re a woman. If you don’t give it to me, I’ll make you pay for it.”
Unnoticed by anyone, the temperature in the room had suddenly cooled. A dark shadow, vaguely resembling a human face, appeared on the wall.
The girl, relieved, looked a little strange. She stared at the others and said, “If you don’t leave now, you’ll be in danger. Don’t blame me for not warning you.”
“You dare to threaten us?”
“I heard there’s something really strange about this house. They say there’s a female ghost, right?” the other man said, already beginning to tremble.
“What’s there to be afraid of? It’s just psychological. Don’t think I believe it.” The leader ignored the incident, oblivious to the blood-like stains forming around his feet.
The girl closed her eyes, a look of nervousness on her face. She didn’t want to witness those horrific sights…
“Wait!”
At that moment, the sound of a door being kicked open suddenly rang out, instantly drawing the attention of everyone in the room, who turned their heads. The strange images on the floor and walls quickly faded, as if they had never been there.
Gu Wuji, upon arriving nearby, heard the arguing and rushed in, his expression filled with indignation. “What are you all doing here? I can’t just sit there and watch!”
The young men, initially timid, were reassured when they saw Gu Wuji’s slender, tall, and handsome figure. “I thought it was someone else, but it’s you, an outsider.”
“I advise you to stay out of my business. I can beat ten of you!”
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