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To Thanh Ngu calmly said: "I'm young, I don't have rheumatism and joint pain, and I don't have heavy yin energy. In the summer, I just save money on air conditioning."
She didn't seem to care.
Tham Tu Nien did not want to cause more confusion, he said: "The wedding just started tonight, I'm a bit hungry, let's go to the big kitchen and take a look."
"Okay."
She was very hungry this morning, feeling her stomach churning.
The large kitchen is located near the private residence of the Ly family.
Because most of the young people in the village go out to work, Cong Duong village only has old people left.
The village always has a faint fishy smell mixed with the smell of dry grass, making people feel lethargic.
Su Qingyu took the orange peel he obtained from the [Subway Line 4] instance and brought it up to his nose to smell it lightly.
Immediately much more comfortable.
The elderly in the village had difficulty moving around, so the Ly family was kind enough to open a large dining hall for them to eat for free every day.
They went to the big kitchen but there was no one there.
The front yard is the large hall, the back is the kitchen.
Tham Tu Nien groped around in the back of the kitchen, lit an oil lamp, and illuminated the darkness.
He wrinkled his nose and asked, "Do you smell anything strange?"
"It smells bad."
To Thanh Ngu looked at the black pot on the clay stove, inside was a pot of sticky green porridge, it looked disgusting.
Tham Tu Nien touched the iron pot and got burned. He grunted and pulled his hand back. He asked angrily, "The pot is still hot. There is no one in the kitchen. Who is cooking?"
"Who else, how strange."
"Let's see if there are any rules."
Tham Tu Nien did not really come for breakfast.
The system reminded him that the big kitchen had new rules, so he came here with To Thanh Ngu.
No need for Tham Tu Nien to mention this.
As soon as he entered the door, To Thanh Ngu's eyes scanned the room, searching for clues.
To Thanh Ngu saw Tham Tu Nien clearly go straight to the pile of hay in the kitchen, then turn his back to her, rummaging around inside.
At last he seemed to grasp something tightly in his hand.
To Thanh Ngu immediately stopped searching, quickly walked to Tham Tu Nien's side, and grabbed his hand that was about to put it in his pocket.
She looked surprised, even a little admiring, and deliberately sweetened her voice: "Mr. Tham, you're really good, you found the rule so quickly!"
Su Qingyu's words "Mr. Shen" startled Shen Si Nian, his heart turned cold, and he unconsciously let go of his hand.
This woman is shameless, so two-faced!
To Thanh Ngu twisted his arm and successfully got the piece of paper.
She bowed her head and glanced, it was indeed a rule.
Using the corner of his eyes to observe the dissatisfied Tham Tu Nien, To Thanh Ngu secretly smiled coldly.
The action just now was clearly intended to hide the rules, so vicious.
Unlike the female lead Lac Tu Huyen, the male lead has a system and can quickly find clues to the rules.
If he intentionally conceals it, it is a deadly danger to To Thanh Ngu.
She had to be on guard against Tham Tu Nien.
Fortunately, the rules required Su Qingyu and Shen Si Nian to go out together, giving her a chance to be alert.
Tham Tu Nien saw the rule he found through the system fall into To Thanh Ngu's hands, his face was ugly.
He pulled back the stiff corners of his lips and asked softly, "Good girl, quickly look at what's written on the paper?"
"There is nothing strange about this place, don't call it that cheesy, it gives me goosebumps."
Tham Tu Nien: …
To Thanh Ngu opened the paper, on it were written two rules.
[Gongyang Village Rules] (top):
[6. Only the large kitchen in the village provides safe food, please eat with the villagers. The villagers here only like vegetarian food, not meat dishes. When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Men must come to the table to offer wine, women are not allowed to come to the table to eat. When eating, if you see someone sticking their chopsticks upright in their rice bowl, do not eat any food that person touches.]
[7. When eating, pay attention to your chopsticks, make sure the two chopsticks are of equal length. If the chopsticks are of different lengths, immediately throw them into the bamboo basket under the table and replace them with new chopsticks.]
Previously, Su Qingyu found the rules in the large wine jar in the house, which were the first, second, and third rules of [Gongyang Village] (top). And here are the sixth and seventh rules.
Still missing two things in the middle.
To Thanh Ngu held up the red paper with the rules to the light.
The seventh rule, the part "immediately throw into the bamboo basket under the table" has red and black letters, it is difficult to recognize if you don't look closely.
Remove that part, the sentence is still clear:
[When eating, pay attention to your chopsticks, make sure the two chopsticks are of equal length. If the chopsticks are of different lengths, replace them with new chopsticks.]
Different colored text, good or bad?
No conclusion can be made at this time.
After memorizing the rules, To Thanh Ngu gave the paper to Tham Tu Nien.
She gently brushed the hair on her forehead, the corner of her lips curled up: "The sixth rule divides our tasks differently. You have to go to the table to invite the guests, while I sit with the other women. Shall we cooperate? We can exchange information."
"Of course, happy cooperation."
Tham Tu Nien agreed decisively.
Just don't know how much of it is real and how much is fake.
At seven forty in the morning, the village elders from all over came, they walked in front, followed by the village youth.
The old man was panting and had to stop after taking a few steps.
The young men behind walked step by step, using their heads to push the old man forward.
The big kitchen began to get crowded, the villagers' faces turned pale, their eyes were empty, they sat still in place without speaking.
According to memory, there were no more young people in the village, so the Ly family opened a communal dining room to serve the lonely elderly.
So what are these young people doing now?
Tham Tu Nien and To Thanh Ngu followed the rules and sat in different positions.
The men sat around a large round table, and Shen Si Nian randomly chose a seat.
The dish was served, the green porridge was sticky, foamy and smelly.
Among the unsanitary green dishes, there was a plate of bright red braised meat.
The corner of Tham Tu Nien's lips drooped, not touching his chopsticks.
To Thanh Ngu looked around and saw women squatting in the corner.
They held empty bowls, there was no table in front of them, and if food was served, it was placed on the ground.
To Thanh Ngu walked to the group of women.
She has no bowls and chopsticks.
At this moment, a short, hunched, white-bearded old man walked over, wearing an old gray cloth shirt and cloth shoes so worn that their shape was unknown.
"Little girl, are you hungry? Come eat."
He gave To Thanh Ngu a bowl of rice and a pair of chopsticks.
Because he holds the ends of the chopsticks, creating the illusion that the two are of equal length.
When To Thanh Ngu received it, he discovered that the chopsticks were one long and one short.
She raised her head to look at the white-bearded old man, his eyes were sunk in his wrinkled face, shining with an eerie red light.
It's a trap!
"These chopsticks are uneven, I need to change them."
There is no bamboo basket here, the bamboo basket is under the table where the men sit.
To Thanh Ngu had to quickly handle the chopsticks.
The white-bearded old man's mouth twitched, revealing his crooked yellow teeth. He said to Su Qingyu: "You can just... cough cough cough... use it for now."
The other squatting women bowed their heads to eat, their bowls filled with green porridge.
It seemed they didn't hear the conversation between To Thanh Ngu and the old man.
There was only one woman, holding a bowl of white rice in her hand, two chopsticks stuck straight in the middle of the bowl.
The woman felt Su Qingyu's gaze and slowly raised her head.
Her face was gaunt, her skin pale as wrinkled paper, her hair tangled like a spider's web, hanging around her shoulders.
The gloomy woman spoke up: "Do you want to use my chopsticks?"
To Thanh Ngu only glanced at that woman, then slowly looked away.
Since the dishes were served, the villagers here began to chat, their movements stiff, their expressions dull, whispering.
Although the content they talked about was not substantial, it could be seen that the villagers here knew each other.
Including the white-bearded old man, before giving the bowl and chopsticks to To Thanh Ngu, he was also busy going to several other tables.
This woman alone, from beginning to end, did not speak to any of the villagers.
No communication at all.
A woman who cannot integrate with the villagers, why would she take the initiative to help strangers?
Sixth rule of [Gongyang Village]:
[Only the large kitchen in the village provides safe food, please eat with the villagers. The villagers here only like vegetarian food, not meat dishes. When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Men must invite you to drink, women are not allowed to eat at the table. When eating, if you see someone sticking their chopsticks upright in their rice bowl, do not eat any food that person touches.]
The first half of the rule says "eat with the villagers" but the second half says "don't eat any food that person touches".
"That person" here is not "the villager".
Sticking chopsticks upright in a bowl of rice is often used as an offering to the dead.
But food offered to the dead is an offering, the living cannot eat it at will.
Thinking of this, To Thanh Ngu found the woman's face even more gloomy and scary.
She calmed down and continued to emphasize to the white-bearded old man: "Please change me to another pair of chopsticks."
The white-bearded old man shook his head and refused again.
To Thanh Ngu held the chopsticks in her hand, frowning slightly.
The old man refused, so it proved he was not the key to the answer.
Is the red and black text correct?
She looked at Tham Tu Nien, who also received a pair of chopsticks of uneven length.
Tham Tu Nien hesitated for a moment, found a bamboo basket under the table, and threw the chopsticks in.
Immediately, the villagers at his table put down their bowls and chopsticks.
Tham Tu Nien heard the error warning from the system in his head, his face pale.
The system can detect contaminated rules, but can only be used a limited number of times per day.
Today he used it all to check the rule he found in the house last night.
To Thanh Ngu quickly walked over and looked into the bamboo basket.
There were three chopsticks in the basket: two long and one short.
Adding the chopsticks that Tham Tu Nien just threw in, there were three long and two short.
The red and black letters are indeed a trap.
It is misleading!
The villagers at that table stood up in unison.
Currently, Tham Tu Nien is too dependent on the system.
When he realized his rash actions, it was too late.
Reluctantly, he thought of his last trump card.
That was his trump card: the ability to die and come back to life three times.
If he dies in the dungeon, he has three chances to revive outside the dungeon.
To Thanh Ngu was quick-witted and picked up the chopsticks that Tham Tu Nien had just thrown out of the bamboo basket.
The chopsticks they use have silver edges at the ends, different from the chopsticks in the basket.
Then Su Qingyu paired her chopsticks with Shen Si Nian's.
Long with long, short with short.
So there are two pairs of chopsticks of equal length.
"This."
To Thanh Ngu gave the short chopsticks to Tham Tu Nien: "Be careful of the traps in the rules."
"Thank you, I will remember your kindness."
Tham Tu Nien quickly took the chopsticks, still feeling scared, sat back down on the chair, his eyes looking at To Thanh Ngu also became a bit more sincere.
The villagers saw the chopsticks in the basket returned to their original state, looked disappointed, and sat down as before.
The rule says only the big kitchen in the village provides safe food.
Currently, the food is sticky green porridge and braised pork.
The braised pork has white smoke, a shiny red color, and an even layer of caramel, giving off a mouth-watering aroma.
The villagers here only like vegetarian food, not meat.
I don't like salty food, but there is braised pork on the table, which proves that this meat dish is for entertaining guests.
To Thanh Ngu and Tham Tu Nien are not villagers but guests.
So braised pork can be eaten.
The woman stuck two chopsticks into her bowl of rice and dragged herself step by step, her long skirt covering her legs, slowly moving to each table, using chopsticks to pick up meat.
When the woman's chopsticks touched the meat, the hot meat suddenly turned cold.
Taking advantage of the moment when the woman had not come close, To Thanh Ngu quickly picked up two pieces of braised meat and put them in his bowl.
Braised pork with alternating layers of fat and lean meat, steaming and fragrant.
Put the meat in your mouth, the pork is soft and juicy, the fatty taste melts on the tip of your tongue.
After To Thanh Ngu finished eating a piece, the hunger in her stomach immediately subsided.
After two bites, To Thanh Ngu put down her chopsticks.
From previous experience, food in the dungeon, especially meat, is best eaten sparingly.
Tham Tu Nien saw To Thanh Ngu picking up meat and imitated her, putting the meat in the bowl.
Men eat more, when he tasted the deliciousness of the braised meat, he ate almost the whole plate.
Vo Tam appeared indifferent to the food on the table.
To Thanh Ngu tried to put a bowl of green porridge in front of Vo Tam, but he was not interested.
The white bony hand pushed the bowl away, the black eyes like stagnant water, surrounded by a black aura.
That expression... seems a little discontented.
To Thanh Ngu sighed softly: "If you're hungry, go find something to eat yourself, remember to come back on time."
Vo Tam nodded and left.
Breakfast over, the villagers dispersed.
To Thanh Ngu saw Vo Tam drag the white-bearded old man's body into the grass as tall as a person.
He skillfully skinned the old man, cut open his stomach, and with his white bony hands took out the still beating heart from his chest and put it straight into his mouth.
To Thanh Ngu immediately turned away.
On the contrary, Tham Tu Nien looked at Vo Tam eating with delight, clapping his hands in approval: "Is your strange contract that strong?"
"He is eating, stop looking, let's go for a walk around the village."
Tham Tu Nien glanced between Vo Tam and To Thanh Ngu, he lowered his head thinking about something, after a while he raised his head, his eyes bright as stars, he lifted his long hair in front of his forehead, his thin lips slightly parted:
"My little sister really has hidden talents. Thank you for saving my life just now. Don't worry, I will definitely get you out of this dungeon safely."
Having said that, he also intended to reach out and stroke To Thanh Ngu's hair.
She cleverly dodged.
Tham Tu Nien really has a good-looking appearance, sharp and sculpted features, and a deep, attractive voice.
But To Thanh Ngu did not fall into the trap.
In the book "The Horror of the West", it is mentioned that besides being in love with Lac Tu Huyen, Tham Tu Nien also has countless confidants.
He once promised Lac Tu Huyen "one life, one relationship", but that did not stop him from having a series of admirers pursuing himOverconfidence is arrogance.
Just now at the cafeteria, it was clear that To Thanh Ngu had saved Tham Tu Nien's life, yet he still confidently promised to ensure she left the dungeon safely.
To Thanh Ngu temporarily did not want to offend Tham Tu Nien, she restrained her sharpness and softened her voice: "Then thank you."
"That's right, what gift did you prepare for the bride?"
This was the second time Tham Tu Nien asked this question.
To Thanh Ngu keenly realized that this question was related to his rules.
As long as the rules are opposite, she and Tham Tu Nien cannot be on the same side.
So she pretended to be mischievous, blinked, and said with a light smile: "I won't tell you. I told you before, that's a little secret between girls, I can't reveal it."
Tham Tu Nien reached out and pulled her arm, his expression serious, his voice a little urgent: "I'm not joking with you, quickly tell me, what gift did you give? You have to believe me, I won't hurt you."
This action made To Thanh Ngu very uncomfortable.
She hates physical contact with strangers.
Obviously just met yesterday, today already physical, this unconscious behavior is very limitless.
To Thanh Ngu raised his eyes and asked: "So what gift are you preparing?"
Tham Tu Nien was speechless.
See, I am not honest but I demand others to be honest.
Tham Tu Nien awkwardly touched his nose and changed the subject.
Su Qingyu did not linger on the subject, she said: "According to my observations, there are about fifty households on the mountain top, and about a dozen households near the village gate. I plan to go to the Li family mansion to visit the bride Li Na Na. Tonight, if I cannot leave Gongyang village in time, I will find someone to guide me down the mountain and stay at a house near the village gate."
Because the rules required them to go out together, they couldn't be too far apart tonight.
Tham Tu Nien frowned and disagreed: "After the wedding ends tonight, no matter how late it is, we will drive out of Cong Duong village immediately, there is no need to stay another night."
"That's the ideal situation."
To Thanh Ngu felt that tonight's wedding would definitely have something going on.
This is a four star dungeon, it's not that easy to leave.
Tham Tu Nien shook his head: "Even if we can't go, we still have to stay on the mountain top. There's still a distance from the village gate to the mountain, running back and forth will increase the risk."
Su Qingyu's voice was gentle, trying to convince Shen Si Nian: "Last night the house we lived in was shaking and about to collapse. The weather was humid during the day, I saw the dark clouds drifting towards the village in the distance. If it rains tonight, the house is at risk of collapsing."
Her voice was like a calm lake, just presenting the facts, without any personal feelings.
Tham Tu Nien retorted: "The house at the village gate is also a house on land."
To Thanh Ngu calmly explained: "The village on the top of the mountain is on the windward side, so it rains a lot. The houses at the village gate are on the leeward side, so it rains less."
"Miss-"
Shen Si Nian's eyebrows seemed to be about to twist together: "I admit what you said is right, but I still think it's safer on the mountain top."
"Stop arguing, time is limited, let's go to the Li family mansion first."
Seeing that Tham Tu Nien was stubborn, To Thanh Ngu put aside the argument, she needed to quickly find clues.
Lee family mansion
The big red happy character was stuck on the wooden door but the wind blew a corner off.
The yard is large, with round tables covered with red cloth, red lanterns hanging high throughout the yard, illuminating the dark hallway.
In the corner of the yard there is a rattan chair, no wind, no people but it creaks and swings.
To Thanh Ngu did not rush in but checked around the door. After confirming that there were no new rules, she knocked on the door that was already open.
"Come here, come here."
A middle-aged woman wearing a scarf stepped out from the yard.
Looking at the middle-aged woman's face, memories of the dungeon appeared in Su Qingyu's mind.
This is the bride's mother, Ly Na Na.
Mother Li saw Su Qingyu, her eyes lit up, she enthusiastically held her hand: "Xiaoyu, after not seeing you for several years, you have become a beautiful girl, you are truly more and more charming."
"Hello Auntie Ly, long time no see, you're still as young as ever."
To Thanh Ngu is sweet, a good student and loved by adults.
"I'm old, I'm old, I only know how to say nice words to make you happy."
Mother Li smiled, she glanced at Tham Tu Nien standing behind To Thanh Ngu: "Who is the person next to you?"
To Thanh Ngu immediately introduced: "My boyfriend, Tham Tu Nien, came to Na Na's wedding with me this time."
Tham Tu Nien reached out to shake hands with Ly's mother.
He politely said: "Hello auntie, Thanh Ngu often mentioned you to me. She said when she was little, Na Na was the best sister, she often played with Na Na, often came to your house to eat, your cooking is delicious."
To Thanh Ngu frowned, Tham Tu Nien talked too much.
Although the dungeon provides memories, those memories may contain baits and traps.
Mother Li was immediately excited. She invited Shen Si Nian into the house and said, "I just fried some meatballs in the back kitchen. They're still hot. I'll bring them out for you two to eat. I remember when Na Na was little, she loved the meatballs I made the most."
First half of the sixth rule of [Gongyang Village]:
[Only the large kitchen in the village provides safe food.]
To Thanh Ngu glanced at Tham Tu Nien, then quickly waved her hand to refuse: "Oh, Aunt Ly, don't bother, we ate in the cafeteria, our stomachs are still full."
"Not eating? What a pity."
Mother Ly bowed her head, her voice low, carrying a hint of suppressed ferocity, her gray hair covering her face, her expression unclear.
To Thanh Ngu asked: "Today is Na Na's happy day, where is Na Na? Is she trying on wedding dresses in the room?"
Hearing the name Ly Na Na, Ly's mother's expression softened as if everything just now was just an illusion.
She said: "Na Na went to burn incense at the ancestral temple, she will be back in about half an hour, you two can wait here."
As soon as he finished speaking, the groom in his wedding suit suddenly ran over, his hair was disheveled, his shirt hem was covered in dust, he looked very miserable.
He ran and shouted: "Oh no! The bride is missing!"
"What!"
Tham Tu Nien was stunned.
To Thanh Ngu's eyes turned cold.
It's begun.
Tonight, certainly not peaceful.
Mother Ly immediately sat down on the ground and cried.
To Thanh Ngu stepped forward to help her, and Ly's mother stuffed a piece of paper into her hand, her eyes were bloodshot, instantly aging ten years.
"Help me… help me bring my daughter back…"
To Thanh Ngu opened the piece of paper, on which was written [Customs clearance rules].
[S-Rank: Find all missing brides and complete the wedding.]
The customs clearance rule paper is a long rolled strip, the top and bottom edges are uneven as if torn.
Shen Si Nian originally planned to go with the groom to the place where the bride went missing to investigate, but the system reminded him that Li's mother had stuffed something into Su Qing Yu's hand.
In the dungeon, this situation is very likely to be a new clue.
Tham Tu Nien immediately went to To Thanh Ngu's side, reached out and took the piece of paper from her hand: "What does it say?"
"Customs clearance rules."
"Let me see."
"Okay."
To Thanh Ngu pressed his finger hard on a spot on the paper and then gave it to Tham Tu Nien.
Shen Si Nian received the rules and frowned: "Find… the missing bride, and complete the wedding. There is an unclear word here."
The paper with the customs clearance rules is very thin, the red paper will smudge if it gets wet.
Just now when To Thanh Ngu supported Ly's mother, her tears fell on her fingertips, she intentionally blurred the word "entirely".
"Find all the brides"
The word "entire" in the customs clearance rules made Su Qingyu think of something very bad.
After receiving the paper, Tham Tu Nien immediately asked the system in his mind: "System, scan for me what the missing word is?"
The system finished scanning the rule and replied: "The system does not have this function."
"So check for me if this piece of paper is contaminated?"
The system's voice was like a mischievous young girl's: "Today the system's scan times have been used up, but who said I'm the system that loves you the most? Let me tell you a secret, this piece of paper is not contaminated."
"Unpolluted…"
Tham Tu Nien looked at the customs clearance rules, a bit absent-minded.
A moment later, he turned to ask To Thanh Ngu: "Did you see the words on the paper clearly just now?"
To Thanh Ngu raised his head innocently: "Just looking for a bride."
Shen Si Nian touched his chin, he thought to himself, although the customs clearance rule had an unclear word, it did not affect the overall meaning, it was simply "finding" the missing bride, or "retrieving" the missing bride.
There was no need to delay. Shen Si Nian looked at the pale-faced groom standing at the door of the Li family's mansion and walked quickly, his voice clear: "Groom, please take us to the place where the bride went missing to see, maybe we can find clues about the bride there."
The groom's face was pale as if he had just crawled out of a grave, his eyes were cold and numb, his lips were almost bloodless, he opened his mouth and said each word: "Please follow me."
To Thanh Ngu and Tham Tu Nien followed the groom.
The groom walked unsteadily, his bones creaking.
The sun has hidden behind the clouds.
It was clearly only afternoon, the sky was already gloomy, thick dark clouds covered the light making the whole space a gloomy gray-white.
The road leading deep into the village was lined with dense locust trees on both sides, their branches and leaves shaking in the wind, making a crying sound.
The winding rural dirt road, Su Qingyu saw on the ground mixed with yellow mud, there seemed to be black hair.
"Scared?"
Tham Tu Nien walked beside To Thanh Ngu, he smelled the cold fragrance from her hair, his voice carried a gentle smile: "If you're scared, you can hold my hand, I'm here, I will protect you."
Good words are easy to say.
Believe it or not is another matter.
"It's daytime now, there's nothing to be afraid of."
To Thanh Ngu was not in the mood for romance, she needed to always keep an eye on the groom in front, in case he suddenly sped up or disappeared.
Fear is a normal human emotion, nothing to be ashamed of.
The important thing is to control this emotion, then quickly calm down and find a way to survive.
Actually, To Thanh Ngu is not too afraid of ghosts.
A hideous appearance, blood and flesh indistinct, bared fangs and brandished claws are not considered scary.
Missing an eye or growing a few extra arms is at best weird.
The real horror comes from the unknown.
Entering the dungeon is exploring the unknown.
During this process, as long as she doesn't break the rules, the pollution source can't harm her.
"You are the bravest girl I have ever met."
Tham Tu Nien raised his eyebrows, his compliment coming from his heart: "When you don't speak, you look very gentle and quiet. When you work, you are smart and decisive. Having you as a teammate, I am very satisfied."
Tham Tu Nien likes women who are both gentle and strong.
When he is with him, he wants his lover to be as soft as silk thread.
When he is not around, he wants his lover to be as independent as bamboo in the wind.
To Thanh Ngu replied politely, with a cold attitude: "Thank you for the compliment."
Shen Si Nian paused, as if remembering something, his voice raised slightly: "That's right, after we survive the dungeon, let's become friends. I plan to form a team to destroy the source of pollution, and unite with like-minded people in the world to fight against the dungeon."
Tham Tu Nien's words made To Thanh Ngu stop.
Her eyes were like clear lakes, her pink lips slightly opened: "Who are your teammates now?"
This question is to grasp the progress of the plot development.
"You are the first."
Tham Tu Nien has big ambitions in mind.
Before the ghost's resurrection, he was just a small security guard at the Lac family corporation. Although he was ambitious, he had no power or influence and could not accomplish anything.
Now the ghosts are resurrected and the world is rearranged.
He discovered that the hell money earned from the dungeon could be used in real life.
Some people are even willing to pay ten or a hundred times more to buy hell money!
Because ghosts also need hell money!
But he owns the system, the darling of heaven.
After clearing the dungeon, the system will reward him with hell money.
With the help of the system, he will soon reach the top of the world.
Thinking of this, Tham Tu Nien looked at To Thanh Ngu.
Her black hair was like silk, flowing down her back, swaying with her steps.
How lonely is the peak?
He wants to choose an excellent girl to stand by his side.
To Thanh Ngu got goosebumps from Tham Tu Nien's gaze, she temporarily didn't want to join the main group.
In the novel "The Awakening of Horror", Shen Si Nian's first teammate was supposed to be the female lead Luo Zi Xuan.
"Let's talk about forming a team later."
To Thanh Ngu's voice was indifferent: "The most important thing now is to clear the Cong Duong village dungeon."
To Thanh Ngu recognized the groom following the hair on the ground.
About fifteen minutes later, the groom led them to a secluded corner of the village.
Compared to the simple houses in the village, the communal house here is built of red bricks and blue tiles, clearly more solemn.
The ancestral temple looks old, the walls are mottled with traces of time.
To Thanh Ngu saw the groom entering the ancestral hall, she quickly followed but the groom disappeared.
The door of the temple was sprinkled with white powder, the light inside was dim.
As soon as he entered, a cold air surged up from under his feet, making To Thanh Ngu shiver.
Tham Tu Nien's face was solemn: "The ancestral hall has no back door, and the guide disappeared."
According to Cong Duong village rules, before getting married, the couple must go to the Ly family's ancestral temple to pay respect to their ancestors and receive their blessings.
"So the groom has the duty to lead us here."
To Thanh Ngu looked at the clock, it was three o'clock in the afternoon.
The sky outside was gloomy and the wind was rising, signaling heavy rain.
The ancestral temple is a place to worship ancestors' tablets, they need to quickly explore and leave.
To Thanh Ngu said: "On the way here, I saw many women's hair on the ground stretching here, there must be some important clue here."
Shen Si Nian nodded: "I realized that too. I guess the hair on the ground could be traces of the missing bride."
He walked into the ancestral hall, looked around, then frowned and said seriously: "That's not right, when we arrived, the main gate of the ancestral hall was open."
To Thanh Ngu was startled, she asked: "Is there anything special?"
The layout of this temple looks normal at first glance, but upon closer inspection there are many unreasonable points.
Tham Tu Nien grew up in the countryside, was the son of the family, and was often in charge of the offerings at the ancestral temple during Qingming Festival.
He patiently explained: "The main gate of the ancestral hall is not normally open, it is only opened during the spring and autumn festivals or when the clan members discuss important matters."
Spring festival is Qingming festival.
Autumn is the Chongyang Festival.
"Today is not a day of sacrifice, from the way you said, perhaps someone in the clan is discussing important matters…"
As soon as he finished speaking, a cold wind blew through the street.
In the middle of the temple is the Ly family's ancestral tablet, rectangular wooden panels, white background with black letters, engraved with the ancestors' names.
To Thanh Ngu discovered that the tablets were all placed upside down.
The ancestral tablet being overturned means losing the protection of the ancestors, the family will decline, and there will be a bloody disaster.
The incense burner in the shape of a sacred beast has three headless incense sticks in it in front.
Burning incense with the head cut off will lead to separation of wife and children, and death of descendants.
As they were entering, the incense sticks spontaneously combusted, black ashes falling down.
Shen Si Nian's face became extremely unsightly, he muttered: "White is good, black is bad, yellow is good. The ancestral tablet is upside down, the incense stick has a broken tip and burns itself, leaving black ashes, a very bad omen!"
He grabbed Su Qingyu's arm: "Listen to me, let's leave here first!"
Before piercing
Book, To Thanh Ngu lives in a big city, does not know the rules of worship in the ancestral temple.
She felt it was not right to leave.
book.
"Wait."
Su Qingyu did not rush to leave, but calmly analyzed: "The groom intentionally brought us here, he must have something to say. This is a copy, not the real world. Although the layout of the ancestral hall is unusual, the rules do not say that it is a bad omen, so there is no need to worry."
The layout of the road is clearly to scare away challengers.
The more it wants the challenger to leave, the more it proves that this place has important clues!
"Miss-"
Tham Tu Nien looked at To Thanh Ngu with complicated eyes.
Just now the system reminded him that there were new rules in the road, telling him to continue investigating.
In the ancestral hall, thick black hair fell straight down under the table in front of the shrine.
The table was covered with a red cloth, the cloth hanging down to cover the four table legs.
On the table was a red paper, three intact incense sticks and three empty plates that were supposed to hold offerings.
To Thanh Ngu removed Tham Tu Nien's hand and walked to the table.
She picked up the red paper first.
Write two new rules on the paper.
[4. The ancestral hall is a sacred place, outsiders are not allowed to enter without permission. If you accidentally enter, immediately light the red candle in the ancestral hall. Before the candle burns out, men must light three incense sticks and bow, women must offer red, white, and black offerings to ask for forgiveness from their ancestors.]
[5. There is a black dog in the ancestral temple, it will protect you. If not necessary, do not easily abandon it.]
There was a noise under the table.
To Thanh Ngu lifted the red cloth and discovered an old black dog under the table.
The black dog's eyelids drooped, lazily licking its claws.
The fur was so black that it almost blended into the darkness under the table.
Seeing the person appear, the old black dog slowly crawled out from under the table and licked Su Qingyu's palm.
Looking at the black dog, Su Qingyu remembered the first and third rules of [Gongyang Village]:
[If you stay overnight in the village, try to stay near the village gate and choose a house with a dog. If you choose to stay at a house on the top of the mountain, keep the windows closed and do not make any noise after midnight.]
[At night, if you hear a dog barking, do not leave the room. There are very few houses on the mountain top, no one goes out at night, and no one you know knocks on the door.]
Both of these rules refer to dogs.
Last night, a ghost disguised as Shen Si Nian knocked on the door.
As the dog barked louder and louder, the ghost left.
It can be temporarily concluded that dogs are good things and will help people overcome challenges.
Tham Tu Nien saw the fourth rule and immediately used a lighter to light two red candles in the ancestral hall.
As the candlelight flared up, the coldness in the shrine seemed to lessen.
But the candle burned too quickly.
This candle won't last three minutes!
Tham Tu Nien also noticed the unusual candle.
He quickly took three incense sticks from the table, buried the burning headless incense sticks in the censer into the ashes, and then inserted new incense.
His father taught him how to handle the headless incense.
Su Qing Yu's brain turned quickly, she looked at the words on the rule.
[Women must offer red, white, and black offerings.]
This rule can be understood as the offering including dog blood, dog bones and dog skin.
Furthermore, the fifth rule simply says, if not necessary do not abandon the black dog.
Is now the right moment?
To Thanh Ngu pursed her lips, she thought for a moment, then took out three tribute cards, ruby, white silver, and obsidian respectively.
The rule only says that the offerings must be red, white, or black.
The gem looks more like a tribute than a black dog.
When the candle was about to go out, To Thanh Ngu carefully placed the stones on the empty plate.
At the same time, Tham Tu Nien knelt down on the ground, he ignored the black hair covered with grass and dust, and kowtowed three times.
Candle goes out.
The old black dog suddenly barked madly at the door.
Tham Tu Nien looked at the offerings on the plate and asked in surprise: "Where did you get these things?"
He was just protecting himself.
To Thanh Ngu looked out the door of the street.
Something is coming.
Is Mindless.
He had just finished "eating and drinking" in the village and immediately went to find To Thanh Ngu.
Mouth still full of blood foam, fingers still stuck with pieces of flesh.
The old black dog barked madly at Vo Tam.
Vo Tam just coldly glanced at it, the black dog immediately tucked its tail, whined and crawled under To Thanh Ngu's feet.
To Thanh Ngu patted the dog's head: "Don't be afraid, don't be afraid."
Then she gave Vo Tam a tissue and told him to wipe his mouth and hands.
Otherwise the flesh and blood will rot and smell terrible.
"Do not do evil."
Shen Si Nian covered his nose with his hand: "He is your contracted demon, you must control his actions. If he accidentally breaks the village taboo, both of us will be implicated."
To Thanh Ngu nodded slightly: "I know my limits."
After burning incense and offering sacrifices, the ancestral hall became quiet.
To Thanh Ngu checked around, the corner of the road was covered with dust and cobwebs.
Under the overturned tablet, she discovered a pair of old theater tickets and half a rolled up red paper.
The ticket says "Ngoc Duong Xuan", the words have faded over the years.
The red paper was from Li Nana, and it said: My dear cousin, it's rare for you to come back to the village, please stay a few more days and have fun. I'm busy preparing for the wedding, so I can't receive you and your brother-in-law. I remember that when you were little, you loved listening to singing the most, so I've prepared two tickets, hoping you and your brother-in-law will have fun.
"The bride invited us to the opera."
To Thanh Ngu held a ticket between two fingers.
Tham Tu Nien reached behind and took the other one.
His voice dropped: "There is no stage in this village?"
"The ticket says tomorrow afternoon."
Tham Tu Nien laughed coldly: "Humph, it includes the fact that we can't leave tonight."
"If it was that easy to leave, it wouldn't be a 4-star dungeon."
To Thanh Ngu guessed it early.
Until now, they still haven't discovered everything about the village: the small, dark forest, the theater that suddenly appeared, the Ly family's mansion, the households at the beginning of the village... all are mysteries.
The rules they have are only half-baked.
Even the method to complete the dungeon only revealed a single clue.
To Thanh Ngu originally did not like watching plays, this hobby was just a memory that the dungeon forced into her head.
According to that memory, when she was young, every week she and Ly Na Na looked forward to the traveling troupes that came to the village to perform.
The troupe will park at the village gate, carry heavy boxes, and step by step enter the isolated village of Cong Duong.
Faces painted in colorful colors, with splendid costumes and martial arts props, in the cheers of the villagers, sang melodious songs, adding brilliant touches to their monotonous childhood.
The sky quickly darkened.
Leaving the ancestral hall, To Thanh Ngu carried the old black dog and they returned to the Ly family mansion.
The red lanterns hanging in the yard had somehow turned into white paper lanterns, swaying creakingly in the cold wind.
Mother Ly squatted in the corner crying.
The woman looked quite young when we first met her, but after just a few hours her black hair turned silver, and she shrank like an old woman.
Seeing Su Qingyu and Shen Si Nian return, she raised her head and asked tearfully: "Where is my daughter? Have you found my daughter?"
Tears ran down the wrinkled skin, seeping into the deep creases.
To Thanh Ngu shook his head: "We went to the Ly family's ancestral hall and found these two tickets."
"Tickets? What tickets!"
Mother Li saw the ticket, her expression suddenly changed: "Why… why is this happening? It's been ten years since any opera troupe has performed in our village!"
"Why don't they come to sing anymore?"
"Ten years ago, when the troupe arrived, a truck hit and killed a widow named Tong who was tending sheep. They carried her body up the mountain and paid a lot of money in compensation. Afterwards, the villagers joined forces to bury the widow Tong on a hill near the ancestral temple. The coffin was made of hundred-year-old cypress wood, which was very expensive. That night, when the troupe was preparing to perform, many strange things happened. Dao Chinh looked in the mirror and used scissors to cut his own throat."
"After that incident, that troupe had to disband. When other troupes heard about this, they all thought our village was too haunted, and no one wanted to come perform there anymore."
"Widow Song."
To Thanh Ngu tried to recall this key character in his mind.
The image of an extremely beautiful woman appeared, wearing a white lace dress, like a pure lily.
Mother Li slowly recounted the story: "In the past, Widow Song was a wealthy young lady of the city. You must have heard of the Sao Mai Group. Her father was a senior manager there. For unknown reasons, when Widow Song was in her twenties, she cut off contact with her parents and traveled thousands of miles to Gongyang Village, stubbornly demanding to marry Mu Sanlang from the village. Her father came to the village several times, but was eventually chased back by his daughter. After being disappointed, he declared that he had never had this child."
Su Qingyu's eyes moved slightly. She squatted down next to Mother Li and asked, "Aunt Li, can you tell me about Na Na's fiance? I remember his name is... um... Mu Yang."
Mother Li sighed, her heart heavy, only to hear her slowly say: "Yes, as you think, Mu Yang is the only son of widow Tong. At first, I did not agree to this marriage. That year, you and Na Na graduated from Sao Mai High School together. Na Na was a poor student and failed to get into university. After you went abroad, Na Na returned to her hometown and did not choose to stay in the city."
"There were only a few young people in the village. The boy from the Mu family was orphaned but looked bright and had a sweet mouth. The two of them got along, and Na Na and him fell in love. She also knew that Mu San Lang died early from tuberculosis. After the incident with the widow Song, only Mu Yang remained in the family - a teenage boy who struggled in the village, living a miserable life. At that time, a blind fortuneteller in the village said that Mu Yang had a murderous fate. When he was young, he would kill his parents, and when he grew up, he would kill his wife and children."
"It's just superstition, not trustworthy."
Mother Li smiled bitterly: "That's right, but what kind of parents would want to take that risk? Now it's good, the wedding hasn't even been held yet, and my Na Na has already met with something."
To Thanh Ngu was silent for a moment then said: "Aunt Ly, we will try our best to find Na Na, don't worry."
Mother Li held Su Qingyu's hand tightly, her eyes filled with hope and gratitude, she lowered her voice and said: "As long as you bring Na Na back, I will personally take you out of the village."
After speaking, Mother Ly's eyes glanced towards the Ly family mansion as if afraid someone would hear.
Aunt Ly, what are you looking at?"
To Thanh Ngu followed Ly's mother's gaze and saw the lights on in the Ly family mansion, with a blurry figure inside.
"Nothing."
Mother Ly suddenly stood up, reached out to push To Thanh Ngu, and urged her to leave quickly: "It's getting dark, you two should quickly go find a place to stay."
In the mountains, it gets dark very quickly, the sky is gray as if covered by a thin layer of fog.
The humid air was stuffy and the smell of approaching rain made people feel heavy.
The leaves make a rustling sound in the wind.
The old black dog in Su Qingyu's arms began to tremble. Feeling its uneasiness, she gently stroked its back.
When To Thanh Ngu asked, Tham Tu Nien stood beside and listened quietly.
After talking, he asked: "Aunt Li, where are we staying tonight?"
"It's almost time, Mrs. Truong will come pick you up soon."
As soon as Mother Ly finished speaking, Mrs. Truong slowly walked forward, her back bent, leaning on a cane, walking on the path.
"Two guests, follow the old lady."
Mrs. Truong's silver hair was neatly combed, her face wrinkled and she couldn't smile: "Yesterday you two went up the mountain too late, the two empty houses haven't been cleaned yet, the environment is too bad, it's a pity for the two guests."
Shen Si Nian shook his head and said warmly, "Mrs. Zhang, don't be so polite. The place we stayed last night was very nice. Even though Qing Yu and I live in the city, we always dream of a rural life. Living in a house like this in the countryside is really interesting."
Mrs. Truong's skin was as dry as old tree bark, her eyes flashed with a strange light, and she smiled: "If that's the case, you two will still stay in those two rooms tonight."
Tham Tu Nien nodded.
He thought new location meant new danger.
Compared to the strange house at the village gate, staying at the dirt house for a night made him feel safer.
To Thanh Ngu frowned and refused: "Tonight I want to stay near the village gate, please Mrs. Truong take me down the mountain."
The first rule of [Gongyang Village]:
[If you stay overnight in the village, try to stay near the village gate and choose a house with a dog. If you choose to stay at a house on the top of the mountain, keep the windows closed and do not make any noise after midnight.]
Follow the new rules to ensure safety.
Last night, because she hadn't found the rules, she chose to stay on top of the mountain.
Tonight, To Thanh Ngu has a choice, of course he will choose the safest option according to the rules.
Tham Tu Nien said with dissatisfaction: "What nonsense are you talking about?"
"I have made it very clear."
"Didn't we discuss this already?"
Tham Tu Nien found To Thanh Ngu a bit unreasonable: "I said I wouldn't harm you. I will protect you on the mountain top."
"We discussed but did not agree."
There was no consensus, why did Tham Tu Nien think To Thanh Ngu would give in?
Shen Si Nian's deep eyes widened, he gritted his teeth in disbelief: "Su Qing Yu, we cannot be separated!"
Mrs. Truong also let out a loud laugh, she walked unsteadily like a tumbler, her voice was sometimes hoarse, sometimes shrill: "You two are a pair of little lovers, one is on the mountain, one is at the village gate, too far away. You might as well listen to your boyfriend and stay on the mountain top, my old bones are too lazy to go up and down."
"I want to stay near the village gate."
To Thanh Ngu took out 800 hell coins, smiled and placed them in Mrs. Truong's hand.
Mrs. Truong's hands were wrinkled and bony like claws.
She saw the money in hell and smiled, the strange smile adding a bit of sincerity: "Oh dear, oh dear, that won't do."
Her mouth said no but her hand stuffed the money in her pocket.
After receiving the money, Mrs. Truong's attitude became more friendly: "When Na Na was still in the village, she often mentioned you, saying that you were very cute. Today, when I met you, the old lady also liked you very much. People say that the more you exercise, the younger you become. Now I'll take you down the mountain to exercise your muscles and bones."
Tham Tu Nien couldn't believe it and pointed at himself: "What about me?"
Mrs. Truong smiled: "You went there once last night, you should know the way. You can wait for the old lady to show you the way, or you can go back by yourself."
By the time Mrs. Truong brought To Thanh Ngu back, it was already dark.
Cong Duong village at night is very dangerous.
Tham Tu Nien was speechless.
"Mrs. Truong, I have a few words to say to my boyfriend. Please wait a moment."
"Go, make it short, we still have to go down the mountain."
Mrs. Truong waved her hand and looked up at the gloomy sky.
To Thanh Ngu said: "Let's break up."
"What did you say?"
Shen Si Nian doubted his ears, he lowered his voice, suppressing his anger: "You really want to die! Just because I don't want to go down to the village gate to find a place to stay, you're making a mess like this? Wasn't our first night in the mountains peaceful? If you're really scared, then we can stay in the same room tonight."
To Thanh Ngu shook her head slightly, the cold, damp wind caressed her hair, her eyes were gentle but determined: "I can't convince you, and you can't convince me."
"Don't forget the original rule…"
Tham Tu Nien thought that To Thanh Ngu was sulking.
Su Qingyu interrupted him and continued: "The invitation did not include the boyfriend's name, and the rules only required that you attend Li Na Na's wedding with your boyfriend on time. The boyfriend is just a role, it could be you or someone else."
Shen Si Nian's eyebrows furrowed, his eyes turned cold, anger flared up, his voice dropped sharply: "A woman like you really doesn't know what's good for her! Arguing in a dungeon is dangerous, how stupid! Now that you're breaking up with me, can you guarantee that you'll find a new boyfriend before Li Na Na returns for the wedding?"
"You don't need to worry about that."
To Thanh Ngu turned around and was about to leave.
"Stop!"
Tham Tu Nien clenched his fists, his knuckles turned white as if he was suppressing his anger.
He took a deep breath, closed his eyes and opened them, lowering his voice to coax To Thanh Ngu: "Don't make a fuss anymore, this time I'll listen to you, I'll go down to the village gate to stay with you. But just this time, there won't be a next time. Women acting spoiled is cute, but overdoing it will hurt feelings."
To Thanh Ngu stood there like a picture, the surrounding noise could not shake her inner self.
Her face is like a painting, she always keeps a light wind and drifting clouds look.
"Shen Si Nian, I'm not negotiating with you, I'm unilaterally announcing that we're breaking up. You and I are not on the same path."
If you are not at the end of your rope, why force yourself?
Instead of waiting for the opposing rule to be revealed, they will turn against each other, it is better to cut off now, find your own way.
Tham Tu Nien looked seriously at the expression on To Thanh Ngu's face, confirming that she really wasn't joking. He also removed his gentle shell, raised his eyebrows and said: "It seems that I underestimated you. You were wary of me from the beginning, right?"
To Thanh Ngu neither answered nor denied.
Tham Tu Nien smiled softly, it was his negligence, seeing her as a normal woman.
Unexpectedly, along the way, To Thanh Ngu repeatedly judged the situation accurately, even surpassing someone with a support system like him.
Thinking of this, a bit of respect rose in Tham Tu Nien's heart.
To Thanh Ngu felt the way he looked at her change.
Actually, from the beginning, she knew clearly that Tham Tu Nien did not value her at all.
He completely assumed the position of a chooser and leader, weighing in his heart whether Su Qingyu's value could be used or not.
Along the way, Tham Tu Nien kept asking her what wedding gift she was preparing.
When he found the rule then tried to hide it.
When he didn't want to live in the same house with To Thanh Ngu.
etc.
He was ready to abandon her at any moment.
But he underestimated her, thinking that To Thanh Ngu was as shy and indecisive as the women he had met.
Now that she said goodbye, it was so hard for him to accept.
"I said I would protect you and wanted you to be my teammate, and I meant it. It's just a pity you trampled on my sincerity."
Although Tham Tu Nien was angry, he was also a person who could hold on and let go.
Standing in the male lead's position, of course he was also betrayed and despised by others.
This time it's just a small matter.
Whoever confronts him, will not have a good ending in the end.
To Thanh Ngu did not want to be hostile to Tham Tu Nien.
But not being decisive will bring disaster upon yourself.
The dungeon let them be teammates first and then betray each other.
She needed to break the knot at the beginning to avoid further damage.
At first, she also wanted to get along with Tham Tu Nien, but the condition for getting along was respecting differences.
If thinking is like a gun, then there are only two types of people in this world: one type is the one holding the gun in his hand, the other type is the one with the gun pointed at him, walking forward.
Su Qingyu and Shen Si Nian were both holding guns, but Shen Si Nian wanted her to hand over the gun in her hand and follow him.
That is clearly not possible.
To Thanh Ngu has her own judgment about the dungeon, she does not allow herself to be manipulated by fate.
This dungeon created two sets of rules that predetermined their separation.
To Thanh Ngu does not want to be enemies with the male and female leads in "The Horror of Christmas".
She smiled lightly, blinked at him, her pink lips slightly parted, her voice soft but unconscionable: "Shen Si Nian, don't speak so seriously, as if I'm really an ungrateful person. As for me, it was only because I was forced by the dungeon, you absolutely can't blame me. You're smart, you always handle problems calmly, and you even show your outstanding leadership skills at crucial times. In the future, you will definitely be an important figure in the world. Moreover, you're very handsome… In short, I still admire you very much!"
Flattery never goes out of style.
Despite the lie, Shen Si Nian nodded, his eyes becoming less cold: "You did well. Live on, I hope we can meet again in the real world."
His words still had a touch of respect.
As long as the male lead doesn't resent her too much.
Feng Shui is revolving, To Thanh Ngu tries to avoid making enemies.
After Su Qingyu said goodbye to Shen Si Nian, she looked at Wu Xin standing beside her with an expressionless face and took out her world bank card.
"Boy, are you hungry for money?"
Vo Tam's hair was as black as the night sky, his chest had a large hole in his heart, empty, with only distorted blood vessels on the side.
When he demands, he will raise his left hand – the white bony hand.
When he offered, he raised his right hand – the hand of flesh and blood.
"I am very rich."
To Thanh Ngu did not choose to give the money to the underworld immediately but showed Vo Tam the bank card of heaven and earth.
"Master, if you want Vo Tam to do anything, just give the order."
"I want you to participate in this dungeon as my boyfriend."
The smile on Vo Tam's face curved to the corners of his mouth, extending too far to his cheeks, creating a strange curve.
"Cough cough cough, master, do you know what you are saying?"
Su Qingyu nodded: "I know. Letting you participate in this dungeon will give you a new identity, and also temporarily dissolve the contract between us. But only this way can you get Shen Si Nian's rules for me."
In the dungeon [Sao Mai High School], Bach Nguyen Huong once wanted to join the dungeon as a student but was rejected by To Thanh Ngu.
Participating in the dungeon means the contract is broken, Vo Tam is subject to the rules and becomes part of the dungeon.
This is a dangerous decision.
"Master, I can't get Shen Si Nian's rules. Shen Si Nian finding a new girlfriend can't get her rules. Boyfriend and girlfriend are just a title, a title that exists for you. I exist to replace the title, not Shen Si Nian."
To Thanh Ngu frowned slightly.
She wanted to let Vo Tam replace Tham Tu Nien for three reasons.
Firstly, because Tham Tu Nien always tries to change her, he is not a good partner.
Second, the rules of Su Qingyu and Shen Si Nian conflict.
She could monitor his every move, and he could also monitor her. At this moment, she couldn't openly give orders to Vo Tam.
Third, because she couldn't see Shen Si Nian's rules.
"You mean only my rule regarding your boyfriend requires you to follow the corresponding rule?"
To Thanh Ngu quickly understood Vo Tam's meaning, the third goal could not be achieved.
"That's right."
"I got it."
Su Qingyu raised her head, it was getting late, she went straight to the point: "Wu Xin, this is just a poor and backward village. If you choose to betray me, you will be stuck in this dungeon forever, becoming a villager waiting to be divided into human flesh for trial."
"This is a two-person dungeon. There are too many people and too little porridge. Staying here probably won't be enough to eat. You are a general who lives a life of luxury. Life is hard in this remote place. Why don't you follow me and enjoy endless wealth and glory?"
Vo Tam was silent.
Actually, even if To Thanh Ngu didn't say these words, he never thought of betraying her.
The reason is simple, To Thanh Ngu is generous and does not die so easily.
His previous owners all died young.
He is very expensive, most people cannot afford to keep him.
Changing owners constantly is a hassle.
Vo Tam placed his right hand on the empty space in his heart and bowed slightly: "Yes, my master."
Absolute elegance.
Mrs. Truong had been waiting by the side for quite a while. When she saw Vo Tam, her eyes revealed a hint of fear: "This guest, are you also going down the mountain?"
Vo Tam nodded.
When Vo Tam was not in this dungeon, the other villagers just treated him like air.
Now that he joined, the villagers could no longer ignore his existence.
They went down the mountain with Mrs. Truong.
Mrs. Truong narrowed her eyes and tilted her neck to ask: "Did you have an argument with the mountain people?"
❀❀❀
Su Qingyu's expression did not change: "I broke up with him, now I have a new boyfriend, the one next to me, his name is Vo Tam."
Mrs. Truong moved away from Vo Tam, pressed close to To Thanh Ngu, and muttered: "You have a new boyfriend so quickly? What a pity, what a pity, I was planning to introduce our Nhi Nguu to you, white and chubby, but an outsider snatched him away."
To Thanh Ngu wondered: "Isn't being single allowed in the village?"
Mrs. Truong mysteriously said: "As the saying goes, a single yin cannot last, a single yang cannot give birth. According to our village's custom, women carry a sacred mission, and must have a partner to avoid disaster."
"But I see in the village there are many single men and women."
Mrs. Truong's voice was hoarse like the sound of footsteps crushing dry leaves: "They are all people who have lost their spouses."
Halfway there, it was completely dark. Mrs. Truong lit a lantern, the weak light illuminating the mountain path.
Cold is heavier.
It seemed that Mrs. Truong was very wary of Vo Tam, so she took them to the village gate and quickly left.
They have to go up the mountain by themselves tomorrow morning.
At the village gate, only a few houses had lights on.
The houses were lit up, and in front of the door there was a big black dog sleeping on a grass mat.
When someone comes near, they will stand up their ears and wag their tails.
The black dog in Su Qingyu's arms saw its own kind, and the trembling of its body lessened a bit.
"We need to find a place to stay for the night."
The night wind was cold, the great mountain seemed to collapse, the pressure was heavy.
Vo Tam raised his pale chin and looked up at the locust tree: "There is something on the tree."
Having said that, Vo Tam quickly kicked the tree trunk, jumped to the top, took down a red envelope with the word "Happy" written on it, inside was a piece of red paper and one hundred underworld coins.
At this moment, To Thanh Ngu deeply understood the saying "you get what you pay for".
Genuine goods are worth the money.
The red paper has the new rules.
Rules of [Gongyang Village] (top):
[8. Water is sacred and pure. If you choose to live near the village gate, give priority to a house with a well. Place water at the head of the bed at night. If you feel water dripping on your face, don't panic. Leave the room.]
[9. There is no signal on the mountain, but there is signal at the village gate. The signal can help you find what you need. Be careful when using the phone's camera function, the lens can capture things that are invisible to the naked eye. Remember to turn off the sound, small animals in the forest are very sensitive to noise.]
[10. Dogs are man's best friend, villagers who raise dogs are not bad people, you can ask them for help. If you see villagers beating dogs, chase them away immediately ××.]
Rule ten, last two words scratched off.
Chase what?
Chase dogs? Chase villagers or something else?
Vo Tam reminded: "The rules have been contaminated."
To Thanh Ngu took out the flashlight from the dungeon [Endless Corridor], turned it on and illuminated the rules.
The four words "leave the room" in rule eight are red and black.
These four words are not good.
The first part says not to panic, the second part says to leave the room.
It wants the challenger to misunderstand that the rule requires leaving calmly.
But if it was really about leaving calmly, there would be no need to use two periods.
To Thanh Ngu and Vo Tam looked around, looking for a suitable house to stay.
The houses in the village are low and ancient, with tall locust trees on both sides, their leaves swaying in the night wind.
The cold night wind blew across To Thanh Ngu's cheeks, making her shiver.
Thunder sounded in the distance.
"It's raining."
To Thanh Ngu held out his palm.
The sky was more stifling, rain began to fall sporadically, hitting the yellow earth, making a pattering sound.
The surrounding scenery became blurred, covered by a curtain of rain.
They hurried to the front door of a house with a well and knocked on the door.
Footsteps sounded inside and a young woman opened the door, just a crack.
The warm orange light from the room leaked out, the woman nervously asked: "Who are you looking for?"
Su Qingyu politely said: "Sister, it's raining outside. We've come from somewhere else to attend a wedding and would like to stay overnight. Do you have a room available? As a thank you, we'll pay the fee."
The young woman glanced at Vo Tam and nodded: "The house has one empty room but the fee is per person, one hundred for one person, two people are two hundred."
To Thanh Ngu quickly agreed, gratefully saying to the young woman: "Thank you, here are two hundred hell coins, please accept."
This dungeon forces the cooperative challenger to turn against the enemy.
If it was another challenger who only received one hundred hell coins from lucky money and wanted to stay at the village gate, it would be very likely that the challenger would fall into a fight.
The old black dog was placed in a shelter in front of the house, lying obediently on the ground, its head resting on its paws.
They followed the young woman into the house.
The room is simply furnished: a dirt bed and a desk.
On the wall hangs a black and white photo of a man.
The young woman sadly explained that it was her husband who had died early.
The dirt bed has clean blankets and smells of sunshine.
The environment here is much better than in the mountains.
The woman placed the oil lamp on the table, the dim light made the room warm and comfortable.
To Thanh Ngu and Vo Tam wished her good night.
The woman advised: "Lock the windows at night, and try not to go out after midnight."
The woman's reminder reminded To Thanh Ngu of the first rule.
On the mountain, you are not allowed to go out after midnight.
At the village gate is just trying.
When the woman left, To Thanh Ngu handed the empty bowl on the table to Vo Tam: "Catch half a bowl of rainwater from the window."
The eighth rule says water is sacred and pure, choose a house with a well, put water at the head of the bed at night but does not say the water must come from the well.
The well is located in a deserted backyard. You never know what you'll encounter if you go get water late at night.
Vo Tam was catching water at the window, outside the door there was the sound of dogs barking.
When one dog barks, the other dogs in front of the house also jump up and bark madly.
To Thanh Ngu immediately reminded: "Vo Tam, close the window!"
"Bang!"
The window is closed.
Vo Tam's ability to execute is very strong, the advantage of a ghost is to obey orders, not asking a million questions why.
To Thanh Ngu blocked the window with a chair.
There is only one dirt bed in the room.
To Thanh Ngu placed half a bowl of water at the bedside and used the tribute card to take out the carved wooden bed.
"Do you want to sleep on a dirt bed or a wooden bed?"
Vo Tam is a monster, a ragged man, full of the smell of graves and death.
"We are boyfriend and girlfriend, we should not separate."
To Thanh Ngu tried to find a human expression on Vo Tam's face, but unfortunately there was none.
His black eyes were condensed darkness.
Vo Tam only plays the role of "boyfriend".
She clearly remembered the story of the demon bride in "The Christmas of Horror".
The monster is something without feelings.
Using human thinking, naively associating demonic behavior with special emotions is foolish and dangerous.
"Living in the same room does not count as being apart."
To Thanh Ngu leaned against the dirt bed, took out her phone, inside there were a few unread messages.
She looked up at Vo Tam and asked with interest: "Do you know what a boyfriend or girlfriend is?"
"I no longer remember what it feels like to be human, although I clearly remember what it was like to be alive. But I have no heart, and I cannot feel emotional fluctuations."
Vo Tam can imitate human joy and sadness but he cannot truly understand or feel this kind of emotion.
He explained objectively: "I know love is an intimate relationship between people, including love, attraction, care and trust."
To Thanh Ngu smiled with delight: "You know a lot."
Vo Tam sat next to the dirt bed, using his white bony hand to stroke a lock of her black hair.
Her hair was like silky silk, falling over her knuckles and sliding down.
To Thanh Ngu pulled back her hair, only to find that the independent consciousness of ghosts was also a very interesting thing.
She curled her lips and asked: "What are you thinking about every day?"
"If you die, can you give me your heart?"
Primitive appetite.
"A hundred years later, when you die, everything will be nothing, it's up to you."
To Thanh Ngu did not care.
This is not her body, this is not her world.
Who knows, maybe a hundred years later she will return to her world.
"Humans are very fragile, like mayflies, born early and die early. Your hundred years are but a fleeting moment to us."
He looked at his flesh and blood hand, which was colder than a human's hand, and also sharper: "If you are contaminated, we will become the same kind, existing forever, until the world is completely contaminated, and humans complete their final evolution."
In the novel "The Coming of Horror", it is true that some people have the view that its existence is to complete the final step of human evolution.
To Thanh Ngu asked softly: "Tell me, what exactly creates pollution? What is it? Why does it exist in this world?"
"It all starts with people."
"Huh?"
To Thanh Ngu wanted to continue to delve into this topic with Vo Tam.
But he seemed unable to answer further.
Just tell To Thanh Ngu, all the knots lie in people.
Because Vo Tam sat on the dirt bed, To Thanh Ngu chose to sleep on the carved wooden bed.
She patted the soft pillow, leaned against it, and opened her phone to see the new message.
Two friend requests: one from Bach Hoa, one from Van Tuyet Tra.
Of course, Van Tuyet Tra's "passionate" greeting was offensive.
She asked about all eighteen generations of To Thanh Ngu's ancestors and blamed her for losing an eye.
As for Bach Hoa, this is the second time asking to be friends.
To Thanh Ngu thought for a moment and chose to accept the offer.
Leave a way out for others, so they can meet again later.
Lac Tu Huyen sent more than twenty new messages, To Thanh Ngu turned on do not disturb mode.
Trang Hieu Diep has no new news.
To Thanh Ngu opened the chat box with her and texted: Hieu Diep, have you exited subway line number four yet? If you have, remember to text me back.
The other side did not answer.
This made To Thanh Ngu feel a little worried.
Bai Huo's friend request was just accepted, and the other side immediately sent a 60-second voice message.
To Thanh Ngu found it unlike Bach Hoa's personality.
Opened the voice message, it turned out to be Lac Tu Huyen's voice inside.
Voice is as fast as a rocket launcher.
Luo Zixuan: Su Qingyu, I sent you so many messages, why didn't you reply to any of them? Do you have any opinions about me? I thought we were compatible, but you didn't bother to reply to my messages. I did as you said, found the gym teacher to ask for a bus ticket but she wouldn't give it to me, saying that this school doesn't have a bus to leave. I spent a lot of effort trying to approach other teachers but they all said the same thing, I didn't get anything. If you're outside, can you help me with something? Find my dad, he's the chairman of the Luo Group. The Luo Group probably doesn't need me to introduce him anymore, right? Everyone in the country knows him. Tell my dad to buy hell money for me, the more the better, and deposit it into my school account. This time, I owe you, if I survive the dungeon, I'll treat you to Michelin.
To Thanh Ngu held his forehead.
Immediately after, Bach Hoa sent an "it has nothing to do with me" emoticon.
To Thanh Ngu turned off the phone's flash and switched to silent mode, took a picture of the room, and sent it.
She conveniently texted back: I'm in the new dungeon, helpless.
Bach Hoa: Look closely at her photo!
To Thanh Ngu enlarged the photo, she saw the wall full of black hair, each strand wrapped around, extending to the window.
That window opens to the well in the backyard.
Before that, there were also these hairs on the way to the temple.
It can be inferred that hair shows the way.
These hairs are only visible in photographs.
The ninth rule of [Gongyang Village]:
[There is no signal on the mountain, but there is signal at the village gate. The signal can help you find what you need. Be careful when using the phone's camera function, the lens can capture things that are invisible to the naked eye. Remember to turn off the sound, small animals in the forest are very sensitive to noise.]
To Thanh Ngu decided to rise at dawn, when the sun just rose.
Now is the time, although not over, but outside the storm thunder, too dangerous. Here is the wise choice.
Bach Hoa: Which dungeon are you in?
To Thanh Ngu: Cong Duong Village, four star copy.
White Fire: The amulet I gave you, always carry it with you.
To Thanh Ngu: The signal in the mountains is bad, if you don't have anything to do then don't text me, if you have something to do then limit texting me.
To Thanh Ngu: Good night, bye.
Because of the constant barking of dogs outside the door, To Thanh Ngu did not dare to continue opening the window to catch the rain.
She divided the bowl of water into two parts, placed it at the head of the earthen bed and the wooden bed, turned off the light and went to sleep.
Lying on the bed, the tired body finally rested, the eyelids gradually grew heavy, consciousness began to blur.
"Drip, drip—"
Like the sound of water dripping from the porch outside after the rain stops.
This sound is not outside but inside the room.
It is past midnight.
The sound of dripping water got closer and closer, clearer and clearer as if it was ringing in To Thanh Ngu's ears.
She closed her eyes, trying to dispel the eerie sound of water that seeped into her mind.
Something touched the bowl, the bottom of the bowl rubbed against the headboard making a slight sound.
Then she felt a wet feeling on her face.
It's water but it's not like water dripping directly onto the face.
Like wet hair… brushing across cheeks.
The eighth rule of [Gongyang Village]:
[Water is sacred and pure. If you choose to live near the village gate, give priority to a house with a well. Place water at the head of the bed at night. If you feel water dripping on your face, don't panic. Leave the room.]
The last four words are contaminated, omitted.
Just keep calm now.
To Thanh Ngu rolled in the blanket, wrapping herself tightly.
Bring your own blanket, to be safe, at least dirty things won't suddenly appear under the blanket.
Suddenly a cold air blew through the blanket.
Su Qingyu's whole body stiffened. She felt a cold hand quietly creep under the blanket and touch her clenched palm.
Each of her fingers was broken off.
Su Qing Yu's heart immediately beat fast, it turned out that thing could come into direct contact with her!
She tried to suppress the fear in her heart, not daring to move.
Follow the rules, don't panic.
That hand gently drew a "well" character on her palm, the cold air invaded and made her shiver.
Well? Water well?
It was signaling her to come to the well and see.
Even though he was directly touched, To Thanh Ngu still tried to stay calm, closed his eyes tightly, and did not show any panic.
After that hand finished drawing the strange symbol, it slowly left her palm, the cold air gradually dissipating.
Dawn, the darkest moment has passed, the sun has not risen yet, there is only weak light, the sky is still a heavy dark blue.
To Thanh Ngu sat up, she saw that the water in the bowl by the bedside had dried up.
Vo Tam does not sleep.
All night he lay on the dirt bed, his hands clasped on his stomach, eyes wide open staring at the ceiling, just like that, a night passed.
"Did you see what was coming last night?"
Dim light came in from the window. To Thanh Ngu sat by the bed, slowly combing her long, silky hair.
"It's too dark, I can't see clearly."
Last night that thing did not come near Vo Tam at all, the water in the bowl at his bedside did not run out.
Opening the door, To Thanh Ngu heard the black dog whining.
The young woman who gave them shelter stood in the yard with disheveled hair and bare feet.
Her face was distorted, her eyes flashed with madness, one hand tightly grabbed the old black dog's fur, the other hand swung the stick crazily beating down on the poor dog.
Each blow made the old black dog tremble violently.
Its fur was covered in blood, its skin was torn and its flesh was torn, its breathing was weak.
The tenth rule of [Gongyang Village]:
[Dogs are man's best friend, villagers who raise dogs are not bad people, you can ask them for help. If you see villagers beating dogs, chase them away immediately ××.]
This rule says that villagers who keep dogs are not bad people.
But why does this woman have to be so cruel to beat the dog?
Animal abuse is evil.
Unless you hit a dog to save it.
To Thanh Ngu took out his phone and took a picture of the black dog and the woman.
Seeing the photo, she understood in her heart.
It turned out that the black dog was wrapped tightly around eight black snakes.
The snake's body twisted like a vine and tightened around the black dog, its fangs digging into the dog's neck, the dog groaned in pain.
Each of the young woman's sticks was aimed at the black snake.
The rules required immediate expulsion, not of the dog nor of the villagers, but of the black snake!
As for how to get rid of black snakes, the method is already written in the rules.
[Water is sacred and pure.]
The other dogs in the village were not entangled by the black snake, only the dog To Thanh Ngu brought back had an accident.
The only difference is that the other dogs were let out in the yard, last night it rained and they all got wet.
As for To Thanh Ngu, he loved the old black dog and was afraid that it would get wet and get sick, so he placed it in a place where it could be protected from the wind and rain.
This action again allows "it" to take advantage of loopholes.
[Remember to keep quiet, animals in the forest are very sensitive to sound.]
First, To Thanh Ngu took an empty bowl, scooped water, and poured it on the black dog.
The black snakes writhed but did not let go.
To Thanh Ngu turned off silent mode on her phone.
She took a picture of the dog "click".
The forest near the house shook, the leaves began to shake crazily, inside was a turmoil.
The snakes wrapped around the dog heard the sound of the camera and immediately left the black dog and went deep into the forest.
The black dog panted.
The young woman also put down the stick in her hand, she knelt down and gently stroked the dog's head, muttering: "You've suffered."
"Can you lend me this dog? Your dog is male, mine is female. If the female gets pregnant, there will be hope for the village to continue. In return, you can stay at my house for three days free of charge."
The young woman stood up, her skin pale, dark circles under her eyes, dark brows, her whole body filled with deathly aura.
To Thanh Ngu frowned slightly: "This dog is very old."
"This village needs dogs."
The woman panicked, she clenched her fists: "Without the dog, the house will not be safe."
"Let me think first."
Su Qingyu knew that dogs could ward off evil spirits, but last night when that thing was written on her palm, the dog didn't bark.
Why is that?
In To Thanh Ngu's heart, there was temporarily no answer.
"I will give you only one day. This village cannot be done without dogs."
Having said that, the young woman returned to her house.
Looking at her departing back, To Thanh Ngu pondered.
She lowered her head to look at her watch for a moment, then estimated the time, turned her head and said to Vo Tam: "Let's go to the backyard and take a look."
Backyard, dilapidated fence hung with withered vines and dead leaves.
In the middle is an ancient well, the walls of the well have been eroded by time, covered with mottled cracks.
Cold air rose from the well.
To Thanh Ngu turned on silent mode on his phone and took a picture of the well.
In the photo, the bride by the well is wearing a bright red wedding dress, a messy jade hairpin on her head, black hair falling over her shoulders, covering half her face, and pale fingers gently stroking the well.
Vo Tam said: "She wants to say, use the video recording function."
To Thanh Ngu turned on the camera.
The stiff bride turned her neck, slowly revealing her face, it was Li Na Na!
Li Na Na looked in pain, her empty eye sockets flowing with two streams of thick red tears.
"Cousin, save me…"
Then her voice turned into a shrill scream, each sound high-pitched.
Save me! Save me! Save me! Save me!!!