At this moment, the system’s voice finally arrived, as if playing a prank:
— You have encountered a key NPC, triggering the plot for this phase: You are orphans adopted by the troupe leader. You have arrived at the Lie Nu Village with the troupe, preparing to perform a traditional opera for the festival happening five days from now.
— This phase’s task: Help Zhen Zhen fulfill her wish.
The system’s mechanical voice snapped the players out of their eerie mood. Pink Hair was the first to speak: “Help Zhen Zhen fulfill her wish? Who is Zhen Zhen? What is her wish?”
“Is she someone in the troupe? We can ask the troupe leader.”
Just as they mentioned the troupe leader, he came around the corner with a stern face, scolding them: “What are you standing around for? Go move the troupe’s luggage to the lodging! Then go buy a rooster from the villagers!”
He glanced up at the white silk hanging from the beam and grumbled with a troubled expression, “What bad luck, having to deal with this on stage, and now we need to dismantle it.”
Chi Yi approached him. “Uncle Kuang, is there someone in the troupe named Zhen Zhen?”
“Zhen Zhen who? No such person!” Uncle Kuang responded irritably, “Hurry up and pack! Move the luggage first and then bring the rooster over!”
Behind the stage, there was a makeshift tent made of canvas, filled with various props for the opera. The actors who had performed that night were in the middle of removing their makeup. In most troupes, roles were divided into seven categories, each with its own specific tasks. But this small, ragtag troupe was clearly less organized, with the ten players taking on all kinds of odd jobs, while the NPCs were the actual performers.
In the past, troupes like this one traveled for performances to make a living, eating and sleeping outdoors, moving from village to village. Once they gained permission, they would set up and perform. Entertainment options were scarce in those days, so when a troupe arrived in the village, people were eager to buy tickets and watch.
Apart from the opera props, there were also some basic living supplies in the tent. A donkey was tied to a post outside, and the players loaded the luggage onto the donkey cart. The villagers waiting outside led them to the place where they would be staying for the next few days.
The distance wasn’t too far. It was a courtyard at the very edge of the village, a four-section courtyard house. In the village, people who could afford to live in such a place were either rich or powerful. But for some reason, this courtyard was empty, covered in dust and fallen leaves, with spider webs all over the doors and windows.
By horror movie logic, this kind of courtyard was likely haunted.
Pink Hair whispered, “Do you think this place is haunted?”
The villager leading the way turned and gave him a dissatisfied look. “What nonsense are you talking about?”
Chi Yi quickly stepped forward. “Brother, he’s just young. Please don’t take offense. But this courtyard is so big and nice. Why isn’t anyone living here?”
The villager’s tone softened, seemingly appeased by her beauty and gentle voice. “This used to be the house of a local landlord. After the land reforms, they fled with their families, and the place has been empty ever since. When outsiders visit, we usually put them up here, but it’s been a long time since we’ve had any guests, so it’s gotten a bit dirty.”
He fetched some cleaning tools from the side room. “You can clean it up yourselves. There are more than ten rooms that can be used. There’s a well in the courtyard, so you can fetch water from there.”
After giving these instructions, he left. The group moved their luggage into one of the rooms, lit some kerosene lamps, and began tidying up the place.
Wen Qianxue suggested, “We should buy the rooster now before it gets too late and the villagers go to bed.”
Since they were now in the instance, they had to be cautious to avoid triggering any death conditions. None of them knew if this task to buy a rooster would lead to such a condition, but going out at night still seemed safer than staying in the courtyard.
Li Zhi noticed everyone’s hesitation and suggested, “Those willing to go buy the rooster, come with me. Those who don’t want to can stay behind to clean the house. How about that?”
The group exchanged glances and had no objections. Some followed Li Zhi out, while the others stayed in the courtyard to continue cleaning.
As they left, they encountered NPCs who were returning one by one. Upon hearing they were going to buy a rooster, they reminded them, “Hurry, the troupe leader is pushing for it.”
The Village of Virtuous Women was even quieter at night than it had been during the day. Occasionally, there were the sounds of barking dogs, crowing roosters, and croaking frogs from the wheat fields. After the eerie events from earlier, no one felt the village was as peaceful and harmless as it seemed.
Luckily, roosters were common in the village. At the second house they knocked on, still lit by a kerosene lamp, they managed to buy a large rooster with a prominent comb. Its beady green eyes darted around constantly, and it seemed full of life.
No one knew why the troupe leader wanted a rooster at such a late hour.
After buying the rooster, they hurried back. The previously empty courtyard was now much busier, with most of the troupe members having returned. According to the rules, the troupe stayed in the central part of the courtyard, while the players, doing the odd jobs, were assigned to the front courtyard near the central well. There was a small courtyard between the two, so they wouldn’t disturb each other.
The front courtyard had seven or eight rooms, and the players split into groups, each picking a room. Although Chi Yi had said she wouldn’t share a room with Li Zhi after clearing the last level, she found herself gravitating toward her when it came time to choose.
Sharing a room was one thing, but she promised herself she would rely on her own abilities for everything else!
Chi Yi clenched her fists, determined.
Outside, the rooster, with its legs tied, flapped its wings and let out a loud crow.
Everyone came out of their rooms, and Li Zhi picked up the rope tied to the rooster. “Are you all coming?”
After thinking for a moment, they decided to go together. The troupe leader’s request for a rooster in the middle of the night seemed odd, and if they didn’t go, they might miss an important clue. Plus, the audience would definitely want to see what happened next—staying in the room would mean no screen time.
So, the ten of them headed out together.
It was already very dark.
The four-section courtyard was long and deep, a classic example of a traditional mansion. Courtyard after courtyard, walking through it felt endless. The place was quiet and eerie, with Pink Hair holding a dimly glowing kerosene lamp to light the way.
They passed through a delicate moon gate, and up ahead was the well the villager had mentioned. The foggy moonlight poured into the small courtyard, where a figure stood by the well.
She was wearing a blue opera costume, with decorative flowers in her hair. Her long black hair flowed down her back, and beneath her costume, a pair of colorful shoes appeared faintly. Hearing the footsteps behind her, she gracefully turned around. Her face was still painted with stage makeup, the red rouge on her cheeks as dark as blood in the moonlight.
That costume, that makeup—it was the same as Fang Lin, the performer who had just hanged herself on stage tonight!
Pink Hair, who was leading the way, let out a terrified scream, dropping the kerosene lamp in the process. He scrambled to run back, but the moon gate was narrow, and in their panic, the ten of them stumbled over each other, tripping and falling into a heap.
From the courtyard came a sharp rebuke: “What are you screaming about?!”
Li Zhi steadied Chi Yi, who had nearly fallen, and stepped forward to pick up the kerosene lamp. Unfortunately, the oil had spilled out, and it wouldn’t light.
“Fang Lin” had already stepped onto the stairs, leisurely looking at them. “I just came to get some water. Did I scare you?” She covered her mouth and giggled, “Did you mistake me for Fang Lin?”
Pink Hair’s eyes widened. “You’re not a ghost?!”
The woman glared at him. “You’re the ghost! I’m alive and well. I’m nothing like that short-lived Fang Lin, who killed herself over a man. She’s a disgrace to women!”
She adjusted her tightly styled hair by her temples. “But with her gone, I’m now the star of the troupe. I guess I got lucky.”
The group finally confirmed she wasn’t Fang Lin. Pink Hair, ashamed and angry at his earlier reaction, muttered, “Then why did you dress up like her and scare us on purpose?”
The woman frowned. “Who said I did it on purpose? The troupe leader asked me to dress as a ghost to break down the stage! Do you think I wanted to wear this outfit? It’s bad luck!”
With that, she turned and walked away.
The players exchanged glances. Li Zhi said, “Let’s go.”
They followed her and headed toward the stage. The torches there were still burning, lighting up the entire platform. The curtain from earlier had already been taken down, leaving the stage empty, except for an actor dressed as a Lingguan (a spiritual officer) with a heavily painted face, red hair, and a mighty presence.
Uncle Kuang stood nearby. Upon seeing them approach, he shouted, “Stop dawdling! Hurry up and get over here!”
The woman who had earlier dressed as Fang Lin, Tao Yu, walked up onto the stage. Uncle Kuang, in contrast to his usual stern demeanor, was much kinder to her. “Tao Yu, thank you for breaking the stage. This whole day has been a mess.”
Tao Yu huffed, “Let’s get this over with quickly. I want to go back to sleep.”
The players had heard Uncle Kuang mention “breaking the stage” several times but never knew what it meant. Now, as the drums and gongs sounded, Tao Yu, still dressed as Fang Lin, was chased around the stage by the actor in the Lingguan costume. The players gradually realized what was happening.
It was a performance to chase away the ghost!
Once the scene was over, the actors on stage pulled something out of a box and placed it in their mouths. Tao Yu, noticing the players standing idly by, scolded them, “What are you standing there for? Come here!”
They hesitantly approached, and Tao Yu handed them each something from the box. “You were terrified when you saw me earlier in the courtyard, and now you’re not scared? Take this!”
Li Zhi looked at what was in her hand—a packet of cinnabar.
Although they didn’t understand why, the players mimicked the actors and bit into the packets of cinnabar.
Uncle Kuang then grabbed the rooster that the players had brought and, with a swift motion, slashed its throat. The rooster let out a piercing cry, flapping desperately before falling silent in his hands.
The group watched from behind the stage as Uncle Kuang held up the rooster by its head and splashed its blood around the stage’s perimeter. He then lit a string of firecrackers.
The firecrackers crackled loudly, echoing across the open fields as if they could drive away all evil spirits. With the final clash of a gong, Uncle Kuang called out in an eerie tone, “The stage is broken, evil spirits be gone. Fang Lin, you can rest in peace now.”