Fatty had been through three games and could generally predict how newcomers would behave upon entering the game world for the first time.
He had never seen a newcomer as reckless as Gu Jiu.
Some newcomers, out of ignorance, might actively provoke ghosts, foolishly testing their limits, only to end up as stepping stones for seasoned players. But Gu Jiu was definitely not that kind of ignorant newcomer; otherwise, she wouldn’t have asked them in such detail about their experiences in the game world the other day, clearly trying to learn from them in advance.
So, he didn’t think she was actively seeking death.
“What are you planning to do?” Fatty asked curiously. “If all three people in the Li family are ghosts, confronting them directly isn’t a wise move. In the game world, there’s danger even in broad daylight.”
The game world wasn’t like the real world; there were no rules preventing ghosts from appearing during the day.
Even the Skinny Guy, who usually didn’t care about external matters, looked on with some curiosity.
Gu Jiu replied, “Nothing much, I just want to clear the game and go home as soon as possible.” She sighed. “The game world is just too hard. The living conditions are poor; I have to sleep on a hard bed, and the hot water system for showers works inconsistently. How can a girl take cold showers? It’s so bad for the body! And at night, we get attacked, leaving us all sore…”
Fatty and his brother were speechless. She summed it up so perfectly that they had no response.
Then, the brothers looked at Lu Ji.
Compared to the pampered young lady, this sickly-looking lady seemed to need even more care.
Lu Ji: “…”
Fatty and his brother didn’t know how to respond to Gu Jiu’s reason for wanting to clear the game because she was absolutely right—any normal person wouldn’t be able to endure life in the game world; there was always something wrong.
The most important thing was that it was life-threatening. Countless players had died in the game world, leaving no trace of their bodies.
But what could they do?
Once they were pulled into the game world, there was no way to escape. They could only do everything they could to survive.
The four of them slowly made their way to the Li family’s house.
Seeing Gu Jiu moving at a snail’s pace, Fatty felt the urge to just carry her.
“I can’t help it. My back still hurts, so I can’t walk too fast,” Gu Jiu said weakly, holding her lower back and occasionally pressing it gently.
“By the way, can you help me find a suitable stick? Nothing too heavy.”
This puzzled Fatty and his brother.
“What do you need a stick for? You don’t seriously think a stick can deal with ghosts, do you?” Hadn’t it been proven last night that ordinary wooden sticks had no effect on ghosts?
Gu Jiu responded, “At the very least, it’s good to have a handy weapon, even if it’s just for show.”
Fatty and his brother were speechless again.
Eventually, Fatty found a rolling pin in the village chief’s kitchen. For some reason, the village chief’s rolling pin was longer than usual, and because it had been used frequently, it was quite smooth.
Gu Jiu weighed it in her hand and sighed, “It’s a bit heavy.”
Heavy?
Fatty thought, this rolling pin isn’t even as heavy as a brick. She really was a pampered young lady, probably the type who would get winded just lifting a brick.
Since she complained about its weight, Fatty kindly carried it for her, and the three of them slowed down to match her tortoise-like pace as they continued toward the Li family’s house.
Halfway there, they encountered Wu Yang, Lin Dandan, and Wang Peiping. When the three saw Gu Jiu, who was being treated like the center of attention, their expressions were a bit subtle.
The brothers and Lu Ji walked behind Gu Jiu. Seeing them deliberately slowing their pace to match hers, it was clear they were accommodating her. To an outsider, it might even look like the three were her attendants.
Gu Jiu, on the other hand, carried herself as if this treatment was perfectly natural, as if everyone surrounding her was exactly how it should be.
Wu Yang asked, “Miss Gu, how are you feeling?”
Gu Jiu smiled at him. “Thank you for your concern, Brother Wu. Other than a bit of back pain, I’m fine.”
Her response made Lin Dandan and Wang Peiping roll their eyes. She had only been pushed off the bed by a ghost and didn’t even have a scratch, yet she acted as if she were on the verge of death. Even a white lotus would pale in comparison to her performance.
Wu Yang noticed her pale face and that she seemed less energetic than the previous day. He wanted to say something but felt it inappropriate, given they weren’t close, so instead, he asked, “Where are you all heading?”
He glanced at the rolling pin in Fatty’s hand, feeling puzzled about why they were carrying it.
Fatty replied, “We’re heading to the Li family’s house to check on the three generations of the Li family.”
Wang Peiping and Lin Dandan’s faces instantly changed. They remembered how, when they returned last night, the front door of the Li family’s house had been slightly open. Although they knew investigating was necessary, thinking about the strange atmosphere there filled them with fear.
Wu Yang, however, didn’t hesitate. “We’ll go with you.”
When they arrived at the Li family’s house, they saw that the three doors on the first floor were still tightly shut.
Standing in the courtyard, they looked at the three closed doors but hesitated to make a move.
Gu Jiu slowly walked over to the door on the left.
Lin Dandan and Wang Peiping hadn’t expected her to approach on her own and were momentarily stunned. Then they noticed that Wu Yang and the others had followed her to the door.
The two felt their scalps tingle and had an overwhelming urge to turn and leave.
Gu Jiu looked at the door and asked, “I don’t have the strength. Who will knock?”
Before anyone could respond, Wang Peiping quickly interjected, “What if the first person who knocks triggers some kind of death mechanism? You’re the one who wanted to come here, so it should be you knocking.”
Everyone was taken aback. With their combined game experience, it was certainly a possibility.
But they couldn’t just stand there doing nothing, could they?
Wu Yang said, “I’ll knock.”
He raised his hand and banged on the door several times, calling out, “Is anyone home? We’re the tenants, and we brought a little gift for you.”
It was a pretty good on-the-spot reaction. Even though the people of the Li family might be ghosts, as tenants, they needed to show courtesy first; a little politeness before action, so to speak.
After knocking for a while, there was still no response from inside.
Gu Jiu said, “Brother Wu, kick the door open.”
Everyone else: “….” Miss, isn’t that a bit too reckless?
Perhaps her words provoked whoever (or whatever) was inside, as the door finally creaked open, first revealing a narrow crack, then slowly widening.
Everyone looked down to see that the one opening the door was a four-year-old child.
The child was scrawny, almost as thin as the skinny brother. His skin was pale blue, and his eyes were large and black. When he stared straight at them, it was especially eerie.
Wang Peiping and Lin Dandan almost screamed, jumping back several steps.
Fatty, with his legs trembling, grabbed tightly onto his brother’s hand. Skinny winced from the pain and had the urge to kick him away.
Unlike them, Wu Yang, Gu Jiu, and Lu Ji remained remarkably calm.
Seeing the composed demeanor of these three, Lin Dandan and the others were stunned. They could understand Wu Yang—he had always been brave—but Gu Jiu and Lu Ji were newcomers. How could they not be afraid when faced with a ghost?
These newcomers were truly impressive.
The child who opened the door simply stared at them, saying nothing.
“Little one, where are your parents?” Gu Jiu asked kindly.
The child remained silent but opened the door wider, silently inviting them in.
Who would dare go inside?! Could it be a den of ghosts in there?
Just as Lin Dandan and the others were thinking this, they saw Gu Jiu take the lead and walk in, with Lu Ji and Wu Yang following closely behind. They all went in just like that.
The brothers hesitated for a moment before deciding to follow. This left only Lin Dandan and Wang Peiping. No matter what, the two of them refused to go in; they stayed outside, peeking in. However, the room was too dark, and beyond a meter from the doorway, everything was shrouded in darkness, making it impossible to see clearly.
It was as if those who entered had vanished into the darkness.
The room was indeed very dim, but it wasn’t much of an issue for Gu Jiu.
After Wu Yang and the others’ eyes adjusted to the darkness, they could faintly make out the outline of the room. There was an old-style canopy bed at the far end, a common sight in rural areas. The room was filled with furniture—cabinets, a table, and a sofa—cramping the small space.
Gu Jiu asked again, “Little one, where are your parents?”
The silent child slowly raised his hand and pointed to the bed.
Gu Jiu looked over and continued, “It’s too dark in here. Could you light the lamp?”
The child, still silent, went over and lit the oil lamp on the table. The light was dim, but the room was small enough that it was sufficient.
The five of them walked over to the bed and saw two people lying on it. One was an elderly woman with sparse white hair and a face full of wrinkles; the other was a thin, middle-aged man in his forties. They were likely Old Li and his mother.