Welcome to the Bizarre Games

Chapter 166 Compassion (Part 3) (4000-word long chapter)
When I returned in the evening, dinner was being prepared in the yard.

Lu Ping was blowing on the stove, his face covered in soot, and wisps of smoke rose from it, bringing with them the aroma of meat broth.

Upon seeing Zhou You and his companion, the boy hurriedly put down his wind instrument and rushed over.

"Master, Uncle, you're back!"

Before Zhou You could speak, Lu Xiuyuan spoke up with some doubt.

"Hey Lupin, our team's almost run out of dried meat, right? Where did you get the meat broth from? And..."

He sniffed and said.

"This doesn't taste like that salty stuff at all; it tastes more like a grouse?"

Lupin immediately gave a shy smile.

"As expected of you, Uncle, you're good at nothing but eating. Your nose is really sharp. That's right, tonight's dinner is stewed grouse, and I also added some mushrooms that I found."

Upon hearing the words "as expected," Lu Xiuyuan initially stroked his beard with smug satisfaction—but he immediately realized what was happening and smacked Lu Ping on the head.

"Pah! Are you calling your uncle a good-for-nothing? And where did this grouse come from? Did you steal someone's chicken again?!"

Lu Ping covered his head and immediately cried out that he was innocent.

"No, Uncle, you and Master beat me on the head every day, you'll beat me silly sooner or later—and why would I steal a chicken? Uncle, think about it, who raises chickens in this temple? This is prey I caught by accident when I went to fetch water from the back mountain!"

"That's more like it. Wait a minute, the back hill? Damn it, there's water in the well, isn't there? Go pick some eggs from the back hill. I bet you're just restless and sneaking out to play—I'll beat you to death today!"

Lu Xiuyuan rolled up his sleeves, ready to make a move, but Lu Ping, quick-witted, immediately dodged behind Zhou You.

"Master, save me!"

"Alright, alright," Zhou You quickly stopped Lu Xiuyuan, who was about to make a move. "It's normal for kids to be a little playful. I'll just give him a warning later. Head镖师, you don't need to do anything."

Lu Xiuyuan glared angrily at Lu Ping for a long time before finally lowering his hand and saying resentfully.

"I'll let you off this time for the sake of the Taoist priest, but if I catch you again next time, I'll fucking kill you."

however.

Before he could finish his harsh words, a bodyguard with sunken eyes and a haggard face approached.

"Head镖师, are you free now? I need to talk to you about something, you know what I'm talking about."

Lu Xiuyuan gave Lu Ping a warning look before following the man away.

Lu Ping showed no remorse whatsoever. He made a face at the two figures behind him, then slipped out from behind Zhou You, ran to the pot, and scooped out a spoonful of chicken soup—which included a huge chicken leg—while the pot was steaming hot. He then presented it to Zhou You like a treasure.

"Master, please try this. This is a wild grouse that I specially hunted to present to you. It's incredibly fresh!"

Zhou You patted Lu Ping's head and took the bowl of soup, but his gaze couldn't help but drift in the direction the two had left.

—Is this Zheng Sandan? How come he's gotten so thin in just a few days?
-
the other side.

Zheng Sandan led Lu Xiuyuan to a corner of the courtyard.

Looking at his unsteady gait, Lu Xiuyuan frowned and said.

"Old Zheng, are you alright? If it's really bad, I'll go and beg the abbot to see if he can give us some medicine. Look at the state you're in."

As a result, Zheng Sandan suddenly turned his head.

At that moment, Lu Xiuyuan stopped speaking immediately, and even took a step back.

—What kind of eyes were those? They were bloodshot, with the whites of the eyes making up the vast majority of them. The entire eyeball was moving erratically, and at first glance, they looked like a monster that wanted to devour people.

"What are you-"

Lu Xiuyuan was about to say something when Zheng Sandan suddenly blinked, and all the strange phenomena disappeared.

Looking again, all I saw were two incredibly tired eyes.

"What's wrong, Chief Escort Lu?"

Lu Xiuyuan rubbed his eyes hard, but all he could see was the same scene.

Damn it, I guess I'm just too tired and I'm hallucinating.

He coughed to cover his embarrassment, and then said.

"Nothing, Lao Zheng, what do you need me for?"

"Actually... it's nothing." Zheng Sandan seemed a little exhausted, speaking slightly breathlessly. "It's just that I've rested for so many days, and I'm a bit embarrassed to let others cover for me again. I was thinking, could you perhaps schedule some shifts for me, Chief Escort?"

Looking at his pale face, Lu Xiuyuan shook his head and rejected his suggestion.

"Old Zheng, you should rest for now. Lu Ping and I can hold out for a few more days. Anyway, the rain will stop soon, and then we can go down the mountain."

However, Zheng Sandan just grinned and revealed a strange smile.

He seemed to be smiling, but the corners of his mouth turned down, as if he were crying out.

"Chief Lu, I just wanted to change my mood. I haven't been able to sleep at night lately, so I was thinking of doing a night shift and then getting a good rest during the day. Don't worry, I really just have terrible insomnia. I'll feel better as long as I get a good night's sleep."

Looking at the pleading face, Lu Xiuyuan finally nodded.

"Then it's up to you. But remember to let me know if anything happens, and the people and Taoist priests in the escort agency will help you."
-
That night.

Zheng Sandan sat blankly in the chair, speechless.

In just a few days, he became as thin as a bamboo pole.

He felt like he was going crazy.

It wasn't that the food was terrible, nor that he was trapped in the temple and couldn't get out, nor was it his companions' complaints that grew worse day by day—none of these mattered to him. What truly terrified him was the recurring nightmare that haunted him day after day.

That fear was like an invisible shackle, constantly binding his back.

However, even though he was being tortured to the point of madness, Zheng Sandan still didn't know what that nightmare was.

Every time he woke up, he felt cold sweat soaking his entire body, even his pillow and blankets were wet. It was as if endless nightmares were clinging to him, or as if the most terrifying thing was constantly tormenting him, making him restless day and night.

But the problem... lies here.

Every time Zheng Sandan woke up, all he could see was the familiar ceiling. He knew he was having another nightmare, but he couldn't remember anything else.

The experience of the nightmare, the content of the nightmare, the horror of the nightmare—everything seems to have been half removed by someone, leaving only a blank space whenever I try to recall it.

Everyone felt that Zheng Sandan was going crazy, and Zheng Sandan felt the same way.

But he could vaguely sense it as well.
My current state is inevitably related to this temple.

So now his thoughts are very simple.

He planned to escape.

Must escape.

The reason he asked Lu Xiuyuan to resume the night watch today was precisely this—he needed to leave Ci'en Temple under the cover of night. As for warning the others in the escort agency, that was never part of his plan from the start. After all, there were simply too many people in the escort agency, making them too conspicuous. Rather than being exposed while traveling with them, it would be safer to escape alone.

It is now between midnight and 1-3 AM.

It was a time when all was quiet and all living things were asleep.

He sensed that everyone in the escort agency had also fallen asleep.

So Zheng Sandan silently went into his room, packed up the few luggage items he had prepared, and then crouched down under the bed to take out a rather heavy bag.

That was the commission for this shipment, which had already been distributed several days ago. Even if Zheng Sandan forgot everything else, he could never forget this.

Shouldering his baggage and securing his gold and silver, Zheng Sandan pushed open the door and glanced at the sky.

Perhaps because it had rained so much these past few days, the rain clouds finally dispersed, and the pale moon hung high in the sky, casting its cold light indiscriminately upon everything.

However, before setting off, Zheng Sandan suddenly hesitated again.

He wasn't sure whether he should inform Zhou You.

After all, this was the person who had saved his life and taken good care of him along the way. Moreover, given this person's abilities, if he were willing to go with him, his escape would be much safer.
However, he quickly shook his head.

People have their own fortunes and misfortunes. As long as you can save your own life, why bother worrying about others?

Besides, with the Taoist priest's abilities, he should—no, he definitely will be safe and sound, so there's no need for me to remind him, right?

Having found the perfect excuse, Zheng Sandan immediately made a hasty escape—he had been by the side when everyone was talking to the host, and the only way down the mountain was through the forest.

Lu Xiuyuan, that idiot, was worried about the safety of the whole team and never dared to take this route, but Zheng Sandan was not afraid of this at all—he didn't have that much luggage to carry, nor did he need to pull a donkey cart. He had grown up in the mountains and forests since he was a child, and if he were alone, he was fully confident that he could safely descend the mountain.

As you walk on, the scenery of the temple gradually fades away, and the verdant landscape gradually comes into view. The tall and twisted shadows of the trees block out the moonlight, plunging the woodland into a deep darkness.

But Zheng Sandan's speed remained undiminished.

For some reason, even though it was pitch black all around, he could see things very clearly.

My feet smacked against the muddy ground, making a 'splat' sound. The oily, sticky texture on my feet brought wave after wave of nausea.

Zheng Sandan was completely unaware.

The joy of escaping the nightmare had filled his mind, making him oblivious to everything else. His tired face grew increasingly feverish, and his eyes became even redder and brighter.

He walked steadily into the depths of the mountains and forests, without discerning any direction or having a clear purpose, but it was as if something was calling to him from the shadows, guiding him in a certain direction.

This went on for an unknown amount of time.

The woodland scenery gradually disappeared, and soon, what we were stepping on became human creations again.

The old, winding steps lead nowhere, with only shadows stretching ever deeper into the mountainside—but at least one thing is clear to everyone.

—These steps gradually rise, and are definitely not a path leading downhill.

however.

Zheng Sandan, who was determined to escape, continued to walk upwards step by step as if he were oblivious to everything.

He stepped onto the slippery steps and arrived at the gate of a mountain.

The door was very ordinary, just like the vermilion temple gate of Ci'en Temple. However, this door was wedged between the mountains, and a large brass lock hung on it. It looked quite old and was already covered in rust.

Zheng Sandan reached out his hand, but before he could touch anything, the lock fell to the ground with a thud.

"Bang!"

There was a loud bang.

Under the influence of this voice, Zheng Sandan's muddled consciousness finally returned slightly.

He suddenly felt somewhat lost and helpless.

—Wait, what am I doing?
—Wasn't I supposed to be going down the mountain? So why am I here?
But none of his questions were answered. Instead, driven by some unseen force, he slowly raised his hand.

Then, as if repeating the same thing countless times, he forcefully pushed open the rusty door.

next moment.

A certain fishy, ​​sweet, and disgusting smell filled my mouth and nose.

Zheng Sandan's stomach churned instantly; the chicken he had eaten that day rose to his throat, as if he might vomit it up at any moment.

However, it couldn't be vomited out.

He couldn't even bring himself to vomit.

At this moment, upon entering the cave, Zheng Sandan had completely lost control of his entire body, just like a puppet.

So they continued on their way.

Passing through a dark passageway, I entered a damp and silent room. Torches crackled around me, providing enough light to illuminate the surroundings, though not exactly bright.

It was an iron cage.

The iron cage was stained with blood and covered in rust.

Now that things have come to this, Zheng Sandan finally remembered where he was.

Every night, every time he falls asleep, he comes here again and again with the same steps and the same fear.

So, is this a dream or reality?

Zheng Sandan opened his bloodshot eyes and looked around.

However, it was different from what he remembered. Most of the stone-sculpted monks in the cage were gone, leaving only a few staring blankly ahead.

Then, in the next moment, he found himself walking through the cell against his will.

However, Zheng Sandan already knew where he was about to go.

Just a few minutes later, he finally reached the end.

Just as in the dream, a black Buddha statue more than three zhang tall stood there.

However, unlike in the dream, at this moment, beneath that pitch-black Buddha statue, stood several indistinct figures.

The torchlight flickered slightly, illuminating the face of one of them.

Zheng Sandan recognized this person.

That was the kind-faced man who had once received them, and also the abbot of this Ci'en Temple.
Monk Liaochen.

　Thank you Yili Shabai for the 1000-point reward.

　　P.S.: I made a mistake yesterday and uploaded the unedited draft. It has now been corrected. I'm really sorry.

　　 PS2: Due to the starting point mechanism, sometimes editing a paragraph will delete the paragraph comments as well. If your comments are accidentally deleted, please understand, I'm really sorry...

　　
　
(End of this chapter)