Welcome to the Bizarre Games

Chapter 268 Onboarding
A thin mist began to rise in the woods.

The entire valley was submerged in a pale white ocean.

Looking around, the fog is like silk threads. Although it's not so thick that you can't see your hand in front of your face, it's still very easy to lose your way if you walk for too long.

In previous years, even the most experienced mountain rangers were reluctant to venture into the mountains at this time of year—after all, there wasn't much to hunt on such foggy days, and if one were to accidentally slip and fall, they could at best fall flat on their face, or at worst lose their lives.

however.

Amidst this thin, veil-like mist, a considerable amount of noise and commotion could be heard.

At this moment, Zhou You stood in the crowd and looked around.

The narrow mountain path was crowded with people. Although it wasn't as packed as it was yesterday, it still stretched for more than half a mile.

As for why so many people have nothing better to do than head up the mountain early in the morning, the reason is actually quite simple.

—It's just about making money.

After all, according to what the Thick Earth Sect said yesterday, as long as you are willing to join the sect, you don't need to do anything; you can directly receive a bag and a half of millet and a string of salted meat.

Of course, modern people who are well-fed and clothed might scoff at this, thinking it's crazy to risk climbing up for such a small amount of food—but the problem is, this is ancient times, and a time of great poverty. How many people were struggling to make ends meet? Although Songzhou was far wealthier than Lizhou and Cangzhou before, these things were still a considerable fortune for an ordinary farming family.

"but."

Zhou You rubbed his chin, watching the two grandmothers carrying rice and meat, heading straight down the mountain with excited expressions, and he was truly puzzled.

"I heard that yesterday's sacrificial ceremony was also organized by the Houtu Sect, and today they're giving away grain and meat on such an extravagant scale—and this is just around one city. Where do they get the money for all these places in Songzhou?"

He was already somewhat regretful; he should have grabbed the merchant yesterday and questioned him thoroughly—but it was no use now. He could only take it one step at a time and go to the Taoist temple to see what was going on.

Time passes gradually.

Just as Zhou Youxian began counting the ants on the ground, the long queue was finally coming to an end.

Sitting in front of the Taoist temple was a middle-aged man, dressed in the same blue robe as the man from yesterday. He looked very kind, and even though he had been working since morning, he showed no impatience. In fact, after explaining the religion to an older woman in detail, he even picked up a sack and very attentively placed it on her shoulder.

However, Zhou You sensed that something was hidden beneath that smile.

That was confusion, weariness, and
A deep fear?
After seeing the older woman off, the man sighed almost imperceptibly, and when he looked up, he had another warm and smiling face.

"Young man, are you here to join the religious order?"

Zhou You shook his head, handed over the red paper from yesterday, and then pointed to the line of text at the bottom.

"I'm here to take on this job at the Taoist temple. Yesterday, when your geomancer was giving a sermon, he mentioned that the pay was excellent and the monthly salary was quite substantial."

As if he had heard it countless times before, the man nodded and then said politely.

"Well... to let you know, young brother, if you only want to join the sect, then you just need to leave a handprint, and then you can receive rice and meat and go down the mountain. After that, you just need to attend the sect's gathering once every two months. But if you want to become a disciple of the immortal master, then you must at least prove that you have that ability. By the way, do you have any special skills?"

Special skill? Does murder count?
Seeing that Zhou You remained silent for a moment, the man sighed again.

"It seems you can read a little, and you're quite strong. Plus, you haven't finished your quota for today. So, do you see that stone over there? Pick it up, hold it for a few breaths, and I'll consider you pass."

Upon hearing this, Zhou You looked over and saw only a blue stone the size of a millstone. This might be difficult for others to work with, but for him...
Shaking his head, Zhou You strolled over to the stone. He had intended to lift it easily using his magic spells—but after thinking for a moment, he dispersed all his magic power, hugged the stone, and feigned difficulty on his face before lifting it up in one swift motion.

A few seconds later, with a loud crash, the stone fell again.

A chorus of cheers erupted from the crowd, and Zhou You, panting heavily, seemed to have exhausted all his strength as he spoke.

"Is it okay now?"

The man hesitated for a few seconds, but finally nodded helplessly.

"Alright, that's settled then. Come here and sign your name on this document. After this is finished, someone will lead you to the work area."

however.

Just as Zhou You picked up the pen, about to sign...

In everyone's ears.

Suddenly, a thunderous sound rang out.

"Don't go! They're liars, all of them ruthless killers!"

Everyone turned around in astonishment.

Just then, I noticed that a child, who looked to be about ten years old, had somehow emerged from the crowd and was now angrily shouting.

"Listen to me, they didn't recruit you to work, they wanted to kill you! My dad was recruited by them two months ago to refine some kind of elixir, and he disappeared without a trace, we haven't heard from him since! And it wasn't just my dad, Uncle Ma and Aunt Cai from next door, they were also recruited by this cult and then they killed them!"

Seeing this unexpected obstacle, the man's smile finally turned somewhat cold, but his response remained relatively calm.

“I recognize you. You’re from Chen County. No, I’ve already told you. Your father was sent on a business trip and won’t be back for about six months. The letter he asked someone to write has been delivered to you. And didn’t your Uncle Ma and Aunt Cai go home? You saw how they are. They’re all alive and well. How could the religion have harmed them?”

To everyone's surprise, it would have been better if I hadn't said anything, because as soon as I did, the child immediately jumped up and down.

"What's back? They're clearly not human anymore! Monsters are hiding under those human skins! You bastard, give me back my father, give me back my uncle and aunt!"

Seeing that the child was making a bigger fuss, the man finally frowned deeply. Just as he was about to call for help, several people suddenly rushed out from the crowd—they seemed to be from the same hometown as the child—and then hurriedly pulled him back.

Then, a man came out and apologized, bowing and scraping.

"I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry. This child has been acting crazy ever since his mother hanged herself. He keeps thinking that the Goddess of the Earth killed his parents, and he can't take it anymore, so I brought him here to see the Master of Geomancy. Maybe he can cure his madness."

The man sized up the man for a long time, and finally waved his hand.

"Alright, but Master is currently busy refining elixirs and probably won't have time to deal with him. We can only let him stay in the back mountain for now. Besides, this isn't some kind of orphanage; if he runs away, don't blame us."

"Of course, of course!"

Seeing the man retreat with a forced smile, the man continued speaking to Zhou You.

"So, brother, are you still planning to sign this job?"

Zhou You stared blankly in the direction the child was being led away, until the man called out to him several times before he turned and smiled.

"Sign? Of course I'll sign! Although we've only spent a few hours together, I feel that the Thick Earth Cult is a cause I'd dedicate my life to—I'm not kidding, absolutely."

After signing his name on the paper, a young Taoist priest came over to guide Zhou You.

However, compared to the enthusiastic man, the Taoist boy's attitude was much colder. He didn't say a word, and there was even a hint of disdain in his expression.

Regardless of whether he was enthusiastic or indifferent, Zhou You always wore a kind and friendly smile.

As they passed through the Taoist temple, the steps became higher and the slopes steeper, and Zhou You finally seemed unable to resist asking a question.

"Hey little monk, weren't you supposed to be working at the Taoist temple? Where are we headed?"

However, the other party simply replied in a muffled voice.

“The front hall of the Taoist temple is where guests are received. What right do you newly initiated believers have to stay there? The back hall is where the side rooms and alchemy workshop are located. That’s where you should stay.” Zhou You immediately stopped talking, but after a moment, he spoke again.

"Young man, what about the agreed-upon fee?"

"You won't get a single point less!" The young Taoist priest curled his lip in disdain, then muttered something under his breath.

He seemed to think the sound was so faint as to be almost imperceptible, so he didn't try to hide it, but Zhou You heard it clearly.

That sentence is.

"--It depends on whether you can actually receive it."

……

then.

It took more than an hour to walk along the long mountain road before we finally arrived at our destination.

The temple mentioned by the Taoist boy occupied a considerable area, but it looked quite old and somewhat dilapidated. Coupled with the already weak sunlight and the ever-present mountain mist, it seemed to resemble a ghostly realm.

And the main thing is.

Zhou You looked up.

This place is surrounded by cliffs on all sides, with only a suspension bridge connecting it to the outside world.
"I reckon even if someone dies here, no one will find out. Just throw the body down there, and in ten days or half a month, even if Detective Conan and Kindaichi teamed up, they wouldn't be able to solve the case."

"What are you muttering about?"

Seeing the young Taoist turn around and look at him, Zhou You quickly smiled.

"No, it's nothing, I'm just marveling at the magnificence and towering grandeur of this mountain."

"Alright, alright, stop with the fancy words—so what if you've read a few books and know a few characters? You still have to do these menial tasks under the geomancer."

The young Taoist interrupted impatiently, then began to give instructions to Zhou You as if reciting lines.

"Your lodging is in the house to the north. There are plenty of empty spaces available, so just find a place to stay. However, there are a few rules here that you need to remember."

Upon seeing Zhou You nod and smile in agreement, the young Taoist priest raised his small face and said arrogantly.

"First, you must not go down the mountain without a special reason. One reason is that we are afraid you will reveal the secret of Master Di's pill formula. The other reason is that there are large insects in this mountain. Several people have already been eaten. If you don't want to die, you should be careful."

"Secondly, after 9 PM, it is forbidden to leave the house; all rooms will be locked from the outside."

"Uh, what if I need to use the restroom?"

The young Taoist priest immediately retorted angrily.

"Have you no manners?! You're supposed to be an educated person, don't you know you shouldn't interrupt others when they're speaking?"

The young Taoist glared at Zhou You, but still explained.

"There is a chamber pot in the house, but remember to clean it yourself the day after you use it. Don't make it smelly and disgusting. Last time, a lazy man spilled it in his own house and made the whole manor smell like that. Also, the third point."

The young Taoist coughed lightly, then spoke earnestly.

"This is also the most important point: without permission, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely do not go to the alchemy room in the west. Don't blame me for not warning you; that's where the geomancer refines pills. Right now, he's at a crucial moment. If you go and disturb him, being beaten to death would be the least of your worries; the worst that could happen is..."

The young Taoist didn't continue speaking, but simply gave two meaningful snorts.

Zhou You didn't mind; he just kept asking with a simple and honest expression.

"By the way, I heard Master Wang mention that he was going to hire someone to work in the alchemy room. I was wondering if I'm qualified to do that."

The young Taoist glanced at him, then unabashedly spat a mouthful of phlegm onto the ground.

"Pah! You're just a newcomer to the sect, and you think you can suck up to the geomancers? Go back to being a lowly servant and suffer! Let me tell you, only someone like me is qualified to help, after all..."

The young Taoist said proudly.

"We're favored by that empress!"
-
Soon after.

The man at the mountain gate was kneeling on the ground, and in front of him was Wang Chengen, the geomancer from the temple fair earlier.

At that very moment, the man's forehead was pressed against the ground, his whole body trembling like a leaf, yet he dared not move an inch.

After a while, the geomancer Wang put down his work and slowly spoke.

"Hey Qiao Li, how's today's result?"

The man swallowed hard and continued.

"Reporting to the Earth Master, there are a total of 321 new members joining the sect today. Among them, two meet the requirements and can be recruited into the workshop. That brat who caused quite a stir in Chen County was also forcibly sent over as required. Finally, the expenditure on rice and grain this time is a bit too much, and the inventory is a bit insufficient."

Master Wang nodded, listened to each point, and then answered.

"It's alright if we don't have enough rice and flour; we can just ask the government for more. Anyway, that lord has already given the order, and even if they had the guts, they wouldn't dare disobey. As for the number of people joining the sect, the more the better. However, we have enough people in the alchemy room, so there's no need to recruit any more to avoid causing trouble. As for that brat, we'll keep him for now. If we're short of materials, we'll use him as materials; if not, we'll refine him and use him as evidence to appease those ignorant men and women."

The geomancer spoke very calmly, appearing like an ordinary division commander, but for some reason, the man trembled more and more violently—eventually the geomancer noticed the anomaly.

Then this person suddenly smiled and changed their words.

"Qiao Li, why are you so afraid?"

"You lowly servant... no, you lackey, you lackey are not afraid, but..."

The geomancer's smile grew even more benevolent.

"It's alright. I know what you're afraid of. It's just that your brother was trained by me, but he only brought it on himself. After all, I arranged such a good position for him, and he still managed to mess it up. Besides, if you look on the bright side, the sooner he was trained, the sooner he could get closer to the Empress, right?"

"—Or do you have some complaints about this?"

The man was so scared he almost wet himself, and all he could do was keep kowtowing on the ground.

"This servant wouldn't dare, this servant wouldn't dare!!"

"Alright, alright, stop causing trouble. I'm just telling you to do your job well, don't make any mistakes, and don't mess up what that person ordered you to do, understand?"

Seeing the man crawl away, the geomancer turned around and continued his work.

In front of him were some materials he would need for the day.

A few oddly shaped herbs, several piles of mineral dust of unknown form, some miscellaneous things, and...
A Taoist boy who was bound hand and foot and had his mouth gagged.

Then, Master Wang grinned and revealed a bright smile.

"Alright then, let me continue trying new elixir formulas—after all, one day I'll be able to find true immortality for Her Majesty and the Lord."

(End of this chapter)