Welcome to the Bizarre Games

Chapter 370 Meals
Everyone looked at each other.

Obviously, nobody wants to be that one.

In the end, Old Man Li gave the simplest solution.

Draw lots.

And that's common knowledge, isn't it?
When it comes to this kind of gambling, someone's luck is never very good.

Looking at the only short slip of paper in his hand, Zhou You's expression was quite interesting, but he couldn't say anything. He could only grab the straw rope by the well and jump down with a death wish.

Ulcerated wounds, abscesses from disease, and all sorts of proliferating tumors.
Come to think of it, I feel like I've seen this before?
However, before he could think any further, he landed on the ground.

The well wasn't actually deep, and besides, there was a fleshy lump to use as a stepping stone. Then Old Man Li climbed down the rope, followed by Lady Hua and Hanlu.
When everyone had arrived, Lady Hua first looked around, and then her eyes suddenly darkened.

"Li Lao Er, this thing is probably around level C, right?"

"Pretty much. Normally, we should wait for those famous sects to handle it, but now that these guys are either dead or have sealed off their mountains, we have no choice but to take care of it ourselves."

It wasn't until Zhou You had just started learning that Old Man Li even explained things to him.

“Disciple, as I told you before, these evil spirits are divided into different levels. The coffin we sent away before was probably only at the Ding level, which I could handle on my own, but this one…”

As he spoke, Old Man Li shook his head again and looked at Flower Maiden.

"I remember we handled a similar case before, right?"

"That's right. There were about ten of us when we set off, but in the end, only you and I, along with that old dog Ma who stole the door, came back. Fortunately, judging from the traces, this one is much weaker than the other."

Zhou You, watching the two men with somber expressions, suddenly felt something was amiss.

—If you think it's so difficult to handle, then you can just retreat and call on your friends and allies for help. Why bother with just the two of you and your two apprentices planning to go in?
However, after he raised this question, Old Man Li and Lady Hua exchanged a glance and then both smiled bitterly.

“Disciple, firstly, this place has clearly deteriorated to a certain extent. If it drags on any longer, it may really get out of control. Secondly, I have to tell you something. Do you know why we have been chasing this evil spirit all the way here?”

"Because the master is extremely poor, he'll starve to death if he doesn't chase after this thing?"

"That's only one aspect. In reality, we, from the upper class to the lower class, have all sworn a blood oath to spend our entire lives trying to find a way to wipe out these evil spirits. We've been chasing after these evil spirits not only for a living, but also for our own lives."

After Old Man Li finished speaking, Han Lu came over again, took out a powder box, and carefully applied makeup to Zhou You's face.

What are they up to now?
This time, it was Old Man Li who gave the explanation—he said it when Hua Niangzi forcibly turned his face towards her.

"They are divided into 'pure prostitutes' and 'lower prostitutes.' Lower prostitutes are called 'Li Hua,' skilled in seduction but never satisfied. Pure prostitutes are called 'Tao Hua,' who use music and makeup, but are always hungry. They will apply their own kind of 'Dai Yuan makeup' to you, which can deceive you to a certain extent. Just wait patiently."

As they were talking, Hua Niangzi finished applying makeup to the old man—to be honest, the old face paired with the exquisite makeup didn't make him look handsome at all; instead, it looked quite strange.

However, in Zhou You's perception, Old Man Li's existence suddenly became almost non-existent. If he could still see him, Zhou You would have thought that he had vanished into thin air.

Old Li looked at Zhou You and suddenly chuckled.

"I didn't realize, kid. You look pretty cool when you pick this up. Alright, we should set off after those two women finish drawing. Remember, you're officially possessed now. Be careful to stay close to your master and don't run around. Otherwise, no matter what you trigger, your master won't be able to save you."

Zhou You nodded in agreement.

Before long, the matter with Lady Hua was also resolved. This time, it was Old Man Li's turn to fold a paper lantern, put a bright candle inside, and let it emit a faint blue light. Then, carrying the lantern, he walked step by step towards the dark inner side.

This well used to be connected to groundwater, but now the river has long since dried up, leaving only scattered rocks. Traces of water erosion can still be seen between the stone walls, but unfortunately, they are now also covered with pustules.

Occasionally, when it breaks open, a spore-like mist can be seen.

Although they didn't see any enemies, Old Man Li and Lady Hua's expressions grew increasingly serious.

Less than ten minutes after they started walking, Old Man Li took out the last stick of incense he had prepared earlier.

About twenty minutes later, with a pained expression, Hua Niangzi took out a love knot and threw it into the lantern.

Half an hour later, Hanlu took off the beaded bracelet from her wrist and crushed it one by one without hesitation.

Even so, Zhou You could still feel something slowly but resolutely eroding his body.

That feeling was familiar, as if he had just witnessed it not long ago.

It was the Dharma Realm he had seen before in the stillborn infant.

What the hell? The supernatural disturbances in the late Qing Dynasty are almost as rampant as those of the gods?

Zhou You felt completely bewildered, but the surroundings made it difficult for him to think things through, until he rounded a corner and suddenly everything became clear.

This is a cave.

It's impossible to tell whether it's naturally formed or carved by human hands. There are many torches burning around it, not particularly bright, but enough to allow people to see clearly what's inside.

The first thing that catches the eye is a huge, writhing mass of flesh at the top of the cave. Its bright red body is covered with irregular blue blood vessels, making it look like a cancerous growth magnified hundreds or thousands of times.

—Then what you see is a big pot.

A very, very, very big pot.

The pot was probably five or six meters wide, and at first glance it looked like a large vat. It was now suspended in mid-air by iron chains, with firewood burning fiercely underneath.

That strange smell seeped into my nose and mouth again, even stronger than before.

The people from the neighborhood were also here before. Now, with the light, they could see clearly that everyone looked like they were seriously ill. They were all hunched over, their backs bent like camel humps, and their bodies were covered with all kinds of tumors, big and small. In fact, because there were so many growths, their faces were not clearly visible.

These people are now struggling to carry large and small bags and laboriously pouring things into large pots.

Overgrown branches, strange fungi growing on the walls, yellowish, wriggling moss, various dried-up fruits, and even the hands and feet of the mutated ghoul.
Of course, the most important material is still one.

It is self-evident.

The group poured all the meat from the cutting board into the pot, and someone below handed over a ladle. The person standing at the top began to stir, and all sorts of strange things floated and sank in the broth before turning into pure ash.

The food looked ready, so naturally, it was time to start the feast.

However, this group of people didn't use chopsticks or bowls. After extinguishing the flames, they weren't afraid of the remaining heat. They rummaged around under the pot and pulled out dozens of things that looked like large intestines.

Then, everyone sat on the ground, holding the other end of the large intestine in their mouths, and began to slurp it down.

By the light of the fire, Zhou You could also see the expressions on some people's faces.

It was intoxication, it was joy, it was as if it were the last glimmer of light that could be obtained in this endless suffering.

Zhou You couldn't help but think of another term related to the Qing Dynasty.

Opium. Old Man Li and Lady Hua looked at the scenery and began to whisper to each other.

"It didn't turn into a vengeful spirit, but it's close. It seems to be another one that mainly focuses on vengeance. Fortunately, it shouldn't be too high. If the two of us really want to deal with it, we can still handle it."

"But our sect isn't good at dealing with this kind of thing. These guys are clearly carrying a disease. That should be the specialty of the opera sect. By the way, Li Lao Er, are your paper figures any good?"

This time, Old Man Li fell into deep thought.

After a long while, he sighed.

“This time, a regular funeral procession probably won’t work. I’m afraid I’ll have to do something extra. You’ll have to lend a hand this time—and your apprentice too.”

Zhou You was taken aback.

"What's wrong, Master?"

"Have you learned most of what I taught you before?"

"Yes?"

However, while Zhou You's voice clearly sounded uncertain, Old Man Li's words were very firm.

“This time I’ll sing the lyrics, and you play the funeral director. Let’s give these brats a proper funeral procession.”

The feast for those people continues.

There was plenty of food stewing in the pot. Even though he wolfed it down for a long time, only a small portion was gone. Moreover, even if they were completely out of food, they still had other ingredients left.

Oh well, there are two more who will walk right into our trap tomorrow. It's all thanks to the reputation left by our ancestors that we can't do without those who want to take advantage of others.

But just as they were eating with peace of mind, suddenly, a faint sound arose.

The sound was so faint that it was almost indistinguishable without careful listening—the leader thought he had misheard and gave a wink to the person next to him.

The man then staggered to his feet and walked toward the direction from which the sound came.

But then, a shrill scream rang out.

what happened?
Before the huddled villagers could react, they heard the faint sound suddenly grow louder.

"On this auspicious day, heaven and earth open up."

"Lu Ban's design ensures a good roof."

According to the rites of the Duke of Zhou, men and women should be paired up.

"The filial family designates that drums be played during the funeral procession."

With this sound, paper money suddenly flew everywhere from the cave entrance.

Immediately, a paper figure with a bright red face, playing a suona horn, stepped into the room.

Following closely behind was a long queue.

First came the paper boys and girls, their faces painted red with exaggerated smiles; then came the man riding a horse and the girl riding an ox; next came the big-headed ghost and the road-clearing ghost; followed by servants, maids, and children; paper ingots gleamed, and paper folds of silver were heavy; there were the mournful cries of women and the sorrowful weeping of children.

The sedan chair carried burial treasures and precious stones, the chests were filled with thousands of copper coins, and there were soldiers guarding the city clearing the way, as well as Taoist priests with long beards and bald monks—this was no longer the funeral of ordinary people, but the funeral procession of princes and nobles.

Apart from the fact that almost everything in it is made of paper.

Zhou You stood in the middle of the procession, holding a mourning stick, scattering paper money while chanting lyrics from his memory.

"When the heavens open, there are eight trigrams; when the earth opens, there are five directions."

"Mountains can be traversed by galloping horses, and waters can be rippled with a thousand layers of waves."

"Everyone has three souls and seven spirits, and ghosts have a path of light."

To be honest, he does have some talent in this area. First, he has a foundation in cultivation, and second, his grandfather runs a bed and breakfast business, so he has some understanding of it from a young age.

But even if he's a genius, he's only been in the industry for a few months now. How could he possibly preside over this funeral all by himself?

But fortunately.

There was another person helping out nearby.

The girl named Hanlu, disguised as a maid, walked beside him. Whenever he sang off-key, she would subtly cover for him.

So, your sect leader really is having an affair with that old Li, isn't he? Otherwise, how could he be so skilled at it?
Faced with such a group, even the most obtuse villagers should have realized what was happening. Several of them dropped their intestines, picked up anything they could use as a weapon, and charged towards the group.

—The speed is not slow.

This was Zhou You's first thought.

These creatures appeared motionless, yet they were remarkably agile, especially within the intricate caves. These individuals moved as if on flat ground, and in just a few breaths, they had already approached the group.

In the past, Zhou You would have already drawn his sword to meet the attack, but now...
He didn't need to lift a finger.

Among them, the guards took out paper bows and arrows. Although they looked like they could be crushed with a pinch, they made a sound like they were cutting through the air when they were shot. Immediately afterward, the paper figures holding knives followed, and with a few strokes, they cut down several villagers.

The pustules covering its entire body burst instantly after its death, and the foul-smelling liquid instantly covered the opposite body, with countless spores vaguely growing in the shadows—it's unknown what would happen to a living creature if it were doused like that, but this was just a paper doll.

A paper figure without any body or soul.

Apart from being a little soft due to being soaked, it's perfectly fine.

At first glance, the group seemed to have gained the upper hand—but if the chaos could be resolved so easily, Old Man Li and Lady Hua wouldn't be so cautious.

Seeing that they couldn't break through for the time being, the villagers didn't make any more attempts and retreated cleanly and decisively. Then the leader shouted out.

"God!"

The enormous tumor that Zhou You had initially thought was a genuine malevolent entity did not respond.

The one who should respond is that pot.

A pair of crooked facial features suddenly appeared on the black cast iron.

Then, he smiled at Zhou You and the others.

This pot is alive.

(End of this chapter)