Rules of the Strange: Starting with the Lunar New Year's Eve Dungeon

The two eagerly reached out and grabbed the red envelopes, not even caring that Yunxi was still there.

The ghost father grabbed the red envelope, didn't even open it, and stuffed it directly into his mouth, swallowing it with a "gulp".

The ghost mother carefully hid the red envelope close to her body, a satisfied yet eerie smile on her face.

Now, only one red envelope remains.

That's for Yunxi.

The Zombie King pushed the red envelope in front of Yunxi, his green eyes fixed on him, as if expecting something.

"Grandson...take this...for your safety..."

Yunxi looked at the red envelope dripping with black liquid, and her mind was perfectly clear.

This thing can't possibly guarantee your safety! It's just a life-saving scam!

However, one should not refuse a gift from an elder.

This is an ironclad rule in folklore, and also one of the rules of this instance.

If they don't accept it, it's disrespectful to Grandpa, it's unfilial, and the Zombie King will immediately turn on them.

The viewers in the live stream started to worry for Yunxi again.

"You absolutely can't take this red envelope! Look, it's still dripping blood!"

"But I'll die if I don't take it! The Zombie King has already shown his claws!"

"This is another dead end! Does Yunxi have any solutions this time?"

Yunxi took a deep breath, a touching expression on her face.

"Thank you, Grandpa! Grandpa is so kind to me!"

He took the cold red envelope with both hands, and in that instant, he felt half of his body go numb, and a chill rushed straight to his heart.

System warning: [Cursed! Health -10... -20...]

Yunxi gritted her teeth and stubbornly refused to show it.

He stuffed the red envelope into his pocket, and then suddenly pulled something else out of his clothes.

That was a stack of yellow paper he had found while rummaging through drawers earlier, and a vermilion pen he had exchanged for with the points he had earned from the live stream rewards in the system shop.

"Grandpa, you gave me lucky money, so your grandson can't be ungrateful."

Yunxi said with a smile.

"As the saying goes, courtesy is reciprocity. This year's harvest is good, so I've prepared a big red envelope for you and your parents!"

As he spoke, in front of all the ghosts in the family, he picked up a vermilion pen and began to draw rapidly on the yellow paper.

What he drew was none other than the most basic Taoist item—the peace talisman.

Although the power of talismans may be weakened in this world where folk customs have been disrupted, cinnabar itself is an extremely yang substance, and coupled with the "filial piety" that Yunxi infused when drawing the talisman, this talisman still has remarkable effects.

"Here, Grandpa, this is for you."

Yunxi stuffed a yellow paper talisman folded into a triangle into the zombie king's hand.

"This is called a 'corpse-suppressing... oh no, a home-protecting amulet.' Wear it close to your body, and your back won't ache, your legs won't hurt, and you can jump five stories in one go!"

The Zombie King held the talisman in his hand, feeling a warm current flowing through his palm.

This heat was not as scalding as the previous red paper; instead, it felt like a gentle, nourishing medicine, making his meridians, which had been stiff for many years, feel much more comfortable.

"Ah...that feels good..."

The Zombie King narrowed his eyes and made a sound similar to a cat purring.

Yunxi drew two more pictures and handed them to Ghost Father and Ghost Mother respectively.

"Father, this is an 'Aphrodisiac... cough cough, Vitality Enhancement Talisman.' You've just finished evolving, so it's a good way to replenish your body."

"Mom, this is a 'beauty charm.' After you wear it, your neck will become straighter and your skin will become more radiant."

The ghost father and ghost mother took the talisman paper, each as if they had found a treasure.

The ghost father stuck the talisman on his forehead and felt his whole body filled with power; the ghost mother hung the talisman around her neck and her tilted head actually straightened up a little bit!

This isn't a red envelope; it's practically a miracle drug!

The way the ghost looked at Yunxi completely changed.

This isn't just a grandson; he's practically the family's god of wealth and savior!

[Ding! The whole family's favorability has increased to "Admiration"!]

[Ding! You have achieved the "Head of the Household" achievement! In this household, your word is law!]

Hearing the system notification, Yunxi breathed a sigh of relief.

This reverse red envelope distribution not only resolved the curse crisis but also completely subdued this family of vengeful ghosts.

"Alright, the red envelope has been sent and the money has been received."

Yunxi glanced at the clock on the wall; the hour hand had already pointed to 11:30.

The wind outside grew stronger and stronger, and heavy footsteps could be heard in the distance, making the ground tremble slightly.

That's the Nian beast approaching.

"The real battle is about to begin."

Yunxi stood up, walked into the courtyard, glanced at the two red lanterns hanging high, and then at the lighter she was holding in her hand.

"Dad, Mom, Grandpa."

Yunxi turned around, her gaze resolute.

"Whether our family can have a good New Year tonight depends on this one scare. Everyone better be on your guard! If anyone dares to mess up, they won't get any dumplings next year!"

"Roger!" (Understood!)

"Aww!" (Understood!)

"Hehe..." (Listen to your son!)

The entire family of vengeful spirits responded in unison, their momentum overwhelming.

In the live stream, Qin Shan looked at the New Year's Eve special forces team consisting of one person and three ghosts, and a long-lost smile appeared on his lips.

"This kid has really built up a team. Looks like the boss who's coming tonight is in for a rough time."

......

The time is 11:45.

There are only fifteen minutes left until midnight, the legendary "year-end".

The wind outside was no longer just howling, but had turned into the low growl of some kind of giant beast, making the window paper rattle.

The two red lanterns hanging at the door swayed wildly in the gale, as if they might go out at any moment.

The atmosphere inside the room was extremely tense.

Although the Zombie King was happy to receive the red envelope, he also felt the terrifying pressure outside. He paced anxiously in the room, his cloth shoes with thick soles making a dull sound on the ground.

The ghost father and ghost mother huddled in the corner, trembling uncontrollably even with the "divine talisman" given to them by Yunxi on their bodies.

It was a fear from the depths of one's soul, an instinctive dread of the "Nian Beast," a top predator.

Yunxi, however, remained seated at the octagonal table, a handful of melon seeds in her hand, leisurely munching away.

"Click, click."

The crisp sound of cracking sunflower seeds seemed particularly jarring in the quiet room.

"What are you all doing? You all look so miserable."

Yunxi spat out the sunflower seed shells, looked at her three good-for-nothing "family members," and said with a disappointed expression.

"It's just the Nian beast, why are you so scared? Our Li family has had many great figures in the past, how come you're all so cowardly in your generation?"

The ghost father raised his head with a pitiful expression.

"My child...that's Xi...she eats ghosts..."

"Eating ghosts?"

Yunxi sneered

"If it wants to eat, it'll have to see if it has a good set of teeth! Our door is made of iron; if it dares to come in, I'll break its teeth!"