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

Yunxi ignored the reactions below and started speaking immediately.

"You know, being a ghost is hard, being a good ghost is even harder. Look at the man next to me, my father, he's a well-known honest ghost for miles around."

Yunxi pointed at Ghost Father.

Ghost Dad nodded honestly.

"Yes, be honest."

"But even honest guys have their troubles," Yunxi said with a pained expression.

"They complained to me the other day that the quality of offerings these days is terrible. Before, it was pig's head and three sacrificial animals, but now? They just burn some paper money and call it a day."

"What's most infuriating is that some unscrupulous merchants print counterfeit ghost money! It says 'Heaven and Earth Bank' on it, and 'For Entertainment Only' below! Isn't that bullying ghosts?"

The kids in the audience immediately resonated with what they heard.

"Yeah! The money I received last time was fake! I almost got beaten to death when I went to the black market to buy things!"

"And those who burn paper iPhones, they don't even give me a charger, what use is it to me?"

The originally eerie atmosphere was completely transformed by these few words. The ghosts began to whisper among themselves, and a few even nodded in agreement.

Upon seeing this, Yunxi immediately increased her efforts.

"That's why I say, we ghosts have to stand up for ourselves! We can't just rely on the living burning those things. We have to start our own businesses! We have to contribute to economic development!"

"Like that headless guy over there," Yunxi pointed to a ghost in the audience who was holding his head.

"You look amazing! You could totally be an NPC in a haunted house at an amusement park! No makeup needed, just be yourself, and earning over ten thousand a month wouldn't be a dream! Isn't that better than gnawing on your nails here?"

The headless ghost was startled, and the fingers in its hand fell off.

It seems... to make some sense?

"And that long-tongued lady," Yunxi pointed to a hanged ghost.

"With that tongue of yours, you could totally be a rope bondage performer! Or you could knit sweaters—you'd be incredibly efficient!"

A burst of laughter erupted from the audience.

Although it was a ghostly laugh, which sounded a bit creepy, it was indeed laughter, not a scream.

The village chief sat in the main seat, his face growing increasingly grim.

That kid's got a silver tongue!

He originally used fear to control the villagers, but Yunxi's interference caused the villagers' resentment to dissipate considerably, and they even began to think about "ghost life planning".

How can I lead a team like this? The team's morale is completely shattered!

"That's enough!"

The village chief slammed his hand on the table, interrupting Yunxi's performance.

"What nonsense are you spouting! This is Fengmen Village! It's a ghost town! What are you talking about, starting your own business? Are you trying to rebel?"

Yunxi stopped, looking at the furious village chief with an innocent expression.

"Village chief, that's not funny. You asked me to do something cheerful just now. Everyone laughed, which means the show was good. But your shouting has ruined everyone's mood. That's not fair."

Although the ghosts below the stage dared not openly defy the village chief, their eyes clearly showed some dissatisfaction.

I'm finally getting some entertainment, why are you yelling?

The village chief took a deep breath and said in a sinister tone.

"What a quick-witted kid. Since you're so good with words, let's play something even more exciting."

"The third game is Truth or Dare!"

"The rules are simple: I'll ask you a question, and you must answer truthfully. If you lie, or can't answer, I'll cut your tongue out and use it as a snack with my drinks!"

The village chief's eyes gleamed with malice.

This wasn't an ordinary question; it was a rule-based killing that involved soul-searching.

"Listen carefully, my question is—"

The village chief stared intently into Yunxi's eyes and asked, enunciating each word clearly:

"Are you really the eldest grandson of the Li family?"

This is not just a question, it's a life-or-death question.

Yunxi is a time traveler, but he is not truly a time traveler. However, if he answers "no," he will be deceiving the entire family of vengeful ghosts, his identity will collapse, and he will surely die.

If you answer "yes," you are lying about the rules, and that means death.

This is a paradox where no matter how you answer, you're doomed!

The viewers in the live stream were instantly breathless.

"Damn it! That old bastard is too vicious!"

"How do we answer this? This is a dead end!"

"Yunxi has really messed up this time! Her identity has been exposed!"

Faced with the village chief's fatal question, the atmosphere in the room instantly froze to freezing point.

The ghost father and ghost mother froze abruptly. Although they weren't very intelligent, they instinctively looked at Yunxi.

In that instant, the filter of "family affection" in their eyes seemed to crack slightly, and the previously suppressed ferocity began to resurface.

If it's fake... if it's a scam...

Then we must tear him to pieces!

The village chief smiled smugly. He could almost see Yunxi being devoured by the vengeful ghost, her blood splattering everywhere.

"Speak up! Why aren't you saying anything?" the village chief pressed aggressively.

"Are you feeling guilty?"

Yunxi stood on the stage and remained silent for three seconds.

Then, he suddenly laughed.

They laughed so hard they were doubled over, and tears almost streamed down their faces.

"Hahaha! Village chief, village chief, I don't know whether to say you're senile or your eyesight is failing you when you ask that question."

Yunxi wiped away the tears of laughter from the corners of her eyes and looked at the village chief with a calm expression.

"Of course I am the eldest grandson of the Li family! The real deal! More real than gold!"

The village chief sneered.

"Still being stubborn? You look so clean and fresh, you don't resemble your dead father at all! You don't have a trace of corpse energy on you, you're clearly a living outsider!"

"Doesn't look like it?"

Yunxi pouted, walked to Ghost Father's side, and wrapped her arms around his bronze neck.

"Dad, tell everyone, do we look alike?"

The ghost father was a little confused. He looked at Yunxi's handsome face, then at his own blue-faced, fanged appearance, and realized it really didn't look like him. He hesitated for a moment, about to shake his head.

Yunxi spoke first.

"Fellow neighbors, be the judge! Look at my nose, my eyes, my ears—how are they different? They're clearly cut from the same mold!"

The ghosts below the stage: "..."

Brother, do you think we're blind? Apart from both having two eyes and a nose, how do they look alike?

Yunxi continued...

"As for why I'm handsome and my dad looks... well, that's a bit abstract. It's because of—a genetic mutation!"

"Or it could be inherited from a previous generation! Look at my grandfather!"

Yunxi pointed to the zombie king's grandfather below the stage.

"My grandpa must have been a handsome man when he was young! I took after him! Right, Grandpa?"

Although the Zombie King grandpa didn't quite understand what genetic mutation was, he had to admit it when his eldest grandson praised him for being handsome!

"Roar!" (Yes! Cool!)

The Zombie King nodded vigorously, even puffing out his chest as a gesture of respect.

The village chief was so angry his beard was trembling.

"Nonsense! What genetic mutation! I think you're lying! Rule it out! Judge it!"

He is calling upon the power of the rules of the instance.

However, a shocking scene unfolded.

No punishing thunderbolts fell from the air, and Yunxi's tongue was not cut off.

A system notification sounded in Yunxi's mind.