I, the screenwriter, have experienced a resurgence of inspiration.

Despite the lingering fear, the task still needed to be completed.

That night, the group checked into the Laifu Inn.

……

The inn's main hall was small, with four square tables set with rough pottery teaware. A few flies buzzed around, and a waiter was dozing off at one of the tables in the corner.

In the past few months, the inn has been deserted because of the haunting of Lan Garden.

Upon seeing a customer enter the shop, the shopkeeper was overjoyed. He kicked his waiter, who then reluctantly picked up the teapot and bowed as he came over to greet the customer.

"Esteemed guests, would you like a meal or a room? Our inn's cook is exceptionally skilled at cooking mutton; the meat is tender and the bones are soft, it's incredibly fragrant! Would you like a few pounds to go with your drinks?"

He was young, but extremely talkative; before he could finish three sentences, he had recounted everything that had happened in the city recently:

"Are you here to visit relatives or to do business? If you ask me, it's best to avoid staying in the south of the city these days; things haven't been peaceful there lately."

As he spoke, he glanced at the shop owner behind him, poured tea, and winked at Zhao Weilai:

"It's that orchid garden that's been haunted lately. Every night, people have seen a blue-faced, fanged monster wandering around outside the garden."

I heard that ghost can breathe fire and has already eaten more than a dozen demon hunters without even spitting out their bones.

Our inn used to be packed with guests every day, but now we hardly see anyone around all day long. The innkeeper is so worried that he's even plucked out his beard.

I also heard that some foreign sorcerers were causing trouble on the streets today, using some kind of trick to turn people into monkeys, and they got their heads chopped off—too bad I didn't see it, tsk tsk."

This guy is only fourteen or fifteen years old, but he speaks like a man who's much older than his age.

"If you say that, aren't you afraid the manager will punish you if we don't stay at the hotel?"

Zhao Weilai feigned confusion and asked in a low voice:

"We came here because of the evil spirit in the orchid garden. Why don't you tell me, what's the deal with this evil spirit in the orchid garden?"

"Who doesn't know that!"

The waiter's eyes widened: "Master Hu is a first-rate philanthropist. He has seven daughters, each one as beautiful as a flower."

That orchid garden was built like a fairyland, with orchids everywhere under the eaves. They even held orchid appreciation events in the past.

But now it's not possible. That evil spirit has come and roars outside the garden every day, saying that it wants Lord Hu to marry his daughter to him.

Who could bear this? Old Master Hu couldn't do anything about the evil spirit; he cried in the garden every day.

Zhao Weilai and Su Ya exchanged a glance.

Deng Ziwen, imitating Ding Feifan, generously stuffed a gold ingot into the waiter's hand and asked him what the evil spirit looked like.

The waiter trembled with fright, instinctively glancing behind him. Feeling guilty, he pushed the gold back and quickly said:

"That evil spirit was said to be over four zhang tall, with pustules on its head, a blue face and fangs, and a naked body, wearing only a piece of animal skin. It was extremely ferocious, and its fire could reach the treetops."

There used to be a Taoist priest who set up an altar outside the garden. That ghost breathed fire back at him, and half of his body was charred.

He whispered a reminder to the group:

"If you have nothing else to do, you'd better leave quickly, that evil spirit is very ferocious!"

After saying this, the waiter ran away without even taking the tip.

Several people looked at each other.

"I think there's something wrong with this garden."

Su Ya was the first to voice her opinion: "On our way here, several groups of people have mentioned that this 'Lord Hu' is charitable and benevolent. Could it be that he's only outwardly kind and has done bad things in private, causing a vengeful ghost to come knocking on our door to claim our lives?"

"Why would a vengeful ghost want his daughter? And why does it want her to marry him? This ghost is really ugly."

Deng Ziwen nodded seriously:

"I think we should start by analyzing the name of the dungeon—'The Fox in the Orchid Garden.' Could it be that the ghost is actually a fox in disguise?"

I read *Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio*, and the foxes in it are all very vengeful. Could it be that this Master Hu has a grudge against a fox, and it's deliberately trying to get back at him?

That makes some sense.

Zhao Weilai remained noncommittal: "It's said that more than a dozen Taoist priests and monks died earlier, and those who died might be players. In any case, dealing with this ghost won't be easy."

"Could those two players we saw during the day be on the same quest as us?"

A new player excitedly asked, "They look so strong! They took down the other two players in no time! Can we team up with them?"

"Why should they team up with us?"

Zhao Weilai glanced speechlessly at the new player who had said that:

"The mission rewards are limited. Whether there are more or fewer people sharing them, don't they know how to calculate it? Next time you encounter them, don't go up to them asking to join a team. Dungeons aren't games; people can really die in them."

The new player gave an awkward smile and sat back down.

The veteran players, however, were all in a heavy mood.

During the day, the system notified them that they had all seen it—when a player dies, their points and items will be lost.

This means that players will face an even more difficult survival environment in the future.

……

……

……

That night, Zhao Weilai and the others waited by the window with their eyes open all night, but they did not see the legendary "evil ghost" at all.

After discussing it, the group decided to visit Master Hu directly.

There is a grove of old trees around the orchid garden. From the outside, the courtyard wall looks very high, and the top of the wall is covered with dark green creeping fig. When the wind blows, all the leaves on the wall move.

The gate was painted, the door studs were shiny with copper, and two stone lions, each about half a person's height, were crouching at the main entrance.

Strangely, the two stone lions looked rather odd, with pointed ears and no fangs, resembling canines or dogs.

Zhao Weilai and the others went up and knocked on the door. The person who opened the door was a servant boy, about sixteen or seventeen years old, short and thin, like a mantis that hadn't fully grown up.

The servant first inquired about the origins of the group before going in to announce their arrival. After a while, he returned and said that Master Hu had invited them.

Main Quest 1: There's a ghost in the Orchid Garden. Find a way to enter and investigate. (Completed) Points +200.

Zhao Weilai and the others did not expect that they would complete the first task so easily.

Upon entering the garden, the group paused for a moment in surprise.

No wonder people outside the garden praise it so highly. From the outside, it looks like a deep courtyard with high walls, but once you walk in, you will understand why it is called "Orchid Garden".

The winding path paved with bluestone slabs extends deep into the distance, and all kinds of orchids are planted along the roadside.

Orchids bloom along both sides of the stone path, growing in clusters under tree roots, in rock crevices, and by the water.

There were orchids, cymbidiums, and cymbidiums, as well as many other flowers whose names I didn't know. They were all blooming in such a lively and fragrant way.

In an instant, the entire garden was filled with a wonderful fragrance, the aroma seeping into your very bones, growing stronger the further you went in.

It was so strong that the people in the back felt a little dizzy.

Deng Ziwen walked ahead, his big head turning left and right, and suddenly said in a low voice, "This place really looks like the place where fox spirits live in those stories from Liaozhai."

Ding Feifan responded with an "Mmm" in agreement.

Zhao Weilai and Su Ya looked around warily.

As the group walked deeper into the corridor, they heard the sounds of girls playing and laughing in the backyard.

"Hehehe, Third Sister, you're so naughty!"

"You trampled my orchid! I'm going to tell Father!"

"Oh dear, this butterfly probably won't survive..."

"Did you eat chicken today? I can smell roasted chicken..."

"Huh? Why do I hear footsteps from strangers?"

Someone chuckled softly, but then it sounded like someone covered their mouth halfway through their laughter.

Even Zhao Weilai, upon hearing this voice, would subconsciously feel that there must be several very beautiful and lovely girls on the other side of the wall.

But their expressions grew increasingly grim.

Strange-looking foxes and stone lions, a secluded and beautiful garden, and a beautiful and affectionate young lady.

Add to that the surname of the garden's owner—this is just too much like something out of a Chinese folktale.

It's no wonder they have stereotypes.

The Hu family is probably a den of foxes who have become cunning!

……

……