Chapter 82
Chapter 82
Cheng Miao hurried to catch up with the Village Head. The old man guarded his lantern so closely that touching it was impossible.
She could only inspect it from behind while fishing for information. “Village Head, Zhang Min is your son? I only noticed today. He looks a lot like you.”
The Village Head seemed to smile. “Yes. He’s my eldest son. Obedient and honest.”
This was the second time he had introduced Zhang Min, and Cheng Miao seized on the key word. “Your eldest? Do you have another son?”
After a moment’s silence, the Village Head sighed. “One more, but the younger one was born wrong in the head. He’s a fool.”
So the lunatic really was the Village Head’s other son.
The Village Head claimed his second son had been slow since birth, but Cheng Miao thought he looked more like someone driven mad by a terrible shock.
No one said anything else along the way. When they reached the lantern workshop, the old craftsman was still working, with several finished frames set aside.
As soon as the Village Head left, the players gathered to discuss their plans.
Except for Yezi, nearly everyone now had a lantern. Yezi said nothing, but anxiously snapped several strands of her own hair.
“Lin Zhu, we’ll have to trouble you to keep making lanterns here today. There’s somewhere I need to go.” Cheng Miao had been thinking about Song Yu’s death the entire way.
Song Yu had been sewn into a floral quilt. Cheng Miao had seen that same kind of quilt once before, at the old man’s home on the first day.
The old man had mentioned living with his daughter. Through a crack in the door, Cheng Miao had seen the woman sitting with her back turned, sewing a quilt.
This was exactly what Lin Zhu’s skill was meant for, so he accepted without hesitation.
“I’m going with you today,” Qi Jiajia said darkly, looking ready to bite Cheng Miao if refused.
Cheng Miao sighed. “Fine, fine. You can come.” Qi Jiajia wore the barrette Cheng Miao had returned to her. With that Item, she would be safe.
Only yesterday had Cheng Miao realized how precious Qi Jiajia’s Item was. She could not imagine what kind of deadly instance the girl had survived to receive something many players could not even dream of owning.
“I’ll follow the Village Head.” Qin Musong toyed with his handgun. The Village Head was important, and Qin Musong wanted to see what other clues he might reveal.
Su Shuang was a veteran player, but too timid to act alone. He looked at the two brothers, then at Qin Musong.
Qin Musong shrugged. “I don’t care if you follow me, but I won’t guarantee your safety.”
Su Shuang nodded gratefully. He understood. If danger came, he did not expect anyone to save him.
Qin Wen left with Qin Wu. He had his own method of training his brother.
Lian Ge said nothing. Taking the lantern Lin Zhu had given her the day before, she departed as well.
She was like a mysterious, beautiful painting no one could decipher.
That left Yezi, Xiao Xu, Zhang Lele, and Lin Zhu.
Xiao Xu and Zhang Lele were too frightened to leave. The successive deaths had shattered their courage.
They knew it was wrong to reap benefits without contributing, but they truly did not dare go outside.
Yezi stayed because she had failed to make a lantern and could not bring herself to ask Lin Zhu for one.
Every member of Cheng Miao’s team possessed mysterious abilities. Yezi no longer dared use force to make Lin Zhu serve her.
Lin Zhu’s skill would expire tomorrow, so he needed to make as many lanterns as possible before then.
Xiao Xu and Zhang Lele continued working too. They might not need the lanterns, but keeping busy helped distract them.
“Take your time. You’ll manage one eventually.” Perhaps Yezi looked too miserable, because Xiao Xu leaned over and spoke softly. Yezi ignored her, staring gloomily out the gate.
Having been ignored, Xiao Xu rubbed her face and sat back down. After exchanging exaggerated looks with Zhang Lele for a while, she lowered her head and resumed making her lantern.
Carrying a lantern, Cheng Miao and Qi Jiajia followed their memories through the crowds. After running for a while, Qi Jiajia leaned closer. “Doesn’t it seem like the villagers’ lanterns are better than yesterday?”
Cheng Miao studied the lantern carried by a middle-aged woman with a basket of vegetables.
It was indeed more translucent than theirs. A soft halo radiated from it, tempering the harsh redness.
“They make lanterns for a living. Of course theirs are better than ours.” Qi Jiajia clutched Cheng Miao’s clothes, but kept pace so well that Cheng Miao did not feel held back.
“But they weren’t like that yesterday.” Qi Jiajia stopped examining the villagers and watched the road instead.
After the Village Head’s warning, the villagers no longer watched the outsiders with obviously suspicious gazes. But if a player stared too long, they returned it with a look that made one’s skin crawl.
“The ceremony is important to them. Maybe they’ll bring out even better lanterns tomorrow.” Cheng Miao had no better explanation.
They turned into the deserted alley from before. If the old man was home, Cheng Miao would distract him while Qi Jiajia investigated the woman sewing quilts inside.
Fortunately, the old man appeared to be out. No one answered even after they knocked for a long time, so Cheng Miao and Qi Jiajia nimbly climbed over the wall.
The courtyard was empty, with one bright red lantern hanging overhead. Qi Jiajia was about to speak when Cheng Miao signaled with her eyes. Following her gaze, Qi Jiajia saw the bedroom door standing slightly open. Someone was inside.
Cheng Miao drew the Fishbone Dagger and slowly approached with Qi Jiajia.
It was the same woman she had glimpsed before, seated with her back to the courtyard. A quilt lay in her lap. She held a needle in her right hand and drew out a long length of thread.
“Hello?” Cheng Miao knocked twice. The woman had not reacted to her voice, but her back stiffened at the knocks.
That proved the deadly nighttime knocking had begun long before these players arrived.
“What do you want? My father isn’t home.” The woman’s stiffness lasted only an instant. Cheng Miao would have missed it had she not been watching closely.
The woman still did not turn. Cheng Miao pressed her tongue against the inside of her mouth and took a gamble. “We’re here to see you.”
“Me? I haven’t left this house in years. Why would you be looking for me?” Her voice was raspy. Unlike the Village Head’s smoke-worn rasp, hers sounded as though her throat had been torn apart.
“We want to ask about the lanterns.”
Thump. The quilt fell from the woman’s hands. She made no move to retrieve it.
She slowly turned around. Cheng Miao and Qi Jiajia tensed every muscle. The woman had no skin on her face.
Back at the courtyard, Xiao Xu and Zhang Lele were bored senseless. At first, they had enough patience to work on lanterns, but after ruining one, they tossed it aside.
They already had one between them. Since they would not go out separately during the day, one was enough.
Xiao Xu paced the courtyard, sat down, then stood again only minutes later.
After a while, she approached the daydreaming Zhang Lele. “Lele, do you… need to use the restroom?”