Chapter 267
Chapter 267
Demonic music lingered in the rafters for three days without end.
That described Qingqing’s singing: a demonic sound circling the beams.
Listen to her sing for three days, and not a soul would survive.
Under Boss Zhang’s scheme, the ten-minute Ferris Wheel ride gave Qingqing’s singing time to shatter almost everyone’s mental defenses.
Zhang Bei unfastened his safety belt and pushed open the Ferris Wheel’s glass cabin.
Behind him lay Qingqing, sprawled on the ground with all hope in life extinguished.
The Suxiao Jiuxin Wan was still working. After only two or three minutes, Zhang Bei hauled Qingqing straight toward the next attraction.
For three full hours, they went from the Drop Tower to the Ferris Wheel, then from the Giant Swing to the Roller Coaster.
Boss Zhang didn’t even spare the Disco Horse or Bumper Car.
During that time, three giveaways awarded one platypus and two tickets for a Moon tour.
Of course, apart from the three winners, most of the Live Stream’s audience had gone numb.
Every word of three solid hours of singing had reached their ears, after all.
And as a talent streamer, Qingqing had demonstrated her abilities today.
In three hours, she had not repeated a single song.
Nor had she sung a single one in tune!
In certain respects, she was a real talent.
Standing not far away, Li Yang shuddered at the sight of Qingqing’s miserable condition.
Those two must have lost their minds. Why did they keep coming up with plots against the boss when they had nothing better to do?
If he were that easy to trick, how could he have survived this long?
Plans needed to be more meticulous!
As Li Yang thought of his own plan, amusement immediately filled his eyes.
But it wasn’t time to reveal it yet. He had to wait at least until his boss was on the Island.
Of course, Li Yang hadn’t come over just to see how badly Qingqing was suffering.
Someone had come to the Amusement Park. Given the visitor’s unusual identity, Li Yang felt he ought to inform Boss Zhang.
“Boss, there’s a monk outside. Says he’s come for alms.”
Zhang Bei was depositing Qingqing onto a nearby chair. Li Yang’s words made him pause.
“A monk?”
“Yes. An old monk.”
“Take me to see him.”
As everyone knew, the Buddha didn’t save broke bastards.
Zhang Bei wanted to see what had brought this monk to his Amusement Park.
Leaving the Live Stream aimed at the still-dazed Qingqing, he followed Li Yang to the Amusement Park’s entrance.
An old monk with a whitening beard stood there, turning prayer beads in his hands.
“May I ask what brings you here?”
“Alms.”
“How much?”
The old monk pressed his palms together. “This humble monk seeks no money, only a filling meal. In return, I may offer judgment on a matter, or a word of insight.”
Zhang Bei rubbed his chin. A monk who didn’t want money was a rare sight.
He wanted to see whether this one was truly an eminent monk.
“Of the eight sufferings of mortal life, may I ask how many you bear, Abbot?”
“Having walked through the world’s many experiences, this humble monk has been fortunate enough to be freed of three.”
“Which three?”
“The suffering of parting from those one loves, of meeting those one hates, and of seeking what one cannot obtain.”
Zhang Bei nodded slightly. “You are an eminent monk.”
“I am unworthy of the title.”
Li Yang rubbed his not-particularly-brilliant head. He hadn’t understood a single word of their conversation.
But he possessed the fine Huaxia virtue of asking when he didn’t understand.
“Boss, what are you talking about?”
Zhang Bei gave Li Yang a disdainful look.
“Read more books when you have the time!”
Utterly confused, Li Yang followed the two into the Cafeteria.
“Venerable sir, do you eat only vegetarian fare, or do you accept clean meat?”
In earlier times, monks ate meat too, sometimes even more than ordinary people.
Clean meat meant meat from an animal not killed in their presence, with no traces of blood.
There were still certain taboos, however: cattle, dogs, snakehead fish, and swallows.
No monk, regardless of kind, would eat those four meats.
The old monk pressed his palms together and thanked Zhang Bei.
“This humble monk may eat clean meat.”
Amusement filled Zhang Bei’s eyes as he turned toward Chef Li.
“One Amusement Park set meal. Leave out the beef and any meat with visible blood.”
Chef Li gave them a curious look. “All right!”
The old monk had been smiling all along. Walking here from the plateau, he had encountered countless people.
But this was his first time meeting anyone like this owner.
Another story on his journey in pursuit of the Buddha. That, too, was a fortunate encounter for him.
“May I ask your Dharma name?”
“This humble monk’s Dharma name is Jitian.”
Jitian?
Zhang Bei was silent for a long time.
A Dharma name was generally bestowed by the abbot after one entered a monastery.
And abbots were usually among the monastery’s older members.
Even if Jitian had entered the monastery at ten, the old abbot back then must have been over forty.
A forty-something man with adolescent delusions of grandeur?
Zhang Bei shuddered and forced himself to stop thinking.
He was afraid he would come up with some spectacularly overblown name.
But Boss Zhang was Boss Zhang. The unknown filled him with a desire to explore.
“May I ask whether your master was named Fentian?”
The old monk shook his head. “No.”
Seeing him deny it, Zhang Bei sighed in relief. Good. Not what he had imagined.
Otherwise, he really would have laughed aloud.
“Fentian is my senior brother.”
Silence fell. Zhang Bei stared at Jitian, unsure what to make of him.
Now I really want to know where your monastery is.
Why do I get the feeling you worship a Gundam rather than the Buddha?
“Benefactor, for the meal you offer, I should give something in return. I have observed your Amusement Park for some time and gained a little insight.”
“Please, go ahead.”
“All things in this world have cause and consequence. Today’s cause bears tomorrow’s fruit. One should do good.”
Mystical as it sounded, Zhang Bei understood.
The old monk meant that this place tormented people too much and was liable to bring retribution upon him.
If he wanted to avoid retribution, the best method was to go all the way.
So far that nobody dared seek revenge.
Zhang Bei looked at the old monk again, this time with approval in his eyes.
At last, someone had recognized his love for the visitors!
Full of joy, Zhang Bei began chatting happily with the old monk.
Nearby, Chef Li washed vegetables, watching with mixed feelings.
Had his boss misunderstood something?
Surely the old monk had just meant that he ought to restrain himself a little?
The more excited he became, the more obvious it seemed that he had taken it the wrong way.
But one spoke in ever more mysterious terms, while the other grew ever more excited.
They were clearly on entirely different wavelengths, yet their conversation was lively.
Chef Li set an Amusement Park set meal on the table and looked sympathetically at the unsuspecting old monk.
There weren’t many genuine monks like this left. He hoped the man would still believe in his Buddha after today.
Zhang Bei handed the old monk a pair of chopsticks. “Please!”
The old monk looked at the covered plate and nodded slightly.
“Thank you, benefactor!”
Thank him?
The instant the lid came off, the old monk swore he had never experienced such a shock in his life.
Forget being a monk. Surely not even a pervert would consider these things food?