You Su's Flower Name; An Absurd Game (5k)

"Young man, you can't even afford to feed yourself, and you still want to keep a cat?"

The person in front of me was of medium height, wearing a well-tailored cotton-padded coat, with a broad forehead, a straight nose, and eyes that were deeper than those of the average person from the Northern Ao Continent.

He greeted You Su with a smile, his tone gentle and friendly, yet there was an inexplicable sense of superiority about him.

You Su frowned. The disdain in the eyes of the person in front of him was almost overflowing. This person must be the one he was waiting for.

"It's been with me since it was a kitten. I can't just abandon it, can I?" You Su scratched his head sheepishly and then hugged Bai Ze back into his arms.

The middleman nodded slightly upon seeing this. He knew very well that those who were most willing to work like slaves were those with elderly parents and young children to support. And this cat was clearly the young man's concern; as long as the cat was around, it was equivalent to holding the young man's weakness in his hands.

"That's right, your cat is quite handsome, it must cost a lot of money to keep it," the middleman asked knowingly.

You Su could tell that the middleman had no cultivation level, which put him at ease a little.

"Sigh, that's why I came to Shuo City to find a job to support it since I can't afford to keep it anymore... Boss, don't underestimate me just because I'm young. I'm very strong and capable! You can ask me for help with anything!" You Su enthusiastically offered his services, showing his eagerness for a job.

The middleman looked You Su up and down, nodding repeatedly, clearly quite satisfied with You Su's physique.

"I do indeed have a cushy job here..."

"I can do it, boss!"

"Don't rush, how old are you? And where are you from?"

"I'm nineteen this year, and I'm from Baiyun Village, North Pole City," You Su answered one by one. Baiyun Village was the deserted village where he had previously met Qu Ye.

The middleman rolled his eyes, as if trying to recall the place, but North Pole City was already a deserted city; who would remember any villages over there? He waved his hand and asked again:

"Then why can't you get into the city by yourself?"

You Su was prepared for this, and said sadly, "I was born and raised in the village, but my parents died early, and I wasn't even registered in North Pole City. When I grew up and wanted to register, the officials in North Pole City ignored me. I couldn't make a living by hunting there, so I thought I'd come to this big city to try my luck."

"I see... There are indeed quite a few people like you. There's nothing we can do about it. Who can blame us when there are so many messy villages in the Northern Ao Continent? We've been calling for people to come to the city to build these big houses together, but those ignorant people just wouldn't come. They insisted on staying in their dilapidated huts. Now they want to come, but they can't." The middleman sighed and shook his head.

The development of the Northern Ao Continent was late, and at that time, many people's concepts were still stuck in the idea of 'tribes', and they couldn't understand how many different ethnic groups could squeeze together to form a city. Now they have realized the benefits of cities, but the limited urban space cannot accommodate so many 'barbarians', which means that many people born in remote villages cannot obtain an officially recognized identity.

"Yes, yes, yes..." You Su echoed repeatedly.

The middleman glanced at You Su with satisfaction. "Don't worry, I've seen at least fifty, if not a hundred, of people in your situation. This job is lucrative, but it's not easy. I've looked at so many people, but I chose you. If you're willing to do it, then do it well. I'll take care of getting you into the city."

"Thank you, boss! I will definitely work diligently and conscientiously!" You Su promised earnestly, her performance seamless.

"You're lucky. If you do this cushy job well, you'll enjoy endless wealth and luxury. Don't forget me then." The middleman patted You Su's shoulder, seemingly giving it a squeeze. "Come on, follow me."

You Su raised an eyebrow, feeling a chill run down his spine for some reason after being pinched. "Boss, what kind of job is this...? It sounds too good to be true..."

His timid appearance really made him look just like a poor boy from the mountains.

The middleman frowned and turned around, saying menacingly, "What are you afraid of? There are so many people outside, why would I need to cheat you? Let me make this clear, this city is hard to enter, and it's hard to leave! If you're worried I'll cheat you, then get lost! It doesn't matter who I find, you really think you're something special!"

"No way, boss... I'm just a little shy... I'll definitely do my best!" You Su quickly took two steps forward, closely following behind the middleman.

The middleman then turned around and continued walking, his expression one of disdain.

"Um... don't you need to ask my name?" You Su asked softly.

"No need. What you used to be doesn't matter. Just remember your new name from now on."

The middleman did not lead You Su directly to the city gate, but instead left the main road and entered a side path.

You Su clenched her fist quietly; the plan was already half successful.

The middleman's purpose in coming here is definitely to help him obtain a fake identity document.

"Boss, so... what should my new name be?"

The middleman stopped and turned around; You Su could sense that his gaze had changed again.

It was no longer contempt, but rather an aggressive admiration, like... a man sizing up a woman.

"Let's call it Sakura."

With a "bang".

The drafty door was kicked open.

"Your identification is ready. Have you memorized all the poems I asked you to?"

Dressed in the same manner as always, the middleman straightened his collar and barged in.

Bai Ze darted into You Su's arms in a flash. Although it verbally expressed extreme disdain for You Su, it had long regarded You Su's arms as the safest little nest in its heart.

"I've memorized it..." You Su's voice lacked confidence.

"Recite a few lines for me to hear," the middleman said coldly.

"The landscape is a blur, the well is a dark hole. A yellow dog has white spots, a white dog has swollen spots..."

"You really have talent! You memorized it in just one day! This is a huge windfall!" The middleman looked at him like he was seeing a treasure, urging, "The higher-ups need it urgently, come with me!"

You Su got up and followed, but her previously humble expression instantly turned sharp.

He was confined in this small house outside the city for a day, and all he had to do was memorize the unremarkable doggerel he had just recited. Along the way, he was served good food and hot water, as if they were afraid he wouldn't be able to memorize it. However, You Su memorized the poem perfectly after reading it only once.

But You Su had no interest in enjoying it, because he already had a vague idea of what kind of cushy job the middleman had introduced him to.

The Northern Ao Continent values martial prowess, especially masculinity amidst wind and snow. The men here always have an inexhaustible fire to vent. Therefore... the land of Northern Ao, with its biting cold winds, is actually the place with the most prevalent homosexuality in all five continents, even more so than the Southern Yang Continent, where men and women are considered equally feminine.

The middleman's reason for having You Su recite poems was likely to package him as a 'Sakura' youth with some knowledge of poetry and literature, so that he could fetch a good price. After all, this kind of artistic type is a rare commodity in the Northern Ao Continent.

You Su did not consider homosexuality strange, but when it happened to him, he naturally wouldn't sit idly by. So he secretly decided that once he entered the city, he would definitely get rid of this human trafficker who lured refugees.

"Take this document. When we enter the city later, say whatever I tell you to say, and keep your mouth shut when I don't tell you to speak!"

The middleman handed over a document stamped with a red seal, which recorded You Su's name and background. Of course, not a single word on it was genuine, but as long as the red seal was real, that was enough.

You Su carefully kept this hard-won fake identity document; this person named 'Da Bang' might become his new identity in the Northern Ao Continent.

Wait, this name?!

For a moment, You Su didn't know whether he should tear up the certificate. He quickly guessed that this was also a marketing tactic used by the middleman.

Beneath the falling snow, a carefree young man, as delicate as Sakura, recites poetry, yet bears the suggestive name 'Da Bang'. This stark contrast ignites the lustful desires of those men...

Is this city truly unavoidable...? You Su was troubled, yet the answer was self-evident.

Even if we disregard food, hot water, and inns, there's something even more important about getting into town: a car.

The difficulty of traversing the snowy roads is incomparable to the smooth roads of the Central Yuan Continent. To reach the Kong Yuan Divine Mountain from here, one must cross snow-capped mountains, traverse icy lakes, and overcome various difficulties, which would take at least two months. Trekking alone in the icy wilderness for two months would undoubtedly be a torment to both body and mind. Therefore, many people in the Northern Ao Continent have never even left their homes.

Qu Ye and Miss Wang had always traveled by snowmobile. The reason they walked to the North Pole Snowfield was because no vehicles were willing to go to the desolate Arctic.

"I'm really going to strike it rich this time!"

The middleman clenched his fist excitedly. If he weren't afraid of scaring You Su, he would have loved to grab You Su again.

Walking back to the place where You Su had been waiting yesterday, the refugees were still huddled together for warmth, waiting for those unscrupulous merchants to come and give them a way out, or a way out of death.

You Su sighed inwardly, but there was nothing she could do.

Would killing the three Evil God make the world a better place? The answer is clearly no.

This further strengthened You Su's resolve to uncover the mastermind behind Chen Yi's scheme; the pristine white snow had concealed too much darkness that should have been exposed.

Suddenly, You Su noticed that the refugees all stood up at once, and their previously miserable faces became full of life.

"Here he comes! He's here again!" the refugees told one another, rising to their feet as if to welcome someone's arrival.

This scene piqued the interest of the middleman, who then moved over to see what was going on.

"Making money! Making money! Honest and fair dealings, making money!"

A shout carried from afar.

You Su raised an eyebrow and recognized the newcomer at a glance, or rather, it was impossible for him not to recognize him.

The newcomer was a handsome middle-aged man with thick eyebrows, large eyes, and a few strands of white hair mixed in with his temples. He had an enigmatic smile on his lips. In terms of looks alone, he would definitely be a heartbreaker, but his attire shattered any semblance of elegance he might have.

He was dressed in an extremely comical and exaggerated seven-colored Daoist robe, which made him look like a flamboyant peacock in the black, white and gray world. Behind him, he dragged a box made of a few old wooden planks, covered with a white cloth with a crude Bagua diagram drawn on it, which looked both shabby and ridiculous.

This outfit makes him an absolute oddity in the Northern Ao Continent.

But it was precisely this fake, flamboyant Daoist priest that attracted a large crowd of refugees. They all surrounded the priest's stall, eagerly anticipating something.

"Come on, come on! Don't push! Line up and take your time! Everyone has a chance!"

The Flower Daoist continued his calls.

The middleman watched from afar, spitting inwardly, "Damn it, they're stealing my business on my turf. You've squeezed these poor bastards dry, what am I supposed to squeeze out of them?"

You Su listened intently, his brows furrowing deeply.

He followed the middleman, watching the spectacle, and only then did he realize that the reason this Flower Daoist had attracted these refugees was because they could play a free game.

The rules of the game are simple: there are three hidden compartments in that simple box, one of which contains one tael of silver, while the other two compartments are empty.

He first let the participating refugees choose a hidden compartment, then mercifully opened an empty compartment to eliminate a wrong answer for the refugees, and finally let the refugees choose again from the remaining two compartments.

The vast majority of refugees chose to stick to their decision when faced with the remaining two hidden compartments. However, despite the odds being at most 50/50, significantly fewer people actually received a tael of silver. This left many filled with regret, but unfortunately, each refugee only had one chance.

You Su looked at the Daoist priest, his sword-like eyebrows relaxing slightly. He had thought the priest was a charlatan, but it seemed that this Flower Daoist was genuinely giving out benefits. Every refugee who guessed the location of the silver coin would immediately receive one or two taels of silver, but not everyone would receive this benefit.

But what puzzled You Su was, what was the Daoist priest's purpose in doing this?

"Hey boss, why don't you try your luck too?" the Daoist priest said with a grin, seeing the middleman staring at him with a resentful look.

The middleman snorted and said disdainfully, "You think you can fool me with this childish trick?"

The Daoist priest remained smiling, "This is free, how can it be called a scam?"

The middleman was a compulsive gambler; the reason he couldn't accumulate any wealth despite engaging in these shady businesses was that he squandered it all at the casinos. Although he didn't care much for a single tael of silver, he couldn't resist the temptation and immediately made the decision:

"Fine, I'll play along with you!"

Seeing this, You Su didn't want to cause any more trouble; he just wanted to get into the city as quickly as possible. So he whispered, "Boss... let's go into the city first."

To everyone's surprise, the middleman waved his hand dismissively and said, "Get out of here!"

The Flower Daoist smiled meaningfully, "Alright then, I wish you good fortune, boss! Come on, pick one."

After saying this, the Daoist priest, as before, laid out three hidden compartments and let the middleman choose one.

The middleman confidently pointed to one, and the Daoist priest smiled and opened an empty door, leaving two hidden compartments for the middleman to choose whether to switch or not.

"To change or not to change? Boss, you'd better think it over carefully." The Daoist priest smiled.

The middleman hesitated for a moment, but then thought to himself that he had been in the martial arts world for years and couldn't be fooled by this Daoist priest, so he firmly said, "I won't trade!"

The Daoist priest laughed and opened the door to the middleman's choice; it was empty.

The middleman's face darkened, and he snorted, "It's just bad luck this time. Let's try again!"

"Perhaps he's just unlucky," the Flower Daoist said sarcastically.

"What did you say?!"

The middleman, a gambler, couldn't stand such words, especially from a Daoist priest. He was furious and made to tear down the Flower Daoist's fortune-telling stall.

Forced by the tyrannical power of the Flower Daoist, he had no choice but to stop her and coax her, saying:

"It's just that I'm bad at talking. Boss, you'll definitely have better luck next time."

"Then let's do it again!"

"But... but the rule is that each person only has one chance..." The Flower Daoist hesitated.

The middleman immediately pulled out a handful of loose silver and shouted angrily, "I'm spending money to play!"

The Flower Daoist hesitated for a moment before finally saying, "Since the master's intention is so strong, then let's do as the master says. I'm not a swindler. How about this: I'll put the loose silver you gave me into the hidden compartment. If you guess correctly, you can take all of my silver, including this tael. If you guess wrong, you'll have to pay the same amount again, but I'll still put it all into the hidden compartment. That way, the master will eventually be lucky. How about it?"

The middleman, caught up in his gambling frenzy, paid no heed to the finer details of the rules and immediately roared:

"Fine! Let's get this straight: if I find out you're playing dirty tricks, I'll chop off your hand!"

With a whoosh, a gleaming silver knife was stuck into the ground, startling the surrounding refugees who gasped in disbelief.

So the middleman played the game several more times, and in the end, regardless of whether he chose to switch or not, he always chose the blank space.

His face turned ashen, and he firmly asserted that the Flower Daoist was cheating.

Helpless, the Flower Daoist simply asked a refugee to open the hidden compartment for him, while he stood far away.

Without exception, the result was still a space.

The middleman then claimed the refugee was a shill and even instructed You Su to open the hidden compartment, but this did not change the outcome.

Paying money had almost become a habit. The reluctant middleman reached into his pocket, only to find it empty. All his valuables were now hidden in one of the secret compartments.

"Sigh... it seems the boss is really unlucky. If you're out of money, just close up shop. That's all for today." The Flower Daoist made a move to pack up his stall.

What bullshit about bad luck... I'm incredibly lucky! One last gamble, just the very last time! I'm sure I can turn things around!

"Don't worry! I still have money!"

The middleman roared, pointing at You Su, "Sell him to the Chui Xue Lou in the city! You can get at least five thousand taels! I'll gamble with you again!"

These words drew gasps of surprise from the crowd, as if they had never imagined a person could be so valuable.

You Su clenched his fists secretly, regretting that he had trusted this man so easily. If he had known this man was so unreliable, he should have killed him with a single sword stroke long ago.

The Flower Daoist looked You Su up and down, then laughed and said, "This lad is not bad. Well then, I'll do as you say, let's do it again."

The middleman laughed maniacally, but in the end, nothing came of it.

"This person's life is really unlucky..."

"Yeah, yeah, if it were me, I'd choose either one and I'd win at least once!"

The surrounding chatter was the final straw for the middleman; he charged at the Daoist priest like a madman, determined to tear the fake priest to pieces.

But he discovered that the Daoist priest had somehow appeared behind him, smiling at him.

The next instant, the middleman's eyes widened, staring blankly at the invisible Gang Qi had shattered his heart.

The Flower Daoist waved his hand, smiling as if nothing had happened, and said to You Su:

"Hey buddy, wanna play a game too?"