A Ray of Hope

A Ray of Hope

The other survivors had gathered outside Fang Zhi's room.

Wen Chao's eyes were slightly red. He stood there for a long while before finally letting out a heavy sigh.

"Ah, what a pity."

He rubbed his face and turned to leave.

He had more important things to do than mourn a student. Ghosts and evil spirits truly existed in this blessed land, which meant that things impossible in the real world could happen here.

Perhaps... he could see her again.

Shi Ji patted Wu Xian on the shoulder. "That Qi guy bullied you terribly. It reminds me of how I used to be, so I'm taking you to find something good today."

Before Wu Xian could say anything, Shi Ji spoke in a conspiratorial tone.

Yesterday had been their first day in the blessed land. Lu Yuzhu's death had shaken them badly, but she had been a stranger to them, after all. They had treated her as part of the blessed land's backdrop, still harboring a glimmer of hope that things might not be so bad.

"Heh, she's finally gone."

There was a Dark Room in the inn, and it even contained a variety of murder weapons. This inn was definitely abnormal. It had probably been an Inauspicious Land even before the disaster of evil spirits broke out.

The shattered head was a sickening sight. They had finally grasped how cruel the blessed land was. Any one of them could be the next to die like that.

Wu Xian could still use the True Fire Incantation twice, and his Copper Coin Sword could stab eight times. In a head-on fight with an ordinary Wandering Wraith, he basically wouldn't be at a disadvantage.

"That piece of dog shit told us to stay away from the idols. Turns out worshipping the gods is the only way to stay alive in the blessed land."

"I... I'm a little scared. Can I stay with you tonight?"

Giving her a possible way to survive was his way of making up for having put her in danger.

The others weren't in much better spirits.

Besides, Shi Ji had only just realized what the idols could do. That proved that someone like him, who'd been able to worship a god from the beginning—a "favored one"—really was special.

While Wu Xian cursed, Shi Ji chimed in beside him.

"Really? I don't believe you."

"After he worshipped the god, a Short Sword that gleamed with cold light suddenly appeared in his hand!"

Wu Xian asked in surprise, "Did you need something?"

Shi Ji looked around, then leaned close to Wu Xian and whispered, "Since you entered the blessed land, have you seen any idols?"

That was why she'd written the letter.

Since Shi Ji had a lead on the idols, Wu Xian might as well work with him for now.

"All his weapons were found in a Dark Room at the inn. They all looked like they'd seen blood. He even found an idol there!"

So Wu Xian pretended to get angry.

That morning, just as she was about to leave, she found a letter pushed through the gap under her door.

But the person who had died today was Fang Zhi, who'd acted alongside them yesterday!

The letter read:

Hearing Wu Xian's answer, Yue Mei's eyes dimmed. Wu Xian had been the last to leave, and she had already asked the others. Not one of them was willing to agree to her request.

So she turned to the others for help.

"Brother, what took you so long? I've been waiting ages."

"We're having intestines again today. I washed them yesterday. Yesterday they were braised, and today they're going to be scallion-braised!"

"That Qi Zhiyong really isn't human. I hope his son has a whole bunch of buttholes. Yesterday, clearly I..."

Wu Xian had obtained Aged Cypress Incense in Fang Zhi's room. He planned to worship the god first at the place where he'd killed Mr. Wang yesterday, then try to find the idol.

But the situation in the blessed land was unclear, and everyone's life was in danger. How could they dare take her in so casually?

Now she had nowhere else to turn.

And that was without even mentioning the Mysterious Greater Wraith, whose nature was unknown and which still hadn't shown itself directly.

Wu Xian grew wary. "You're not cooking today?"

"I've seen them. I've seen several!"

Wu Xian narrowed his eyes.

"I'm sorry, but I can't take that risk. I hope you understand."

At first, Yue Mei hadn't believed what the letter said.

She stood there for a long time, repeatedly working up her courage. At last, she made up her mind, gathered some supplies, and set off to look for the other survivors in the blessed land.

"You already know the truth. Why not go look for them yourself, instead of coming to tell me?"

She'd been so frightened that her legs went weak. Leaning against the wall, she could barely stand. Her pale face was covered in sweat, and she was close to fainting. She slowly edged over to Wu Xian, who was enjoying the spectacle, and asked with trembling lips:

Shi Ji thumped his chest. "I just know how you feel, so I wanted to help you."

Then Wu Xian looked puzzled again.

"Then what's this 'something good' you mentioned...?"

Then she remembered that when Yu Yinghua had knocked on her door last night, she'd accidentally bumped into the corner of the table. It had made a very quiet sound, but what if Yu Yinghua had heard it?

At the thought, Yue Mei's heart began to race. She realized that everything in the letter was true!

Yue Mei in particular.

"From the very beginning, I felt Qi Zhiyong couldn't be trusted. So while I was cooking, I kept a close eye on him."

Fear was like underwater weeds, winding around everyone's heart.

"Exactly. Don't expect him to protect us. We'd be lucky if he didn't kick us when we were down."

Wu Xian's heart skipped a beat. Had this guy seen through his disguise?

"Your room has been marked. I wiped away the handprint, but I don't know if it'll help. You'd better find somewhere else to stay tonight. If nobody will take you in, try asking the surviving Original Inhabitants for help. They've managed to survive in the blessed land this long, so they must have a way to avoid the evil spirits."

If this were the outside world, Wu Xian might have agreed to let a pretty girl stay with him. But this was the blessed land, so he shook his head.

He'd just come downstairs when Shi Ji approached him.

But the real danger in the blessed land never came from Wandering Wraiths attacking head-on.

Ghosts were impossible to guard against. When danger struck, there might not even be a chance to use the True Fire Incantation or Copper Coin Sword. A trap, a vase, or a rope could suddenly take someone's life.

Wu Xian breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Yue Mei set off.

If the Greater Wraith's murders had nothing to do with the handprints, wiping the handprint from Yue Mei's door would have hurt her by leaving her unprepared for the danger to come.

"Besides, if we want to survive in the blessed land, we can't waste all our time cooking and counting on other people to protect us. Can we really count on that Qi guy?"

Of course, he was the one who had slipped the letter under her door.

Shi Ji waved his hand and spoke with a serious expression.

Shi Ji smiled sheepishly.

He didn't like Qi Zhiyong, but he had no ill will toward Yue Mei.

"I know a place with two idols, but I can't handle it alone. Give me a hand, and we'll split the idols after it's done. How about it?"

"Deal!"