The Formula
"So, should we follow the male lead or the female lead?" Wang Xizhi thought this made a lot of sense, so he asked.
"Do you want to hug the male lead's hairy thighs, or the female lead's slender white legs?" Liu Feng said with a hint of exasperation, "No need to even think about it, of course I want the male lead's strong, hairy thighs!"
"Of course it's a woman..." Wang Xizhi echoed, then turned to look at Liu Feng, unconsciously taking a step back, his eyes full of the look of someone looking down on a big shot.
"Don't look at me like that, I can't bend a hammer!" Liu Feng immediately understood what the skinny guy was thinking, slapped him on the head and quickly said, "In this kind of suspenseful and scary plot, the female lead is usually a pure and innocent girl, pitiful and lovable, while the male lead is a hero who saves the damsel in distress and defeats the darkness."
"Along the way, they'll conveniently kill off the villainous old father-in-law. That white-bearded old priest is also in danger; usually, before he dies, he'll give the male protagonist some important prop. The male protagonist, with the prop and relying on love and courage, solves the crisis and finally lives happily ever after with the female protagonist." Liu Feng said with the air of someone who'd been there before, "It's all a formula. How can you survive these days without a formula?"
"So, instead of waiting for the male lead to rescue her with the female lead from the start, it's better to go with him sooner. You might even get some benefits!" Liu Feng said confidently. "Believe me, the male lead will choose to go to the rescue because he's worried about the female lead. After bringing her back, he'll find the church destroyed, the old priest barely alive, and he'll take the treasure and embark on a journey against all odds!"
"It's all a setup, a complete setup!" Liu Feng said confidently. Looking at the rapidly darkening rural road and the somewhat eerie scarecrow in the wheat field, he swallowed hard. Did he think he didn't want to latch onto the female lead? This road is a bit dark. He'd better stick with the male lead from the start.
"You know so much!" Wang Xizhi nodded in agreement, shook himself off, and found a corner outside the church with Liu Feng to hide in. Then he started chatting with the other people who were also sleeping on the floor.
"Weren't they supposed to be holding a ceremony to protect the church? Why haven't I seen anyone come out?" Liu Feng peeked into the church windows and found it packed with people, leaving no room for the ceremony. A question also arose in his mind: why didn't this church have any iconic features, like a cross or anything like that?
"The ceremony cannot be defiled by sinners like us, so it will be held in the church basement, presided over by Father Philip and his men. Father Yas As will be the one managing the townspeople upstairs to prevent any unrest." The townsman's eyes were full of reverence.
Liu Feng then learned that Father Yas was the pretty boy protagonist. Gradually, the surroundings fell silent. The townspeople squinted their eyes, silently praying. The surroundings became completely dark, with only a faint light emanating from the church.
Gradually, something seemed to wriggle in the air, and strange cries echoed from afar. Liu Feng turned to look at Wang Xizhi beside him and asked softly, "Why are you shaking?"
"You're trembling too!" Wang Xizhi replied in a low voice.
"Creak!" A strange sound rang out, and the two men trembled even more violently. Then they realized that the church door had been opened, and the young and handsome Father Yas As walked out, carrying a kerosene lamp in one hand, a book in the other, and a long sword at his waist. Judging from the situation, he was probably going to the town.
"See? I was right all along! It was a setup after all!" Liu Feng said in a low voice. "According to the pattern, the church is probably in danger of being destroyed soon, so let's follow them!"
"Now?" Wang Xizhi looked at the darkness that seemed to be filled with something, shivered, and said, "Brother, it's getting late. I think we should skip this dungeon. My mom's probably calling me for dinner."
"Stop joking! The flow of time in the game world is different from reality. Maybe only half an hour has passed outside. How long can you eat a meal like that?" Liu Feng thought about his rent and kept encouraging himself. Then, he said to Wang Xizhi, "It's just a game, you know? It's fake, all fake. If you're not going, I'll go."
"No, let's go together!" Wang Xizhi nodded and pulled Liu Feng along. The two of them walked towards Father Yas, who hadn't gone far.
"What are you doing here?" Father Yas asked, holding a kerosene lamp, one hand half-holding a scripture and the other half-draped over the longsword at his waist, looking at the two men with some confusion.
"Captain... Father Yas, what are you going out to do? Do you need any help? What do you think of us?" Liu Feng looked at the other man's thick eyebrows and big eyes and almost shouted, "Captain, don't shoot, it's me!"
"The place I'm going to is very dangerous. You should stay outside the church. It's not as safe as inside, but it will still provide some protection," Father Yas said, frowning as he looked at the two people in front of him whose legs were trembling.
"Cough cough, don't underestimate us just because we're timid. We also have the courage to face the darkness!" Liu Feng forced down his trembling legs, his mind screaming about next month's rent, next month's rent, before he felt a little better.
"Alright then, follow me and don't stray from the lamp's beam. The lamp's oil is mixed with blessed holy water, and the light it emits can protect us!" Father Yas said, nodding as he looked around.
Then Father Yas As opened the book in his hand, took out two amulets with black runes, and handed them to the two, saying, "Carry these two amulets with you; they will bring you good luck."
Liu Feng thanked him and took the two talismans. He held them to his nose and smelled them; they seemed to have a peculiar fragrance. After thinking for a moment, black ink appeared in his hand, forming a line of small characters: Talisman with black runes.
With a swift movement, he pulled out a similar-looking talisman and handed it to Wang Xizhi, who was standing to the side. He then took the two genuine talismans and put them in his pocket, thinking to himself, "Better to die than for me. This skinny guy clearly isn't short of money. I still have to worry about rent. Having two talismans should at least make me a little safer."
Father Yas walked ahead carrying the lamp, with Liu Feng and Wang Xizhi following closely behind, afraid of falling behind even a step. They retreated from the light's reach, glancing left and right at their surroundings. In the deep darkness, they felt as if something was lurking in the shadows.
The three of them walked at a moderate pace, and in about ten minutes they crossed the path and entered the town. The only place in the town that still had lights on was the luxurious mayor's house. As for the other residents who hadn't gone to church, most of them were hiding in their basements, trembling with fear.
After entering the town, the strange cries in the darkness became even more pronounced, and occasionally a human scream could be heard. Father Yas, who was walking in front, suddenly stopped and drew his longsword.
Before Liu Feng and Wang Xizhi could understand what had happened, a dark shadow flashed by, followed by a flash of light, Father Yas vanished without a trace, along with his kerosene lamp, leaving Liu Feng and Wang Xizhi staring at each other in the darkness.