I Want His Heart

"Big brother, where are we going today?"

On the stone-paved road of Black Cloud Stronghold, Little Wild Grass followed behind Li Muyang, her face full of curiosity as she asked.

In the game world, Little Wild Grass had grown from the small, frail child she'd been at the start into a young girl.

At fourteen, she was right at the age when her body was developing.

She was almost as tall as Li Muyang's chest. Years of living in the stronghold had left her weak, since she was always being drained of blood.

But however frail she was, she was still much better off than the scrawny, emaciated little wanderer she'd been at first.

Thanks to Li Muyang's attentive care, the girl had filled out, and her skin had become fair and delicate, rich with collagen.

Beneath the stronghold folk's clothes, her chest had begun to show a slight swell.

Her long, slender ponytail was tied behind her head, swaying back and forth as she walked and lending her a rather cute air.

From the outside, Little Wild Grass now looked just like an ordinary girl from the stronghold.

Her only flaw was the pallor caused by years of bloodletting. She looked listless and a little worn down.

Hearing Little Wild Grass's curious question, Li Muyang walked ahead and said, "Granny Gu asked us to go see her. She said she had something to tell us..."

Li Muyang was curious too. He had no idea what Granny Gu wanted with him.

The progress of this nurturing game had been completely uneventful throughout the entire second phase. It consisted of nothing but feeding her day after day and spending time with her, and it had eaten up a great deal of Li Muyang's time.

After he cleared the second phase, the third phase began just as uneventfully, still consisting of daily feeding routines.

The repetitive, monotonous routine had nearly convinced Li Muyang that the rest of the game would be nothing but the same daily tasks.

But just then, Granny Gu had suddenly asked to see him.

Li Muyang guessed that the peaceful routine was about to be broken.

He and Little Wild Grass climbed the blue-stone steps of Black Cloud Stronghold, one step after another, until they reached the Ancestral Temple at the highest point of the stronghold.

The old Ancestral Temple looked like a gigantic skull, giving it a somewhat sinister air. A gnarled ancient tree wound around the cliff beside it.

Granny Gu, her face wreathed in a kindly smile, sat on the steps in front of the Ancestral Temple. Black cloth was wrapped around her head in layer after layer, as though she wore a black ring atop it.

She was no different from the other elders in the stronghold: her clothes were plain and worn, and her smile was warm and gentle.

When she saw Li Muyang arrive with Little Wild Grass, Granny Gu said with a chuckle,

"Little Fish, are you two free today? This old woman would like to ask you for a favor."

The mysterious Granny Gu seemed very approachable.

As the old woman finished speaking, two choices appeared before Li Muyang.

[Of course, Granny Gu. What do you need us to do?]

[A favor...? But Granny Gu, today is the day Little Wild Grass goes into the mountains to have her blood drawn. If we're late, Steward Wu will definitely scold us.]

Two choices appeared. Without a second thought, Li Muyang saved his game first.

Visual novel players seemed to be compulsive savers.

Choices like this could well lead to different outcomes. To be safe, Li Muyang saved, then made his choice.

"A favor? But Granny Gu, today is the day Little Wild Grass goes into the mountains to have her blood drawn. If we're late, Steward Wu will definitely scold us..."

Li Muyang hesitantly spoke those words.

In the morning light, Granny Gu cheerfully rose to her feet and shook her head with a smile. "It's all right. We won't take up much of your time."

As she spoke, the old woman turned and walked toward the Ancestral Temple.

Li Muyang and Little Wild Grass exchanged a glance, then followed her.

The three of them climbed the short flight of steps in front of the Ancestral Temple, one in front and the other two behind. Then Granny Gu stooped and opened the temple doors.

A sinister, icy wind blew out of the temple at once. Standing in the doorway, Li Muyang felt a chill run through his whole body.

Although it was an interactive game, this immersive experience was almost indistinguishable from reality.

Granny Gu stood in the doorway and smiled at Li Muyang and Little Wild Grass.

"Go on in..."

Li Muyang and Little Wild Grass stepped through the temple doors together. The instant they crossed the threshold, the doors slammed shut behind them.

Granny Gu, her face still wreathed in a kindly smile, hadn't entered the Ancestral Temple at all. She remained outside.

The strange situation made Little Wild Grass instinctively edge closer to Li Muyang.

Li Muyang called out, "Granny Gu..."

But as soon as he spoke, the old woman's low, hoarse voice came from the depths of the dark, sinister temple.

"I'm here... Come in."

Granny Gu had clearly been shut outside the doors, yet now her voice came from deep within the Ancestral Temple.

Little Wild Grass and Li Muyang looked at each other, both seeing surprise in the other's eyes.

Curious but tense, the two of them walked toward the dark depths of the Ancestral Temple. Two rows of dim oil lamps floated in the shadows, faintly forming a path.

"Is the inside of this Ancestral Temple really this big...?"

Li Muyang murmured in confusion. He and Little Wild Grass had followed the path of floating oil lamps for a long time. They must have walked hundreds of meters by now.

How could such a small temple have such a vast interior?

Little Wild Grass clutched Li Muyang's clothes and nervously scanned their surroundings. "It wasn't like this the last time I came to the Ancestral Temple..."

Some strange aura seemed to drift through the darkness. Yet the two rows of floating oil lamps couldn't illuminate anything at all, as if some force were blocking their light. Li Muyang and the others couldn't even see the path beneath their feet.

At last, they followed the road marked out by the oil lamps to its end and saw a massive oil lamp standing in the darkness.

But instead of a wick, the lamp held a hunched old woman sitting cross-legged: Granny Gu.

She wore a kindly, benevolent smile. Hunched over, she had her face almost buried against her chest, as though her aged spine could no longer support her neck.

A strange divine robe, covered in dark blue-green patterns and draped over her like a burial shroud, covered her body and head.

Only her deeply wrinkled face was visible.

When she saw Li Muyang and Little Wild Grass arrive, a smile appeared on her impossibly ancient face.

"Little Fish, do you still remember the favor you promised me all those years ago?"

"Now this old woman has come to collect on that promise."

The old woman's words echoed through the darkness.

Something seemed to stir in the endless darkness around them. Faintly, they could make out countless strange shadows swimming about.

Little Wild Grass grabbed Li Muyang's hand in fear and murmured, "Big brother..."

Li Muyang was somewhat panicked too. The scene inside the Ancestral Temple was just too bizarre, and as someone who was afraid of ghosts, he was finding it hard to handle.

But it was only a game, after all. Steadying himself, Li Muyang looked at the old woman and said, "Go ahead, Granny Gu."

The hunched old woman sitting atop the lampstand gave a low laugh, then spoke in a hoarse voice.

"That Steward Wu from the stronghold... This old woman wants his heart. Could you dig it out for me?"