I Want His Heart

"Big Brother, where are we going today?"

On the flagstone path of Black Cloud Stronghold, Little Wild Grass followed behind Li Muyang, her face full of curiosity as she asked.

In this game world, Little Wild Grass had grown from the scrawny toddler she once was into a young girl.

At fourteen, she was right in the middle of her growth spurt.

She stood nearly as tall as Li Muyang's chest; although years of life in the stronghold—and the constant bloodletting—had left her chronically frail, she was still far better off than the skeletal street urchin she had been at the start.

Thanks to Li Muyang's dedicated care and feeding, the girl had filled out, her skin becoming fair, delicate, and full of vitality.

The chest of her stronghold-issued tunic now showed a slight, rounded swell.

A long, thin ponytail was tied at the back of her head, bobbing with every step she took, which looked rather cute.

From the outside, Little Wild Grass now looked exactly like any other ordinary girl in the stronghold.

The only drawback was the pallor of her skin, a result of the years of blood extraction, which made her look listless and somewhat weary.

Hearing Little Wild Grass's curious inquiry, Li Muyang walked ahead and said, "Granny Gu asked us to come see her; she said she has something to discuss..."

Li Muyang was curious himself, wondering what Granny Gu could want with him.

The progression of this raising-sim game had been entirely uneventful throughout the entire second phase, consisting of nothing but day-after-day of feeding and companionship, which had consumed a great deal of Li Muyang's time.

After clearing the second phase, the third phase had started just as uneventfully, continuing the daily routine of feeding.

This repetitive and monotonous cycle had almost led Li Muyang to believe that all subsequent tasks would be just as mundane.

Yet, at this very moment, Granny Gu had suddenly summoned him.

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

He and Little Wild Grass climbed the blue-stone steps of Black Cloud Stronghold one by one, finally arriving at the Ancestral Temple at the highest point of the village.

The old Ancestral Temple looked like a giant skull, appearing somewhat eerie. A gnarled, ancient tree twisted along the cliffside beside it.

Granny Gu, with her kind smile, sat on the steps in front of the temple. Her head was wrapped in layers of black cloth, making it look as if she were wearing a black ring.

She was no different from the other elders in the stronghold, dressed in simple, worn clothing with a gentle, benevolent smile.

Seeing Li Muyang arrive with Little Wild Grass, Granny Gu chuckled.

"Little Fish, do you two have some time today? This old woman would like to ask for your help."

The mysterious Granny Gu appeared very approachable.

As the old woman finished speaking, two options popped up before Li Muyang's eyes.

[Of course, no problem. What do you need us to do, Granny Gu?]

[Help... but Granny Gu, today is the day Little Wild Grass has to go to the mountains for blood extraction. If we're late, Steward Wu will surely scold us.]

With the two options displayed, Li Muyang saved the game without a second thought.

GAL players seemed to be afflicted with "save-file syndrome."

These kinds of choices could very likely lead to different paths, so for safety's sake, Li Muyang saved his progress before making a selection.

"Help... but Granny Gu, today is the day Little Wild Grass has to go to the mountains for blood extraction. If we're late, Steward Wu will surely scold us..."

Li Muyang said this with a hint of hesitation.

Under the morning light, Granny Gu stood up cheerfully and shook her head with a smile: "No matter, it won't take much of your time."

With that, the old woman turned and walked toward the Ancestral Temple.

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

The three of them climbed the small flight of stairs in front of the temple, and then Granny Gu, her back hunched, pushed open the temple doors.

An instant gust of eerie, cold wind blew out from within, and Li Muyang, standing at the threshold, felt a chill run through his entire body.

Although it was an interactive game, this immersive experience felt no different from reality.

Granny Gu stood at the entrance, smiling at Li Muyang and Little Wild Grass.

"Go on in..."

Li Muyang and Little Wild Grass stepped into the Ancestral Temple together, but the moment they crossed the threshold, the heavy doors slammed shut behind them.

Granny Gu, with her kind smile, had not entered the temple; she had remained outside.

This strange situation made Little Wild Grass instinctively lean closer to Li Muyang.

Li Muyang spoke up: "Granny Gu..."

However, just as he began to speak, a low, raspy voice echoed from the dark, eerie depths of the temple.

"I'm here... come on in."

Granny Gu, who had clearly been left outside the closed doors, was now speaking from deep within the temple.

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

The two of them walked curiously and nervously toward the depths of the dim Ancestral Temple, where two rows of faint oil lamps floated in the pitch-black shadows, vaguely forming a path.

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

Li Muyang whispered in confusion. He and Little Wild Grass had been walking along the path formed by the floating oil lamps for a long time; they must have covered several hundred meters by now.

Could such a small Ancestral Temple really have such a vast interior?

Little Wild Grass clutched the corner of Li Muyang's clothes, looking around nervously as she spoke with caution.

"It wasn't like this when I came to the Ancestral Temple last time..."

A strange aura seemed to drift through the darkness, yet the light from the two rows of floating oil lamps could illuminate nothing; some kind of force seemed to block the light, leaving Li Muyang and his companion unable to even see the path beneath their own feet.

Eventually, the two followed the path laid out by the oil lamps to its end, where they saw a massive oil lamp standing in the darkness.

And sitting cross-legged where the wick should have been was an old woman with a hunched back—Granny Gu.

She wore a kind and gentle smile, her back so hunched that her face was almost buried against her chest, as if her aged spine could no longer support the weight of her neck.

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

Of her entire person, only her wrinkled face remained exposed.

Seeing the arrival of Li Muyang and Little Wild Grass, a smile appeared on Granny Gu's impossibly aged face.

"Little Fish, do you still remember the request 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.

In the endless gloom surrounding them, some kind of agitation seemed to stir, and faint, countless eerie shadows could be seen swimming about.

Little Wild Grass grabbed Li Muyang's hand in terror, murmuring, "Big Brother..."

Li Muyang was also somewhat panicked; the scene inside this Ancestral Temple was simply too bizarre, and for someone like him who was afraid of ghosts, it was hard to handle.

But ultimately, this was a game. Li Muyang steadied himself and looked at the old woman. "Please speak, Granny Gu."

The hunched old woman sitting on the lampstand let out a low chuckle, her voice raspy.

"That Steward Wu in the village—this old woman wants his heart... could you go and dig it out for me?"