Secret

For a Cthulhu Mythos tabletop RPG, the Keeper (KP) is undoubtedly a god-like existence, playing a crucial role in advancing the plot.

However, a KP is human after all, so everyone's understanding of a KP varies. Therefore, KPs can be broadly divided into two types. The first type is the lawful good KP. This type of KP will try their best to ensure the normal development of the plot and will provide players with correct information when necessary, guiding them onto the right path. The other type is the chaotic evil KP, like kpcao. As a KP, one naturally cannot openly trick players, but they will use various means to lead players towards the wrong plot. Just like just now, kpcao deliberately revealed a piece of true information, luring Liu Xing and the others to choose the path with the lowest reward. Moreover, due to the rules of the Cthulhu Mythos tabletop RPG, Liu Xing and the others had no way to turn back.

Of course, the means that chaotic evil KPs like to use the most is to provide players with information that is half true and half false. This way, they can silently lead players astray and also shift the blame to the players. Liu Xing remembers that a KP with the online name "4" loved to play this trick the most.

Therefore, there is a popular joke in the Cthulhu Mythos tabletop RPG: a KP says to the players, "Just follow my train of thought." The players all respond, "Isn't the KP's train of thought to find ways to kill the players?"

Thus, in the Cthulhu Mythos tabletop RPG, players not only have to face all sorts of Mythical Creatures and supernatural phenomena but also constantly guard against the KP's underhanded tactics!

Thinking of this, Liu Xing had already silently made up his mind: he would believe at most half of what kpcao said!

Liu Xing, Tina, and Ming Shi Xiang brought Minami Kotori to the Children's Lost and Found Center and found the person in charge.

"Hello, this little girl got separated from her mother. Could you please use the broadcast to remind the little girl's mother?" Ming Shi Xiang stepped forward and said.

The person in charge of the Children's Lost and Found Center nodded and smiled at Minami Kotori, saying, "Of course, we can. But may I ask, little girl, what is your mother's name?"

Minami Kotori thought for a moment and then said, "Um, my mother's name is Li Xue."

The person in charge of the Children's Lost and Found Center smiled and said a few words to a staff member next to him. The staff member then left. "The broadcast station of Immortal Crane Temple is in the side room at the back. I've already arranged for someone to broadcast. So, friends, please sit here for a while and rest. I believe the little girl's mother will be very willing to thank you in person."

After a brief exchange of glances, Liu Xing and the other two sat down, as this was a good opportunity to gather information.

"By the way, you can call me Brother Lei. Looking at this lady's appearance, you must be tourists who came together from out of town, right? After all, there are basically no foreigners who live long-term in our small county town." The person in charge of the Children's Lost and Found Center brought over several cups of tea and handed them to Liu Xing and the others with a smile.

Liu Xing took the tea and said with a chuckle, "Brother Lei, you have sharp eyes. We came all the way from Rongcheng because we heard that the Harvest Festival here is very lively."

Tina, on the other hand, leveraged her advantage as a foreigner and said to Brother Lei with a look of anticipation, "Brother Lei, I've loved Hua Xia culture since I was a child, and I'm especially interested in festivals like this. So, Brother Lei, can you tell me stories and legends about the Harvest Festival?"

Brother Lei naturally wouldn't refuse the request of Tina, a beautiful foreigner. "Of course. I think you should all know the origin of the Harvest Festival. Then I'll tell you a secret about the Harvest Festival. This is a secret that only a few people involved know. Even among the locals in this county town, very few people know this secret now. I was fortunate enough to hear it from an old man."

Liu Xing looked at Brother Lei's mysterious expression and inwardly grumbled, Isn't Brother Lei trying to brag in front of Tina?

After all, this is a world that judges by looks...

Although Liu Xing thought this, he put on a very expectant look and said, "Brother Lei, don't keep us in suspense. Quickly tell us what kind of secret this is."

Brother Lei chuckled and said, "To be honest, I can't guarantee the authenticity of this secret, because it happened forty to fifty years ago. At that time, the Harvest Festival was also being held. However, the weather suddenly changed, with lightning and thunder, and a heavy rain began to fall. So, the Abbot of Immortal Crane Temple who was presiding over the festival decided to temporarily suspend the Harvest Festival and continue it after the rain ended."

"Therefore, the common people who came to participate in the festival returned home. The Abbot of Immortal Crane Temple asked his disciples to put away the incense burner, offering table, and other items used for the festival back into the temple. As a result, among the Abbot's disciples, the youngest one was mischievous. Whether he was greedy or hungry, he secretly picked a peach from the offerings when no one was paying attention and took a bite."

"Then, right before everyone's eyes, the little disciple who stole the offering instantly became skin and bones and died without saying a word. The Abbot of Immortal Crane Temple went up to take a look and found that the little disciple had starved to death!"

"The Abbot of Immortal Crane Temple believed that this was the punishment from the gods for the little disciple, as he had stolen the offerings dedicated to them. However, to avoid causing chaos, the Abbot of Immortal Crane Temple ordered all the Taoist priests who witnessed this scene to keep silent. Then, they secretly took the little disciple's body to the back mountain and buried it. They publicly announced that the little disciple had renounced his vows and gone to the Provincial Capital to work."

"Fortunately, the little disciple was an orphan adopted by the Abbot of Immortal Crane Temple, so the little disciple's sudden departure did not cause any ripples in this small county town. The matter was thus dropped. The old man who told me this secret was one of the Taoist priests of Immortal Crane Temple who had personally witnessed the scene back then. But to be honest, I still don't quite believe this secret, as it's too superstitious."

After speaking, Brother Lei seemed to remember something else. "But it's strange to say, the old man who told me this secret also told me something else: that during every cycle of the Harvest Festival, there would be a mysterious child disappearance. My main job is a police officer, so I've checked the relevant files, and it turns out it's true."

PS: Continuing the daily book recommendation, League of Legends: Eagle Strikes the Sky, a story about using heroes to play unconventional roles.