Mind-Losing Gu (9)

"This gu worm will ensure the Scorpion Ghost won't target you tonight. If you don't eat it, the Scorpion Ghost will come after you."

The clan chief spoke coldly, then picked up the black gu worm between his fingertips.

The gu worm was docile and didn't struggle at all. It was about the size of a red bean and looked as though a gentle squeeze would burst it.

Hearing the clan chief say they had to eat a worm, several of them involuntarily swallowed. Small as it was, it was still a worm.

The biker stammered, "W-we eat it raw?"

The clan chief swept a cold glance over him. "How else do you want to eat it? Cooked?"

A cooked gu worm would lose its effects. The biker knew that much, but knowing didn't mean he could swallow a bug without any qualms.

Especially when it was so ugly, and he couldn't even chew it-he had to swallow it whole.

Just imagining it crawling down his esophagus gave him goosebumps all over.

"There's only one gu worm." Chu Qingjiu turned to look at the worm in the clan chief's hand, his expression calm. "Do you want us to compete for it?"

At those words, disgusted as they were by the worm, none of them would give up a chance to survive. Hadn't he said that whoever ate it wouldn't be targeted by the Scorpion Ghost tonight?

"I want that worm," the biker said without hesitation. "If I don't eat it, I'll definitely die tonight. None of you are in danger, so why not let me have it?"

The clan chief watched them with keen interest, observing the tensions simmering between them.

The biker and Li Yunlong were the ones who would be in danger tonight, but there was only one gu worm. In other words, if one of them ate it, the other would surely die.

Chu Qingjiu had no interest in the worm. The Scorpion Ghost wasn't enough to frighten him, partly because he trusted his own strength and partly because he trusted the instance's rules.

Tonight, the Scorpion Ghost would only seek out the two people who had given definite answers. It would have no interest in anyone else.

Even if a player went right up to the Scorpion Ghost and begged it to kill them, it would ignore them, because the rules didn't allow it.

Li Yunlong looked at the biker and said earnestly, "But I'm in danger too. To keep it fair, let's all play rock-paper-scissors and leave it to luck. How about that?"

Chu Qingjiu declined coolly. "Go ahead. I'm not interested."

Hearing Chu Qingjiu say that, Qi Wu opted out as well, leaving the other six players to fight over the little worm.

Although none of them wanted to eat a bug, if it was a way to survive, they would have to swallow it no matter how reluctant they were.

Chu Qingjiu walked over to A Xue and calmly bent down close to her face, drawing a startled cry from her as an alluring pink immediately spread across her cheeks.

"What... what are you doing?"

Chu Qingjiu merely tucked her hair behind her ear, looking at the plum-blossom-shaped black mark there with a composed expression.

"Your hair was messy. I was just fixing it for you."

"Huh? Oh... thank you."

Qi Wu's expression darkened. He clenched his back teeth, his gaze on A Xue as venomous as poison.

Why did she get to have him tuck her hair behind her ear!

He immediately sidled up to Chu Qingjiu with a pitiful expression, tugging at his sleeve and looking at him through misty eyes.

"Gege... I just saw such a huge bug. I'm so scared."

Chu Qingjiu suddenly fell silent at the sight of him.

A Xue, however, answered in all seriousness, "There are lots of gu worms here. Perhaps one sneaked out. Don't worry. Even if it bites you, there's an antidote."

"Gege... I was scared half to death. Could you stop standing so close to her?"

There was an unmistakably jealous note in Qi Wu's voice. He stared at Chu Qingjiu resentfully, making him feel terribly awkward.

A Xue seemed to pick up on something and earnestly admonished Qi Wu, "Why are you so clingy with your older brother? You're all grown up. You're not a little child anymore."

"I'll die without him. I'm not like you-I don't know how to use gu worms. I'm just a helpless little child."

As Qi Wu spoke, he looked at Chu Qingjiu with his pitiful eyes. Those watery eyes were full of hurt, making him look utterly forlorn.

A Xue felt something was off. Frowning, she said uncertainly, "...Why do I feel like I smell fake innocence?"

Chu Qingjiu: "..."

What was with this absurdly dramatic love-triangle showdown?

Chu Qingjiu wisely moved away from A Xue and glanced at the other Miao women. They were all watching the three-way showdown as though enjoying a good show.

Never one to pass up a chance to stir up trouble, A Feng added fuel to the fire. "But Chu Qingjiu chose A Xue himself. Surely you can't interfere with your older brother's romance, little brother?"

"Exactly, exactly."

Chu Qingjiu: "..."

Seeing that Qi Wu was about to argue with the Miao women again, Chu Qingjiu took his hand and led him away from them, saying softly in reassurance, "Behave. I'm doing this for the mission."

Qi Wu pouted, still looking resentful. He bent closer to Chu Qingjiu and said seriously, "But I'm jealous."

Chu Qingjiu blinked, leaned closer, and gave Qi Wu a light kiss before asking, "Will that do?"

"!"

Qi Wu's mind went completely blank. Just now... that was the first time Gege had kissed me of his own accord! The first time! He kissed me first!

It was rare for Chu Qingjiu to see Qi Wu blush, and he found it rather novel. Although he still instinctively checked the affection score, he no longer let it affect him.

He reached out and gently pinched Qi Wu's slightly warm cheek, giving him a soft, tender smile as he murmured, "If you're not satisfied, I'll make it up to you once we're out of the instance."

"O... okay."

Qi Wu had no idea what happened afterward. He just felt dizzy and weightless, as though he might float away at any moment.

By the time he recovered, the other six players had long since decided on a winner: Gu Yanze, who had already eaten the gu worm.

Li Yunlong and the biker could only accept their loss. In the end, they decided to go to the stilt house that night and kill the white-haired old man to eliminate the possibility of dying themselves.

Next, they would gather their belongings and go to the homes of the Miao women they had chosen to spend their first night here.

As they were leaving the clan chief's house, Qi Wu even shot A Xue a slightly provocative look. His smug air, emboldened by Chu Qingjiu's affection, seemed to say, Gege is mine. You can't steal him away.

A Xue: "..." I give up.