"Daliao"

"Sir, where is the Western Liang mentioned in the play?"

"Sir, are you perhaps currently in a place called ' Western Liang '?"

"Sir, according to the play, Wang Baochuan finally got her Xue Lang—the ending was ultimately happy, wasn't it?"

"Sir, sir..."

"Wang Baochuan and Xue Pinggui were separated by distance. In such a chaotic world, with constant ghostly and human disasters, Wang Baochuan still waited for Xue Pinggui for eighteen years until the family was finally reunited... Such a thing is ultimately just a story, isn't it, sir?"

"The real Wang Baochuan might have been murdered long ago and turned into a ghost..."

If that's the case, will she still be able to wait for her Xue Lang?

Ding Ling was completely immersed in the play.

She had many questions about this scene.

Zhou Yang couldn't answer any of those questions.

He had only heard this opera-style song and knew little about the story of Xue Pinggui and Wang Baochuan in the play.

At this point, Chang Dafeng, who had been trying to talk to Ding Ling Ding Ling but never received a response, finally realized something was wrong.

Judging from Ding Ling's expression, he initially thought that his words had softened her attitude.

Later, observing the changes in her expression, Chang Dafeng realized that the girl was completely absorbed in her own thoughts and was utterly oblivious to his words!

"What kind of hysteria are you having, girl!"

Chang Dafeng shouted at Ding Ling, and at the same time, he braced himself against the stone beside him with his right hand and swayed as he got up.

Ding Ling was startled awake by his shout, and her eyes cleared instantly.

She looked up at Chang Dafeng walking towards her. Although he still had a cold face and his brows were furrowed, he was no longer the indifferent person he had been before. It was as if his soul had returned.

In the past, if anyone in the opera troupe dared to treat Chang Dafeng like that, they would have been beaten several times by him.

But now, facing Ding Ling's glare and cold stare, he remained unperturbed, still smiling, "Did you hear what I just said, little girl?"

The troupe leader now addresses Ding Ling with more affection.

Ding Ling was so focused on talking to Zhou Yang that she hadn't paid any attention to what Chang Dafeng was saying.

She glared at Chang Dafeng: "Didn't you hear me!"

"Didn't you hear me?!"

Chang Dafeng pursed his lips, his cheeks puffing out.

He stared at Ding Ling for a moment, then suddenly laughed and exhaled, slowly saying, "I say, we two still have to put on an act."

"Sing the entire opera ' Zhong Kui Marries Off His Sister ' for that ghost in the village."

"With this, we two have a chance to survive!"

Zhou Yang, who was observing from the shadows, suddenly asked Ding Ling, "He has now admitted that the one entrenched in Daliangzi Village is a ghost, not a puppet?"

"Yes, he couldn't hide it anymore," Ding Ling thought to himself. "The situation was so critical that he had to call out the Averting God from the ' Gate of Rest ' to escape from the clutches of the Opera Ghost."

"His Averting God in the Gate of Rest even ate one of his arms."

"Sir, look at his stinking, unable-to-lift arm now—I saw with my own eyes the Averting God in his Gate of Rest swallow his left arm, chew it up, and then spit it out."

How could the puppet have suffered such heavy losses?

"They had no choice but to tell me the truth."

Zhou Yang immediately seized on the key point in Ding Ling's words. "You said that Chang Dafeng escaped from the clutches of the Opera Ghost Gate of Rest Averting God?"

"His opening of the door was so venomous that even the dead, clung to by the ghostly charm of the opera, were almost no match for him."

"How could Gate of Rest Averting God, manage to escape from the Opera Ghost with people when they first meet it?"

"After finishing his task, that ' Averting God' even ate one of Chang Dafeng's arms..."

"This ' Gate of Rest Averting God ' is probably no ordinary thing."

"Yes," Ding Ling replied immediately. "The troupe leader told me that the Averting God in his Gate of Rest is not just a simple 'ghostly shadow and aura'."

"His Gate of Rest Averting God is connected to a real demon!"

He also said that the ghost's cry Da Le."

"Da Le?"

Upon hearing this title, Zhou Yang's heart skipped a beat.

Could this "Da Le" be the same "Da Le" he thought it was?

Zhou Yang's hometown is adjacent to Hebei and Shandong provinces. In some parts of these two regions, there is a business that specializes in arranging funerals for the deceased.

People who engaged in this kind of work were called "Da Le".

"Yes," Ding Ling replied. "Master Chang said that Da Le was a capable person who handled the affairs of the dead during his lifetime."

"It later became a ghost, capable of sucking the life force of living people."

"So that ' Daliao Ghost ' did something for the class monitor and sucked the life out of one of his arms."

This was indeed as Da Le as Zhou Yang had thought.

It's unlikely that Chang Dafeng is lying about this matter.

Now that things have come to this, the troupe leader no longer needs to lie.

He had already controlled Ding Ling with his Bloated Aspect, and since they were both at their wits' end, they were in the same boat. What was the point of lying when death was imminent?

"You should agree to his request to perform in the opera," Zhou Yang instructed Ding Ling.

"Should we play along with him for now?" Ding Ling asked Zhou Yang.

"No," Zhou Yang, "The ghosts have already arranged the play, but on the appointed day, the show hasn't started—I'm afraid everyone will be in even worse shape."

"This play, in the end, still has to go on."

"If you go alone to perform for the Opera Ghost, you'll probably be killed the moment you meet it."

"But since Chang Dafeng's ' Daliao Averting God ' can directly confront the Opera Ghost, you can use his light to shield yourself from some of the evil spirits."

"So, at his request, how about we sing a scene from ' Zhong Kui Marries Off His Sister '?"

"But be careful while performing this play—we'll be performing another play within this play."

"Shall we sing ' Wujia Slope '?" Ding Ling's heart suddenly raced.

"Indeed," Zhou Yang replied. "This play is original and unprecedented."

Do you remember the Opera Ghost's monologue earlier?

"It's also looking for this unique play!"

I remember!

"I remember everything!"

Ding Ling responded repeatedly.

Both of them were filled with anticipation for the upcoming performance.

"What's your decision, girl?"

"If you agree, we'll go back to the opera troupe now."

"There's a stage ready there, and some stored food, enough for the two of us to eat until the show starts," Chang Dafeng urged Ding Ling again. "We have nowhere to run, do you have any other ideas?"

Ding Ling raised her eyes to look at him. "Anyway, I'm under your control right now."

"Of course you can do whatever you want."

"Hey! I attached Bloated Aspect to you with the 'expanding energy' because I was afraid you'd run off and fall into that ghost's hands again, right? I'll untie you!" As he spoke, Chang Dafeng waved his hand, and the chill that had been attached to Ding Ling's back instantly dissipated.

Ding Ling caught a glimpse of that Bloated Aspect Averting God appearing beside Chang Dafeng again.

"He didn't leave any more suppressive measures on you, so he's at least somewhat sincere," Zhou Yang said to Ding Ling after secretly examining her.

Chang Dafeng used it to control Ding Ling's Averting God, but with Zhou Yang's current methods, it can be dispelled in an instant.

However, he did not take action, also to avoid alerting the enemy.

Listening to Mr. Zhou's words, Ding Ling looked at Chang Dafeng, sighed, and said, "There's no way to escape."

"Now, all we can do is try to finish that play and see if there's any way out..."

"Good, good!" Chang Dafeng was overjoyed and nodded repeatedly.

The two figures continued walking, one in front of the other, back to the hill where the opera troupe was stationed at the edge of the village.