The group followed Chunsheng, wandering aimlessly through the mountains like headless flies for over an hour, yet they still hadn't reached the place he mentioned.
“We’re almost there, almost there.”
Chunsheng led the way with his head down. Suddenly, he pointed toward a clearing and said, “Look, isn't that the lair of those outlaws right there?!”
Everyone raised their lanterns and looked out. Sure enough, they saw a strangely shaped, circular thatched hut. On the ground outside, scattered gold and silver lay in the dirt.
A few bailiffs picked them up and secretly tucked them into their robes.
Inside the hut, a candle seemed to be lit, casting a faint, warm yellow glow.
This thatched hut was truly bizarre. It had no windows or doors, only a perfectly square little opening in the middle of the wall.
Peering through that opening, the men saw a full set of furniture inside, a world apart from the wilderness outside.
There were Grandmaster chairs, imperial consort couches, and Eight Immortals tables. Countless piles of gold and silver were stacked like mountains, and the tables were laden with wine, meat, and delicacies, their fragrance wafting through the air.
A beautiful woman stood to the side, bowing gracefully to them.
“Officers, my husband’s family name is Ma. He was originally a stonemason from Changhuai Village.
I am called Mei Niang. I was abducted by bandits and brought to this den of vice. Today, you heroes have driven the bandits away, and my heart is filled with gratitude. If any hero does not despise me, please take me back as your wife or concubine...”
Some men were tempted, their eyes practically glued to the woman.
“These bandits claimed this mountain as their own and hoarded a lot of gold and silver, all hidden inside this house—”
Chunsheng walked forward a few steps and opened the door, looking at everyone with a grin.
“Good wine and good meat. Everyone, come in quickly to warm yourselves, eat, and drink.
Once we’ve taken enough silver and had our fill of food and wine, it won't be too late to continue our journey.”
Although the crowd was blinded by the gold and silver, they couldn't help but feel something was off about the scene.
Even if they couldn't put their finger on it, the sudden appearance of a thatched hut in the middle of this desolate wilderness made them hesitate.
Zhang Long frowned and used his official blade to bar their way.
“Something is wrong. This place is a wasteland; how could there be a household here? Careful, it’s a trap!”
“You bunch of fools. You’d rather stand out here in the mountain wind than go inside and enjoy yourselves.
Truly stupid. You don't even know how to enjoy life.”
Zhou Dalang was the first to crawl into the small hole.
Chunsheng followed right behind him.
The hole was extremely narrow. He had to lie flat on the ground, poking the upper half of his body in first before sliding the rest of himself through.
As soon as the two entered, they sat at the table and began devouring the meat and wine.
“Delicious, so delicious! Fragrant, truly fragrant...”
Massive, fatty pork hocks, thin slices of roasted goose, fatty chickens and ducks steamed to a golden, oily sheen, along with snowy-white pancakes and meat buns...
Zhou Dalang’s mouth hung open as if there were a dark, bottomless pit in his stomach, and he kept stuffing food in.
“Delicious, so delicious! Fragrant, truly fragrant...”
Seeing him like this, the others swallowed hard and looked at Zhang Long with pleading eyes.
“This food and wine must have been prepared by those bandits!”
“So much silver! So much gold!”
“If we don't take all this silver, wouldn't we just be letting someone else have it?”
Zhang Long was so angry he cursed aloud.
“You idiots with nothing but gold in your eyes! If this were a bandit’s lair and a tiger had devoured them all, where are the bodies? Where are the bloodstains?
Why is this place so clean, without even a hint of the smell of blood? And look at the food on that table—is there even a trace of steam coming off it?!”
He couldn't help but feel a surge of hidden resentment.
Zhang Long was already certain that everything before them was a glamour.
But in the face of such immense wealth, almost no one could remain unmoved.
One bailiff, seeing how much Zhou Dalang was enjoying himself, couldn't hold back any longer. He pushed past Zhang Long and tried to crawl into the hut.
However, his frame was too large, and the opening was so small that he couldn't squeeze through.
Mei Niang stood inside, smiling and offering advice in a gentle tone.
“Officer, quickly take off your official hat and robes, and you’ll be able to get in. That blade is also a burden; why not leave it outside?”
The bailiff actually did as she said. He stripped off his clothes and tried to crawl in again, but just as half his body was through, Zhang Long grabbed his feet and started pulling him back!
The expressions of the three inside the house changed instantly. They reached out to grab the bailiff—one held his head while the other two pulled his arms, engaging in a tug-of-war with Zhang Long—
“You bastard! Look closely! Is there a single living person in that house?!
Look at the three of them! Do they have shadows?!”
Zhang Long pulled at the bailiff’s feet, feeling the immense strength from the other side, and shouted a curse.
“And the rest of you, open your eyes and look! Is what you’re holding really gold and silver? These people are all ghosts!!”
As if on cue, just as he finished speaking, something seemed to explode nearby.
“Boom!”
A dull, muffled clap of thunder rang in everyone’s ears—
It was like waking from a daze.
When they looked again, where was the gold and silver in their arms? It was clearly black mud balls!
Where was the delicious wine and meat on the table? It was clearly toads, centipedes, scorpions, and long worms!
And that thatched hut was clearly a tomb with only a single small opening!
As for Chunsheng, Mei Niang, and Zhou Dalang, their faces were ashen and their features were hideous. They stood inside the tomb, grinning at everyone with ghostly smiles!
They were clearly three ghosts!
Everyone was terrified.
The bailiff who was halfway inside was closest to the three ghosts. Seeing the delicacies turn into venomous creatures and the beauty turn into a skeleton, he nearly wet his pants.
He wailed at the top of his lungs, “Constable! Constable! You must not let go!!”
Having their identities exposed, the expressions of the three ghosts in the tomb changed, and they pulled on the bailiff even harder.
“This man named Zhang truly deserves to die! He ruined our good work!”
“Since you’ve all come, how can we let you leave? Stay and keep us company!”
The oil lamp in the room flickered, its yellow light shifting into a sinister, ghastly green that illuminated the three ghosts' faces, making them look even more terrifying.
A faint mist began to swirl in the forest, blurring their sense of direction.
“Pull! Quickly pull Zhao Liu out!!”
“They’re so strong!”
“Use some strength! Don't let him be pulled in!!”
Seeing the bailiff about to be dragged into the tomb, the others rushed forward to help Zhang Long. They pulled on the bailiff with all their might, barely managing to drag the unlucky fellow halfway back out.
The group was huddled together like children playing a game of tag, pressing against Zhang Long’s back and pulling for their lives!
“You’ve enraged me!”
Seeing the prey about to escape, Mei Niang crawled out of the tomb, extending her long nails to gouge out Zhang Long’s eyes!
Chunsheng and Zhou Dalang also looked gloomy. They transformed into pools of meat mud and slowly crawled out of the small opening, one on each side, reaching out to choke Zhang Long’s neck—
Veins popped on Zhang Long’s forehead. He clenched his teeth and shouted with the last of his strength, “Nan family’s eldest daughter, if you don't help now, I won't be able to hold on much longer!!”
“Puchi—”
A black slaughtering knife flew from nowhere, striking Mei Niang right in the heart.
Before she could react, a hand wreathed in electricity suddenly burst through her back.
Mei Niang didn't even have time to look back before she collapsed to the ground, turning into a pool of black water.
“Mei Niang!!”
Chunsheng’s eyes nearly split from rage. He let out a mad scream, let go of Zhang Long, and lunged toward the owner of the hand, but he only managed to grab a handful of mist.
“It’s hot! It’s so hot!! It’s burning!!! Save me! Mountain Lord, save me!”
Nearby, Zhou Dalang shrieked as a spark of fire ignited at his chest.
As if he had been doused in oil, the fire erupted with a “whoosh,” completely engulfing him.
“Ugh, ahhh... I’m so hot! Ugh, ahhh, save me! Mountain Lord—Mountain Lord!!!”
Like a burning paper figure, Zhou Dalang’s eyes, nose, and features began to shrivel and carbonize—
In the end, Zhou Dalang curled into a ball of raging fire, the light illuminating half the clearing.
He was dead.
To be precise, just like Mei Niang, he had turned into a pool of black water.
Rate on N.U.
