Chapter 255: The Tiger’s Ghost (Part Two) – Its Ghost is Named Chang

The townspeople, dressed in ancient clothes, bustled through the streets and alleys, some buying and haggling, others engaging in high-flown discussions, their faces mostly wearing cheerful expressions.

“This place is truly wonderful. No worries about food or clothing, completely carefree. Even the Peach Blossom Spring couldn’t be better than this.”

“Thanks to Master Meng, who led us to settle here. Now we never have to fear war again.”

The two townspeople exchanged remarks and walked past the players, smiling.

Their feet trod firmly on the ground, followed by shadows both dark and faint. Their movements were smooth and natural; they looked like living people no matter how you viewed them.

In contrast, the players, dusty and travel-worn, carrying lanterns and stained with bamboo leaves and blood, looked exactly like evil Ghosts who had stumbled into the Peach Blossom Spring.

“This place doesn’t look like it’s suffering from a tiger plague. They all seem to be living quite comfortably,” Tang Yu shrugged dismissively.

“I disagree.”

Qi Si’s gaze fell upon a notice posted on a nearby stone wall. Although the paper was tattered, the outline of the ink clearly depicted a tiger.

The other players naturally also noticed the notice and walked closer one after another.

It read:

【There is a tiger in the woods outside the town, which has injured several passersby. If you have no urgent matters, people, carriages, and horses must not leave the town without authorization.】

【There are thousands of Wraiths inside the town, lying low during the day and coming out at night, capturing people to feed the tiger. When dusk falls, find shelter indoors and do not open your doors.】

【Many newly deceased Ghosts are outside the town, often lurking in passing convoys and occasionally entering the town. If there are outside guests, do not dare to be negligent.】

According to the notice, Yanghua Town was surrounded by a tiger and several Wraiths under its command. The town was riddled with holes due to infiltration, and new Wraiths frequently tried to sneak in from outside. It was truly suffering from both internal and external troubles, precarious and unstable.

Lin Chen pondered, “No wonder the Meng Family didn’t personally send someone to fetch a doctor. They must be afraid of encountering Wraiths and being devoured by the tiger after leaving the town.”

“The townspeople are trapped inside the town, obeying the rules of not easily leaving the town, closing their doors tightly at night, and being vigilant against outside guests. Their only contact with the outside world relies on crows delivering messages… So why did they still invite us over? Aren’t they afraid of Wraiths mixing in among us?”

“Who knows what they’re thinking.” Tang Yu reached out, peeled off the notice, and examined it thoroughly. “I don’t think they look very panicked; they’ve probably gotten used to coexisting with the Wraiths.”

The speaker meant no harm, but the listener took note.

Luo Haihua looked around at the surrounding townspeople. “Exactly. The notice says Wraiths can lurk in convoys and mix into the town, which is basically telling us they can disguise themselves as humans. We don’t even know if these townspeople are human…”

As they spoke, the townspeople also noticed the players’ presence and surrounded them from all directions. The wind they brought stirred up fragments of straw.

The air quickly filled with whispers.

“They have lanterns in their hands; they came from outside the town…”

“They are all strangers. We don’t know how many are human and how many are Ghosts…”

The townspeople looked hostile, and the animosity emanating from them grew stronger, as if they might transform into fierce beasts and pounce on the players at any moment.

Qi Si lowered his eyes and saw the shadows of several people flickering. They seemed to be swayed by the wind, twisting into strange shapes in certain moments, resembling… a crouching tiger.

There are Wraiths among the townspeople, and the Wraiths’ shadows appear in the shape of a tiger… is that right?

Qi Si continued to lower his gaze, looking at his own feet.

It was empty; there was nothing there.

He then looked at Tang Yu’s feet, then Lin Chen’s, and then the others’… None of the players had shadows.

“Grab them…”

“Go fetch Master Meng and ask for the Mountain God’s opinion!”

The townspeople pressed closer, some even grabbing knives from stalls and aggressively gesturing at the players.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Tang Yu pulled a letter from his chest, shook it open, and held it above his head. “I was personally invited by your Master Meng via letter to subdue the tiger. Not only do you fail to welcome me, but you dare to make trouble?”

His voice was loud and commanding, carrying the air of an ancient official handling business, which genuinely made the townspeople retreat half a step.

“Is there anyone literate? Go up and check the authenticity.” Someone in the crowd whispered the suggestion.

A Scholar wearing a long gown responded and stepped out from the crowd.

He looked about twenty-four or twenty-five, wearing a blue robe and cloth cap. He stood out among the grey-clad men and yellow-clad women, clearly appearing educated.

Perhaps it was the players’ imagination, but his face was frighteningly pale, and his eyes were so black they seemed capable of swallowing a person. His other features were faint, as if painted on, giving him a very unsettling appearance.

The Scholar took the letter from Tang Yu, his eyes darting back and forth, scanning the text.

Presumably finding no flaws, he tucked the letter back into Tang Yu’s hand, then slowly turned his head to look at the other players.

Lin Chen quickly took out the crumpled request for medical treatment letter from his medicine box and handed it over.

Qi Si also pulled a blood-stained letter from his sleeve and handed it to the Scholar.

The Scholar opened and read each one, then turned back to the townspeople and said, “These three were indeed invited by Master Meng. Although we do not know if they were harmed on the journey, you all need not worry.”

“If a Wraith wants to harm someone, it must be in the same room as the person at night, within three meters. Everyone, be vigilant tonight. Do not go out, and do not let strangers into your homes.”

His voice was sharp and piercing, sounding quite sarcastic and harsh.

Tang Yu drew his waist knife three inches and frowned. “What the hell do you mean by that? We showed you the letters, and you still suspect us of being Wraiths? I think you lot are the Ghosts!”

“Don’t be angry, don’t be angry, this has been the rule for a hundred years…”

“It’s just for everyone’s safety. We will apologize to the three of you tomorrow!”

The townspeople exchanged glances and started speaking politely, instantly transforming from xenophobic ruffians into simple, honest citizens.

They seemed to welcome the players, bowing and clasping their hands in salute one after another.

The shadows on the ground were indistinct and swaying gracefully, shaking wildly and connecting into a massive, bizarre grey smudge that clearly had eyes and a nose—it was distinctly a huge tiger.

The shadows of almost all the townspeople in this area were tiger-shaped, including the Scholar.

“And what are you three here for?” the Scholar asked pretentiously, looking at the three who were not carrying letters.

Qiu Xin said concisely, “Collecting herbs in the mountains, and got lost.”

Luo Haihua pulled Luo Jianhua and bowed to the Scholar. “My friend and I were returning from the Provincial Examination, got lost in the nearby mountains, and stumbled upon your esteemed town. We wish to stay the night and set off again after confirming our direction.”

It must be said that she was worthy of being a language teacher; her speech was sophisticated and plausible.

The Scholar turned to look at her and said with a tone of pity, “You truly came at the wrong time. According to the town’s rule, all outside guests must rest for one night, two per room, at the Residence in the west of the town before doing anything else.”

“If you want to see Master Meng or ask for directions, you must wait until tomorrow morning, after we confirm that none of you are Wraiths. Whether you have letters or not, a rule is a rule.”

Luo Haihua asked, “Brother, could you tell us the reason for the ‘two per room’ arrangement?”

The Scholar replied, “A newly deceased Wraith must harm one person every night, or its soul will scatter. By seeing if anyone dies tomorrow, we will know if there are any Wraiths mixed in among you.”

“At that time, we will ask Master Meng to step forward and deal with the Wraiths who broke the rule and snuck into the town.”

As soon as he finished speaking, all the players heard a system prompt.

【side quest Refreshed】

【side quest (Mandatory): Find all the Wraiths hidden among you】

【Quest Tip: Players identified as “Wraith” must kill one person every day;】

【After nightfall, when a “Wraith” and a “Human” are in the same room and the distance is less than three meters, the “Wraith” may choose to kill the “Human” (this opportunity occurs only once per day);】

【A “Human” chosen for death by the “Wraith” will certainly die, and “Humans” who die by the tiger’s mouth will become “Wraiths.”】

The three tips summarized the information implied in the Scholar’s words.

It was clear from this that it was a Mafia/Werewolf-style faction game, and a very unfair one at that.

Regardless of which player is the “Wraith,” they must kill someone, and the player sharing a room with them will have no chance of survival.

As soon as the next day arrives, the identity of the “Wraith” can be deduced from the victim, and the “Wraith” will certainly die.

In other words, from the very beginning of this game, the deaths of two people were already written into the rule.

Of course, all of this relies on the players following the Scholar’s arrangement of two people per room.

Everyone present was a Veteran Player, and they quickly thought of another solution: first, have the “Wraith” expose themselves to help the “Humans” complete the side quest. Then, everyone else would capture one townsperson each day and hand them over to the “Wraith” for disposal, to avoid having their souls scattered.

After all, NPCs’ lives weren’t lives; after all, the side quest only said to find the “Wraith,” not to “kill” them; after all, this was a team survival instance… However, the idea, though beautiful, remained just an idea.

Slaughter-path players objectively existed, and players ultimately couldn’t fully trust each other, making it unrealistic for the hostile faction to expose their identity.

“You’re the ones who sent letters inviting us here, and you’re still acting like lords?” Tang Yu drew the knife from his waist and stabbed it into the floor, producing a crisp “clang” sound. “Are we supposed to take risks and be fed to tigers?”

The Scholar met Tang Yu’s gaze, unflinching, a strange smile spreading across his face: “Perhaps there are no Wraith among you, which would be for the best. If you are not satisfied with this arrangement, you may leave.”

Upon hearing the word “leave,” the players instinctively looked back, but the path they had come from was gone.

Behind the two-story archway, there was no longer a dense bamboo forest, but a flat stone path. Looking to its end, their view was blocked by small buildings with white walls and black tiles.

The road had changed, the environment had changed, and they didn’t know the situation inside or outside the town—how could they leave?

Tang Yu sneered at the Scholar: “You say we should pair up in rooms, so we pair up? Why should we listen to you?”

The Scholar’s smile didn’t fade: “After you move into the Residence, someone will check if you are housing according to the rule, and help you lock your doors from the outside, to prevent you from being harmed by the Wraith outside due to not understanding the situation on the first day.

“You can, of course, choose not to stay in the Residence, but no one else will be willing to provide you with lodging. Once the hour of Zi Hour passes, anyone without a house for shelter will be taken by the Wraith.”

After he finished speaking, he pointed in the direction from which everyone had come: “The Residence is in that area. Go there yourselves; someone will meet you at the alley entrance.”

At the end of the spacious road, a cluster of dark, small buildings spread out, devoid of human presence, eerily quiet and desolate.

The sky darkened, painting the buildings in a light gray, and the vast shadows of the houses faded, merging into the indistinct mist.

“It’s getting dark, let’s go back…”

“Everyone, don’t forget to lock your doors and windows. See you tomorrow!”

“Distinguished guests, do not linger outside; beware of the Wraith!”

The surrounding townspeople gave each other instructions and scattered sparsely; the Scholar also shook his paper fan and turned to leave.

After a few brief instructions, no one gave the players an extra glance, nor did anyone say another word to them.

They also stopped interacting with each other, each going their separate ways with their heads down.

Nightfall seemed like a sacred Ritual, or a declaration marking an end, as everyone would stop what they were doing, like weary birds returning to their nests.

Soon, only the six players remained on the street.

The taciturn Luo Jianhua mumbled, “The townspeople’s shadows can turn into the shape of tigers, so most of them are probably Wraith. We should be able to distinguish humans from Ghosts by their shadows, but for some reason, none of us have shadows…”

“In any case, everyone be extra careful.” Luo Haihua looked around at everyone. “If most of the townspeople are Wraith, letting us stay two to a room in the Residence probably means they have ill intentions.”

She paused, her gaze falling on Qi Si, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes: “Lin Wen, what are you looking at?”

Ever since Qi Si handed the letter to the Scholar, he hadn’t paid attention to anyone else, merely standing quietly to the side, having pulled out a tattered ancient book from somewhere, gently turning its pages.

It wasn’t until Luo Haihua spoke that he finally tore his gaze from the pages, looking indifferently at the person before him: “The Underworld Record, an ancient book that records various knowledge about Ghosts.”

He closed the book, tucked it into his wide sleeve, his eyes, which swam with crimson light, showing no ripples: “If the records are accurate, we don’t need to worry about the Wraith among the townspeople harming us for now.

“Legend says that if Wraith live among humans for a long time, they absorb human essence and gradually develop human shadows, acting just like people in every gesture. Although their souls are still bound by tigers, and their shadows often transform into tiger shadows, in their eyes, they are genuine humans.

“Wraith capture living humans for tigers simply to find a substitute for death, to exchange for a chance to be human again in the next life. If they can live peacefully like humans, even if it’s self-deception, why wouldn’t they?”

Qiu Xin looked up and asked, “So those townspeople are Wraith who mistakenly believe they are human?”

Qi Si was noncommittal and continued: “Just like Bi Gan truly died only after having his heart dug out and encountering a woman who said, ‘A person without a heart will surely die.’ As long as we don’t expose the truth in front of the townspeople, they won’t realize they’ve become Wraith, and naturally, there will be no need for them to help the tigers kill us.

“But once we expose them, as the culprits who prevent them from pretending to be human, we will surely die.”

Tang Yu asked, “Does the book say why we don’t have shadows? Are we still living people?”

“Who knows? The system didn’t say we were Wraith, so we should still be living people. As for not having shadows—”

Qi Si chuckled softly: “Perhaps it’s to prevent us from finding the Wraith too easily.”

The others couldn’t understand the humor, exchanged glances, and were momentarily speechless.

Lin Chen raised his hand and asked, “So, should we go to the Residence or not? The game already said there are Wraith among us. Locking two people in one room will definitely result in at least two deaths…”

“Maybe four.” Qiu Xin shook her head. “In Werewolf, there are at least two wolves. I suspect there are also two ‘Wraith’ among us. If the two ‘Wraith’ don’t happen to be in the same room, the result will be two ‘Humans’ killed during the night, and the ‘Wraith’ executed by the townspeople the next day.”

There was a certain logic to these words, and the players’ expressions grew solemn.

If things truly developed as Qiu Xin said, by tomorrow morning, only two players would remain.

The difficulty of completing the main quest would greatly increase. The best scenario would be for one of the remaining two to die, allowing the sole survivor to trigger the minimum death count mechanism.

Luo Haihua deliberated, saying, “When the time comes, we’ll first try to find lodging elsewhere, one room per person. If we really have to stay in the Residence, we can only hope that the ‘Wraith’ are willing to sacrifice themselves…”

She didn’t finish speaking. In the direction of the Residence, a short, dark figure was tottering towards the players.

It was a small old man wearing a bamboo hat and a black robe, holding a bunch of keys that jingled back and forth.

Seeing the players, he bared a mouthful of uneven yellow teeth: “Distinguished guests, follow me back to the Residence.”

The old man’s shadow trailed neatly behind him; from every angle, it was human-shaped, not tiger-shaped.

He didn’t wait for the players to respond, but turned his back and led the way, as if certain the players would follow.

And indeed, all the players followed him.

Tang Yu hastened his steps. When he was half a pace from the old man, he suddenly flicked his wrist, raised the saber he had been dragging on the ground, and slashed at him.

—As long as this instance allowed players to kill townspeople, all problems would be easily solved.

Kill the townsperson managing the Residence tonight, and then everyone could have a room to themselves; tomorrow morning, pick out the living townspeople and kill a few each day… Veteran Players, tempered by instances and armed with items and skills, found killing an ordinary person incredibly easy.

The sharp saber struck the old man’s back with a “whoosh,” carving a long gash.

Blood splattered, the wound was bone-deep, almost severing the old man at the waist, leaving only a thumb-width of flesh connected.

The old man fell to the ground with a dull thud.

The keys in his hand flew out, clattering for a while.

Tang Yu stood steadily before the pool of blood, his hand maintaining its grip on the saber, showing no trace of panic.

The other players held their breath, standing far away, staring intently at the old man’s corpse in the blood.

Time passed minute by minute; the corpse remained just a corpse, with no abnormal changes.

He must be dead.

Tang Yu exhaled, shook the blood from the blade, stepped over the old man’s body, and picked up the bunch of keys from the ground.

“Tonight, we’re staying in the Residence, one room each,” he said in a light tone.