Chapter 8

At the sight of the two portraits, Gu Yi’an guessed what the other players had seen during the day.
Just like her now, they had seen the little boy’s portrait and their own.
Whichever person looked, the second portrait would be of them.
"Sister, what are you looking at?"
The little boy’s voice sounded beside Gu Yi’an’s ear.
Gu Yi’an snapped out of her thoughts and looked down at the little boy.
He was gazing at her, his eyes filled with complete trust.
Gu Yi’an said, "Nothing. I was just thinking about how to survive tomorrow night."
Hearing this, the little boy immediately gave Gu Yi’an a big hug.
"Don’t be afraid, sister. I’ll protect you."
Gu Yi’an felt touched by his words.
The little boy wasn’t lying, at the very least, the spirit tablet in her hand proved that.
He was trying to find a way to protect her.
Gu Yi’an whispered, "I’ll protect you too."
I’ll protect Xiao Ze too.
Beside Gu Yi’an and the little boy, Brother Zhang listened to every word they said without missing a single detail.
Brother Zhang clasped his hands behind his back and gave Xiao Jiang a knowing look.
Since Granny Zhao wouldn’t be coming again, and the little boy’s parents had food and thus no reason to cause trouble, Gu Yi’an and the others prepared to sleep.
The little boy went to his parents’ room and brought out unopened toiletries for Gu Yi’an to use.
Brother Zhang and Xiao Jiang, the other two players, could only watch enviously from the side.
Early the next morning, everyone woke up early.
No one was in the mood for breakfast.
The little boy asked Gu Yi’an to stay at home while he took Brother Zhang and the others outside to check the situation.
With the spirit tablet in hand, Gu Yi’an noticed no unusual activity around her.
She didn’t have to wait long, the little boy, Brother Zhang, and the others returned in less than ten minutes.
Brother Zhang and Xiao Jiang came back with heavy footsteps.
The little boy ran over to Gu Yi’an.
"Sister, all the onlookers from yesterday were killed by Grandma Zhao."
Brother Zhang added, "According to the neighbors, their hearts were dug out."
Hearing this manner of death, Gu Yi’an realized it was the same as the female player who had collapsed the night before.
Their hearts had likely been devoured by Granny Zhao.
Since Granny Zhao was already dead, her purpose in consuming hearts was most likely to enhance her power.
Gu Yi’an pondered this and said, "She might be something like a zombie and should be afraid of sunlight, so she won’t come out during the day. Since this world has strange beings like Granny Zhao, perhaps temples or Taoist shrines might have ways to deal with her. Should we go out and look for one?"
Upon hearing Gu Yi'an's words, Xiao Jiang's despondent gaze immediately lit up.
The little boy sighed and said, "Sister, the only temple around here collapsed a few years ago. As for a Taoist temple, I've never seen one, I don't think there is any. The nearest town is a three-hour drive away. My family doesn't have much money."
The little boy had no money, and the three penniless players, Gu Yi'an, Brother Zhang, and Xiao Jiang, had even less.
In other words, the feasibility of seeking external help was almost zero.
In the heavy silence, the sun rose high in the sky and then slowly sank below the horizon.
Night fell.
This also signaled that Granny Zhao, now stronger, would soon come for them.
Gu Yi'an, the little boy, and the other two gathered around the square table once again.
Including Gu Yi'an, the three players all wore worried expressions.
The little boy sat close to Gu Yi'an. This time, he didn't try to chat with her but instead poked at the grains of rice in his bowl, looking bored.
Only Brother Zhang had eaten lunch and dinner with enthusiasm today. Xiao Jiang had only taken a few bites.
Gu Yi'an and the little boy hadn't eaten a single grain of rice.
Gu Yi'an found it strange herself, after eating that mushroom, she didn't seem to feel hungry at all.
No one was in the mood to clean up after dinner, so they just sat there idly.
Gu Yi'an glanced at the little boy beside her, then at Brother Zhang and Xiao Jiang.
Those two had been whispering in front of her all day, secretly discussing something, though she didn't know what.
But as time slipped away and Granny Zhao could appear at any moment, Brother Zhang and Xiao Jiang still hadn't made a move.
This was why Gu Yi'an was frowning.
She was worried about two things: first, that Brother Zhang and Xiao Jiang might harm her and the little boy, and second, about the impending arrival of Granny Zhao.
Gu Yi'an kept a close watch on Brother Zhang and Xiao Jiang's movements.
Time slowly passed.
Suddenly, Brother Zhang and Xiao Jiang exchanged a look.
Gu Yi'an noticed it immediately.
She realized that things were finally about to happen.
Just then, Xiao Jiang abruptly broke the silence, saying, "We have a good way to survive. Throw him out."
He looked at the little boy.
Gu Yi'an raised an eyebrow and stared coldly at the two of them.
It was obvious at once that this idea had been instigated by Brother Zhang behind the scenes, Xiao Jiang would never have had the nerve to suggest throwing the little boy out on his own.
Brother Zhang knew full well that offending the little boy would likely lead to dire consequences, which was why he deceived Xiao Jiang, who was unaware of the truth, into revealing this method.
The little boy, who had been idly playing with his rice using chopsticks, suddenly heard Xiao Jiang’s accusation. His chopsticks clattered onto the table, and his clear, bright eyes welled up with tears.
"After you got the memorial tablet, you just wanted to throw me away?"
Xiao Jiang angrily retorted, "If it weren’t for you, how would we have gotten caught up in all this trouble?"
He abruptly stood up, and Brother Zhang mirrored his movement. The two of them closed in on the little boy.
Both were grown men, with a natural advantage in physical strength.
Xiao Jiang roughly shoved aside Gu Yi’an, who tried to stop him. Together with Brother Zhang, each grabbing one side, they dragged the little boy and threw him outside the door, then immediately slammed it shut.
"You’ve lost your minds," Gu Yi’an said, gripping the memorial tablet tightly as she pushed herself up from the ground with one hand.
"We’re not crazy," Xiao Jiang glared at Gu Yi’an. "All he knows is how to raise corpses. Now those two corpses are under our control. That old woman’s grudge is with him, not us!"
As he spoke, Gu Yi’an walked toward the door.
Brother Zhang and Xiao Jiang stood blocking the entrance, refusing to let her open it.
Gu Yi’an closed her eyes for a moment, then reopened them.
She always trusted only her own judgment.
Calmly, Gu Yi’an said, "Open the door."
"You’re the one who’s really lost it, so eager to go out and get yourself killed," Xiao Jiang sneered.
"I’ll give you the memorial tablet. You won’t have to worry about anything happening if you open the door," Gu Yi’an said decisively, handing over the tablet in her hand.
She was too straightforward.
Xiao Jiang was taken aback but quickly snatched the memorial tablet from Gu Yi’an.
The door opened.
Gu Yi’an immediately saw the little boy standing with his back to her in the doorway.
His figure was frail, pitiful and helpless.
Hearing the sound of the door opening, the little boy slowly turned around.
"Sister?"
Just as Gu Yi’an was about to respond, she noticed a short figure standing in the courtyard.
The moonlight was bright and clear.
Gu Yi’an recognized that figure.
It was Granny Zhao!
At that moment, without a second thought, Gu Yi’an rushed out and embraced the little boy in front of her.
Behind her, the door slammed shut with a loud "bang."
"Xiao Ze, don’t be afraid. Sister will protect you."
Gu Yi’an knelt on the ground, holding the little boy with all her strength.
She watched as Granny Zhao approached them step by step, as if deliberately toying with her prey, her wrinkled face twisting into a stiff, eerie smile.
There was nowhere for them to escape.
"Sister, is kindness a sin?" the little boy’s voice rang out.
Gu Yi’an watched Granny Zhao drawing closer and softly replied to the little boy, "No."
"Then why did I, and my parents, have to face something like this? Isn’t this retribution?"
"No. Kindness is not a sin. It’s just that evil people are too wicked."
A breeze rose, brushing the stray hairs at Gu Yi’an’s temples across her forehead.
The world seemed to fall into utter silence.
Gu Yi’an could only hear the little boy’s voice.
"Sister, your answer satisfies me."
The little boy’s voice carried a hint of distress. "What should I do? Your game is over, but I don’t want you to leave this world."
She had gambled correctly.
Gu Yi’an’s first thought was that she had gambled correctly.
Her interpretation of whether kindness was a sin had not been wrong.
From beginning to end, she had upheld her kindness.
It took Gu Yi’an a moment to process the fact that the little boy wanted her to stay in this world.
Just then, Granny Zhao reached them.
The little boy simply stretched out a hand.
His hand passed through Granny Zhao’s body without any resistance and was immediately withdrawn.
In his palm now lay something new.
A pitch-black, lump-like object.
Without the lump, Granny Zhao’s body crumbled like sand, then seeped into the ground like water. In an instant, only a dark pool of blood remained on the floor.
The little boy brought the lump close to Gu Yi'an’s face. "Sister, eat this. Then you can stay and keep me company."
A foul, bloody odor assaulted her senses.
With great difficulty, Gu Yi’an recognized the object.
It was Granny Zhao’s heart.
The little boy waited for a while, but Gu Yi’an made no move.
"Did she faint?" The boy’s voice carried a note of confusion.
He shook his hand, and it was instantly clean again.
Turning around, he picked up Gu Yi’an and headed toward the central room.
When Gu Yi’an opened her eyes, she saw the little boy looking down at her from above.
Even though his eyes were curved in a smile, the image of him plucking the heart from Granny Zhao’s body lingered in her mind.
Gu Yi’an glanced around and realized she was lying in a cramped space.
Tentatively, she pressed her hand against one of the side panels.
The little boy did not stop her.
Gu Yi’an managed to sit up.
Once upright, she looked around and realized she was inside a coffin.
"Do you like this coffin?" the little boy asked.
Gu Yi’an lifted her gaze.
The boy grinned. "I need a playmate. Now you can stay with me."
Gu Yi’an averted her eyes.
The boy knew she was not from this world, and he was fully aware of their game.
The game of the gods.
The gods were always watching them.
A thought crossed Gu Yi’an’s mind. She smiled and agreed, "Alright."
The little boy was overjoyed. He looked at Gu Yi’an, seemed to ponder for a moment, then gave her a hug as she sat in the coffin.
As they separated, he said, "Your soul smells wonderful."
Was he thinking of devouring her soul?
Gu Yi’an pretended not to hear the remark.
The little boy added, "Not just anyone gets to stay with me. You’re special."
Gu Yi’an smiled slightly, recalling that she was the only one who had eaten so many mushrooms and hadn't touched a single grain of rice afterward.
She had guessed the condition.
Gu Yi’an lay back in the coffin, watching as the little boy slowly closed the lid. Not a single ray of light could penetrate, and her vision turned pitch black.
Even though the air in an enclosed space should quickly become stale, Gu Yi’an noticed no change, she could still breathe freely.
Gu Yi’an relaxed and gradually fell asleep.
At some point, light enveloped her.
Her surroundings were pure white.
Several lines of black text hovered in mid-air.
Gu Yi’an abruptly woke up.
Her gaze fell on the beginning of the first line of black text.
[Game Clear Status: Perfect Clear.]
The corners of Gu Yi’an’s lips curved upward.
She had bet correctly.