Chapter 14
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Chapter 14:
But Mi Hongbao didn’t know any of these things, and Li Chunzhou didn’t plan to tell him, so she just shook her head.
Qi Leyuan looked serious as he stood on the horse, it was his first time riding a horse in the form of a rooster, and things looked a bit strange from his point of view.
Seeing she was not in a good mood, Mi Hongbao changed the subject and asked, "Lady Chun, when did you learn to ride a horse?"
"I learned before, I was very clumsy… but luckily I had A’bao by my side, so I dared to ride the horse at ease." Li Chunzhou’s voice with a smile came from under the cloak, making Mi Hongbao feel excited again, like he had a fluttering bird in his heart, wanting to fly with his whole person.
The two rode out of Pingkang Alley, and the efforts put into cultivating Oiran by the various brothels in the capital could be said to have spared no effort. Not only must they be beautiful and knowledgeable, but they must also cultivate the girls in culture and various skills, so that they know what to say when receiving important guests.
But Li Chunzhou was an exception, she didn’t need to learn anything at the Spring Flowers Tower, just by her face alone, she stood out. Later, when she caught the attention of the Second Prince, no one dared to force her to learn anything.
After being trapped in the Dungeon World for so long, Li Chunzhou actually knew how to play music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. However, for her, the sense of achievement that these skills could bring had become increasingly faint in the repetition of day after day.
Mi Hongbao left the two horses at the inn, handed a silver coin to the boy, asking him to take care of the horses, then he pulled Li Chunzhou closer to him, making way through the crowd.
Mi Hongbao put his arm around Li Chunzhou’s shoulder, surrounding her as they walked side by side on the road, naturally attracting attention.
He tilted his head slightly and saw the chicken in Li Chunzhou’s arms, asking with some confusion, "Lady Chun, why not leave it at the inn?"
"I’m afraid Li Li will be confused by the innkeepers… and they slaughter chickens behind the inn." Li Chunzhou explained to Qi Leyuan along the way.
Qi Leyuan nodded, silently praising Li Chunzhou in his heart, thinking to himself, "Well done, bro, I didn’t misjudge you!"
Along the way, Li Chunzhou listened to Mi Hongbao reminiscing about his past experiences when he followed his mother back to the south. He described the feeling of soft, sun-drenched haystacks in autumn, the crunchy sound when you step on them, the slight prickling sensation on the skin, and the scent of sun-soaked straw. Mi Hongbao used to love falling asleep in the haystacks as a child until his mother called for him to leave reluctantly.
As they walked on, the number of people around them gradually decreased. Mi Hongbao looked around and realized they had unknowingly left the city. Curiously, he asked, "Lady Chun, where are we? Have we arrived?"
Li Chunzhou took off her veil and wiped the sweat from her forehead with her sleeve, saying, "Not yet, we still need to continue walking up the mountain."
Mi Hongbao noticed Li Chunzhou’s slightly weary steps and paused for a moment before taking a big step forward, squatting down in front of her, and said, "Come, I’ll carry you on my back."
Li Chunzhou smiled again, without hesitation, she climbed onto his back and whispered in his ear, "A’bao, you are so kind. It’s great to have someone like you, so diligent and helpful, accompanying me. Lady Chun is truly fortunate…"
Seeing Mi Hongbao’s ears turn red, Li Chunzhou smiled happily.
Walking beside the two of them, Qi Leyuan saw Mi Hongbao’s confused and silly look, and thought to himself, "Look at this clueless guy!"
He watched as Mi Hongbao was completely lost in joy, pedaling the tandem bicycle for both of them. He was almost pedaling so hard that he could have reached Mars, all the while being lost in his own laughter.
The atmosphere along the way was harmonious, but as they entered the mountain, Qi Leyuan felt something was wrong. Not only did the mood suddenly become gloomy, but there was also a sense of being watched.
Suddenly turning around, Qi Leyuan saw no danger behind him, only Li Zhexuan following them at a distance. Qi Leyuan felt slightly relieved, but couldn’t help thinking, "When did this silent boy start following us? He never makes a sound…"
Qi Leyuan’s movement caught Mi Hongbao’s attention. Mi Hongbao frowned and glanced back, briefly puzzled when he saw Li Zhexuan behind them. He stared disapprovingly at Li Zhexuan for a moment before turning away, ignoring him.
This small incident did not affect Mi Hongbao’s mood at all. He did not notice the strange atmosphere on the mountain, nor did he wonder why Li Chunzhou had brought him there.
"Aren’t you curious, Mi Hongbao?" Li Chunzhou wrapped her arms around Mi Hongbao’s neck. He glanced back at her. Li Chunzhou had long, dark eyelashes and a slightly flushed face from the exercise, looking warm and soft.
Mi Hongbao lifted her up a little to prevent her from falling and replied, "I’m not scared, but I am curious. Will you tell me?"
Li Chunzhou jokingly said in a creepy manner, "In deep forests like this, the best thing to do is to kill and bury someone."
As they chatted, they climbed halfway up the mountain and saw a house in front of them. The average-looking courtyard made Mi Hongbao wonder why anyone would live in such a remote place.
Li Chunzhou patted his shoulder, signaling him to calm down, and walked towards the wooden door, whispering, "Let’s go, the show we want to see today is inside."
A sense of unease crept into Mi Hongbao’s mind. He grabbed her wrist and asked, "Lady Chun, are you sure about this? I have a feeling that there might be danger inside…"
He didn’t say the second half of the sentence – this place is too dangerous, and if anything goes wrong, I’m afraid I can’t protect you.
Mi Hongbao’s pride and fear of losing face prevented him from speaking further.
Mi Hongbao had been practicing martial arts since he was young. Although he was young, he came from a martial arts family and had a strong foundation in this field. He followed martial arts masters to train since childhood.
However, standing in front of the wooden door at this moment, Mi Hongbao felt goosebumps on his arms, despite it being the peak of summer.
Qi Leyuan felt even worse. A restless feeling squeezed his chest, making it hard for him to breathe. Qi Leyuan opened the communication channel to send out the location.
Just as Qi Leyuan pressed the send button in his mind, he suddenly felt cut off from the outside world. A chill ran down his spine as he realized he had "entered".
Li Chunzhou turned back with a faint smile, but in this strange environment, everything seemed eerie and sent shivers down one’s spine. She glanced at the unsettled Qi Leyuan and softly called out to Mi Hongbao, "A’bao, come."
As they entered through the wooden gate, the surroundings grew increasingly desolate. It was as if they had transitioned from day to dusk in an instant. The darkening sky was eerily silent, with even the howling wind carrying a hint of menace.
In the courtyard of the farmhouse, five people stood scattered around. In the center, a girl with her hands and feet bound lay on the ground. A piece of cloth gagged her mouth, allowing only muffled moans to escape. The face filled with fear and regret belonged to Hóngdòu Wáng, who had escaped from the Spring Flowers Tower the night before.
Instead of distress, her father showed a joyful expression as he turned to the man with round glasses beside him and said, "No mistake, didn’t you read her fortune? You can take her at any time, but as for the money…"
The middle-aged man with a goatee nodded, handing Hóngdòu Wáng’s father a heavy bag of silver or gold. After glimpsing inside, her father revealed a look of utmost delight.
Mi Hongbao couldn’t bear to witness the scene of selling a girl for profit. He reached for the dagger at his waist and rebuked, "Under the heavens, daring to openly engage in human trafficking is lawlessness!"
Despite his furious and clear voice, the people in the courtyard paid no heed. Hóngdòu Wáng continued to gaze in disbelief at her parents and brother, while her family was busy counting money. The man with the goatee, seeing the father satisfied with the deposit, spoke slowly, "Since you’re content, let’s make the exchange… after all, what I want is not a living person."
Upon hearing this, Hóngdòu Wáng struggled even harder, her body trembling uncontrollably. She was dragged inside by Wang Yaozu, a man much taller and stronger than her. With all her might, she clawed at the ground, trying to grab onto something, but found nothing but her nails flipping out and drawing blood.
Mi Hongbao couldn’t bear it any longer and stepped forward with a cold face, pulling out a knife. "Stop! Let her go!!"
Instead, Li Chunzhou held him back and calmly watched the outrageous scene in front of her. She turned to Mi Hongbao and softly said, "Don’t try, it’s all fake."
Mi Hongbao didn’t believe it. He tried to grab the hand of Wang Yaozu who was pulling Hóngdòu Wáng’s hair, but his fingers passed through Wang Yaozu’s body. Mi Hongbao widened his eyes, unable to understand what was happening before him.
Hóngdòu Wáng stared with terrified eyes, fixedly looking towards the door, coincidentally where Li Chunzhou and Mi Hongbao were standing.
The marks on the ground seemed to indicate an unstoppable force dragging Hóngdòu Wáng towards death, little by little and with no chance to resist.
Mi Hongbao clenched his fists, gritted his teeth and asked, "Why can’t we catch him? Are we helpless…?"
Qi Leyuan shook his head inwardly, unable to comprehend why Mi Hongbao was still concerned about others at this moment. If he wasn’t mistaken, they must have entered the "Sub-dungeon" of the Dungeon World, where the power of ghosts would be greatly enhanced. If they didn’t find a solution soon, they might all die together here!
If the Spring Flowers Tower was the first sub-dungeon, then this must be the second one. Qi Leyuan quietly moved towards Li Chunzhou, seeking comfort beside her. Though the Oiran Contest had not yet begun, he was certain that Li Chunzhou was the "Oiran" mentioned in the rules.
After hearing Mi Hongbao’s words, Li Chunzhou smiled and raised the corners of her mouth. She took Mi Hongbao’s hand and didn’t answer his question but instead said, "A’bao, let’s go inside and take a look."
Mi Hongbao noticed that Li Chunzhou’s hand was a bit cold, but he didn’t say anything. He just looked deeply at Li Chunzhou in front of him.
The two walked into the room side by side. Strangely, even though they had both seen Wang Yaozu dragging the red bean into the room just now… the room in front of them was clearly empty.