TEFSCBSS Chapter 60

Chapter 60: When Did the Lantern Go Out?

Wan Niang was completely bewildered. After being taken to a room by Zhao Si, she was immediately tied up by the room’s owner without a single extra word exchanged.

The owner of the house was a frail woman, but her eyes burned with resentment as she kept murmuring something about “Cui Lang, Cui Lang.”

At first, Wan Niang thought about resisting, but suddenly, a rotten stench filled her nose. When she opened her eyes again, she saw the room crowded with people, all staring at her fervently as if she were some kind of hope.

Then, she was stuffed into a coffin and forced to listen to the noisy voices outside.

“So if we sacrifice just one more, our offering will be complete?”

“That’s what the monk said. Once the offerings are gathered, we can enter reincarnation and begin a new life.”

“Good, good.”

Reincarnation? What nonsense.

Wan Niang’s body was tightly bound, her mouth stuffed with cloth at some point, leaving her unable to speak.

As she lay inside the coffin, she felt it sway slightly.

“Alright, we’re here. Go call the villagers—it’s time to end this.”

After parting ways with Wang Bokao, Zhao Wen, Gu Qing, and Li Tiechui ventured deeper into the village, approaching a larger, imposing building. Shadowy figures flickered inside, suggesting a gathering of many people.

“What is that place?”

“Let’s not get too close. We don’t want to alert them,” Gu Qing cautioned, recalling the ominous fortune he had just cast. The reading had been cut off at a crucial moment—an ill omen.

He had been divining for Wan Niang. If the reading was accurate, she was likely in grave danger.

The three quietly hid in the shadows, watching as a group of people carried a coffin out of the grand house and headed toward a secluded area.

That’s when they spotted someone familiar—Zhao Si.

“Is that Zhao Si? The peddler? Should we go talk to him?” Zhao Wen frowned. Something about Zhao Si felt off.

“Let’s go,” Gu Qing decided, exchanging a look with Li Tiechui.

Though they hadn’t worked together before, Li Tiechui understood the signal—knock Zhao Si out or find some way to detain him for information.

With that, Li Tiechui stealthily moved forward, approaching Zhao Si from behind. As soon as he reached him, he covered Zhao Si’s mouth, hoisted him up, and quietly retreated to regroup with the others.

By then, the main procession had disappeared into the thickening mist.

“Zhao Si, we need to talk.”

Zhao Si’s face turned red from being restrained. Damn it, these people had no sense of honor—abducting an NPC like this!

However, his script had accounted for situations like this, so he didn’t entirely panic.

In a hoarse voice, he muttered, “Why are you here? Didn’t I tell you to stay at the villagers’ homes and rest?”

“Uh, we wanted to explore the village,” Zhao Wen lied.

“Oh, okay.” Zhao Si didn’t seem too concerned. “So, what do you want?”

“Didn’t you ask me to make a clay pot?” Li Tiechui scratched his head. “I figured I’d finish the job and go home.”

Gu Qing chimed in, “I’m your apprentice, so naturally, I came to learn from you and meet the village chief.”

Zhao Si glanced at Zhao Wen.

“Uh, I came with Gu Qing. He’s scared.”

…

Zhao Si’s expression remained unchanged as he simply said, “Since you’re so eager, follow me. The village chief has left everything in my hands.”

With that, Zhao Si led them back to the grand building they had just left. A plaque hung above the entrance, written in ancient script. Gu Qing could barely make out the characters—”Ancestral Hall.”

By then, Zhao Si had already stepped inside with Li Tiechui.

“Tiechui, your task is to craft a ceramic jar about half a person’s height. The appearance doesn’t really matter, but the material might be a bit unusual.”

“Huh? What kind of material?” Li Tiechui immediately sensed this was part of a special storyline and quickly asked.

“Well, it requires a special kind of clay, and one of your companions will need to collect it.” As Zhao Si spoke, his gaze drifted toward Zhao Wen.

Zhao Wen: “Me?”

“Yes, it has to be you.” Zhao Si nodded and pointed down a narrow path. “Follow this trail to the end, dig up the soil there, and bring it back.”

“Just me?”

“Yeah, just you.”

Zhao Wen couldn’t believe it. “What about Gu Qing?”

“He’s my apprentice, so naturally, he stays with me. I have business matters to explain to him.”

With that, their roles were assigned—three people, three different tasks. Zhao Wen had no choice but to head out, glancing back repeatedly as he walked away. No one followed him.

“Sigh, unreliable as always. Looks like next time my old man sends me to one of these role-playing murder mystery games, I need to recruit my people.”

Following Zhao Si’s directions, Zhao Wen eventually arrived at a desolate graveyard. A pitch-black coffin sat right in the middle of the road.

“What the hell? These people are nuts—why would they just leave a coffin here?!” Zhao Wen grumbled, sticking close to the wall as he carefully moved around it, intending to keep going.

But just as he passed by, the coffin suddenly made a sound—like something inside was trying to get out.

!?!!

The noise sent chills down Zhao Wen’s spine. He didn’t dare linger and sprinted away, finally stopping at a field filled with burial mounds.

“Wait… the soil I’m supposed to dig up is grave dirt?” Zhao Wen’s face was filled with disbelief. This felt incredibly disrespectful.

He hesitated for a long while, unwilling to disturb the resting dead. Instead, he chose a spot right by his feet and began digging. Once he had a full basket, he rushed back the way he came.

The enormous, pitch-black coffin was still there, just as before. But as soon as Zhao Wen returned, it started thudding again, as if it knew he was back.

Was Zhao Wen the type to let curiosity get the best of him?

Absolutely not.

Acting as if he had heard nothing, he hoisted the heavy basket onto his back and strode past the coffin without so much as a glance, dashing straight back to the ancestral hall.

Inside the coffin, Wan Niang heard the noise outside and pounded on the wooden lid in frustration. “Damn it! If I ever find out who was just out there ignoring me, they better pray I don’t get my hands on them!”

Oblivious to her rage, Zhao Wen finally made it back to the ancestral hall, where only Li Tiechui remained.

Taking the basket from Zhao Wen, Li Tiechui immediately began shaping the soil into a lump, methodically molding it into form.

“Huh. Seriously? In a situation like this, you’re following Zhao Si’s instructions and making a ceramic jar?”

“What else am I supposed to do?” Li Tiechui shot back.

“Uh…”

“Save your breath. This place seems to have its timeline. We were given this moment just to complete our basic task—it’s all going to end soon.”

Hidden in the shadows, Li Tiechui continued shaping the clay, his movements precise and unwavering.

For some reason, Zhao Wen felt an increasing sense of unease, though he couldn’t pinpoint why.

He scanned the surroundings and suddenly froze when his gaze landed on the paper lanterns hanging at the entrance of the ancestral hall.

Slowly, he walked toward the doorway, speaking as he moved.

“Brother Li… when did that lantern go out?”

“Hmm?”

Li Tiechui finally stopped working, lifted his head, and turned toward Zhao Wen…