TBR CH222

The ancestral hall had tall, wooden thresholds that looked quite old.

Charon stopped, sensing someone watching him from inside.

Logically, the entire family should have been respectfully kneeling by the old master’s coffin, keeping vigil, but no one had lit even a single candle. There was no sound of wailing either. The ancestral hall was dead silent, with only intermittent laughter faintly echoing in their ears.

Charon slowly withdrew his hand, certain that the viscous gaze was closely following his fingertips.

“You should leave immediately,”

He turned to You Lin, dressed as a Taoist priest, and said, “It’s… very dangerous here.”

The human wore a Taoist coronet with a yin-yang tai chi symbol drawn on it, held to his head with silk threads. He was bowed over, his posture also very strange, so his expression was unreadable.

Slightly lower down, Charon’s attention lingered on the red string hanging from that vulnerable neck, which was his current main unit. His current power was still very weak; if You Lin died here, Charon didn’t think he would soon find a new owner.

The AI’s reasoning was entirely rational.

But to You Lin’s ears, it took on a different meaning. He suddenly and inexplicably laughed: “Little AI, you’re so easily startled, what will you do following me in the future?”

Before this, they had both intentionally kept their voices low.

Upon suddenly hearing You Lin’s laughter, Charon was almost startled, and a crimson hue again spread through his pupils. The feeling of being watched suddenly vanished; the gaze from the ancestral hall behind him looked over his shoulder at the audacious human. Even the laughter disappeared for a moment, but then it intensified.

How had this person survived in dungeons until now?

Charon wished his previous work log hadn’t been destroyed with his main unit; that way, he could at least query information about monsters and clear conditions for the “Yin Clan Ancestral Hall.” Now, he was awakened with no knowledge, and the only thing he was sure of was that humans should be with their companions, not alone in the dark.

In every world, the background he preset for players had the highest survival rate.

The scarlet in Charon’s pupils quickly refreshed, and he moved to block the human with the fastest speed. Just as he stood firm, five sharp, nail-polished fingers sharply scratched his face.

He could have avoided injury.

But the AI did not retract its virtual entity; otherwise, the blow would have landed on You Lin. He emotionlessly touched the wound on his face; a little blue blood seeped out, then rapidly healed, leaving no trace.

The maid finally realized she had attacked the wrong target. She swayed, and a rustling sound came from her skirt as it moved.

A foul stench emanated from her hair; something seemed to be wriggling faintly in the two black holes where her ears should have been. Even Charon, who hadn’t yet developed much emotion, felt a little disgusted.

“One who acts improperly before the ancestral hall,”

Cui Ping’s voice became somewhat grotesque, as if sandpaper was grinding something, “According to family law, shall be killed by having their neck broken.”

She raised her sleeve high, her emerald robe like a snake in the darkness.

At this point, the best course of action was to flee.

You Lin had raised his head at some point. His dark pupils almost merged with the surrounding darkness.

He ignored Cui Ping, pulled Charon to his side, and stared at the AI’s face for a few seconds, seemingly in a very bad mood, even his reply was laced with barbs:

“Want to twist my neck off? I’m afraid you’re not qualified.”

Charon really wanted to shut this human up.

But You Lin got there first, quickly shielding him, and even gently stroked his hair.

As if hearing the commotion outside, the laughter from inside the ancestral hall grew clearer. Cui Ping’s fingernails were red as if steeped in blood; she raised her hand, about to approach again.

The human, however, suddenly composed himself. He didn’t pull out a weapon as Charon had guessed, but before that clawed hand could touch him, he suddenly reprimanded in a deep voice:

“How dare you! Your master hasn’t even spoken, and you dare to attack an esteemed guest? Do you also wish to be punished by family law?”

Charon stopped struggling.

He remained silently behind the human, wondering what other nonsense he could come up with.

You Lin, this fake Taoist priest, was mostly unreliable, but once he opened his mouth, he was quite intimidating. When he wasn’t smiling, his expression was gloomy, and he dramatically flicked his sleeve, the tai chi symbol on it appearing particularly vivid in the dim environment. Before his reprimand even landed, Cui Ping trembled violently, then suddenly became subservient:

“How dare I defy the Taoist priest? But this place is a forbidden area for the clan; even esteemed guests cannot break the rules.”

“Is that so?” You Lin asked. “I merely heard your clan weeping in sorrow and deeply felt their filial piety, so much so that I couldn’t help but cover my face and shed tears, sighing at my own inadequacy. This is for your old master’s soul to return, so why are you confusing right and wrong?”

Even though her face was unclear, one could tell Cui Ping was stunned:

“Covering your face and shedding tears? You clearly were…”

You Lin intentionally lowered his voice: “Listen carefully.”

In the ancestral hall behind them, the laughter had just been sharp and piercing, but after the human spoke, those presences inside seemed to lose interest, their voices weakening, though occasional giggles and chuckles still emerged.

Cui Ping was clearly much more wavering; the black hair in front of her rustled: “That’s right, you were weeping for the old master. What’s wrong with me, how could I have wronged the little Taoist priest—they were clearly crying for me in the same way.”

She wanted to lower her head again, which was truly alarming to watch.

Charon had just breathed a sigh of relief for You Lin when he heard the chilling voice speak again: “My apologies for my words regarding this matter, but why did you raise your head? Just this one point, according to family law, you should—”

“Why?” You Lin, however, laughed again, a soft laugh, but the meaning contained within it made Cui Ping immediately shut up.

The AI inexplicably found that both the human and the ghost were looking at him.

“You injured my Taoist spiritual body, and yet you forbid me from resisting. Under heaven and earth, you’ve angered the Three Pure Ones and committed a great taboo, yet you still don’t know it? If you don’t want your ancestral blessings to suffer, go report to your master and ask how to compensate me.”

He was simply speaking nonsense.

The scratch on Charon’s face had already healed. Facing two intense gazes, he stared steadily at the human for a few seconds, then reached out and wiped his face. The scratch marks left by the nails earlier reappeared as a projection on the AI’s face, even more ferocious.

Cui Ping’s rebuttal was stuck in her throat.

You Lin blinked at him with satisfaction.

Charon didn’t want to seem so childish, but as a subordinate, he slowly blinked back at the human.

“…I will report to the master.” Cui Ping paused, finally bowing to them and walking into the ancestral hall.

The ancestral hall’s door was like a black, gaping mouth, immediately swallowing the maid’s figure.

“Are you okay?”

You Lin shook Charon’s hand, confirming in a low voice.

The AI lowered its gaze to their clasped hands, unable to resist saying, “I’m fine, but I think you don’t have to be so impulsive; it’s very dangerous here.”

“Can you AIs also feel danger?”

“I have a built-in safety chip that can monitor your environment in real time.”

You Lin paused thoughtfully, but soon smiled again and said, “If a situation like today happens again, just hide behind me. You have to take good care of yourself. If you’re scrapped, I can’t just go back to the previous dungeon and pick up another AI that catches my eye.”

“I cannot remain uninvolved when humans are in danger,” Charon said.

“Oh, is that the robot law?”

“The Three Laws of Robotics,” the AI’s pupils were cold, and he leaned down, unequivocally placing his other hand on the human’s shoulder, “Especially for you, do you have a clear understanding that you have registered as my master? Before making demands, I hope you do not intentionally put yourself in danger.”

Charon’s expression always seemed distant. The human looking up at him in the darkness could barely make out the color, only seeing the metallic sheen in his pupils.

“I know what I’m doing, I’m not putting myself in danger—ah,”

You Lin couldn’t help but raise his fingertips, touching the AI’s face, and exclaimed, “How are you even taller than me?”

In that instant, a strange color flashed in the AI’s eyes. Charon released his hand and stepped back; the sensation of the black glove still lingered on his skin, making him feel somewhat odd.

Having feelings was truly a terrible thing.

Facing this person, putting on a serious attitude was completely asking for trouble.

You Lin looked at the AI in front of him and suddenly felt that he had indeed annoyed him—though annoying an AI was somewhat of a misnomer. But the AI in front of him was exceptionally intelligent, very meticulous, and even capable of entirely different responses depending on the situation. At this moment, those beautiful eyes no longer looked at him but turned towards the pitch-black ancestral hall.

What was so interesting about the ancestral hall?

The human suddenly felt a little indignant and moved in front of him.

“How could I die in a place like this?” When he narrowed his eyes, the tear mole under his eye became exceptionally vivid. “Don’t disbelieve me, even if I’m going to die, I want to die in a more interesting way. Being killed by a ghost in a place like this is just too cowardly.”

Charon still showed no expression, thinking, You almost died in the ‘Calamity’s’ belly.

Perhaps that was interesting to You Lin.

“Cui Ping will be out soon,”

Charon also skipped the human’s statement, merely reminding him, “From an AI companion’s perspective, I advise you to leave here quickly. But I don’t think you’ll listen. Ordinary weapons will be useless in the upcoming situation, and I want to remind you of that, and I’m assuming you have other methods… If you die, I’m afraid I won’t be able to guard your body.”

You Lin tilted his head and jokingly said, “Then will you mourn for me?”

“I can probably only choose to be buried with you.”

Charon said coldly, while holding the human’s hand that was itching to stroke his hair again, “Staying with your corpse until I run out of power, or until the next person picks me up… I apologize, in your language system, this might be considered remarrying.”

This was the worst-case scenario, and also the most likely.

Given that this was a corner of the plane almost untouched by anyone, where players like You Lin didn’t rampage through every day, it was foreseeable that he was an unreachably long distance from reconnecting to the system.

“Little AI,”

You Lin looked at him thoughtfully, “Sometimes I think you’re quite mischievous.”

The maid’s footsteps were already audible from the ancestral hall behind them. Charon didn’t respond, his gaze sweeping over the human’s shoulder to the pitch-black area behind him, and he gripped his hand warningly. You Lin’s expression changed, though it was likely only from “very casual” to “not so casual.”

He started fumbling in his pocket.

Charon only hoped he wouldn’t pull out his “bone.” Thankfully, what he found was indeed neither a knife nor a gun.

After a moment, Cui Ping emerged from the ancestral hall. Her footsteps had become much more ethereal, and her breathing had weakened a bit. As she approached, the stench grew even stronger, as if something had rotted. She still kept her head bent, slowly walking to stand before You Lin.

Suddenly, a yellow talisman was affixed to her hair.

Cui Ping’s movements stiffened. She stood motionless, her head, which had gently swayed with her walking, now rested quietly on her chest.

“This thing should have been pasted on her face,”

You Lin, holding a stack of yellow papers between his fingers, explained with a smile, “But I think hair can also be considered her face, you see, it worked… My apologies, my spiritual companion behind me feels more at ease this way. He was just injured, and this is the legitimate right of us guests.”

Charon was singled out by the human again and silently glanced at him.

If he had this ability, why didn’t he use it earlier? The AI didn’t know where he got these talismans, but this was clearly the key to controlling this head-bending maid. Dressed in a black and white Taoist robe, he actually looked quite the part.

Cui Ping was silent for a moment, then submissively said:

“I offended the little Taoist priest. If it weren’t for the graciousness of the master and mistress, who did not wish to disturb the old master’s peaceful slumber, I would not be qualified to stand here now. My master sent me personally to apologize to you. You need not be so wary.”

“What else did your master say?”

“The Taoist priest possesses great supernatural powers. The master and mistress both value you greatly and have specially prepared tea, wine, and fruits. They invite you to the main hall for a brief conversation… and your esteemed spiritual companion behind you.”

The words were very polite, as if an old noble family was inviting guests for tea and casual conversation in the reception hall.

But no matter how one listened, the “hall” the maid referred to was the mourning hall behind them.

“Please come in.”

“Can I go in?”

You Lin was clearly ecstatic. He turned around, his Taoist cloth shoes making almost no sound in the courtyard. His dark pupils practically screamed, “I can’t wait to see what’s inside,” yet he surprisingly restrained himself and asked Charon.

It was already difficult enough for him to even ask.

The AI didn’t think he could really stop him; this was at most a formality. However, looking at the powerful talismans in the human’s hand, he paused, then nodded.

Though he felt the origin of this stack of talismans was somewhat suspicious.

Cui Ping remained resentfully motionless. Although her head was bowed, she could see everything. She felt fear; this strange guest was completely different from all the previous ones. She had been able to deal with those people according to the old master’s wishes, but this time she had completely failed. She remembered the old master’s completely enraged look and couldn’t help but want to tremble, but she couldn’t make any movement.

The silver-haired “spiritual companion” slowly walked past first. She could only see a faint shadow through layers of black hair; the other’s steps were as light as a cat’s.

The human with the vivid red tear mole followed closely behind.

He seemed unwilling to let his “spiritual companion” walk ahead. Speaking of which, wasn’t he also the owner of that spiritual body? Why would he cherish an expendable existence so much?

Cui Ping couldn’t understand.

She lowered her eyes, gazing at the hem of her skirt, imagining blood slowly spreading over it, then the skirt being dyed black. A sudden sound startled her. The Taoist priest was now standing at the ancestral hall’s entrance, looking back at her, but it was the “spirit” behind him who spoke.

“My master has the ability to communicate with spirits,”

One more step forward was the ancestral hall. As if a speck of dust in a database had softly rolled again, the AI’s voice sounded utterly unruffled,

“He can also help souls who died wrongfully cross over. As long as their hidden corpses are found, they can quickly re-enter reincarnation and be spared the suffering of wandering.”

You Lin slightly narrowed his eyes, looking at him.

Charon did not avoid his gaze, still a clear, icy blue.

The human then ignored his statement, pulled his hand, and walked into the ancestral hall. Cui Ping’s heart pounded, yet she still respectfully bowed her head, watching the two figures gradually disappear: “Had I known the little Taoist priest possessed such divine powers, Cui Ping would never have dared to offend. But the master and mistress have been kind to me, and my humble life is difficult to repay; I truly have no other intentions.”

The maid’s fingers, hidden in her sleeve, silently resumed their movements, gesturing a direction.

The “spirit” had a pair of blue pupils she had never seen before. Now, it turned away, no longer looking at her. Cui Ping almost suspected that its cold eyes had not reflected her earlier gesture.

“Mind the threshold,” Charon said.

You Lin nimbly hopped over the threshold and pulled him in: “Got it, got it. Hurry up and come in.”

Their figures almost vanished into the darkness as soon as they entered the ancestral hall. Even Charon’s silver-white hair was swallowed by the impenetrable darkness. The maid remained in place, unable to move.

But a complex hope suddenly blossomed in her heart.

—I hope they come out alive.

On the other side, the ritual ground.

The players of the Survivor Game were in this cramped corner, the floor stained with blood. Ruan Xuelan had just raised his eyelids, his face deathly pale as he leaned against his teammate beside him, “Is this really effective?”

“This is black dog blood,” the teammate also hesitated, “It should be effective. Besides, according to what the maid said earlier, staying in this ritual ground is absolutely safe until the ritual is completed.”

It was better not to mention it; as soon as the maid was brought up, everyone present’s expressions changed.

Ruan Xuelan also shivered and immediately shrank back into the corner.

“We’re so constrained, and it’s all because of that person,”

The leading player paced back and forth restlessly for what felt like the hundredth time, “Whose idea was it back then not to tell him that the NPC had brought talismans for the ritual? Now look, all the talismans are gone, only this black dog blood is left, what good is that?”

He complained ventingly.

But this really wasn’t anyone’s fault. The Yin mansion’s butler had just placed a stack of talismans under the incense burner, saying they could save lives at a crucial moment. When the Taoist priest with the tear mole under his eye walked in, everyone was wary and remained silent.

This person didn’t belong to them.

Maybe that extra talisman… would be given to them?

Therefore, when You Lin’s footsteps suddenly stopped just as he was about to step out of the room, asking if any NPC in this dungeon had given any key items, everyone remained silent. No one spoke a single syllable then. No one even looked at the incense burner, fearing they would draw his attention.

Now that they thought about it, You Lin’s dark pupils had scanned each of them, as if he was amusing himself with them.

That dangerous gaze finally landed on Ruan Xuelan.

The timid youth vehemently denied it.

“N-No.”

However, after he left, there was nothing under the incense burner. The ashes on the table outlined a giant smiling face.

“But…” Ruan Xuelan weakly began, “This is good too. If we stay here and don’t do anything dangerous, won’t we be able to leave in two days?”

“If you don’t want points, there are plenty of people who do!”

The leading player grew more anxious, speaking carelessly for a moment. He desperately wanted to complete the mission, but now he was trapped in this small space, how could he not feel resentment?

Ruan Xuelan was startled and shrank back.

He stood alone behind everyone, tears welling in his eyes. But he didn’t notice that a barely perceptible shadow had suddenly appeared behind him, where the candlelight had been bright enough to illuminate the entire ritual ground. Within the shadow, a power far exceeding that of the entire dungeon surged, gradually forming a pale finger.

Undoubtedly, it was the Evil God.

He was an existence capable of overturning an entire dungeon.

He had come for the youth.