Qian Daniu, a fan of over-the-top tragic dramas.

 

After checking the condition of the three people dragged out of the black fog, Cao Qian shook her head and said, “They’re all dead.”

Qian Daniu didn’t dare touch the corpses and hid behind Cao Qian. Though her current body looked about eleven or twelve years old and was a head taller than the petite Cao Qian, she insisted on hiding behind her.

“But she’s been staring at Boss Xiaomao the whole time,” Qian Daniu pointed out, referring to Aunt Yang.

Xing Ye said, “That’s the mother of this body I’m using. She was just hacked to death by Yang Dazhuang today.”

“These corpses haven’t decomposed, and once they were brought into the house, they stopped moving and lost all aggression,” Cao Qian analysed. “What could be affecting their bodies?”

Xing Ye replied, “The black fog. I suspect the same phenomenon exists during the day. But due to some unknown rules, this fog and whatever it controls can’t enter buildings. So once we forcibly brought the bodies inside, they became peaceful.

“There’s a force in this village that controls both the living and the dead. I’m not sure what the purpose is for controlling the living, but the reason for manipulating the corpses is clear—to kill the paper figures.”

Xing Ye touched his neck. Yang Xiaomao’s body was too weak. If Cao Qian hadn’t rushed over in time to help, that injury would’ve been far more serious than just a surface wound.

“What’s the deal with controlling the living? How does it work?” Qian Daniu asked.

Xing Ye shook his head. “Not sure. We lack clues.”

Qian Daniu’s eyes were still fixed on Aunt Yang’s body. She said, “Aunt Yang had it so rough. Her husband was such a scumbag, all her kids died, and in the end, she had to take Xiaomao to die with her. Even after death, her body’s being controlled… she’s like a tragic heroine from a melodrama. She should’ve reincarnated and taken revenge. Hmm... from what you said earlier, the village chief is a paper figure, and he was quite pleased with Yang Dazhuang and Aunt Yang killing each other. So that means the paper figures want to kill the living. But the black fog at night controls corpses to kill paper figures. Day and night seem to oppose each other. What if the people who died retained their souls and knew they were killed by paper figures? So they turned into avengers. The black fog isn’t controlling—they’re protecting.”

Xing Ye thought about it and found her words unexpectedly reasonable. He looked at her. For someone who usually had no useful ideas during plot analysis, she was being surprisingly logical now.

Seeing the big boss look at her, Qian Daniu quickly waved her hands. “I was just guessing! I’m no good at logical stuff, but when it comes to melodramatic storylines, I can think of tons. Like, look—Aunt Yang responded to Boss Xiaomao’s call and came out of the black fog, which means she’s still conscious. And now she’s staring at you with her eyes open. Maybe… maybe she still remembers you with a mother’s heart? Maybe she can even come to you in a dream!

“Picture it: a dead mother, using mysterious powers at night to reveal the truth about her death to her only surviving young son. That child survives the mountain god’s sacrifice and ten years later, returns to the village under a new name to seek revenge for himself and his mother. He suffers in silence, even marrying the village chief’s daughter—who is a paper figure and one of his greatest enemies. Unknowingly, he falls in love with her, despite hating paper figures. One night, aided by the black fog, he burns down all the paper figures in the village—but can’t bring himself to kill his wife. After learning the truth, the wife is devastated—but she’s already pregnant. She gives birth to a human-paper hybrid. Years later, this child, now living in the city and hiding her true identity, falls in love with a boy a year younger than her—only to find out they’re actually half-siblings…”

“Stop!” Xing Ye quickly cut her off. “Great imagination, but we don’t need to think about what happens 28 years later.”

Qian Daniu stuck out her tongue, her face turning red. “I just really like melodramatic dramas and letting my imagination run wild. Aunt Yang and Xiaomao’s backstories are so tragic—they’re perfect for angst fiction.”

Xing Ye thought back on her words and nodded. “You actually made some good points.”

Cao Qian: “???”

What good points?! She hated these overly dramatic stories. Personally, she preferred strong-female-lead power fantasies where the heroine dominates everything.

Xing Ye continued, “Even if most of what she said was pure fantasy, two ideas are very valuable. First, the idea of a child born from a human and a paper figure—that might actually be possible. Based on how people refer to Qian Daniu’s parents, it seems like they could both be paper figures. But she bled when bitten—so maybe she’s a hybrid of human and paper?”

At that, Qian Daniu touched the place where she was bitten and said, “They were corpses—could I turn into a zombie or something? I mean, I bled. But maybe because I’m a half-blood, my mind stays intact even if I physically change. I suppress the urge to hurt others with sheer willpower…”

“Stop!” Cao Qian said, rubbing her forehead. She didn’t want to hear another love-and-hate zombie-human drama.

Qian Daniu’s brain must be fully wired for melodrama!

“I don’t think so,” Xing Ye shook his head. “Our blood looks normal, and even after being bitten for a while, we’re still thinking clearly. It should be fine. And even if something happens, there must be a way to fix it.”

Xing Ye returned to the main point. “Second—your comment about Aunt Yang using some mysterious power in the dark to tell Xiaomao the truth through a dream—that actually gave me an idea.”

“Huh? I was just making stuff up. She’s dead—how would she tell you anything?” Qian Daniu asked.

Xing Ye pointed outside. “The black fog is the mysterious nighttime force. I already removed the paper stand-in and carried Aunt Yang’s body into the black fog. The creatures in the fog don’t harm the living, so I should be safe. The fog gives corpses mobility, and since she responded to my call and returned to the house, it shows that she has consciousness. So what if I can find a lucid version of Aunt Yang inside the fog and ask her directly about what’s going on?”

Cao Qian thought it over and nodded. “Possible. But I want to go with you. Your body is too weak—it’s not safe.”

Xing Ye shook his head. “It’s okay. I have the strongest guardian spirit. You and Qian Daniu stay in the house and look out for each other—two people are better than one. Honestly, I only thought of this idea thanks to Qian Daniu. So thank you.”

That last part was addressed to Qian Daniu. As he spoke, Xing Ye touched his chest—where the little mirror resided. The mirror hadn’t spoken but had always protected him.

Qian Daniu watched in stunned silence as Cao Qian found a rope and tied Xing Ye and Aunt Yang’s bodies together, mainly to prevent Yang’s corpse from tossing him off due to his weak strength.

Xing Ye also found a small pair of scissors to bring along—if things got dangerous, he could cut the rope and escape the fog.

Then Cao Qian hefted both Xing Ye and Aunt Yang and flung them into the fog.

Qian Daniu was too stunned by their bizarre, practised coordination to speak. Only when Xing Ye disappeared into the fog did she finally recover her voice. Pointing to where they vanished, she asked, “Are all your mission strategies this… unconventional?”

What kind of brain logic did it take to come up with something like this?! She really had only made up a random melodramatic plot just now!

Cao Qian glanced at her and said, “Didn’t you bring it up?”

Qian Daniu: “…”

How is this even remotely connected to what I said?!

Cao Qian explained, “The same thing can trigger very different ideas in different people. Some people can win even with a terrible hand—because they make their opponent lose on purpose. Others, even with a perfect hand, will still mess it up. That’s what separates the talented from the average. The strong do what others can’t.”

Qian Daniu blinked and noted, “You guys are so different from the players I’ve met before. I used to think all we had to do was find the other team and kill them to win.”

Cao Qian shook her head. “Our real enemy isn’t the other players. It’s the system that forces us to turn against each other.”

Qian Daniu didn’t reply. After a moment of silence, she said, “I suddenly feel like all my previous games were a waste.”

Cao Qian gently patted her head, sensing a reflection of her younger self in the girl.

*

Meanwhile, on the other side, Xing Ye and Aunt Yang, tied together, were thrown into the black fog. He felt the resistance of some strange force. But as soon as they entered, Aunt Yang began to move.

Xing Ye quickly said, “Mom, it’s me—Xiaomao.”

Aunt Yang, with half her body still in the black fog, reflexively hugged her son. With her strength aiding him, Xing Ye successfully entered the black fog.

Inside the black fog, Xing Ye couldn’t see anything. There was no flashlight in Yang Xiaomao’s house, and even if there had been, it likely wouldn’t have worked in the fog. So Xing Ye could only cling to Aunt Yang.

Aunt Yang’s delighted voice came: “Xiaomao, you’ve come to keep your mother company too!”

“Keep company my foot! He smells of blood—he’s a living person. Living people aren’t allowed in the black fog. Why does he have the scent of a bite from a living corpse? Who’s the idiot that bit a living person? We’re supposed to kill paper figures, understand? Paper figures!”

Xing Ye felt someone sniff at his shoulder and then start shouting.

“Xiaomao’s not dead yet?” Aunt Yang said in surprise. “I was going to kill Xiaomao so he could keep me company. Life here is so good—everyone treats me well, I never feel hungry, and we get to tear up paper figures for fun!”

Xing Ye: “…”

The idea of killing Xiaomao was something Aunt Yang just couldn’t let go of.

But this black fog wasn’t what he’d imagined. Even though it was full of corpses, it felt more humane than the village.

Xing Ye thought for a moment and said, “When I saw you, I couldn’t help but hug you. Mom, is Dad here too? I saw him being tortured by the village chief’s men during the day and then thrown at the village entrance, half-dead.”

Xing Ye hadn’t actually seen this scene himself, but since the village chief mentioned it, this was likely how things had played out.

“Hmph!” The same voice that had sniffed Xing Ye just now said from the darkness, “Yang Dazhuang didn’t come. He must’ve caved in and begged the village chief to turn him into a paper figure. I don’t know how the mountain god does it, but if the village chief turns a living person into a paper figure, the person has to agree to it willingly!”

 

Translator : DarNan