Blind Zhao suddenly said, "San Niang... San Niang is weeping again."
Everyone turned to look at once. Two trails of liquid trickled from the corners of the statue's eyes, dripping onto her garments. Because the clothing was carved of wood, the droplets ran down the contours and splashed onto the altar table.
Daoist Baiyun stepped forward and performed an ancient kowtow—the *qishou*, foremost among the nine ritual bows—demonstrating his profound reverence for San Niang.
Daoist Baiyun spoke: "The boy is young and foolish. We beg Lady San Niang to forgive his insolence."
Daoist Baiyun's plea was answered by two fresh trails of tears. Just as he was about to speak again, Ding Shi said, "Asking like that won't work."
Ding Shi stepped forward and cupped his hands in a salute. "San Niang, did I upset you?"
The statue showed no reaction. In a brief lapse of sanity, Ding Shi blurted, "San Niang, you're so ugly."
Everyone present knew the secret of the statue, having witnessed miracles or ghostly occurrences before. Hearing Ding Shi's words, they all sucked in a cold breath, their eyes pinned unblinkingly to San Niang.
Yet San Niang showed no reaction whatsoever.
Ding Shi breathed a sigh of relief and held his hands out to the crowd. "See? It's not me." Turning back to San Niang, he added, "Just kidding earlier. You haven't even fully grown into your features yet, and you're already a stunning little beauty."
Daoist Baiyun sensed something was off about that remark, but before he could ponder it, the village chief asked, "Daoist, what should we do now?"
Daoist Baiyun said, "It seems this truly has nothing to do with Little Ding."
Zhang San chimed in, "Maybe San Niang has just cried all her tears dry."
Ding Shi sneered, "Dumbass."
Zhang San took a furious step forward. "Say that again!"
Ding Shi punched Zhang San square in the left eye. Zhang San stumbled back several paces and was only kept from falling when Haitang caught him from behind.
Ding Shi smiled and did not strike again. Though Zhang San was still fuming, that single punch had taught him his place; he didn't utter another peep, instead letting Haitang help him over to sit down on the side.
The village chief sternly reprimanded Ding Shi for assaulting a villager. The village chief's satisfaction dropped by 5 points, leaving 78 points.
Blind Zhao interrupted the farce. "Daoist, what do you make of this?"
Daoist Baiyun said nothing. He drew a scroll of bamboo slips from his sleeve.
Blind Zhao's eyes lit up, as though he had spotted something extraordinary.
Ding Shi, meanwhile, felt a twinge of regret: *The old fox had his treasures on him the whole time! No wonder I searched Baiyun Temple top to bottom and only found one San Niang.*
Daoist Baiyun unfurled the bamboo scroll, murmuring chants under his breath. Six copper coins tumbled out from the slips and clattered onto the floor.
Rolling the bamboo scroll back up, Daoist Baiyun dropped to one knee and studied the coins intently, his lips moving continuously in silent incantations. Strands of white appeared in his thick black hair, spreading outward from the crown of his head as age spots emerged across his face. His once fair, supple skin transformed with astonishing speed, turning sallow and deeply wrinkled. In just a dozen seconds, Daoist Baiyun went from an ethereal, transcendent figure to a decrepit old man.
Daoist Baiyun reached out, gathered the copper coins one by one, and attempted to stand, only to nearly collapse. Ding Shi stepped forward and supported him, helping him over to take a seat.
Daoist Baiyun looked at the village chief and the others, his tone calm. "A great calamity has already come to pass." He then turned his gaze toward Haitang. "What happened?"
Under the scrutiny of countless eyes, Haitang lost her composure, terrified. Zhang San stepped in front of her, blocking everyone's view. "If you want someone to blame, come at me!"
Daoist Baiyun said, "San Niang is weeping because of her."
Ding Shi piped up meekly, "Can I ask a question, Daoist? Were you telling fortunes just now? Does it always cost that much?"
Daoist Baiyun sighed. "Peering into heavenly secrets naturally demands a price."
The village chief barked, "Haitang, what did you do?"
Haitang shook her head frantically. "I didn't... I didn't do anything! I didn't!"
Zhang San turned back to comfort her. "Don't cry. I'll take you away. We'll leave this place."
It sounded deeply loyal and affectionate, but Ding Shi let out a chuckle. "You're taking her away? Where to?"
Zhang San said, "The world is vast. There will always be a place for us."
Ding Shi had no answer for that. The system said that the only ways to leave the instance were by dying or by boarding the minibus at eight in the morning on the eighth day. Could someone truly live in the instance world without leaving? After all, that was essentially reincarnation or transmigration—traveling from the twenty-first century back to the twentieth.
Ding Shi suspected Zhang San knew what Haitang had done. As for Zhang San's motive in defending her, it could be true love, but it was far more likely connected to whatever she had done.
Could they also have known that San Niang Temple held a great treasure and gone hunting for it in secret, thereby genuinely offending San Niang?
Ding Shi already knew that the so-called Baiyun Temple had been built to suppress San Niang's body, and that it was the true location of San Niang's coffin and the great treasure Blind Zhao had spoken of. But Haitang and Zhang San didn't know that. If they had only piecemeal information like he had at first, Haitang might well have taken a reckless gamble for her lover, Zhang San.
No, Haitang's expression didn't look feigned; she genuinely had no idea how she had offended San Niang.
Could the old Daoist have divined incorrectly? That seemed impossible too; he had staked his very life on the divination. Sacrificing his lifespan only to get false information would violate the laws of metaphysics—the Heavenly Dao itself would get sued for that.
There was another possibility: Daoist Baiyun had divined the answer but wasn't telling the truth. That seemed unlikely as well. Daoist Baiyun had cultivated alone in the mountains for years, lacking guile, and had no talent for lying with a straight face.
"The fog is rising!" someone shouted outside.
Daoist Baiyun went outside immediately and looked up. A thin veil of mist had enveloped Taoyuan Village and was still spreading outward.
Standing beside Daoist Baiyun, Ding Shi said, "I heard San Niang's bridegroom came into the village to fetch the bride in heavy fog, which was how the snake demon ambushed and killed him."
Daoist Baiyun looked grim. "There is indeed something suspicious about this fog. Village Chief."
The village chief stepped forward, and Daoist Baiyun said, "There is still time to leave. This humble Daoist advises that the villagers evacuate Taoyuan Village."
The village chief asked, "Can it not be saved?"
Daoist Baiyun shook his head. "A great calamity has already come to pass—not that one is merely brewing. It is too late, too late. Had I arrived even a step sooner, perhaps it could have been resolved."
*Is he throwing shade at me?* Ding Shi wondered.
The village chief said, "Daoist, it has been ninety-nine years, and this is our final sacrifice. If the ritual is ruined now, not one person in our village will have the face to meet our ancestors."
Daoist Baiyun pondered for a long time before speaking: "There is indeed a way, but I have no certainty of success. Are you sure you wish to take that gamble?"
The village chief turned to look at Zhang San, then at Ding Shi, and finally waved Sun Qi over. "You are all college students, the cleverest people in our village, and you have heard everything that was said. Now the decision is yours: should the whole village evacuate, or should we stay and see the sacrifice through?"
This was handing the decision over to the players. It gave Ding Shi the illusion that although this wasn't an ordinary game, the village chief and the others weren't real people either; they felt more like characters in a fictional sandbox world. But then again, wasn't a sandbox world a game after all?
Knowing full well what he had done at Baiyun Temple, Ding Shi was the first to answer the village chief's question: "I recommend evacuating."
Zhang San said, "We're right on the doorstep of success. Since the Daoist has a way, for the future of Taoyuan Village, I vote against evacuating."
Everyone turned to look at Sun Qi. Clearly lacking an opinion of his own, Sun Qi looked pleadingly at Ding Shi for help.
Seeing this, Zhang San said, "Excuse us. We need to discuss this among ourselves."
Chapter 25