120 - Dungeon Growth Log

When Ye Ze's neck was gripped by the demonized puppet, he initially felt it was humiliating to be saved by Xia Wu Yin. That night, after returning, he ignored Xia Wu Yin because he felt embarrassed about himself in front of Xia Wu Yin. As the eldest son of the Ye family, how could he have had such a brazen thought at that moment—to risk someone else's life to indulge his own fear of death? And even under the guise of revenge. What a disgrace to the Ye family. Moreover, he looked taller than Xia Wu Yin and seemed older, yet it was Xia Wu Yin who had to rescue him... Utterly shameful. Utterly embarrassing. He tossed and turned all night. His mind was filled with the image of that ragged little boy, usually smiling nonchalantly, but in that moment, his eyes suddenly brightened. "Say you trust me." He said that back then. Even though... Xia Wu Yin was also afraid. But at that moment, in those eyes, Ye Ze saw no fear, only a solitary courage ready to win or die. As if just by uttering those words. Then he could advance unhesitatingly, unstoppable. Like a burning sun. So dazzlingly bright that it left one bewildered. Before the light of dawn dispelled the darkness that enveloped the earth before the break of day. Ye Ze got up and secretly went to see the little boy sleeping soundly under the willow tree. He thought. At that moment, this little dandy was really cool. Just like the young heroes of the Ye family told in his mother's stories, across generations. However, since returning from the public humiliation of the puppet master, Ye Ze realized that Xia Wu Yin, who used to trail him everywhere with a constant smile, had disappeared. Not completely gone, though. Just no longer clinging to him like sticky candy. When begging, Xia Wu Yin was more silent, and the things he managed to gather had dwindled. It seemed he was pondering something. He appeared a bit melancholic. In the past, Ye Ze found this sticky candy quite troublesome and avoided him like the plague. Yet when he was ignored, Ye Ze felt something was amiss, slightly uncertain and anxious. The night spread like a mist. Everyone in the temple slept. Ye Ze went to Xia Wu Yin's side and broke the plum blossom cake he had hidden away, sharing it with Xia Ge, who was daydreaming under the willow. "Here." The plum blossom cake was wonderfully fragrant. Xia Ge was startled and lifted her head to look at Ye Ze. She paused, then took the offering. The mighty figure was actually trying to curry favor with her? How intriguing. The young boy sat beside her, his voice awkward, "…what's up with you these days?" Xia Ge thought, what could it be. She had righteously refused the system's promotion suggestion to be the puppet master, firmly establishing the legitimate ideal of being a carefree little beggar wandering the world. As long as she didn't rely on this influential figure, her future as a beggar would be bright and glorious. However, the system seemed indifferent to her grand ambition, simply claiming: "You will definitely become a puppet master." She was irked by the system's assertive tone. Thus, she didn't harbor any favorable feelings towards the system-designated golden thigh to assist. As long as a little beggar was fed daily, what else was needed? A little beggar didn't need to cling onto anything, upon reflection, this puppet system was meant to aid the male protagonist. Relying on the male lead meant pushing herself down the perilous path of a puppet master. No need to cling, happiness was enough. The male lead had his halo, being the child of destiny, fated to survive. She had nothing, was no one, becoming a puppet master might mean a cannon fodder end. Isn't living well enough? Seeing her remain silent, Ye Ze contemplated and hesitantly said, "…did something upset you yesterday?" Oh, the influential figure actually cared about the struggles of a minor character, no wonder he had a harem of beauties and numerous subordinates clinging onto him. Xia Ge grinned, “Nope.” Ye Ze pondered, hesitated, “When we got back yesterday, I heard the old beggar say… that puppet master ran away.” He seemed engaged in a psychological struggle; after a long while, he softly added, “I… I also think that puppet master was quite pitiful.” This was a hesitant agreement with what Xia Ge had said yesterday. —Lying. Could he not be a little more sincere when uttering something untruthful? That strained expression was quite unpleasant. Xia Ge pondered. She heard Ye Ze cautiously adding, “So, um… Xia Wu Yin, don’t feel upset, alright?” Ye Ze quietly replaced the derogatory nickname with Xia Ge's actual name. Xia Ge couldn't describe what she felt. It was complex. After a while, she took a bite of the plum blossom cake and smiled, "I never said I was upset." Ye Ze shook his head: “But you’re not with me anymore.” Xia Ge: "…I thought you'd be quite happy with that." He might have been genuinely happy before… Ye Ze fell into an odd silence, then took a bite of his plum blossom cake as well, nonchalantly shifting the topic, “Xia Wu Yin, do you know your birth date?” Xia Ge: “Birth date? No.” Ye Ze thought for a moment, “Is there any special day you could use as your birth date?” Most beggars were abandoned children who didn’t know their birth dates; some didn’t care, while others chose an appropriate day to celebrate as their own birth date. Xia Ge: “A special day? Let me think… if I must choose, May 1st.” Labor Day—work is glorious! And it was also her birthday in the modern world. Here, May 1st seemed calculated by the lunar calendar, but since no one celebrated her birthday anyway, lunar or solar calendar didn’t matter. Ye Ze: "How old are you then?" Xia Ge: “Dunno.” Ye Ze asserted, “I’m nine… I’m taller than you, definitely older.” Because he's taller, he's older? What logic is that? What would a dwarf think of this? Xia Ge confidently stated, “I’m twenty-three.” Ye Ze: “Sure you are.” Xia Ge: "…Alright." Suddenly the system chimed in: “Eight.” Xia Ge was startled. The system repeated: “Eight, this body's age.” So Ye Ze is nine, indeed older than her. While Xia Ge was pondering. “Xia Wu Yin…” Suddenly hearing Ye Ze's soft voice, somewhat quiet. Xia Ge looked up at him. The boy slightly avoided her gaze and quietly said, “Since I'm older than you… could you call me… brother?” "…Pfft." Under the boy's anxious gaze, even though she felt a bit bad, she couldn't help it. Even if this current form was much shorter, the thought of a psychologically twenty-three-year-old young lady, ahem, calling a nine-year-old boy "brother"— Xia Ge suddenly envisioned her modern self, one seventy meters tall in high heels, alongside the current Ye Ze, seriously addressing him as brother or elder brother… "Ye Ze, you actually want to be my brother, haha—" It's a little hard to imagine, oddly amusing. Ye Ze: "…" Ye Ze was silent for a moment. "…Is it really that funny?" He inquired. Xia Ge stifled her laughter, shook her head, and seriously said, “Not funny at all.” “If it isn't funny, then stop laughing!” Ye Ze stood up, threw away his plum blossom cake, and stormed off. A sudden outburst of anger. Xia Ge held onto the red osmanthus cake, raising her brow lightly, "Oh, he's really mad." System: “You did it on purpose, didn’t you?” Xia Ge feigned innocence, “Nope, isn’t it funny? I thought it was pretty amusing.” System: "…" You're definitely doing this on purpose. Xia Ge raised an eyebrow, glanced at the night, and closed her eyes to rest. However, she hadn’t rested long before she heard footsteps approaching. Out of caution, she casually glanced up and saw a shadow slowly moving towards the small grove not far from the ruined temple. Xia Ge didn't think much of it, assuming it was just someone from the beggars' guild, restless, heading to the woods for some air. She was about to look away when a thought briefly crossed her mind. This person… their walk seemed unusual. Were they injured? They limped as they walked… Xia Ge considered it, stood up, and followed. It appeared the person truly was injured. Her ghostly stealth allowed her to reduce her presence to a mere whisper, and the injured person seemed too preoccupied to notice as Xia Ge shadowed them deep into the grove. Moonlight filtered through the fragmented leaves of the trees, and Xia Ge saw the person's face clearly. Her pupils contracted slightly. It was A Lan, the puppet master from yesterday! Wasn't he supposed to be executed by burning? Ye Ze's words echoed in her mind. —I heard from the old beggar… that the puppet master escaped. Turns out he really did escape… what is he doing here? Soon enough, Xia Ge discovered the answer. As the moonlight faltered, an old man fanned himself leisurely as he emerged from the shadows of the dense forest. Xia Ge held her breath. It was… the old beggar? “Long time no see, old steward.” A Lan’s voice was cold, “The Chang family has been searching for you for many years, who would’ve thought you’d hide here.” “When you get old, you just want to find a place to settle down.” The old beggar paused, “And I didn’t expect to meet you here.” Xia Ge was thoroughly startled. The two continued with sporadic exchanges, like old friends catching up, casually sharing many words. From their conversation, it became apparent that the old beggar was the former steward of the Chang family, and A Lan, or rather, Chang Lan, was the sister of the current head of the Chang family. The fact that they were connected was something Xia Ge hadn't anticipated. It sounded like the old steward had discovered something significant three years ago, which led to the Chang family hunting him down, forcing him into hiding as a beggar in this small town. A Lan, for being caught practicing puppet magic and bringing shame to the Chang family, was ultimately exiled under the guise of wandering, and happened to meet Cui Zhu during the Qiqiao Festival... The Chang family, as Xia Ge knew from the book, was an illustrious family, but its members were often used as cannon fodder by the male protagonist as he achieved his growth. It wasn't long before the male protagonist, fully exhibiting his overbearing aura, conquered them all and led them in a crusade against the Demon Sect. So... there must be some entanglements between these two individuals and the internal members of the Chang family? The two spoke for a while before the old beggar said, "It's been many years, and you’ve grown up. Your brother..." He paused, as though reluctant to continue. "In the past few years, I’ve heard that my brother has been entangled with the Demon Sect's Master, Qin Yue," A Lan didn’t shy away, her voice indifferent yet vaguely mocking, "I also heard he has a daughter. My brother is quite the romantic." Chang Lan's brother was the master of the Chang family, so she was referring to... the family head and the Demon Sect's master? Xia Ge: “…” That wasn't in the book! Could it be a baseless rumor? The old beggar chuckled, "Then you must also have heard that three years ago, Qin Yue, with her daughter, was besieged at Bai Yue Valley. She fought desperately to break the encirclement and hid her daughter, but ended up in the Jianfeng Mountain prison herself..." "I know about that," A Lan interrupted. "She could have escaped with her daughter." "But she refused to believe the facts, wanting to reunite with her 'brother.'" A Lan sneered, "What a foolish woman." The fragmented conversation meandered like idle chatter, yet it also hinted at sharing the scandals of the master of the Chang family. Xia Ge silently pieced together the narrative. The gist was, the romantic master of the Chang family deceived the master of the Demon Sect, Qin Yue, who bore him a daughter. Then it seemed he used the naive sect master to accomplish something, inviting her to Bai Yue Valley under the guise of a date... Instead of a romantic evening under the willows, with her daughter eagerly anticipating the lover’s arrival, Qin Yue faced an ambush by upright sectarians. Entrapped by love, the sect master refused to believe she’d been betrayed, fighting her way out with her daughter, only to hide the girl and confront the family head... Resulting in her capture. Faced with Qin Yue's accusations. A Lan's callous brother reportedly said: “What a demonic temptress, incorrigible and spouting lies.” Even after bearing a child for him, he only regarded her words as lies. What a tragic tale, truly lamentable. Xia Ge couldn’t help but marvel at such male infidelity. From A Lan's recounting, it seemed that Qin Yue, prior to becoming the master, served as a high priestess in charge of divination—a figure possessed with a ruthless edge, yet also engrossed in the pursuit of cosmic principles, embodying a naïve kind of purity. Essentially, naive. “The Chang family should still be searching for Qin Yue’s daughter,” A Lan mentioned. “Originally a high priestess, Qin Yue’s spiritual power was inherently strong. The priesthood’s spiritual power passes only to females; with each generation, it grows stronger. Her daughter would surpass her in spiritual power and pose a threat to my brother ten years hence if not eliminated.” The old steward shook his head. "There’s nothing." "Oh?" A Lan was surprised, then mocked, "No search? Has he grown a conscience, hoping to accumulate some virtue?" The old beggar remained silent for a moment, then said, “Let’s not talk about your brother, let’s discuss you…” A once-aggressive A Lan suddenly grew quiet. The moonlight barely filled a bowl, highlighting the frost-dusted black hair of the woman. She appeared to have aged significantly. Xia Ge thought of the demonized puppet named Cui Zhu, her heart tightening slightly. The old beggar inquired, "You know the ten-year period has arrived, so why not..." Why not destroy the puppet? He paused, "If you did that, all of this would be over." Time passed. Xia Ge expected no answer when, finally, the woman named A Lan lifted her head slightly, a tear caught in the icy moonlight at the corner of her eye. She murmured. “I… can’t bring myself to do it.” "Because then, everything would be gone," A Lan murmured, "We... wouldn't even have a next life." "I can't do it." Even if she was left with only a demonized shell, she wanted to keep it. She was merely caught off guard, believing Cui Zhu hadn’t fully succumbed to demonization, allowing her to escape. Which led to those unexpected incidents the day before. The essence of why demonized puppets are forbidden concerns not just the harm they inflict after ten years of demonization, but the defiance of natural order in capturing and clinging to souls using a puppet. Souls may turn into vengeful ghosts or disperse to nothingness, with no chance of reincarnation. The old man was silent for a long time before finally sighing. "A Lan." "After all these years." "How can you still be so selfish?" A Lan suddenly laughed, "But, ten years, you know." "In the next life, where would I find her?" "In the next life, she wouldn't know me; she’d love someone else." "I can't find anyone to give me ten years like she did." "I’ll never find anyone like her again." The moonlight was cold, and in the frigid aura, A Lan spoke with a mix of desolate irony. "Just the thought of that kills me." "If it comes to that, I'd rather she be completely gone." A crazed smile tugged at her lips, "As long as she’s with me, for even one second more, I believe it’s worth it." "This ensures she’ll only ever love me." "Forever and ever." "Till death does us part." Truly, she was a woman selfish to her core. Poor Cui Zhu must have been deeply unfortunate to fall for her. Xia Ge crouched among the grass, feeling goosebumps prickle her skin. The old man quietly listened and offered no opinion of his own, simply saying, "Your identity as a puppet master has been exposed. I helped you this time out of respect for an old friendship... You should leave this place quickly." "I won’t leave here." "This is her hometown." A Lan laughed softly, a tinge of lamentation in her smile, "I have never liked owing favors. Considering an old friend's face, I'll help you this time as well." "My brother is looking for you," A Lan warned. "It'd be best to leave this town soon, and also beware... of the Demon Ghost Camp." "If you’re found by my brother’s Demon Ghost Camp, you’ll die." "Dead or alive, this old man doesn’t have many days left,” the old beggar shook his head, a glint of sharpness in his cloudy eyes, “But he must understand, debts owed will always need to be repaid." A Lan scoffed. "Then you might not live to see that day." The two exchanged a few more words, and then the puppet master, A Lan, departed. Xia Ge remained crouched in the grass, free from mosquito bites, yet her legs were numb from crouching so long. She wasn't sure what purpose eavesdropping on this whole conversation served, but she was certain she’d be discovered if she tried to slip away mid-conversation... The old beggar was gone! Suddenly, a sharp pain flared on the top of her head. Startled, Xia Ge felt a chill sweep over her body. Rigidly, she turned her head, finding the old beggar fanning himself, scrutinizing her with a narrow-eyed, mocking smile, "Numb from crouching?" Xia Ge: “...Haha, a little bit, perhaps.” The old beggar gave a soft snort, "If you're numb, get up and walk." Xia Ge: "…" No silencing? Shouldn’t the next words be “You’ve heard too much” or “Only the dead keep secrets”? What kind of development was this... She felt a tinge of fear. Xia Ge followed the old beggar anxiously for a little while. He stopped, turned, and unexpectedly asked, “…Xiao Ge?” Xia Ge felt another wave of goosebumps, “Ha, yes.” She paused, then with utmost eagerness added, "I won’t repeat a word of this anywhere!" In her previous interactions with the old beggar, Xia Ge had seen him as a laid-back, casual, yet authoritative elder. He was kind-hearted, knowledgeable, and had brought together several destitute souls. Thanks to him, fewer people went hungry in this town, and everyone respected him. He liked using nicknames, calling Ye Ze Xiao Ze-er, and once knowing her name, called her Xiao Ge-er. She'd always heard it so casually before, but now it carried the sinister undertone of a silencing threat. The old man glanced at her once more, then turned back around, "I’m saying, what you heard just now, you’re free to share." Xia Ge: "…Huh?" Even his involvement with the puppet master? His voice was slow, "I could tell you even more." Xia Ge blinked, vigorously shaking her head like a rattle, "No need, no need..." The more you know, the quicker you die. Living blissfully as an oblivious little beggar was enough for her. "But the old man wants to talk." You want to talk, but I don’t want to listen. Xia Ge thought silently. The elderly man sighed deeply, "This old man doesn’t have many days left to live…" He seemed to be pulling the sympathy card. Xia Ge: "..." "If you don’t wish to listen, that's fine." Sorry, but she truly didn't want to listen. “Be cautious of anything marked with a fang insignia lately,” the old beggar sighed, “If you see it, run quickly.” "...Oh." = = Since that night’s “brother” incident, Ye Ze had been avoiding Xia Ge. Occasionally, when they encountered each other in town, Ye Ze wouldn’t show her a friendly face. Having miraculously survived under the benevolence of the old beggar, Xia Ge didn’t particularly mind Ye Ze’s minor sulk. Those who have experienced life and death tend to be unfazed by other things. Xia Ge thought so and somehow felt a bit proud of herself. Who knows where she got the nerve to compare her mindset with that of a nine-year-old child. Occasionally, Xia Ge saw Ye Ze and was surprised to find that the little young master, who always wore a stern face while begging, seemed to have had a breakthrough. In the past, he appeared as if everyone owed him money; now, he knew how to smile. He really did have a sunny smile for a young boy. She also noticed that recently, Ye Ze hadn't been begging for food but frequently asking for copper coins instead. One by one, she had no idea what he was gathering them for. He treasured them, putting them into a black money pouch. Unfortunately, the moment his radiant smiling face met hers, it quickly turned into a gloomy storm, as if Xia Ge owed him a fortune. And so it went for about ten days. On this day, while out and about, Ye Ze left earlier than she did, but the old beggar called out to her. Waving his palm-leaf fan lazily, the old beggar asked, “Xiao Ge, what’s going on with you and Xiao Ze-er lately?” Oh dear, was their relationship so strained that even the old beggar noticed? Haunted by the shadows of that night, Xia Ge now got goosebumps whenever the old beggar called her Xiao Ge. She immediately put on a mournful expression, “Brother A Ze doesn’t want to play with me.” The old beggar silently regarded her. Xia Ge found it hard to maintain the act, but she continued to look as despondent as she could. If you're going to act, better go all out. Finally, the old man sighed softly. “Xiao Ge.” Xia Ge: “...Yes.” “People are different.” The old man fanned himself, recalling what he heard in recent days about Ye Ze’s smile. Such a proud child. His gaze wandered into the distance, “Some people are like a whetstone; you have to push them and clearly express what you want to obtain what you desire.” Xia Ge replied, “I don’t want anything.” The old man chuckled, “Some people are different.” Xia Ge looked at him. “There are those who like to act silently, thinking themselves clever, appearing proud. When they quietly do something for you, you mustn’t point it out—” the old man paused, sighed gently, “But you must know what they’ve done for you.” Xia Ge felt a slight stirring in her heart. Looking back at the old man, he had already closed his eyes, fanning himself, saying nothing more. —Xia Wu Yin, do you know your birth date? ... —So... don’t feel upset. —Could you... call me brother? Leaving the ruined temple, Xia Ge didn’t know why, but she thought of Ye Ze’s smile when they would meet by chance on the roadside, and of the copper coins he’d collected. —You must know what they’ve done for you. Ye Ze never used to smile while begging. At least the Ye Ze she knew never smiled ingratiatingly at anyone. He’d rather chew on dry buns every day than sacrifice the last shred of his pride. But lately, he’d been smiling constantly. ...Why? Was it for just a few copper coins? Xia Ge suddenly didn’t feel like pondering it further. As she walked a few steps, she abruptly asked the system. “...What’s the date today?” The invincible puppet system, always failing at establishing a good relationship with the host, answered: “...April 28th.” She’d said her birthday was May 1st. It seemed she was getting closer to the truth. “…If someone is good to me,” Xia Ge mused aloud, “should I just accept it?” The system interjected earnestly, “Yes, and when you do, it’s best to think about reciprocating, maybe by becoming a super strong puppet master.” Xia Ge: “Shut up.” == Ye Ze had finally saved enough money. He ran to the tailor’s shop, intending to have a suit of clothes made as a gift for that shabby little brat. He'd discovered a few days earlier that the kid had bought him a pair of shoes. Truth be told, he knew it was odd to ask someone to call you brother out of nowhere, but when Xia Wu Yin smiled like that, it made him so angry. In his anger. Ye Ze remembered his unborn sibling, perhaps a brother or sister. Gone. Nothing was left. But... he wanted to have someone. What was lost wouldn’t return, so he wanted to earn more, bit by bit. He stood before the tailor shop, staring at its tall signboard, though for some reason, instead of focusing first on the sign, his eyes fell upon a black fang pasted on one of the nearby pillars. The sinister fang exuded ghostly vibes. It drew attention, but was oddly eerie. Why would a tailor’s shop display something so bizarre? Ye Ze brushed the thought aside and walked inside. The shop was sparsely populated, the shopkeeper seemed somewhat peculiar, but Ye Ze didn’t pay much mind to it. He selected an outfit and decided to try it on. He was a head taller than that kid... a slightly smaller size should do. In the fitting room. He heard some strange, guttural noises, as if coming from the next stall. Those sounds seemed a bit eerie. Ye Ze didn’t take it too seriously, assuming someone next door was changing. But the longer he listened, the odder it seemed. His movements became somewhat rigid. “The Ye family’s Sky Glimmer…” “…” “The siege against the Ye family… our Demon Ghost Camp participated, right…” “Shh… that deal has ended, and now, it’s a beautiful new beginning…” “…” The clothes slipped silently from Ye Ze’s hands onto the floor. Not due to what he’d overheard. But because above the fitting room, slowly, gradually, countless ghostly faces with sinister fangs began to emerge! “A… an interesting child has come…” Author's Note: Progressing the plot, progressing the plot, filling in the gaps, filling in the gaps. = = Wuwuwu, I know you've all waited so patiently tat Chongming tossed in a landmine at 2018-08-17 23:48:13 Wei Shi Mao threw a grenade at 2018-08-18 00:45:25 Gu Qing Zhang tossed in a landmine at 2018-08-18 00:53:11 Wo Really Lazy threw a landmine at 2018-08-18 01:30:13 Wo Really Lazy threw another landmine at 2018-08-18 01:30:31 Thanks to all the little angels for the grenades and landmines!! Love you all!