Chapter Thirty-Eight: The Death List
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“People chosen by the gods? Who? Me?”
Qin Changsheng pointed incredulously at himself. He never would have imagined that the large crowd before him would suddenly drop to their knees.
From the elderly, who looked to be in their seventies or eighties, to children barely seven or eight years old, every one of them regarded him with reverence. Even kneeling on the ground, they looked utterly terrified and respectful.
The reaction was so far beyond anything he had expected that Qin Changsheng was completely at a loss.
What kind of performance was this supposed to be?
Qin Changsheng was not the only one bewildered. Every survivor who had followed behind him all the way here was equally dumbfounded.
So many people had actually knelt before Qin Changsheng. Quite a few of the survivors were secretly wondering who this thick-browed, big-eyed youth really was. Could he be working with that short monarch?
When something strange happened, there was bound to be something sinister behind it.
Faced with so many people prostrating themselves before him, Qin Changsheng could no longer bear it. He instinctively helped the little old man in front of him to his feet.
“Get up. No kneeling! Before you kneel, could you explain what these ‘people chosen by the gods’ are supposed to be?”
The little old man allowed Qin Changsheng to pull him up, then blinked at him.
“What a question to ask… Aren’t you one of the people chosen by the gods?”
“And all the esteemed chosen ones behind you are people selected by the gods as well!”
Only then did Qin Changsheng finally begin to understand.
So they were not kneeling only to him. Every survivor following behind him was considered one of the people chosen by the gods.
Looking at the fervor on the townspeople’s faces, Qin Changsheng felt a chill creep through him.
Damn it. Could he really have guessed correctly? Were these people actually followers of some evil cult, with this town serving as their headquarters?
And these so-called “people chosen by the gods” would not happen to be sacrifices meant for roasting over a fire, would they?
The smoky, charred scent drifting through the town only made Qin Changsheng feel that his theory was becoming more convincing.
He quietly swallowed and continued questioning the old man.
“Let me ask one more thing. Specifically, what are these people chosen by the gods supposed to do?”
A puzzled expression appeared on the little old man’s face.
“Is this question from an esteemed chosen one meant to test us?”
“Er… Let’s say it is.”
“We accept the test.”
The little old man lowered his head with utmost respect.
“Here, the people chosen by the gods need do nothing at all. Every one of you is destined to become a god. We have been waiting here only to offer ourselves to the esteemed chosen ones.”
If those words had come from the lips of an adorable young girl, Qin Changsheng might actually have been moved.
But hearing an old man who looked as though he had one foot in the grave speak of offering himself was nothing short of horrifying.
Moreover, there was one thing in the old man’s words that particularly caught Qin Changsheng’s attention.
People destined to become gods…
Become gods?
Under ordinary circumstances, Qin Changsheng would have scoffed at such a statement. As a staunch materialist and atheist, he had never believed in gods, emperors, saviors, or anything of the sort.
But everything he had experienced today made those words far more significant than they ought to have been.
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Before this, Qin Changsheng had not known why their group had been drawn into this deadly game, nor what purpose lay behind gathering them together.
The little old man’s words seemed to have given him a clue.
Whatever “becoming a god” truly meant, it was clearly the key to this game.
Looking at the townspeople around them, who were bowing and worshiping them with the utmost devotion, Qin Changsheng felt an increasing chill run down his spine. The truth behind all this was probably far more complicated than he had imagined.
While Qin Changsheng was still thinking, the little old man continued in his slow, measured voice.
“This place was built especially for all of you chosen by the gods. You may come inside and rest as much as you like. We have already prepared everything you might need.”
As he spoke, the little old man turned shakily toward the road behind him and made an inviting gesture toward the town.
“Please, esteemed chosen ones, come this way.”
“Hiss…”
Qin Changsheng drew in a sharp breath, hesitating briefly.
Walking so casually into a completely unfamiliar town, surrounded by townspeople who looked as though something was wrong with their minds, was unsettling no matter how he looked at it.
But by this point, they did not seem to have any other choice.
To hell with it. They would take things one step at a time.
Qin Changsheng shrugged and simply followed the little old man onto the street leading into the town.
Behind him, Cao Mengmeng and the others stayed close. They trusted Qin Changsheng’s judgment, and although they were uneasy, none of them questioned him.
The rest of the group lingered outside the town for a long while. Only when the wind around them grew colder and colder, freezing them nearly numb, did they finally have no choice but to follow.
A great crowd surged into the strange little town. The townspeople who had been kneeling moments earlier now respectfully surrounded them, but none of them spoke. Every one of them kept their head lowered.
As they proceeded farther inside, the scenery lining both sides of the street only deepened Qin Changsheng’s confusion.
This town was bizarre beyond belief.
Although the buildings stood only a wall apart, they belonged to two entirely different architectural styles at first glance.
An old-fashioned tea house stood shoulder to shoulder with an open-air barbecue stall. On the other side was an upscale Western restaurant that exuded understated luxury even from the outside.
One building was a classical Baroque-style villa, while right beside it stood a traditional Chinese courtyard residence. In the very center, there was even a cylindrical earthen fortress from Fujian.
Buildings of such wildly contrasting styles had all been stitched together into a single town. It was practically a miniature Las Vegas.
The only thing they had in common was that colorful lanterns hung beneath the eaves throughout the streets. They gave off a faint glow, weak on their own, but bright enough together to illuminate the roads.
Qin Changsheng noticed scraps of colored paper scattered across the ground. There was also the lingering smell of sulfur from spent fireworks. Clearly, these people had been celebrating some kind of festival.
He carefully asked, “Excuse me, old man. Before we arrived, was the town holding some sort of event?”
“Of course.” The little old man nodded. “To welcome the arrival of the chosen ones, this town holds a welcoming-the-gods ceremony at this time every year. Once the ritual ends, the gates of the temple open, and the chosen ones are sent to us.”
The more Qin Changsheng listened, the more sinister it sounded. Even so, he felt slightly relieved. Since the ceremony had already ended, it meant they probably would not be tied to a stake and roasted over a fire.
As he walked, the little old man continued, “All the facilities in this town are available for you to use freely. Apart from food and lodging, there are all kinds of entertainment venues here as well.”
“Er, about that…”
Qin Changsheng reached into his pocket. He had less than twenty yuan on him. Before this, all his pocket money had gone toward paying the bill at the Internet café.
“What’s the cost of living here? I might not have enough money with me…”
“Money?”
The little old man’s eyes widened. He seemed completely unable to understand what Qin Changsheng was talking about.
“What is money?”
Qin Changsheng stared at him, stunned.
What was he supposed to say to that? Did this place not even have the concept of money?
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“Do you not have to spend money to buy things here?”
The little old man scratched his head.
“I don’t know what money is. But if you wish to buy something, you only need to use points in the shops.”
“Points?” Qin Changsheng was even more confused. “What are points?”
The little old man stroked his beard.
“Points are something only the people chosen by the gods can possess. Everything in town can be purchased with points.”
As they spoke, the little old man led them to a vast open area that resembled a public square.
A very tall stone pillar stood in the exact center of the square. Its surface appeared to be densely carved with writing.
The little old man stopped before the pillar, turned around, and said to Qin Changsheng and the others, “This is the center of the town. There are signposts nearby to guide you. From here, you can reach anywhere in town.”
“If any of you chosen ones have more questions, you may come and ask me. If you wish to buy something, please visit one of the town’s shops. We have every kind of store here. As long as you have enough points, you can purchase anything you want.”
“All right.”
Qin Changsheng surveyed the strange little town around him.
The little old man appeared to have taken them as far as he could. As for information about the town, they would have to explore the rest on their own.
As for the points the old man had mentioned, although these people seemed to have no concept of money, points were evidently the currency used in town.
Qin Changsheng had no idea how many points he possessed. Perhaps he should find a shop and ask.
Just as he was thinking this, Wu Yutong, who had been walking silently beside him, suddenly covered her mouth. Her eyes widened in terror, and she blurted out,
“Brother?!”
Brother?
Qin Changsheng’s expression changed instantly, and his gaze swept rapidly across the surroundings.
Wu Yutong’s brother—Xifeng Lie—had already died in the previous game, hadn’t he?
How could he possibly be here?
Qin Changsheng scanned the area but saw no sign of Xifeng Lie. He immediately looked toward Wu Yutong, who had cried out.
Her gaze was fixed straight ahead, on the stone pillar in the center of the square.
What was wrong with the pillar?
Qin Changsheng narrowed his eyes and examined it carefully. The densely packed writing carved into its surface gradually became clear before him.
He recognized every one of the characters.
They were written in Chinese.
Some were arranged in groups of three, others in groups of two, while a small portion appeared in groups of four.
After studying them for a while, Qin Changsheng finally understood.
The names of different people were carved into the stone pillar.
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