Chapter 65

“So that’s the trap. How insidious.” No wonder Willow Waist had said it wasn’t a sure thing.

Zhu Ming asked again, “What else did you find out?”

The dungeon seemed hastily formed, and the mission steps were simple enough, but they couldn’t afford to be careless.

Tang Qiaoqi shook her head. “I didn’t dare ask too much.”

Zhu Ming had a rough idea now and said, “We’ll just say I’m marrying first. Hold on, let me dig for a bit more info.”

After their discussion, they told Willow Waist that Zhu Ming would be the first bride.

“As for Qiqi, she’ll be my family from my maiden home. You wouldn’t hurt her, right?”

Willow Waist smiled, her eyes curving. “Don’t worry, of course not. After all, she’s the next bride. Hey, don’t you have anything else to ask? I’ll give you a heads-up: once you’re in the bridal sedan, you won’t be able to move.”

It was obvious Willow Waist already knew Tang Qiaoqi had learned about this.

Zhu Ming gave her a fake smile and chose to ask a different demon, “How can the bride avoid being paralyzed?”

That demon’s eyes lit up, demanding a sip of essence. Zhu Ming readily agreed, and she gave the answer. “It’s simple. All of us demons have a waist token that prevents us from being paralyzed by the White Lantern’s light. If you have a waist token, you can move. However, only one spare waist token exists in the entire Demon Market, and that token is not given to outsiders.”

As she spoke, she shook the small token hanging from her waist.

Zhu Ming was about to ask how to get the token when Tang Qiaoqi beat her to it.

A strange look appeared in the demon’s eyes. “Become one of our family, and the waist token can be yours.”

“And what price… does becoming family cost?” Tang Qiaoqi pressed.

But this time, the demons refused to answer. They would rather forgo that sip of essence than directly answer this question.

Willow Waist pinched Tang Qiaoqi’s cheek. “If it were you, I’d welcome it. But don’t worry, big sister here won’t force you. You decide what to do yourselves—Oh, right, Zhu Ming, your Little Red Flower.”

So saying, she pulled out a large, bright-red silk flower from behind her and directly pinned it onto Zhu Ming’s head. Looking at the red flower, half the size of Zhu Ming’s head, Willow Waist nodded with satisfaction. “Not bad, now you look like a bride. Miss Zhu, from this moment on, you are free—but only until tomorrow night, hee hee…”

With such a huge red flower on her head, Zhu Ming looked at her reflection in the courtyard water vat and almost fainted from how tacky it was.

Trembling, she tried to take it off, but it was useless. The flower seemed to have grown into her head; she couldn’t remove it no matter what.

“Don’t bother trying to take it off. It’s just a prop to make sure you marry on time. Wear it, and no matter where you are, you’ll enter the sedan when the auspicious hour arrives.”

Zhu Ming gritted her teeth in hatred. She was risking marrying that Fox King for the mission’s sake. Fine, marrying was just marrying, just a game process, it didn’t matter. But why did she have to wear this thing? What era’s aesthetic was this anyway?!

Tang Qiaoqi couldn’t help but look at her—a glance, then looking down, then another uncontrollable glance.

This gaudy red flower paired with Boss Zhu’s twisted expression had a flavor that was uniquely special.

But before she could enjoy it further, the two of them were unceremoniously kicked out.

The demons, who moments ago had been frantically trying to drain the two dry, suddenly lost all desire to absorb essence upon learning they were chosen as the Fox King’s brides.

Zhu Ming crouched by the riverbank, chin in her hands, admiring her reflection with a face full of gloom.

Tang Qiaoqi poked her. “Seems like we’re safe now. What’s the plan?”

Zhu Ming replied in a muffled voice, “Find a way to get that waist token.”

Although the demons wouldn’t violently abduct them anymore, their gazes remained exceptionally fervent. Every now and then, an enthusiastic lesser demon would ask if they needed help or had any questions.

The Bun Shop Owner moved his stall over, sliding sideways like a giant crab behind them. “Buns! Fragrant, steaming hot, freshly made big buns! Just one sip of essence, and you get a freshly steamed big bun!”

However, this time, the bun shop had a glass shield; customers couldn’t self-serve anymore.

“I’ll ask around some more.”

Obviously, these demons had reached a consensus: no sip, no answers. Tang Qiaoqi didn’t want to just sit here and wait. She ran over to the Bun Shop Owner and asked, “Besides becoming a demon’s family member, is there another way to get a waist token?”

After a sip, the Bun Shop Owner said with lingering satisfaction, “Nope, that’s the only way.”

“What price do you pay for becoming family?”

This time, the Bun Shop Owner, like the other demons, didn’t take the sip. But he offered different information. “Don’t be scared. Become my family, and I’ll give you all the buns you can eat, a room to sleep in. I won’t even take your essence.”

By now, Tang Qiaoqi had been drained of three sips of essence. She felt faint, her entire body weak and limp, her mind growing sluggish.

The buns she’d eaten earlier had long been digested. Smelling the aroma of fresh buns, Tang Qiaoqi’s heart raced with temptation.

Listening to the owner, it sounded like plenty of benefits… But, no pie falls from the sky; everyone knows that.

Zhu Ming, done with her grief, finally came over, the big red flower still perched on her head. She asked gloomily, “Still no solid answers?”

Tang Qiaoqi nodded. “They all refuse to say. They only coax me with nice words. There’s definitely something wrong.”

Zhu Ming thought for a moment. “I’m thinking, maybe I could try. After all, I’m under the title of the Fox King’s bride. These demons wouldn’t dare kill me outright. Keeping you outside for mobility, with our coordination, completing the mission shouldn’t be too hard.”

“Great!” The first to respond, unexpectedly, was the Wolf Demoness, who had quietly crept up behind them.

Zhu Ming was puzzled. “Why are you so excited?”

The Wolf Demoness hemmed and hawed, then suddenly slapped the bun stall. “Anyway, there’s just the two of you. Figure it out, whoever. Decide quickly. Once it’s dark, you’ll miss this chance.”

“What do you mean? You can only become a demon’s family member during the day?”

The Wolf Demoness ground her teeth, eyeing Zhu Ming’s neck covetously. “Let me have a sip, and I’ll answer you.”

Zhu Ming looked thoughtful. “Oh, seems that’s a yes.”

Wolf Demoness: “…”

Tang Qiaoqi cut in, “You definitely can’t go, Boss Zhu. Let me do it.”

“It will involve unknown dangers,” Zhu Ming said. “Are you truly prepared?”

Tang Qiaoqi nodded firmly. “Boss Zhu, you should protect yourself well until the most critical part of the mission. If a price must be paid, and an unclear price might compromise the mission, sacrificing me to preserve you is the most logical choice. I trust you’ll get me out, for the sake of… my money, right?”

Zhu Ming didn’t hesitate. “That’s for sure. Two hundred thousand, after all.”

Zhu Ming understood the principle of using your strengths wisely. The biggest obstacle in this dungeon was having only two participants, and one was an ordinary person with zero experience.

Tang Qiaoqi didn’t even have a single Protective Talisman for self-defense.

Zhu Ming had to seek more insurance, so she asked again, “This time I won’t ask what price becoming family entails. I’ll only ask: will we die?”

The Wolf Demoness asked back with deep suspicion, “For one sip?”

Zhu Ming turned to the Bun Shop Owner. “Wanna bid? You give me four buns, and this sip is yours.”

Wolf Demoness: “…”

The Bun Shop Owner grinned from ear to ear. “Alrighty! Here are your buns. Rest assured, no one will die. How could we demons harm our own family? We’ll definitely treat you well!”

Thus, Zhu Ming, eating a plump, white, large bun, licked her lips and made the final decision. “Qiqi, this mission is yours.”

Tang Qiaoqi put on an expression of heroic sacrifice, took a fierce bite of a bun, and—ah, so delicious!

The Wolf Demoness, having not even secured a single sip of essence, rolled her eyes in anger and stalked off.

Next, the two tried every trick to fish for information, wanting to know what difference it made if you chose to become the family of different demons. No matter who they asked, the other party only said they would treat them well, never mistreat their family.

But Zhu Ming still noticed something amiss.

A few demons had let it slip, saying not “become my family” but “become our family.” However, Zhu Ming had confirmed: although they could enter other demons’ residences with permission, the layout here was still one demon per house.

It could be inferred that becoming family meant becoming the family of all demons. The only difference likely lay in which house you chose to enter.

So ultimately, Zhu Ming selected a very straightforward, no-nonsense female demon as the target. After all, she had to consider her financial backer’s chastity.

Moreover, this female demon was gentle and soft, not as hostile to humans as the Wolf Demoness or Willow Waist had been. She said, “Your name is Qiqi, right? Stay at my place tonight, and this way you can become one of our family.”

Tang Qiaoqi took a deep breath. “You really won’t kill me?”

The female demon shrugged. “I’m not really interested in killing. Don’t worry, not all us demons hate humans. We just hope you understand that many of our friends died in the Dark Realm space… Never mind, I won’t say more. Come in.”

She was very agreeable, which gave Tang Qiaoqi a false impression. “Can’t you help us, then? Let us clear the dungeon directly. Don’t worry, once I get out, I can pay you. My family is very rich!”

The female demon couldn’t help but laugh, but still refused. “Sorry, I’m an NPC right now. We are also bound by the rules. Although I won’t actively harm you, I also can’t help you.”

This undoubtedly was a huge blow to Tang Qiaoqi. Ah, ultimately, humans and demons have different paths. Her own teammate was truly more reliable.

“Wait.” Before Tang Qiaoqi entered the door, Zhu Ming suddenly remembered another question. “Once that waist token is given to her, can she give it to me?”

The female demon looked at Zhu Ming with a strange expression and finally said, “One sip.”

Dammit. This was practically telling Zhu Ming directly that there was indeed a catch.

Tang Qiaoqi also realized this and grabbed the doorframe angrily. “No way! You give the waist token to Zhu Ming first, or else I won’t become any family member!”

The female demon sighed. “Let me have a sip, and I’ll give you the answer.”

One sip it was. Tang Qiaoqi rushed to let the female demon take a sip, and thus got the answer.

“Once the waist token is put on, it can’t be transferred anymore. So it’s best to transfer it right now. Oh, right, if you want to get the waist token in advance, you must leave a drop of blood on the totem on the door and say you want to become one of our family.”

Zhu Ming narrowed her eyes. “And then I still have to spend the night at your house?”

The female demon said, “Yes, it’s mandatory.”

Zhu Ming’s gaze shifted to the rows of yet-unlit red lanterns inside the residence.

Great. This truly was a difficult choice.

But they had no choice.

Though this dungeon was designed hastily, who knew how long the Dungeon Boss had been preparing, or how many demons had contributed ideas?

It seemed simple—just ask questions to get answers—yet it pushed them step by step, forcing them to walk into the trap willingly.

Tang Qiaoqi ultimately chose to take the risk. Thus, witnessed by Willow Waist and the other demons, Tang Qiaoqi smeared her blood onto the emblem and exchanged it for a small waist token.

Tang Qiaoqi was locked inside the female demon’s house.

Zhu Ming, wearing the waist token and the red flower on her head, sat by the river waiting.

The chaos of chase and escape was gone. The quiet little town carried a hint of warmth and serenity. The sun gradually set in the west, colorful clouds filled the sky, a gentle evening breeze stirred the willow branches, and the flowing stream was crystal clear to the bottom. Everything was calming and pleasing.

But Zhu Ming couldn’t immerse herself in this peaceful, soft scenery, couldn’t treat it like an ordinary little town.

This dungeon gave her a very strange feeling. She suddenly recalled the words of the deafening voice before the dungeon started. He said he wanted to conduct an experiment in this dungeon.

What experiment exactly?

An experiment trying to turn demons into NPCs?

For some reason, Zhu Ming felt the focus of this experiment wasn’t on these demons, because it seemed they weren’t first-time NPCs.

This question circled in Zhu Ming’s mind, refusing to dissipate even late into the night.