Welcome to the Bizarre Games

Chapter 51 Cracking Walnuts
Zhou You had lived for over twenty years and this was the first time he had ever heard such a bizarre request.

Before he could ask anything, the three leaders continued speaking.

"Young man, it seems you were also captured by that thing, but unlike the others, you seem lucky enough to have escaped death. Of course, it might also be planning to keep you as a pet and then turn you into a pig—"

"But in any case, you certainly don't want to die like this."

At this point, all three heads burst into laughter.

"—Therefore, I can help you."

"That thing's kitchen is right by the door, and the door is sealed off. There's no way you can escape from it. The only way to avoid being eaten is to find a way to mix some foreign objects into its food and strike first."

After he finished speaking, everyone fell silent, and Zhou You was finally able to ask his question.

"So, how do we get rid of this 'foreign object'?"

The heads, however, were only looking at him.

A few seconds later, Zhou You suddenly laughed too.

"Yes, I know, that strange object must be related to the killing of two of you, right?"

Then the three of them all grinned.

"It's so convenient talking to smart people, that's right. Two of my three heads have already been corrupted and are about to turn into monsters, perfect for poisoning that thing. You just need to break open my skull and..."

Before the head could finish speaking, it suddenly caught a glimpse of someone's eager expression.

So two of the three heads immediately shut their mouths, while only one frowned and spoke.

"Smart man, you're not planning to just kill all three of my heads and then mix them with that pig-headed monster, are you? Don't forget, only I know how to mix them and the mixing ratio. Even if you kill them all, it won't do you any good."

"How could that be? Am I that kind of person?"

Zhou You coughed lightly, then put on a dignified and gentlemanly expression.

"Then tell me, how do I know which of you three will turn into a monster?"

The three exchanged a glance, then laughed together.

"That definitely wasn't me."

The three voices paused, then began to accuse each other.

"That must be it."

Zhou You was speechless.

In the end, it was the old man's head that spoke.

"It's not that difficult. Those two who are about to become demons aren't very bright, and there are quite a few unusual things mixed in with them. If you just chat with me, you might be able to find the flaws."

Could this be a side quest as well?

Zhou You waited for a long time but didn't receive any system notification, so he could only shake his head, look around for a hammer, and then walk up to the first boy.

"Let me ask you first, brother, what's your identity? Where are you from?"

The young man's head immediately spoke.

"I was originally a Taoist priest from Youtai Mountain in Cangzhou. Now that the world is in chaos and demons are rampant, I thought of going down the mountain to eliminate demons and protect the righteous path. Who would have thought that instead of slaying the demon, I was killed by it. Even in death, I could not rest in peace. The monster forcibly split my head into three parts, and then this pig-headed monster picked them up. As a result, we can only become decorations on this table, and we have been stuck here until now."

Zhou You remained noncommittal and then turned to ask the middle-aged man.

"And what about you? What is your identity?"

The middle-aged man coughed lightly and then spoke.

"Well, I was originally a hunter in the mountains, and I was living a comfortable life. But then disaster struck. I somehow fell in love with a monster, and it tore my body to pieces. I didn't die, but my head was split into three parts. In the end, this pig-headed monster made some kind of deal with the monster and brought me back here. — Friend Zhou, everything I'm saying is true."

Zhou You remained silent, instead turning to ask the third person.

"Sir, what is your identity?" the old man said coldly.

"My identity is simple: the abbot of the Cloud View Temple on Youtai Mountain. These three heads are nothing but the result of my own cultivation of the 'Four Tribulations of Ghostly Concealment' technique. However, I was ambushed by an enemy during my cultivation, which resulted in my current state. After cutting off my three heads, that enemy offered me to this pig-headed monster, intending to have me die in the mouth of a monster to humiliate me. Who would have thought that this pig-headed monster would not eat me but instead put me here as decoration."

At this point, all three of them had finished speaking.

Zhou You shook his head and walked up to the middle-aged man first.

The other party had just put on a fawning smile when Zhou You struck him with a hammer without hesitation.

There was a "click".

His skull shattered as if it were made of paper.

However, what was exposed was not the brain of an ordinary person, but the shriveled and emaciated corpse of an infant.

"There are so many flaws in your words that even my neighbor, that idiot, could tell. Cangzhou has been suffering from a severe drought for a year. Even if you are a hunter and don't rely on farming, you can't possibly live a life free from want. Not to mention, how could a hunter possibly know so many strange things? Also, I've never told you my name, so how did you know it?"

Then, Zhou You walked up to the young man.

"What you said doesn't seem to have any flaws, and it seems to make sense on its own."

However, before the other party could even show a smile, Zhou You continued.

"But what was that last thing you said again?"

"...You've held on until now?"

"The previous sentence."

"In the end, we can only become decorations on this table."

"—But the problem is, don't you always just use 'I' instead of 'we'?"

Before the boy could speak, the hammer was swung high and then brought down!
It crumbles as easily as a paper-shelled walnut.

This time, there was no brain inside either, but a dead centipede, coiled up in the empty brain cavity.

Zhou You walked to the last human head.

The other person glanced at him with a cold look and then spoke.

"What, are you going to smash this old man too?"

Zhou You was silent for a few seconds, then threw the hammer aside and suddenly laughed.

"How could that be? By process of elimination, you're the last one, so it's definitely true no matter what—so, sir, how are you going to help me?"

The white-haired man gave a cold snort.

"It's very simple. I can teach you a pill formula to turn the stuff in these two heads into a kind of poison, but I also have some requirements."

The old Taoist priest paused for a moment, then continued.

"—First, you need to send me back to the Taoist temple. My physical body should still be intact. When you sew my head back onto my body, I won't be able to come back to life, but I can at least maintain it for a few more years. This will also benefit you—Cangzhou is now overrun by demons and monsters. If you stay in my temple, at least you won't have to worry about being eaten or turned into a monster one day."

"Secondly, the Dharma cannot be passed on to outsiders, not even the elixir formula. Therefore, you must become my disciple and learn my cultivation methods. Are you willing?"

"Um, so that you may know, sir, that I've been used to a carefree life since I was a child, and I'm afraid I can't be bound by any sect's rules."

However, the other party only glanced at you.

—This is not negotiable.

Having said all that, what else could Zhou You say?
It's just a bow, it won't cost you anything.

He clasped his hands together and leaned forward, as if in a gesture of respect.

"Alright, Master—"

(End of this chapter)