The game comes true, starting with the wandering spirits and gods.

Near the bright village, the once muddy roads have been transformed into brick roads.

Upon closer inspection, the village is actually quite large: every few dozen steps there is a stone tablet, and from a distance, the walls and tiles look quite well-built.

Even at midnight, wisps of smoke still occasionally rose from the village chimneys.

Do villagers also like to stay up late?

However, amidst this lively atmosphere, there was a subtle sense of unease.

There were no chirping crickets or cicadas, no barking dogs or crowing roosters, and no occasional human voices...

This is extremely unnatural for a village that is brightly lit at midnight.

Familiar voices can bring a sense of security, but their absence can make a place feel lifeless.

It's as eerie as a ghost town in a horror game where everyone has left.

As he got closer, Zhang Wenhao could see the village's sacred tree, indicating that the village entrance was not far away.

In ancient times, villages would plant a camphor tree at the entrance of the village and build a shrine next to it.

Trees are as old as the village, and temples are as old as the state; they are symbols of the village's long history and the passing down of its traditions.

But now, the village temple at the entrance is dilapidated, with broken tiles and crumbling walls, and snakes and rats scurrying about in the overgrown weeds.

Although his own ancient temple was sparsely populated, at least people still stepped across the threshold, and the incense continued to burn intermittently.

But here, it has become a complete ruin.

This made Zhang Wenhao even more convinced that something serious must have happened in the village.

Otherwise, villagers wouldn't have chosen to abandon the existing village temple and instead travel to their own desolate dirt roads to make wishes and worship the gods.

He manipulated the girl's free hand, gently brushing it across the ruins.

On the map, a building has been lit up.

[The "Cangling Village Temple" has been lit up]

Cangling Village...

Zhang Wenhao muttered to himself.

The weasel in your hand has woken up and is now in a stable state.

When the notification popped up, Zhang Wenhao realized that the weasel he was carrying had opened its round little eyes and was looking him up and down.

"This little brat is no ordinary child. I, Lord Huangquan, admit defeat today."

Yellow Springs? What an unlucky name.

Zhang Wenhao frowned, opened the chat window with Huang Pizi, and typed the following message.

"Now, your name is Zhaocai (meaning 'Lucky Money')."

This was the first time he had spoken up in the game.

Previously, he was just a wooden statue, without a mouth.

As the incense bearer, it has no choice but to accept your imperial decree.

Zhao Cai's expression changed.

Its fate changed as a result.

You have suffered the punishment of your karma.

Nothing happened.

Destiny?

Zhang Wenhao suddenly realized that it was now his incense bearer, and its numerical panel was transparent.

Click to take a look:

[The person carrying incense: Bringing wealth]

[Level: lv1]

[Destiny: Hidden Gold in One's Sleeve]

【Body: 6】

【Spirit: 8】

[Skill: Defeating the Emperor]

[Introduction: Originally a lowly beast, now ordained by an ancient deity, he is quite imposing.]

Overall, its panel size is significantly larger than that of the normal Ayun.

The only difference is that it is slightly inferior in terms of rank, being the lowest level.

Indeed, humans are the most intelligent of all beings; even if animals cultivate and gain wisdom, they are still just lowly creatures.

Even Zhao Cai was surprised by his own destiny.

"You're not human, you're a god?"

Seeing this, Zhang Wenhao excitedly opened the chat box again.

The weasel can accept its own decree, and as a traveler, it is not affected by fate.

Isn't this like stepping on your own foot with your left?

Then I really have to try what it's like to be a Great Immortal!

Seeing that Zhang Wenhao was not moving, Zhao Cai suddenly broke free and hurriedly grabbed the girl's clothes.

[“My lord, have mercy! Please don’t impose such a terrible fate upon me!”]

This little gadget is quite intelligent; it can even read your mind through the screen.

Zhang Wenhao paused in his typing, then listened to its explanation.

"Immortal, you have transcended the cycle of reincarnation, yet you are still within the Dao."

If you were to impose such a devastating fate upon me, not only would it draw karmic fire upon me, but it would also attract demons and monsters, at which point both of us would be doomed forever!

Despite trembling, it tried its best to control its shaking voice and vividly explained the advantages and disadvantages.

This actually convinced Zhang Wenhao, who was eager to try.

"How many years have you been practicing?"

"Reporting to the immortals, Zhaocai has been cultivating on this yellow earth road for over a hundred years, only gaining wisdom forty years ago."

At this moment, the weasel stopped calling itself "Grandpa" and stopped calling out to the little baby, and answered all questions truthfully.

A hundred years of cultivation, no wonder his stats are still pretty strong.

"Do you know anything about the strange things that happen in this village?"

In the picture, Zhao Cai nods vigorously, looking comically like a freshly baked long yellow bread.

"This village has been here since I was born."

The area used to be prone to flash floods every year, making it impossible to grow crops or even have enough to eat. Many young people who couldn't bear it left and never came back.

The village chief went to the city and found some kind of miraculous medicine that caused a person's soul to separate from their body.

After the family split up, their souls were bound, and their bodies became obedient, able to work day and night...

The first batch of test subjects were still extremely unstable. They would wake up after crying a lot, and their soul and body would reunite.

Many clansmen also said that these medicine people could successfully obtain a title, but the younger ones had not tried.

Later, the village chief would give them handfuls of sweet candy every time he fed them medicine. After eating so much sweetness, they would feel less bitter and stop crying, and the patients would become more and more stable.

However, the current medication should be much more stable.

Zhao Cai spoke at length, then let out a long yawn, revealing a mouthful of broken teeth.

[Ding! You have triggered a quest]

[Perform a ritual to liberate 20 people who have been poisoned, allowing them to enter the cycle of reincarnation and be spared endless torment.]

[Reward: Incense Power +200]

Current progress: 1/20

Zhang Wenhao fell into deep thought.

Recalling the old man's ghost whom I first converted, I saw a look of bitterness on his face.

Back then, although there was candy to eat, medicine wasn't yet fully developed...

However, since some people are still making wishes, it's safe to say that not everyone has turned into a drug-addled person...

"What about the villagers who weren't turned into drug-addled people? Don't they escape?"

Zhao Cai shook his head.

"The village chief isn't some kind of demon or monster, so he definitely needs someone to accompany him and someone to flatter him."

If he wants to become a local tyrant, he needs subordinates and a group of ignorant people.

However, it's estimated that by the time the village chief's grandson's generation comes along, they'll all be poisoned.

Zhang Wenhao glanced at the task; it wasn't complicated.

Having had previous experiences, he had a concrete understanding of the concept of deliverance.

The only remaining question is the current condition of the drug user.

If it were just a tireless normal person, that would be fine; even Ah Yun, with his enhanced form, would be more than capable of handling it.

Not to mention that now there's an extra "lucky charm" feature.

But if this medicine can also improve physical fitness, then it's hard to say.

Specific problems require specific decisions.

Zhang Wenhao still planned to go to the village.

Since we're already here...

At worst, we can teleport back.

"Is the immortal going to the village? The smell of medicine is so strong."

Feeling guilty, Zhao Cai started to back down.

He ignored the narration.

Before leaving the temple, I searched it carefully one last time.

Upon turning over the rotten wooden plank, they indeed found something to pick up.