Сhарtеr 263 Guangchun Наll 8
Just аs Наlf-Faced Ghоst wаs about tо leavе, sоmеоnе immеdiatelу came to repоrt: "Dеputу helm mаstеr, thе mаster sауs... hе sауs he's hungrу and weak аll оver. Нe needs tо eat sоmething befоrе hе саn реrform the suturing rituаl."
Тhe mаstеr wаs eхcерtionallу giftеd and рossessed а secret suturing tесhniquе that еveryonе соvetеd, sо it wаs inеvitаblе that hе wоuld aсt arrоgantly bаsed оn his sеniоrity.
Wаng Вuzui аngrilу kicked ovеr a nearby chаir, his eyes iсy: "Thаt old bаstаrd."
If he didn't nеed the man's help, he would have made him understand what it meant to 'bow one's head under another's roof.'
Seeing Wang Buzui furious, the Half-Faced Ghosts were all terrified. One of his trusted aides advised: "Helm master, forbearance brings calm. After the matter is accomplished, we can still make our move. The master is inevitably putting on airs. If we don't satisfy him as much as possible and he leaves, it would ruin our days of planning."
Wang Buzui thought this made sense and had to restrain himself. "Tell the kitchen to send him some food, but no wine. Drunkenness can cause trouble. Tell him this helm master only gives him half an hour. If he deliberately causes trouble again, this helm master won't mind sending him to meet the King of Hell."
After a moment's thought, he added: "Have him come over and start the suturing first. Once the food is ready, bring it all to the Dark Hall."
By then, if he still had an appetite, he would give him time to eat.
"Yes."
——
Upon hearing the order, the kitchen staff couldn't help but complain. One cook, chopping vegetables, grumbled: "What master? Haven't seen any real skill, but he's sure good at putting on airs. These past few days, he's been treating us like grandsons."
Three meals a day, each had to be exquisite, delicious, and never repeated. If he was the slightest bit displeased, he'd smash bowls and dishes, and the higher-ups would only take it out on us kitchen staff.
Come to think of it, even the Chief helm master himself wasn't this difficult to serve.
"Enough. Since it's the deputy helm master's order, we'll just follow it. Don't cause any more trouble with your words. If we delay the deputy helm master's business, we'll still be in deep trouble."
Even though they hadn't dealt with Wang Buzui personally, they had heard and seen enough. He was not someone to be trifled with; one could say he repaid every slight.
He'd probably been bottling up a lot of anger these past few days. Once the matter was done, this so-called master would reach his end.
The manager's warning silenced everyone. They dared not complain further and could only follow the arrangements.
The manager was finally satisfied: "Work quickly. Once it's ready, take it to the Dark Hall."
Shen Du crouched in front of the stove, pricking up his ears to listen. Guessing there was something strange about the Dark Hall, he volunteered: "Everyone has worked hard. I'll deliver the food later!"
When he arrived at the kitchen, he realized the person he was impersonating was just a handyman, so running errands was to be expected.
No one objected. Instead, they snapped fiercely: "Nonsense, if you don't deliver it, who will? Stoke the fire hotter; we're about to start stir-frying."
This kid has learned to slack off. On the way back earlier, he actually slipped away to laze around.
Shen Du lowered his head, trying hard to suppress his temper. "Yes, yes, yes."
Then he threw a few more pieces of firewood into the stove and poked them with a stick. Soon, the fire grew stronger.
In the guest room, the master was half-lying on the couch, waiting for food and drink. Upon hearing the Half-Faced Ghost's reply, his face immediately darkened.
"Is this the attitude your deputy helm master has when asking for help? If not for the Chief helm master's sake, would I have made this trip?""A wise man submits to circumstances, Master. Currently, Guangchun Hall is under the Deputy Helm Master's command. If you refuse to cooperate, no one can guarantee what the Deputy Helm Master might do."
The implication was clear: he should know better than to be ungrateful and refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit.
The Master was so furious he could only puff out his beard and glare. "This is nothing but a blatant threat!"
He had thought that riding on the Chief Helm Master's coattails would allow him to continue throwing his weight around, but he never expected these people to dare threaten him so openly.
The Half-Faced Ghost paid him no mind and simply gestured politely. "Master, please. Let's not keep my Deputy Helm Master waiting."
The Master was seething with rage, but ultimately, he was outmatched and had no choice but to comply. He snarled, "Lead the way."
After all, he had been invited here, yet Wang Buzui hadn't even offered a greeting and now wanted him to work on an empty stomach. Since when was there such a good deal in the world?
Once the Chief Helm Master returned, he would certainly lodge a complaint. Then, it would come down to whose fist was harder.
After all, he and the Chief Helm Master were like grasshoppers tied to the same rope. If anything happened to him, his secrets would be exposed.
The Master was furious, but Wang Buzui was no less so. He even found the three people on the altar table displeasing to look at.
Since the ritual required blood to activate the formation, drawing some blood first wouldn't hurt.
So, he picked up a dagger from a nearby stone table and walked toward Du Xiaowan and the others.
The dagger was forged from rare black iron, incredibly sharp and capable of slicing through metal as if it were mud. It gleamed coldly under the candlelight.
Du Xiaowan, being a sheltered young lady from a respectable family, was timid and fainted on the spot from fright.
Xiuxiu also panicked. "Brother Wang, do you really not care about our past affection at all? You said you would treat me like a sister, that your sister was the apple of your eye and you would always be good to her. Have you forgotten all that?"
"Sister? My sister is naturally the treasure of my heart. Soon, I will be reunited with her. Don't worry, Xiuxiu. My word stands forever. For my long-lost little sister, I will treat her even better."
Not only would she never want for food or clothing for the rest of her life, but he would also never let anyone harm her again.
Now, he had the power to do so.
Xiuxiu's eyes dimmed further. "So, all the kindness you showed me in the past was because of this face, and you extended that affection to me because of it?"
More than once, when they drank and sang together, he had gazed at her face, lost in thought.
She used to think it was because of her exceptional beauty, but later she realized she had been deceiving herself all along.
How could someone so deeply consumed by obsession be swayed by old sentiments to abandon his long-held goal? Everything she had done was nothing but ashes, scattered by the wind.
"What if it is? What if it isn't?" Wang Buzui glanced at Xiuxiu but quickly averted his gaze. "Out of consideration for our past affection, I won't let you suffer for too long."
"Past affection?" Xiuxiu murmured, her expression caught between tears and laughter. "What past affection? Did you ever have any affection for me?"
Her words were calm and unemotional, but the darkness in Xiuxiu's eyes made Wang Buzui unable to bear looking at her. He turned his head away.
"So, from the moment you approached Xiuxiu, you already planned to use her as a vessel for your sister's resurrection, didn't you?"
Zhu Yan had wanted to ask this for a long time but never found the right opportunity.
"None of your business."Zhu Yan was not discouraged either. She sneered and glanced at the fire moths visible everywhere around her, saying, "Does the Fire Moth Party regard the fire moth as a totem or a token? Oh, right, it’s a sacred object, isn’t it? How laughable—a fluttering moth that can be easily burned to death by fire, yet you worship it as a deity. If the gods knew you were demeaning them like this, would they still bless you?"
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