"You all peel the eggs, too. Put them in the basket when you’re done," Wang Laoshu said.
In the early morning sun, ten Night Guards silently peeled the pig’s-blood-red eggs and placed them in the basket one after another.
"Hiss..."
As Hao Yunsheng handed over an egg, he glanced down and his face filled with shock. His hands, at some unknown point, had been sliced by sharp blades, crisscrossed with dozens of wounds. But there wasn’t a trace of blood, only pale white gashes, as if they’d been soaked in water.
The others looked down and saw the same thing—all of their hands were covered in cracks.
Everyone instantly understood why the eggs had turned red.
Wang Laoshu picked up the basket, placed it just inside the threshold, and smiled. "Little Master, these are your red Fu eggs. Eat them all, and they will bless you with eternal life."
Sunshine Boy turned his head and asked, "Mother, can I share these eggs with anyone?"
"My silly son, these are incredibly nourishing. They were all prepared for you. Even if your mother craved one, I couldn’t bear to eat it."
Sunshine Boy picked out the egg Hao Yunsheng had peeled. Cradling it in both hands, he placed it in the Deceitful Mother’s large palm. "This one is the best. It’s for you, Mother. I’ll just eat ten. Please don’t refuse. This is a small token of your son’s devotion."
Hao Yunsheng’s fists clenched.
The Deceitful Mother began to sob softly, her voice thick with emotion. "Oh, my dear boy, you still care for your mother the most. You truly are my wonderful son. Fine, Mother will eat this fine red egg. You must finish all the others."
Sunshine Boy first took the Mugwort from the man whose egg he had just offered up and tucked it into his clothes. He shot Hao Yunsheng a cold smile, picked up a red egg, and stuffed it into his mouth.
As the red egg neared his lips, it dissolved into a stream of grayish-yellow gas that flowed down his throat.
One after another, Sunshine Boy devoured the ten blood-red eggs.
He grew a little taller with every egg he ate.
"BURP..."
Everyone frowned at the thick smell of egg yolk that filled the air.
But Sunshine Boy only tasted rust.
Sunshine Boy first performed Mind Guarding Spirit Platform, discovering that his Spiritual Eye Deceitful Dragon had absorbed a portion of the gaseous energy from the eggs.
Next, performing Mind Guarding Life Mansion, he saw a Bait Destiny Star floating above Destiny Star Mountain turn from transparent to a grayish-yellow.
Sunshine Boy shook his head in resignation and looked up at the sky.
The mass of brilliant white light in the void above finally took shape. Its outline resembled a seated giant, similar to the ten-foot-tall figure sitting cross-legged behind the black curtain.
The Light Chain between the giant and his Life Mansion had grown even thicker.
’Slow and steady. No rush, no rush...’
Sunshine Boy withdrew from his Life Mansion.
The ten Night Guards stood motionless outside the door.
Hao Yunsheng’s expression was darker than ever before.
Sunshine Boy glanced at the others. Even the Book Listener and the Captain had dark circles under their eyes, their cheeks tinged blue. The rest looked even worse.
Wang Laoshu said, "Mistress, next we need the three sacrificial animals—a chicken, a sheep, and a cow. Shall we have someone begin the hunt?"
"You may arrange it." The Deceitful Mother’s soft voice echoed through the house.
"As you command."
Sunshine Boy said, "Hao Yunsheng seems agile. Let’s have him catch the chicken."
Wang Laoshu looked up, a wide smile on his face, and began to point toward Hao Yunsheng.
With a long sigh, his face expressionless and numb, Hao Yunsheng pulled a fragrant, pink, mandarin-duck-embroidered handkerchief from his Qiankun Ring. He pressed it to his face, and his features instantly morphed into those of another Night Guard.
Wang Laoshu’s half-raised arm changed course, pointing instead to that Night Guard.
The middle-aged Night Guard gave a cold sneer. "Hao Yunsheng, you son of a bitch! I’m not going to make it out of this life, but I swear in the next one, I’ll find a way to fucking kill you! You just wait! Brothers, fellow Night Guards, if you ever run into my two good-for-nothing kids, please look out for them!" With that, the Night Guard clasped his fist and stood silently.
The mandarin duck handkerchief on Hao Yunsheng’s face melted and dripped away.
Sunshine Boy spoke again. "I think Hao Yunsheng would be good at catching the sheep, too."
Wang Laoshu slowly raised his arm.
His heart filled with despair, Hao Yunsheng had no choice but to pull a Carved Southern Dipper Six-Star Thunder-Struck Black Heart Wood Sword from his Qiankun Ring. He shot a look at Sunshine Boy, then plunged the sword into his own forehead. His eyes rolled back, his body went limp, and he collapsed to the ground.
"Such a fine man. How could he just drop dead like that?" Wang Laoshu mused, then pointed to another young Night Guard. "You, go catch the sheep."
The young Night Guard suddenly charged forward and began kicking and punching Hao Yunsheng’s prone body.
Wang Laoshu didn’t intervene, merely watched.
The middle-aged Night Guard from before saw this and joined in, also kicking and punching Hao Yunsheng.
The Glutton tightened his grip on a club and swung it down at Hao Yunsheng’s head.
Hao Yunsheng dodged with a clumsy roll, scrambling to his feet with his arms shielding his head. He yelled, "Captain, aren’t you going to control your men?"
Only then did the Captain hold out a hand. "We’re all our own people here. Stop the infighting."
The others stood to the left of the door, glaring furiously at Hao Yunsheng and the Captain on the right.
From inside the doorway, Sunshine Boy spoke again.
"Wang Laoshu, Hao Yunsheng is strong and sturdy. He’s perfect for catching the cow."
"Indeed."
Hao Yunsheng’s body trembled. A white silk sash—edged in grayish-yellow and patterned with blood-red veins—materialized in his hand. He tied it around his neck and tossed the other end upwards. The sash went taut, hoisting him into the air.
Hao Yunsheng’s feet dangled off the ground. His head lolled to one side, his tongue flopped out, and he appeared to have stopped breathing.
Wang Laoshu raised his arm, pointing to another Night Guard.
That Night Guard shot a vicious glare at Hao Yunsheng, then turned and clasped his fist toward the Book Listener. "Brother," he said, "please do me the favor of delivering the silver coins I have on me to my wife and child. As for any debts owed to me, consider them all canceled. The single golden bead inside is for your trouble." He then handed his coin purse to the Book Listener.
The Book Listener sighed and took the purse. "I’ll make sure they get it. I don’t need any payment."
"You must take it." The Night Guard held fast to the purse.
"Alright, I’ll take it." The Book Listener gave a firm nod.
The Night Guard pulled out his sprig of Mugwort and bent down to place it just inside the threshold. His gaze was steady as he looked at Sunshine Boy. "Justice lives in the hearts of the people. Take this Mugwort. I only hope you can lead our remaining brothers to freedom."
The men chosen to catch the chicken and the sheep did the same, giving their silver coins to the Book Listener and their Mugwort to Sunshine Boy.
"You can go in peace. I will look after your families." Wearing his Tiger Head Shoes, Sunshine Boy solemnly picked up the three sprigs of Mugwort.
The man chosen for the cow gave a wretched smile and looked at Hao Yunsheng. "You’re the lucky one. We can’t touch you. But don’t you worry, we’ll be watching you from the Underworld! We’ll be waiting for you! We’ll be expecting you!"
The grayish-yellow-edged, blood-veined white sash snapped. Hao Yunsheng fell to the ground, then slowly stood up and gently brushed the dust from his clothes.
Sunshine Boy suddenly produced a sprig of Mugwort and offered it to Wang Laoshu. "See here," he said slowly, "can you swap the one catching the cow for Hao Yunsheng?"
Wang Laoshu glanced toward the black curtain, a hesitant look on his face.
Hao Yunsheng glared furiously at Sunshine Boy.
Sunshine Boy added another sprig, offering two in total.
Wang Laoshu accepted them with a beaming smile. He tucked one into his clothes and wrapped the other around his finger before pointing at Hao Yunsheng.
"You go catch the cow."
The Mugwort wrapped around his finger withered, crumbled to dust, and dissipated.
Hao Yunsheng was both shocked and enraged. "Sunshine Boy, you know my Fate Grid is powerful! Why do you keep trying to harm me? Aren’t you afraid my Fate Grid will lock yours down?"
As he spoke, he produced a tall, conical black hat, about two feet high, and placed it on his head.
But Sunshine Boy just sneered. "You were the one planning to get us all killed, one by one..."
The Deceitful Mother cut Sunshine Boy off.
"This Hao Yunsheng... is truly detestable." The Deceitful Mother’s voice was sharper than it had ever been, as if she were facing a mortal enemy.
Everyone froze. Only Wang Laoshu’s finger moved, re-pointing to the man originally chosen for the cow. "You go."
The black hat on Hao Yunsheng’s head dissolved into a dense flock of crows that flew off in every direction, cawing loudly.
Hao Yunsheng stood frozen in place, staring at the pitch-black curtain, unconcealable terror spreading across his face.
’I’ve actually been targeted by the Deceitful Mother.’
’The notes clearly stated that this was a major taboo!’
’The path to survival has become a dead end!’
’What on earth could have triggered the Deceitful Mother’s fury?’
Sunshine Boy and the Book Listener exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with confusion.