Immortal in Horror Game: She is the Fortune Teller!-Chapter 101 - 98: Forbidden Nightmare 5 (Sea God Side Quest)
Josh saw the shadow on the ground stretching longer and longer, and the breathing behind him grew heavier.
He glanced out the window, suddenly stood up, and opened it.
Sunlight rushed in instantly.
"Ah!!" The old lady let out a scream and hid in the shadows.
Josh, as if he hadn’t heard, turned around with a smile: "Grandma, your house sure has a strong smell. Why don’t you open the windows for some fresh air?"
The old lady shrank into a corner and gave a forced smile. Her cat-like eyes narrowed into black slits under the glare of the sunlight, "I’m old, can’t stand the wind. It’s better to close the window."
Josh nodded knowingly: "True."
He closed the window again, the darkness in the corner of the room gradually creeping towards the center, even faintly spreading.
The old lady revealed a sinister smile: "Don’t you like that paper figure? Want to take another look at it?"
Josh shook his head: "No need, it’s getting late, I should go."
The old lady blocked the doorway: "It’s rare for someone to visit an old lady like me, why don’t... you stay and keep me company!"
Josh chuckled: "Sure, I’d love to chat with you."
He was about to turn and find a place to sit when he noticed that the paper figure, previously placed in the corner, was now right behind him, almost touching his back, and if it got any closer, it would cling to him.
He turned around, just in time to meet the empty gaze of the paper lantern.
The paper lantern resembled a woman, dressed in red, with hair piled up in a style typical of a Moon Clan bride.
He lifted the paper lantern and placed it aside before taking its place to sit: "Grandma, do you live alone? What about your family?"
The old lady was startled by his boldness, then burst into a strange laughter, revealing a set of jagged black teeth that resembled some beast’s gnashers.
The skin on her face crumpled together as she laughed, and a foul stench issued from her mouth, as if her skin could be peeled away from her bones at any moment.
She pointed at the paper lantern beside Josh: "Isn’t my family right here?"
Following her gaze, Josh noticed the paper lantern he placed aside now stood beside him again, staring at him expressionlessly.
The other paper lanterns around also seemed to straighten up at some point, faintly leaning toward his direction.
As if oblivious, Josh only looked at the old lady: "I see, to be honest, Grandma, I’m the new candidate for the Sacrificial Girl in the village. Today, I’ve been tasked by the Holy Daughter to visit you and ask why there are only women in the village and no men?"
The old lady snorted coldly: "Of course men can’t just appear in public. How do you not know this? Didn’t the Holy Daughter teach you that?"
Her eyes visibly flashed with disdain at the mention of the Holy Daughter.
Josh squinted his eyes, ignoring the paper lanterns getting closer, and curiously asked: "Then why is our village surrounded by mountains on three sides, yet there are fishing nets and boat houses everywhere?"
"It’s for offering to Lord Sea God, you fool!" the old lady shouted angrily, finally revealing her fierce face.
Red light burst forth from the eyes of the paper lanterns around, all lunging toward Josh.
*
Meanwhile, on the other side.
Yuze was assigned to work in the ancestral shrine, mostly odd jobs.
He was dressed in ethnic clothing, and there were several other male players and local NPCs around him.
Though called an ancestral shrine, it was quite like a temple since it housed statues of deities.
Yuze immediately felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity when he first saw the mermaid on the statue.
The mermaid had long hair flowing down to its tail, with a solemn face, a trident in hand, and the tail slightly raised.
Though it had a highly divine face and serene, bowed demeanor, it inexplicably gave off a sinister and terrifying feeling.
Especially within the shrine where candlelight wavered, illuminating the otherwise pitch-black shrine, the statue’s face flickered in and out of view, as if at any moment, it might turn into a monster to devour someone whole.
Yuze patted the NPC beside him: "Isn’t this a mountain village? Why worship a fish?"
"Never disrespect Lord Sea God!" the man replied with a stern face, "Lord Sea God is the heavenly deity who protects our clan! How dare you speak disrespectfully in front of the statue! Apologize now!"
Yuze obediently bowed to the stone statue and apologized: "Sorry, Lord Sea God, please forgive me."
He didn’t sound sincere, though.
The man glared at him: "If Lord Sea God finds out about your attitude, he won’t protect you when the tide rises every month!"
"The tide rises? Every month?" Yuze raised an eyebrow: "Does it really rise often here?"
The man looked at him strangely: "How could you not know this?"
Yuze casually lied: "Sorry, I’m mentally challenged, have a poor memory, had a fever as a kid and my brain got cooked."
The man’s expression instantly turned sympathetic: "No wonder you’re so handsome yet unmarried. I had a hunch women don’t like you, right?"
Yuze’s mouth twitched, "You’ve got keen eyes, brother."
The man patted his shoulder: "I’m Yuntian, been working here at the shrine for a long time, feel free to ask me if you have any questions."
"Thanks, bro." Yuze seized the chance: "So what exactly does the tide rising mean? Aren’t we in the mountains here?"
Yuntian patted his shoulder, "Though we’re surrounded by mountains on three sides, our ancestors offended the gods and were punished by the heavenly deities, so each month the village gets submerged by seawater.
Later, the merman Sea God appeared, taking pity on us, and suppressed the tide, manifesting once a month in our village.
But in recent decades, Lord Sea God has fallen into a deep sleep, leaving only a part of his divine power to hold back the tides.
In recent years, the tides have been getting stronger each time, and Sea God’s divine power is starting to falter.
The Priest says we must find the destined Holy Daughter to awaken Lord Sea God and regain protection for our village."
[Ding! Congratulations, you’ve triggered a side quest, "Resolve the Tide Threat in Moon Clan Village"]
Yuze nodded, sharing the side quest with the group and sending it to Josh.
No wonder the village houses had waterproof, boat-like structures.
He looked up at the mermaid statue, frowning slightly, always feeling something indescribable.
Yuntian nudged his shoulder: "How old are you? Can you cook? How’s your kidney? How many bowls of rice can you eat a day?"
Yuze looked at him curiously: "Why do you ask?"
Yuntian laughed heartily: "No reason! I have a sister over 30 who’s capable! Made a lot of money in business and is well-liked in the village! I think you’re good and want to introduce you two."
Yuze laughed and looked at him: "So well-liked and yet she needs her brother to set her up?"
Yuntian half-jokingly, half-seriously replied: "Liked she is, but she’s also picky. Wants someone strong in bed, handsome with a good build, and a bit foolish. I think you fit the bill perfectly!"
