Chapter 438: The Evil God Festival - The Boathouse

The heat emanated lazily from the room, puffing on the faces of the dumbfounded attendants and dispersing them, and they blinked in a trance, their eyes slowly falling on the small creature licking itself lazily in the room.

"May we ......" the squire couldn't help but move closer to the warm room, "go in?"

The offering subconsciously stepped in front of them, gathered her yukata, took one look at the squire's dirty to dripping shoes, and her face became somewhat resistant and embarrassed: "...... What's the matter, can't you just say it outside?"

The squires looked at the offerings incredulously, the breathing of the little creatures in their arms fading.

Cang-tae stood outside the door, shivering, holding the black cat that did not seem to move, looking at the attendants who were being chased away one after another.

...... Bai six, the Bai six who is rumoured to be able to kill small animals at will, will he really take him in?

The black cat was in his arms, and he swallowed nervously, his eyes closed as he finally prepared to clap his hands together.

The paper door opened automatically and inside was Bai Liu, draped in a loose white bathrobe with water dripping from the ends of his hair, the collar of his robe slightly open and the pale skin of his chest visible with a coin pendant dangling from it.

Bai Liu's clean, cold brow was dense with the vapour evaporating from his body, and he spoke in an uncharacteristically flat tone, as if he had been expecting Aota to appear at his door.

"You've been standing at our door for almost ten minutes, what's the matter?"

Bai Liu is holding the silver-blue-eyed, white-haired Little Bai cat with the bell around its neck untied, nestled curiously in Bai Liu's arms, looking up at Cang-tae with a tilted head, mewling and reaching out with a paw to pull at the little black cat that is not moving in Cang-tae's arms.

But Bai Liu did not stop this action, he allowed his pet to be affectionate to Aoi Tai.

For some reason, Aoi-tae let up all of a sudden, kneeling limply in front of Bai Liu with tears pouring down her face, "Please, save [Aoi-tae]."

Bai Liu lowered his eyes, "What do you bring to the table if I don't do something worthless?"

Aota grabbed the corner of Bai Liu's robe as if he saw hope, his eyes were red: "...... If you are willing to save [Aota] now, I will be the most useful servant to you in the future, and I will never betray you!"

Bai Liu was silent for a second before he raised his eyes, his pupils dark: "Deal's up."

Thirty minutes later, a dazed and cleaned-up Aota sat on Bai Liu's tatami, next to a similarly cleaned-up black cat, whose fluffy tail was so high you could see it ......

It's really not a surprise.

Bai Liu's gaze retracts from Little Black's tail and falls back on Little Bai, who sits beside him in a dignified and elegant manner.

Little Bai cat leaned against Bai Liu, tilted his head and meowed, nuzzled Bai Liu, and then crouched down next to Bai Liu's leg to sleep, very well behaved.

...... This regular routine made Bai Liu think of Xie.

The other little black cat, after eating and drinking, was so full that it ran around Bai Liu in circles, just like a dog, and would jump into Bai Liu's arms to push away the other Little Bai cat, jump up to lick Bai Liu's nose, and wiggle its butt on the ground to chase Bai Liu's robe.

In short it is very much like a certain lizard.

A black cat and a white cat, both still so similar in appearance and habits.

Bai Liu has never believed in chance in games, and if he's right, this would be the bad taste of some evil game designer.

Bai Liu lowered his eyes to look at the two cats sleeping soundly on his lap, one on the left and one on the right.

Aota had been a little embarrassed that his black cat was so active and wanted to give it back, when he looked up and froze.

He saw Bai six, who was rumoured to kill small animals, calmly stroking the heads of the two kittens with the back of his hand, and instead of moving them to sleep against him, he looked up and said calmly, "It's late, go to sleep."

With a giggle, Aota slept on an extra tatami that Bai Liu had brought for him, and two tiny cats slept next to Bai Liu's pillow, like guardians.

Bai six, under the watchful eye of these two 'guardians', soon closes her eyes and falls asleep.

Aota thought he would have a restless night's sleep, but he soon began to fight with his eyelids, snorted and drifted off to sleep.

Day 2.

Cang Tai had a good night's sleep and by the time he got up Bai Liu was already dressed.

Bai Liu's dress is a black tunic and long white lining with a crane and cloud motif on the collar, while his own is a relatively understated grey valet tunic.

By the time they had dressed and emerged from within the room, Centaur saw at once a number of squires with red eyes and sleepless from the night's rain standing in the central piazza, their hands clutching small animals whose heads had drooped, their fur tangled and their bodies had been stiff for ages, while they stared dead across the room.

The offerings were coming out of the room one by one, they moved as they noticed the attendants across the room, then avoided them as if they were avoiding the sight of the attendants, walked quickly away and gathered in a whisper to discuss.

"They chose the squire themselves, so the squire should do what the squire does."

"Why should I share a room with them when I have just enough for myself and it's not like they don't have a place to live themselves?"

"Yeah, yeah, and there's no telling what diseases their dogs and cats have, what if they let them in and infect my cat? It looks like it has a disease. ......"

"I have to suffer for my own place to live too, why should I give it to them squires for no reason?"

"...... is so nutty, why not go back to your place and stand outside my door all night?"

Aota, who heard these words of complaint, paused for a moment.

He knew there was some clear and terrifying change of perception coming over everyone, and he couldn't help but think of the food chain theory Bai six had told him about yesterday on the boat.

[People who enter the food chain of desire lose their ability to empathize.]

[In their eyes, there are only predators who are inferior to them and predators who are superior to them].

Cang Tai subconsciously looked at Bai Liu, who was standing next to him. The look on Bai Liu's face remained unruffled, as if he had seen this coming.

After breakfast, all the offerings and attendants were brought to the door of the boathouse. It was a beautiful day, the sun was hot and the attendants held up black umbrellas for the offerings, most of them were expressionless.

The man leading the group today was still Mikifune, but judging by the look on his face, he wasn't having a good time.

"Today we're taking you to the Bei Yuan family, they were the number one tax paying family in Luming County last year, you'll have to go there first for them to choose from."

"After noon, you are to proceed to the Gifune family, my own family, the number one tax-paying family in Luming County the year before last."

"...... Today you are going to the eight families, and if you are lucky enough to be picked by any family to take the other's surname and become part of the right Fang family clan, then you can even move out of the boathouse and enjoy a higher level of treatment."

Mikifune grimaced and pulled the corners of his mouth with a leathery smile, "Now go to Bei Yuan's house."

The moment these words fell from the bow, Bai Liu heard a clear system beep in his ears.

[System Alert: Player Bai Liu has unlocked the side quest - Obtain the shrine key in the hands of Bei Yuan's family head].

[The body of the old evil god is imprisoned behind the shrine on the hill, where He is suspended in slumber day after day, listening to the suffering of the multitudes, and only the most anguished souls can make Him open His eyes and gaze upon the sacrifices that are mad with pain].

[Ask player Bai Liu to steal the shrine key that holds the body of the Old Evil God and make the Old Evil God open his eyes for you].

Bai Liu lowered his eyelashes.

Holding a black umbrella over Bai Liu, Aota scanned Bai Liu, whose complexion was almost transparent in the sunlight, and was almost in a trance - it was the first time he had seen Bai Liu's face so closely in such strong light.

"From what you said to me yesterday combined with the reaction of the Gifune today, it seems that Bei Yuan and the Gifune family have a rivalry and conflict." Bai Liu turned his face sideways to Aota and his lowered voice seemed soft, as if it were a whisper, "Is that so?"

Mrs. Cang froze before she stammered and replied, "Should, should be."

"If I want to be chosen by the Bei Yuan family today." Bai Liu pondered, "What should I do?"

After a moment, Mrs Cang scratched her head and whispered in Bai Liu's ear, "You shouldn't have to worry about whether the Bei Yuan family will choose you."

"The extended family will select quality offerings and you are the best looking child of the lot and the Bei Yuan family will definitely choose you."