[QT] The Villains Are All My Reserve Food - Chapter 71

Chapter 71: Ghost King 11

After hearing that new players were arriving, Su Tang felt uneasy and decided to check if Yang Dong and the others needed any help.

Before leaving, Xie Yu asked him to change clothes and asked which outfit he wanted to wear.

The Divine Temple had a massive wardrobe filled with all kinds of clothing: Hanfu, JK uniforms, Lolita dresses, Rococo-style gowns, Baroque-inspired outfits, and more. There were also accessories like hair ornaments, hats, shoes, and bags—all for Su Tang to wear. All of them were women’s clothing.

Su Tang instinctively said, “No long skirts.”

The last time he went to the market, he had worn a light green Hanfu ruqun, resembling the tender shoots of early spring, full of vitality. The wide skirt billowed like crashing waves as he walked, beautiful but impractical. The long hem kept tripping him up.

On the street, Su Tang nearly fell several times, only saved by Xie Yu’s timely catches around his waist. Once or twice was fine, but after three or four near-falls, Su Tang felt embarrassed, his face flushing uncontrollably. He ended up having to lift the skirt as he walked. But whenever he got too focused on eating or too excited about browsing, he’d forget about the skirt and stumble again.

This time, Su Tang wanted to wear a shorter skirt, one that ended just above the knee.

Xie Yu chose a navy-style skirt for him, with a deep blue and white color scheme, double-breasted gold buttons, and an intricate anchor pattern. A small scarf was tied at the chest, three white stripes adorned the shoulders, and a delicate bow was sewn at the back corner. The loose-fitting skirt slipped easily over his head, making it exceptionally comfortable.

Su Tang put it on effortlessly. Xie Yu then placed a white sailor hat on his head, completing the look. He now resembled a carefree young girl playing by the sea, radiating a fresh, innocent charm.

After dressing so naturally, Su Tang froze for a moment.

He was becoming increasingly comfortable wearing skirts, as if it were the most ordinary thing in the world. Could he already be getting used to this?

Su Tang suddenly recalled a senior brother’s saying: “There are only two times you’ll wear women’s clothes: zero times and countless times.”

Su Tang: “……”

A sudden wave of anxiety washed over him.

He frowned in thought, his cheeks unconsciously puffing out slightly. Xie Yu took his hand and led him out the door. Lost in thought, Su Tang let himself be guided, docile and obedient.

Amused, Xie Yu couldn’t resist poking Su Tang’s puffed-out cheek.

Poke. Poke.

Su Tang tilted his head, puzzled. “What are you doing?”

Xie Yu smiled. “Nothing.”

Just admiring how cute you are.

They continued walking until they reached the inn, arriving just in time to see new players checking in.

Zhou Peng, arrogant as ever, began making rude remarks.

Su Tang’s temper flared instantly. He could tolerate being called “little beauty,” but insulting his people? That was crossing the line!

His fist clenched involuntarily, and he wanted nothing more than to crack Zhou Peng’s skull open and crush it.

In an instant, Su Tang transformed from a soft gummy bear into a fiery chili pepper—the explosive kind. He was about to charge forward and beat Zhou Peng senseless, but Xie Yu’s grip on his hand tightened, preventing him from moving.

Su Tang frowned and glanced at Xie Yu. His face was expressionless, his eyes dark and cold, as if he were staring at a corpse.

Su Tang couldn’t help but shiver.

Xie Yu was definitely enraged—the kind of fury that made his face grow even colder and more impassive. Someone unfamiliar with him might not notice, but Su Tang, having been with him through several worlds, knew his temperament well. Right now, Xie Yu was undoubtedly imagining one hundred and eighty ways to make Zhou Peng suffer a miserable death.

This seemed to calm Su Tang’s anger, gradually bringing it under control. Xie Yu’s intense dislike for Zhou Peng likely meant he’d have to handle the matter personally.

Thus, after Zhou Peng hurled his insults, Xie Yu shot him a cold glance before leading Su Tang to a table and sitting down.

The innkeeper quickly brought them their meal.

Su Tang couldn’t imagine Xie Yu being the type to tolerate such behavior. He wondered why Xie Yu was letting the obnoxious Zhou Peng off the hook for now, instead of dealing with him directly.

With their unspoken understanding, Xie Yu knew what Su Tang was about to ask the moment he opened his mouth.

“Don’t worry,” Xie Yu said. “Tonight will be here soon enough.”

Su Tang immediately understood. He mentally lit a candle for Zhou Peng, anticipating a night he would never forget.

Su Tang and Xie Yu turned and left with such ease, completely ignoring Zhou Peng.

Yang Dong, however, didn’t believe the matter was over. He sensed the calm before the storm, making the situation even more terrifying. Who knew what kind of “grand gift” Xie Yu was brewing?

Zhou Peng, accustomed to smooth sailing in the terrifying world due to his considerable strength, lacked any sense of restraint or humility. Arrogant and conceited, he believed he had instantly seen through Xie Yu’s weak nature, finding nothing to fear. If he disliked someone, he would curse them freely, and resorting to physical violence wouldn’t be out of the question.

Therefore, when Xie Yu showed no sign of anger, not even glancing in his direction, this silent contempt only fueled Zhou Peng’s rage. He spat out curses: “What a pretentious piece of trash! So weak, yet dares to ignore me?!”

Seeing Zhou Peng about to cause trouble again, Heavenly Master Lin Yu frowned and grabbed his arm. “Don’t waste your energy on pointless conflicts,” he said. “We have far more important tasks ahead.”

Zhou Peng reluctantly spat in Xie Yu’s direction and angrily kicked a long bench, sending it crashing to the floor with a loud clatter.

Su Tang and Xie Yu didn’t even turn their heads. Yang Dong and Shen Wenbin pretended not to hear anything, continuing to eat their meals. Only the newcomers glanced over curiously, having been warned by Yang Dong to remain wary of the new arrivals.

In truth, Lin Yu’s single remark wasn’t enough to make Zhou Peng obedient. His hesitation to attack Xie Yu stemmed from deep contemplation and recollection.

Xie Yu looked vaguely familiar, as if Zhou Peng had seen him somewhere before, yet he couldn’t quite place it…

By the time they finished eating, it was already evening. But their expedition to the Mass Grave wouldn’t begin until after midnight. During this interim, Yang Dong and the others used the time to discuss their plans, keeping the newcomers from wandering off and potentially causing trouble.

Xie Yu had no interest in their tactical meeting. The strategies they discussed were far too elementary for him, utterly trivial and unworthy of his attention.

Thus, Xie Yu took Su Tang and left the inn.

When they returned to the Divine Temple, Su Tang was about to step through the gate when his sleeve was tugged.

Turning around, he saw the two Qiongqi guardians, awakened from their stone statue forms, tugging at his sleeve with pleading eyes, begging him to play with them.

Su Tang turned back again, gazing at Xie Yu with pleading eyes and a radiant smile. “I want to play with them,” he said.

Xie Yu couldn’t help but find the sight of Su Tang and the two Qiongqi, all wearing nearly identical expressions, amusing. The corners of his lips twitched upward, but he quickly suppressed the smile, waiting for Su Tang to coax him. After Su Tang tugged on his sleeve and begged for a while, Xie Yu finally relented with feigned reluctance, giving a casual nod.

Su Tang immediately dashed over to tease the big tigers.

These were supposed to be fearsome beasts, symbols of evil, yet they were each more adorable than the last, masters of playing cute.

Su Tang played with them using a hollow ball and a cat teaser, even feeding them small treats.

As the Qiongqi lay on the ground eating, their tails wagged contentedly.

Watching them, Su Tang couldn’t resist. He grabbed one of the massive tiger paws and began to squeeze it.

Feline paw pads evolved for silent movement during hunting. Tigers, too, have thick pads that, when turned over, look just like cat pads, only much larger.

Curious, Su Tang gently squeezed the pad. It was incredibly soft and addictive to touch, and he found himself hugging and squeezing it, unable to let go.

Qiongqi wasn’t a physical being but a mythical beast from the Classic of Mountains and Seas. Its paw pads left no dust on the ground, and its fur wasn’t coarse and stiff like a real tiger’s but soft and smooth, with no unpleasant odor.

At first, Qiongqi felt slightly uneasy when Su Tang squeezed its paw pads. But since Su Tang was someone important to its acknowledged Master and often played with it, Qiongqi merely glanced up before lowering its head again to focus on its meal, not resisting.

Su Tang’s touch was gentle, causing no discomfort. He also stroked Qiongqi’s back, using his expert petting technique to make the beast so comfortable it nearly collapsed into a tiger-shaped pancake on the ground.

As Su Tang petted one Qiongqi, the other nudged its head forward, as if saying, “Me too! Me too! Pet me next!” It was a fierce competition for affection.

Su Tang couldn’t help but laugh and began petting the second Qiongqi as well. This made the first one jealous, and the two nearly started fighting over him.

Seeing this, Su Tang turned to Xie Yu, who had been watching from the side, and invited him to join in.

Xie Yu showed no interest.

Su Tang coaxed him a few more times before Xie Yu finally sauntered over.

As soon as Xie Yu approached, the two Qiongqi cowered to the ground, once again overwhelmed by his imposing aura and daring not to act rashly.

Xie Yu let out a cold snort.

Su Tang pulled him down to sit, and they each began petting one of the massive tigers.

The tiger Su Tang stroked purred contentedly, its eyes half-closed in blissful enjoyment. In contrast, the tiger under Xie Yu’s hand trembled, unable to bear the Ghost King’s affection.

As Su Tang stroked the big cat, he finally understood why Bo Shang from his previous world had always clung to him, burying his face in Su Tang’s fur. The sensation was truly irresistible, and it was easy to become completely captivated.

Su Tang lunged forward, collapsing onto the tiger’s back as if sinking into a plush, warm sofa.

The position was so comfortable that Su Tang rolled over and accidentally drifted off to sleep on the tiger’s back.

Xie Yu turned his head and saw Su Tang curled up beside the Qiongqi, sleeping soundly. The warm, orange glow of the setting sun bathed him, softening his features and casting a golden halo around his face, making even the fine downy hairs on his cheeks visible.

Xie Yu couldn’t resist the urge to poke Su Tang’s cheek again.

A gentle poke left a small, adorable dimple in Su Tang’s soft cheek.

Sound asleep, Su Tang instinctively grabbed whatever was touching his face and pulled it away, then forgot to let go.

Thus, Xie Yu’s finger remained firmly clasped in Su Tang’s grip.

Xie Yu lowered his gaze and couldn’t help but smile.

Once you’ve caught it, you can never let go.

You’re mine now.

No take-backs allowed.

Night had fallen completely, leaving only a few hazy stars dimly visible through the mist-laden sky.

It was almost time to depart for the Mass Grave.

Just as Xie Yu was about to leave, Su Tang, who had been sleeping soundly, seemed to sense his departure. He abruptly opened his eyes, sat up, and stared blankly into the air for a moment before turning to Xie Yu. “You’re leaving? Why didn’t you wake me?!”

Xie Yu smiled. “I saw you were so tired, Tangtang, so I wanted you to keep sleeping.”

Su Tang pouted, displeased. “Next time, even if you have to slap me awake, you can’t just leave me sleeping!”

Xie Yu replied naturally, “But I couldn’t bear to do that.”

Su Tang’s face flushed at his words.

A Ghost King who knows how to talk like this? Humph.

Su Tang had already gotten up to leave with Xie Yu when Xie Yu said, “Tangtang rolled around on the ground with those two earlier, and your clothes got a little dirty. Should you change?”

Su Tang glanced down. The dress was still mostly clean, but because it was mostly white, even a small patch of gray stood out.

He nodded.

Almost immediately, Xie Yu produced another dress.

This made Su Tang suspect that Xie Yu had been waiting for him to nod, having already picked out the outfit in advance.

Su Tang once again wondered if Xie Yu saw him as the protagonist of a dress-up game, obsessively changing his clothes and unable to stop.

This time, the dress was Alice-themed, pale blue with puffed sleeves and an apron trimmed with delicate lace. Tiny playing card motifs were embroidered in the corners. A matching necklace featured a smiling cat pendant.

After helping Su Tang put it on, Xie Yu handed him a hat with long rabbit ears. Pressing lightly on one ear made it flop down.

Su Tang couldn’t see it, but he reached up and felt the hat, immediately recognizing what it was.

Su Tang couldn’t help but laugh, though he found the situation somewhat absurd. Xie Yu, however, seemed to be in high spirits, a faint smile playing on his lips as he watched Su Tang in his unusual attire.

Once dressed, they set off for the Mass Grave.

Nearly all the Ghost Townsfolk had gathered at the Mass Grave, leaving the streets eerily deserted. In the pitch-black night, the silence was particularly unsettling, heavy with an ominous stillness.

They rode Qiongqi once more.

Despite Su Tang wearing a skirt, the pumpkin pants underneath ensured his movements remained unhindered. He moved as freely as ever.

They soon arrived at the entrance to the Mass Grave.

Qiongqi departed, and the pair walked side-by-side into the darkness, vanishing quickly into the swirling black mist as if swallowed whole.

The Mass Grave teemed with ghosts, each guarding their own obstacles. Players could barely take a few steps without encountering a ghost, sometimes facing multiple at once. Obtaining the key here was truly a daunting task.

However, Su Tang and Xie Yu were exceptions to this rule.

Since the last incident at the Mass Grave, when Su Tang was nearly skinned alive by the Blood Skeleton, Xie Yu’s wrath had left an indelible mark on the ghosts. They had sensed the Ghost King’s oppressive Yin energy, and some had even glimpsed Xie Yu’s human form. Those who hadn’t witnessed it firsthand had heard the tales passed down through the ranks. As a result, not a single ghost dared to approach them with reckless bravado.

Just as Su Tang had overheard the Ghost Townsfolk instructing the lesser ghosts at the market, the ghosts not only revered the Ghost King but also kept a respectful distance from Su Tang, too afraid to approach him lest they inadvertently trigger the Ghost King’s wrath and be annihilated without warning.

Perhaps because the newly arrived team of players included a Celestial Master, they were able to gather clues more easily. Zhou Peng’s group quickly pinpointed the Mass Grave as well. Lin Yu claimed that the Yin energy there was at its peak, suggesting that the dungeon’s boss, the Ghost King, and the key were likely located within.

This statement was both true and false.

While the Mass Grave did indeed possess the strongest concentration of Yin energy due to the gathering of numerous malevolent ghosts, the true source of overwhelming Yin energy was the Ghost King Xie Yu himself. However, he had perfectly concealed his aura, disguising himself as a human. As a result, Lin Yu’s Yin-Yang Eyes, which could normally perceive supernatural entities, proved ineffective against him.

By the time Su Tang and Xie Yu entered the Mass Grave, Yang Dong’s group and Zhou Peng’s team were already inside, battling ghosts and searching for the key.

However, their methods differed significantly.

Yang Dong and Shen Wenbin relied on game items and their own experience to evade the ghosts, while Zhou Peng’s group had Lin Yu hurl talismans and cast formations that caused the surrounding ghosts extreme agony, with weaker ones being instantly dispersed. Zhou Peng himself was also brutally slaughtering ghosts using his own items and martial prowess.

All the way, Zhou Peng’s group was plagued by constant screams.

The anguished cries of ghosts as they were scattered, and the terrified screams of new players witnessing the carnage.

Whether it was coincidence or fate, Su Tang and Xie Yu unexpectedly ran into Zhou Peng’s group.

Just then, a ghost struck by a talisman drifted toward Xie Yu. Xie Yu immediately pulled Su Tang aside to dodge.

Seeing this, Zhou Peng sneered, “Look at this coward! I’ve already scattered that ghost. What’s there to dodge? Useless weakling.”

Hearing someone insult his companion, Su Tang glared back fiercely.

But dressed in a pretty little skirt and wearing a pink and white rabbit-eared hat, he looked more adorable than intimidating. His wide, dark eyes only made him seem even cuter, like he was deliberately trying to be endearing.

The male players’ hearts fluttered, and Zhou Peng simply laughed dismissively, completely unconcerned.

How could they possibly imagine that Su Tang was an “Iron Barbie” who could crush skulls with a single punch, his combat prowess rivaling Zhou Peng’s? If they had witnessed such a feat, their eyes would have popped out of their sockets in shock.

Unfortunately, the ghosts never gave Su Tang the chance to demonstrate his strength.

Before Xie Yu could even react, the ghosts erupted in fury at the audacity of someone insulting their Ghost King.

“The Ghost King is our boss! Insulting him is like trampling our faces into the dirt! And what if our Ghost King boss gets angry and goes berserk?! Damn it! Let’s kill that dog Zhou Peng! Charge!”

Before Xie Yu could even intervene, the ghosts rushed forward to defend their Ghost King.

In an instant, countless malevolent spirits surged from behind Xie Yu, their overwhelming momentum like a thousand-strong army. Their black Yin energy was far more terrifying than a zombie horde.

Zhou Peng was dumbfounded.

He was a skilled, high-level player, but even he couldn’t withstand such a massive swarm of ghosts attacking simultaneously. Many of the spirits in the Mass Grave possessed potent Yin energy. He could handle three or five vengeful ghosts at once, but hundreds or thousands…?

Zhou Peng’s face cycled through a rapid spectrum of crimson, orange, yellow, green, cyan, indigo, and violet. He whirled around to glare at Lin Yu, his voice dripping with fury. “What’s going on?! Did your Ghost Formation malfunction? It’s become a ghost-attracting array!”

Lin Yu, equally bewildered and panicking uncontrollably, stammered, “I don’t know…”

The new players, witnessing this terrifying spectacle, screamed in terror and scattered in all directions.

Seeing the chaos erupt, Zhou Peng’s rage intensified. He pounded his chest like an enraged gorilla, roaring in fury, but it was all impotent rage. Overwhelmed by the sheer number of ghosts, he could only flee in disarray, clutching his head like a cornered rat.

Zhou Peng, being selfish and self-serving, naturally didn’t care about others. The new female player who had hoped he would protect her had long been abandoned. Even his partner, Lin Yu, was ruthlessly pushed aside when Zhou Peng couldn’t spare the attention, leaving him to face the ghost horde alone while Zhou Peng fled first.

Su Tang watched the chaotic scene, utterly bewildered.

He had been about to punch Zhou Peng’s head off when a swarm of ghosts suddenly emerged without warning, chasing after Zhou Peng and his group.

Like a tornado sweeping through, the area was left in utter disarray. Not a single human or ghost figure remained.

Su Tang blinked twice, then turned to Xie Yu, his eyes wide with confusion. “…What… happened to them?”

A ghost rampage?

Xie Yu remained indifferent. As long as Su Tang was safe, he couldn’t care less about the others.

As for Zhou Peng, Xie Yu had already planned to keep him alive for prolonged torment.

Xie Yu’s expression darkened, his aura turning sinister.

Su Tang keenly sensed the intense killing intent radiating from him. It was clear that Zhou Peng was more than just another player to Xie Yu.

Noticing Xie Yu’s foul mood, Su Tang thought for a moment, then leaned closer, offering the rabbit ear on his hat to Xie Yu’s hand. His eyes blinked, sparkling with an unspoken request: Squeeze it.

The hat was exquisitely crafted, its rabbit ears remarkably lifelike, and the soft, plush texture felt wonderful to the touch.

Seeing Xie Yu’s reaction, Su Tang instinctively squeezed the ears, a faint smile curving his lips.

Su Tang’s concerned expression shone like a warm ray of light, piercing through the gloom in Xie Yu’s heart and easing his dark mood considerably.

After standing in place for a moment, Su Tang and the others continued their journey.

Not far ahead, a hunched figure appeared. In a weathered voice, she asked, “My old bones can’t carry me anymore. Young man, could you give me a ride back?”

Beside her stood two male players, their faces etched with terror.

This was the Mass Grave—how could a normal old woman be here? This had to be a ghost!

Without daring to utter a word, the two players turned and fled, sprinting away as fast as they could.

Rejected, the old woman’s demeanor instantly transformed into a grotesque horror. She dropped to the ground, her sharp fingers raised like claws, and scuttled forward with spider-like speed, emitting a raspy, bone-chilling hiss as she shrieked, “You won’t even help an old woman? You’re heartless!”

She looked as if she intended to seize and devour them.

As the male player ran, he glanced back and saw the terrifying sight. The old woman ghost was crawling with incredible speed, closing in on them! The player was on the verge of panic.

Su Tang stood beside the blank tombstone, his face paling as he watched the ghost hurtling toward them. His legs trembled so violently he could barely stand, his fingers unconsciously gripping Xie Yu’s sleeve.

The old woman ghost crawled swiftly past them, but suddenly stopped.

Su Tang: “……!!!”

The ghost stood up, transforming back into her normal, elderly form—the same kind woman who had given Su Tang cotton candy at the market. She smiled kindly, placed a handful of candies in Su Tang’s palm, and said gently, “Eat these, dear. Have plenty.”

Then, she reverted to her grotesque, crawling form and scurried away.

Su Tang stared blankly at the delicate candies in his hand, feeling inexplicably like a child being cared for by an elder.

…But that was a ghost old woman!