Please Stop Pretending To Be a Cute Newcomer!

Shen Qingcheng personally went to the chicken coop and picked out a big rooster with a majestic spirit.

The rooster was quite intelligent, and seemed to know that it was about to die soon. It kept calling out, "Oh-oh," flapping its wings and flying up to grab at Shen Qingcheng.

Shen Qingcheng fought with wits and courage, acting as bait while Abu chased after the big rooster from behind.

When the rooster was finally subdued, Shen Qingcheng was covered in a thin layer of sweat, despite the cold day.

Seeing that his family’s guest was tired, A-Bu hugged the big, struggling rooster, and smoothed its feathers to comfort it. He said to him embarrassedly, "It used to be very obedient, not like this."

Shen Qingcheng felt a faint sense of guilt in his heart, since he’d just seen how it could act when it was "not like this".

In the afternoon, A-Bu was cooking in the kitchen, while Shen Qingcheng walked out of the house with his fresh chicken blood. Outside the house, a circle of lush green bamboo was planted, a few stone tables and stone benches sheltered under the bamboo forest.

He put the bowl of chicken blood on the stone table and looked up at the sky.

Although it was past noon exactly, it was still midday, and the yang qi had not dissipated. Not bad.

Shen Qingcheng nodded to himself and pulled a stack of papers out of his trouser pocket.

He didn’t have any yellow paper--that paper had been sliced from a notebook he’d found in the castle and cut up himself until it could be used.

The square-cut talisman paper was placed beside the bowl containing chicken blood.

Chicken blood and talisman paper; he was still missing something.

He raised his voice, "A-Bu, do you have any chicken feathers?"

A-Bu also raised his voice from inside the house and answered, "No, no chicken feathers. Would steel, round beads, or lead¹ work?"

He said that he had so many chickens, how come he had no chicken feathers?

Shen Qingcheng: "Thank you, no need!"

So what if there were no feathers? He stretched out his right hand and curled in his fingers, leaving only one index finger upright, "In the end, I'm using you again."

As he looked, Shen Qingcheng couldn't help feeling a little sad. When had he ever been so miserable in the past? When he wanted to draw a talisman, others were always rushing to prepare materials for him.

Now he not only had to prepare it himself, but he didn’t even have the materials yet!

"Alas." A phoenix in distress wasn’t even as good as a chicken.

He sighed and was about to dip into the blood when he heard light footsteps. He turned his head and saw that the "out to get air" Lu Qi had returned.

He withdrew his eyes and continued to dip into the blood, and asked, "Where have you been?" Once he’d left the house, he’d totally disappeared.

"I went to examine our surroundings." Lu Qi patted some fallen leaves off his shoulders and walked to the stone table.

Shen Qingcheng moved very quickly, and he had already drawn a talisman in the time that it took Lu Qi to come over. He lifted it with his clean left hand, shook it, and hung it off to the side, then continued to draw the next one.

Some of the symbols on the talisman paper had smooth lines, while others were winding and distorted, similar to the ones on the small wooden sword, yet completely different.

Lu Qi: "This was part of your job?"

Shen Qingcheng drew a talisman and took his time to reply, "Yep."

Lu Qi: "The job of a civil servant?"

Shen Qingcheng: "Not quite, only a very small part of it is."

When asking these two questions, Lu Qi had been paying close attention. When Shen Meiren answered, he didn’t look away, nor did his movement pause.

That meant that either Shen Meiren had memorized his answers by heart, or he was telling the truth.

Lu Qi didn't dare to say that he understood Shen Meiren thoroughly, because some of Shen Meiren's words and deeds still confused him.

He would feel that he understood, then in the next second Shen Meiren could do a series of things to let him know that he really didn't understand.

But he favored the latter option.

Shen Qingcheng, who had finished drawing his sixth talisman, noticed Lu Qi's silence and, enduring the feel of his unwashed, bloody fingers, asked, "What's wrong with you?"

Lu Qi returned from his thoughts and looked up at the person in front of him, "What did you just draw?"

Shen Qingcheng said strangely, "It's a talisman²." Even if you've never eaten pork, you must have seen a pig run³. In those early years, there were a ton of those kinds of TV shows and movies, and his favorite was about Master Lin⁴!

No, maybe Lu Qi didn’t watch TV at all? Well, it was definitely possible.

Lu Qi: "Talismans, and the little sword you carved last time, do they have a collective name?"

"Of course they do, but you might not have heard of it before--it's Taoism." Shen Qingcheng couldn't help but ask curiously when he saw the man's eyebrows silently remain raised, "By the way, you've never heard of drawing talismans to capture ghosts?"

Lu Qi paused for a few seconds, "In novels."

Shen Qingcheng was shocked and asked, "What about real life?"

Lu Qi: "No."

Shen Qingcheng: "Then, tianshi?"

When Lu Qi didn't speak, Shen Qingcheng understood--still no.

He was anxious, "No way, why not? Is it because you were too self-absorbed, ignorant of common things and isolated from the outside world for too long, that you don't know? Think again, mine is a profession that has been passed down for thousands of years!"

Lu Qi was speechless for a while, "I don't deny that my work has little contact with the outside world, but since it has thousands of years of inheritance, it is impossible for me never to have heard of it."

He still didn’t believe it, and he wished he could use his chicken-blood-stained hands to shake Lu Qi twice to make him think about it.

"You've really never heard of it?"

Lu Qi nodded, "En."

Shen Qingcheng suddenly stopped talking.

【 What's the matter, I've never heard of a tianshi, is Beauty's career a new setting⁵ from the game company? 】

【 Looking at the situation, it should be, his methods of dealing with ghosts is different from the other players'. 】

【 But only Beauty seems to have this profession? 】

【 Maybe it’s a test⁶. 】

【 A test wouldn’t be released for us to see, don't be ridiculous, I think it's more like an expansion pack. 】

【 Upstairs 1⁷, in the setting, God and Beauty shouldn’t come from the same place. 】

【 As an aside, since it's a horror game, the game is made for people to play it, but after watching the live broadcast for so long, we haven't seen any related game promotions, and the anchors can't even interact with us. Does anyone else find it strange? 】

【 This question is as unanswerable as the ultimate question. I obviously haven't downloaded this, why did it appear in my terminal? Why can't it be deleted? Why can't I find this in the software store? 】

【? Did I remember wrong? How come I remember that after the streaming app appeared inexplicably, I deliberately watched it, even though I couldn’t delete it 】

【 Sit and wait for the two dear brothers upstairs to be banned 】

【 Let me tell a ghost story, there is a player in the live broadcast who looks like my cousin 】

【 ! ! ! Turns out I'm not alone! I saw it too! There is a player who looks like my uncle! Uncle! 】

【 Me too ! ! ! 】

【 What the hell is going on, is this real, has anyone checked this? 】

【 Where are they, someone come and answer 】

【Fishing? 】

【 Blocked! It’s normal, they probably didn’t watch the live broadcast much before: similar things have happened many times. Anyway, except for discussing the live broadcast content, nothing else can be said, can’t say it 】

【 And it doesn’t block the live broadcast room account, but the terminal number directly, yunbei⁸ 】

【 I was wondering why so many straight men suddenly came to Beauty's live broadcast room, thinking that the p I knocked on went out of the circle⁹, it turned out to be for the new setting [laughing and crying¹⁰] 】

Outside the wooden house, Shen Qingcheng stood under the bamboo trees and did not speak. A fishy smell drifted into his nostrils, and he inhaled.

"Oh my god, I forgot to wash it off!" Shen Qingcheng shouted on seeing the chicken blood on his finger, leaving Lu Qi aside and rushing to the faucet to rinse his hands.

A-Bu's house had an old-fashioned push-type faucet, and a small stream of warm groundwater poured out of the spout with a gazhi sound when it was pressed.

While washing, Shen Qingcheng sorted out the information from the conversation just then.

Lu Qi didn't know talismans and had never heard of a tianshi. If he insisted on explaining, it could be because of the environment Lu Qi was in, remote with little contact with the outside world.

But Lu Qi said that he was dragged into a horror game during his training. If he couldn’t even die in a fight, how could he train himself to death?

He was different from Lu Qi, Shen Qingcheng understood very deeply.

As he finished washing and flicked the remaining water droplets off, he asked the man who came over, "What country are you from?"

Lu Qi didn't hide it, "Daqin." He noticed the change in Shen Meiren's expression, "You haven’t heard of it?"

Shen Qingcheng: "No. Have you asked other players, are they all from Daqin?"

Lu Qi: "I asked at the beginning. They said Daqin and Daqin's neighboring countries, so I didn't ask again later."

Shen Qingcheng: "I'm from China¹¹."

Lu Qi: "I haven't heard of it."

Shen Qingcheng did not speak again.

Lu Qi from Daqin had never heard of China, and most of the other players from Daqin and Daqin's neighboring countries had never heard of it. In the end, he had died and become part of a black household with no history¹²?

His expression shifted back and forth, neither good nor bad. Lu Qi said, "We need to talk."

Shen Qingcheng looked up at him, "Of course we have to chat, but before that, let's deal with the ingredients. Lu Qi, do you like eating rabbits?"

Lu Qi's eyes moved.

Shen Qingcheng raised his eyebrows and smiled, "That's right, it's the rabbit you’re thinking of. How about it, do you want to eat it?"

Lu Qi: "Sure."

"What a discerning eye, this rabbit is a great supplement!" He stepped forward and patted the man on the shoulder, very satisfied.

Lu Qi: "I don't need to be fixed¹³."

【 I heard God mention Daqin again. Can't game companies make up a few country names? Still, it's good to hear familiar names 】

【 My brother upstairs, I’m the exact opposite of you. As soon as I heard those familiar names, I felt a sense of substitution, and the back of my neck felt cold, hiss 】

【Has anyone heard of China? Could it be a small remote country? 】

【 I first searched and then came back to tell you, no, it shows that no relevant information can be found 】

【 This is to separate the old players, like God, into one camp? 】

【 Unclear, wait for the follow-up 】

【 ? ? ? What happened to this live room? Sisters, let's start! 】

【 I'm coming, I’m coming 】

【 Ahhhhh a big supplement¹⁴, what are you implying, Beauty! 】

【 God: I don't need to be fixed, and even if I don't get fixed, I can make it so you can't get out of bed 】

Shen Qingcheng went into the house and asked A-Bu to get a bamboo tube and a bowl filled with water, then he took the talisman paper and Lu Qi into the bamboo forest.

Deep in the bamboo forest, four NPCs tied to pillars were discussing how to escape. When they heard movement, they immediately silenced, lying on their stomachs, and pretended to be asleep.

Shen Qingcheng didn't bother to care what they were thinking. He picked up the red-haired fox and sniffed it. In addition to being coquettish, the red-haired fox had a fishy smell, which only those who have eaten people had.

Hu Lili, who was imprisoned, struggled and said nervously: "What are you going to do!"

Shen Qingcheng ignored it.

He poured some water into the bowl, took out a talisman, and shook it lightly between his forefinger and the finger. The paper, on which the talisman had only been drawn in chicken blood, immediately ignited without fire.

There was a strange look in Lu Qi's eyes.

The flame glowed blue, and after it burnt out, the talisman turned into ashes and fell into the bowl.

Shen Qingcheng casually shook the bowl, used his other hand to squeeze the mouth of the red-haired fox, and poured the talisman water into it, then threw the fox on the ground.

"What are you doing? What did you give me to drink! You ao," the fox who fell to the ground was stunned, and opened its mouth in disbelief, "Ao ao? Ao ao ao ao!!”

Only a series of fox barks came out.

Shen Qingcheng explained to the laypeople present, "Animals like this that have become spirits must have their their spiritual orifices sealed, or they will continue to do evil sooner or later."

The others had already witnessed the fate of their companions. After listening to Shen Qingcheng's science lesson¹⁵, they immediately struggled and howled desperately.

Shen Qingcheng called Lu Qi, "Come here, help me."

The two worked together to finish the rest one after another. Shen Qingcheng straightened up and sighed in relief, "Finally, the torment is over."

The foxes, birds, and rabbits, including the tall, sturdy black bear, all collapsed on the ground once they were worked over, whimpering, groaning, and looking like they had been beaten and ravaged.

Shen Qingcheng began to make arrangements one by one, "Let A-Bu notify the zoo about the fox and the black bear so they an be put in an exhibit. As for the birds, two are for A-Bu's father, to relieve boredom, and the other one is for us to take. As for the rabbit, hehe."

Bunnies are so delicious, of course it would be eaten.

That afternoon, in addition to the stewed badger meat, there was also a stir-fried diced rabbit on the dinner table at A-Bu's house.

The rabbit meat was especially fragrant. Even A-Bu's father, who had lost his teeth, took a lot of its juices. Shen Qingcheng's mouth was full of greasy food.

After lunch, Shen Qingcheng and Lu Qi said goodbye to A-Bu's family and took the colorful birds on the road away from the village.

Shen Qingcheng, who was walking in front, had some twine lashed around his wrist, and a multicolored bird flying in the sky was tied to the twine.

From time to time, he reeled in the line and said, "It's really useless. Other sled dogs can take their owners to run in the snow, how about you? When will you take me to the sky!"

"Wa wa wa!"

Lu Qi walked behind him with their two suitcases, and ignored Shen Meiren's rude words.

"Eh? How come it feels like my eyes are a little warm?"

A day later, Shen Qingcheng and Lu Qi returned to Daxiong Forest again and gave the last colorful bird to A-Bu's household.

【 The copy time is over, congratulations to player Alluring Beauty for clearing the copy “Masquerade”. 】

【 Survival Point Reward: 15 】

【 Extra drop: Rest Coupon x1 】

【 The player is leaving the copy. 】

【 The copy data is abnormal, the system is investigating. 】

【 Abnormal data has been found, data correction is in progress. 】

【 The correction failed, the copy "Masquerade" is now temporarily closed. Duration: uncertain. 】

TLN:

¹ No real rhyme or reason to these suggestions, since he has no idea what SQC wants the feathers for. Raws also list 性, but I omitted it since its two meanings are “spirit/personality” and “sex”, neither of which really make sense.

² Lit. “symbol” or “amulet” (符), but generally refers to a talisman.

Source

³ Basically, even if you can’t afford to do/have never done something, you can still have some experience with it (没吃过猪肉总见过猪跑吧).

⁴ Lit. "a master surnamed Lin" (一位姓林的大师), but that's a bit clunky.

⁵ Backstory, world building, character archetypes, etc. would all be considered part of setting.

⁶ As in a beta test.

⁷ Referring to the first person who posted.

⁸ Yunbei (允悲) is short for “please allow me to make a sad expression” (请允许我做一个悲伤的表情), which is used when someone tells you about something they clearly regard as tragic and sad but internally all you want to do is laugh at it.

⁹ Like a meme breaking containment.

¹⁰ The words for “laugh” (笑) and “cry” (哭) look similar. ¹¹ Here he says Huaxia (华夏) instead of Zhongguo (中國). Huaren (lit. Hua person) (華人) generally refers to people who are ethnically Chinese, while Zhongguoren (中國人 )is more just whoever is a Chinese resident/citizen.

¹² History/background is power.

¹³ As in he doesn’t need the supplement’s help.

¹⁴ Implying that the supplement boosts vitality (sexually).

¹⁵ Lit. “popular science” (科普). Think Bill Nye: science that has been dumbed down a bit into a lesson anyone can understand.

Not sure how I feel about eating sentient creatures but I guess they deserve it??