A philosopher from long ago once said a famous line:
"Men have three legs, women have four mouths. Men must control their legs, women must control their mouths."
In a way, both "legs" and "mouths" symbolize desire—keeping them in check means mastering one's urges.
But right now, Hu Tao still only had her four "mouths," while Lucas had somehow gained six legs.
Three of them were phantom limbs—illusory, yet somehow even more effective than the real ones.
Four mouths versus six legs? Naturally, Hu Tao suffered a crushing defeat.
Watching the nearly broken Hu Tao before him, Lucas wore a leisurely smile. With a casual wave of his hand, her collapsed body was lifted by an invisible force.
"So, Director Hu," he said with a smirk, "are you finally willing to negotiate?"
For an entire hour, Lucas's three phantom limbs had worked tirelessly, engaging in an unrelenting tug-of-war with Hu Tao.
Of course, Hu Tao endured triple the torment, while Lucas enjoyed triple the pleasure.
"Pah!"
Hu Tao spat on Lucas's cheek, sneering. "I'm the 77th Director of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor! Do you really think I'd surrender to some nobody like you? I'll hold out... until I take back my body!"
Lucas had to admit, he admired her tenacity.
After all, even Xingqiu had folded under the pressure of just one phantom limb—yet Hu Tao was enduring three times that.
"Director Hu, if you weren't you, I might've let you go out of sheer respect," Lucas sighed. "But I need your body. And I know that if you ever got it back, you'd torture me even worse than this, right?"
He knew Hu Tao too well. Beneath her playful, harmless exterior was a full-blown little demon.
Her words alone had nearly shattered his sanity multiple times.
Showing her mercy was not an option.
"Damn right," Hu Tao shot back, still defiant. "But if you surrender now, maybe I'll go easy on you later."
"Bravo. Already trying to turn the tables?" Lucas chuckled. "Well, you've still got one mouth left, and I've still got one leg. Let's settle this with a final round."
His last "leg" wasn't a phantom—it was the original.
As for Hu Tao's "fourth mouth"... it took her a moment to realize what he meant.
"W-wait!" Panic flickered across her face for the first time. "No way! That's impossible! You'll kill me—no, you'll actually kill me!"
"Relax. Right now, you're just a consciousness. No matter what I do, you won't die," Lucas began his assault, his voice deceptively gentle. "That's fortunate for you... and also unfortunate."
Lucas wasn't the type to mistreat women—back in Liyue Harbor, he'd even earned the nickname "Dream Gentleman."
But Hu Tao had provoked him one too many times. Seeing the ever-smug, ever-superior Hu Tao finally at his mercy? He wasn't about to let this chance slip away.
If she liked playing the mischievous brat, she'd have to accept the consequences when the tables turned.
Soon, Hu Tao's mind began to blur again. Yet, her lips still moved faintly, murmuring something under her breath.
Curious, Lucas leaned in—only to realize she was reciting one of her own nonsensical nursery rhymes:
"Big Hilichurl fell sick, second Hilichurl came to see..."
"Third Hilichurl fetched herbs, fourth Hilichurl brewed the tea..."
"Fifth Hilichurl dropped dead, sixth Hilichurl carried the weight..."
"Seventh dug the grave, eighth sealed his fate..."
Hu Tao fancied herself a "dark alley poet," and this eerie little chant was one of her creations. On the surface, it sounded childish—but the more you pondered it, the more unsettling it became.
"Ah, I see," Lucas smirked. "Trying to distract yourself by reciting poetry? Guess your willpower isn't as unshakable as I thought."
"Sh-shut up..." Hu Tao bit her lip, forcing herself to continue. "Big Hilichurl... ngh!"
"Keep going," Lucas taunted. "What happened to Big Hilichurl?"
Hu Tao tried to recite more, but words failed her. Even her memorized rhymes were slipping away.
"Let me help," Lucas whispered, improvising:
"Big Hilichurl enters school, second Hilichurl drills the hole..."
"Third Hilichurl slips inside, fourth Hilichurl blocks the road..."
"Five, six, seven, eight—nowhere left to go..."
"Left outside, wailing in sorrow..."
The "Hilichurls" here, of course, carried a very different meaning. Hu Tao, sharp as ever, instantly grasped the mockery—but rage was all she had left.
With a flick of his wrist, Lucas summoned four more phantom limbs.
"These are the remaining four Hilichurls," he said sweetly. "Shouldn't they have a home too?"
Hu Tao's voice trembled. "Impossible... there's... there's no space left!"
Four "Hilichurls" had already overwhelmed her—how could she handle four more?
"Who says there's no space?" Lucas continued his twisted verse:
"Fifth Hilichurl roams at night, sixth Hilichurl glides through the vale..."
"Seventh and eighth, with nowhere to stay..."
"Followed big brother into school that day."
Hu Tao understood the first two lines immediately—but the last two drained the color from her face.
This time, Hu Tao didn't last an hour.
She barely held on for ten minutes before finally raising the white flag.
"I... I surrender..."
Humiliation burned in her eyes as she whispered, "Just... make them leave."
With a triumphant snap of his fingers, Lucas dismissed the seven phantom "Hilichurls," watching as they dissolved into the air.
Hu Tao collapsed, gasping in relief.
And from that day on, the nursery rhyme of the "Eight Hilichurls" became her worst nightmare.
"Not so fun when the tables turn, huh?" Lucas crouched beside her, tilting her chin up. "If you'd just cooperated earlier, you wouldn't have had to endure eight Hilichurls all at once."
[Exit Immersive Mode]
[Enter Text Mode]
[After a bout of "tug-of-war," Hu Tao finally agreed to form a contract with you, granting you the "right of usage" over her body. To ensure you could control her at any time, you deliberately left behind two "phantom limbs" as leverage. If she dared disobey, the phantom limbs would activate immediately to make her suffer a little.]
[To conceal your identity, you transformed into a small white ghost and appeared at Hu Tao's side. Everyone assumed that this round, chubby little ghost with a cute smile was either Hu Tao's pet or her familiar. Little did they know, the truth was quite the opposite—this little ghost's tail was directly connected to one of Lucas's phantom limbs.]
So that's how it is!
Only now did Lucas suddenly realize that the mysterious white creature constantly floating around Hu Tao… was actually himself!
However, when he thought about how that seemingly adorable little ghost actually housed his own sinister presence, all those cute interactions between Hu Tao and the ghost suddenly felt a little strange in retrospect.
[Age 34: Since you were using Hu Tao's body, you naturally couldn't go around collecting as "Dream Lover" like before. You could only use Hu Tao's body to cultivate the "Strange Cultivation Technique." Fortunately, Hu Tao, who bore the bloodline of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, turned out to be an excellent vessel for cultivating this technique.]
[What's more, since phantom limbs aren't physical entities, Hu Tao remained physically untouched and could be reused repeatedly. For you, she was an extremely practical furnace. Even when not in use, the phantom limbs could continue operating to passively absorb Yin energy.]
[Age 35: Perhaps due to the drastically different experiences, the body of the possessed Director Hu began to "develop" at a visible rate—unlike her slender form in the real world. In just a few short years, she gained enough "assets" to rival even Shenhe.]
[Naturally, this was also related to the "Strange Cultivation Technique." The technique benefited both parties, but in the past, you constantly swapped targets, which caused the other party's progress to be negligible.]
[As for Hu Tao, since she was frequently forced to cultivate with you, and the phantom limbs operated almost constantly except during sleep, her "strength" rapidly increased.]
[Age 36: Unknowingly, a strange sort of "tacit understanding" began to form between you and Hu Tao. From her initial resistance, to reluctant acceptance, and now, she had become fully accustomed to it.]
[Moreover, mere "adaptation" no longer seemed to satisfy her. At first, you used at most two phantom limbs, but as her power continued to grow, her demand for them also kept increasing.]
[Three, four, five… As of now, at least seven phantom limbs were permanently active. Like a tree growing robustly, the phantom limbs clung to it like horned beetles greedily sucking sap.]
[And so, the relationship between you and Hu Tao seemed to loop back like a "cycle," returning to the beginning again. She once more started to mock you from time to time, despite no longer being a little girl.]
["Only seven at most? So that's your limit, old man? Bzzt bzzt bzzt…" Hu Tao taunted.]
[So you tripled the number of phantom limbs, letting Hu Tao experience the consequences of provoking you without hesitation.]
["Tsk, your output's really dropped lately. Trash is trash. Getting old, huh? Looks like you're not up to it anymore."]
[Upon hearing that, you silently increased the phantom limbs' frequency tenfold. The result? You had to change the bed sheets for a whole week.]
["No matter how powerful you are in my consciousness, it's all fake. Doesn't matter how many or how fast—they're still fake," this time, Hu Tao didn't mock you. She simply sighed with a subtle smile and said, "So all you can do, useless old man, is bully me in this dream world."]
[This time, you didn't refute her—because Hu Tao was absolutely right. To this day, you still hadn't found a suitable physical vessel. Without one, no matter how strong your power became, you were still just a wandering soul without an anchor.]
[Still, even if you couldn't argue back, you made sure Hu Tao paid the price. You sent seven "Hilichurls" into elementary school.]
[The next day, Bubu Pharmacy received a mysterious order for an expensive medicinal herb. Even the well-informed Doctor Baizhu couldn't figure out why someone would spend so much Mora on a herb whose only real use was reducing swelling.]
[Age 37: Beautiful, mature, and of high status… With so many merits, it was only natural that countless suitors lined up at Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's door. But Hu Tao rejected them all, for a simple reason: with her current tolerance, ordinary humans could no longer pique her interest.]
[What's more, you had already become an inseparable part of her life. There was no more room for anything—or anyone—else.]
[Of course, aside from helping you cultivate the "Strange Cultivation Technique," Hu Tao never forgot her grandfather's legacy. She continued to hide her identity and perform rites to send off unclaimed spirits. Thanks to her rapidly improving abilities—and your assistance—the number of exorcised evil spirits kept increasing.]
[Those that could be pacified, she would pacify. Those too stubborn, with resentment too deep to resolve, became your food.]
[Once, while watching you devour a malevolent spirit, Hu Tao teased: "You really look like a dog I'm keeping now. If you want more to eat, you better beg me properly."]
[Since you never held grudges overnight, you retaliated that very evening. You made a cute, helpless little dog crawl through every alley of Liyue Harbor in the dead of night—and forced it to leave its mark.]
[Age 38: Naturally, the exorcist families hadn't been idle either. They continued to push forward their exorcism efforts. What puzzled you, however, was that despite both the exorcist families and Hu Tao working intensely to purge evil spirits, their numbers not only failed to decrease—they actually kept growing.]
[Some particularly audacious spirits even established their own factions outside Liyue Harbor. Panic spread among the people, and even ordinary citizens no longer dared to leave the city walls, fearing they might become food for these monsters.]
[Even though the Adventurers' Guild issued many commissions to eradicate monsters and evil spirits, the average adventurer lacked the skill and experience to deal with such threats, so the results were mediocre. This kind of work could only be handled by professional exorcist clans.]
[To suppress the increasingly rampant evil spirits and demons, the Liyue Qixing and the Ministry of Civil Affairs had no choice but to delegate more authority to these exorcist families so they could carry out their duties effectively.]
[During this period, many skilled exorcists emerged from these families. Among the younger generation, Shenhe, Chongyun, and Xingqiu stood out the most and were hailed by the people of Liyue as the "Three Exorcist Prodigies." Among them, Shenhe distinguished herself with exceptional strength and significant accomplishments, eventually being elected as Yaoguang, one of the Liyue Qixing.]
[As for Chongyun and Xingqiu, while outsiders often saw them as a perfect golden couple, the two never took their relationship any further. Moreover, the second daughter of the Feiyun Commerce Guild seemed to have no interest in marriage whatsoever, devoting all her energy to cultivation.]
[What no one knew was that Xingqiu secretly had an undisclosed "close friend"—Hu Tao of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. Every month, Xingqiu would visit Wangsheng, where she and Hu Tao would have a private meeting. During these meetings, you would take over Hu Tao's body and engage in deep conversation with Xingqiu.]
[As a highly regarded young disciple of an exorcist clan, Xingqiu could share with you many confidential secrets about the clan's inner workings. In exchange, you had to adjust the phantom limbs implanted in Xingqiu.]
[Xingqiu lacked Hu Tao's mental fortitude. While she could retain her sense of self even under the influence of seven phantom limbs, Xingqiu would completely lose herself with just three, becoming fully susceptible to your manipulation. You knew well that, beyond clan secrets, even the combination to the Feiyun Commerce Guild's vault would be her to offer without hesitation, if you so desired.]
[According to Xingqiu, ever since the clan matriarch passed away a few years ago, the clan leader had disappeared after leaving a letter. He only returned half a year later. After his return, the number of evil spirits within Liyue suddenly surged for unknown reasons.]
[The clan leader also underwent a drastic change in personality, abandoning his former gentle demeanor and obsessively deploying disciples to subjugate evil spirits. Of course, had he not done so, it would have been difficult to contain the increase in demons in Liyue.]
[All of these events seemed to be connected somehow, but this was the extent of what Xingqiu knew. Unfortunately, you couldn't stray far from Hu Tao's body; otherwise, you would have liked to temporarily inhabit Xingqiu's body to investigate what was really going on in the clan.]
[Age 39: Misfortune always arrives sooner than expected. A strange "contagion" suddenly swept through Liyue Harbor. It was called strange because it only seemed to affect men—specifically, married adult men were the most susceptible.]
[At first, the infected would show mild symptoms such as a low-grade fever, similar to the common cold. But soon, strange spots would appear on their bodies, and their temperature would continue to rise. At this stage, the patient would enter a bizarre state of excitation and become completely unable to control their impulses.]
[These patients would grow increasingly manic, ultimately dying from sheer exhaustion. Their deaths were agonizing.]
[Because the manner of death resembled a certain type of sudden death, this bizarre and horrifying disease came to be known as "Rider's Plague." The entire Liyue Harbor became gripped by panic.]
[However, the origin of the Rider's Plague remained unknown. Many were infected seemingly out of nowhere and would often die suddenly the same night. The saddest part was the innocent women—newlywed wives who had just entered marital bliss, now forced to face the cruel reality of their husbands' deaths.]
[Where there are the dead, there will naturally be spirits—especially those who die in such eerie ways. Their souls are more prone to becoming vengeful spirits. So, you and Hu Tao decided that, in order to comfort and care for these widows, the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor would offer funerals for these late husbands at extremely low prices, and conduct rites to help them pass on.]
[Normally, spirits with lingering attachments tend to remain near the places they were most emotionally connected to. You assumed the souls of these husbands would be near their homes. However, despite holding several funerals, you were unable to locate the spirits of the deceased husbands—let alone perform the passing rites.]
[This time, the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor received another "order." The deceased was named Wrench Wang, a worker at the Liyue Shipyard. His wife's name was Siyu.]
[As before, you were unable to find Wrench Wang's spirit. However, Hu Tao unexpectedly discovered a strange amulet.]
[Entering Immersive Mode]
[Objective: Search for clues]
This time, Lucas wasn't residing within Hu Tao's consciousness. Instead, he appeared beside her in the form of a "white ghost." Of course, under normal circumstances, only Hu Tao could see this "adorable friend."
Before them stood a grieving woman in mourning attire, tears streaking her face like pear blossoms in the rain. She wore a blue dress and appeared to be around twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old. While not a stunning beauty, her features were attractive. At the moment, she was staring at her husband's memorial tablet, murmuring softly, "Wang… You finally had your moment to shine, so why… why did you leave so suddenly?"
Siyu? Wrench Wang?
These two NPCs were characters from the game. Lucas vaguely remembered that in the game, Wrench Wang had always harbored a secret affection for Siyu, but she had married someone else. Unexpectedly, in the simulator, Wrench Wang had actually ended up marrying her.
Unfortunately, fate was cruel. The two had only recently wed when Wrench Wang died from that inexplicable contagion.
Hu Tao, being the Director of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, had witnessed countless partings between life and death. Seeing Siyu in such sorrow, she offered comfort: "Sister Siyu, the dead cannot return to life. You should try to move forward with your grief."
"You don't understand… Wang was gentle and hardworking, but he had just one flaw. He may have looked tall and strong, but in truth… in truth, he wasn't capable in that area." Siyu wiped her tears and cried with a look of grievance, "All these years, not to mention children—I haven't even experienced what it's like to be a real woman. Sigh… Director Hu, you're still young, so you probably wouldn't understand this kind of thing."
When Siyu said that, Lucas, standing nearby, almost burst out laughing, nearly blowing a snot bubble.
Hu Tao didn't understand this kind of thing? She'd seen and experienced everything—did Siyu really think of her as some clueless little girl?
Seeing Lucas laugh so exaggeratedly, Hu Tao naturally shot him a fierce glare, then turned to Siyu with a slightly awkward smile and said, "I really... don't know much about it."
"I'm so jealous of you. If only I were like you. How does that saying go... 'I could have endured the darkness, if I had not seen the light,' or something like that," Siyu's face was full of wistful longing. "That night, Wang-ge suddenly became like a different person—no longer dull and awkward like before. He seemed so much more... manly. But who would've thought... just that once, and Wang-ge... he was gone! Wuwuwu…"
Only now did Lucas catch on.
This wasn't mourning her husband—this was mourning his brother!
He thought to himself: if it hadn't been for Wang suddenly becoming a man who understood women right before he died, this wife of his probably wouldn't be grieving so deeply.
Hu Tao also wore a speechless expression but still forced a smile and said, "By the way, Sister Siyu, there's something I want to ask you. Do you know anything about the origin of this charm?"
As she spoke, Hu Tao took out that strange protective charm. Siyu stared at it for a while before suddenly realizing something and said, "Oh, that's a talisman I got from the Exorcist Clan. Things have been uneasy in Liyue these past few years, with all the demon disturbances. They say wearing this can protect you from harm. It wasn't expensive, so I bought one for Wang-ge. Who would've thought... sigh."
It was actually a charm made by the Exorcist Clan?
Lucas looked skeptical. The material of this charm wasn't cheap—in theory, there's no way it would be sold at a low price. Why would the Exorcist Clan do something that loses money? Could it be they were truly moved by compassion and wanted to bless the people of Liyue? But from what Lucas knew of the clan, they weren't the type to do such things.
Something about this whole situation was just too suspicious.
"The dead cannot return," Hu Tao patted Siyu's shoulder and comforted her. "You're still young, and you don't have children. Life is long—you have to look forward."
"Thank you, Master Hu, for your comfort. But in my heart, there's only my Wang-ge. No other man could open that door to the depths of my heart," Siyu suddenly seemed to remember something and asked, "By the way, during the passing ritual just now, did you see Wang-ge? Did he say anything he wanted me to know?"
Seeing the hopeful look in Siyu's eyes, Hu Tao found herself at a loss for words.
In the past, when performing the passing ritual, Hu Tao was usually able to sense the spirits of the recently deceased and could pass on their final messages to their loved ones to help ease their minds. Though mischievous by nature, she had always taken her duties at the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor seriously and never faked anything.
But this time, she hadn't seen Wang Wench's spirit at all—and she really didn't want to lie to Siyu.
Just then, Lucas suddenly spoke up. "Tell her to go to sleep immediately. Wang Wench will appear to her in a dream."
Hu Tao hesitated for a moment but then nodded and said to Siyu, "I... I didn't see your husband's spirit, but I can sense that his soul hasn't fully dispersed. Once you fall asleep, he... he might visit you in a dream."
"Really?" Siyu lit up with excitement. "I... I'll go to sleep right now!"
With that, she didn't hesitate at all and lay down on the sofa behind her, closing her eyes. It seemed that even the slimmest hope was enough to make her long to see her late husband once more.
Seeing Siyu actually lie down and fall asleep, Hu Tao couldn't help but say helplessly, "Now what? If she doesn't dream of Wrench Wang, she'll probably be even more disappointed when she wakes up."
"In that case..." Lucas grinned. "We'll just make sure she does."
"Easy for you to say." Hu Tao snorted. "We don't even know where Wrench Wang's spirit is—how are we supposed to make him appear in her dream?"
"Who says it has to be Wrench Wang?" Lucas chuckled. "Don't forget—I can enter dreams too."
Hu Tao immediately guessed what Lucas was planning. She hesitated and said, "You're not thinking of pretending to be Wrench Wang... are you? Isn't that a bit... questionable?"
"I'm doing this to comfort her, aren't I?" Lucas said righteously. "I'm doing a good deed!"
"Pfft. You, with your brain full of inappropriate nonsense, actually want to do something good?" Hu Tao mocked. "That's the funniest thing I've heard all day…"
Facing Hu Tao's sarcasm, Lucas merely said calmly, "Phantom Limb—fifteen times power, activate."
"You…" Hu Tao didn't even finish her sentence before glaring fiercely at Lucas, biting her lip as she said, "Fine, fine! Do whatever you want! But if this causes trouble, I... I'm not cleaning up after you."
Lucas glanced at the memorial portrait on the spirit tablet, memorizing Wrench Wang's facial features and expressions. Then, he silently chanted an incantation. The previously round, chubby, and adorable little ghost immediately began to distort, and before long, it had transformed into Wrench Wang's likeness.
"Well?" Lucas spun in a circle in front of Hu Tao. "Do I look like him?"
"Looking like him isn't enough," Hu Tao raised an eyebrow. "That was her husband—someone she lived with day and night. Aren't you afraid of getting exposed?"
"Whether I get exposed or not... you'll see soon enough." Lucas gave the command, "Now, place your hand on her temple."
Hu Tao sighed inwardly and did as instructed. The moment her fingers touched Siyu's temple, Lucas's body immediately flowed along her hand and entered Siyu's consciousness.
...
Everyone's dream is different. A dream is a room within the human subconscious, reflecting the true essence deep within.
For example, Hu Tao's dream room was a dark, eerie graveyard. But Siyu's dream room was... a lavish chamber lit by pink neon lights!
Who would've thought—she seemed like a proper and gentle wife in reality, yet her subconscious held such a different side?
"Wan... Wang-ge? Is—Is it really you?"
Lucas turned around. The speaker was none other than his "wife," Siyu.
At this moment, she wasn't dressed in mourning attire, but instead wore a rather beautiful outfit—a stark contrast to her appearance in the real world.
It seemed she truly had been suppressing herself for far too long.
Lucas had now taken on the appearance of Wrench Wang... a burly, honest-looking man. Seeing Siyu throw herself into his arms, Lucas gave an awkward chuckle and said, "It's me, darling."
As soon as the words left his mouth, a flicker of surprise crossed Siyu's face. She murmured, "You... you never used to call me that."
Crap...
Indeed, how could Wrench Wang, a rough laborer working in the shipyard every day, possibly say something so tender?
Lucas's heart skipped a beat. Women's intuition was truly terrifying. Could it be that, just as Hu Tao warned, he'd already blown his cover the moment he opened his mouth?
Just as Lucas was racking his brain for a way to explain, Siyu smiled gently and said, "You rascal. You were always so dull when you were alive. And now, suddenly, you've become more open. It's just... you realized it too late."
Only then did Lucas breathe a sigh of relief and quickly said, "I'm sorry. I was too rigid before. It's all thanks to Master Hu's help that I... that I got to see you one last time."
Siyu bit her lip and asked, "Is... is that all you came for? Just to see me one more time?"
"O-Of course not," Lucas scratched his cheek and said, "Actually, I want to know what really happened the night I... passed away."
That's right. The reason Lucas had entered Siyu's dream wasn't entirely out of goodwill. He wanted to use this opportunity to uncover the true cause of Wrench Wang's death. He had a hunch that Wrench Wang—and the other men who had died from the "Rider's Plague"—were somehow all connected to the exorcist clans.
However, upon hearing this, Siyu's face flushed slightly. She said, "You don't remember what happened that night?"
"I... I was a bit out of it then. My memory's fuzzy," Lucas sighed and said with deep emotion, "My good wife, you wouldn't want me to remain in the dark, would you?"
Those three words—"my good wife"—made Siyu's heart tremble. She took Lucas's hand, her gaze filled with reluctance. "How... how long can you stay?"
She still believed that the man before her—this "Wrench Wang"—was truly her deceased husband's spirit come to her in a dream. What she feared most now was that he would suddenly vanish.
But since Lucas wasn't actually a ghost, he could stay as long as he wanted. So he smiled and said, "Don't worry. With Master Hu watching over me, I can stay until you wake up."
"Rather than talk about what happened that night..." Siyu traced circles on the floor with her toe and whispered, "Why don't we... reenact it? I want to really talk with you. After all... we still have time."
So that's what she meant. She was waiting for this.
Still, Lucas could understand. Siyu had been married to Wrench Wang for years, and their relationship had been strong. Now that she had the chance to see her late husband again, of course she would want to say a few more words to him.
Though the Rider's Plague had claimed her husband's life, it had also revealed a side of him she'd never seen before. Now, seeing him appear before her in the form of a spirit, her thoughts naturally turned to sharing a moment of warmth.
After all, this might truly be the last time.
"Well..." Lucas hesitated for a moment but then nodded. "That would be ideal."
Sorry, Brother Wang. I'm doing this to get to the bottom of your death—and to comfort your wife a little. Even though we never met, I believe your spirit would forgive me for this.
After all, it's just talking.
Of course, Lucas's little "prayer" was somewhat disingenuous. Even if Wrench Wang's spirit refused to forgive him and turned into a vengeful ghost to confront him, he definitely wouldn't be a match.
After all, in terms of "demonic entities," Lucas's strength far exceeded that of a thousands of ghostly Wrench Wangs. He wouldn't even bat an eye.
And if things took a turn for the worse—if he were labeled a "husband-stealer"—wouldn't that just be a double tragedy?
Lucas followed Siyu into the bedroom. Though he'd interacted with many women before, this was his first time with a married woman of several years.
While her looks were no more than modest and delicate, this gentle, next-door older sister type was quite unfamiliar to someone like Lucas.
"Why so stiff?" Siyu said softly. "Just treat it like your own home."
Then, realizing she had misspoken, she waved her hands and smiled bitterly. "Listen to me... saying such things. This is... our home, after all."
...
One hour, two hours... or maybe even longer.
Perhaps because it was a dream, Lucas couldn't quite tell how much time had passed. But through his conversation with Siyu, he had more or less reconstructed the events of the night Wrench Wang died.
In fact, they reenacted it several times, just to make sure no detail was missed.
As expected, there was something strange about it. Based on the reconstruction, Wrench Wang's death didn't seem like a sudden illness—it was more like he had been cursed.
Of course, a single case wasn't enough to provide definitive clues.
To thank Siyu for providing these leads, Lucas had also done his best to help Wrench Wang fulfill the things he hadn't been able to do in his life.
There's no such thing as a peaceful life—only Lucas silently carrying the burden behind the scenes.
At last, the time had come. Lucas stood up and said, "Siyu, my... time's up. I have to go."
Siyu still wore a trace of longing and reluctance on her face, but then she suddenly asked, "Are you... really Brother Wang?"
Lucas felt a jolt in his heart. He quickly turned his head away and said, "Who else could I be? Why would you ask that?"
"Because... it's strange. Brother Wang never knew how to say such sweet things. And besides..." Siyu gave a faint, bitter smile. "All those little tricks..."
The Wrench Wang in her memory was always rigid and inflexible, never knowing how to adapt. But just now, their conversation had made her truly happy.
"Siyu..." Lucas's body gradually dissolved into particles of light.
"Does it really matter... whether I'm Wrench Wang or not?"
"The important thing is… you must learn to move forward." Lucas waved his hand and disappeared from Siyu's sight. "I'm just a lingering thought. Sooner or later, you'll have to forget me. Farewell, take care."
Watching "Wrench Wang" vanish before her eyes, Siyu murmured, "But you were so kind to me… how could I forget you so easily?"
...
She didn't know how much time had passed before she slowly woke up. Outside, it had already turned to night, and there sat Hu Tao, the Funeral Parlor Master, in front of her, looking at her with concern.
"Sister Siyu?" Hu Tao stepped forward as soon as she saw her wake, asking knowingly, "Did your late husband appear in your dream just now?"
At the thought of what had just happened in her dream, Siyu's face flushed slightly. She nodded and said, "I… I saw him in the dream."
"That's good," Hu Tao raised her eyebrows slightly and smiled. "So, what did the two of you do in the dream?"
"We… we talked about many things from the past." As she spoke, the smile on Siyu's face slowly faded, replaced by a vague sorrow. "But this meeting… might really be our last farewell."
As she spoke, tears welled up in Siyu's eyes. Hu Tao's heart softened, and she blurted out, "Do you… still want to see your husband again in the future?"
Hearing this, a glimmer of hope instantly lit up in Siyu's eyes. She quickly replied, "Is that really possible?"
Hu Tao thought to herself, it wasn't really Wrench Wang she dreamed of, but Lucas in disguise. If she wanted to see him again, it naturally wouldn't be difficult. So she nodded and said, "Actually, our Wangsheng Funeral Parlor can perform a 'soul-calling ceremony,' allowing departed souls to meet their loved ones in dreams… though, it would require a small incense offering fee."
At this moment, Lucas had already transformed into the small white ghost floating by Hu Tao's side. Upon hearing this, he immediately communicated with her, "Hey, are you serious about this?"
"Of course I'm serious. This is a win-win-win situation," Hu Tao giggled. "First, it brings in some extra income for the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. Second, it helps the loved ones ease their grief. And third, you can absorb some extra spiritual energy in the process, right?"
What Hu Tao said did make some sense. While the yin energy wasn't particularly rich or pure, the quantity wasn't negligible.
As for charging money, it wasn't simply about making profit. If they offered it for free, the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor would have to spend extra time and effort. Besides, if people could enjoy such a thoughtful "family reunion service" for free, Siyu might end up coming to see "Wrench Wang" every single day.
Perhaps it was the temptation of absorbing that spiritual energy—or perhaps out of genuine sympathy for these pitiful women—but whatever the reason, Lucas chose to go along with Hu Tao's decision.
"Of course incense offerings are appropriate. I do some sewing and embroidery work myself and have saved up a bit, and Wang also left behind quite a bit of money…" A sliver of hope appeared on Siyu's face. "But… if we do this, would it affect Wang-ge's journey to the afterlife?"
Deep down, Siyu still wanted to believe that the soul who brought her happiness was truly her husband.
Even if it was just self-deception.
"It won't, it won't," Hu Tao shook her head. "The afterlife is just another world. My ritual only temporarily calls them back—just like visiting relatives."
Naturally, this was just to comfort Siyu. Whether Wrench Wang would pass on, Hu Tao didn't know. As for Lucas, he definitely wouldn't be moving on.
"Then when can I see Wang-ge again?" Siyu asked eagerly. "Can I see him tomorrow?"
Lucas, listening nearby, broke out in a cold sweat. Seriously? Once a day? Aren't you worried you'll wear your "Wang" out?
"Sister Siyu, there's no need to rush," Hu Tao said, half-laughing, half-exasperated. "Think about it—visiting relatives every day isn't exactly normal. Besides, people need to move on. You can't cling to spirits forever. I'd say, at most two or three times a month should be enough."
"You're right," Siyu patted her chest and said, "I didn't expect the Funeral Parlor Master to have so many divine abilities. The thousand-year reputation of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor truly lives up to its name."
"Of course!" Hu Tao's tail practically wagged with pride at the compliment. "The Wangsheng Funeral Parlor was established to serve the people of Liyue. As the 77th Funeral Parlor Master, that is my sacred duty!"
"Since you say that…" Siyu said sincerely, "Actually, I have a few close sisters who also lost their husbands in the recent plague. They've been in deep grief these days—one of them even nearly hanged herself. I wonder… would Funeral Parlor Master be able to let them see their deceased husbands as well, to ease their sorrow?"
Hu Tao had just made such lofty promises. If she refused now, it would be hard to save face. So she forced herself to keep up the act and said, "Of course that's no problem. Just give me their names and addresses—we'll take care of it."
"We?" Siyu blinked. "But isn't there only one person here, Funeral Parlor Master?"
Uh-oh!
Hu Tao immediately realized she had misspoken. But being quick-witted as always, she rolled her eyes and smiled, "By 'we,' I naturally meant some friends you mortals can't see. Soul-calling and spirit work relies a lot on their help. Sister Siyu, better not ask too much—don't want to bring trouble upon yourself, right?"
"I see," Siyu nodded. "In that case, I'll go prepare the names and addresses of those sisters right away. Please wait."
Not wanting to linger and risk further complications, Hu Tao quickly took the slip of paper with the names and addresses, then hurried out the door with Lucas.
As soon as they stepped outside, Lucas floated in a circle around Hu Tao and complained, "You sure responded fast back there. So what now—am I seriously supposed to visit each one of them in their dreams?"
"At this point, there's no other way," Hu Tao narrowed her eyes and teased, "What's the matter? Scared you can't handle it? When Sister Siyu said she wanted to see Wang again, I thought your face turned green."
"Me? Can't handle it?" Lucas, refusing to take the hit to his pride, immediately activated his magic with a mischievous grin. "Watch closely, Funeral Parlor Master."
Seeing this, Hu Tao's expression changed immediately. A sheen of sweat appeared on her forehead as she glared at Lucas and bit her lip. "Ugh, you're messing with me again!"
Siyu's home was located on the bustling Chihu Rock Street, one of the most famous snack streets in Liyue Harbor. It was currently dinner time, and the street was naturally packed with people.
However, Liyue Harbor had always placed great emphasis on traffic safety. In areas with heavy foot traffic like this, the Millelith would usually station enough soldiers to patrol the area, ready to evacuate the crowd at any moment if needed.
"No worries. It's not like anyone can see me anyway, right?" Lucas had no intention of stopping and even grinned as he said, "As long as you, Master Hu, can make it home, isn't that enough?"
"W-What kind of joke is that?!" Hu Tao felt as if her insides were churning. Even taking a single step forward had become incredibly difficult. Gritting her teeth, she growled, "Forget making it back to the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor—at this rate, I won't even make it out of Chihu Rock before I blow my cover. Hurry up and lift the spell, or I'm really going to get mad!"
Never mind the passersby—the Millelith soldiers patrolling the area were known for their helpfulness. If they saw Hall Master Hu staggering around with a strange expression, there was a good chance they'd escort her to Bubu Pharmacy for a check-up.
"You're the one who said I wasn't up to it," Lucas said with a mischievous smile. "Also, I suggest you adjust your stance and take a couple of steps forward. Those two Millelith officers over there seem to have noticed you."
Hu Tao immediately looked up—and sure enough, the two Millelith soldiers were staring in her direction. Their faces bore expressions of concern and confusion as they whispered to each other. If she continued standing there in such an odd posture, they would likely come over to question her.
Just as the two Millelith seemed about to act, a hand suddenly patted Hu Tao on the shoulder. "Hall Master Hu? You look kind of strange. Are you alright?"
Hu Tao turned her head and saw a blue-haired young woman standing behind her. She looked no older than twenty, not exactly stunning in appearance, but her pair of thick, adorable eyebrows gave her an endearing charm.
"Xiangling?" Hu Tao lit up as if she'd seen her savior, hastily smiling. "What are you doing here?"
Indeed, it was none other than Xiangling of Wanmin Restaurant.
Due to the timeline shift, this version of Xiangling was a few years older than her counterpart in reality. Her once cute and playful twin buns had been replaced by more mature long hair. A few years ago, her father, Master Mao, had passed away from a serious illness. Now, she had inherited his mantle and officially become the manager of Wanmin Restaurant.
"We were doing inventory at the restaurant today. I just finished a walk and was heading back to Wanmin," Xiangling said with a cheerful smile as she spotted the small white ghost beside Hu Tao. "Oh hey, you're here too, little guy."
That's right—perhaps because her companion Guoba was no ordinary creature, Xiangling could see what normal people couldn't. In her eyes, Lucas's phantom form appeared just like Guoba—an adorably goofy little creature.
Lucas could only sigh and pretend to act cute, stretching his neck and rubbing against Xiangling's waist, making her giggle. "Naughty little ghost!"
"M-My stomach's feeling a bit off," Hu Tao quickly grabbed Xiangling's arm and whispered, trying to avoid drawing the Millelith's suspicion. "Could I trouble you to take me inside your shop to sit for a while?"
"Of course, no problem." Xiangling nodded, her expression faintly tinged with sorrow. "Back when my dad passed away suddenly, our family was in complete chaos. If the old Hall Master hadn't stepped in to help with the funeral, my mom and I—just the two of us—would've been completely lost."
Different simulators had different outcomes—even the fate of NPCs could vary. In the real world, Xiangling's mother was the one who had fallen seriously ill. In this simulation, it was her father who had passed away. But as ever-optimistic Xiangling, she had quickly recovered and now ran Wanmin Restaurant with great success.
Fortunately, thanks to Xiangling's sudden appearance, Hu Tao managed to "escape" despite Lucas's continued pranks. Supported by Xiangling, she made her way into the closed Wanmin Restaurant.
As soon as the two girls and one ghost stepped through the door, they saw a beautiful woman inside wiping down the tables and chairs. Xiangling quickly walked over and said, "Mom, didn't I tell you to let the staff handle this kind of work?"
The woman was Xiangling's mother, Madam Mao. Though she was already in her thirties, her appearance was still youthful. Standing beside Xiangling, the two looked more like sisters than mother and daughter. However, her frame was thin and her face pale, giving her a frail, sickly appearance.
"Oh, you child… I'm not that weak yet," Madam Mao said with a faint smile, then looked up. "Isn't this little Hu Tao? What brings you to Chihu Rock today?"
"I came to help with a funeral," Hu Tao answered honestly. "Sister Siyu's husband, Brother Wang, passed away from spotted plague."
"I heard about that…" Madam Mao sighed. "To lose a husband at such a young age… how is she supposed to go on from here…"
Perhaps because she could relate on a personal level, Madam Mao's eyes began to redden.
"Exactly. That's why I used a spirit-calling ritual to let Sister Siyu meet her husband in a dream," Hu Tao added, unable to resist bragging a little. "It helped ease her sorrow quite a bit."
"You… you can even do something like that?" Madam Mao's breathing grew uneven. "If only I could see old Mao again… Ugh!"
Suddenly, Madam Mao's body swayed and she collapsed into a chair. Xiangling rushed to support her, her face filled with worry. "Mom! Are you alright?"
Hu Tao was also deeply concerned. She reached out to check Madam Mao's pulse, and after a moment, she said, "It seems Madam Mao is suffering from heartache due to longing. She's been forcing herself to carry on all this time."
"Then… what should we do?" Having already lost her father, Xiangling treasured her mother dearly. Her face paled with fear. "I'll take her to Bubu Pharmacy right now and ask Doctor Baizhu to take a look."
"It won't help. An emotional wound needs more than medicine to heal," Hu Tao said, as if struck by an idea. "Xiangling, if you trust me, I could try using a spirit-calling ritual to let Madam Mao meet Master Mao in her dreams. It might help her recover."
"Whoa, whoa—are you serious about this?"
Lucas spoke up immediately. "That's Xiangling's mother you're talking about!"
"What are you panicking for?" Hu Tao snorted. "Is that brain of yours filled with nothing but filthy thoughts? It's not like I'm asking you to do anything inappropriate with Madam Mao. All you need to do is chat with her a bit—help ease her longing."
"But..."
Lucas still seemed a bit hesitant.
It wasn't that he was repulsed by Madam Mao. In fact, she looked to be around the same age as Siyu—perhaps even more beautiful by a few degrees.
However, the thought that she was Xiangling's mother made Lucas feel more than a little awkward.
"This isn't the same as with Sister Siyu," Hu Tao continued. "You should be able to tell—Madam Mao is already at the end of her rope. If this psychological ailment isn't resolved, she likely won't make it through the month. Do you really want to just stand by and watch Xiangling become an orphan?"
Emotional blackmail, huh?
Normally, that kind of tactic only works on people with a conscience. Trying it on Lucas was basically pointless.
"But right now, there really isn't any other way..." Xiangling, desperate to save her mother and trusting deeply in Hu Tao, nodded and said, "I'll leave my mother in your hands."
Seeing the sorrow in Xiangling's eyes, Lucas surprisingly softened for once.
After all, it was just pretending to be Master Mao and chatting with Madam Mao. It shouldn't be a big deal.
Gritting his teeth, Lucas said, "Alright, I understand. I'll do it."
"Good!"
A faint, unintentional smile appeared on Hu Tao's face. She immediately began arranging things. "Xiangling, let's carry Madam Mao back to her room and start the spirit-calling ritual right away. Oh, and bring a photo or portrait of Master Mao while you're at it. I... I need it for the summoning."
Calling it a "spirit-calling ritual" was just a pretense—it was simply for Lucas to have a reference for his transformation.
Soon, the ritual began, and Xiangling, not wanting to disturb Hu Tao, waited outside the room.
...
Two hours later.
The door to the room slowly opened. Xiangling, who had been sitting by the door and had grown a bit weary from the long wait, immediately looked up.
To her surprise, her mother walked out of the room in perfect health. Not only that, but her complexion had become noticeably more vibrant, and for the first time in a long while, she was smiling.
"Mom!" Seeing her mother safe and sound, Xiangling threw herself into Madam Mao's arms and asked with concern, "Are... are you alright?"
"Why wouldn't I be?" Madam Mao gently stroked Xiangling's hair and said softly, "Just now, I really did dream of your father. Looks like I need to pull myself together—I can't let him worry about the two of us from the other side."
"You really saw Dad?" Xiangling wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, deeply moved. "Is... is he doing okay?"
"Him..." Madam Mao's face flushed slightly. "He's still the same as ever."
"That's good," Xiangling said casually, without the slightest doubt. "It's been so long—what did you two talk about?"
"Of course... of course we just reminisced about the past," Madam Mao gave a slight cough and quickly changed the subject. "By the way, Master Hu is a great benefactor to Wanmin Restaurant. From now on, if she ever comes in to eat, we must never charge her a single Mora, understand?"
"Of course!" Xiangling smiled. "As long as you're alright, anything's fine."
...
At the same time, inside the room.
Hu Tao glanced at Lucas, who had just exited Madam Mao's consciousness, and a mischievous grin appeared on her face. "Tsk tsk, so? Did the two of you enjoy your little chat?"
Lucas, for once, looked pale, still shaken. "We… we just talked, that's all."
"Just talked?" Hu Tao scoffed. "Chatting could take that long? Madam Mao and Master Mao were so deeply in love, and they finally got to meet again—do you really expect me to believe you only made small talk?"
"That's enough," Lucas shook his head and gave a wry smile. "Now I finally understand why Master Mao passed away so early. With a wife like that… even a man of iron wouldn't survive."
Whatever exactly happened between the two of them in that dream, only Lucas and Madam Mao would ever truly know.
[Mission Complete: Find the Clue]
[Reward Gained – Passive Talent: Big Sister, You're Too Kind]
[Effect: For some reason, you're exceptionally good at gaining the favor of older women. In their eyes, you're like a lovable little brother who inspires affectionate protectiveness.]
Hey, hey, don't just go giving me such random talents out of nowhere!
It's already weird enough with how this simulator works.
And with a talent like this, it's way too easy to get into trouble!
As a devoted warrior of pure love, Lucas had been deeply conflicted during the recent events. He could only comfort himself with the thought: "Well, in these ladies' eyes, I am technically their husband, after all."
[Exiting Immersive Mode]
[Entering Text Mode]
[Age 40: After Siyu and Madam Mao, Hu Tao began recommending Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's exclusive 'Spirit Summoning Ritual' service to the grieving wives of men who had recently died from the plague during their funerals. Through these rituals, the wives could reunite with their late husbands in their dreams.]
[Furthermore, once these wives experienced the benefits, many of them—unable to let go of their longing—began returning to Wangsheng Funeral Parlor multiple times a month for additional 'Spirit Summoning Rituals.']
[Of course, the "deceased husbands" in all these encounters were portrayed by you.]
[At first, you had your doubts—worried that playing the role of so many husbands might lead to inconsistencies or even a psychological breakdown. But you soon realized that these women were just seeking emotional comfort, a way to ease their sorrow and pressure.]
[As it turns out, in most marriages, no matter how beautiful the wife, after a few years the husband inevitably loses that initial spark. So, as long as the husband you portrayed was even slightly more attentive, it was more than enough to leave these "clients" feeling satisfied.]
---
🔹 Read 100+ chapters ahead! → patreon.com/NiaXD