Chapter 20: Entering the Dream

A-Shui settled into Xia Wulei’s spatial dimension. Once the system authentication was complete, the pond was activated.

Xia Wulei couldn’t wait to open the exchange shop. The fish, shrimp, and crab fry in the shop were sold by weight and categorized by size—small, medium, and large—while rare breeds commanded their own separate prices. A pound of fry cost 50 points and could be sold for 200 points once matured. As the pond master, A-Shui’s current capacity was limited to raising only five pounds of fry.

Xia Wulei was initially disappointed, but her mood balanced out when she saw that a scavenger fish, which cost 100 points, could only manage two pounds of fry. After all, when you get something for free, you shouldn't complain.

However, since she had spent all her points on poultry, and the soil fertility had only recovered by 2% after a day of fallowing, she had to hurry and plant something—anything—to earn enough points to cultivate aquatic life.

Xia Wulei walked back soaking wet. When A-Shui offered to remove the moisture from her, she declined.

"You have that skill? That’s quite useful; I might need it later."

Xia Wulei was in a fantastic mood. She had a hunch that with A-Shui around, her life in this instance would be much easier.

When she returned to Yun Village, the villagers she passed were shocked by her appearance.

"Girl, what happened to you?!"

"Did you fall into the water? Are you alright?"

There were only three outsider women in the village qualified to serve as sacrifices to the Mountain God, so the villagers were anxious to see something happen to Xia Wulei. One sacrifice a year meant they had three years of security! And if she were willing to bear children, she would be even more useful!

Xia Wulei, pale and shivering, replied, "I... I'm fine. Brother Li fell into the water. You all need to go save him!"

Brother Li? Who was that?

After Xia Wulei explained, the villagers realized that Li Fugui had fallen in. But when they reached the lake, the surface was calm; there was no sign of anyone. The lake wasn't deep, and several youths skilled in swimming dove in to search, but they couldn't find Li Fugui.

With the village banquet in full swing, the village chief was agitated. "How could someone be brought over and then end up drowning himself?"

Xia Wulei thought to herself that since Li Fugui’s body had been buried in the water weeds by a water ghost, it was only natural they couldn't find him. It would take a full day for Li Fugui to turn into a water ghost, so she wasn't worried about them discovering the truth.

Others chimed in with their own theories. Hong Qi and Chu Wei stood by the shivering Xia Wulei, looking indignant.

Chu Wei said, "My sister said Li Fugui insisted on dragging her into the water to bathe. Don't you owe us an explanation? What exactly were you trying to do?"

Hong Qi added, "Look at how terrified you've made my sister!"

The two played off each other perfectly, emphasizing their image as protective siblings. The villagers immediately understood the implication, and even the village chief was rendered speechless.

"Well... if we can't find Li Fugui in the river, could he have run away out of fear that his actions would be exposed?" someone whispered. The village chief, however, felt something was off.

With the village banquet at a critical juncture, if he had intended to target Xia Wulei, his goal would have been to detain her and keep her as a wife to bear him children. It was an unspoken rule in the village that the first child of an outsider wife must be offered to the Mountain God. It was unlikely Li Fugui would have fled, but it was a fact that he was missing.

"Forget it. Leave him be, let's go back," the village chief said, waving his hand to signal everyone to return to the village.

Li Fugui’s matter was brushed aside, except by his parents. The two elderly people were furious, convinced that Xia Wulei, that little vixen, had seduced their son and caused his disappearance.

Xia Wulei mused, *Well, they aren't exactly wrong.*

The village chief warned the Li family not to cause trouble during the banquet, so they had to swallow their anger, hoping with venomous glares that Xia Wulei would be chosen as the Mountain God’s sacrifice.

Auntie Wang, startled by the turn of events, brewed ginger soup for Xia Wulei to warm her up. Huwang crawled out from under the table and touched the corner of Xia Wulei’s clothes, his eyes full of concern. Xia Wulei softened, patting his bald head. "I'm fine."

The village chief also came by to check on Xia Wulei, while subtly sizing up Chu Wei and Yu Huaiyu. He wondered which one the Mountain God would prefer.

"Girl, how are you? Are you alright?"

Xia Wulei leaned weakly against Chu Wei. "Cough, cough... Chief, I'm fine. Just a bit of qi deficiency. I might need some beef to regain my strength..."

The village chief was stunned. "...Fine. I'll have someone go to town and buy some for you."

He turned to leave, speechless.

Xia Wulei added, "Try to get five or six pounds. I have a large appetite."

The village chief looked at her in disbelief. Five or six pounds? That was enough for five grown men! Was this a matter of appetite?! But he underestimated Xia Wulei’s shamelessness and left, clutching his wounded wallet.

Once he was gone, Xia Wulei sat up straight. "Great! Once the beef arrives, I'll make you all some beef jerky for a snack."

Though they wanted to complain, they all stayed silent, knowing they would be the beneficiaries.

The village banquet continued in full swing, but eerie things began to haunt Xia Wulei and her companions.

That night, Xia Wulei opened her eyes to find herself standing in a void. All around was endless darkness; it felt as if she were the only thing left in the world.

"Mommy, I'm so cold... hold me..."

A weak voice suddenly rang out. Xia Wulei looked up to see a frail figure curled into a ball, shivering. It appeared to be a girl of six or seven, thin and malnourished.

"So cold... so hungry... Mommy, where are you?"

The girl began to sob. Xia Wulei’s eyes turned hollow, as if her mind had been clouded, and she reached out her hands toward the girl.

"Mommy is here..."

"Mommy, you’ve come to save me."

The girl snapped her head up. Her once-delicate face was charred, dry, and foul-smelling, and her hollow, pitch-black eye sockets stared intently at Xia Wulei!

Xia Wulei, seemingly oblivious, continued to walk toward her. "Mommy is here..."

*Come closer... just a little closer...*

Black mist rolled across the girl’s face as she slowly twisted her mouth into a malicious grin, reaching out to touch Xia Wulei. Their hands were inches apart, and just as the girl was about to grab her, she suddenly realized Xia Wulei had pulled her hand back!

Before the girl could react, a gleaming silver hoe swung down, striking her head and sending her flying!

Xia Wulei patted her chest, looking shaken. "I was wondering why I smelled something burnt; I thought dinner was ruined. But seeing you like this, I know I could never cook something that tastes this bad!"

The girl: "???"

The girl flew into a rage, transforming into a charred corpse, and lunged at Xia Wulei! But, unsurprisingly, she was met with another blow from the hoe, pinned face-down to the ground.

Even Xia Wulei was puzzled. "You're so weak—how do you have the nerve to haunt people's dreams?"