Chapter 35: The Judge's Soul-Lock

Fog Hidden Village appeared to be an ordinary, small hamlet. Its only peculiarity was that in a land shrouded in thick, perpetual mist, the village itself remained clear.

The architecture was identical to traditional rural villages in China. Brick and timber houses with gray-tiled roofs were scattered about, their weathered earthen walls bearing the marks of years of exposure to wind and rain. Outside some of the courtyards, stacks of dried firewood lay piled up.

At the entrance to the village stood a weathered stone tablet, upon which the words "Fog Hidden Village" were carved in archaic characters. They were neither simplified nor traditional, yet Bai Ming could struggle to discern them from the outlines of the strokes.

Below the inscription, two rules were engraved:
[1. Fog Hidden Village only welcomes those who join of their own free will.]
[2. The person who guides you into the village will become your sponsor, and you will obtain the status of a villager through them.]

Bai Ming’s eyes sharpened as he looked at "A Novice": "Villager? What does that mean?"

"A Novice" chuckled. "Exactly what it sounds like. If you want to avoid being erased by the System, you must first become a villager of Fog Hidden Village."

He then laughed triumphantly. "And as your sponsor, you can only become villagers through my introduction."

"Don't worry, since we are all fellow villagers, we’ll be on the same side from here on out. I won't be too harsh with the fee I’m asking from you."

"Just like before, 50 Nether Coins per person."

"I’m not overcharging you. Everyone pays 50; that’s the village rule."

Bai Ming stared at the stone tablet and said, "Don't you find it suspicious? Becoming a villager can help you avoid erasure, yet it still doesn't stop you from entering the Twilight Game."

"Perhaps this 'villager' status isn't as simple as it seems."

"A Novice" replied indifferently, "You aren't the only smart person in this world."

"But compared to staying alive, worrying about so many things is simply redundant."

Bai Ming remained silent.

It was true. The players who came here were all at the end of their ropes. They would grasp at any straw; there was no time to overthink. As for him, he feared no erasure and could hop back on the bus at any time, so he didn't care about these things at all.

Bai Ming said, "Let’s go. Take me to the Paper Craft Workshop to work."

"A Novice" was taken aback. "Huh? You don't intend to join the village?"

Bai Ming said coolly, "When did I ever say I wanted to join?"

"A Novice" asked, "Aren't you afraid of being erased by the System?"

Bai Ming countered, "Why should I be? Wouldn't it be easier if I just caught the bus back earlier?"

"A Novice" suddenly realized something. "Wait, you don't mean to tell me you're planning to complete the shop challenge to earn those 1,000 Nether Coins, do you?"

Bai Ming’s tone was matter-of-fact: "What else?"

"A Novice" said anxiously, "That is a challenge that requires the strength of a Fierce Ghost to complete! It’s the prerequisite for obtaining a C-rank skill!"

"You may be strong, but you are still far from the level of a Fierce Ghost."

"Only a player at level 10 or above has even a glimmer of a chance to complete it."

"Once the challenge fails, you lose your life."

"There’s no need to go this far just to avoid becoming a villager!"

Seeing that "A Novice" was stalling, Bai Ming walked directly toward the village. "I don't have time to waste."

"A Novice" was truly panicked now. Previously, he had thought that Bai Ming’s detailed inquiries about how to make money and his interest in the challenge tasks were merely out of curiosity. After all, when he first learned about it, he too had been curious, wanting to earn quick money to gain skills and expertise. He never expected that Bai Ming would attempt it while knowing full well how difficult it was!

To get Bai Ming to come to Fog Hidden Village, he had already spent an E+ grade item, the [Contract of the Underworld]. If he let Bai Ming go off to die now, wouldn't his investment go down the drain?

"A Novice" turned to Bai Xiaozhi. "Aren't you going to stop your boyfriend from committing suicide?"

"A Novice" wasn't just talking nonsense; he had long noticed the tender look in Bai Xiaozhi’s eyes whenever she looked at Bai Ming, and how she constantly kept her attention on him. He had immediately identified that their relationship was not simple. Since that was the case, he would use their affection to tie Bai Ming down and keep him from throwing his life away.

Bai Xiaozhi’s cheeks flushed slightly as she hurried to catch up with Bai Ming. "I trust 'Wutian'."

"A Novice" chased after them, shouting, "Big sister! This isn't a question of trust; this is a matter of life and death! Can you bear to watch him walk to his death?"

Bai Xiaozhi whispered, "If he dies, it’ll be just right; he can keep me company."

"A Novice": "?"

Could these two be mentally ill? No! It’s just that I’m panicked. How could they be mentally ill? "A Novice" suddenly became alert. They must be acting, trying to force me to lower the sponsorship fee for entering the village! Hehe, it’s a good thing I’m sharp; I almost fell for their scheme. Thinking this, "A Novice" felt confident again and puffed out his chest.

He caught up to Bai Ming. "'Wutian', let me show you the way, shall we? This is part of the 'test drive' after-sales service."

Bai Ming: "?"

Bai Ming didn't understand the change in "A Novice’s" attitude, but since someone was leading the way, he didn't need to waste the effort searching.

It must be said that Fog Hidden Village was terrifyingly quiet. It was so still, it was as if no living person existed there. Along the way, other than the three of them, they didn't see a single soul.

However, the moment they stepped into the Paper Craft Workshop, the atmosphere changed abruptly. A cacophony of noise rushed toward them.

A dozen or so players were hunched over, crafting paper figures and paper horses. Pale scraps of paper danced in the air, and cinnabar brushes traced eerie runes on yellow paper. The air was thick with the pungent scent of incense and glue.

Seeing Bai Ming and the others enter, a player with a face covered in paper dust looked up. "Another newcomer?"

A burly man nearby, who was pasting a paper sedan chair, let out a whistle. "And there’s a beauty."

A woman squatting in the corner trimming bamboo strips narrowed her eyes. "What’s your name, and what level are you?"

"A Novice" took a step forward, his voice suddenly rising. "This is 'Wutian', who achieved an S-rank rating! He has the strength of a mid-stage Wild Ghost at only level 3!"

The workshop fell into instant silence.

What kind of players ended up in Fog Hidden Village? You couldn't say they were D-rank players; that kind of trash had already been killed off on the bus. But there were no A-rank players either, because those with A-rank ratings had already safely passed the test. There were only B and C, with C being the majority.

S-rank? Of course they had seen them. After all, they were mostly organized players; at the very least, it wasn't a problem to catch a glimpse of their leaders during meetings. But since they were leaders, it naturally meant they were not only of high status but also powerful. Even though Bai Ming was only level 3, once they considered his mid-stage Wild Ghost strength and his S-rank status, they couldn't help but feel a sense of inferiority.

"So it’s a big shot."

"The big shot’s girlfriend is truly a celestial beauty. I wish you both a hundred years of harmony and early descendants..."

"I had eyes but failed to recognize Mount Tai. I hope the big shot will forgive me."

"A Novice" took a deep breath and continued, "And! Big shot 'Wutian' is going to challenge our Paper Craft Workshop's 'Judge's Soul Lock' task today!"

The workshop fell silent once more.

Confusion, skepticism, shock, mockery, and a hint of playfulness from those waiting to see a show. Although no sound was uttered, the meaning was essentially: "Another reckless leader bragging."

"A Novice" was very satisfied with the players' reactions. Surely, "Wutian" wouldn't continue to put on an act now, right? However, since "Wutian" was so strong, he might as well charge a little less. He’d charge 30, and 50 for his girlfriend, while publicly claiming it was 50 for everyone.

"Please take me to participate in the 'Judge's Soul Lock' challenge."

Bai Ming walked toward a paper figure wearing a judge's hat and spoke in a calm tone.

As soon as these words were spoken, the workshop fell silent—yet again. No, it had already been quiet. Now, it was so still that one could hear their own heartbeat.