LGSG Chapter 24
by VolareChapter 25: Instance Settings – Little Xia is Preparing Mr. Xie’s Birthday!
Because they hadn’t received Mr. Xie’s permission, these ghost NPCs certainly wouldn’t dare make decisions on their own. So the butler just came to instruct the NPCs to do what they could do first. After all, even though Mr. Xie was being fussy, the fixed routines of the birthday banquet were just those few, so they should get the basics done first.
After basically coordinating everything and gossiping about Xie He’s love life, everyone went back to their own homes.
When the head chef returned, it was almost time to get off work.
Shen Hua, who was slacking off halfway through his shift, perked up and quickly poked Fu Qu awake.
The two of them frantically and leisurely put on a show of working hard.
Head Chef: “…”
Oh well.
Although NPCs are opposed to players, ghosts are still given personalities, so their attitudes towards humans naturally vary. The head chef was the type who wasn’t exactly friendly, but not that hostile either. He would give players difficult tasks, but if they actually completed them, he wouldn’t make trouble for no reason.
Therefore, the head chef usually turned a blind eye to Shen Hua and Fu Qu’s slacking.
But the main reason was that Shen Hua knew how to handle people.
He was naturally friendly and outgoing, able to talk to anyone.
Even the head chef felt a sort of “seeing his own child failing to live up to expectations” feeling towards Shen Hua.
Shen Hua rubbed his hands together: “Head Chef, what were you doing? Did you have to go to a meeting too?”
Tsk tsk, even ghosts have to attend meetings every day, don’t tell me they also have KPI assessments at the end of the year?
So pathetic.
Head Chef: “Haha, don’t ask so much.”
Shen Hua stuck out his tongue.
Looks like he hit a nerve.
The head chef sighed: “The fifteenth of July is Mr. Xie’s birthday.”
Shen Hua: “Birthday?”
Fu Qu frowned: “The fifteenth of July, isn’t that Ghost Festival?”
Shen Hua turned his head to look at Fu Qu.
His eyes showed some confusion: “Ghost Festival?”
Shen Hua had heard of the Ghost Festival, but it was a very old-fashioned term, so Shen Hua couldn’t quite remember it for a moment.
What is the Ghost Festival for… If my childhood friend was here, I could just ask him.
Although his relationship with Fu Qu had improved somewhat, he seemed to be the type of cool guy who was ruthless and didn’t talk much. Would he really answer such an obviously idiotic question?
“The Ghost Festival is the Zhongyuan Festival. It’s a festival that the ancients used to worship their ancestors. But because of customs, there are many ghost stories associated with this festival.” Fu Qu naturally explained to Shen Hua, “So, what do you think it means for someone to be born on Ghost Festival in a game?”
Shen Hua: “Thank you… But why did you actively try to scare me?”
The last sentence was so terrifying!
The head chef chuckled twice.
He said: “Young Master Xie was born prematurely on Ghost Festival, and was initially misdiagnosed as a stillbirth by the doctor. This violated the taboo of the Xie family’s former head, plus his mother passed away early, so the young master hasn’t had it easy over the years. He doesn’t like to celebrate his birthday, so he’s always in a particularly bad mood during those days…”
Shen Hua whispered to Fu Qu in surprise: “He’s not angry that we’re making fun of Mr. Xie?”
Fu Qu: “Saying that a ghost was born on Ghost Festival might be a compliment.”
Shen Hua: “…”
That makes sense!
The head chef rambled on about some things from the past, then changed the subject: “So we have to prepare the birthday banquet properly. Otherwise…”
Shen Hua: “Mr. Xie will be unhappy?”
The head chef smiled: “Everyone in Sui Yuan Ju will be unhappy.”
Shen Hua: “…”
Doesn’t “everyone” mean that they and the NPCs will be affected?
Shen Hua became serious.
He realized that this was a phased event in the instance.
He also had to remind the big shot.
Although the big shot was serving Mr. Xie up close, if Mr. Xie was so averse to his birthday banquet that it could be described as hatred, then he might not tell the big shot. It would be bad if it triggered a death condition because of that.
Fortunately, because Mr. Xie hadn’t made a decision yet, they didn’t have to start preparing the birthday banquet dishes right away.
After the head chef finished speaking, he waved his hand and let them off work.
Fu Qu walked to the head chef’s side and asked: “You know so much about Mr. Xie’s past, did you watch him grow up?”
The head chef was cutting meat.
A finger was cut off by the blade and rolled on the cutting board.
He casually picked it up, put it in his mouth, and made a crunchy chewing sound.
Blood spread on the cutting board, but the head chef fell into a trance of reminiscing about the past, as if he couldn’t feel the pain.
“Yes…” the head chef said slowly, “I’m an old-timer at Sui Yuan Ju…”
Shen Hua’s eyes widened suddenly: “You wouldn’t all…”
He didn’t finish the rest of his sentence.
Fu Qu covered his mouth with his hand.
“I remember, our assessment time is only one month?” Fu Qu pretended to be relaxed, “Could it be that after Mr. Xie’s birthday banquet, we’ll be free in ten days?”
The head chef gave a strange laugh.
“It only counts as liberation if you pass the assessment.”
Fu Qu: “We will pass.”
His voice was calm.
Even when he met the head chef’s strange eyes, he didn’t change his expression.
Fu Qu released his hand covering Shen Hua’s mouth, grabbed Shen Hua by the back of his collar, and took him out of the back kitchen.
Shen Hua: “What were you two talking about just now?”
Fu Qu glanced at him: “You’re being smart now?”
Shen Hua: “Nonsense. You obviously had something to say!”
As soon as he finished speaking, he realized that Fu Qu’s smiling sentence just now was sarcastic.
Shen Hua kicked Fu Qu.
“When was I not smart?” he said angrily.
Fu Qu: “Now. Or guess what I’m doing.”
Shen Hua: “…”
Argh, I hate riddlers!
Shen Hua really wanted to know the answer, but he didn’t want to show weakness in front of Fu Qu.
If he asked proactively, wouldn’t that confirm the previous sentence that he wasn’t smart!
Shen Hua analyzed: “If we’re playing a game and passing instance levels, we have to figure out the game mechanics first. The small mechanics are laid out on the surface, which is to manage a role-playing game, but failing means people die. What you asked the NPC just now was a background story, could the background be related to the big mechanics? Do you want to figure out the operating principle and essence of the instance?”
After he finished speaking, he felt that his analysis was very correct. He looked up and saw that the eye that Fu Qu revealed had some inexplicably complex emotions.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” Shen Hua was a little uncomfortable, “Is there something on my face, or am I wrong in my analysis?”
Fu Qu said subtly: “I didn’t expect you to be so astute. How many instances have you cleared?”
Shen Hua said proudly: “You wouldn’t think so, this is my first time!”
“The analysis is very correct.” Fu Qu said, “Did you notice my question just now?”
Shen Hua: “…Why are you testing me again?”
Although he complained like this, he had an enthusiastic look on his face.
Fu Qu didn’t look simple. As a newbie, Shen Hua knew that clinging to a big shot was not a long-term plan. The most important thing was to develop the thinking and courage to break through instances.
Therefore, Fu Qu’s continuous questions were also a kind of kind cultivation and guidance for Shen Hua.
Of course, Shen Hua had to seize the opportunity to learn more.
“You asked about the time we leave the instance, to confirm…” Shen Hua said, “The instance’s cycle mechanism is one month?”
“You really don’t seem like a newbie.” Fu Qu said.
Shen Hua: “Bro, can you stop being so awkward? Can’t you just praise me for being smart?!”
Fu Qu chuckled.
“I confirm the instance mechanism, the BOSS’s past story, to confirm whether this is in line with our previous guess.” Fu Qu said, “The instance’s historical background is earlier than us, obviously.”
“This is the H country a thousand years ago. Xie Mansion was once the residence of a declining noble family. The instance BOSS is an Yin Ghost fetus, but he didn’t show any hostility before. Until… after the birthday banquet, the Xie family was bloodied and became a ghost house. The resentment was too great to be absorbed by the game and became an instance. Most of the NPCs in the instance were Xie family servants who died unjustly.”
Fu Qu’s slow and methodical voice set off the increasingly shocking story.
Shen Hua was dumbfounded: “That… sounds really tragic.”
Fu Qu: “The dead can’t be called people, and there will be no more human bottom lines and principles. It’s better to worry about whether you can live to tomorrow than sympathize with them.”
Shen Hua: “…”
Right, calmed down.
Shen Hua asked: “Then what’s the use of figuring this out for our instance clearing?”
Fu Qu: “Yeah.”
Shen Hua: “Yeah?”
Fu Qu: “I want to… Forget it, you’ll know when the time comes.”
Figure out the background story.
So that you know the BOSS’s weakness.
Find the weakness of Mr. Xie and find a way to kill him after the birthday banquet.
End this endless ravaging of players’ lives.
But these…
Fu Qu glanced at Shen Hua.
You can’t tell that to someone with this much of a saintly father complex.
Shen Hua: “…”
Fu Qu was scolding him with his eyes!
“Hmph, say it or don’t.” Shen Hua said, “The big shot is still better, I want to play with the big shot.”
Getting rid of the annoying riddle-loving Fu Qu, Shen Hua came to the bamboo pavilion.
The butler smiled and came out to greet him: “Looking for Xia Ran again?”
Shen Hua: “Sorry to trouble you!”
He was quite afraid of the butler at first.
But having looked for Xia Ran more times, he interacted more with the butler.
The butler wasn’t as lethal as those NPCs who were directly responsible for the players, and always smiled.
Although the other party might only have a good attitude towards him because of the big shot, Shen Hua still put down some of his fearful attitude towards the butler.
Before long, Xia Ran came out.
Shen Hua said: “Big shot, do you know that July 15th is Mr. Xie’s birthday?”
Xia Ran shook his head blankly.
“Oh, I also heard it from the head chef. Mr. Xie doesn’t seem to like his birthday very much, but the game has to have a birthday banquet,” Shen Hua said, “He doesn’t want to mention it, so he probably won’t tell you. But…”
If the boss doesn’t say it, can the subordinate not do it?
That won’t work.
Xia Ran: “Well, I really have to prepare a birthday gift.”
The black-haired youth looked blank.
“What should I give a friend for their birthday?”
His only friend in reality should be his high school English teacher.
Xia Ran only needed to give him a flower every birthday or Teacher’s Day. The other party was unconcerned about trifles, and Xia Ran could give him anything and he would accept it.
Therefore, Xia Ran really didn’t have any concept of gifts for peers.
Shen Hua: “DIY something by hand?”
After all, Mr. Xie looked rich and expensive before he died, and after his death, he was treated as a instance BOSS.
People like this probably don’t care about the value of gifts anymore.
“Shen Hua,” Xia Ran’s eyes lit up, “I want to make a dessert for Mr. Xie!”