Vol 2 Chapter 16.1 (2/2)

“Feng Xian, you can bring it along, but don’t let it go onto the table.”

(TL: Imagine if someone accidentally dips it in LOL)

“Un.” Feng Xian wore an expression that looked like a child whose parents have agreed to buy a toy for.

It was obvious that everyone was eagerly antic.i.p.ating tonight’s dinner, and was guessing what it could be.

“About the ingredients.” “Did Lord Cao Cao give any specifications?” “Or can we bring anything?”

“Un, bring anything you want. Of course, the more premium they are, the better.”

Honestly, I was hoping that someone would bring some cooked food over.

“Premium?” “Looks like we’ll have to spend quite a bit.” “Maa, we’ll just have to pick something with higher purity.”

… What were these 3 talking about again?

“But since we’ve already decided then let’s go prepare.” Yi De sid as she raised a hand, and then yelled out, “Oh!~~~”

—- Oh!~~~ Everyone, including me, followed her cheer.

Indeed, apart from Court, life in Xuchang is really relaxed, bland even, so perhaps Meng De’s invitation is to give us a little colour in our lives.

Although it’s just a meal.

“Is it a hotpot as expected?” I said softly.

As predicted, it is indeed a hotpot.

It was now evening, and we had made our way to Meng De’s place with our ingredients. The moment we stepped in, we saw a bronze cauldron in the middle of the main hall which made me think that ‘Ah, Meng De really likes this huh’.

“Oh, Xuan De, you’re all here already huh. Our side is all seated here too.”

“Un? Your side is…” I looked behind Meng De after she said so—-

Indeed, they’re all here. Xu Chu, Dian Wei, Li Dian, Yue Jin, Xiahou Dun, Xiahou Yuan… Looks like we’ve met them all before. They were all seated in the main hall and saluted us as we entered, which we returned in kind.

“But looks like Meng De is planning on treating us to this as expected huh.” I said as I gestured toward the bronze cauldron in the main hall with my chin.

“That’s right, letting everyone try this helps to promote it as well. As for this bronze cauldron, I specially borrowed it from that restaurant.” Meng De always seemed so excited when it came to hotpots. “In any case, don’t just stand there and come on in.”

“Alright, let’s go in then.” I replied and bade everyone to enter.

As everyone happily made their way into the main hall, Meng De seemed to have thought of something all of a sudden and called out to us. “Ah, that’s right, don’t bring out your ingredients yet.”

“Un? Why?” Yi De asked.

“Honestly, I don’t know myself. It’s what my Feng Xiao told me to say.” Meng De said with a helpless smile.

Though n.o.body could understand Feng Xiao’s intentions, everyone was unperturbed by this and happily accepted Meng De’s request as they stuffed their ingredients back in their bags and walked into the main hall.

Feng Xiao? Guo Jia is it? I didn’t think he, no, maybe it’s her, would be here.

“So Lord Guo Jia is here today then. But why does it seem like Lord Guo Jia isn’t around here…” I asked Meng De as I stood outside the main hall.

I looked around the main hall, but couldn’t find anyone who I hadn’t met before.

“If you’re talking about Feng Xiao… She’s behind you now.”

“h.e.l.lo…”

“Waa!!!”

A frail voice that sounded like that of a ghost came from behind me, along with a wave of cold wind that blew onto my neck, made me scream out in shock.

“Xuan De? Are you alright?” Only after hearing Meng De call out to me did I return to my senses and turn back to take a look. Indeed, there was a lifeless looking girl with long black hair standing straight right behind me even though no one was there before.

“… So mean.” She said, in the same ghastly, floating tone from before.

Yo, you’re the mean one okay? That seriously scared me.

“Introduce yourself, Fengxiao.” Meng De said, and Guo Jia walked out from the dark corner.

“I’m Guo Jia Guo Feng Xiao. As you can see, I’m a living dead person.” She said as she reached out her hand.

She actually called herself a living dead person… This era should not have any zombie movies, and naturally no Jiangs.h.i.+ in official uniforms like in the Qing dynasty.

(TL: I didn’t translate Jiangs.h.i.+ as they are a pretty unique existence that is both zombie and vampire as defined in the Western context. You will know if you ever saw any horror B-movies from Hong Kong, China or Taiwan that involves them. In any case, Guo Jia is 100% human, she’s just exaggerating.)

“Ah, h.e.l.lo. I’m Liu Bei Liu Xuan De.” I reached out and shook her hand, and found that Guo Jia’s hand was hard and cold like an ice bag.

“Un…” Her smile gave me an ominous feeling and even made all my hair stand on end, so much so I retracted my hand instinctively.

I carefully sized up Guo Jia. She was wearing a plain white dress, the sort that people usually wore to sleep. Her bangs were long at the side and covered part of her eyes such that only half of each of her 2 dead looking eyes could be seen. Her head was always tilted slightly upwards as though her neck was tired, and her face had an unhealthy pallor. There were also several strands of hair that left her bangs which she was biting on. All in all, she gave me a gloomy and dark impression.

And…

“U, umm, aren’t you going to wipe the blood at the corner of your mouth?”

And she had some dried blood at the corner of her mouth.

“Un? … Ah, no I’m not… If I wipe it off, it will only keep flowing…”

… The pretty girl smiled charmingly, but I must say she keeps giving me the sort of vibes that you feel when watching horror movies.

“Maa, it’s just a small matter, so don’t mind it so much.” Meng De said as she patted my and Guo Jia’s backs… Speaking of which, Meng Dr, can you stop patting?! Miss Guo Jia is spewing blood!!

“Th, then let’s make our way in.” I said as I smiled rigidly, trying my best not to think too deeply about what just happened.

“Un, let’s go, everyone’s waiting for us.” Meng De replied and then turned to Guo Jia, “Tell everyone about the rules of the game we thought of in a while.”

“… Un.”

Guo Jia’s smile in response to Meng De made me feel a primal fear that permeated my entire body and shook my very core. as I was filled with an ominous feeling for what was to come.

However, the story of this night, was just about to begin.

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