Xin Meng suddenly opened his eyes, realizing he was lying on a hard, cold ground. He tried to get up, but his head was spinning, and he couldn’t help but rub his temples. He vaguely felt like he had forgotten something important, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t recall it.
He slowly began to remember everything that had happened before. It seemed they had entered a horror game filled with zombies, and in the end, he successfully cleared the level under the protection of his new teammate, You Yi. Then… what happened next?
He looked around at the unfamiliar surroundings. Had he arrived at the second game?
Dense woods, rolling mountains, and the sounds of insects and birds filled the air. Xin Meng was positioned on a high ground, and through the dappled sunlight, he could see a large valley below.
In the valley, there was a sizable village with irregularly constructed brick houses scattered about, and he could vaguely see shadows of people coming and going on the dirt roads.
This was a valley village surrounded by mountains. From the surrounding high peaks, there was only one path leading out, right beneath Xin Meng’s feet, where the elevation was lower, forming a small indentation. He turned around to look behind him, but all he saw was darkness. When he reached out to touch it, it felt like there was an invisible wall blocking his way back.
It seemed he could only move forward.
His other teammates were nowhere to be seen; he had no idea where they had scattered off to.
Xin Meng didn’t hesitate much. He picked up the backpack that had rolled to his side and rummaged through it. Inside, there were only some packaged food and two bottles of water. He slung the bag over his shoulder and slowly made his way down the dirt path that had been trodden by others. After nearly half an hour, he finally entered the valley.
The village had no fences or walls, and there wasn’t even a formal entrance; one could walk into the village from any direction. The villagers wore simple clothing and moved leisurely, basking in the sun, both men and women appeared quite at ease.
Having spent only a few days in a world filled with disgusting monsters and corpses, it felt like a lifetime. Suddenly seeing these vibrant lives made Xin Meng feel they were incredibly endearing. He wanted to approach and talk to them but was afraid of being too abrupt.
However, he soon found he no longer had to worry about such concerns. In this closed-off village, the sudden appearance of a stranger immediately attracted everyone’s attention. They curiously sized him up, and before long, a few young people walked over to him.
“Who are you? How did you get here?” a young man with a buzz cut asked enthusiastically. “I’ve never seen you before. Are you here looking for someone?”
“Yeah, who are you looking for? It’s been years since anyone from outside has come to the village!” a girl around eighteen or nineteen chimed in. She had a thick braid that hung down in front of her chest, and her face was unmade up but quite pretty, exuding a kind of purity and warmth rarely seen in the city, making one feel very comfortable. Her big eyes were curiously fixed on Xin Meng.
Xin Meng initially thought to shake his head but then reconsidered and said, “I came here to travel with some friends, but we got separated when we arrived. I’m trying to find them to see if they made it here too.”
“Oh, then I’ll go back and find my dad and have him call for help!” The girl smiled brightly. “My dad is the village chief, and we have a loudspeaker that can broadcast. Come with me!”
With that, she turned and skipped ahead, her braid bouncing behind her, full of energy. The others eagerly gathered around, some pulling at his arms, others pushing his back, a group of them laughing and chattering as they followed the braid girl, asking Xin Meng all sorts of questions. They attracted the attention of many villagers, with the younger ones wide-eyed in curiosity and the older ones offering friendly smiles.
Xin Meng, feeling a bit overwhelmed by the villagers’ enthusiasm, sensed a kind of goodwill, and his mood improved significantly. He actively followed the crowd deeper into the village.
The girl’s home, or rather the village chief’s home, was located in the center of the village. It looked a bit better and larger than the other houses, but it was still a single-story building. The entrance was casually surrounded by dried pepper branches, and a few chickens were kept inside, with the front door wide open.
“Dad! We have a guest!” The girl called out before she even reached the door, her voice echoing from a distance. By the time the group arrived at the entrance, a middle-aged man in his forties or fifties had already stepped out. Upon seeing Xin Meng, his eyes lit up slightly, and he walked over with a warm smile, saying, “Well, this is a rarity. It’s been a long time since anyone from outside has come to our village. Young man, did you come here by yourself, or do you have friends with you?”
Xin Meng found the village chief’s words a bit strange but didn’t ask why he was there. Instead, he inquired how many people were with him. However, since he was unaware of the situation, he didn’t know what else to say and simply repeated what he had told the girl. The village chief stroked his chin thoughtfully and said with a smile, “No problem, no problem. I’ll call for the loudspeaker, and the villagers will help you look. You’ll find them soon, just wait a moment.”
With that, he went back inside. Xin Meng looked up at the ceiling and indeed saw an old loudspeaker installed there, which looked like it had been used for many years.
Soon, the village chief’s voice came through the loudspeaker, but Xin Meng realized he couldn’t understand a word; he was speaking in a dialect.
Xin Meng felt a bit curious. He had thought that the villagers spoke Mandarin, given the accent of the village’s youth, but it turned out they used a dialect? It was quite peculiar; usually, in villages where dialects were spoken, the local language would be the primary means of communication, and Mandarin would be used for outsiders. Yet, he had only heard Mandarin so far, as if the situation were reversed.
He kept this question in mind and listened carefully to the village chief’s announcement.
The village chief’s words were brief but repeated four or five times. The old loudspeaker’s sound was exaggeratedly loud, ensuring that even the family living at the edge of the village could hear it clearly. Xin Meng stood beneath the loudspeaker and felt his ears might go deaf from the noise, quickly covering them and daring not to listen any longer. Looking around, he saw that the others had already covered their ears, looking completely accustomed to it.
Xin Meng: “…”
Wasn’t everyone supposed to be friendly? Why didn’t anyone give him a heads-up…
Before long, Xin Meng saw villagers emerging from their homes, both men and women, young and old. They all seemed to glance toward the village chief’s house first. Upon spotting Xin Meng inside, they smiled at him before heading off to search for people.
The braid girl led Xin Meng into the courtyard, where a group of people had somehow brought out a dozen small stools. As everyone sat down, Xin Meng looked around and, seeing that everyone was seated, followed suit. The girl then brought out a tea jar filled with clear water and handed it to Xin Meng.
Xin Meng lowered his head to look at the tea jar’s inner wall, which was covered in tea stains, and the mysterious smudges on the rim. He thanked her and held the jar in both hands, making small talk with the people on either side of him, trying to appear as if he wasn’t thirsty at all.
The girl watched him expectantly for a while, but when she saw he hadn’t taken a sip, a hint of disappointment flashed in her eyes. However, Xin Meng missed it as he turned to talk to someone else. The girl pouted, twirling her finger around the tip of her braid, and muttered something under her breath.
While chatting with the people around him, Xin Meng also inquired about the place, and soon he learned the basic situation of the village.
This village was called Xiuxiao Village, named for the picturesque scenery of the surrounding mountains throughout the year, resembling spring flowers. Xiuxiao Village had existed for many years, but the exact time of its establishment was unknown. Generations had lived in this flat valley, relying on farming and hunting for their livelihood. Occasionally, young people would venture out along the mountain paths to see the outside world, but very few stayed out, as it was said that the villagers of Xiuxiao Village were quite home-loving.
This seemed a bit unbelievable to Xin Meng, as the outside world was bustling and vibrant. How could there be no one in the entire village who longed for something different? But then again, this was a game, and many things might just be part of the game’s setting, so he decided not to delve too deeply into it.
The group of young men and women, all around the same age, seemed to get along quite well. Xin Meng could tell they had a strong bond, with the buzz-cut young man and the braid girl appearing to be the leaders among them.
The young man introduced himself as Wu Deli, and the braid girl was Wu Xuehua. They were cousins, and it turned out that not just the two of them, but most of the others were also related in some way. In such a relatively closed village, everyone was connected by family ties, all sharing the surname Wu, with not a single outsider among them. If it weren’t for the name Xiuxiao Village passed down through generations, it would be more fitting to call it Wu Family Village.
The villagers were very warm and welcoming, giving Xin Meng a good impression. The young men and women surrounded him, bombarding him with questions about the outside world. Xin Meng had never been outside, so he had no idea what it was like and could only respond vaguely. Fortunately, no one pressed him too hard, which relieved him and improved his impression of these polite and friendly people.
He also took the opportunity to ask about the village chief’s use of dialect in the broadcast. Upon hearing this, everyone suddenly fell silent, exchanging glances. Finally, Wu Deli explained that it was a tradition passed down from their ancestors to use dialect during broadcasts, and they didn’t know why.
Xin Meng thought that perhaps it was to prevent them from forgetting their roots and the language left by their ancestors?
Time quickly passed to noon, and still, he hadn’t seen any of his teammates. The villagers who had gone out to search for them had not returned either.
Wu Deli and Wu Xuehua warmly invited him to have lunch at their home. Xin Meng felt embarrassed to trouble them and initially refused, but soon the other young men and women chimed in, insisting that they all eat at the village chief’s house. They could cook, and it would be quick and easy to do it together; they didn’t mind if he didn’t help. Xin Meng couldn’t refuse any longer, so he thanked them and wanted to go to the kitchen to help, but was pressed down by others. Half of the group went to the kitchen, while the other half stayed behind to chat with Xin Meng. Wu Xuehua even brought out a plate of sunflower seeds, and they chatted while snacking, tossing the shells directly onto the ground.
The people here were very simple, with a natural openness and straightforwardness.
As they had said, within half an hour, the meal was ready. Since there were many people, they decided to eat in the courtyard. Wu Deli and the others moved two large tables together, and everyone grabbed a folding chair from inside the house and sat down at the table. Xin Meng wanted to help but was continuously taken care of, unable to even leave his chair.
Wu Xuehua’s laughter was bright and clear as she playfully winked at Xin Meng, saying, “How can we let our guest do any work? All you have to do is sit here and wait for the food to come. Make sure to eat more when it arrives!”
Xin Meng felt a bit awkward but couldn’t refuse their kindness, so he nodded awkwardly.
Before long, everyone was seated. Wu Xuehua’s father, the village chief Wu Dacheng, took the main seat, while the others mixed in. Wu Deli and Wu Xuehua were responsible for bringing the dishes from the kitchen.
As the dishes were placed on the table one by one, Xin Meng was a bit surprised.
Braised pork ribs, stewed beef, twice-cooked pork, braised pork with preserved vegetables, stir-fried pork, crispy fried pork, sauced beef…
Among the more than ten dishes, the vast majority were meat dishes, with only one plate of stir-fried shredded potatoes and one plate of stir-fried bok choy.
He moved his fingers slightly, and amidst the background noise of everyone passing the dishes, he quietly pulled out a card from his pocket and looked down at it, seeing the back read:
[This is not a vegetarian’s paradise.]
[But it must be a carnivore’s hell.]
