Man, this was probably the best sleep I've had in days. No one was calling my name in my dreams, and I didn't have to stress about waking up to some angry ghost. Honestly, after all the craziness lately, this peace felt like a rare treat.
I slept like a log until 5 PM the next day. My stomach was growling like crazy, and I was still half-asleep when I stumbled downstairs. The house was dead quiet, except for the sound of papers rustling and the occasional clink of metal.
As soon as I hit the living room, I saw Menstruation Brother sorting through a bunch of gear—pickaxes, knee pads, tents, you name it. The place was a mess, but everything was laid out like we were gearing up for some serious adventure.
I remembered him saying we needed to be prepared. But seriously, was this all he had? It looked more like we were about to raid a tomb or something. I couldn't help but ask, "Yo, Menstruation Brother, are we tomb raiding or what?"
"Raiding your mom! Get over here and help. You think this is a picnic? Without this stuff, you're gonna have a rough time in those deep woods," he snapped, tossing something at me. I caught it—mosquito repellent. His tone was harsh, but I could tell he meant business.
It seemed like Menstruation Brother had thought of everything, even the bugs. But I was still confused. Wasn't this supposed to be about fixing my lifespan? It felt more like we were prepping for a camping trip in the middle of nowhere. The idea of heading into such a remote, dangerous place made me nervous.
As he kept sorting, Menstruation Brother muttered, "I checked things out yesterday, and it's worse than I thought. I can't handle this alone. I'm bringing someone else in. Eight hundred grand split between two people—what a pain." He sounded frustrated but determined.
Hearing that he'd hired help made me feel a bit better. It seemed like Menstruation Brother wasn't messing around. He was a pro, and he was taking this seriously. His prep work and the fact that he had backup gave me a sliver of hope.
Then he added, "Oh, and here are some weapons. Pick one. You'll need it for self-defense later."
He pulled out bayonets, short swords, and other weapons from a box. I'd never used anything like this before, and I was kinda freaked out. "Wait, are we going to war or something?" I asked.
"Nah, we're just gonna stay in a village where everyone's dead for a few days. The way there's a bit sketchy, though. Without these, you could get messed up by some wild animals in the woods,"he explained. That didn't exactly calm my nerves.
I couldn't help but think, "What the hell? Another ghost town, and we've gotta trek through the wilderness? What's Menstruation Brother planning?": The idea of facing unknown dangers in such a desolate place was terrifying.
But hearing him talk about it, it did sound risky. I glanced at the weapons on the table. Even though I'd never used them, I could tell what they were for. The array of weapons was both intimidating and kinda cool.
For some reason, one weapon caught my eye—a sharp, curved hook with a black rod and golden accents. It looked deadly, and I couldn't stop staring at it.
The hook was super sharp, and the curve made it look like it could rip through flesh. Plus, it had these deep blood grooves—if someone got stabbed with this, they'd bleed out fast. The black and gold design gave it an eerie, almost beautiful vibe.
"You've got an eye for the Black Rod with Golden Hook. It's the one," Menstruation Brother said quietly.
"Huh?" I didn't catch what he said, so I asked.
"Nothing. You want this one? It's called the Black Rod with Golden Hook. It's pretty deadly. I took down a wild boar with it last time, no problem," he explained. I looked at the other weapons, but none of them stood out like this one. Even though I had no clue how to use it, I figured I might as well go with the one that caught my eye. After I picked it, another guy in a tight blue outfit came downstairs. He lo...
[
Here's the lowdown on the cool stuff from Chapter One, Volume Two (in order of appearance):
Iron Rod with Golden Hook
- What it looks like: A badass black iron hook with golden threads and wood bits that go boom when lightning hits.
- Backstory: Made just for the Ming Dynasty's Jinyiwei "Underworld Squad" to take down zombies like a boss.
- Cool features: Buzzes when zombies are near, and when blood hits the gold, ghostly Sutra of Rebirth shows up.
Babao Village
- Layout: Built like the Eight Trigrams but missing the "Sheng Gate" – perfect for keeping corpses fresh.
- History: In 1958, all 137 villagers ghosted (literally). The records say it was "ghost army passing through."
- Now: Trees grow backwards – rings are thick outside, thin inside. Nature's gone wonky.
Green Scale Garment
- Made of: Century-old snake skins soaked in cinnabar, steamed and dried nine times, mixed with virgin hair.
- What it does:
- Camouflages you in daylight by reflecting UV rays.
- Tightens up at night to keep you warm when it's cold.
- Side effect: You might hear snakes hissing in your head.
Hongyang Ghostly Mist
- What's in it:
- 67% water vapor
- 22% bone phosphorus
- 11% mystery goo (probably mushroom spores)
- Spooky stuff: You can see ghostly Japanese soldiers marching from 1942 in the mist.
Walkie-talkie
- Mods:
- Tuned to 87.5 MHz (matches the "Star of Heavenly Doctor" in Taoism).
- Got copper coins in the battery.
- Ghost feature: Plays the "Scripture of Supreme Salvation" when there's too much Yin energy.
Sichuan Cuisine Stories
- Secret sauce:
- Kitchen has a "Kitchen God" to keep hungry ghosts away.
- Signature dish "Nine-Grid Blood Tofu" tests if you're normal (red) or yin (black).
- Hidden path: Cellar leads to a Ming Dynasty burial ground – food meets the afterlife.
Overbearing Car
- Upgrades:
- Bumper has a plate made from black donkey hoof powder.
- Fuel tank has aged glutinous rice wine (over three years old).
- Weirdness: Odometer counts backwards (currently at -1,942 km) – time's messed up.
Wild Boar Fiend
- How it's made: When a man-eating boar is killed and its skull is put in a dead person's bite marks.
- Traits: Tusks grow super fast (3 inches/month) and fur gets a metallic shine.
- How to beat it: Destroy both the "Yin Eye" (left eye) and "Yang Soul" (heart) at the same time.
All these crazy items mix old-school magic with modern tech, creating a wild world where the spooky and the sci-fi collide. Each thing has hidden powers, setting the stage for some intense mountain adventures. The village's weird vibes suggest there's some serious time and space warping going on, making it a hotspot for supernatural and techy stuff.
]