Famine 60: Blood-Sacrifice Hot Spring

How many credits?

Si Zhiyan’s brow flickered as he looked at Liang Qingshuang.
He nodded slightly. “Tell me what happened.”

There was hope! Joy flashed between Liang’s brows as he recounted the blood sacrifice at the hot spring and the plight of the Spring Grass Mercenary Corps in full detail.

Four hundred trapped players!
An elite, battle-hardened mercenary group!

Si Zhiyan’s tapping fingers paused for a beat on the arm of his chair.
There was no reason to refuse.

Liang Qingshuang drew a breath and lifted his skirt, saying, “You’re welcome to come to the hot spring and see for yourself.”
“If you can find a way to save them, I’ll pay you for the gown immediately.”

Nidhogg’s vertical pupils narrowed in the shadows as he smiled down at Liang, his thoughts unreadable.

Si Zhiyan instantly understood what sort of idea Nidhogg had in mind.
He turned, his gaze as sharp as a blade sweeping across him, a warning blazing in his eyes.

“…”
Nidhogg’s smile didn’t falter; he simply raised his hands and took a step back.

I haven’t done anything.

Reining in an evil dragon wasn’t something easily done.
Si Zhiyan looked away, opening the CBD convenience store entrance and retrieving a cotton jacket, which he draped over Liang Qingshuang’s shoulders.

“Let’s go.” As Liang looked at him gratefully, Si Zhiyan spoke in a level tone, “Let’s take a look.”

…………
……

[Mist World – Day 2 / 9:19 AM / Icefield Hot Spring / Current Farm Completion: 51%]

Whoosh.

Nidhogg’s dragon wings scattered the sulfurous rising steam, unveiling the cavern below the snow and ice.

This was at the icefield’s edge, on the leeward side of a snowy mountain. Within the thick layers of snow hid a cave opening over ten meters wide, deep and shadowy, extending far into darkness.

Within, a gloom of blood-red light shone.

Sulfur’s tang drifted faintly on the air. In the frozen wasteland, pale heat steamed outward from within.

Nidhogg was about to enter when Si Zhiyan raised a hand, halting him, and pointed upward—the inner cave wall, about thirty centimeters inside the entrance, was ringed with a distinct line of fresh blood, apparently the blood array’s edge.
Numerous crimson runes crawled like insects along the stone, receding deeper within.

Clearly, it hadn’t looked like this when they first arrived.
In the time since Liang’s departure, the blood array had fully unfurled.

Liang, wrapped in the jacket, hurried to the entrance:

“One-Eyed Dragon!!”
“Hey, you cyclops, are you all still there?!”

—There was no answer from within.

Liang Qingshuang’s heart clenched tight. His voice turned hoarse, unable to enter the cave, so he shouted all the harder: “Is anyone still alive?!”

After a long, agonizing pause, a weak voice finally answered: “Stop hollering, Sister Liang.”

From within, a short-haired, one-eyed man stumbled out, leaning on the wall for support.
Wearing only a makeshift cloth wrap and a black eyepatch, his face was ghastly pale and his steps unsteady.

This was Gao Zhai.

Behind him, hundreds of wary eyes peered from the shadows, watching the entrance with caution.

Gao Zhai, injured during Liang’s escape, was at least still alive—meaning the rest had likely survived as well.
Liang’s tension loosened, nearly breaking down in relief. “Knew you’d be too stubborn to die.”

“Why’d you come back? Who are they? Where’s Chen Chunsheng?”

Liang quickly explained. On learning Chen Chunsheng was dead, Gao Zhai grinned in delight, crying, “Good! Good! Good!”

But when Liang continued, saying they’d come to rescue everyone, Gao Zhai’s smile faded and he heaved a long sigh.

Liang asked anxiously: “What’s the situation inside?”

“…”
Gao Zhai fell silent, then reached out toward Liang.

As he brushed the blood array’s edge, black curses flared instantly along his fingertips, spreading like rot.

Ooooo—
A wailing howl rose, seemingly from nowhere.

Gao Zhai jerked his hand back, retreating within the blood array’s bounds.

“Not long after you left, the array fully extended. Whenever we try to leave, that’s what happens.”

Gao Zhai’s voice was weak:

“Sister Liang.”
“Looks like this is the end for us…”

Liang understood what he meant. His lips trembled, but he bit down hard and waved him silent—gesturing toward Si Zhiyan.

—Si Zhiyan’s figure was hidden in the mist, leaning over to study the array, his eyes tracing its patterns thoughtfully.

Was it possible the storeowner recognized this formation?

Si Zhiyan did not, but he knew someone who would.
His real self on the farm patted the frost-horned rabbit, sending it to call Zhong Yanqing.

Zhong Yanqing, being summoned for the first time by the bunny, was both surprised and amused; she peeked her head in from the door.
“…Oh? Sister Liang?” She grinned curiously. “Good morning.”

Si Zhiyan said nothing, but his gaze was gentle as he beckoned her over.

“Take a look at this array.”

Through the shadow clone’s simulated vision, Zhong Yanqing could see the array at the cave entrance.
One look at such a thing, and her usually mischievous expression turned serious. She whipped out pen and paper, quickly jotting and sketching calculations.

Everyone held their breath, watching the shadow clone.

Back at the farm, Si Zhiyan sat with his coffee, attention resting gently on Zhong Yanqing’s focused face.

He didn’t need to be expert at everything.
The people living on the farm—all the ones he’d helped survive—each shone in their own way, dazzling on their own turf.

Soon,

“—the array?”
“Not complicated,” she said briskly. “It’s a simple array.”

Si Zhiyan asked: “If I copy out the complete array for you, what chance do you have of breaking it?”

Zhong Yanqing replied with certainty: “Ninety percent. The formation is straightforward, with no hidden elements—many parts even use ceremonial or decorative symbols.”
“Whoever set this must have thought highly of themselves—figuring they were doing something righteous and worth boasting about.”

“Just give me some time, and I’m sure I’ll crack it.”

An upright… blood sacrifice array?
Si Zhiyan raised a brow.
What was its true purpose?

In any case, it was good news.

The shadow clone relayed her words word for word to those present.

The entire hot spring nearly erupted with joy.

Liang Qingshuang nearly cried, overwhelmed by mixed sorrow and relief; he swayed unsteadily, almost collapsing.

The weakened mercenaries emerged from the shadows, swarming to surround Liang.

“There’s hope!”
“Sister Liang—making it big this time!”
“What a feat! If we find a way out now, you’ll have done a miracle!”

They were all still alive, still together, filled with laughter.
Separated by the array’s edge, they stood both a world apart and an arm’s length away.

Through years of hardship and cold, the Spring Grass Mercenary Corps had always held together.

Gao Zhai asked, “And, sir—if we get you the rest of the array, how long do you need?”

Si Zhiyan asked Zhong Yanqing and relayed the answer: “Five days.”

“Five days…” Gao Zhai’s face changed.

Liang Qingshuang grew tense. “What’s wrong with five days?”

“It can’t be done in five days.”

Gao Zhai lifted his head, voice low:
“Because we’re starving.”

Everyone fell silent at once.

“So… damn… hungry, I’m really dying… starving to death…” Gao Zhai clutched his stomach, voice trembling. “Damn Chen Chunsheng… even in death, he won’t let us off.”

The brothers around him all lowered their heads, sighing.

It was visible to the naked eye—unsteady on their feet, weak to the bone.

“The array’s first effect seems to be constantly draining our life force.”
“No matter how much we eat, it’s never enough… can’t bear it… We ran out of food in a single day.”

“We’re trapped, can’t do missions, and there’s no way to get supplies.”

Another said with a bitter smile, “A single potato’s a thousand credits—no way you can feed four hundred with that, let alone buy more.”

One more sighed deeply, “No matter what happens next, Sister Liang, you’ve already avenged us—you’ve done right by us.”

Hunger.

In the Famine Game, that was the harshest, most hopeless word of all.

Liang half-knelt on the ground, voice cracked: “But, I… I found a convenience store with oden and other food for sale…”

Gao Zhai managed a thin smile. “What store could feed four hundred hungry men for five days? What do you think this is, a farm?”

“Pfft.”
Nidhogg couldn’t hold back, turning aside with a helpless chuckle.

Si Zhiyan: “……”

🙂

Half an hour later, the entire mercenary group stared wide-eyed at the mountains of food before them.

At the cave mouth, piles of colorful provisions formed four small mountains.

Si Zhiyan gestured toward the first.
Boxes upon boxes, stacked high, each one fragrant with a hint of oil glowing through the cardboard. Nearby stood a few opaque supply barrels as well.

“This is the chicken set. Three boxes of fried wings, five of Orleans grilled chicken, and five more of uncooked poultry so you can eat it how you like. You have pots—cook as you wish. Porridge, stir-fry, anything you prefer. The supply barrels have spices, cooking oil, oyster sauce, wine, MSG, and sugar; salt’s in the blue bags nearby—let me know what runs out, I’ll bring more each day.”

The mercenaries could only bob their heads blankly. “Oh… oh, oh…”

Did I hear right?
Chicken? Fried? Grilled? Unlimited supply? What?

The men stared, speechless—unable to believe what their eyes saw or their ears heard.

How… how could their brains even process this?

Si Zhiyan moved on to the second pile—a collection of pots and fresh ingredients grouped on oil-cloth, to be carried in. Each copper pot wafted the aroma of tomato or spicy broth, making mouths water uncontrollably.

“This is a hundred hot pot kits. Normally each serves two, but you’re a burly lot, so maybe one per person is best. All raw—start your own fire and cook. Each is a half-spicy/half-tomato combo base. Meat platters: lamb, beef, shrimp paste, beef tendon balls, duck intestines, beef tripe, duck blood. Veggies: bean curd sheets, tofu, crown daisy, bamboo shoots, potato, enoki, lotus root, stem lettuce. Make sure to avoid anything you’re allergic to.”

Hotpot!!
So much! So much hotpot!!

Duck blood! Beef and lamb! Beef balls! Tripe!

Gurgle!

The sound of gulping filled the air. A whole crowd of starved mercenary warriors stood on the edge of the ritual, eyes glued to the meat rolls, staring so hard they went green.

Gao Zhai’s voice wavered: “Oh… oh, oh…”
“How can we accept…”

Before the words were out, Si Zhiyan was already indicating the third pile,
A mound of red and blue cloth bags stacked thigh-high.

“That’s a thousand jin of rice, and fifty jin of salt. The rice is high-quality and a bit sticky and sweet; use it for porridge or rice, less water for fried rice. Nothing more to say. If you run low, I’ll arrange more, but you’ll need to cook for yourselves.”

[Blessing and Ward Set]
Ghost Valley rice, sinister-repellent salt.
Red cloth for rice, blue for salt.
Scatter rice to bless the land, sprinkle salt to drive out evil; all ghosts and devils appear, all demons repelled, peace at home.

A wooden sign in front of the pile read, “Rice to safeguard the home; salt to banish evil.”

Si Zhiyan added:
“By the way, these seem to ward off evil and purify the ground. If you have any trouble of that sort, try sprinkling them around your camp.”

“Oh… oh, oh…”

Gao Zhai nodded out of reflex, then jerked upright as it all sank in, hopping three feet. “Wait, how can we possibly accept all this?!”

Si Zhiyan: “……”
Mildly speechless. “It’s alright. There’s plenty. Unlimited.”

It’s alright! There’s plenty!
Un! Li! Mi! Ted!

The mercenaries were on the verge of tears.

In the Famine Game, all-you-can-eat gourmet food—unlimited!

Who could even imagine such a thing?!

Before they could fumble for any words, as though it wasn’t already enough, Si Zhiyan directed their attention to the last pile.
This one was smaller, only waist-high.

“A hundred bottles of milk, a hundred bottles of coffee, a hundred servings of ice cream.”
“The milk ice cream comes in vanilla, strawberry, matcha, and salted lemon, plus some random orange ice slush.”

Amid blood mist and sulfur, Si Zhiyan’s voice was steady and measured, gentle yet detached, as if narrating sunrise and sunset—simple facts of life.

“These aren’t staple rations; they won’t last long, so use them up soon. Just consider this little batch a gift from me.”

He folded his arms and offered a courteous nod.

“After all, this is a hot spring, isn’t it?
“Might as well enjoy yourselves a bit.”