Chapter 75: I Want You!

Hearing Liu Jingshu's words, Lu Zhangsheng's eyes flashed with a cold glint.

There are indeed fifty women on this high platform, but it's also possible they're all phantoms, with not a single living person.

As for the women she said mistakenly entered this place, they were likely turned into living corpses by the other side, among the watching villagers.

Even the so‑called Heavenly Disaster Rule from the other side may not be trustworthy; it could be one part truth and nine parts false, or perhaps not at all.

All of this still needs to be verified slowly in the coming moments.

In that instant, Lu Zhangsheng's mind raced, and he immediately spotted a loophole in the other's words.

However, he did not tell Chen Qiushi and the others what he thought.

He has always been at odds with those few.

Presumably, the teammates also intended to make him walk into a trap.

Hearing this, Chen Qiushi and the others' faces turned extremely grim; after a brief glance at each other, they did not immediately voice agreement.

For such a terrifying matter, they dared not decide lightly.

"How does everyone view this? The Heavenly Disaster Rule is probably just like that,"

Chen Qiushi furrowed his brows.

"We cannot stay here forever; we'd rather take a gamble..."

Zhu Zhiquan's eyes were filled with a ruthless glint.

"Indeed, there's a fifty percent chance on the field; perhaps we're lucky and the selected ones are all humans."

Zhao Qinhong, standing nearby, also leaned toward agreeing.

"Besides, aren't we allowed to ask one question? The probability of selecting a human is still high..."

"Indeed, I also agree..."

Zhu Zhiquan gave a faint nod.

"Does this matter need to be discussed with Lu Zhangsheng?"

He spoke again.

"No need to involve him; we can decide on our own."

Chen Qiushi wore an arrogant expression.

Soon, the few began a rapid discussion.

After a short while, once the discussion ended, Chen Qiushi strode forward, his face calm, and said, "We agree."

"A wise choice."

Liu Jingshu's mouth curled into a strange smile.

"Have you thought of your question?"

Hearing this, Chen Qiushi exchanged a glance with the others, then slowly said, "Our question is—what is the love between men and women?"

This was also the best question they settled on after a brief discussion.

If they were to roughly distinguish humans from phantoms in a single sentence, the only clue would be the character meaning "affection".

Affection includes mother‑child love, brother‑friend bonds... and of course, the most inscrutable is the love between men and women.

Using this question as the answer also quickly filters the brides on the field.

"Alright."

Liu Jingshu smiled and nodded.

Lu Zhangsheng observed the scene, his face half‑smiling, half‑serious.

Chen Qiushi and the others weren't fools; they were rather clever.

Unfortunately, their thinking was limited; no matter what they chose, it would be wrong, leading their group toward a dead end.

From the start, Lu Zhangsheng had been extremely clear‑headed.

He would not trust anything a phantom says; the Heavenly Disaster Rule can also be bent.

Nevertheless, he did not speak out to stop them.

Good words cannot persuade the damned ghosts; speaking up now would make the others think he harbors ill intent.

According to Lu Zhangsheng's thinking, they might as well charge forward and try killing their way; if that fails, they can slowly look for another way.

Of course, his suggestion would clearly not be adopted.

He could only choose to respect each one's fate.

Before death, getting to encounter a phantom once is also a decent experience.

While Lu Zhangsheng was pondering, the brides on the field began answering one by one.

The first spoke softly, her voice like a yellow oriole, quite pleasant.

"Love is men tilling, women weaving, bearing children for their own husband..."

Then the second.

"Love is simple, plain tea and modest meals, walking together toward life's end..."

The third.

"I also don't know what love is..."

The fourth.

"Love is eternal loyalty to one's other half..."

……

The group of brides on the field answered in turn, and soon all had finished.

Based on the answers, they roughly fell into three categories.

The first type were those who knew nothing, about fifteen people.

The second type is companionship like husband tilling and wife weaving, simple tea and plain meals, with more than twenty people, belonging to the realistic version.

The last type is all idealism; most answers are sincere and eternal, belonging to the empty‑idealism category.

Chen Qiushi and the others, after hearing the brides' answers, furrowed their brows.

These answers are a bit too formulaic.

The last category of eternal true love, empty idealism, was directly eliminated by the few.

No need to think; they're all oddities.

Lu Zhangsheng, upon hearing the women's answers, sneered repeatedly in his mind.

Now he was completely certain: there wasn't a single person on the stage, only oddities.

In this world, the poor masses make up the overwhelming majority.

In the perception of the lower classes, there is little romance, only procreation and survival…

At that moment, Chen Qiushi and the others immediately stepped forward to choose.

They all, without consulting Lu Zhangsheng, prepared to seize the initiative.

Earlier, the few used elimination, discarding the brides that were certainly oddities, and from the remaining six or seven selected a few that seemed slightly reliable.

"I choose the second row, third from the left…"

Chen Qiushi extended his hand and pointed.

This woman belongs to the category that answered with a plain, ordinary life.

Based on his own intuition, he settled on her.

"I choose the first one in the third row…"

"I choose the second one in the third row…"

…

Quickly, the few finished all their selections.

Then everyone turned their gaze toward Lu Zhangsheng, intending to see how he would choose.

Chen Qiushi and the others had an inexplicable hint at the corners of their mouths.

"I choose you," Lu Zhangsheng pointed with his right hand at Liu Jingshu, his tone casual.

"What!"

The faces of Chen Qiushi and the others were full of disbelief.

Isn't this courting death? Choosing a disaster as a bride?

Or perhaps the other side has already given up, dying under a peony to become a ghost, still romantic? Lu Zhangsheng's choice knocked the few's jaws off, stirring a massive wave in his heart.

Even Liu Jingshu's red lips were slightly parting, her face surprised.

"Are you sure?"

"What? Can't I? I think you're very beautiful…"

Lu Zhangsheng wore a calm expression.

Yet in his heart he had already made his plan.

Since the stage is full of oddities, what's the point of choosing?

Moreover, rules are meant to be broken; acting unexpectedly might bring unforeseen gains.

The source of the village's strangeness lies in Liu Jingshu; contact with her might yield clues.

"Ha ha… Young master really knows how to cheer a woman up…"

Liu Jingshu smiled charmingly, quite seductive.

"Then I, your concubine, will marry you; I hope you will cherish me…"

The Chen Qiushi group beside them, seeing this, looked as if they had seen a ghost.

They didn't expect Liu Jingshu to actually agree.

Now Lu Zhangsheng's death is sealed!

The few quietly stared at Lu Zhangsheng, their faces full of mockery.

They clearly had the chance to choose a woman on the stage, yet they chose death.

"Since you all have finished choosing, each of you may take your bride and leave."

Liu Jingshu let out a coquettish laugh and gracefully walked up to Lu Zhangsheng.

Her steps were light, as if lotus blossoms rose with each footfall.

If she were not a female oddity, she would still be a peerless beauty.

Soon, the party, each with their chosen bride, walked toward the road ahead.

In a short while they vanished near the high platform.

Only Lu Zhangsheng and Liu Jingshu remained on the stage.

"Husband, let me take you to our new home."

Liu Jingshu smiled sweetly, quickly slipping into the role as if she truly considered herself Lu Zhangsheng's wife.

"Mm…"

Lu Zhangsheng lightly nodded.

He was rather curious about what scheme she was plotting.

Although this disaster was strange, it did not bring a fatal threat to him.

Clearly she was still in the Bone-forging stage, not fully matured.

With the defensive power of his Great Cauldron Skill, he was not at all afraid of her.

The two hurried toward the street ahead, the handsome man and pretty woman like a pair of celestial lovers.

Soon, Lu Zhangsheng accompanied the other party to a thatched cottage.

The cottage was small, but it had everything needed—bedroom, kitchen, none missing; plus a yard enclosed by a fence, it was no different from an ordinary villager's courtyard.

In front of several houses were pasted red happiness characters, and everywhere hung red couplets, making it look extremely festive.

Seeing this, Lu Zhangsheng's eyes flickered slightly.

It seemed the other party had already made preparations; even before the two arrived, they had set up this place.

"Husband, please follow me inside."

Liu Jing Shu smiled faintly, stepped with a graceful gait, and quickly walked forward.

Soon, the two entered the house.

"Does my husband need me to attend to him?"

After saying that, Liu Jing Shu licked the corner of her mouth, appearing extremely alluring.

This scorching essence blood within Lu Zhangsheng's body was also something she had long dreamed of.

If she could devour him, her strength would surely surge.

"No need."

Lu Zhangsheng gave a light smile.

Sharing a room with a female demon, he hadn't grown tired of it yet.

Probably no one in this world could accomplish such a feat and still retreat unscathed.

"Husband, you make me so heartbroken..."

As she spoke, Liu Jing Shu extended her right hand, shooting toward Lu Zhangsheng's chest like lightning.

Her nails also emitted a faint, eerie light, extremely sinister.

Though she kept calling him "husband," she reached out to gouge his heart and lungs.

At that moment, a huge treasure cauldron suddenly appeared around Lu Zhangsheng, inverted from above his head, firmly enveloping him.

The cauldron also bore a faint golden radiance that flickered.

"Boom—boom—boom..."

The claws struck the cauldron, producing a piercing screech, accompanied by showers of sparks.

The cauldron continued to rotate above Lu Zhangsheng's head, without even a tremor.

With Lu Zhangsheng's top-tier defensive art, the other party could not possibly break it.

"So hard!"

Liu Jing Shu's face was full of surprise.

She hadn't expected Lu Zhangsheng's defense to be so astonishing; even if she stood still, she couldn't kill him.

It seemed she could only think of another plan.

She pondered silently in her heart.

"I've always been hard."

Lu Zhangsheng gave a light smile, then sat down.

Next, he wanted to see what other tricks the other party had.

When the other party had no recourse, that would be his chance to act.

Seeing that she could do nothing against Lu Zhangsheng, Liu Jing Shu also sat down.

"Would my husband like some tea? My skills are not bad..."

Lu Zhangsheng's expression remained flat, with no movement.

He dared not touch the other party's tea.

Seeing Lu Zhangsheng constantly on guard, Liu Jing Shu let out a soft sigh: "Would my husband like to hear my story?"

Her gaze seemed a bit wandering, as if she had returned to a distant ancient era.

"I am all ears."

Lu Zhangsheng smiled faintly.

(End of chapter)