Chapter 5: Widow Village

When she heard that Zhang Hao wanted to stay overnight in the Village, the woman laughed excitedly.

"My house still has a few empty rooms; how about staying at my place?"

The woman pointed to her house; from a distance it seemed to be about two stories tall.

If no one else lives in the woman's home, it is indeed rather spacious.

"Fine."

Zhang Hao did not refuse the invitation, but he did not appear particularly enthusiastic either.

However, the woman seemed completely oblivious, leading the way forward with Zhang Hao and Dried Corpse Bride.

At this moment, Zhang Hao felt a bit puzzled.

Dried Corpse Bride, in this place, surprisingly did not act against the woman.

"Could it be that Dried Corpse Bride's Killing Rule does not kill, or does not involve holding a woman's hand?"

"Or perhaps this woman is not a living person?"

Zhang Hao leaned toward the second speculation in his mind.

The object Dried Corpse Bride holds hands with might not be a woman, but since Dried Corpse Bride is composed of two Ghosts, it is clearly impossible for both Ghosts' Killing Rules to avoid killing women.

"Are you the only one in this Village?"

Zhang Hao looked at the Village, feeling a bit puzzled.

Along the way, he could hardly see anyone else.

It was clearly a countryside, yet there were no children playing nor farmers tending the fields.

"Of course I'm not alone; look, these houses are all inhabited."

The woman pointed to a house ahead.

From afar, Zhang Hao looked through the paper‑covered window and could vaguely see a silhouette inside.

The figure's curves were pronounced; it was clearly a woman.

Then Zhang Hao looked elsewhere; the situation was almost the same everywhere.

When Zhang Hao and the others arrived at the woman's doorway,

the big doors of those houses began to open, and women in their twenties to thirties stepped out one by one.

"Hey, Li Chun, we have guests in the Village today; why didn't you tell us?"

A woman who looked about twenty‑five, handsome and curvaceous, walked over.

She was clearly speaking to the woman who had led Zhang Hao and Dried Corpse Bride into the Village, yet her eyes stayed fixed on Zhang Hao.

Her almond eyes held a springy gleam, and just looking at them could make one daydream.

"Are you also from this Village?"

Zhang Hao stared at the woman and asked calmly.

He was completely indifferent to her coquettish, shy‑eyed demeanor.

"Yes, I'm called Lian'er; where are you from, little brother?"

Facing Zhang Hao's cold attitude, Lian'er was unfazed; instead she leaned in, hooked both hands around Zhang Hao's neck, and asked softly.

"Is the person behind you your wife?"

Zhang Hao glanced at her, with no trace of lewd intent in his eyes.

Lian'er is quite attractive; in human society, she could easily become a movie star based on looks alone.

Even in ancient times, she could be a top courtesan.

But unfortunately, she faces Zhang Hao, who has already become a Ghost Slave.

Regarding sexual desire, Zhang Hao now has no interest at all.

After all, he is already a dead man, so human physiological issues simply do not exist for him.

"Li Chun, may we go in first?"

Zhang Hao pulled Lian'er's hand away, and led Dried Corpse Bride to Li Chun's side.

"Of course, please come in quickly."

Li Chun looked at Lian'er smugly, then opened the door, letting Zhang Hao and Dried Corpse Bride enter.

When Zhang Hao and Dried Corpse Bride had gone far, Li Chun finally crouched beside Lian'er.

"You little flirty, you cause a scene without watching the occasion."

"Today sister will tell you what it means that old ginger is still spicy. Next time, remember not to make a scene when those men are with their women, huh huh huh."

Li Chun, in a pleasant mood, strutted into the house like a victorious rooster, head held high.

"Heh, this time I misjudged."

"But I tell you, men are always better when young."

Lian'er glared fiercely at Li Chun, uttered a harsh remark, then walked toward the other women approaching.

The two had no idea that Zhang Hao had heard their entire conversation.

But after hearing them, Zhang Hao was even more confused about the Village's situation.

Clearly, this Village could not be a normal one.

According to Zhang Hao's understanding, these women were most likely derived from some Spiritual Realm power.

But such a scene of snatching men clearly should not appear in a Spiritual Realm.

"Is some crucial information missing?"

Zhang Hao stood inside the house, pondering the Village's situation.

Clearly Zhang Hao is the Ghost Slave, yet at this moment Dried Corpse Bride seemed to be listening entirely to Zhang Hao.

While Zhang Hao was thinking, Dried Corpse Bride stood behind him, arms intertwined, just like an ordinary bride awaiting her wedding.

"Brother, and this miss, please don't mind."

Li Chun walked into the house, gave Zhang Hao a restrained smile, and then explained.

"Lian'er, that girl, just got married and hasn't had a bridal chamber yet, and her husband was forcibly conscripted to war."

"So this girl has always, when she sees a man, this kind of demeanor."

"Come to think of it, it's not just her; even all the men of the Village were conscripted that day."

"So when you arrived at the Village, you saw that there wasn't a single person there."

Upon saying that, Li Chun let out a sigh.

"Our Village has only women; for safety, we basically never go out casually."

"Only at dusk, when it's getting dark and visibility low, we go to check the vegetable garden, and we all return home before nightfall."

"At night, some mountain bandits come to the Village to loot."

"Then why didn't I see those bandits?" Zhang Hao asked.

"That's because the Old Master set the rule; they don't raid during the day, and at night they don't forcefully break into our homes."

Li Chun explained, "All these years, we've lived like this."

"That's also why, when you entered the Village from outside today, many people came over here."

Hearing Li Chun say that, Zhang Hao understood.

In short, this is a widows' Village where no men remain.

At night, bandits come to the Village to loot.

However, due to the rule of some important figures, these bandits don't break into houses for robbery at night.

So when Zhang Hao came today, this group of widows rarely encounter a man, so it's no wonder they seem so enthusiastic.

"How long have the men of your Village been gone?" Zhang Hao asked, hoping to gather more information.

"I don't recall exactly, but it should have been over ten years,"

Li Chun said thoughtfully.

"That month the Old Master was away, and a group of soldiers came and conscripted the men away."

"After the Old Master returned home, he found bandits coming often, so he set this rule."

"The Old Master is a person of high status, and the bandits dare not break his rule."

"However, I don't recall the Old Master's exact circumstances, since he is very old."

"The women in our Village, the oldest is only in her early thirties, and no one knows the Old Master's past deeds."

"Anyway, I only remember that since that day, bandits haven't shown up during the day."

"Even when they come to loot at night, they don't dare break into the houses and take these sisters of the Village."

Li Chun appears very respectful toward the Old Master, yet seems to know little about him.

(End of Chapter)