Chapter 11: Block-Master

"What is the meaning of this?" Shi Guanming put on the trousers with legs of different lengths, feeling incredibly uncomfortable. "Are they giving us nothing but defective goods?"

Kuang Hongyi felt the material of the clothing with his hand, then looked at everyone's attire. A moment later, his expression changed abruptly. "Bad! These people have taken us as stand-ins!"

Xu Su was the first to react. "You mean this family is using us to block a disaster?"

Kuang Hongyi nodded with an ugly expression, his gaze cold as he looked outside, his voice dropping low. "Damn it, I should have realized it sooner; these people called us Lucky Guests."

Shi Guanming was already terrified, and this made him even more fearful. With a trembling voice, he pressed, "Everyone, what are you talking about? Can you... can you explain it clearly?"

Kuang Hongyi ignored him entirely, turning his head to look at the others. "Do you all remember how the Invitation in the Script was written?"

"The Feng Mansion invited us here, saying they wanted to hold a ceremony. They didn't mention specific details, only that there would be a generous reward once the matter was settled," Yang Xiao spoke up first.

"These bastards are just looking for us to be scapegoats, to be death-proxies!" Kuang Hongyi took a deep breath, only then calming down to explain to everyone. "Lucky Guest, or 'Grace Guest' as it can also be called—that's the polite term. The less polite term is 'Suppression Guest,' and in folk tradition, it's more commonly called a 'Block-Master.' It means someone hired by the host family to help suppress disasters and block curses."

"Those who can work in the trade of a Block-Master aren't ordinary people. Someone perfectly healthy definitely couldn't do it; congenital disabilities or deformities are best, or perhaps someone who has suffered a great disaster later in life. In short, they must possess some of the 'five defects and three shortcomings,' otherwise their fate isn't 'hard' enough to suppress those things."

"The Block-Master is a fringe profession, belonging to the trades of the Yin Sect. These people are all famous in their regions for having 'hard fates.' They fear neither heaven nor earth, ruthless characters who dare to dig up wild graves at midnight and knock on coffin lids. They earn this 'dead man's wealth.'"

"Usually, when a host family suffers a disaster or encounters something evil and has provoked those unclean things, they will invite a Block-Master to take a look."

"For minor matters, the Block-Master just takes a look, curses at the empty room, takes a Killing Blade to hack the door panel twice, and once the house's evil Qi is broken, that's it. But if they truly encounter a thorny issue, they have to risk their lives. For some unsolvable Extermination Curses, they have to invite the Block-Master over to put on the host family's clothes and pretend to be the host family members, living in their house with the same airs and lifestyle. That way, those dirty things will mistake the Block-Master for the host family members, thereby transferring the resentment onto the Block-Master."

"However, people usually don't do this. Block-Masters aren't stupid; those who can do this line of work know their own worth. Some money is worth earning, but not worth dying for."

Once Kuang Hongyi finished saying this, combined with the clothes in everyone's hands, the situation was already clear: they had been treated as scapegoats by the Feng Family.

Hearing this, Su Tingting shuddered, her face turning deathly pale. Seeing that she could barely stand, she said with a sobbing tone, "Then... then since we know, let's not wear these clothes anymore. We'll run, run as far away as possible. Won't we be able to escape it?"

Shi Dali shook his head and said in a muffled voice, "It's not that simple. If we don't wear them, the mission cannot proceed, and we will never be able to find the key clues to leave this place."

Each person's clothing had a Birth Date and Time on it. Everyone gathered together to study them and quickly reached the conclusion that these Birth Dates and Times belonged to three generations.

Among them, the one Shi Dali held was of the highest seniority; if they weren't mistaken, it belonged to Feng Laotaiye. Next was the one Kuang Hongyi held, belonging to Master Feng. After that were Yang Xiao, Ke Long, and Shi Guanming; they belonged to the same generation and should be the third generation of the Feng Family, namely the three sons of Master Feng.

Following that were Xu Su and Su Tingting. They were also classified as the third generation of the Feng Family. Kuang Hongyi thought about this for a long time but couldn't figure it out. Theoretically, in ancient times, women had low status and shouldn't have been qualified to be classified as the third generation of the Feng Family, even if they were daughters-in-law of the Feng Family.

"It's not them; it's the bloodline in their bellies," Yang Xiao suddenly spoke up. "They are pregnant, and they haven't given birth yet."

Kuang Hongyi was stunned, then nodded repeatedly. "Right, what you said is correct. This must be the only explanation!"

Now the mission was becoming clear bit by bit: their identities were Block-Masters, who had come to the Feng Family to block disasters for their family of seven.

"Damn it, blocking a disaster is one thing, but can't they give us better clothes? These damn trousers are one long and one short; if something really happens, I won't be able to run fast." Ke Long fiddled with the trouser legs back and forth, wanting to make himself more comfortable.

"I'm afraid that's difficult. There's a saying about Block-Masters: living in the host's house doesn't just block curses, it also absorbs the host's House Qi. The longer the time, the more you resemble the host family member you are playing. This thing is said to be very mysterious. After a long time, let alone the servants being unable to distinguish, even you yourself will treat yourself as the real master. Therefore, some external objects must be used to distinguish."

"This ill-fitting clothing is constantly reminding you that you are not the master of this house; you are just a low-status Block-Master who works in a fringe trade and was lured here by someone's silver."

"Fuck them, damn capitalists!" Ke Long cursed.

"What does this have to do with capitalists? If you don't like money and you value your life, you could have not come. No one used a rope to tie you here," Xu Su retorted.

It was evident that everyone had now adapted to their identities. Shi Guanming and Su Tingting had also changed into their clothes; either the sleeves were long or a piece of the skirt was missing. Everyone looked somewhat indescribably ridiculous.

The time for one stick of Incense had long passed, and there was still no movement in front of the gate. The sun had already set for the most part; it seemed Master Feng would not be coming.

Having heard the old maid's implication earlier, Master Feng's second son had died. It stood to reason that the White Lantern hanging outside the mansion gate was prepared for him.

The group walked outside together. Just as they left the courtyard gate, they ran into a team of guards carrying wooden sticks. But upon hearing that they were the Lucky Guests who had come to the mansion, the burly guards instantly became timid, pushing the responsibility onto each other and telling them to find someone else to lead the way.

Just then, a maid with somewhat dark skin passed by. She was scolded and called over by the head guard, who ordered the maid to lead them to the You Zhai in the backyard.

The maid's reaction was similar to the guards'; she absolutely refused. But the head guard glared and uttered a few harsh words, and the maid had no choice but to agree. The head guard stuffed a Lantern from his hand into the maid's hand and said with deep meaning, "Go quickly and return quickly, the sky is almost dark!"

Hearing this, the maid did not dare to delay for a moment and led the group quickly toward the depths of the mansion. The maid walked in a hurry, but the path became increasingly remote. After passing a deserted small courtyard, Yang Xiao suddenly had a sense of déjà vu—the bluestone slabs on the ground, and the brick wall to the side.

Not far under the brick wall, there was also a Head-shaped Stone Well, with a large millstone pressing down on it, completely sealing the mouth of the well.