Chapter 4: The Bride of the Enigmatic King (4)

But Tang Mu didn't mind at all. Instead, she gazed gently, "But every part of my body is so beautiful—what if I can't bear to let you cut off any part?"

"Uh..." That seemed to be a real problem. The Hanging Ghost was genuinely pondering it.

"So, for the sake of preserving my beauty, you wouldn't mind if I killed you to exchange for ghost coins, would you?" Tang Mu blinked, her expression pure and innocent, radiant as the sweetest vision. For a moment, everyone present felt their hearts waver.

While the Hanging Ghost was still dazed, Tang Mu seized the ghost knife and swung it decisively at the ghost's neck.

Its head tumbled onto the chopping board, splattering ghost blood everywhere. The scene sent the girls into a frenzy of shrieks.

Unlike the panic gripping the others, Tang Mu remained perfectly calm.

Boldly stepping behind the stall, she smashed apart the Hanging Ghost's cash register with a hammer and swept all the ghost coins into her bag.

She didn't neglect the Hanging Ghost's body either. With some effort, she dragged it over and tossed it onto the neighboring stall of the Big-Head Ghost.

"Big-Head Ghost, you seem free. Mind counting how much this ghost is worth for me?"

Her voice was silky and intoxicating, paired with ruthless decisiveness.

Big-Head Ghost was speechless.

Please, don't call him brother.

The last one this beautiful girl called brother was now lying helpless on his chopping board.

Even though the Long-Tongued Ghost's head had been cut off, it still retained consciousness, its mouth opening and closing, cursing in a frenzy.

"You... you're Tang Mu, right? I remember you! Just you wait, someday, I swear..."

Tang Mu leisurely pulled a silk scarf from her pocket and stuffed it into the Hanging Ghost's mouth.

Elegant, yet infuriating.

The Hanging Ghost was forcibly silenced, as were all the men and women stunned by Tang Mu's actions.

"If I'm not mistaken, you're just low-level NPCs. You can't leave your stalls. The rule is simply to exchange ghost coins with body parts from monsters—but it doesn't specify whose. Nor does it state that ghost coins must only be obtained through exchange, not robbery."

Both the Hanging Ghost and Big-Head Ghost were fuming, their faces twisted with murderous rage. To make them trade coins using their own kind's bodies? Impossible, unless in a dream!

"Fine, if you won't exchange, so be it."

Their reaction was entirely within Tang Mu's expectations.

"In any case, I've already got enough ghost coins." She gestured at the purse she'd just snatched from the Long-Tongued Ghost's stall.

Her display was the perfect blend of showing off and intimidation.

In every word and gesture, Tang Mu exuded elegance—like wine swirling in a crystal goblet, with an allure both intoxicating and regal.

Yet beneath this beauty lurked danger.

She was like a thorned rose dusted with poppy powder.

"Let's go," Tang Mu said to Xue Fen. "The ticket money is ready. Let's board."

Once the matter of the tickets was settled, Tang Mu returned to her cool, aloof demeanor.

But Xue Fen didn't mind at all. On the contrary, he was still basking in the thrill of being called by his name by the big sister.

While others were frightened by her killing the ghosts, Xue Fen had only one thought in his heart: Ah, she's so cool! I adore her!

Only Joseph, who had been rejected from start to finish, wore a face full of discontent.

"The Bride of the Ghost King" livestream room 2588—

"Damn, is player ID 005473281 really a newcomer? To come up with robbing for coins in such a short time—that's slick."

"Forget slick moves—what grabs me is her hauntingly beautiful face and killer body! This girl is a real gem! Three minutes, I want all her info!"

"Three minutes? That quick?"

"—Get lost! You're the quick one!"

"Seriously though, her face is unfamiliar. Anyone know her story? Someone should check her background."

Meanwhile, viewers in the 2588 livestream room surged from 23 to 866.

Yet compared to other horror game streams, that number was still far from earning cumulative points.

Nevertheless, the system quietly added "The Bride of the Ghost King" 2588 stream to its favorites.

**

"You are Tang Mu, right?"

A ponytailed girl with light makeup approached Tang Mu.

Once players are fully conscious of their identities, they shed cumbersome chains—red veils, heavy hair ornaments.

Tang Mu noticed the brooch name tag pinned to her chest—Wang Qing.

Wang Qing was anything but polite.

"I saw you rob the Long-Tongued Ghost of a ton of coins. Can you lend me twenty?"

She held a strong hostility toward Tang Mu.

"These will probably be useless once we leave the instance. Instead of hoarding them like trash, why not lend them to us so we can survive?"

As she spoke, Wang Qing glanced down at Joseph waiting below the boat.

Yet faced with Wang Qing's aggressive attitude, Tang Mu simply found a seat, elegantly crossed her legs, and replied,

"You say lend—will you return them?"

Wang Qing bit her lip and fell silent.

"So you won't return them." Tang Mu smiled sweetly. "Then allow me to apologize. After all, you're not my teammate. I have no obligation to protect or care for you."

Wang Qing was speechless.

"What about Joseph?" she pressed, unwilling to give up. "You know him, right? He hasn't even boarded, and you're heartless enough to leave him behind?"

"If you're borrowing coins for Joseph, then I have even less reason to lend." Tang Mu gestured for Wang Qing to look towards Joseph. "Look, he's much stronger than you imagine."

Not only Joseph, but more people learned Tang Mu's method of dispatching ghost stall owners, preserving their lives.

"Joseph?"

Wang Qing watched as Joseph boarded the boat, promptly abandoning Tang Mu.

She even angled her face forty-five degrees for Joseph to see her best side. "Are you alright? Your friend Tang Mu is really ruthless. I just asked her for coins to help you up, and she refused."

But Joseph completely ignored Wang Qing, his gaze fixed intently on Tang Mu. When their eyes met, he even curled his lips into what he believed was a charming smile.

"Miss Tang is testing me. If I can't even handle a few ghost monsters, how could I win her heart?"

Joseph believed no woman could resist his masculine charm.

Tang Mu was the exception.

She merely offered him a slight smile, then withdrew her gaze.

In the end, only Wang Qing, twisted with jealousy, wore a sour expression.

"Everyone aboard," came a cold, grating voice, like nails scraping a blackboard.

The Ghost Granny counted—forty-eight people in total.

Only four died in the first round.

Falling short of her KPI, Ghost Granny shot Tang Mu a decidedly unfriendly look.

"Congratulations on entering the second round unharmed."

Her sinister gaze swept over the group, her bark-like skin gleaming with a strange purple light.

"Our great Ghost King will greet his bride on the other shore of the River of Forgetfulness. As for you woodcutters..."

She cackled, "The Ghost King dislikes you all immensely. Once the bride is delivered to the ghost palace, you'll be executed. Unless you can figure out a way to save yourselves."