Chapter 1 A Bad Omen

“The situation is not good. No matter which path we take, it will lead to bloodshed.”

Zhang Yuanqing looked at Palace Master with a grave expression.

In astrology, “bloodshed” represents a life-threatening situation, the highest level of crisis.

If there were only dark clouds, there would be a risk of injury, but not a mortal danger.

“This is a Ruler-grade rule-based item. It’s normal to have life-threatening dangers,” Palace Master said in her soft, pleasant voice, completely calm and showing no sign of seriousness. She pointed to the path leading to “No Entry.” “The footprints lead this way, so we have to take this path.”

“I know, I know…” Zhang Yuanqing responded repeatedly, then raised his head, gazing at the deep night sky. “Let me observe the stars. The great starry sky will give us guidance.”

Among the various professions, there are three skills for predicting the future: divination, prophecy, and star observation.

Divination can only predict good or bad fortune, without any details.

Prophecy directly provides a specific result, but without any context.

Star observation is the strongest. It can not only predict good or bad fortune but also glimpse fate (fragments of future scenes) and the evolution of all things.

Zhang Yuanqing's current level is not yet capable of understanding the evolution of all things.

Mysterious, dazzling starlight appeared in his eyes. He saw the sky full of stars dotted across the black velvet-like night sky, but the stars, which should have been clear and bright, were covered in a layer of shadow.

It was like a person with five hundred degrees of nearsightedness looking up at the stars, only able to see the starlight but not the stars themselves.

The zoo restricts my star observation. Tsk, rule-based paths are troublesome. Zhang Yuanqing’s hand grew heavy, and the Daluo Star Plate appeared. Instantly, the blurred starry river became somewhat clearer.

But it was only somewhat clearer, far from meeting the standard for star observation.

“My star observation is restricted,” Zhang Yuanqing shook his head regretfully. “I can’t see the future. My cheat is sealed.”

“Then use your brain, and stop thinking about cheating all the time!” Palace Master said in her melodious voice. “Remember the famous saying for breaking rule-based items?”

“All rules have loopholes,” Zhang Yuanqing replied subconsciously, then remembered something. “But that’s not right. Xie’s Sheng Ying seems to have no loopholes.”

Although moving away from the Sheng Ying and its crying would make the belly recede, escaping was clearly not considered a loophole in the item. “Who says there aren’t any? It’s very simple to break Sheng Ying’s crying,” Palace Master said with a grin. “Just give it a pacifier. If there’s no pacifier, a finger will do. In short, block Sheng Ying’s mouth, and you can break its crying.”

“This, this… unexpectedly simple.” Zhang Yuanqing found it unbelievable, yet enlightening.

“What’s so difficult about哄 (hōng) a child?” Palace Master said calmly, then steered the conversation back on track. “To find the loophole in the rules, you must first understand the rules. Two ways: One, use human lives to fill it. Didn’t you bring Yin Corpses? Summon them. Two, actively seek out the rules. My suggestion is to go to the employee lounge.”

Zhang Yuanqing took out Little Red Riding Hood while humbly asking for guidance. “Why go to the employee lounge?”

Palace Master was a Lingjing Xingzhe with deep experience, and a Ruler-grade at that, making her more familiar with these high-level rule-based items.

“Based on the phenomena observed in the outer areas, the information we can obtain is limited to road signs, but this is clearly not enough for us to understand the rules of the park. So we can only use the lives of Yin Corpses to try and make mistakes. If it really is your father’s item, then back then, your father must have also used Yin Corpses and spirit servants to try and make mistakes, gradually breaking the rules inside the park.” Palace Master flicked her long sleeves like a 花旦 (huā dàn, a female character in Chinese opera), and said casually, “But your foundation is far from reaching your dad’s level. You finally managed to gather two level-six Yin Corpses. You don’t want them to be lost here, do you?”

Zhang Yuanqing nodded.

Palace Master raised her hand, striking a pose with her orchid fingers, and pointed towards the “employee lounge” direction. “Theoretically, humans like to leave traces the most… employees working in the park would definitely leave some work records, dates, or something, right? That’s the information we need.”

Zhang Yuanqing’s eyes lit up, and he hurriedly tried to curry favor. “Sister is so smart. Whoever can marry you in the future will be blessed for eight lifetimes.”

Palace Master casually wrapped her arm around his neck and smiled. “Then you marry me.”

The eyes beneath her silver mask were moist and glistening, like shining pearls in the night.

“Palace Master, we’re in a dangerous situation right now. This isn’t the time for romantic affairs,” Zhang Yuanqing said, pressing her shoulders and gently pushing her away, then shaking the Little Red Riding Hood in his hand.

Four figures fell out of the void. They were none other than the “Return of the Dead” Four Heavenly Kings.

Zhang Yuanqing thought for a moment, then retrieved Hundred-Man Slayer and Greedy God General.

With him and Palace Master around, they weren’t lacking in combat power. The role of Yin Corpses was more to act as cannon fodder, to step on landmines.

If that was the case, he definitely couldn’t let Hundred-Man Slayer and Greedy God General step on landmines. Blood Rose was pretty good. From the moment she put on the Little Red Riding Hood, she was already a disposable piece.

It was a bit of a pity, though, since this Yin Corpse was exceptionally beautiful.

As for Silver-Yao Junzhu, she was a companion, not an Yin Corpse.

“Let’s go!”

Zhang Yuanqing took the lead, heading towards the “employee lounge” direction, but Palace Master stopped him and laughed. “Little Saint, don’t steal the spotlight from this Palace Master. Hide behind me.”

With that, she walked gracefully forward along the path.

The path was lined with bushes, and behind the bushes were large patches of plants. There was a street lamp every fifteen meters, dimly illuminating a circle on the ground.

It was quiet all around. The sound of their footsteps echoed in the dark night, growing increasingly lonely and terrifying.

After walking for about ten minutes, a small building appeared ahead. It was a two-story building in the style of a red-tiled, gray-walled apartment building, with seven rooms on each floor.

The building stood quietly in the darkness, its windows dark and hollow. What was even stranger was that there wasn’t even a street lamp around the building, which was meant for people to live in.

As a result, the building and its surroundings were completely dark.

Coupled with the lush vegetation nearby, it felt like encountering a dark, abandoned building in a deep mountain forest.

“It’s clearly a rule-based item of the Wood Wanderer profession, so why does it feel even more chilling than a Night Wanderer’s spirit realm dungeon?”

Zhang Yuanqing muttered quietly.

“Don’t you think it’s very interesting?” Palace Master smiled. “Let’s treat this as a date. We came to the cinema and bought two tickets for a horror movie. There will definitely be terrifying and thrilling scenes later. I can scream and snuggle in your arms, letting you take advantage of me. Or, you can snuggle in my arms?”

Is your mental illness really cured? Why do I still feel like you're crazy…? Zhang Yuanqing thought to himself, but the tense and serious mood did dissipate quite a bit.

Silver-Yao Junzhu glanced at Palace Master, then at Zhang Yuanqing, and silently raised her small megaphone, whispering, “Yuan Shi Tian Zun, how many confidantes do you have?”

Although the sound coming from the megaphone was a whisper, everyone heard it.

Palace Master examined the beautiful Yin Corpse, frowned, and wrinkled her nose. “Why does an Yin Corpse need to keep a spirit-endowed gigolo? I’ll clean it up for you.”

This is someone who doesn’t follow harem rules… Silver-Yao Junzhu silently lowered her megaphone and stopped talking, pretending to be a brainless Yin Corpse.

“Let’s go in and take a look. Don’t waste time. If we delay any longer, Dog Elder will be back.”

Zhang Yuanqing reached out and took Palace Master’s small hand, leading her towards the building.

The crazy Palace Master immediately forgot about Silver-Yao Junzhu, happily following Zhang Yuanqing into the building with light, cheerful steps.

“Creak ~”

Zhang Yuanqing arrived at the first room on the left, reached out his palm. It wasn’t locked. He pushed it open with a little force.

The room was pitch black.

His gaze slowly swept across the room. It wasn’t large, with two double-decker iron beds, four beds in total.

In the middle was a long table with vases, cups, clothes, and other daily necessities, all covered in dust, including the tabletop.

Near the window, there were two vertical storage cabinets.

“This is definitely not for normal employees to live in,” Zhang Yuanqing said, wiping the dust off the tabletop.

He was referring to the proper zookeepers who worked during the day.

“It’s for the employees in blue and black uniforms mentioned in the rules,” Palace Master said, her beautiful eyes slowly scanning the room. “Interestingly, they never seem to come back to live?” Otherwise, it wouldn’t be so dusty.

“They’re active in the park at night, but they don’t come back during the day either? Then what’s the point of this dormitory building?” Zhang Yuanqing wondered.

Palace Master shook her head and went straight to the cabinet.

The two of them and the two Yin Corpses quickly searched the room. Zhang Yuanqing and Palace Master opened the cabinets, looking for valuable items, while Silver-Yao Junzhu and Blood Rose squatted down, pulling out the boxes under the beds.

Zhang Yuanqing opened the cabinet door. Inside the storage cabinet were quilts, clothes, toiletries such as towels and toothbrushes, and an employee ID.

The surname on the employee ID was crossed out. The name was: Qiao Jun.

“There’s an employee handbook.”

Palace Master found a thin handbook in the storage cabinet.

Employee handbook? Zhang Yuanqing was overjoyed. The employee handbook was bound to be closely related to the zoo and was a very valuable clue.

He immediately moved closer.

Palace Master leaned into her gigolo’s arms and opened the booklet, reading it with him.

Silver-Yao Junzhu also wanted to come closer, but Palace Master gave her a cold glare, and she silently retreated.

“Dear Employee: Hello. First of all, we must apologize to you. You failed to leave the zoo successfully. You died here. But compared to others, you are lucky, because you have been chosen. The zoo has given you a second life. You will work for the zoo forever, until the end of time, or until you get tired of it. Please cherish this hard-won second life and strive to become an excellent gardener.”

“When working in the zoo, please be sure to abide by the following rules…”

The employees in blue and black uniforms we see at night are transformed from the dead who died in the zoo? But why didn’t I sense any aura of spirits at all?

If I die in the zoo, will I also become a staff member?

The introduction to the employee handbook alone was enough to shock Zhang Yuanqing.