The servant's face bore a bright red mark, a decoration of two large crimson rouge dots.
His features and face were different, mostly painted on. When he saw Zhou Lin carrying gifts, his face was all smiles, though it was wrinkled.
And somewhat stiff.
Anyone seeing it would find it eerie.
Captain Bai, the metaphysics professor, and the students instinctively gasped.
"How terrifying!" Some students even clenched their fists, trying to remain calm.
"May I ask your honorable surname, young master?"
The paper figurine guarding the entrance asked Zhou Lin with a smile.
"My surname is Zhou. You can call me Young Master Zhou. We have come here by reputation, just to bask in the good fortune."
After speaking, Zhou Lin walked inside.
Behind him, the students and mercenaries followed like retainers.
Zhou Lin entered a vast courtyard. Along the edges were many rockeries and pavilions, with a lake in the center. Schools of goldfish swam in the lake.
It was quite a pleasing sight. Several banquet tables were set in the middle of the lake, with a few tables closer to the front hall.
"That little servant at the door... I felt my hair standing on end."
"It's not just you, me too. It was so scary. I almost knelt down just now. Luckily, the big brother behind me pulled me back, or I would have been finished."
"You're really out of line. Attending a wedding and having to kneel? That's a grand gesture you're offering, hard to repay."
The students teased each other.
But the metaphysics professor and Guo Liang looked at the architecture. The buildings on top looked very ancient. Yet, the rockeries, pavilions, and fish...
They looked so out of place. What was going on?
"Professor Guo, don't you think this architecture looks very strange?"
The metaphysics professor looked at the roof tiles and still felt it was eerie.
"Is this fake? Could it also be made of paper figures? I don't know much about this. There were paper figures receiving guests at the entrance, so this should be too?"
Guo Liang shuddered at the thought of the servant.
"Do you think the place where we'll be eating later might also be made of paper?"
The metaphysics professor thought it was very possible.
"Then can we even sit on it?"
Guo Liang said in horror.
"We'll know when we sit down."
Zhou Lin walked straight to a chair and sat down. Although it was made of paper, they could still hold up.
This was quite a magical thing.
Everyone sat down one by one, looking around. They saw that the paper figures sitting and talking nearby.
They had eerie smiles on their faces, as if they were getting married themselves.
But with the lanterns, their worldview collapsed once again.
What normal person would do this?
The students exchanged glances and collectively gasped, turning their faces away. It was better not to look.
It would lead to nightmares and misfortune.
In the livestream.
"Holy crap, these are paper figures. This is my first time seeing things and paper figures made of paper. Can this stuff be played like this?"
"But these paper figures smiling, and the whole wedding is made of paper, I'm really worried if a paper bride will appear later?"
"This is my first time seeing paper figures getting married. What a grand spectacle, everything is made of paper."
"Your Great Xia is so terrifying. Even weddings are so red, looking like blood. It looks inauspicious."
"Where is it as good-looking as our Old Eagle Country? It looks sacred and solemn."
"Oh, please. Sacred and solemn? Who doesn't want red and warm on their happy day? You guys are all white, and people might think you're attending a funeral. Stop talking, you're sick."
"Exactly. Calling us terrifying? This is our Great Xia's classical culture. This is an ancient wedding, a wedding that reports to heaven and earth. Do you understand? Even if paper figures get married, this is the process, no one can change it."
...
Inside the tomb.
Zhou Lin sat aside and saw many paper figures carrying food from the back, bringing it to the tables.
The food on the tables looked and smelled delicious, making one's appetite whet.
The students, professor, and mercenaries on the side were all looking at the food.
They had only eaten a little before, not much. Coupled with their earlier tension and being chased by those sculptures, their energy was already depleted.
Now they were starving, it was hard to ignore.
But this tomb was so eerie, they couldn't eat this food.
Finally, all eyes turned to Zhou Lin. But Zhou Lin heard the sound of eating and looked over to see Lar eating heartily, oil dripping from his mouth.
He looked like he was enjoying it immensely, but Zhou Lin was contemplating whether to tell him.
He decided against it. After all, they didn't understand the rules, and he didn't want them to starve. What if they threw up? Wouldn't that be even more disgusting?
"Professor, can this stuff not be eaten?"
Captain Bai asked cautiously, deliberately lowering his voice, as if afraid the paper figures nearby might hear.
"It definitely can't be eaten. How can you eat dead people's things? If you dare to eat it, go ahead, because that's what you'll be eating later."
Zhou Lin's aura surged to his palm. He lightly brushed over the plates. The food that was once delicious and fragrant now turned into grass roots, bark, and some snakes, insects, rats, and ants, all of which were already dead.
The meat on top had rotted, emitting a foul odor.
Captain Bai, the metaphysics professor, Guo Liang, and the others instinctively covered their noses. The smell was unbearable.
"And someone actually likes to eat it? It's better not to let this kid know, otherwise, he probably won't be able to eat."
"And it's easy to throw up."
The metaphysics professor felt it was better not to say anything for now, as it would be a problem.
"Uh, the thought of him having eaten it makes me feel uneasy."
Guo Liang was already covering his mouth, occasionally retching.
"Why aren't these paper figures eating? Can they not eat it either?"
Captain Bai looked at the paper figures behind them, who were waiting for something.
"They are waiting for new guests to appear. The main family will be here soon."