Chapter 75: I Really Saw a Ghost

His companion patted him on the shoulder with a sympathetic look, but quickly put the matter out of his mind. His eyes lit up with excitement as they landed on the fifty brass treasure chests in the center of the square.

""Hawei, let's squeeze in a bit closer. Amos said these brass chests have all sorts of good stuff inside. Let's get a better look.""

A woman up ahead immediately turned around and glared at him in annoyance. ""Bulu, stop pushing! You're about to squeeze your aunt's guts out!""

The surrounding clansmen all chimed in, complaining loudly.

""Yeah, I can't even move with all this pushing!""

""Hey, stop shoving! I just drank my nutrient solution and you're about to squeeze it right out of me!""

""Who's pulling my hair? Who? I've only got a few strands left—if you pull them out, I'll pull yours out too! You, kid in the back, don't move. Wait till I turn around and get a good look at your face!""

The crowd was full of grumbling and shouting. Bulu gave an awkward laugh and quickly pulled his hand back, not daring to push forward any further.

He glanced over at Aunt Meifang in the crowd. She was like a little white dragon riding the waves, skillfully weaving through the throng. With each blink, she edged closer, and before long, she had carved out a path to the very front all on her own. Uncle Kuke, caught in her wake, managed to squeeze up front as well.

Bulu looked on in admiration, feeling a bit embarrassed as he glanced at his good friend Hawei beside him.

If he hadn’t held Hawei back, Hawei probably would have made it to the front too.

Hawei tugged at the corner of his mouth. ""It's fine. I’ve seen Amos open chests before, and I’m tall enough to see from here anyway.""

Bulu, half a head shorter: ...

He puffed out his cheeks in frustration. It must be because he hadn't eaten as much meat as Hawei, that’s why he hadn’t grown as tall. Once they got to Earth Village, he was determined to hunt more monsters and eat more meat.

""Alright, everyone quiet down, quiet down. Let's form a circle around the square, with me and the chests in the center,"" Yun Qimu called out.

""Those in the front can sit down. I’ve already had the ground cleaned, it’s safe to sit. That way, the people standing behind can see clearly too.""

With Yun Qimu’s instructions, everyone complied without hesitation.

The crowd spread out, and those who had been packed together like sardines finally relaxed, their moods improving instantly.

Smiles broke out all around. ""Chief Yun always thinks of everything!""

""Yeah, Chief Yun is amazing—she can even get star pirates to do chores!""

""I saw it from outside the tribe earlier. Those three star pirates didn’t dare resist at all, just swept the ground like obedient little chicks.""

Over a hundred clansmen formed a circle, chatting and laughing. Whether at the front or the back, everyone could now see Yun Qimu and the brass treasure chests in the center.

Standing in the middle, Yun Qimu showed no sign of stage fright. In fact, she was reminded of her days in the gifted class, surrounded by junior students and subordinates.

In the flickering firelight, she wore her usual—cough, her usual warm and friendly smile. Facing all those curious, eager eyes, she began to speak with a smile.

""I’m sure everyone in the Tiangou Tribe knows why I’ve gathered you here tonight. That’s right—it’s to open treasure chests!""

""These chests are a specialty of Earth Village. I’m sure you’ve heard a bit about them. You can get all sorts of things from inside: pure natural meat with zero dark matter, powerful weapons, potions to restore stamina, and even cards that can grant superpowers to ordinary people...""

With each item she listed, the eyes of the crowd grew brighter, their breathing heavier.

When she mentioned the cards that could give ordinary people powers, the excitement reached a fever pitch.

Especially the ordinary folks—their eyes were practically boring holes into the chests, wishing they could crawl inside and find that one card that would make them strong.

Hawei, an ordinary person who longed for powers, clenched his fists in excitement, his eyes red with longing. Never before had he so desperately wanted to join Earth Village, or wanted so badly to get his hands on a card that could give him powers.

The other clansmen were no different. They held their breath in anticipation, eyes shining with wolfish hunger, their desire for Earth Village written all over their faces.

Yun Qimu was very pleased with their enthusiasm. She went on to paint a rosy picture of life in Earth Village—plenty of food and drink, beautiful wives, a bright future. Of course, she also reminded them that opening chests was all about luck, and that not everyone would get something good—a ""minor flaw.""

But the Tiangou clansmen didn’t care. No one was willing to admit they had bad luck. Each one patted their chest, confident they’d get an SR card from their chest.

Well, Wu Xingyu probably thought the same before opening his chest.

Yun Qimu kindly didn’t burst their bubble, just smiled and moved on to the next topic: the ""deal with the devil"" nature of Earth Village, and the risks involved.

She gave them one last chance to choose whether or not to join.

The Tiangou clansmen didn’t care about that either. Like Ge Miao, they shrugged off the risks. Earth Village had delicious fruit, tasty roast meat, and all sorts of amazing things. Of course there were risks—if there weren’t, it would probably be a scam!

And so, both sides reached a happy understanding, forming a beautiful alliance under the full moon.

Then, with great excitement, they moved on to the main event: opening the treasure chests.

""These fifty chests are the ones I saved from fighting monsters this afternoon. Now, let’s open them up and see what’s inside!"" Yun Qimu said with a grin.

""Great, great!""

""Open them, open them! I’ve been waiting forever!""

The Tiangou clansmen cheered and clapped, their excitement echoing far and wide.

Yun Qimu smiled, then bent down and reached for the nearest chest.

[Ding-dong—Congratulations, player has obtained: 1 plucked chicken!]

[Ding-dong—Congratulations, player has obtained: 1 red winter coat!]

[Ding-dong—Congratulations, player has obtained: 1 Strength Card!]

To Yun Qimu, these three items were nothing special—just an average chest. But the Tiangou clansmen watching were beside themselves with excitement.

Especially when she pulled out the plucked chicken.

Their eyes turned green with envy.

Cries of amazement rang out. ""A chicken! Look at that tender, juicy, rosy meat!""

""I can smell the fresh, delicious aroma—nothing like the stinky berserk beast meat we usually eat!""

""Ah, I declare this is now my favorite chicken in the world!""

..."