I Forged the Myth of the Ancient Overlords
Chapter 107 - 107 106. Strange Talk Game_1

Chapter 107: 106. Strange Talk Game_1 Chapter 107: 106. Strange Talk Game_1 “One Hundred Poets? What kind of game is that?”

Lu Ban glanced at Tachibana Masamune.

He still appeared human on the surface, but the areas where his two eyes should be were not human; they were composed of countless smaller eyes, like the compound eyes of an insect. Looking at Tachibana Masamune’s eye sockets made one feel a newfound revulsion.

Red Leaf was startled and stood still.

Without making a fuss, Lu Ban pulled her down to sit beside him.

“One Hundred Poets is a horror game popular on Harmony Island. Each player stands in a corner of a pitch-black room, holding a candle. Then, starting with the first person, they blow out the candle, close their eyes, and walk along the wall to the next person, chanting a poem as they go. Then they lightly tap the person’s shoulder, signaling them to pass the candle flame to you. After that, the second person blows out their candle and continues to walk, just like the first person did.”

The numerous eyes of Tachibana Masamune looked at Lu Ban and Red Leaf. Lu Ban felt a momentary tension from Red Leaf beside him, but she quickly adjusted.

According to Red Leaf, the more you understand certain things, the more knowledge you acquire, the less likely you are to be affected by obstacles.

Before, Lu Ban and Red Leaf were at least looking at a human Tachibana Masamune. Now, after the events at the He Island Shrine, they seemed to have gained a deeper understanding of this world, so they were seeing more.

Thinking this way, did the Shrine Maiden presiding over the Great Shrine of Harmony Island have knowledge beyond that of ordinary people? And was the world as she saw it even more terrifying?

“Does this game have any secrets?”

Lu Ban asked casually.

The game seemed somewhat familiar to him, but the version he knew was more rudimentary. Given that the island itself contained supernatural elements, he wondered if these games had any special effects.

“Well, it’s said that if the poem chanted is correct, it might attract spirits. What was originally a game for four players will end with an incessant chanting of poems, while the candles remain lit in all four corners.”

The countless eyes of Tachibana Masamune glanced at Red Leaf.

“Moreover, the reason it’s called ‘One Hundred Poets’ is that up to one hundred people can play this game. In a massive and empty environment, there will eventually be one extra person—101 players in total!”

Ginpei toyed with the fan in his hand, its flesh pulsating like a heartbeat, trembling.

“Shall we give it a try?”

Lu Ban also looked at Red Leaf.

“?”

Red Leaf paused, a question mark surfacing in her eyes.

This game clearly had issues, and to play it with those who had already mutated into monsters seemed dangerous. Or was he trying to glean some information through the game?

After a moment’s thought, Red Leaf nodded slightly.

“Let’s play then.”

The four of them took up candles, closed the doors and windows, turned off the lights, and in the order of Tachibana Masamune, Ginpei, Lu Ban, and Red Leaf, they stood in the four corners of the room.

In the deep room, only the flickering candlelight illuminated their faces.

“I’ll start.”

Tachibana Masamune said, and then blew out his candle.

In an instant, the room dimmed significantly. Each person’s candle could only illuminate their surroundings, and they couldn’t see anything farther away, which was abnormal—as if bound by some force beyond human comprehension.

“In the lonely empty mountains, the winter solstice is even more desolate. I look up to see the distant human traces, and all around me the white grass is barren.”

Tachibana Masamune chanted a poem in an eerie melody, intermixed with murmurs, echoing in the silent room like an ancient call.

After waiting for a while, Lu Ban saw a hand suddenly extend from the shadow of the candlelight beside Ginpei, lightly tapping his shoulder.

Tachibana Masamune appeared beside Ginpei, and he seemed to have mutated a bit more, his skin cracking with red flesh visible beneath the fissures.

Ginpei transferred the candle flame to Tachibana Masamune and then blew out his own, disappearing into the candlelight of the corner.

“The loneliness I cannot bear…”

Lu Ban turned his head toward where Ginpei was coming from. Next to the pitch-black wall, he couldn’t see anything, only hearing Ginpei’s muffled voice.

The boundary between the area illuminated by the candlelight and the dark was unclear, as if the frail light in hand could be swallowed up at any moment.

“Look out from the hermitage to the sky…”

As Ginpei’s voice came from the side, Lu Ban focused intently, waiting for his approach.

However, the voice always seemed neither far nor near, as if it were right by Lu Ban’s side, but never closing in.

“Everywhere lies desolation…”

The chant, resembling whispers, arose beside Lu Ban’s ears, and he couldn’t help turning his head because just a moment ago, he had distinctly heard the sound coming from his right, which was the direction of Red Leaf.

But there was only Red Leaf, holding the candle, looking at him with a serious expression.

Lu Ban then looked to his left.

A face was right in front of him.

“The chill of autumn dusk…”

Hearing this voice coming from Ginpei’s mouth, Lu Ban felt his heart skip a beat.

He passed the candle flame to Ginpei and then blew out his candle and walked toward Red Leaf.

Darkness enveloped Lu Ban, silence surrounded him, he looked back to see the menacing Ginpei holding the candle, standing in the corner, and he also saw Tachibana Masamune in another corner, likewise holding a candle, standing there like a statue.

Lu Ban turned his head, looking ahead.

Suddenly, he remembered something.

They talked about “One Hundred Poets,” but he didn’t know any of the Waka poems!

These were not included in the knowledge he had learned.

A bit embarrassing.

“Should I just turn on the light now and apologize to everyone, saying ‘Sorry, I lack the cultural knowledge to understand Waka poems’?”

Lu Ban thought to himself, that would be too shameful.

He closed his eyes, slowed down his steps, and continued forward, when a sudden inspiration struck him.

“Before my bed, the moonlight shines…”

Since Waka poems and ancient poetry were more or less similar, reciting a couple on the spot shouldn’t be a problem.

As soon as he began, Lu Ban, with his eyes closed, felt the surrounding darkness deepen even further.

Only ahead, the flickering candle held by Red Leaf shimmered faintly before his eyes, guiding the way.

“It seems like frost upon the ground…”

Lu Ban continued to walk forward, and according to his feeling, he should have covered half the distance by now; he subconsciously raised his hand to touch the wall on his right, but grasped at air.

“?”

Lu Ban stretched out his right hand but still did not encounter the wall.

He even moved a bit to the right.

“I started out walking along the wall, there shouldn’t have been any change in direction, so why has the wall disappeared now?”

Lu Ban thought to himself.

“Is it really okay to just keep walking straight ahead?”

He took steps forward, wanting to open his eyes, but still restrained the urge to do so.

“Looking up to gaze upon the bright moon…”

As Lu Ban uttered the third line, he felt the environment around him change.

A gust of cold air blew from behind him, giving Lu Ban goosebumps.

How could there be a breeze in this room with the doors and windows tightly shut?

And this wind didn’t feel like a natural breeze but more like… someone breathing behind him?

He quickened his pace slightly, eager to end this walk as soon as possible, but then, Lu Ban noticed something else was off.

“I’ve walked for so long, why haven’t I reached where Red Leaf is?”

Lu Ban continued to walk, almost breaking into a run.

Yet the path seemed to have no end, always failing to reach the destination.

Walls, the room, everything seemed to have vanished, and Lu Ban felt as if he had entered a different space altogether.

Lu Ban calmed down and slowed his steps, realizing he had only two choices.

First, open his eyes and confirm the situation.

Second, finish reciting the poem and then see what happens next.