Name: The Mountain God's Dinner
Author: Long Xin

Synopsis

Feel free to check out Network Crime Investigation Team (350,000 characters and counting) and Undercover Little Lamb (180,000 characters, nearing completion).

Completed works: The Art of Investigation, a story about cultivating a wickedly charming male police clerk; and Sunset on Molten Gold, where an old hand in criminal investigations takes in a little forensic wolf cub.

[Main Romance]

The mayor said that, to promote tourism, the ritual of sacrificing to the mountain god had to be revived. Si Xiaoli was the most important part of it: the sacrifice himself.

Waking on the altar, Si Xiaoli sucked in a breath. His lips hurt so much. Had they... been split?

Before he could think about it, he spotted a man standing tall atop the mountain peak, his long figure cutting through the fierce wind, seven parts unruly and three parts dashing.

Si Xiaoli suddenly understood. "Ah! A forest ranger!"

The man: "..."

The exceedingly polite sacrifice said, "Hello, Mr. Forest Ranger. I've come to be sacrificed. Could you tell me where the mountain god is?"

The man did not answer. His gaze was like moonlight, his voice like a cold spring. "At your age, you shouldn't be getting involved in feudal superstition."

The little sacrifice argued his case, and the man could not talk him out of it. He had no choice but to transform into his beast form.

Deep in the thick fog, a huge figure slowly drew near.

Was Si Xiaoli afraid? No. He was thrilled. "Big Wolf! Big Wolf! It's really you!" This was the deity who had once saved him!

"Don't call me Big Wolf." The man changed back into human form and said coldly, "I've read Water Margin."

Si Xiaoli: "Okay, Big Wolf."

The mountain god: "..."

"Do you know how a sacrifice is supposed to be offered?" the deity asked in a low voice.

Si Xiaoli: "Of course. You eat it."

The deity gave a cold snort. "A sacrifice means that you, as the offering, have to consummate our marriage!"

"Rumble, rumble! Crack!" Lightning and thunder shook the distant heavens, and the flashes lit up Si Xiaoli's petrified face.

This straight male sacrifice had never imagined a plot like this!

His beloved's soul had been shattered, but three hundred years later, at last, they entered the cycle of reincarnation.

The mountain god awaited him eagerly, yet worried that the entanglements of their past life might affect him. Unwilling to hurt his beloved, he did his best to keep his distance.

But one day, when the deity returned from an outing, he was astonished to find the person who haunted his dreams lying on his altar!

His beloved had grown into a dignified young man, sleeping soundly and completely unguarded. How could he not be moved?

At last, the ancient god could no longer suppress his longing. He went to his beloved and bent down to kiss him.

The young man remained unaware, but overcome by a moment of passion, the deity only realized he had tasted blood when he had already bitten the young man's lip in the midst of their entangled kiss.

He came to his senses abruptly and retreated in a panic. He did not even dare look at his beloved again.

A few days later, however, the young man looked at him expectantly and said, "Big Wolf, shall we consummate our marriage?"

[Mystery and Worldbuilding]

Key incidents: The Haunted Mall, The KTV Glass-Swallowing Death, The Aphrodisiac Mushroom, The Runaway Female Student, The Mental Plague Attack, The Haunted House's Ghostly Wails, The Ancient God's Theft of the Heavens and Substitution of the Sun...

Key characters: Si Xiaoli, the mountain god, Lu Wu (the Enlightened Beast), Qing Luan (the Azure Bird), Ge Dan, Sun Xiaoxue (the Thought Monster), Qu Ru, Qiu Yu, Bai Xing, Long Zhi...

[Reader's Guide]

1. A sweet, happy-ending romance with two virgins.

2. The gong and shou's identities and abilities are entirely original, not based on traditional mythological figures. Some beast characters, especially those used as ingredients, are inspired by The Classic of Mountains and Seas.

3. The strange-tales setting is a mystery, and the story takes place in a fictional world with its own independent setting. Its system of ghosts and gods differs from Earth's, so please don't nitpick the mythology.

4. They really do cook! Dinner is not the sacrifice himself! This story features interactions between lovers and mildly frightening cases. Not recommended for readers under 18.

[VIP Chapter Announcement] This novel will become a paid VIP title on December 20, 2025. VIP chapters begin with Chapter 19. Thank you all for your support!

[Currently Updating] Feel free to check out Network Crime Investigation Team (350,000 characters and counting).

Xie Wuzhong and Wen Bozhou: "Network Crime Investigation Team is here to take over!"

Xie Wuzhong: "A sweet childhood-friends romance about living together!"

Wen Bozhou: "Stories about grassroots online police officers."

Xie Wuzhong: "Solving cases!"

Wen Bozhou: "Getting together."

Xie Wuzhong: "Preorders are welcome!"

Wen Bozhou: "Stay tuned."

CUT! That's a wrap!

Xie Wuzhong: "Didn't you just say we were getting together?"

Wen Bozhou: "No."

Xie Wuzhong: "I heard you say we were getting together."