Chinese-style horror (mildly scary) + rules-based mystery + irreverent master-disciple romance + a touch of the occult
(Details in the blurb and the rules of the mystery are subject to change, but the core concept will stay the same.)
Laid-back zombie master X irreverent Taoist disciple
After Zhong Tong had been dead for many years, she became a zombie. To enjoy a peaceful afterlife, she decided to return to the earth and sleep.
But years later, the place where she slept had become a tourist attraction in an ancient town, and its visitors were all disappearing mysteriously...
That's when someone dug up her grave.
[We're sorry, but you've arrived at the Mystery Town.]
The ticket seller warned: For your safety, please read the following rules carefully:
1. There is only one old locust tree at the entrance to the ancient town. If you see more than one, ask the ticket seller to cut them down. Note: The real ticket seller only appears during the day.
2. There is no joss paper ash on the roads in the ancient town. If you see any, leave immediately. But if you hear the sound of someone tapping a bowl at the end of that road, hold your breath and stay where you are.
3. Please protect the cultural relics, but this does not include the sedan chair or red clothes.
4. If someone tries to lead you away, look at their feet. If their heels don't touch the ground, find the ticket seller immediately.
5. If someone wearing an opera costume follows you, give them a tip. Gold and jade are best.
6. On rainy days, a red-faced old man will appear and hand out candy. Take the candy and lead him somewhere the rain can't reach, then leave quietly.
7. If you hear knocking at night, burn a stick of incense at the door. If you hear muttering outside, leave the room immediately and find a blind old man.
8. There are no portraits beside the bed. If you see a portrait of an ancient woman at night, remember not to make a sound.
9. Don't forget who you are, and don't forget what you look like. If you're not sure, put two bronze mirrors together. The thirteenth face you see is your own.
10. Remember: The moon is round.
On her first day in the ancient town, Zhong Tong came face-to-face with someone in an opera costume. She silently tightened her grip on the only jade pendant she owned that was worth anything. "..."
The person who had dug up her grave teased her. "Just give them any tip you like."
Zhong Tong smiled. "It's my only burial possession. The poor never bow their heads."
* * * *
As a wandering Taoist priest who was "old as the hills," Zhao Xiaobai followed the scent to the ancient town.
Well, well, well. Demons and ghosts everywhere, a rules-based mystery, and all his long-neglected work lined up in one place!
He refused to work overtime, so he did a divination and dug up Zhong Tong's grave with a shovel.
Leaning on his shovel, Zhao Xiaobai raised an eyebrow and smiled. "Master, did you miss me?"
Zhong Tong gritted her teeth. "You wicked disciple!"
You lie buried beneath the earth, your bones eroded by the mud. I come to loosen the soil above your grave.
Warnings:
1. A zombie and a Taoist priest join forces to catch ghosts and wreak havoc in the mystery. It involves a touch of the occult and heaps of authorial liberties, so please don't take it too seriously.
2. Before her death, the female lead was seven years older than the male lead.
3. The male lead isn't just a background character. There is a goofy master-disciple relationship as well as sweet romance.
4. The second version of the blurb was written on January 17, 2024. This screenshot is proof.
5. More to come...
Theme: World peace.
