Note:
Uncle Seven (Lin Zhengying) is a character inspired by the real-life Hong Kong actor and Taoist priest Lam Ching-Ying (林正英), who was famously known for playing Taoist exorcists and corpse handlers in classic Chinese horror comedies such as:
🔹 "Mr. Vampire" (僵尸先生)🔹 "Encounters of the Spooky Kind"🔹 "Vampire vs. Vampire"
"Have you ever seen Gao Jin? Do you even know what he looks like?"
"So what if I say the tavern owner is Gao Jin?"
Su Mu's storytelling had been too vivid.
So vivid, in fact, that Gao Jin's image was now deeply etched in every listener's mind.
And right now, everything about Su Mu's demeanor perfectly matched the man in the tale.
Sweat slid slowly down Tsunade's brow. Her frustration surged.
There's no way he beat me. It's just an act—
Then Su Mu gently waved his hand above his card, before flipping it up and slamming it onto the table.
An Ace!
The spectators who had clearly seen his card earlier were dumbfounded.
They'd seen an eight. They swore it was an eight!
So how the hell did it turn into an Ace?!
Tsunade slumped back into her chair, face full of despair.
"Now that—that is a God of Gamblers!"
"Of all those who I have seen over the years , there is no one who can surpass you at gambling skill! That's why, I, Sazaki Domokuma of Duanshan Street, DECLARE YOU THE STRONGEST!"
Shock Value +30!Shock Value +100!Shock Value +25!...
"You win," Tsunade said blankly, staring at Su Mu. "So… a God of Gamblers really does exist in this world."
Su Mu simply smiled and gave his fan a flick.
Tsunade clutched the necklace at her neck and fell silent.
"…Before I give you this necklace," she said , "can you tell me a story? One… about the souls of the dead finding peace?"
Su Mu paused. So this necklace really is a thorn in her heart.
All the better. He might as well help her untangle that knot—he'd likely earn a handsome reward for it, too.
"As it happens, I do have a tale of soul summoning and corpse guiding. Want to hear it?"
He turned and stepped back onto the high platform.
The moment Su Mu announced a new story, the patrons eagerly rushed back to their seats.
"Waitress! Ten more bottles of sake!"
"Five bottles for me!"
"Make that three here!"
The tavern's business thrived entirely thanks to Su Mu's stories.
Normally, he'd only tell one tale a day—and afterward, he'd vanish for two full days before returning.
But today was different.
Two stories in one day. The guests were thrilled.
All thanks to Tsunade's unexpected appearance.
One by one, they started offering her drinks in celebration.
Just as Su Mu opened his mouth to begin, two cloaked strangers entered the tavern.
They quietly took seats in a dim corner.
Su Mu gave them a passing glance… and smiled faintly.
"The next tale: The Blood-Robed Soul Summoner begins now."
"They say that souls who die far from home often lose their way. Their spirits linger, trapped like their corpses, suffering endless torment in foreign lands."
"They are denied incense offerings, food sacrifices, or the redemption of sacred chants."
"Such souls become pitiful hungry ghosts—wandering endlessly in places not their own, unable to reincarnate."
"Only when their family performs a soul summoning ritual can they hear that longing voice calling them home. Once the voice reaches them and the body is prepared, the soul can be summoned—and the ritual begins."
The tavern lights were slightly dim, just enough to set the mood.
The atmosphere paired perfectly with the eerie tale.
The patrons were both creeped out and captivated.
"Can even the long-dead be summoned back?!"
Tsunade suddenly stood up, blurting the question that had gnawed at her heart.
The outburst startled the room.
"Lady, can you not shout like that next time?! You nearly scared me to death!"
Su Mu raised a hand, signaling Tsunade to hold her question. Then he flicked open his fan and continued:
"There's a world called Blue Star. And on it, there was a man named Lin Zhengying—people called him Uncle Seven."
"Uncle Seven possessed mystical powers—he could summon souls, guide the dead…"
As the story unfolded, one of the cloaked men in the corner let out a mocking snort.
"What a joke. Soul summoning? Ridiculous."
"It's just superstition and trickery."
"When people die, their souls pass on—they don't reincarnate."
"My Edo Tensei explains it far better."
The other man nodded. "Lord Orochimaru, how are your hands doing? Don't forget to take your medicine later."
"Mm. Seems Tsunade still can't let go of Nawaki and Dan… That makes them useful bargaining chips."
"And my hands… might finally be restored…"
A long, serpentine tongue slipped from beneath the black cloak.
From beginning to end, Tsunade listened intently, her gaze never leaving Su Mu.
The guests were amazed by the mystical technique of soul summoning and corpse guiding—but many still found it a little too fantastical.
Compared to the God of Gamblers, this felt… exaggerated.
"Man, my dad never told me where he hid the money before he died. If I could summon his soul, I'd love to ask!"
"If your dad really came back and saw you, he'd beat you to death!"
"Still… great story. As long as Uncle Seven's around, I feel safe!"
Su Mu could tell what Tsunade wanted to ask—but now wasn't the time to answer.
[System Interface – Activated]
Total Shock Value: 2,000+ points
Achievement reward from God of Gamblers story: +500 points
Opening the Universal Redemption Shop—
Here, Su Mu could exchange Shock Value points for techniques, skills, items, weapons, even characters—all from the stories he had told.
The stronger the item, the higher the cost. Some required millions of Shock Value.
Items in grey were locked—meaning the story hadn't been told yet.
To unlock a story's rewards, it had to be told in full first.
For example, Uncle Seven's peachwood sword couldn't be redeemed while Su Mu was telling the God of Gamblers story.
But now that Uncle Seven's tale had been shared—it was available.
The system also included a lottery feature, offering three draw options...