The castle hall was brightly lit, and the expressions of those sitting around the table varied. The only one standing was Tang Zihang, who had already walked to the door. A young girl hesitated for a moment before getting up to join him as he was about to open the door.
“Tang Zihang, are you sure you want to go into the forest now?”
Raindrops pattered down, mixing with the earthy smell of rotting corpses. The little red-clad delinquent girl was dead, killed by the wolves’ claws, which everyone knew. Despite knowing this, Tang Zihang still wanted to go to the forest at night, which Ji Yun found hard to understand.
After Qin Dongwan and Luo Shu left, a strange noise suddenly echoed through the villa, causing the already jittery people to gather on the first floor, unwilling to stay alone in their rooms. The bright light illuminated the beautiful face of the young girl. Ji Yun took a step forward and gently grabbed Tang Zihang’s sleeve.
“Wait a bit longer. Maybe your two friends just went out for a look and not necessarily into the forest. You know how dangerous it is at night.”
Her voice grew softer as she spoke, her expression pitiful. Her beautiful face, coupled with such an expression, was hard for a young man to resist. Tang Zihang’s expression softened, but then he seemed to remember something and shook his head vigorously.
“No, Xiao Yun, you saw there was no one in their room. They must have gone out. I know Dongwan; she’s usually timid and wouldn’t go into such a terrifying place like the forest easily. But that little girl, she definitely would! Don’t be fooled by her small size; she’s got a lot of guts!”
The “little girl” Tang Zihang referred to was undoubtedly Luo Shu, whose striking purple eyes had left a deep impression on everyone present. At the mention of her courage, a man who had been sitting fearfully suddenly stood up, his chair screeching against the floor.
“It’s her, that girl! She looks cute but is incredibly strong! And you still want to find her? Don’t be stupid. We’re sitting here because we can barely protect ourselves. And you want to find someone? You’re such a saint!”
A strange woman, evidently very nervous, was constantly scratching the table to relieve her anxiety, completely ignoring their conversation. Seeing everyone’s indifference, Tang Zihang angrily grabbed an umbrella and turned to leave, only to be stopped by Ji Yun.
“Wait, I’ll go with you.”
Her voice was clear and gentle but lacked decisiveness, clearly mustering all her courage. She looked worriedly at the rain outside, holding onto Tang Zihang’s sleeve, feeling comforted by his warmth through the thin fabric.
“We can’t just leave them to die, and I can’t let you go alone. Let’s go together; at least we can help each other.”
“Ah? But you’re a girl…”
“Let’s go.”
Before they could argue further, Zuo Chu, who had been listening intently at the dining table, suddenly stood up and pushed his chair forward. With long, straight legs, he strode over to them. His cold, low voice carried an undeniable authority as he pushed the two hesitant people aside, grabbed an umbrella from the ground, and opened it.
“Sitting here won’t bring us any clues.”
He didn’t offer any further explanation. With a light hum, he shifted the umbrella over Ji Yun’s head.
“To the forest.”
**
There were no living creatures in sight, only a skull on the ground at the entrance that startled Qin Dongwan. Luo Shu, expressionless, kicked it away, licking her dry lips as the candlelight reflected in her clear purple eyes, shimmering slightly.
Unlike Qin Dongwan’s nervousness, Luo Shu, who had descended from higher-level game instances, was much bolder. She started rummaging through everything without a second glance. Her small, fair hands had a destructive power that belied her appearance. With a loud crash, she flipped open a drawer cabinet in the corner, squatted down, and felt the floor beneath.
“What are you doing?”
The tension from the forest’s eerie environment was eased by Luo Shu’s violent actions. Remembering she was with her favorite “Raging Loli,” Qin Dongwan felt a bit braver, but she still cautiously kept an eye on their surroundings to avoid missing anything.
The room was simply furnished, almost entirely visible at a glance. She recalled the novel’s description and walked to the window, where she indeed saw the word “death” clearly printed on it.
“In previous levels, clues were hidden under tables. I’m checking here.”
Apparently, the result was unsatisfactory. Luo Shu snorted and stood up, kicking the cabinet.
“Useless junk.”
“Wait, open the drawer and take a look?”
In the original story, Zuo Chu came here, and after sharing clues with Ji Yun, he mentioned that a crucial item was here but lacked the key. Remembering the key she took from the little delinquent girl, Qin Dongwan immediately walked over, squatted down, inserted the key into the lock, and turned it with a click, loosening the drawer.
A gentle pull revealed a dazzling array of items.
Daggers, bottles, ropes… flowers and herbs, all sorts of things piled inside, looking very much like the props Zuo Chu had mentioned. Qin Dongwan suddenly remembered the story on her identity card, where “she” should have died under the evil sister’s dagger. The dagger in the drawer had a short handle with intricate patterns, and its sharp blade glinted coldly in the candlelight, closely matching the description.
“This should be it!”
The supposedly perilous journey was surprisingly simple, making Qin Dongwan somewhat incredulous. But then she realized it was mainly due to Luo Shu’s prowess and her own advance knowledge of the plot. Though her foresight had weakened after the first level, it was still helpful when needed.
“The rule this time is to avoid being hunted by our enemies. Each of our identity cards has an enemy. Ah Shu, check if your enemy’s weapon is in here.”
“Yes.”
Luo Shu grabbed a bottle, turned it, and indeed saw a poison label on it, her lips curling in satisfaction. Meanwhile, distant voices mixed with the sound of wind and rain reached their ears, one of which was recognizable as Tang Zihang.
“Beware of auditory hallucinations!”
Recalling previous lessons, Qin Dongwan quickly put on makeshift earplugs and crouched by the window, peeking outside. The rain was getting heavier, the downpour swallowing up sounds, leaving only faint traces.
Cold air seeped through the window frame into the room. With a clear division of labor, one watched outside while the other monitored inside. Qin Dongwan’s nose itched, and she covered it with one hand, barely stifling a sneeze.
The previously relaxed heartstrings were now taut again, fearing that what was approaching might be ghosts beyond human power. Gripping the dagger tightly, Qin Dongwan took shallow breaths, concentrating on the outside.
“Qin Dongwan—Dongwan—”
“Is Qin Dongwan here?”
The voices were close enough to be distinct through the rain. Noticing the light in the cabin, Tang Zihang eagerly walked over first.
“There’s light here; let me check.”
“Be careful, don’t go directly—”
It was undoubtedly Tang Zihang and Ji Yun.
Before she could finish, Tang Zihang rushed over, panting heavily. Her tension eased, her stiff muscles relaxed, and Qin Dongwan sighed in relief, signaling Luo Shu to pack up the items first.
Stuffing the miscellaneous items into a backpack and slinging it over her shoulder, Luo Shu glared at Tang Zihang as he entered.
“What are you here for?”
“To find you!”
He walked in casually, ignoring Luo Shu’s displeased expression.
“Did you find anything? Why come to the forest suddenly? Let’s go quickly; I feel something bad will happen if we stay here long.”
They had indeed found something, but neither Qin Dongwan nor Luo Shu wanted to say much. It would be fine if only Tang Zihang had come, but Ji Yun, Zuo Chu, and another unfamiliar person were waiting outside.
“Just checking for clues. We’ll share the information later.”
Tang Zihang was easy to handle. After Qin Dongwan’s brief explanation, he didn’t ask further, handing his umbrella to her before huddling under the unfamiliar man’s umbrella. Closing the door behind her, Qin Dongwan learned that the man, named Zhong Lin, had caught up with them later.
Remembering there was indeed such a minor character, Qin Dongwan nodded without paying much attention, and the group trudged through the muddy ground, making their way with difficulty.
The wind howled through the forest, tearing at the vegetation. In the torrential rain, visibility was blurred. Unconsciously, Qin Dongwan reached out to hold the young girl’s hand beside her. Initially, Luo Shu tried to shake her off, but after almost slipping in the mud, she reluctantly agreed.
Tang Zihang and Zhong Lin brought up the rear, while Zuo Chu and Ji Yun led the way. The two girls were sandwiched in the safest middle position. The heavy rain swallowed their breaths, their light conversation covered by the noise. Qin Dongwan suddenly felt that the umbrella from the castle was too small, barely enough for two girls.
One of her shoulders was soaked, the cold almost making her sneeze. Barely holding it back, she felt uncomfortable and glanced back at the two men squeezed under one umbrella. But where there were supposed to be two, there was only one: Tang Zihang, looking like he hadn’t fully woken up, stumbled forward like a zombie.
“Tang Zi…”
Before she could finish, the boy staggered and fell towards them.
Author’s Note:
Tang Zihang: This forest is definitely against me! Thank you to the angels who voted for me or watered me with nutrient solution between 2020-09-12 21:15:39 and 2020-09-14 08:16:33~ Thank you to the angels who cast landmines: Xiao, .. 1; love you all, thank you for your support! I’ll keep working hard!
