PTYS Chapter 31

Shen Qingqiu kept looking at her, smiling, but underneath that smile was a similarly complex and inexplicable expression.

She couldn’t understand Xiao Muyu’s inexplicable trust, but at that moment, she indeed gave the response Xiao Muyu wanted.

Moreover, she was happy about Xiao Muyu’s trust, a happiness that wasn’t what she had initially aimed to achieve.

After they finished explaining, the system broadcasted again: “Congratulations to player Xiao Muyu for successfully completing the side quest and obtaining a hidden reward: Stopwatch.”

Stopwatch, Rarity: A Grade Obtained by: Triggering a low-probability event in the sixth round of the lethal room game. Item Description: A stopwatch that can pause time in this space for ten seconds, during which everything except the user will be frozen. Do not underestimate these ten seconds; they could be enough to die several times or to save you several times. Use wisely. This item is rare and valuable, with a usage limit of six times and a 24-hour cooldown.

Xiao Muyu’s heart skipped a beat. Pausing time for ten seconds was an excellent life-saving tool.

Although this item was graded A, having six uses and a one-day cooldown was already quite extraordinary.

Chen Kaijie and the others hadn’t yet recovered from the recent ordeal. When they heard the system announcement and saw the item Xiao Muyu obtained, they were stunned. This item was indeed ingenious, a crucial life-saving straw at critical moments.

Chen Kaijie couldn’t hide his envy but quickly collected himself. Although he didn’t obtain it, having Xiao Muyu in their team provided some security.

Despite Xiao Muyu’s cold demeanor, Chen Kaijie felt she wasn’t someone who would abandon them in danger.

More importantly, the system announcing this verified that Shen Qingqiu had made the correct choice.

Xiao Muyu, holding the item, walked over to Shen Qingqiu with a rare, complex emotion on her usually indifferent face. She quietly said, “Thank you.”

Shen Qingqiu smiled slightly, her eyes sparkling. “You’ve thanked me many times already.”

Xiao Muyu pursed her lips and handed the item to Shen Qingqiu. “I don’t have much else to offer. This is something you helped me obtain. Take it as repaying your kindness.”

She stuffed the card into Shen Qingqiu’s hand and turned to inspect the earlier discovery on Nide’s portrait.

Shen Qingqiu looked at the A-grade card in her hand, her smile fading entirely, leaving her visibly unhappy.

Shen Qingqiu glanced at Chen Kaijie, who was staring at the item in disbelief. When he quickly looked away, she walked over to Xiao Muyu and handed back the card, coldly saying, “My favor is not something this trinket can repay. This is our mission to pass. Even if you triggered it, failing would cost all of us, not just you.”

Xiao Muyu frowned, looking at the item in her hand, then at Shen Qingqiu’s eyes, which lacked their usual playful sparkle and were instead dark and cold. This made Xiao Muyu’s heart sink.

“Do you trust me or not?” Shen Qingqiu’s gaze was already fixed on the pattern on the portrait’s wrist, her voice low and cold, tinged with sarcasm, making Xiao Muyu uncomfortable.

The discomfort came from Shen Qingqiu accurately pointing out her thoughts. Xiao Muyu did indeed harbor reservations about Shen Qingqiu. Meeting Shen Qingqiu consecutively in this world was too coincidental, and her behavior towards her was suspiciously peculiar. Yet, in moments of life and death, she couldn’t help but trust her.

Like just now, she had no confidence in persuading Chen Kaijie and the others, so she aimed to communicate her intent to Shen Qingqiu, relying on her to pressure them. As Chen Kaijie noted, it was an act of a madwoman.

Given more time, she wouldn’t have been so reckless, but in this scenario, there were no ifs.

Shen Qingqiu didn’t expect an answer. Her focus was on the tiny mark on the portrait. She rubbed it, confirming it wasn’t a stain but a pattern.

“You saw this and triggered the quest?”

Shen Qingqiu’s tone had left the previous conversation, asking Xiao Muyu directly.

Xiao Muyu nodded, putting away the card.

“What does this mean? It looks like an H. Is it a letter or a symbol?”

Hearing this, Chen Kaijie and the others gathered around to examine it, confirming it was an H shape.

Suddenly, Su Jin’s urgent voice called out, “There’s another one here!”

The five of them turned to look at Su Jin. Xiao Muyu was about to approach when she noticed something amiss in their actions—there were five of them?

Not only Xiao Muyu but Shen Qingqiu and the others realized the anomaly, their expressions freezing.

Su Jin’s previously delighted face turned to horror upon seeing the five of them. There…

Xiao Muyu immediately retreated, discovering another Su Jin behind them!

“Is this never-ending?” Chen Kaijie’s mind was in turmoil.

“Who… who is real?” Zuo Tiantian was utterly confused.

They couldn’t recall whether Su Jin had started with them or walked over.

“Do we have to guess again?”

Xiao Muyu frowned, glancing at the two identical Su Jin. Unlike her earlier predicament, neither was frozen. Realizing something, she solemnly commanded, “Sword, come!”

These two inexplicable words made Chen Kaijie think Xiao Muyu was summoning a sword. While they were confused about where Xiao Muyu could possibly get a sword, Su Jin, standing with them, suddenly manifested a peach wood sword.

This sword originally belonged to Wang Yushan. Before, it had been given to Su Jin, and the summoning incantation was “Sword, come!”

The peach wood sword, having passed from Wang Yushan to Su Jin, wasn’t yet bound to anyone, so as long as Su Jin didn’t reject it, the sword could be summoned.

When the sword appeared, Su Jin hesitated briefly, then quickly slashed at the mirror image. Shen Qingqiu immediately locked onto the target and decisively finished it off, sending the fake Su Jin back to the mural.

“Are they going to keep coming in turns?” Chen Kaijie barely finished speaking when the system interrupted.

“Please accurately identify your companions and obtain the correct clues for clearance. Mistakes will result in clue erasure! Each round is limited to one minute.”

Chen Kaijie’s forehead veins bulged. “Can’t you just explain the game rules all at once? This is our second time already, and you’re just telling me this now?”

The system was silent for a moment, then its voice sounded somewhat muffled.

“Players completed the pre-task, leaving no chance for the system to announce.”

Chen Kaijie: …

He turned to look at Xiao Muyu, momentarily at a loss for words. Xiao Muyu’s actions had even caught the system off guard.

Next came the rotation of appearances. Zuo Tiantian and Chen Kaijie were already mentally prepared. After going through so many levels together, they had developed a certain understanding and rapport with each other.

Chen Kaijie deliberately confused things by attributing Shen Qingqiu’s actions to Xiao Muyu, while Zuo Tiantian declared herself to be from the painting, completely disregarding conventional methods.

The creatures in the painting could mimic humans, peek into their memories, and even replicate their speech patterns and behaviors. However, they had yet to learn the subtleties of human interactions.

The enormous lantern carousel continued to spin, with flames constantly illuminating the eight walls, rendering them exquisitely transparent.

Out of the eight portraits, only Shen Qingqiu’s remained unchanged, causing a sense of unease among Xiao Muyu and the others.

“What’s the meaning of this? Aren’t we supposed to identify our companions? Why is Miss Shen’s not following the pattern?” Chen Kaijie’s eyes were filled with tension. Xiao Muyu and Shen Qingqiu both understood why he was nervous.

“Seven paintings have already come to life. Have we confirmed what clues we got from them?” Shen Qingqiu asked, her gaze fixed on her own portrait.

Whenever a painting came to life and returned to the mural, a symbol appeared on its wrist, presumably the clue.

“In order, it’s H, N, F, K, C, CA, I.” Xiao Muyu recited the letters they had obtained from the seven paintings, feeling a headache coming on.

If these symbols were letters, they didn’t form any recognizable word in any combination. She had also considered their order in the alphabet, but it didn’t make sense.

The most puzzling one was the CA on Zuo Tiantian’s portrait wrist.

As soon as Xiao Muyu finished speaking, the carousel, which had been rotating clockwise, abruptly stopped, then quickly began spinning counterclockwise. The central flame started to waver.

Their hearts tightened as the lantern carousel suddenly stopped. When they lost their footing, there was a loud “boom,” and the wall with Shen Qingqiu’s portrait opened.

“So Miss Shen is the way out?” Su Jin muttered, finding it a bit odd.

They exchanged glances, hopeful yet uncertain. Xiao Muyu stepped to the exit and looked out, her heart pounding with shock.

Her expression of astonishment made Shen Qingqiu and the others peer out as well, leaving them all stunned.

The space they were in seemed boundless, like being in the void of the universe.

Numerous giant lantern carousels floated in the darkness, resembling stars, their light illuminating the void. The scene extended infinitely upward and downward, connected by dimly glowing pathways like spider silk or red threads, evoking the ancient, splendid lantern scenes of Chang’an streets, both dazzling and awe-inspiring.

“I’ve never seen anything like this in my life.” Zuo Tiantian, momentarily forgetting their peril, was captivated by the beauty.

However, Xiao Muyu quickly snapped out of the enchantment, focusing on the narrow path ahead, her expression serious.

Taking a deep breath, she stepped onto the path. It was stable, but the edges blended into the darkness, creating an unsettling sense of suspension.

“Be careful. If you fall, who knows what will happen.” Xiao Muyu’s calm voice brought Zuo Tiantian and Su Jin back to reality, their faces paling as they had to muster their resolve to proceed.

Forming a single file, they cautiously walked the unknown path, uncertain of what awaited in the approaching lantern.

As they moved, the lantern behind them closed. From above, they looked like tiny dots on a string, slowly advancing along the red line.

Leading the way, Xiao Muyu couldn’t shake the feeling that she had forgotten something. She glanced back at her companions; all four were there, none missing.

The path stretched over two hundred meters. When they neared the next lantern, its door was already open.

“Do we go in?” Su Jin’s heart raced. The lantern, although close, concealed its interior.

Steeling herself, Xiao Muyu took the first step into the unknown, hoping they were moving towards a future, rather than another trap.

“We have no choice.”

Shen Qingqiu remained calm and walked in with Xiao Muyu. The remaining three followed without hesitation, and the door closed behind them.

At the other end of the path they had come from, a tall woman appeared. She held a dagger in her hand, her gaze fixed on the direction where the five had entered. Her gray pupils gradually turned red under the lamplight.

Author’s note: Xiao Xiao: I hate myself, outwardly aloof but inwardly sincere!

Little Shen: As long as I like it.

Xiao Xiao: Maybe I should change.

Little Shen: See, here we go again.

I got negative comments again, crying like a storm. My dear readers, what are you thinking? Don’t be like Xiao Xiao, outwardly rejecting but inwardly loving. This isn’t something Xiao Xiao would do.

Moonstone isn’t a good thing. Heartache, this is the nth time I’ve received such sweet yet critical comments. Let’s be sincere with each other and embrace love.