SVRP Chapter 7

A chubby man emerged from the overgrown weeds, looking at Luo Shu with an unfriendly expression. He had indeed been eavesdropping in a dishonorable manner, but this little girl’s arrogant attitude was too much; he wondered if she needed a lesson.

Before this, Luo Shu had already passed several levels, but she was sabotaged by a group of people, causing her to lose all her points and end up in the novice level.

If she were on the third level or above, almost everyone would know the name of the “Killing Lolita.” As a novice, the man had never heard of her, but unfortunately for him, Luo Shu didn’t believe in the excuse of ignorance.

“What are two sluts whispering about that can’t be heard? I bet you scream just fine in bed…”

The man’s lecherous smile was abruptly cut off as Luo Shu’s foot flew up and hit his jaw. The collision of teeth and bone stifled his scream. He had just stood up from the bushes and now found himself back among the green branches, breaking several in the process.

The commotion drew curious glances from a few people. Qin Dongwan instinctively stepped forward to shield Luo Shu, blocking all prying eyes and threats.

She had no sympathy for the man who had spoken so rudely but didn’t want Luo Shu to start a massacre in the novice level either. She kicked him hard again and shouted angrily:

“Get lost!”

The pain from the branches scratching his skin lingered, but the man dared not tangle with the strong girl any longer. Covering his mouth with a tooth mixed with blood, he scrambled away.

Not completely stupid, Qin Dongwan snorted lightly and turned to see Tang Zihang, who was holding his injured arm and slowly approaching:

“Have you seen a girl? Pretty, wearing a white dress, about this tall—”

He gestured in front of himself, worry etched in his brows. In the original storyline, Tang Zihang was a devoted side character, always running alongside the main couple. Though not very popular, his death for the female lead at the end earned him plenty of tears.

Seeing his “seed of infatuation” starting to sprout, Qin Dongwan kindly intervened. She preferred her simple-minded friend, the original owner of the body, over the miraculously surviving heroine:

“I saw her; she probably went to complete a task. You shouldn’t stand here all day. Let’s ask the maid inside if we can get some breakfast and then bandage your wound.”

The task had to be completed within three days, not particularly urgent, but Qin Dongwan had a feeling it wouldn’t be easy.

Luo Shu was about to explain when Tang Zihang nonchalantly pushed open the door and walked in. The maid inside had disappeared without a trace, likely having left after issuing the task.

In the novice level, there weren’t many restrictions. Luo Shu could tell the maid was just an ordinary NPC and not a ghost, even overhearing from her that there were tools in the warehouse.

After checking the castle, they divided the tasks. Qin Dongwan went to the kitchen, Tang Zihang treated his wound, and Luo Shu wandered around the hall.

To avoid accidents, Tang Zihang brought the medicine he found in a room downstairs. His constant sighs made one wonder if he was gravely ill.

Qin Dongwan’s cooking skills were passable. The kitchen was grand but had limited ingredients, allowing for only a few breakfast choices.

After some hesitation, she came out to ask if they wanted their sandwich with a fried egg or blueberry jam. Just as she peeked out, she saw a figure silently descending the stairs.

Her breath caught, and her blood nearly froze.

A staircase divided the spacious hall, the kitchen at the back shaded by the stairs, creating a cool, shadowy area.

Yesterday’s tattered girl now descended with an incongruous smile, bathed in sunlight but casting no shadow.

Wearing high-heeled Martin boots, she moved soundlessly, more like a feather drifting down than walking.

Qin Dongwan reached for her dagger, palms sweaty, barely holding it steady. After a few deep breaths, she calmed down.

No normal person could stay composed seeing someone they thought dead come back to life. She didn’t dare move, eyes fixed on the girl.

Suddenly.

A cold, snake-like sensation climbed her spine, slithering over her clammy back. The girl’s neck twisted at an impossible angle, her venomous eyes chilling in the sunlight, fixing Qin Dongwan in place.

Her joints felt rusted, unable to move. The girl stepped closer, licking her lips like inspecting prey.

The hall was large; Luo Shu and Tang Zihang were too far to call out without risking a deadly confrontation. Qin Dongwan remembered a scene from the original story where shouting for help provoked the ghost, who killed the person before help arrived. Horror games didn’t follow common sense.

The girl reached the bottom of the stairs, and Qin Dongwan prepared herself. Just then, the castle doors burst open, sunlight flooding in, engulfing the girl. A piercing scream echoed as she disintegrated, returning to her true form: a tattered red dress, scattered bones, and a half-rotted intestine spilling blood.

Ji Yun, who had just entered, turned pale but bit her lip. Beside her, Zuo Chu shielded her, playing the protector.

“Oh, you’re still here!”

Tang Zihang turned at the noise, seeing Ji Yun peeking from behind Zuo Chu, smiling warmly.

“Yeah…”

Ji Yun seemed about to thank him but was distracted by the disintegrated girl, frowning thoughtfully.

Though there had been a commotion last night, those inside slept through it, unaware of the events outside. Only Qin Dongwan and Luo Shu knew the girl was no longer human.

In the daylight, the smell of disinfectant was weaker, but the stench spread, ruining Qin Dongwan’s appetite.

Ji Yun mustered her courage, glanced at the scattered corpse, and asked Qin Dongwan, who was returning to the kitchen:

“How did she end up like this?”

You should ask why she was dragged away by wolves last night, Qin Dongwan thought.

“Wait, isn’t this the ghost we were supposed to find in the game?”

Zuo Chu’s door-slamming attracted attention, and a ponytailed girl walked in, unfazed by the corpse, smiling as she thought they might soon clear the level.

Qin Dongwan recognized her as the girl who slapped the delinquent in the basement. Her distinctive mole and unfriendly demeanor stood out. Tang Zihang also looked excited, as if victory was near.

Qin Dongwan, less naive than these true novices, knew the ghost wouldn’t easily self-destruct to grant them victory.

Seeing Luo Shu’s mocking expression, she didn’t want to become the group’s “savior,” so she cautiously speculated:

“I doubt it’s that simple. Be careful of tricks. Why would the ghost reveal itself so quickly?”

It was the sunlight Zuo Chu accidentally let in.

Leaving room for speculation, Qin Dongwan returned to the kitchen, soon bringing out breakfast.

She served toast with blueberry jam, sausages, and fried eggs. The enticing aroma made everyone’s stomachs growl, finally remembering to eat.

Zuo Chu glanced coldly at Qin Dongwan and Luo Shu, recalling their confrontation last night, feeling offended.

But hunger overpowered him. Not knowing how to cook, his gaze lingered on Luo Shu’s toast. Her elegant eating made his stomach rumble.

Ji Yun, understanding, went to the kitchen to help.

With no interruptions, Qin Dongwan sat down to enjoy her rare cooking when Luo Shu calmly took another fried egg, saying:

“After breakfast, let’s find tools and go to the forest tonight.”

Author’s Note:

Novice level principle: Moderate risk-taking might not be fatal. Updates will be every other day for now due to ranking reasons, but there will be six chapters a day post-V. Thank you for the support from those who voted or provided nutrients between 2020-09-07 21:14:39 and 2020-09-09 15:37:38. Special thanks to those who provided nutrients: .. (48 bottles); Yi Qian (1 bottle). Thank you for your support! I’ll keep working hard!