While everyone around was buzzing with excitement, Xi Yong'an turned his head slightly to scan the group. Inadvertently, his gaze locked directly onto mine. Instead of looking away, he paused for a second, his pupils filled with a look of pure disdain as if he were staring at something beneath him. Then, without a word, he jerked his head away, leaving me with a feeling of frustration so sharp it caught in my throat.
Once everyone was fully awake, a notification board abruptly materialized in mid-air. It hovered right in the center, towering and cold. The board looked dilapidated, its surface frayed like a forgotten relic, but the dense black ink upon it remained sharp, striking everyone's eyes:
[ Decipher the mystery of the Villa. Time limit: 7 days. ]
Waiting until everyone had finished reading, the board vanished into thin air as quickly as it had appeared, leaving no trace within the gloomy primeval forest. Most players here had experienced at least one survival mission, so instead of panicking, they quickly began to discuss. However, the atmosphere soon grew tense due to the lack of concrete instructions: -"Where is this villa? In the middle of this muddy jungle, there isn't a single house!" – a man barked irritably.
-"Maybe it's underground? Or perhaps we have to dig it up ourselves," – another voice replied sarcastically, followed by a dry, cold laugh.
A girl with pale pink hair timidly chimed in, her voice soft: -"Perhaps... the mission wants us to find the villa on our own?"
-"Everyone knows that, it's obvious!" - a man countered with a tone full of grumbling and dissatisfaction: "The problem is that this time the Demon Gate hasn't provided any directions or hints. In the middle of this dark old forest, are we supposed to find it with just faith? It's like looking for a needle in a haystack."
Seeing the tension rise, another black-haired girl quickly spoke up to mediate:
-"Everyone, calm down. The mission asks us to 'decipher the mystery' and gives us a full 7 days. This is only my second mission, so the level certainly won't be as convoluted as high-tier stages. The Demon Gate would never leave us stuck in the forest to die without an exit."
She paused for a beat to observe the crowd's reaction before continuing:
-"Instead of arguing, we should unite to find it together. What do you all think?"
At this time, I was still standing a short distance away from the discussion. The sound of rain hitting the ancient canopy was quite loud, but fortunately, it didn't completely drown out the surrounding noise. Amidst the whistling wind, my ears suddenly caught a familiar sound. Drawing on my experience, I spoke up, interrupting the crowd's train of thought: -"There might be a stream nearby."
Every eye turned toward me. One of them frowned suspiciously:
-"How can you be so sure?"
-"I hear the sound of trickling water echoing from over there; it's a very distinct sound when water weaves through rocky crevices," - I explained calmly, pointing toward a direction obscured by mist.
Everyone looked visibly surprised, then silently approached where I stood to listen. Sure enough, once the chatter died down, the rushing sound of water grew clear, signaling a fairly large stream nearby. Perhaps because they were so busy arguing earlier, no one had noticed this sound of nature. The pink-haired girl gave me a thumbs-up, smiling brightly: -"Your hearing is amazing, well done!"
I just gave a slight wave to indicate it was nothing and turned away, silently focusing on the space around me. Nearby, I noticed a young man crouching down, holding a magnifying glass to inspect the ground. He dressed quite strangely, his outfit resembling those detectives in movies. Curious, I stepped closer to observe. After a moment, he looked up and introduced himself in a tiny, timid voice:
-"Hello everyone... I'm Xiao Shu. I have a passion for exploring mountains and forests, so I... have a bit of experience with terrain..."
Before he could finish his sentence, Yashu quickly caught onto the intention behind his shy introduction:
-"So, will you lead the group?"
Xiao Shu was slightly stunned at being read so easily; he awkwardly scratched his head and chuckled:
-"You saw right through me. Based on what I know, in a situation like being lost in a deep forest, the best way is to just follow the stream."
While the group was still hesitating, the rain suddenly turned heavy. The drops poured down like a deluge, stinging the skin. The jungle sky also turned pitch black, signaling that the dangerous night - filled with wild beasts and insects - was about to close in. With no other choice, 11 strangers had to choose unity, hurrying after Xiao Shu to find shelter before the darkness swallowed everything.
We continued to wade through the damp primeval forest. The towering trees above constantly shed heavy, icy raindrops that soaked into my neck, giving me goosebumps. Instinctively turning my head back, I saw Yashu walking behind me; her clothes were soaking wet, clinging to her thin shoulders which were shivering slightly from the cold. Without a word, I took off my outer coat and handed it to her. Yashu froze for a moment, a look of embarrassment appearing in her eyes, then she softly accepted it, her lips murmuring a quiet "Thank you."
After a while of weaving through the deep woods, the group finally emerged into a flat, open area. We were out of the forest!
Rising right before our eyes was an incredibly luxurious villa, standing tall amidst the desolate silence. The vast front yard was filled with blooming roses, their centers bustling with color amidst the lush green leaves; even tiny wild flowers shyly blended into that vibrant rose garden. Surrounding the house was a barbed-wire fence combined with a rustic but sturdy wooden base. The architecture was exquisitely designed with deep blue roof tiles and pristine white walls, exuding an air of high nobility. Carved wooden lanterns hung from the porch; despite the storm, the golden flames inside burned steadily.
Truly strange. To have such a lavish estate spring up in the middle of nowhere - the thought alone sent chills down my spine. I secretly hoped for a positive outcome, thinking the owner might just be someone who loved nature and flowers... But looking at the reality of this Eerie World, what we were facing was likely a "haunted house," nothing more, nothing less.
The sky began to rage with a violent storm; lightning slashed across the pitch-black clouds like fiery dragons dancing frantically. With no other choice, the 11 of us glanced at each other, signaled, and simultaneously moved toward the villa.
One had to admit, the locations chosen as mission sites in the Demon Gate always possessed a distinct aura: they were never normal, always exuding a haunting, bone-chilling mystery.
Braving the torrential rain, we stood under the porch, taking a deep breath to regain our composure. Xiao Shu reached out a slightly trembling hand to ring the bell. Once, twice... the space remained silent. It wasn't until the third press that the heavy wooden door slowly moved, letting out a dry creak. An old man with a hunched back stepped out. Through thick, round glasses, he squinted at us with a scrutinizing look. Seeing his tidy but somewhat worn-out attire, I guessed this was the villa's butler.
As usual, Yashu stepped forward and spoke entreatingly with a cheerful tone: -"Um, hello sir. Our group is a bunch of tourists who accidentally got lost. Since the storm is so violent, could you please let us stay here for a moment? As soon as the rain stops, we will leave immediately."
The black-haired girl and the others chimed in to add persuasion.
After a moment of hesitation, the old man narrowed his eyes, his voice rasping like rotting wood:
-"Please wait a moment, I must go in and ask the lady of the house."
With that, he turned and trudged into the deep darkness inside, leaving us waiting amidst the cold winds whistling through our hair. A few minutes later, the butler returned, his tone slightly higher, polite yet strangely odd:
-"The lady has agreed. Please, come inside and stay."
The old man bowed slightly, making a formal inviting gesture that made me feel strangely uneasy.
The interior was even more magnificent and lavish than the exterior. The ceiling soared high, holding a massive chandelier carved with brilliant gold patterns. Winding staircases led to the upper floors, and along the hallways were meticulously trimmed white chrysanthemums, bursting with life as if someone were constantly tending to them.
However, what made me shudder the most was the number of mirrors in this villa. It was unusually high. Even if the owner were obsessed with their reflection, they wouldn't decorate this densely. Every few dozen steps, I encountered a mirror of the exact same shape and size, placed at incredibly bizarre angles. Clearly, this wasn't a collector's hobby, but an intentional arrangement.
The feeling of my own image being constantly reflected from every side made me feel a loss of privacy; a cold sense of unease began to seep into my marrow.
The eleven of us silently followed the butler. It seemed everyone had noticed this abnormality through wary glances. The space was so silent that only the sound of footsteps on the wooden floor could be heard; everyone was silently breaking into a cold sweat, but no one dared to break the terrifying silence.
After passing through the hallway lined with hanging mirrors, we were finally led to an area with a sign that read: "Guest Rooms."
Here, the old man stopped and slowly turned around to introduce himself:
-"This is your resting place. If you have any questions or requests, please find me. I am Li; everyone may call me Butler Li."
Having said that, he bowed formally and slowly strode away, his long shadow stretching across the mirror-lined hallway.
After Butler Li disappeared, we began to check the room numbers. There were a total of 5 guest rooms, but our group had 11 people. This meant someone would definitely be left out, or we would have to share rooms quite cramp-fully.
To facilitate room division and coordination for the coming days, everyone agreed to introduce themselves. The pink-haired girl was the first to speak, her voice still a bit shy:
-"I am Tu Qinghe. Nice to meet everyone! This is only my second mission; I hope for everyone's help."
Following Qinghe was the black-haired girl with a rather calm expression:
-"Wu Mengqiao. Second mission."
[...]
After a round, it was finally my turn:
-"I am Zhao Tianxia. Nice to meet you all. I'm also only on my third mission; I hope we can look out for each other."
The self-introductions lasted a bit as everyone wanted to gauge each other's abilities. To help you visualize our 11-person force at this time, it can be summarized as follows: besides me and Yashu, the rest included:
Tu Qinghe, Wu Mengqiao, Li Junjie, Phan Ngoc Tien: All on their 2nd mission, with relatively little experience.
Xiao Shu, Pham Bach Kha, Hoang Nhat Tan, Xi Yong'an, Ky Kha Nhien: Had completed their 3rd mission, looking bolder and more alert.
And finally, myself and Qing Yashu. With an odd number of people, dividing the rooms suddenly became a difficult and calculated puzzle.
We began checking the 5 guest rooms by thoroughly searching every nook and cranny to ensure nothing "abnormal" was hidden. After confirming everything was temporarily okay, the whole group breathed a sigh of relief. Although they were just guest rooms, the space here was quite spacious and well-equipped, including private bathrooms. While walking past, I accidentally saw the back of the "Guest Room" sign, which had faint writing: "Cheap rent, fully equipped." It seemed that before becoming this luxurious villa, this place had been an old guesthouse.
Due to the odd number, we agreed that the leftover person would have the right to choose any room to share. The group quickly scattered; Yashu and I also managed to quickly snag Room 3. Just as we were about to sit down to rest and discuss things, a dry knock sounded from outside. Yashu cautiously looked through the peephole and suddenly flinched, turning to look at me with eyes full of confusion and panic. I reassured her:
-"It's probably just the leftover person picking our room; it's fine, let me open it."
-"No... it's not..." - Yashu's voice trembled: "It's the guy who was stalking me a few days ago."
-"Huh?" - I froze, my heart skipping a beat.
Truly, enemies meet on a narrow path! Meeting again in a mission was already too much, but to be "stuck" together in such a twisted way was unthinkable. Earlier, when everyone was rushing to find rooms, I had caught a glimpse of Xi Yong'an fumbling to tie his shoelaces, secretly guessing he would be the one left behind. But I didn't expect him to "target" our room. I didn't know if it was a maddening coincidence or just a streak of bad luck.
The two of us stood rooted to the spot, hesitating on whether to open the door. But the rules were set; if we refused now, we would look like oath-breakers in the eyes of the other 9 players, especially since his insistent knocking had surely attracted the attention of neighboring rooms. Suppressing my anger, I gritted my teeth and moved toward the door. Yashu understood, silently moving to the side and sitting on the edge of the bed. I grabbed the handle and slowly turned the lock to let the "pervert" inside. As the door cracked open, my eyes and Xi Yong'an's immediately collided, sparks of hostility flying between us.
In the cramped space of the room, the three of us fell into an awkward silence. Noticing the guy in front of me staring intently at Yashu without looking away, my irritation flared up again, and I snapped lightly:
-"Hey, why do you keep looking at my friend like that?"
Contrary to his usual flirtatious demeanor, Xi Yong'an suddenly turned serious, his gaze filled with disdain and fury directed straight at me:
-"You still dare to ask? Aren't you the one suppressing and mistreating her?"
-"Suppressing? What on earth are you talking about?" – I was stunned, not understanding what I had done to be labeled with such a crime.
-"Don't be a hypocrite! Back at the market, I saw with my own eyes you bullying this girl. At that time, her hand was injured, and her eyes looked at me as if desperately pleading for help. You truly are a perverted beast!" - Xi Yong'an poured out a stream of words, looking at me as if I were a dangerous criminal.
At this point, both Yashu and I were frozen in shock. She quickly pulled up her sleeve, revealing a red scar still visible from a burn:
-"It seems there's a big misunderstanding here!" - Yashu held the wound out in front of Xi Yong'an to explain: "This happened because of my own carelessness while cooking, not because Tianxia hit me!"
The truth being laid bare left all three of us staring at each other in bewilderment. I stammered back:
-"So it turns out... that back then, you approached and flirted with Yashu just to rescue her from the 'beast' that is me?"
Xi Yong'an looked equally foolish, his face blank:
-"So you two are actually teammates? You weren't using force to make her follow you?"
Everything was finally brought to light. It turned out that on the day at the black market, Xi Yong'an accidentally saw the burn on Yashu's hand, and her pained expression led him to deduce a "hero saves the beauty" script. He chose a blatant flirting method to get close to Yashu without making me suspicious.
The result was ridiculous: I was convinced he was a passionate pervert, while he considered me a violent villain. A silly and disastrous misunderstanding, but luckily, it had been resolved right then and there.