Vol. 2 Chapter 27 – Deep Sea Sacrificial Town. (6)

Just like in Solari Town, the forest at night also had no visible stars or moon. However, the glowing moss on the trees and the ground made it possible to see some details.

The three missing players were tied to the stone pillars and lay motionless, their condition unknown.

Chi Xi covered his mouth and whispered, “Brother Yin, should we go save them?”

Si He held tightly onto Si Cheng’s arm, worried he might rush forward. “We don’t even know if they’re alive. It’s too risky.”

Si Cheng shrugged off the grip impatiently. “Cowardly.”

Yin Liuming scanned the pillars with a frown. “Thirteen pillars.”

There were indeed thirteen pillars, and the central one was clearly much thicker and taller than the others.

The players tied to three of the other pillars were also all facing the central one.

Mi Anpei rubbed his hands nervously, his eyes fixed on the writhing swarm in the center. “How many of those are there? If they all charge at once, we’re as good as dead!”

“Shh!” Yin Liuming suddenly whispered. “Something’s coming.”

In the dim glow of the moss, a stiff-moving monster crawled out from the swarm, let out several shrill cries at the pillar, and then collapsed with a thud.

The creature was still wearing a maid’s uniform, now stained with mud.

The other monsters seemed to receive some kind of command; they swarmed forward and tore their fallen comrade’s body apart, devouring it.

Then another monster leapt out from the horde, crawled to the center of the pillars, and let out a low growl.

A slick, black tentacle suddenly extended from the pillar, lashing out at the monster with lightning speed!

Chi Xi quickly covered his mouth, his face twisting in nausea.

It turned out the dark surface of the pillar wasn’t the color of stone at all—it was actually another kind of monster!

Lei Yingzhe had never mentioned anything about tentacle monsters! Do they only show up at night, or is Lei Yingzhe hiding something?

The monster on the stone pillar swiftly used its tentacles to kill the bug-like creature wriggling in the mud, then additional tentacles slithered over, firmly wrapping around the creature’s corpse.

After about ten seconds, the tentacles withdrew, leaving behind a broad-shouldered, stocky maid.

The players hiding in the forest immediately understood where all the manor’s maids had come from.

Just the thought that the food they’d eaten and the towels they’d used had come from those monsters made them want to throw up right then and there.

The freshly created maid moved toward the forest, her steps stiff and mechanical. One by one, the other monsters disappeared underground.

The players silently moved aside to give the maid space to safely return to the manor.

The other players instinctively looked toward Yin Liuming.

Yin Liuming turned his head toward Si Cheng. “Lend me a knife.”

Si Cheng raised an eyebrow but still drew a dagger from his waist. “Be careful.”

Yin Liuming held the dagger, feeling its weight settle in his grip. His eyes stayed fixed on the nearest pillar. It was covered in those same slick black tentacles, twisted tight around a disgusting tentacle creature hiding inside.

He hurled the dagger with force toward the pillar!

Clang! The sharp dagger pierced through the tentacle and lodged itself in the hard pillar!

The tentacle on that pillar began thrashing wildly in midair!

But after only a moment, it went limp and fell, completely dissolving into a puddle of black liquid that seeped into the soil.

Caught off guard, both the tentacle monsters on the other pillars and the players behind Yin Liuming were momentarily stunned.

These tentacle monsters… were surprisingly fragile?

The other tentacle monsters instantly began flailing, as if screaming in silence.

The soil beneath the pillars started churning again, as if that same swarm of bugs from before was about to emerge.

Meanwhile, the tentacles slithered down from the pillars and vanished into the pitch-black night.

The bug monsters lunged at the players.

The players turned and ran without a moment’s hesitation.

No way— with that many monsters, anyone who stepped forward would simply be throwing their life away!
……
Once they reached the edge of the forest, Chi Xi panted and said in admiration, “Brother Yin, that was amazing!”

He took out that tentacle monster in one strike!

Yin Liuming replied calmly, “It wasn’t strong.”

He turned to Si Cheng. “I’ll replace your dagger later.”

Si Cheng shrugged. “Keep it. That monster was probably built for control and ambush. It’s definitely fragile. If it weren’t, it wouldn’t have run the moment it got attacked. If you run into them alone, attacking from a distance is more than enough.”

Mi Anpei said in awe, “Xiao Cheng, you really know your stuff.”

Si Cheng’s expression darkened. “Don’t call me that.”

“Xiao Cheng, Xiao Cheng, Xiao Cheng…”

Si Cheng: “…You got a death wish?”

Si He looked at Yin Liuming like he was staring at some kind of monster.

Si Cheng had only learned to analyze monster weaknesses by spending points to unlock related data, and they had accumulated that knowledge through clearing multiple dream missions.

From Chi Xi’s reaction, this was only Yin Liuming’s second dream, and yet he had instantly identified the tentacle monster’s weakness…

The other players had taken down some of the bug monsters chasing them during the escape. Though some looked excited, a few still appeared worried. “If we go back now, won’t we have to deal with the maids’ attacks?”

Yin Liuming said, “Strike first and gain the advantage.”

“What?”

Yin Liuming pointed to the forest behind him. “We’ve already killed the living ones. What’s there to fear from the dead?”

The players suddenly felt as if a light had gone on—right, those maid monsters were gross, but they were merely controlled corpses.

They had even defeated fiercer, real monsters—so what was there to fear from the maids?
…….
Two hours later.

The players had searched almost the entire first floor of the manor, collecting every single maid-monster.

Now that they understood the monsters’ traits, setting up specific ambushes made capturing them much easier.

Under Yin Liuming’s direction, they stuffed all the monstrous maids into the room that had belonged to the player who’d vanished on the first day. Then, they smeared the door with that same awful, fishy-smelling filth.

The other players from the Townspeople faction who hadn’t gone out that night couldn’t resist stepping out to help.

There were around a dozen maid-monsters in the manor, and one room was more than enough to hold them all.

Mi Anpei, full of enthusiasm, waved his mop and painted a bold symbol across the door.

Chi Xi asked in confusion, “What did you draw?”

“Minotaur!” Mi Anpei declared, proudly raising his chin. “It’s the Year of the Ox—our time to shine!”

Chi Xi: “……”

With his arms crossed, Si Cheng stood at the doorway, looking slightly disappointed. “That’s it?”

Si He said, “No one getting hurt is the best outcome. Now we wait until tomorrow to see if these monsters disappear.”

One of the players murmured, “Thanks to you all, we can finally get a good night’s sleep.”

“It was mostly Brother Yin.” Mi Anpei waved modestly, then froze as he turned around. “Wait—where is Brother Yin?”

Chi Xi let out a helpless sigh. “He went back to sleep.”

……

Yin Liuming was lying in bed, but his eyes were wide open.

After a while, he suddenly spoke, “Mr. Shen.”

Shen Lou floated out slowly, looking at Yin Liuming with a hint of curiosity. “What is it?”

It was the first time the nighttime version of Yin Liuming had ever called out to him.

Yin Liuming said calmly, “I think I’m hallucinating.”

Shen Lou raised an eyebrow and leaned in closer, only then noticing that Yin Liuming’s eyes were a bit unfocused.

“The venom has some hallucinogenic effects.”

Shen Lou gently placed his palm on Yin Liuming’s forehead, felt for a moment, and then pulled his hand back. “My power still isn’t strong enough to heal you completely.”

Yin Liuming frowned briefly, then relaxed, lips pressed together, saying nothing.

“When did the hallucinations start?”

Yin Liuming paused for a moment, then replied, “After we arrive at the pillars.”

Shen Lou raised an eyebrow in surprise.

Doesn’t that mean that during the entire process, from observing the situation, to killing the tentacle monster with a dagger, escaping back to the manor, and dealing with the maids, Yin Liuming was hallucinating the whole time?

“It was weak at first, just some visual interference. It didn’t get serious until later.” Yin Liuming’s voice remained steady and cold. “How long will the hallucinations last?”

“A few hours, probably.”

Yin Liuming fell silent.

Shen Lou drifted down and sat lightly on the edge of the bed, studying Yin Liuming, who was caught in the grip of hallucinations.

At this point, Yin Liuming clearly could no longer see the real world. His gaze was unfocused, yet he stubbornly refused to shut his eyes. Every now and then, his long lashes fluttered. His beautiful face remained expressionless, but overall, he radiated a strangely captivating sense of vulnerability.

Of course, Shen Lou knew it was only a facade.

If someone attacked right now, Yin Liuming would still, without hesitation, pound them into a rag doll.

Shen Lou smiled cheerfully. “So tell me, what are you seeing right now? Rolling around in bunny pajamas on a hundred-square-meter bed, hugging a pile of stuffed animals?”

—The more dangerous the tiger, the more fun it is to stroke its whiskers¹[T/N: This is a metaphor meaning that provoking or challenging something dangerous is more thrilling or interesting. It implies boldness or even recklessness.].

Yin Liuming spoke in a voice cold and clear as a mountain spring. “Do you want to die?”

Shen Lou continued, still intrigued. “Can you see me?”

Yin Liuming replied, “Yes.”

Shen Lou raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”

“I see you as a noisy crow, shot through by a hunter’s arrow because you wouldn’t shut up.”

Shen Lou nodded. “So you see yourself hunting, then you…”

Yin Liuming suddenly asked, “How many illustrations do I need to collect to cure my insomnia?”

“Trying to use sleep to escape the hallucinations?”

“No. I just don’t want to work with you anymore.”

Shen Lou wasn’t angry. He smiled and said, “What a shame—there’s still a long way to go.”

Yin Liuming took a deep breath and decided to ignore him, afraid he might actually lose control and wreck the entire room.

“If this happens again, you’re allowed to ask for my help.”

Yin Liuming asked, “And what exactly can you do to help me?”

Shen Lou reached out and placed his hand on Yin Liuming’s shoulder.

All of a sudden, Yin Liuming felt his right arm move on its own, as if his whole body no longer belonged to him.

Yin Liuming focused and managed to regain control of his arm.

Shen Lou withdrew his hand. “Guarantee I’m better in a fight than you.”

Yin Liuming held his arm and was silent for a moment. “Possession?”

“I personally wouldn’t recommend calling me that.” Shen Lou said, “Even though I’m generous, I can’t help feeling a bit displeased.”

Yin Liuming let out a low scoff from his throat.

“As long as you don’t resist mentally, I can control your body to do whatever I want.”

A hint of amusement crept into Shen Lou’s voice. “For example, I can help you change into pajamas right now. I think those bunny ones would suit you.”

Yin Liuming: “……”

He pulled the blanket over his head and said coldly, “Sleep.”
……
The next morning, after the sun had risen, there wasn’t a single player missing.

The maid-monsters the players had shoved into Room 12 the previous day were all gone.

Of course, one consequence was that no one delivered them breakfast.

When Yin Liuming stepped out, he found Mi Anpei gripping his stomach in a helpless manner. “I’m so hungry. Is there anything to eat?”

Si He and Si Cheng approached from the other side. “We’re planning to check the kitchen. Do you want to come?”

“If I see rotten meat and maggots in the kitchen, I’ll definitely throw up what I ate yesterday…” Mi Anpei hesitated for a moment, then gathered his courage. “But let’s go check anyway.”

Much to their surprise, the kitchen at Solari Manor was incredibly clean. The cistern held clear water, and the shelves neatly displayed freshly baked bread wrapped in clean parchment paper.

Many players had already come together to look for food. Mi Anpei was quick on his feet and snatched up two large breads, tore them in half, and said, “Those maid-monsters were really disgusting, but what are we going to eat from here on out?”

Yin Liuming took a bite of bread. “The dream won’t let us starve to death.”

Those who arrived early got bread to fill their stomachs, while those who came later would go hungry.

As they were about to go out for more food, the manor’s main hall radio crackled to life:

[First Stage of Main Mission Complete: Three players have died; seventeen players remain.]

[Second Stage of Main Mission Unlocked: Collect Offerings.]

[Mission Reward: For each offering collected, gain 2 points.]

“What offerings?”

Right when the players were puzzled, Madame Solari, who had always stayed away during the day, stood at the top of the second-floor staircase.

Dressed in her most formal attire today, she wore a small hat with blue tail feathers and had clean silk gloves on both hands.

“Dear children, I’m really glad to see you all looking healthy,” Madame Solari said, a friendly smile on her lovely face. “Have you enjoyed your stay at Solari Manor over the past few days?”

None of the players answered.

After enduring the shock that all the maids were monsters, no one was willing to imagine what ugly form might be hidden beneath Madame Solari’s lovely gown.

“After three days of preparation, we have finally completed the basic setup for the ritual,” Madame Solari said with a warm smile. “Now it’s time for all of you to help out. There still aren’t enough valuable offerings for the Sunfish God. We need your help to gather enough sacrifices.”

From the middle of the crowd, Lei Yingzhe’s voice came through, “Madame, what exactly are the offerings?”

“To worship the Fish God, we naturally need fish,” Madame Solari said as she clapped her hands. “But the offerings the god desires aren’t rare or expensive, only the ones drawn in by your pure, sincere hearts and your healthy, vibrant lives.”

She pointed to the butler beside her. “As you can see, the townspeople are already elderly, and despite working tirelessly these past few days, they’ve only managed to prepare three offerings. The Fish God requires thirteen in total, so we’re counting on you all for the remaining ten.”

“Then, Madame, how are we supposed to catch those fish?” Someone asked.

“There are some old fishermen in town; you can ask them for help,” Madame Solari said with a smile. “But be careful, they might be rather stubborn.”

The players who had chosen the townspeople faction looked eager to give it a try.

Madame Solari exchanged a few more pleasantries before gracefully taking her leave.

Mi Anpei took a bite of his bread. “Isn’t this whole offering thing way too surreal?”

Yin Liuming said coolly, “It’s actually easy to understand, the offerings are the players.”

The three offerings they had already gotten were, in fact, the three players tied to the stone pillars.

According to the system’s judgment, those three players were already dead.

Those who had gone into the forest the night before had already suspected as much, and their faces looked grim.

If their guess was right, it meant ten more people would have to die; only seven would survive in the end.

The players exchanged wary, suspicious looks; no one wanted to be the one sacrificed so others could clear the level.

Suddenly, a familiar argument broke out from the side door of the main hall. When Yin Liuming went over, he saw Si He’s gloomy face and Si Cheng storming away, furious.

Yin Liuming asked, “Arguing again?”

Si He’s expression softened as he took a piece of bread, letting out a bitter laugh. “He wants to explore the forest alone… kids get harder to control as they grow up.”

“Xiao Cheng’s not even an adult yet, right? Kids at that age are naturally rebellious,” Mi Anpei said in a tone full of seniority. “He’ll grow out of it.”

Si He sighed. “But this is the Nightmare Game.”

With deadly threats everywhere, there’s no room to keep indulging Si Cheng.

After a brief exchange, Si He turned and headed off in the direction Si Cheng had gone.

Chi Xi emerged from a nearby corner, looking puzzled. “What’s the matter with Si He?”

“Off to manage the kid,” Mi Anpei said, handing him half a piece of bread. “Want some, Xiao Chi?”

Chi Xi, numb to the nickname by now, replied, “You’re not even older than me.”

He said to Yin Liuming, “Brother Yin, Kraft invited those of us who chose the townspeople faction to eat at their gathering spot.”

Mi Anpei’s eyes lit up. “Can we bring family?”

Chi Xi: “…How are you considered family?”

“Aren’t we biological brothers from different fathers and different mothers?”

“……”

Chi Xi said, “I wanted to bring Brother Yin, but Kraft said only those in the townspeople faction can go…”

Yin Liuming wasn’t surprised. “Looks like the townspeople’s side has some kind of clue.”

The dream’s setup, with a faction that worships the Sunfish God and another that worships the Deep Sea Fish God, probably wasn’t random. It was likely meant to represent two separate paths of exploration.

Yin Liuming didn’t think choosing only one faction was necessary to clear the level; more likely, they’d need to gather information from both sides.

Chi Xi nodded eagerly. “If I hear anything, I’ll come tell you right away, Brother Yin!”

Yin Liuming smiled. “Same here. Stay safe.”
……
After Chi Xi left, Mi Anpei ran off in high spirits to investigate, and Yin Liuming headed alone to the manor’s staircase.

“Are you interested in that woman?” Shen Lou’s voice sounded in his ear.

Yin Liuming stepped up to the second floor and said without hesitation, “I think Madame Solari is suspicious. I suspect she’s not on the same side as the monsters at the stone pillars.”

Shen Lou asked with keen interest, “Why?”

“I’m really curious why the monsters near the stone pillar don’t come to the manor themselves, and instead control the corpses of those hunting bugs. From a risk-reward perspective, there are only two possibilities: one, the tentacle monsters can’t leave the stone pillar; or two, there’s something inside the manor that scares them off.”

After he killed one of them with a dagger, the rest fled, proving the tentacle monsters could, in fact, leave the pillar. That left only one conclusion.

“You think it’s the second one?”

“When I first kicked the maid up to the second floor, she looked absolutely terrified before running off in a panic.”

Yin Liuming walked to the second-floor landing, quietly taking in the elegant hallway as he explained in a low voice, “If Madame Solari were their leader, why would she let them crash through a window and flee? The only possibility is that she’s someone they’re too afraid to provoke. Someone even more powerful.”

There were no other players on the second floor. Shen Lou floated out from the illustration book, arms crossed. “And now you’re planning to provoke her.”

“Madame Solari never shows up during the day; she’s always busy playing the violin. Maybe that’s her restriction.”

Yin Liuming adjusted his backpack and stepped cautiously onto the second floor.

The hallway on the second floor was lined with soft velvet carpet, with row after row of oil paintings hanging on either side.

Most of the paintings depicted various kinds of jewelry and violins.

Cabinets of all kinds lined both sides of the hallway, each one covered with glass and showcasing gorgeous, dazzling jewelry that was brilliant and eye-catching.

Yin Liuming squinted at the jewelry for a moment, then pulled out his illustration book and tested it against the glass.

There was a response, but he couldn’t collect them. It seemed the jewelry was a type of monster, too. He’d probably need to break the glass case to capture them.

Yin Liuming thought for a moment, but chose not to act yet, and continued walking forward.

Following the direction of the violin music, Yin Liuming passed several rooms and reached a small one with a slightly open door at the far end of the hallway.

He peeked in carefully and saw the room was empty; only a spiral oak staircase led upward.

“Third floor?” Yin Liuming frowned. After a brief pause for thought, he stepped in without hesitation.

He followed the stairs upward and finally reached the manor’s attic.

Though it was called an attic, the space was actually quite large. The walls were adorned with colorful gems, and the floor was covered in a pure white cashmere rug. Near the bay window, a small stage had been set up for violin performances.

But the one playing the violin passionately on stage wasn’t Madame Solari.

Seven or eight beautiful beings with delicate faces, bare upper bodies, and long fish tails hovered gracefully in the air. Each held a violin, their pale arms moving the bows with elegance, producing one enchanting melody after another.

These mermaids were tiny, about the size of five-year-old children. Like Madame Solari, they wore glittering gemstone decorations on their foreheads, necks, and wrists.

Yin Liuming frowned. Wasn’t it Madame Solari who was playing the violin?

He focused on the floating mermaids and realized the gemstones on their bodies weren’t specifically ornaments; they were embedded into, or rather, grown out of, their skin.

Even their beautiful fishtails weren’t real; they were made up of shimmering golden scale patterns, as if formed by some kind of ornamental material wrapped around their bodies.

Yin Liuming recalled the non-repeating jewelry worn by Madame Solari and displayed throughout the hallway, which only strengthened his guess. These gemstone mermaids were the true force under Madame Solari’s control, completely separate from the fish monsters he’d encountered before.

However, if it wasn’t Madame Solari playing the violin, then where was she?

Yin Liuming backed away carefully, preparing to leave the third floor.

Right then, a sudden clang came from near the stairs, as if someone had broken something.

Thanks to the noise, all the gemstone mermaids in the attic turned their eyes sharply toward the doorway, locking eyes with Yin Liuming.

A ball of Flames of Rage and Regret ignited in Yin Liuming’s hand; his muscles were taut, ready to flee at any moment.

Yet, the gemstone mermaids did not attack Yin Liuming.

They continued playing their violins without pause. They opened their mouths as if to scream, but no sound came out.

Yin Liuming turned around without hesitation.

Just as he was about to head downstairs, he paused, thought for a moment, and instead pushed the door open and stepped into the attic.

The gemstone mermaids stared blankly at this unexpected visitor.

Yin Liuming walked over to the bay window and pushed it open—

“What are you doing?” Madame Solari’s gentle voice sounded behind him.

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  [T/N: This is a metaphor meaning that provoking or challenging something dangerous is more thrilling or interesting. It implies boldness or even recklessness.]