Vol. 2 Chapter 23 – Deep Sea Sacrificial Town. (2)

The stick stopped about ten centimeters away from Shen Lou’s forehead. 

Shen Lou raised one finger and pressed it lightly against the bold stick. His handsome face suddenly turned as cold as frost.

With a casual flick of his hand, the stick shattered piece by piece. Then, the young man was flung away, slamming into a painting on the wall with a loud crash, smashing the white wooden frame into splinters.

The young man cried out in pain, groaning as he struggled but couldn’t get up.

Yin Liuming was speechless. He let out a quiet sigh, then walked over to help the young man up. “Are you okay?”

“I-I’m fine… oh no—my back! I twisted it…”

Yin Liuming helped him to the red velvet sofa and cleared his throat. “He’s not an enemy. He’s my…”

Yin Liuming paused for a second, then remembered the role he had given Shen Lou. “Summoned beast.”

The young man was still rubbing his back when his eyes suddenly widened in shock. “Summoned beast?!”

Shen Lou turned to stare at Yin Liuming.

Yin Liuming calmly ignored him and explained, “I just summoned him; I’m still not very good at controlling him.”

The young man stared blankly at him for a long moment, then abruptly stood up.

When Yin Liuming wondered what he was going to do, the guy dropped to his knees with a thud. “Master! I want to learn summoning too!”

Yin Liuming: “……”

Shen Lou: “……”

Before Yin Liuming could react, the young man had already started introducing himself. “Master, my name is Mi Anpei, 26 years old, single…”

“Stop.” Yin Liuming took a deep breath and cut off Mi Anpei’s rambling. “This summoning technique was a reward from a side mission in the last dream. I can’t teach it to anyone else.”
Mi Anpei immediately showed a disappointed look, stood up holding his back, and then collapsed dramatically back onto the sofa. “Oh, it hurts!”

Yin Liuming glanced sideways at Shen Lou.

Shen Lou gave a soft “hmph” and turned into light, returning to the illustration book.

Yin Liuming checked Mi Anpei’s back. “It’s probably a mild sprain. Rest tonight, and it should be fine. If you’re still feeling bad later, I’ll ask Madame Solari if she has any medicine.”

“Ah, no need for that… Who can say whether that madame is human or a ghost?” Mi Anpei awkwardly lowered his hand. “Ahem, anyway, nice to meet you.”

Yin Liuming looked at him and smiled. “I’m Yin Liuming.”

Mi Anpei patted his chest. “Brother, don’t worry, I won’t breathe a word about your summoning technique!”

“…Thanks.”

Just then, someone called politely from outside the door. “Madame invites all guests to dinner. Is this guest inside?”

“Yes.” Yin Liuming stood up and replied, casually picking up the bunny pajamas and tucking them into his arms.

Standing at the door was a stiffly dressed middle-aged maid. Her gray-and-navy uniform looked a bit eerie in the dim hallway.

Her lead-gray eyes landed on Yin Liuming, and she said respectfully, “Madame invites all guests to dinner.”

Yin Liuming nodded. “Got it. Please allow me to change first.”

The maid forced a stiff smile, her gaze even stiffer. “Please hurry, guest. I still need to invite the guest next door… Madame doesn’t like lateness.”

The whole scene was honestly kind of creepy.

Yin Liuming turned calmly. “No need to invite him—he’s here too.”

Mi Anpei peeked out halfway from the doorway, and the moment he saw the maid, he quickly pulled back again in fear. “Damn! A female ghost! …Is she one of your summoned beasts too, Brother Yin?”

“No.”

“I understand. The looks gap between her and the last one is way too big! Ah, my clothes got torn earlier. Brother Yin, do you have any spares?

“No.”

“Damn, if it weren’t for you, my clothes wouldn’t have been ruined…”

The maid: “……”

What in the world was going on here? How could such shameless chaos exist in the manor?

……

Dinner was held in the manor’s dining room.

The fireplace blazed warmly, and the long wooden dining table was covered with red wine, roast beef ribs, creamy soup, honey apple salad, and other dishes. In the center sat a huge charcoal-roasted suckling pig.

Within only half an hour, Madame Solari had changed into a pale purple gown. Her hair was loosely let down, and her forehead, neck, wrists, and fingers were all adorned with jewelry. She looked around at the players with a gentle, doting smile and said, “My children, you must be hungry. Please, help yourselves to dinner.”

The players looked at each other.

To be honest, they were hungry.

However, this wasn’t some Western restaurant—it was a strange manor in a dream. Who knew what kind of tricks might be hidden in the food?

Seeing that none of the players touched their food, the butler immediately showed a displeased expression. “Madame, these young people really have no manners. People like them shouldn’t be allowed to stay in the manor!”

Madame Solari gently played with the exquisite jade ring on her right pinky. Her beautiful brows lifted slightly, and she looked at the players with soft eyes. “I believe these children are a little nervous since they’ve just arrived in a new place. Give them enough time, Ralfe.”

Now they had no choice but to eat.

The butler’s meaning was clear. If they didn’t eat, they’d be kicked out of the manor.

Yin Liuming calmly reached out. When his fingers touched the knife and fork, Shen Lou’s voice sounded in his ear. “Wait.”

He paused slightly.

A few seconds later, Shen Lou’s voice came again. “The food’s fine. Go ahead and eat.”

Yin Liuming raised his brows in surprise—Shen Lou could do that too?

He slowly began eating and casually muttered in a breathy tone, “That’s rare.”

Shen Lou’s voice echoed in his ears once more. “Well, I am your summoned beast, after all.”

When he said ‘summoned beast,’ there was something meaningful in his tone.

Yin Liuming’s chewing slowed for a moment.

He suddenly worried. What if Shen Lou had actually noticed something wrong with the food and was saying the opposite solely to mess with him?

Seeing someone start eating, the others gradually picked up their cutlery too.

Only then did Madame Solari set down her ring with satisfaction and pick up her knife and fork, gracefully cutting into the beef ribs.

……

After the meal, Madame Solari put down her utensils and dabbed the corner of her lips with a napkin.

The butler thoughtfully brought her a drink.

Madame Solari took a graceful sip, and her lips were stained with a vivid and ominous crimson. No one dared to guess what she had just drunk.

She spoke gently. “I invited you all here for dinner because I’d like to explain the rules of the manor.”

The players instantly became alert.

Madame Solari laughed. “No need to be so serious. It’s simply a few small restrictions. Since the days are getting shorter, we have to light the lamps as soon as it gets dark. To conserve fuel, the entire town will go dark after ten at night. I hope none of you go out after ten. After all, behind the town lies the forest, and there are wild beasts at night. If anything happens, I won’t be able to help you.”

“Second, I hope everyone stays away from the second floor; that is my private residence, and I don’t wish for outsiders to see it.”

“And third, I hope you all mind your cleanliness.”

Madame Solari let out a soft chuckle behind her hand. “I have a bit of a cleanliness obsession. I don’t like having dirty things in the manor.”

Lastly, Madame Solari said with a sweet smile, “I know all of you need time to communicate, so this dining room will be your space from now on. Feel free to stay here after dinner; no one will disturb you.”

Yin Liuming gave a slight nod.

So this was meant to be the forced meeting point where players exchanged information each day.

After giving her instructions, Madame Solari gracefully took her leave. The butler and maid followed, leaving the room to the players.

Chi Xi walked over and had only opened his mouth to speak when Mi Anpei squeezed in from the other side, warmly patting Yin Liuming’s shoulder. “Brother Yin!”

Chi Xi: “?”

He looked warily at Mi Anpei. “Brother Yin, who is he?”

“I’m Brother Yin’s neighbor,” Mi Anpei said cheerfully, stretching out his hand. “Hi! I’m Mi Anpei. Nice to meet you?”

Chi Xi glanced back and forth between Yin Liuming and Mi Anpei for a while before finally reaching out with a little wronged expression. “I’m Chi Xi.”

Yin Liuming looked at Chi Xi’s slightly aggrieved eyes and, for a second, felt like a scumbag husband introducing his concubine to his main wife.

“Brother Yin, did you notice anything?”

Yin Liuming let out a faint laugh. “It’s just the beginning. What could I possibly notice?”

It’s not like he was the god of the Nightmare Game.

Mi Anpei leaned in and gave a mysterious wink. “I noticed something. Something’s definitely going to happen tonight.”

Chi Xi looked at him in surprise. “How can you tell?”

“Didn’t Madame mention earlier that we can’t leave after ten?” Mi Anpei clapped his hands. “But our rooms don’t have bathrooms! Don’t we have to go outside to pee? Wouldn’t that break her rule?”

Chi Xi: “……”

Mi Anpei grinned again. “But my room’s right next to the garden, so I can pee out the window! Smart, right?”

Yin Liuming: “……”

In the end, Mi Anpei turned out to be right.

The next morning, a player had disappeared.

……

With faint violin music playing in the background, Yin Liuming finished his breakfast in his room.
Breakfast at the manor was delivered by stiff-faced middle-aged maids. As usual, Shen Lou had inspected it and confirmed it was safe to eat.

Yin Liuming put down his napkin and looked at the maid standing nearby. “Who’s playing the violin?”

The maid answered respectfully, “Madame has a habit of playing the violin every morning after she wakes up.”

Yin Liuming raised an eyebrow, but before he could inquire further, the maid swiftly wheeled the cart away, seemingly fearful that he would press her further.

When Yin Liuming stepped out of his room, he saw a small group of players gathered near Room 12, whispering and talking anxiously. Someone seemed to be making a loud fuss.

He glanced over and realized the player who had been staying in that room had disappeared.
“Before going in last night, he even greeted me and told me not to go outside no matter what.”

A female player nearby looked pale and panicked, her voice sharp from fear. “Did any of you see him?”

The other players all shook their heads.

The girl clearly had a close relationship with the missing player. She rushed out of the room and grabbed the maid who was pushing a food cart. “Tell me! Where’s Jia He?!”

“Please calm down, guest…”

“Tell me! Where did you take him?!”

Seeing how upset the girl was, Mi Anpei clicked his tongue and sighed. “Sigh, another delicate dodder vine¹[T/N: 菟絲子 (dodder vine) refers to someone overly dependent or fragile, typically protected or pampered too much, lacking the ability to survive alone.], too sheltered.”

Chi Xi looked a bit puzzled. “Dodder vine?”

Mi Anpei looked Chi Xi up and down, then suddenly laughed. “Xiao Chi, you haven’t been in the game long, have you?”

Chi Xi caught the mocking tone. He got a bit embarrassed and annoyed. “What’s it to you?!”

“Hey, don’t get mad. I mean, you’re easy to read.” Mi Anpei scratched his head. “Look, in the Nightmare Game, you can team up to enter dreams, so newcomers can simply latch onto experienced players and coast through the level. The final reward only goes to one person, but if there’s extra plunder along the way, why not take it? Not many people can clear levels, so if you get to survive and maybe fulfill a wish, be it love or money, who wouldn’t go for it?”

He tilted his chin toward the girl. “Of course, the downside is that even a golden canary can’t fly once it’s been in a cage too long²[T/N: “金絲雀離了籠子也不會飛” = even a golden canary can’t fly once it’s been in a cage too long; refers to someone who loses self-reliance due to constant protection.] when it’s free.”

Chi Xi paused, dazed.

Quite a few players, like Mi Anpei, cast sympathetic glances at the girl. They all understood that, given the circumstances, the missing player was likely already dead.

Noticing how grief and sorrow overflowed from the girl’s expression, the missing player was probably her family or lover.

Of course, not everyone was sympathetic. Some had disdainful looks, and a few even eyed the girl’s youthful beauty with ill intent. Girls like her, unexpectedly left without support, were the easiest to take advantage of.

A few players went straight into the room, looking for clues.

Even if not for others’ sake, they wanted to figure out what had triggered the death flag. Yin Liuming stood at the doorway and reached out to pull the door.

Though the manor appeared new, the door hinges were a bit rotten, letting out a sharp creak as he pulled.

Yin Liuming gently rubbed his chin.

He was a light sleeper and woke at the slightest noise. After the lights went out at ten last night, he had heard maids pushing cleaning carts down the hallway; it had nearly driven him to storm out and beat them up.

But there hadn’t been any sound of a door opening.

Yin Liuming stepped into the room for a look.

This room had the same layout as his. The missing player’s clothes still hung by the bedside, and the pillows and blankets were messy. However, there were no signs of struggle or fighting, almost as if the person had been taken away by some overwhelming force in an instant.

The other players also checked the windows but didn’t find any clues.

Chi Xi walked up to Yin Liuming and whispered, “Brother Yin, I smell something fishy and weird.”

Yin Liuming knew Chi Xi had a sharp sense of smell. “Where is it?”

“It’s really faint, maybe around the doorway?” Chi Xi hesitated. “It smells like rotten fish.”

Yin Liuming examined the doorway again, and finally his gaze landed on the door itself. He leaned in and sniffed. Sure enough, there was a faint fishy stench. If Chi Xi hadn’t pointed it out, most people wouldn’t have noticed it at all.

Yin Liuming nodded thoughtfully.

Unfortunately, aside from the fishy smell on the door, there wasn’t a single other clue of value.

In the end, the female player could only silently and sorrowfully accept the reality.

She turned away every man who tried to approach her in that moment and quietly returned to her room alone.

…….

Since the current main mission only required them to survive for three days, they didn’t have anything else to do for the time being.

However, staying in this bizarre manor too long might get them killed without even realizing it, so most players still choose to go out and gather information about the dream’s background in the town.

They were trying to figure out the identity of the dreamer.

Yin Liuming and Chi Xi also went out together.

Chi Xi frowned at the uninvited Mi Anpei. “Why are you following us?”

“I just feel like we’re fated to be together.” Mi Anpei didn’t look the slightest bit embarrassed. “Nobody else wants to talk to me. I’m so lonely.”

Yin Liuming had indeed seen Mi Anpei trying to chat with every player, full of things to say. Most of them looked at him like he was an idiot, then cautiously kept their distance.

Except for him.

“Brother Yin hurt my back and tore my clothes; talking to me a bit is the least he can do.”

Chi Xi stared at Yin Liuming in shock.

Yin Liuming rubbed his temple, looking exhausted. “I accidentally knocked into him—I’m straight.”

Chi Xi breathed a sigh of relief. “Good, that’s good…”

Thinking of what he saw last night, Mi Anpei let out a vague laugh and gave Yin Liuming a knowing look, as if saying, “I get it.”

Yin Liuming decided to ignore him and turned his attention to the townspeople.

Despite its name, the town was actually quite small, resembling a fishing village. Mountains surrounded it on three sides, while it faced the sea on the other. Most of the houses were wooden, with peeling paint and a rather worn-down look.

At the doors of most homes hung fist-sized wooden carvings, which, upon closer inspection, were fish with upturned tails.

They barely saw anyone along the way—the place was eerily deserted.

Occasionally, someone would peek from a window, but the moment they spotted the players, they hurriedly shut the window and drew the curtains.

Mi Anpei said, “These townspeople seem to be scared of us.”

Chi Xi muttered in frustration, “How are we supposed to get any information like this?”

Yin Liuming replied, “Someone’s not scared.”

“Who?”

Yin Liuming turned past an old wooden house and pointed ahead. “Him.”

Mi Anpei looked and suddenly realized, “The lantern man!”

The lantern bearer was leaning against a fishing net rack, lazily sipping strong liquor. When he saw the three of them approach, he greeted them with a drunken slur, “Still alive, ah.”

Mi Anpei was surprised. “Uncle, you knew the manor was dangerous? Why didn’t you warn us?”

Fear flashed across the lantern bearer’s face, and his eyes sobered a little. “How could we dare meddle in Madame’s business?”

Yin Liuming asked, “Who is Madame Solari?”

“Madame Solari…” The lantern bearer’s wrinkles deepened. He hesitated for a long while before sighing. “You young people… so bold, so clueless. Fine, I’ll tell you.”

“The Solari Family is native nobility of this town. They’ve always served as mayors. Madame Solari is the youngest daughter of the former Baron Solari. She married overseas when she was young, only returning a few years ago. They say she was heartbroken over her husband’s death, so she came home to inherit the title. After her return, they renovated this manor.”

Mi Anpei murmured, “Sounds pretty normal to me?”

The lantern bearer waved his hand. “Ever since the manor was renovated and she moved in, servants have started vanishing frequently. And no bodies were ever found. In Solari Town, we’ve passed down a belief for generations, which is that death isn’t the end. We place the body in a canoe and send it into the sea. Through the fish god’s power, one can be reborn… But those who go to work in the manor, we can’t even find their corpses.”

Mi Anpei was intrigued. “A sea burial? Can you tell us more about that?”

“Shut up!” Chi Xi finally cut in, shoving Mi Anpei aside. “Uncle, please go on about Madame Solari.”

“Ah, Madame…” The lantern bearer took another swig of liquor and let out a pungent belch, then asked mysteriously, “Guess how old she is now?”

Chi Xi thought for a moment, unsure. “Twenty or thirty?”

The lantern bearer chuckled and shook his head. “Too young.”

“Thirty or forty?”

The lantern bearer dropped the act and pointed to himself. “When she got married, I had merely become old enough to remember things.”

Chi Xi gasped.

The lantern bearer was covered in wrinkles, his hair sparse—he looked at least in his sixties. If Madame Solari married when he was a child… wouldn’t that make her over seventy now?
However, aside from her silver hair, her skin was as smooth and youthful as a woman in her twenties!

“People in town gossip that Madame has been practicing dark arts, using human blood to keep herself young.”

The lantern bearer sighed and drank again. “Ever since she returned, something’s been wrong with the sun in this town. Daylight gets shorter every day. The sun seems to move farther away… She plays music every morning when the sun rises; perhaps it’s some kind of demonic melody from hell…”

Now that they’d finally touched on something related to the main mission, Yin Liuming spoke at the right moment, “Has no one considered leaving Solari Town?”

“Many young people tried escaping before.” The lantern bearer abruptly made a strange face—half smiling, half crying. “But who knows if they escaped… or died? No one ever sent word back—”

His eyes landed on the three of them. A flicker of pity appeared in his murky gaze. “The only ones who return are young people like you… calling yourselves the descendants of the town.”

• 1
  [T/N: 菟絲子 (dodder vine) refers to someone overly dependent or fragile, typically protected or pampered too much, lacking the ability to survive alone.]
• 2
  [T/N: “金絲雀離了籠子也不會飛” = even a golden canary can’t fly once it’s been in a cage too long; refers to someone who loses self-reliance due to constant protection.]