Chapter 5
There were meals available at the B&B, but of course, they cost extra.
After dinner, Ye Nianchu went up to the public terrace. From there, she could see the entire town at a glance.
Smoke rose from the chimneys along the riverbank, and her gaze fell on the Huanzhen River.
On the sixth day, if she couldn't leave this place, the mission would fail.
The first day was almost over, and she didn’t have much time left to figure out how to pass the game.
As the wind blew through the mountains, lifting her hair and the hem of her clothes, she suddenly noticed a figure.
On the other side of the terrace, in front of an easel, sat a young man. He was tall and had a handsome, upright figure.
His face was like it had been chiseled by a master sculptor. Pale skin, delicate features—he looked like a portrait come to life.
Even from a distance, Ye Nianchu found it hard to look away.
The boy held a paintbrush in his hand.
His fingers were long and elegant.
His clean, gentle appearance stood out sharply from everything around him.
Ye Nianchu wasn’t usually swayed by looks, but at that moment, she couldn’t help but sneak a few extra glances.
As if sensing her gaze, the young man slowly turned his head.
When their eyes met, it was as if the beautiful landscape around them vanished.
It took Ye Nianchu a moment to snap back to reality. Realizing she had been caught staring, she felt a bit embarrassed as she met his clear eyes.
It was as if she had somehow tarnished the purity of this spotless young man.
Ye Nianchu instinctively looked away and politely said, "Sorry for disturbing your painting."
The young man smiled and replied gently, "It’s a public area. How could you disturb me?"
Not only was he good-looking, but his voice was pleasant too.
As the terrace lights began to turn on one by one, Ye Nianchu went back to her room.
What she didn’t know was that, just as she turned around, the young man’s expression changed—from his eyes to his smile.
The once gentle and harmless young man put down his paintbrush and began playing with a sharp utility knife in his hand, his thin lips curving into a cold, sinister smile.
Player?
Or NPC?
---
Meanwhile, in a room on the third floor of the B&B, a few people were gathered together.
"Brother Wang, you're a veteran player with lots of experience. Tell us more about the game so we know what to expect," someone asked.
The man called Brother Wang was tall and strong, with a noticeable bald spot on his head. He was holding an attractive woman in her early thirties, his hands wandering over her.
Hearing the question, he turned toward the speaker, puffed up with the air of a high-ranking player, and said, "What's the rush, Xiao Liang*?"
Xiao Liang quickly nodded in agreement, a flattering smile on his face.
Liang Zuo was a semi-newbie player, entering the game for the second time. Last time, he survived and returned to reality purely by luck, blindly following skilled players. He still didn’t know much about the game.
This time, he was playing it smart. As soon as he entered the game, he found Wang Hai, an experienced player, to rely on.
There were four of them—three men and one woman. He and Zhou Wen had no experience, so they had to act humbly and pay to get by.
As for Fang Qing, the woman in Wang Hai’s arms, she was also sticking close to him, but in a different way.
"Brother Wang, how many players do you think are in this game besides the four of us?" Zhou Wen scratched his head. "And what about that early pass announcement at noon?"
"As you all know, the system doesn’t reveal the number of players in the game." But experienced players like Wang Hai could usually guess the rough number of participants. Wang Hai only shared part of what he knew.
"So, if the system says someone got an early pass, it means they must have done something impressive or just got really lucky," Wang Hai added, a smug grin on his face.
Liang Zuo and Zhou Wen exchanged worried glances. “Well, looks like this game is going to be a real challenge,” Liang Zuo said.
“Yeah,” Zhou Wen agreed. “But with Brother Wang’s guidance, we’ll be fine.”
Fang Qing, still in Wang Hai’s arms, gave a knowing smile. She was already thinking about how to use this situation to her advantage.
The night was just beginning, and in the game, anything could happen.
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*Xiao Liang means "Little Liang."
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