Chapter 50

Chapter 50

Despite the query, both Xie Yin Xue and Liu Bu Hua knew the tragic implication: Li Hong was nearing death.

Only those on the brink of death in the real world have the chance to be drawn into “Lock Eternal Life” to play the game — win and gain an extra month of life; lose and face immediate death.

But Li Hong was different.

When Xie Yin Xue first met him and resolved the paranormal incident on the top floor of the Wen Xin building, he'd remarked: Li Hong had a weighty fate, a face signifying longevity, and wasn't likely to die young.

Lu Shuo and Xiao Si Yu were there too, but they never mentioned “Lock Eternal Life” in front of Li Hong because he wasn't a game participant.

Thus, Xie Yin Xue and Liu Bu Hua shouldn't encounter him here.

Yet, they did.

The mix of panic, confusion, and curiosity on Li Hong's face revealed he was a novice, experiencing this instance for the first time.

Prior to Xie Yin Xue addressing him, a girl with a lovely face and white chiffon dress clung to Li Hong, anxiously asking, "Li Hong, where are we? Weren't we supposed to be in the classroom submitting our practical assignment? How did we end up here?"

Another girl in a floral pink dress echoed the sentiment, "What's happening?"

Two others, a male and a female, chimed in, "Did we encounter another ghost?"

Li Hong huddled with them, their shared expressions of bewilderment and alarm suggesting they arrived together.

"Mr. Xie, you're here too? That's such a relief!"

Li Hong, unsure of why he'd suddenly found himself aboard a seemingly

ancient,

dilapidated fishing boat, felt a rush of comfort upon seeing Xie Yin Xue, almost as if he'd found an anchor. He asked, "Mr. Xie, do you know where we are?"

The woman in the white dress turned to Xie Yin Xue, a brief moment of recognition passing over her face before she hesitated, "...Mr. Xie?"

Li Lu Ming, seeing Li Hong excitedly greet the young man, looked over only to realize she didn't recognize him.

The young man appeared frail, almost delicate, with an unhealthy pallor to his skin. Yet, his rosy lips offered some vibrancy, countering the overall sickly aura. Being a dance major, she'd seen her fair share of beauties, but someone with features as refined as his was rare.

More importantly, he appeared their age, maybe younger. So why did Li Hong address him with the formal title "Mister"?

As she pondered, Li Hong lowered his voice slightly to introduce Xie Yin Xue to her and their friends Yu Qin Wen, Duan Ying, and Xu Chen, "Ming Ming, this is Mr. Xie I told you about, the one who helped me with that incident."

He then added, "Mr. Xie, these are the classmates who were with me on the rooftop."

Xie Yin Xue nodded lightly, murmuring, "Ah, I remember."

His gaze briefly swept over the group, realizing they were Li Lu Ming, Yu Qin Wen, Duan Ying, and her boyfriend Xu Chen. Everyone who'd been on the Wen Xin rooftop was here.

Could such a coincidence really exist?

While Xie Yin Xue seemed disinterested and aloof to the strange setting, Li Lu Ming and her friends displayed shock on their faces, voicing their surprise, "So this is Mr. Xie? He looks so young."

Duan Ying inquired, "Is he really the one who helped you?"

"Yes! Don't be fooled by his youth; Mr. Xie is incredible!" Li Hong, sounding like Xie's biggest fan, sang praises to his friends, "Ever since he helped me, I haven't encountered any more strange incidents."

"But didn't you fall seriously ill for a month?" Xu Chen still appeared skeptical, adding, "You only got out of bed yesterday. That's why our group project was delayed until today. Duan Ying and I thought you were going to die."

"That was because..."

Li Hong began explaining that his illness was a price he had to pay for Xie Yin Xue's help, but was interrupted by a groaning man sitting up from the ground.

All five of them, upon seeing the man's face, exclaimed in unison, "Professor Chao? Why are you here too?"

The man they addressed as "Professor Chao" appeared to be in his thirties, dressed in a dark grey casual suit. His hair had streaks of gray, and he wore black-rimmed glasses. His refined appearance immediately identified him as an intellectual.

"...Where is this?" He, too, mirrored the newcomers' reaction, glancing around in disbelief. "Wasn't I in classroom 403 grading assignments? And then you students came to submit your practical work"

Li Hong spread his hands helplessly, "Exactly, Professor Chao. We have no idea how we ended up here either."

"You're all nearing death."

This statement came from Xie Yin Xue.

His voice was melodious, pure, and gentle, capable of calming the most turbulent souls. Yet, nobody expected the words he spoke to be so brutally blunt and inauspicious.

But Xie Yinxue believed that it was better for these people to know the truth sooner, as they would soon be facing an even more brutal game.

He continued, "We're currently in a game called 'Eternal Lock'."

Now, having participated in the third instance, Xie Yinxue considered himself a veteran. Thus, when newcomers arrived, it was his duty to introduce them to the general background and rules of the game.

In Xie Yinxue's previous instances, senior participants had always taken on this role. But in this instance, despite the continuous chatter from Li Hong and Li Lumeng, no veteran stepped forward to guide the newcomers.

A glance around the cabin revealed mostly novices, ill-equipped and with unmistakable fear and confusion in their eyes. Only two appeared composed—one was an aloof man with half-tied, half-loose black hair, seated not far from Li Hong, and the other was a reclusive, quiet young man, his bangs almost covering his eyes, clutching a metal suitcase.

Both didn't look like newcomers. They seemed more like veterans. However, their reticent natures meant waiting indefinitely for them to speak. Even if they did, it was unlikely they'd provide a game overview for the newcomers.

Therefore, Xie Yinxue decided to step up and take on the responsibility.

He understood how hard it was to accept such truths. So, when he finished explaining everything, he wasn't surprised to see the group standing, frozen in disbelief.

Li Hong murmured, "This is... absurd."

"Xiao Siyu is also a participant. We met in the same instance," Xie Yinxue revealed, adding, "I suspect he never told you to keep you out of this."

Hearing this, Li Hong had to believe. He and Xiao Siyu had grown up together. Li Hong had once shared with the then-atheist Xiao Siyu his eerie encounter at Wenxin Tower, fearing Xiao wouldn't believe. Instead, Xiao not only believed but also recommended Xie Yinxue to help.

So, this was the reason behind Xiao Siyu's change.

However, not everyone was convinced. Mr. Chao, a university professor addressed as "Professor Chao" by Li Hong and others, frowned, "This is unscientific."

Duan Ying, tears in her eyes, leaned on her boyfriend Xu Chen's shoulder, "But it's the only explanation for our sudden disappearance from the classroom."

Chao Qinghe fell silent for a few moments before asking, "Is this game orchestrated by aliens? Or someone else?"

"It doesn't matter," Xie Yinxue replied, glancing at him. "What matters now is how we survive."

Liu Buhua clapped his hands, drawing everyone's attention, "The fishing boat is still moving, likely toward our game location. Let's introduce ourselves before the game starts."

No one objected.

Liu Buhua began, and everyone followed, including the reclusive young man with long bangs, "I'm Lu Ling, a veteran. This is my fourth instance."

His speech was brief, just loud enough to be understood. He didn't even lift his head, so no one could see his face clearly.

The other man, with most of his hair tied back and a few strands hanging rebelliously on his forehead, spoke in a deep voice, "I'm Bu Jiuzhao, a veteran."

His introduction was similar to Lu Ling's, but with a twist at the end: "This isn't my first instance."

Usually, veterans mention which instance they're on or how many they've completed. If they choose not to specify, they don't mention it at all. Yet, this man oddly emphasized that this wasn't his first.

If he's a veteran, then obviously he's been through more than one instance.

So, if his statement isn't redundant, what is it?

However, Xie Yinxue never believed that men's words were useless.

Lifting his gaze to Bu Jiuzhao, his eyes wandered upward and realized the man was also looking at him.

Bu Jiuzhao rested his elbow on the armrest, his palm half-closed and leaning against his forehead. He sat with a casual posture, almost mirroring Xie Yinxue, but she never wore the indifferent expression he did.

The man's face seemed unfamiliar to Xie Yinxue. Yet, for some reason, she felt she might have seen him before.

Xie Yinxue curved her lips into a smile and asked, "Mr. Bu, have we met before? You look familiar."

Such a line might be cliché, but it's also the most straightforward and effective.

After her question, the man also smiled, his response enigmatic, "It depends on how long ago we're talking about."

Hearing this, Liu Buhua muttered, "Could it be some past-life connection?"

"I'm certain I have no past-life ties with him," Xie Yinxue glanced at Liu Buhua, raising an eyebrow, "But you two? Maybe."

"What's all this talk about past lives?"

The small fishing boat continued its steady pace. A tall man with a slightly rotund belly, making it hard for him to hide his wealthy stature, entered the cabin. Dressed in a white tank top, knee-length shorts, and flip-flops, he waved a plastic fan and yelled, "Hey! Wake up, everyone! Stop lazing around! You folks eat all day and do nothing. I'm not paying you to lie around like dead fish!"

"We'll be at Fengnian Village in ten minutes. I expect everyone to be alert. Village Chief Qingfeng is generous, and we're looking at a significant deal here. We need to give our best performance and not mess it up like last time. Got it?"

The man kept ranting and occasionally cursing, miraculously never dropping the toothpick from his mouth. Yet, through his words, the group could gather many clues.

Their current destination, for example, must be the "Fengnian Village" the man mentioned. Their purpose for going there was to perform for the villagers.

Yu Qinwen, puzzled, asked, "Perform a play?"

"What's wrong with you? Did you oversleep? We're from the Jin Yuanbao Troupe, heading to Fengnianzhai. Are we there to perform, or are we there to till the fields?" The man, dripping with sarcasm, rolled his eyes at Yu Qinwen, "Don't tell me you don't even recognize me, your troupe leader, Min Yuandan anymore."

The man's words provided two clues: all of them were part of the Jin Yuanbao Troupe, and he was the troupe leader named Min Yuandan.

Observing the situation, Xie Yinxue raised an eyebrow, "This is a guiding NPC."

"But why does this guiding NPC seem even more theatrical than Yino from the 'Dream of Hel'?"

"Yino should really try this scenario. He might even lose the acting contest to Min Yuandan. Yino tends to be over-expressive, whereas Min seems to play his role naturally, treating them all like underlings of the troupe."

"It's actually quite interesting," remarked a newcomer named Liao Xinyang, after listening to Min's tirade. He added, "It's like one of those live-action role-playing games."

Lu Ling, usually a man of few words, commented, "But no one actually dies in those games."

Hearing that, Liao Xinyang shrunk back, not daring to speak further.

As they conversed, the speed of the fishing boat they were on began to slow down, approaching the shore.

Following behind Min Yuandan, everyone began to disembark. From the deck, they could see a crowd of people on the shore, dressed in

Hong Kong-style

fashion from the '80s and '90s, exuding a nostalgic aura.

The contemporary attire of Li Hong and Xu Chen stood out awkwardly. Only Xie Yinxue and Liu Buhua, in their traditional robes, seemed to blend in.

Before disembarking, Min Yuandan, perhaps wanting to be more presentable, changed into trousers and a short-sleeved shirt. As the boat steadied, he hurriedly greeted an elderly man in dark blue robes, "Village Chief Qingfeng! Why have you come to welcome us personally?"

Village Chief Qingfeng, a stern-looking old man with a straight back despite his age, had a deep furrow between his eyebrows, giving him an imposing demeanor.

Even when he smiled, others felt a certain restraint in his presence.

"Not just me, everyone in the village has been eagerly waiting for you," Chief Qingfeng said warmly, shaking hands with Min Yuandan. His gaze then shifted to the group behind Min, "Are they the performers for this occasion?"

"Yes, they are," Min replied with a nod and a smile. Turning back to the group, his expression soured, "What are you all waiting for? Greet Village Chief Qingfeng! You all look like you're in a daze."

The newcomers remembered Xie Yinxue's advice: to never go against the guiding NPC's words because, no matter their personality, they always speak the truth.

Hence, even if Min Yuandan's behavior was quite intolerable, the newcomers still mimicked his earlier gesture, bowing respectfully to the village chief, exclaiming in unison: "Greetings, Chief Qingfeng!"

The older folks, like Xie Yinxue, Liu Buhua, Bu Jiuzhao, and Lu Ling, did not bow, but they still nodded and greeted Chief Qingfeng in kind.

"Alright, all is well," nodded Chief Qingfeng. He gestured to a middle-aged man in a traditional earth-toned Tang suit behind him, "Ah Fu, distribute red envelopes to our distinguished guests."

The term "distinguished guests" was a respectful way to address the actors. Not only was Chief Qingfeng hospitable, but after instructing Ah Fu to hand out thick red envelopes to each of them, he also called several robust men to help with their luggage, which contained costumes and stage props for the Jin Yuanbao Troupe.

"Mr. Min, I've had accommodations arranged for you all. I'll have Ah Fu lead you there shortly," said Chief Qingfeng, handing Min Yuandan a notably thicker red envelope than the others. "We rely on you for the next few days."

"Chief Qing, you are too kind," Min Yuandan replied, now using a more intimate title. Grasping the Chief's hand firmly, he assured, "Rest assured, our Jin Yuanbao Troupe will deliver an unparalleled performance for the villagers."

With a contented smile, Chief Qingfeng watched them head to their lodgings in Fengnian Village.

Once out of the Chief's sight, Min Yuandan's demeanor shifted back to his usual haughty, sharp-tongued self. Taking out a toothpick and placing it in his mouth, he instructed the group without looking back, "Chief Qingfeng has provided an unused village house for our stay. I'll occupy the main room. As for the rest, pick whichever you like. Once settled, meet in the courtyard. I have matters to discuss."

Their lodgings consisted of a modest quadrangle dwelling. Though it wasn't vast, it had many rooms. Excluding the main one, there were almost ten other chambers, more than enough for their group of thirteen—eight men and five women.

Duan Ying clung to Xu Chen's arm without hesitation, declaring, "I want to room with my boyfriend."

Upon hearing this, Li Hong glanced at Li Lumeng, whom he had feelings for. Though he was nervous, he wished to protect her. However, Li Lumeng chose to share a room with Yu Qinwen, while two other girls, Xu Lu and Ying Yishui, also decided to room together. This left some rooms potentially vacant.

Lu Ling selected a room, entered, and closed the door behind him, indicating his preference to stay alone.

When Xie Yinxue saw Li Hong's inquiring gaze, she simply stated, "I'll stay by myself."

Left with few choices, Li Hong turned to Liu Buhua, "Mr. Liu, it's my first time in the game and I'm a bit scared. Can I share a room with you?"

"Sure," Liu Buhua replied, having no particular preference for solitude.

They ended up being the last pair to decide on shared accommodations, with everyone else claiming individual rooms.

Once everyone had settled and stored their belongings, they gathered in the courtyard, recalling Min Yuandan's instruction.

"Slowpokes! Always dragging your feet!"

Min Yuandan was already seated on a bench in the courtyard. As he saw everyone approaching, he clicked his tongue and began scolding. Once he had vented, he pointed to a small cylinder on a table in the courtyard filled with bamboo slips. "Hurry up and draw lots. After this, we still have to attend the village banquet."

Although unsure of the purpose, everyone complied.

They lined up and, one by one, took a bamboo slip from the cylinder.

"Monk Six?" Li Lumeng, examining the characters written in red on her bamboo slip, was visibly puzzled. "What does this mean?"

"You're Monk Six? I got Monk Five!" Yu Qinqing showed her slip to Li Lumeng and then asked Duan Ying, "What did you get?"

"...I'm Heavenly Soldier Two from the Immortal Grass," Duan Ying squinted at her slip, looking baffled. "What's this supposed to mean?"

"I'm Monk Four," Xu Chen chimed in. "Why are there so many monks?"

Xu Chen noticed Li Hong gazing at his own slip with even greater astonishment. He patted him on the shoulder, asking, "Li Hong, are you a monk too?"

"...Yes, but I'm—," Li Hong hesitated with a complex expression, finally saying, "Fa Hai."

Min Yuandan, fanning himself, interjected, "Of course there are many monks; we're performing 'The Legend of the White Snake.' The final act, 'The Flooding of Jinshan Temple,' requires several monks."

Li Hong looked around, "Then, who are Xu Xian, Bai Suzhen, and Xiaoqing?"

By this time, Xie Yinxue, who had drawn his lot, looked up and softly said, "I am Bai Suzhen."

"Hahaha, godfather, I'm Xu Xian!" Liu Buhua laughed excitedly, showing his bamboo slip to Xie Yinxue, "We're a pair!"

With Bai Suzhen and Xu Xian identified,

Who then is Xiaoqing?

All eyes turned to the only person who hadn't revealed his identity—

Bu Jiuzhao's face was ashen, his fingers gripping the bamboo slip tightly, his voice tinged with a gritted teeth undertone: "I am Xiaoqing."

Author's note:

NPC: Why am I Xiaoqing?

Xie: Because you're green with envy?

npc：？