Chapter 286: Joyful Fate 07

Chapter 286: Joyful Fate 07

The players in front of the curtain fell silent for a moment before bursting into an uproar.

Many jumped up, only to find that the NPCs who had been standing behind them had vanished without a trace.

Red silk cloths falling from the ceiling connected together, forming an airtight red web.

Lu Cheng's eyes widened as he released vines, trying to lift the red cloth.

His expression soon changed: "Damn it, we can't get out!"

The seemingly soft and thin cloths were actually harder than steel wires, impossible to break through by human strength.

From the curtain ahead, the first paper figure had completely emerged.

The flat paper figure, no larger than a palm, suddenly expanded to the size of a real person upon leaving the curtain.

The paper figure stepped forward, walking steadily despite its almost non-existent thickness.

Mengchang's face turned pale; this paper figure was too similar to the one he had seen last night.

A thick aura of contamination radiated from the paper figure, spreading outward.

Several players with low mental immunity had already taken out mental supplements and were pouring them into their mouths.

However, this was not the worst part.

In fact, this was just the beginning.

More tiny red figures appeared from the torn curtain, each paper figure wearing a strange smile with narrow, squinting eyes, as if experiencing something extremely pleasant.

They struggled and writhed outward, constantly emitting low, incomprehensible whispers.

No one could understand what the paper figures were saying, but these sounds were like death curses to the players' ears.

The players' faces turned green, and several murderous gazes converged on the troublemaker.

Qin Fei remembered the person slightly; on Train No. 444, they had spoken a few words. He seemed to be a player from a small guild named Ge Yanghui.

Ge Yanghui's cold sweat had soaked his hair, and his apologetic smile was strained.

The paper figures multiplied, gradually filling the space in front of the curtain.

Within mere seconds, the players had searched all four sides of the red cloth, finding no way out.

They were trapped here.

With these paper figures of unknown intentions.

The players grouped together, retreating to the edges.

Thirty players had entered Tulou, excluding the one who met an unfortunate fate last night, leaving twenty-nine gathered here.

When watching the paper play earlier, everyone sat orderly without feeling cramped. Now, standing and moving aimlessly, they filled the already limited space.

Black Feather and Dark Fire took advantage of their numbers to secure the most advantageous position, farthest from the curtain.

But the emerging paper figures seemed to have their own consciousness, not limiting themselves to the nearest players. Seeing companions nearby, they would switch targets.

Dozens of paper figures soon forced the Black Feather players into a corner.

Confused about the situation, the players didn't know how to react.

Their space was rapidly shrinking.

Cui Wenxuan took out his mirror.

His artifact could not only detect ghostly presences but also suppress them. However, against these paper figures, the bronze mirror proved ineffective.

Unfazed by the players' mirrors, the paper figures continued advancing.

"Fall back!" Xiong Li shouted.

He stepped forward, grabbing a long bench to block the front.

Xiong Li, a player with combat talent, had enhanced physical strength. When activating his skill, his already robust body gleamed with a metallic sheen.

Swinging the long bench, he created gusts of wind.

This seemingly clumsy attack actually made the paper figures retreat slightly.

Xiong Li stood alone, blocking more than ten people like an unbreakable wall.

Mi Yang, positioned at the back, noticed a hunched figure silently approaching.

Mi Yang frowned.

That seems... to be Ge Yanghui?

...

Ge Yanghui felt bitter.

His guild was small, and he was the only one chosen by the system to enter the Tulou tale. The players present had formed their own groups, leaving no one to care for Ge Yanghui.

He had just caused trouble again.

Everyone looked at him with disdain, and even if he wanted to seek protection, no one was willing to help him.

The paper figure that had torn the curtain initially kept following Ge Yanghui.

Chased by it, he circled around the silk cloth, seeing no way out, his breathing becoming more and more rapid.

Fortunately, the people from Black Feather were right ahead.

Their attention was now focused in another direction.

Ge Yanghui quickly calculated his options in his mind.

He planned to sneak into Black Feather's group.

He didn't know how to deal with the paper figure; the bench on the ground looked small but was surprisingly heavy, making it impossible for ordinary players to lift, let alone wield it skillfully.

Ge Yanghui glanced at Xiong Li ahead.

Big guilds indeed have more capable people; perhaps blending in might offer a glimmer of hope...

Xiaoman had no idea what Ge Yanghui was thinking.

Seeing Ge Yanghui getting closer, drawing the paper figure nearer to Black Feather's area, Xiaoman felt an itch in his cheeks.

With a swift kick, he sent Ge Yanghui flying: "Get lost!"

Ge Yanghui was completely unprepared for this sudden attack from behind.

The player lost balance, rolled on the spot, and when he lifted his face, he met eyes with the paper figure.

A thick aura of corruption enveloped him, and he almost fainted from the shock.

Fortunately, his physical strength was strong enough to prevent him from fainting. Within seconds, he regained consciousness and tried to escape.

But it was too late.

A thin, sharp pressure appeared on his hand, and the paper figure's expressionless face wore a deep smile.

"Gu... est."

The paper figure could actually speak.

"Please accept this humble gift."

The large red paper figure presented an item with both hands—a dark, flat object about half the size of a palm.

It was unclear what it was.

Ge Yanghui knew he should run.

But the paper figure's eyes seemed like a vortex, sucking away all his clear thoughts.

The player reached out dazedly and took the item from the paper figure.

The air was silent as various gazes intersected silently.

At this moment, while the players were struggling against the paper figures, they were secretly observing Ge Yanghui, the triggerer of the boss.

When they saw Ge Yanghui interact with the paper figure, everyone thought he was doomed.

What would happen? Would he be injured or die?

Would he turn into a piece of paper like those they had seen in the courtyard?

However.

Nothing happened.

After giving the item to Ge Yanghui, the paper figure spontaneously combusted, leaving only ashes on the ground.

This unexpected outcome left many stunned.

Qin Fei was the first to react, stepping forward and grabbing the hand of another paper figure.

In the next second, that paper figure was also engulfed in flames.

Left in Qin Fei's hand was a small, intricately patterned mirror with a red border, resembling a magnifying glass. Qin Fei opened the attribute panel and saw the description of the item.

"Item: Reversion Mirror"

Only the name was displayed, nothing else.

Qin Fei's action acted like a key, instantly triggering the other players' movements. They rushed forward.

Previously, the paper figures had been chasing the players, but now it was the opposite.

The terrifying yet fragile paper figures had no chance to retaliate and soon disappeared in flames.

The audience in the live streams found this hilarious.

When all the paper figures vanished, the red silk curtains retracted, allowing light back into the space.

The players looked at each other, sharing the same thought: Damn, we were tricked by the ghost story.

Qin Fei looked outward and met Xiaoman's eyes.

"Guests," Xiaoman said with a smile on her face.

The NPCs in this ghost story seemed to particularly enjoy smiling, whether they were living or paper figures.

Indeed, after all, this was a wedding-themed ghost story.

A place for celebrations should be filled with joy.

Qin Fei looked around at the eerie red surroundings and didn't find anything amiss.

"Guests, the performance has ended. The third floor is still being set up; please return."

Xiaoman curtsied. "The third floor will only be accessible three days after entering Tulou."

One player's eyes flickered as he raised the mirror in his hand. "Xiaoman, what is this thing for? A souvenir from Tulou?"

Every player had received a mirror.

And they all had the same design, seemingly a universal item.

Xiaoman said, "This is the Reversal Mirror, guests. The Reversal Mirror contains past events."

After she said this, everyone stared at the mirror.

Lu Cheng held the mirror high but only saw an enlarged face of Xie Jingtian opposite him.

Qin Fei didn't follow suit; he slowly rotated the mirror in his palm, already guessing its specific use.

Reversal Mirror, past events.

Using this mirror, one could see things that happened before.

Where to look?

— Naturally, it would be those ancient paintings.

What those paintings depicted were precisely the past events that occurred in Tulou.

"Guests."

The steward pushed through the crowd and walked forward with a smile. "Every year, we hold an ancient wedding event at Red Mountain Ancient Building. As you have seen, it is to commemorate that pitiful couple.

Before the wedding officially begins, we will select one person from among the guests to play the role of the bride and host a true wedding exclusively for the maiden and her lover."

"Preparing for the wedding requires many unique items.

In addition to the items prepared by most of the Tulou servants, the guests also need to bring a few special items.

These items are hidden within Tulou. Over the next two days, everyone can explore the building, except for the third floor, where you can go freely.

If there are any questions, every servant in the building is here to serve you."

"Wishing all our esteemed guests a pleasant time!"

After the steward finished speaking, all the players' attribute panels showed an update prompt.

"Ghost Story Mission: Before the Tulou wedding begins, collect six auspicious items."