Chapter 305: Joyful Destiny 26

Chapter 305: Joyful Destiny 26

Qin Fei retracted his gaze and descended to the courtyard.

Cen San Ya had already left, but Gala was still sitting there, seemingly waiting for him on purpose.

Qin Fei stood before Gala, his vantage point allowing him to clearly see the subtle worry etched on Gala's face.

"What were you two talking about just now?" Qin Fei asked as if in passing.

"Nothing much," Gala replied quickly. "Cen said he foresaw some scenes; the sixth ancient painting shouldn't appear today."

Such a firm statement suggested that they indeed had foreseen something.

But Qin Fei didn’t think they were discussing this topic just now.

Qin Fei smiled slightly, neither confirming nor denying.

Gala stared at him, suddenly frozen.

In his hazy memories, certain scenes emerged from beneath layers of dust, becoming clear once more.

The young man stood under sunlight, turning back with a smile identical to the one before him.

A subtle panic suddenly arose in Gala’s heart. It felt like returning to the past, only to find that nothing could be changed, merely becoming an observer of history.

Vice President closed his eyes and then opened them again, his gaze now calm.

No.

This time is different from three years ago.

Three years ago, it was the players rebelling against the rules, which provoked the system's anger and retaliation.

This time, although they entered the same scenario, it was just another ordinary guild joint competition held every year.

This scenario can end. Gala reassured himself.

No matter what, the Guild Master must survive and get out alive.

...

The players’ search continued until nightfall.

As expected, there were no substantial findings.

The four members of Dark Flame approached dejectedly, "We were hoping to find the sixth painting and boost our points, but it looks like we can only rely on you guys to pass through."

Not a single one of the six key items was obtained.

"Cui Wenxuan said, 'Players from Star Daylight still have two members left. They came to me with a message. Tomorrow is the last day of the scenario. If you need their help, they're available anytime.'"

"Our two guilds are now planning to join your Black Feather," Cui Wenxuan said jokingly, but with a hint of bitterness.

Fate and destiny.

Tulou is the final stage of the guild competition, and no guild wants to miss out on a share of the spoils.

However, as the leading guild, Black Feather has maintained a significant advantage since entering the scenario.

One-third of the participants, with no losses during the two days of the scenario, have already secured an unshakable position.

So, relying on others is fine. As long as they can pass smoothly, the settlement points won’t be less. Even if the guild doesn’t come out on top, the rewards for each individual are still tempting.

As they spoke, the sky outside grew darker.

Tonight marked the third night since the scenario began, and players who had successfully survived two nights were no longer panicked by darkness.

But this time, things seemed a bit different.

Just after nightfall, the players were not yet tense, most still scattered around the courtyard.

Qin Fei was originally standing next to the locust tree listening to Cui Wenxuan’s complaints when he suddenly pointed out an issue:

"Why aren't the lanterns lit yet?"

His clear voice drew the attention of the players.

There was no specific time for lighting the lanterns in Tulou, but the previous two nights, the lanterns lit up as soon as it was completely dark.

"It might take a little longer..." Cui Wenxuan pressed his temples and responded casually.

But when he looked up, he couldn't continue speaking.

The sky above was already pitch black, like a heavy grinding stone pressing down on Tulou. In the past few nights, clouds and the moon could still be seen, but tonight, there was nothing.

Wait? Wait until when?

Unless they wait until the night is over and dawn breaks tomorrow.

But... will dawn really come?

The air was oppressive, thick with a heavy aura of death.

For a moment, Cui Wenxuan felt like an insect trapped in resin, struggling futilely.

Cold sweat broke out on the back of Cui Wenxuan’s neck, and he rushed toward the stairs, shouting, "Quick! Everyone, go back to your rooms!!"

The message spread rapidly among the players.

The few people at the front ran a few steps before suddenly remembering something. They fumbled to take out lanterns from their personal spaces, lit them, and held them in their hands.

Moving dots of light converged towards the staircase.

"Hurry! Hurry up!" A player on the second floor pushed open a guest room door, glanced outside, and shouted loudly, "The servants by the stairs have all turned into paper figures!"

After saying this, he slammed the door shut and retreated back into the room.

Cold sweat trickled down Cui Wenxuan's forehead and into his collar.

The paper lantern in his hand swayed, and the candle flame followed suit, looking fragile as if it might go out at any moment.

He had already reached the second-floor staircase. The player just now hadn't lied; the row of servants by the stairs had indeed turned into paper figures, thin sheets plastered against the wall.

The players on the stairs stopped involuntarily.

Several people blocked the staircase entrance, causing those behind them to shout in dissatisfaction.

"Shh—" Cui Wenxuan turned around and warned in a low voice, "Quiet, they're all paper figures ahead."

"But we can't just stand here," Xie Jingtian said. "Let's push through with the porcelain bottles first. It's completely dark throughout Tulou. What if more paper figures come from below?"

At that point, being caught between two groups would be even worse.

It made sense, and Cui Wenxuan knew this was the best solution. The players gritted their teeth, lowered their heads, and walked forward quickly.

Night winds blew through the corridor, and the paper figures fluttered.

The group dared not look to either side, and the overlapping footsteps echoed within Tulou.

The players wore various expressions—tense, fearful.

Qin Fei was the calmest among them.

What he wanted to know most right now was the theme of the sixth ancient painting.

Qin Fei suspected Gala and Cen San Ya knew something, but when he asked several times in the courtyard earlier, Gala refused to say anything.

Why?

The candle in Room 014 still burned brightly. Qin Fei pushed the door open, placing the porcelain bottles on both sides.

He did not immediately approach the bed. Room 014 had its own rules; once asleep, one could no longer open their eyes at will.

That was too passive. If something else happened during the night, it would be hard to deal with.

Gala sent a message in the Guild channel.

"Gala": Don't go out tonight. Guard your doors, and wait until morning.

"Lu Cheng": Understood.

"Xie Jingtian": Vice President, won't staying inside delay things?

Changes in the ghost story could mean danger or opportunity.

Xie Jingtian knew Gala and Xiao Qin had found an ancient painting last night.

Perhaps tonight, the sixth painting would appear.

"Gala": There won't be a painting tonight. Stay calm.

Qin Fei stared at the channel, raising an eyebrow slightly.

Gala wouldn't speak without reason. Since he said so, he must have confirmed something.

But the ghost story was nearing its end. The system couldn't be so kind as to give players a whole night to rest before the final battle.

If no ancient painting appeared tonight, then the danger might come directly to the players.

Qin Fei lowered his gaze, silently adding two more porcelain bottles by the door and releasing the ghost infant.

One human and one ghost crouched on either side of the door, staring intently at the door panel.

The corridor outside quieted down, only the howling of the night wind and the occasional rustle of paper being blown about.

No one chatted in the Guild channel anymore. Lu Cheng, who was responsible for reconnaissance, would send updates every ten minutes, informing players that it was safe outside for now.

These safety updates continued until midnight.

The instant the clock struck twelve, the air suddenly turned cold.

Qin Fei's spirits lifted.

Here it comes!

The ghost infant excitedly crawled around behind the door. The eerie ghostly aura might unsettle players, but it had no effect on the ghost infant.

Without any warning, an hour-long countdown appeared above the center of the guest room.

Simultaneously, Qin Fei discovered that the Guild channel was temporarily unusable.

Tap, tap.

Slow and gentle footsteps sounded from behind the door, light and soft.

The porcelain bottles by the door shook violently. Qin Fei frowned tightly. The number of viewers in the live stream had initially decreased after nightfall, but now they had all returned.

The footsteps stopped at the door, and after a moment, knocking sounded.

The audience grew increasingly excited.

"How thrilling! Who's at the door?"

"Probably a paper figure, right? There's only one kind of monster in this story, and I'm already tired of seeing it."

"I don't think so. Look at the shadow on the door."

"Such long hair, is it a female ghost?"

"Sis Ghost, hurry up and barge in!"

...

The suspenseful scene that the audience anticipated did not happen.

No ghost rushed into the room, and the players didn’t get a chance to battle it for three hundred rounds.

Qin Fei stared intently at the door without blinking.

He also saw the hair peeking through the crack in the door.

Why would there be such a long-haired female ghost in this eerie tale?

Perhaps it was the bride who died earlier?

Qin Fei clenched his fist to his lips and pinched his voice thin, saying, "Stop knocking. I am also a bride; the groom lives behind the door opposite."

The knocking paused for a moment but soon resumed like a downpour.

"..."

It was useless.

Sis Ghost doesn’t seem easy to deal with.

The knocking continued relentlessly, and the porcelain vase behind the door seemed to bear an immense pressure, shattering into pieces instantly.

The wooden door let out a sharp creak, its frame shaking as if it might open at any moment.

Immediately afterward, the remaining two porcelain vases also shattered.

The ghost outside was powerful, and the vases couldn’t withstand the pressure.

However, Qin Fei did not lose heart.

If being gentle didn’t work, he’d resort to force. He had plenty of porcelain vases hidden on him.

The player moved swiftly, placing new porcelain bottles at the door along with the ghost infant.

The door shook twice before falling silent once more.

Qin Fei didn’t leave; he continued to crouch and wait there.

Footsteps could be heard coming and going outside, and strands of long black hair, like water, seeped through the gap under the door into the room.

Despite the lack of light outside, a vague shadow was cast on the door.

This scene would be enough to send most players into a panic, but Qin Fei showed no reaction whatsoever.

The young man calmly reached behind him and pulled out a porcelain bottle, then another...

He arranged them in a row on the ground.

The porcelain bottles formed a circle around Qin Fei, and then the player lazily sat within it.

Ghost Infant: "…"