Chapter 301 The Talisman

Chapter 301: The Protective Talisman

Su Bai didn't want Lin Wenhua and Huang Qi to perish in the novice game. While Wen Wen and Sha Linghai appeared more dependable than these two high schoolers who hadn't even graduated, this aligned perfectly with Su Bai's understanding of Lin Wenhua.

Before a pivotal event, Lin Wenhua had always behaved like any ordinary player, perhaps even more timid and marginalized within the group. Had it not been for what Su Bai witnessed and experienced in his previous life, he would have focused on the tall, sturdy, yet naive Huang Qi, rather than the quietly observant Lin Wenhua who always lingered on the periphery.

By stepping forward now to interpose himself between the players and the mud-caked old butler, Su Bai not only prevented his small "butterfly effect" from drastically altering this lifetime's future but also enhanced the players' favorability towards him, the "bride." It was a win-win situation.

However, as the sounds of courtyard gates creaking open from both the west and north echoed, the game's difficulty for the novice players began to rapidly escalate.

Su Bai, fully channeling A Xi's power, advanced step by step out of the courtyard. Though the old butler, completely engulfed in sludge, appeared unsettling, he was hardly a noteworthy character in Su Bai's eyes. Even in his disoriented state, the butler recoiled, step by step, under the sheer force of Su Bai's power.

Su Bai's full deployment of A Xi's power wasn't merely to expose the old butler's true form; it was primarily to draw out the true formidable entities lurking within the mansion.

What Su Bai hadn't anticipated was the simultaneous appearance of the brides from the other courtyards.

At that moment, Su Bai finally stepped out of the East Courtyard for the first time since the special mission began, entering the illusion-shrouded rear courtyard. Even with his vision obscured by the bridal veil, he could discern the intact stone path, the lush green grass, and the illusory moonlight reflected in the nearby pond.

The players behind Su Bai witnessed everything clearly. They saw the West Courtyard Bride and the North Courtyard Bride, both adorned in vibrant red wedding dresses, emerge at the courtyard gates. The West Courtyard Bride still wore no bridal veil, and her gait seemed unnaturally mature, unlike that of a sixteen-year-old girl. Compared to their previous encounter, her makeup was more elaborate, completely concealing her originally youthful face.

The North Courtyard Bride, her face hidden by her bridal veil, showed no discernible difference from before. However, a closer look revealed she clutched the sharp scissors Wen Wen had previously seen on the bed.

"Ah," Wen Wen gasped softly from behind them.

Perhaps due to the continuous bizarre occurrences, a cold wind began to sweep through the rear courtyard.

Another gust of wind blew, dislodging the North Courtyard Bride’s bridal veil and revealing a face that was young, yet cold and strikingly heroic.

Both brides possessed delicate yet pale countenances. While not breathtakingly beautiful at first glance, finding brides with such features among sixteen-year-old girls in this remote, rural village was no easy feat.

Su Bai, shielding the players, meticulously observed the two brides who had appeared almost simultaneously in the rear courtyard. Even though the energy flow in this area wasn't as "clean" as in Fog City, Su Bai could clearly sense that the West Courtyard Bride's power was stronger and more complex than the northern bride's—undoubtedly the true malevolent spirit haunting this mansion.

In fact, even without sensing the difference in power, Su Bai could tell something was amiss with the West Courtyard Bride. Although her time had seemingly frozen at sixteen, her demeanor, actions, and even her makeup style resembled those of a much older woman.

Su Bai believed some players in the group had also noticed this, but it wasn't enough to deflect suspicion from him.

To solidify the four newbie players' suspicions about the West Courtyard Bride's identity, Su Bai diligently recalled the various clues he had gathered about her while in the East Courtyard.

He was grateful for his repeatedly enhanced five senses, especially when he entered a meditative state. Even the crying and conversations from the West Courtyard, across the rear courtyard, could be captured by Su Bai.

After largely completing the "puzzle" of the West Courtyard Bride, Su Bai removed the black peace cord from his left wrist. This was no ordinary ornament; it was a prop transformed from KaiXin, the black cat shop mascot. The ceramic cat-head charms strung on it were manifestations of the cat spirits that accompanied the little black cat.

Su Bai then turned slightly to "look" at the players behind him. The faint jingling of the tiny bells on his bridal veil startled the already tense players.

But Su Bai merely located Wen Wen and, with his ghastly pale hand—transformed by borrowed power—extended the black peace cord to her.

"..."

When the black peace cord was offered to her, Wen Wen stared thoughtfully at the intricate black braided cord. Her greatest confusion wasn't why the "bride" was doing this, but rather... why did the cat-head beads strung on the cord not resemble handicrafts from this era?

The round cat-head beads, with their delicate drawings and exquisite cat ears, were the kind of mass-produced ceramic items commonly found in the real world. But then Wen Wen reminded herself that they were already in another world; it shouldn't be surprising for a "girl" from a remote village to produce anything.

So, why was the "bride" offering her this braided cord?

Only then did Wen Wen begin to ponder the "bride's" motive.

"A protective talisman. Deliver it to the West Courtyard."

The "bride" clearly understood Wen Wen's confusion. As she handed over the cord, she emphasized the keywords "protective talisman" and "West Courtyard" with a stronger tone. The "bride's" voice, ever since her skin had turned ghastly pale, carried a chilling undertone, yet it still conveyed a lack of malicious intent.

Upon hearing the "bride" mention the West Courtyard and the protective talisman, Wen Wen quickly recalled their first visit to the West Courtyard, where the weeping bride had spoken of her deceased grandmother and a lost family protective talisman.

Wen Wen didn't know why the East Courtyard "bride" was aware of this, nor did she believe this braided cord was the protective talisman the West Courtyard Bride had spoken of—after all, Wen Wen had just seen the East Courtyard "bride" remove it from her own wrist.

"Deliver it to the West Courtyard," the East Courtyard "bride" reiterated.

In that moment, a flash of insight struck Wen Wen. She understood the East Courtyard "bride's" intention.

Whether this braided cord was truly the West Courtyard Bride's protective talisman was irrelevant. If the figure standing there was the real West Courtyard Bride, she would undoubtedly recognize her most cherished talisman. But if the one at the West Courtyard gate was no longer the true bride, her reactions would surely provide valuable clues.

"West Courtyard Bride!" Wen Wen immediately clutched the braided cord tightly and, while the "bride" kept the old butler occupied, ran out directly. Raising her hand, she waved to the West Courtyard Bride, "Bride, I've found your lost protective talisman!"