Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Hong Lan quickly moved to join Ji Xia.

Star, despite her high agility, arrived late and unhurried.

Bai Yan looked relaxed but arrived at the same time as Hong Lan.

"What's the situation?" Qing Shu's calm voice sounded in the party channel.

Ji Xia quickly summarized the couplet on the door and the horizontal plaque "Broken-winged Wooden Kite": "...We probably need to go inside and investigate."

"Understood." Qing Shu didn't hesitate. "Liu, tighten the defensive perimeter. We're all moving towards the door. It seems we need to deal with the mechanism behind it first!"

Lao Liu, as if seeing a glimmer of hope, maintained his "Immovable Wisdom King Armor" and began leading the defenders in a difficult sidling movement towards the door.

The Stone Sovereign's heavy attacks followed them relentlessly, smashing against the illusory form of the Wisdom King and sending out showers of light. Every step they took was heart-stopping.

Finally, the main group reached the door, joining up with Ji Xia and the other three.

"Let's go in and check!" Bei Chen, the most impatient, strode forward and moved to push the tightly shut dark wooden door.

However, before his hand could touch the door panel, an invisible barrier suddenly appeared. Simultaneously, a cold system announcement rang out in everyone's ears:

"System Prompt: This is the 'Forbidden Ground of the Kindly Mother.' Males are not permitted to enter."

Bei Chen's hand froze mid-air, stunned.

"No men allowed?" Sui Yu's brow furrowed.

Qing Shu's face instantly darkened.

The situation had gotten tricky.

Although they didn't know exactly what lay behind the door, to break the Stone Sovereign's defense, they definitely needed to go in and investigate.

If only the female members entered, the male players left outside, having lost Lao Liu as their main tank, probably wouldn't be able to handle the Stone Sovereign's fierce assault.

Time was of the essence!

Qing Shu's gaze swept over everyone present, and he spoke rapidly: "Ji Xia, Hong Lan, Star, A Mu, the four of you, go in! Liu stays out here with us to hold the line!"

"Oh my beans!" Lao Liu's face instantly fell, turning like a bitter gourd. But he knew this was the only way. He yelled, "Alright, alright! Just hurry up! I really don't want to waste my Non-resistant Spirit Ink Bottle!"

"Let's go." Ji Xia didn't waste any time, decisively laying out the formation. "I'll go first, Hong Lan second, A Mu in the middle, Star at the rear."

"Okay." Hong Lan and A Mu immediately responded.

Star, still smiling, gave a thumbs-up.

Hearing Ji Xia's arrangement, Qing Shu felt a slight relief—thankfully, Ji Xia was on this dungeon run.

Ji Xia took a deep breath and pushed open the heavy wooden door.

The interior came into view, and a scent blending faint mildew with a whiff of face powder wafted towards them.

It seemed to be a bedroom, furnished with antique elegance.

A carved wooden bed, dark red brocade stools,

and a dressing table, ancient but beautifully made, were all present.

Everything, however, was covered in a thick layer of dust, radiating a chill of timeless neglect.

The bedroom was dimly lit, the air felt thick, laden with a heavy, suffocating oppression.

What drew the eye most was an object covered by a white cloth on one side of the room.

It looked like a dressing table...

Why was it covered?

Ji Xia's keen eyes scanned the entire room. She sensed no NPC, nor any aura of monsters.

"Maintain formation, spread out and search," she said in a low voice. "We need to hurry, but we can't act recklessly."

The four sprang into action, carefully inspecting every corner of the room.

Under the bed, inside the cabinet, the drawers of the dressing table... Aside from accumulated dust, there was nothing unusual, nor any expected items like "thread."

Finally, everyone's gaze once again focused on the object covered by the white cloth.

The clue was probably underneath it.

The reason Ji Xia had initially avoided this object was a premonition that lifting the cloth might trigger combat.

Checking the surroundings first was to ensure safety.

This came from years of combat experience.

Ji Xia said, "I'll go lift it and take a look. Everyone, cover me."

Hong Lan and A Mu: "Okay!"

Star, revealing her little canine teeth, watched Ji Xia with keen interest.

Just then—

*Click.*

A faint yet exceptionally clear sound of a door opening came from behind them!

The four of them felt a chill run down their spines, their hairs standing on end as they whirled around to look at the door.

They saw the door had been pushed open a crack, and a somewhat disheveled figure squeezed through—it was actually Lao Liu, who was supposed to be tanking the boss outside!

"How did you get here?!" Hong Lan was the first to ask, her tone laced with surprise and suspicion. "Can you hold out there?"

Lao Liu also wore a look of bewilderment. "Didn't you check the party channel? The Vice President said! Once you guys came in, that big guy outside just... powered down, stood there motionless! We still can't break his defense, but it's safe for now. The Vice President was worried you might be short-handed in here, so he sent me in to help."

Ji Xia's heart tightened. She quickly glanced at the party channel interface in the corner of her vision—the messages still stopped at Qing Shu's previous orders.

"There are no new messages in the party channel," she said, her gaze locked firmly on Lao Liu.

Prompted by her, Hong Lan also checked immediately and exclaimed, "It's true, there aren't any!"

Star's face remained smiling, but her words sent a shiver down their spines: "Lao Liu... are you really Lao Liu?"

Lao Liu's eyes widened, his expression a mix of utter confusion and grievance. "What do you mean? If I'm not Lao Liu, who am I? I... damn, you guys haven't been drugged with some kind of confusion potion, have you? Don't mistake me for..."

Ji Xia spoke up immediately, "Hong Lan, you've known Lao Liu the longest. Ask her something to prove she's really her."

"Hey! Seriously?!" Lao Liu wailed. "Can monsters really imitate people this accurately?"

Xingxing, clearly experienced as well, chimed in, "It's a high-risk dungeon, anything can happen~ After all, even the party chat can be blocked."

Faced with the three of them looking at her as if facing a formidable enemy, Lao Liu slumped her shoulders in resignation. "Fine, ask away! Anything! Hurry up!"

Hong Lan rubbed her chin, thought for a moment, then her eyes lit up. "Ahem... Then, after we cleared the first team raid you joined us for, what did you secretly say to me?"

Lao Liu: "………………"

Xingxing: "Oho, she can't answer."

Lao Liu flushed visibly. She glared at Hong Lan with annoyance, stammering in a voice as faint as a mosquito's hum. "I... I was fooled by you, you dumbass. I thought someone with such cool skills must be a handsome guy, so I... I confessed to you!"

Hong Lan immediately beamed, clapping her hands. "That's it! It's the real Lao Liu!"

Lao Liu rolled her eyes, threatening her. "Forget that ever happened. If you mention it again, I won't protect you anymore!"

Hong Lan raised a cool eyebrow. "You know you'd never."

Lao Liu: "…………"

If they weren't in a dungeon, she'd definitely smack Hong Lan's head with a brick.

Seeing their interaction, Ji Xia felt relieved. Xingxing, standing beside her, deliberately remarked, "You seem quite familiar with dungeon rules."

Ji Xia's expression remained unchanged, calm as ever. "Better safe than sorry." The implication was not that she was knowledgeable, but simply cautious by nature.

Meanwhile, Hong Lan had already filled Lao Liu in on the situation here.

When she heard that Ji Xia was about to uncover the mysterious white cloth, Lao Liu immediately stepped forward, thumping her chest. "Let me do it! Even if something jumps out from underneath, I can tank the first wave!"

With Lao Liu, the main tank, present, the team's sense of security skyrocketed.

Moreover, Lao Liu brought crucial information.

Since the Stone Sovereign outside was temporarily stalled, they could handle any potential fight here more calmly.

Ji Xia gave a slight nod and, along with the other three, took half a step back, focusing intently and remaining on guard.

Lao Liu took a deep breath and yanked off the thick, dust-covered white cloth.

What appeared before them was an object that felt both familiar and somewhat strange.

"Huh? Is that the dressing table?" Hong Lan blinked.

Xingxing revealed her little fangs, grinning. "This must be its original form."

Beneath the cloth was indeed the mutated dressing table they had encountered in the warehouse.

Now, it had shed its grotesque, twisted appearance and returned to its original state.

It was a normal-sized dressing table, crafted entirely from dark, precious wood, with dark gold metal edging polished to a mirror-like sheen.

The entire structure of the dressing table looked exceptionally sturdy, every dovetail joint perfectly fitted. Intricate and exquisite intertwining vine patterns were carved into the details, and one could faintly glimpse precision gears inside that seemed to surpass the era's technology.

Anyone could see the immense care and ingenuity poured into its creation by its maker.

Just as the five of them were carefully examining this exquisite artifact, the surroundings began to change.

Ji Xia softly reminded them, "Looks like we're entering a 'cutscene.' Everyone, pay attention."

Having experienced it once before, the group adapted quickly to this "cutscene."

The dust and decay in the room vanished.

In its place was a bedroom, looking as good as new. The air was filled with the soothing scent of incense. A bronze heater in the corner radiated a comfortable warmth, and the entire space became elegant.

"Wan'er, walk slower. A young lady must observe propriety—her skirt should not sway when she walks, and her smile should not reveal her teeth..."

A gentle yet somewhat rigid voice spoke.

A woman in ancient attire, with a lovely face but a trace of melancholy between her brows, spoke softly toward the doorway.

The next moment, a lively figure darted in like a sparrow.

Undoubtedly, this was Gong Shuwan.

Now, she had washed the grime from her face, revealing her originally clear and beautiful features.

Her beauty wasn't the gentle, docile kind nurtured in a secluded boudoir. Instead, it carried a crisp, spring-like freshness and vitality. Her brows and eyes conveyed a sense of resolute determination, and her eyes were especially bright and striking.

"I know, I know, Mother," the young Gong Shuwan replied verbally, but her movements still carried a breeze. In a few steps, she threw herself into the woman's arms, hugging her arm. Looking up, she presented her treasure eagerly. "Mother! Look! I made you a new dressing table! I made it myself!"

She pulled her mother to the dressing table, explaining enthusiastically, her voice full of pride. "Look at this mirror frame. I used a toggle clasp; just press it lightly to adjust the angle. No more worrying about bad lighting! And these drawers..."

She pulled one open, revealing cleverly partitioned compartments. "Different pieces of jewelry can be stored separately, so they won't get tangled. The best part is this!"

Gong Shuwan pointed to an inconspicuous mechanism under the dressing table, her eyes sparkling. "If a bad person breaks in, Mother, you just need to step here," she demonstrated the motion, "and short arrows with paralyzing poison will shoot out from both sides of the table! A tough silk net will also drop from the top! They won't get away!"

The young girl excitedly described the dressing table she had crafted for her mother.

However, she didn't receive the expected praise.

Instead, the woman's face turned deathly pale, her lips trembling. The way she looked at the exquisite dressing table was as if she were staring at a monster waiting to devour someone.

"You... you..." The woman pointed at the dressing table, her voice shaking. "How could you make something so... so terrifying! This... this isn't a dressing table; it's clearly a murder weapon!"

The smile froze on Gong Shuwan's face, a shadow dimming her bright eyes.

Seeing her daughter's expression, the woman's heart ached. Her tone softened, but carried an even deeper helplessness. "Wan'er, listen to your mother. Stop wasting your time on these useless things. You're a young lady. What will people think if you spend all day tinkering with these mechanisms? You... if you're like this when you marry, you'll be ridiculed by everyone, looked down upon by your husband's family..."

"I don't want to get married!" Gong Shuwan reacted like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, her voice filled with stung anger and stubbornness. "My mechanical skills are no worse than anyone's! Why can't I do what I love?"

"Don't talk nonsense!" The woman's expression changed, and she hurried forward to cover her daughter's mouth.

But Gong Shuwan took a step back, avoiding her mother's hand. It seemed she had a thousand things she wanted to say, yet it was as if something was choking her throat, preventing any sound.

In the end, biting her lower lip until it bled, she turned and rushed out the door.

"Wan'er!" The woman chased to the doorway, only to see her daughter's resolute back disappearing at the end of the corridor.

She slumped back onto the brocade stool, as if all the strength had been drained from her body.

When the woman's gaze fell once more upon the dressing table that embodied her daughter's countless efforts, there was not a trace of joy in her eyes—only deep fear and rejection.

She suddenly pointed at the dressing table and snapped, "Take it... take it and..."

The words "throw it out" lingered on the tip of her tongue, but in the end, thinking of her daughter's good intentions, she couldn't bring herself to say them.

Wearily and with disgust, she waved her hand and changed tack. "Find a white cloth and cover it up! It gives me the creeps!"

A maid nearby whispered, "Madam, this... this was specially made for you by the young lady..."

"I said cover it up!" the woman shrieked, as if a sensitive nerve had been touched. "I will never use such a creepy thing in my life! Cover it up! Don't let me see it again!"

Author's note:

Click for the next chapter.