IGSB – Chapter 13
Chapter 13: Entering the New World (Part 13)
Xiao Qiao thought Xia Zhiyi was shameless. Utterly shameless.
In all her years as a quest NPC, she had never encountered such a shameless rookie player.
Could it be that Xia Zhiyi and her sense of shame lived separately?
If not, why didn't she bring her face with her???
Xia Zhiyi said, "Why would I bring my face? Can you survive in here on looks alone?"
She scratched the tip of her nose in confusion. "You never told me I had to use facial recognition to clock in for work here. Besides, I thought you liked it when I was shameless."
“?”
Xiao Qiao retorted, "Who said I like you?!"
Xia Zhiyi replied, "I'm on your blacklist, so you must like me!"
“...”
Xiao Qiao was successfully disgusted. Another mark was added to the tally of old and new grievances.
"Stay away from me."
Xiao Ya and the other two couldn't help but feel a sense of solemn respect for Xia Zhiyi.
She was already brave enough on a normal day, but to think that even after learning about the "clearing the field" time, Xia Zhiyi could still be so bold. This must be what a true warrior looks like!
Xia Zhiyi was unfazed. She was the type to take things one step at a time here. You had to seize opportunities when they arose; hesitating and overthinking could get you killed.
Xiao Qiao suddenly took two steps back, distancing herself from Xia Zhiyi and putting space between herself and the other players.
She lifted her gaze and scanned the group, ignoring the dried bloodstains on the ground. Her expression was indifferent. "Honored guests, you have worked hard these past two days. Tomorrow is my young lady's wedding. Please rest well today; you no longer need to help."
"Breakfast has been served. Please enjoy your meal."
Everyone was taken aback.
No tasks today? Happiness had arrived so suddenly, more abruptly than a tornado.
With that, Xiao Qiao turned and left without a backward glance, not even bothering to comment on the reduced number of players, as if it were perfectly normal.
The moment she was gone, the atmosphere in the courtyard grew oppressive once more.
After this interlude, Xiao Ya, who had been sobbing her heart out, forgot to cry. She squatted on the ground with the others, all of them silent in the face of the pressing deadline and lack of clues.
The room where someone had died felt even more suffocating, and the air grew thick with anxiety.
Jing Ruyu disliked it here. She stepped outside and stopped beside Xia Zhiyi.
"We have to go to the rear courtyard tonight."
Xia Zhiyi turned to look at her, offering no objection.
The wedding was tomorrow. Who knew if that would be the day the Ghost King was unleashed? The players could do nothing but try even harder to find the clues to clear the instance.
Taking action was better than sitting around in this wretched courtyard waiting to die.
Xia Zhiyi lowered her gaze, murmuring to herself, "We've confirmed the fruit is the problem. If only we had another day or two..."
More time meant a higher margin for error.
The tighter the deadline, the more prone people were to anxiety and restlessness. The thing she hated most at work was running out of time!
At this thought, she began to silently search her mind for a way to extend their time.
Maybe there was a way?
Perhaps... Think, Xia Zhiyi, think hard...
Hearing the words "rear courtyard," the other three players, driven by a powerful will to survive, bravely initiated a conversation.
"Excuse me, what did you mean by 'rear courtyard'?" the straight-haired girl nicknamed Liuliu asked first.
Jing Ruyu looked toward them.
Xia Zhiyi also snapped out of her thoughts and shared the information without holding anything back.
After listening, the three had a moment of realization and were suddenly filled with hope for clearing the instance.
No matter what, having a lead was better than having none at all!
"Zhiyi, I'll go to the rear courtyard tonight. You stay in the room and protect yourself," Jing Ruyu decided.
“?”
Xia Zhiyi exclaimed, "You're going alone? No way, that's too dangerous!"
But Jing Ruyu shook her head. "The night is still an unknown to us. I can probably handle it alone. Bringing someone else along would only add to the danger. It's decided."
Xia Zhiyi opened her mouth, wanting to refuse but unable to find the words.
She couldn't be selfish and become a burden, but in a place like this, she couldn't help but worry that Jing Ruyu would be in even greater danger out there alone.
She had to do something. She had to do something...
"Let me help. If you need anything, just let me help."
Xiao Ya stood up, wiped away her tears, her eyes filled with determination.
"As long as you take me with you when you leave, I'll do anything you ask of me now!"
She didn't want to go through what happened yesterday a second time.
She now finally understood how precious a life that couldn't be restarted was. So she had to live, she had to live well!
She didn't want to stay in this godforsaken place for another day!
Seeing this, the other two players chimed in, expressing their resolve.
They didn't know what to do, so it was better to find a leader and follow orders. That was better than running around like headless chickens.
And so, under the combined pressure of their dwindling numbers, the 'clearing the field' warning, and the tight deadline, the five of them achieved a high degree of unity for the first time.
Seeing that Xiao Ya had more or less composed herself, Xia Zhiyi asked her to recount the events of the previous day in detail.
Although Xiao Ya was reluctant to recall the previous day's events, she knew this was no time for sentimentality. She wiped her tears, sniffled, and sat down to tell them everything exactly as it had happened.
When they heard the part about Gao Hui choosing to eat the fruit himself, the group couldn't help but complain.
"Why didn't he seem to trust the information others gave him?"
"Sigh... It's best to speak no ill of the dead. I don't know what to say."
"Sigh..."
Xia Zhiyi rested her chin on her hand, listening in silence.
Jing Ruyu made no comment and let Xiao Ya continue.
Xiao Ya recounted her brush with death from the previous night in full, sending a chill down everyone's spine while also highlighting a key point.
"You didn't look at her?" Jing Ruyu asked.
Xiao Ya shook her head like a rattle. "Absolutely not! I was so scared at that moment, I forgot to scream or even move. I definitely didn't dare to open my eyes!"
Jing Ruyu understood and nodded.
Liuliu asked, "If eating the fruit causes problems, how did Xiao Xia get through the first day?"
All eyes immediately fell on Xia Zhiyi, who had been quiet until now.
Before she could answer, Jing Ruyu spoke first. "I didn't sleep that night."
Because she was awake, she was able to notice something was wrong with Xia Zhiyi immediately.
Even later, when they shared a bed, she slept very lightly. The slightest movement from Xia Zhiyi would wake her instantly.
Fortunately, Xia Zhiyi slept soundly and peacefully in her arms, and the hallucinations didn't return.
Xia Zhiyi suddenly snapped back to the present and looked at Xiao Ya. "Did Xiao Qiao say yesterday that anyone who ate the fruit could see the young lady whenever they wanted?"
Xiao Ya nodded. "Yes, I remember her saying that."
Xia Zhiyi said, "Oh..."
If you can see the young lady, maybe you can see the master, too?
She looked up at Jing Ruyu, who was standing beside her. "I still think we should try to extend our time. If we can, the pressure on you tonight won't be as great."
“?”
Jing Ruyu had a faint idea of what she was thinking. "You're not planning to..."
Xia Zhiyi shot to her feet and hurried out of the courtyard. "You guys figure out a plan for tonight. I'm going to see Master Gu!"
A moment later, she doubled back, ran into the house, grabbed two steamed buns from the table, and ran off again, gnawing on them as she went.
A person is iron, but food is steel. If you don't eat, you'll starve!
"Hey, you there! Don't go! I want to see your master!"
On her way to see Master Gu, Xia Zhiyi polished off the two steamed buns. She nearly choked and had to stop at a nearby kitchen to ask for a drink of water.
She took the opportunity to observe the state of the residence.
Even now, the Gu Residence was adorned with lanterns and festive banners. Red cloth hung everywhere, creating a joyous atmosphere.
The players no longer had to work, but the servants of the residence were still bustling about, as if their tasks would never end until the day of the wedding.
Her gaze swept past a small, nameless plant by the wall—a weed, for all intents and purposes—before she returned the bowl.
"Thank you. Let's keep going."
Master Gu was currently in the main hall, reviewing the account ledgers.
It wasn't difficult to get an audience with him. Before entering, Xia Zhiyi politely straightened her clothes, feeling for a rare moment like she was about to meet a major client for a business deal.
"Master, the honored guest is here. She wishes to see you."
Master Gu looked up at the announcement, nodded, and politely invited Xia Zhiyi to take a seat. He ordered someone to pour tea, then asked in a benevolent tone, "Honored guest, for what reason have you come to see me?"
Xia Zhiyi said, "Your daughter is to be married tomorrow."
Master Gu chuckled, stroking his beard. "Indeed, she is."
Xia Zhiyi's tone shifted. "However, I feel the preparations in the residence are still insufficient. Things that should be cleaned up haven't been dealt with properly. The wedding cannot proceed. So, would Master Gu consider postponing the wedding for another two days?"
Before she could even finish, Master Gu's benevolent expression vanished. His face changed instantly as he roared in fury, "Insolence! Is a wedding date, such an important occasion, something you can change on a whim? Do you take this for a child's game?"
Xia Zhiyi raised an eyebrow. She hadn't expected such a strong reaction. He changed his tune faster than one could flip a page.
Just then, a servant entered with tea. Xia Zhiyi calmly took a cup and offered it to Master Gu. "Please don't be angry. Let's discuss this calmly. Why get so worked up? I was merely offering a small suggestion."
"A suggestion?" Master Gu snorted. "It seems to me you're here to deliberately cause trouble!"
"Say no more. I am very busy and have no time to entertain your nonsense. Someone, escort our honored guest out!"
Xia Zhiyi was escorted out, but she wasn't discouraged.
As she walked, she replayed every detail in her mind, from the moment she entered the New World to the present, trying to grasp a single thread of a clue.
After a moment, she reached out and gently patted the shoulder of the servant guiding her, offering him a charming smile.
"Pardon me, but could you please take me to see your young lady?"
Upon hearing this, the servant clasped his hands. "Please wait a moment. I must first ask for the young lady's permission."
Xia Zhiyi stood where she was, watching his retreating back, and raised an eyebrow slightly.
She didn't need prior permission to see the master, but she needed it for the young lady?
It seemed this young lady was no ordinary person...
As she had wished, Xia Zhiyi was brought to the door of Miss Gu's private chamber.
Miss Gu lived in the highest pavilion of the Gu Residence. Pushing open the door would grant a panoramic view of the entire estate.
It was her first time here. The wind at this height blew against her back, making her feel uneasy. She wasn't used to it.
At the door, the servant didn't knock. Instead, he first instructed her on proper etiquette, explaining that she must bow when she saw the young lady, be sincere, and be polite, as the young lady detested impolite people above all else.
She'd never heard of such 'politeness' that involved drilling a guest on etiquette. While complaining internally, she learned the basics.
Only after she had learned it did the servant finally knock on the door.
"Young lady, the honored guest is here."
"Very well," a gentle and beautiful female voice replied from within. "You may leave."
The servant left. Xia Zhiyi then heard Miss Gu say, "Honored guest, please enter."
Only then did she cautiously push the door open.
Miss Gu's room was very large. Light streamed in from all sides, making it seem exceptionally spacious and bright.
The furniture in the room was of the finest and most beautiful quality, the clear sign of a deeply cherished daughter.
Directly opposite the door hung a heavy, shimmering beaded curtain. The Miss Gu in question was seated behind it, her features indistinct.
Xia Zhiyi took a bold step inside, then stopped after a single pace.
She didn't want to get too close to this young lady, yet she couldn't resist trying to get a better look at her face, because it was truly impossible to see clearly.
Even though there was light everywhere, and she could clearly see the young lady's clothes and jewelry, her face remained stubbornly obscured, as if completely veiled by the shimmering, swaying curtain, shrouded in mist.
Most importantly, there was an indescribable, sinister feeling emanating from behind the young lady. She was clearly sitting in the light, yet it felt as if she were standing in darkness.
Xia Zhiyi suddenly recalled the servant's words and quickly averted her scrutinizing gaze, clasping her hands and bowing to the young lady.
As she bowed, her lowered gaze fell upon something both critically important and utterly terrifying—
Beside the hem of the young lady's brightly colored skirt lay a hand. The sleeve was that of a white shirt, and on the wrist was a watch.
She recognized that watch. And she remembered its owner—Gao Hui.
The beads shimmered. Behind the curtain, a hand with nails painted a brilliant red gently covered a pair of red lips. A low chuckle spread through the room.
The woman parted her lips and asked softly, "What are you looking at?"
In an instant, a chill washed over Xia Zhiyi like a bucket of cold water, a bone-deep cold that seeped into her very marrow.
My god, the Ghost King was right in front of her!
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