IGSB – Chapter 3
Chapter 3: Entering the New World (Part 3)
The announcement of death came so suddenly.
Xia Zhiyi was forced to process this overwhelming amount of information, her face a mask of astonishment.
She had just broken free from her hectic job and was about to start a new life. She had even planned her trip, but what arrived before her vacation was an unexpected death?
What unbelievable news!
Her eyes flickered, lashes brushing her cheeks. Xia Zhiyi dazedly snapped back to reality and turned her head to look at Jing Ruyu.
The other woman's expression was solemn, showing no sign that she was joking.
“…”
Suddenly, Xia Zhiyi didn't know what to say.
The confused words died on her lips, caught in her throat.
However, she had no time to continue her conversation with Jing Ruyu. Xiao Qiao urged them to hurry and follow, her expression tinged with impatience.
Everyone followed Xiao Qiao in silence, the atmosphere heavy and oppressive.
Soon, the group arrived at the side chambers of the Gu Residence.
The chambers were located in a small, enclosed courtyard. A stone table sat in the center, surrounded on three sides by bare white walls. The courtyard was devoid of any grass or trees, utterly lifeless. It felt cramped, like a cage for a trapped animal, making one feel deeply uncomfortable.
The man in the suit said he didn't want to stay here.
Xiao Qiao glanced at him and grinned. “If you don't want to stay, you can leave. The gate is right outside, we absolutely won't stop you.”
The man suddenly remembered the gloomy fog outside the gate and the monsters within it, and immediately shut his mouth.
Everyone fell silent, as quiet as cicadas in winter. The atmosphere grew tense.
Xiao Qiao withdrew her gaze and directly assigned the players to rooms in pairs, without any thought of asking for their opinions.
There were six of them in total, so dividing them this way worked out perfectly.
Because Xia Zhiyi happened to be standing with Jing Ruyu, she was casually paired up with her by Xiao Qiao.
Xia Zhiyi put her hands in her pockets and said nothing.
Jing Ruyu also had no objection.
And so, the room assignments were settled.
As soon as the rooms were assigned, Xiao Qiao relentlessly issued them tasks, seemingly with no intention of letting her “distinguished guests” rest.
Xiao Qiao stood at the courtyard gate and said, “The next rest time is at noon. There's still a long time until then, and the residence is busy, so our distinguished guests should start helping now.”
Her gaze swept around, and she raised a finger, carelessly pointing at Xia Zhiyi and Jing Ruyu. “You two are a team. Go tidy up the storeroom.”
Then she conveniently grabbed a male servant of the Gu Residence at the gate. “You, take these two to the storeroom, to the very last one.”
The whole sequence of actions was fluid and seamless. She clearly wasn't treating them as distinguished guests, but as servants of the Gu Residence.
Xia Zhiyi felt the role this New World had assigned them was a bit of a downgrade. And “the very last one”… that sounded a little dangerous.
After giving out the assignments, Xiao Qiao added expressionlessly, “I hope you'll all be quick about it. There's more work to do this afternoon.”
With that, she left.
【Players, please actively complete the tasks issued by the Quest NPC. Do not linger.】
There was the broadcast again.
Xia Zhiyi and Jing Ruyu looked at each other, then silently followed the young servant towards the storeroom.
The journey was silent; the servant showed no intention of striking up a conversation with them.
After a while, Jing Ruyu heard the person beside her ask in a low voice, “You too?”
She turned to meet the other's gaze. The woman was watching her intently, her lips parting. “Did you see the scene of your death too? What was it like?”
Jing Ruyu was slightly stunned, then smiled without answering.
Xia Zhiyi pursed her lips.
She felt like she had gotten an answer, and yet she hadn't. In any case, it was clear Jing Ruyu didn't want to tell her directly.
Since the other woman didn't want to talk about it, Xia Zhiyi didn't press the issue.
They had already broken up. She had no right to pry into the other's thoughts.
She scratched her face, then changed the subject, asking another thing she was more curious about. “Why do you know so much?”
The broadcast gave a hint for newcomers, which meant this was a beginner's instance. Everyone here should be entering the New World for the first time.
Besides, the broadcast's hint was minimal, yet Jing Ruyu was able to provide far more information. That was enough to prove she wasn't simple, or rather—
“This isn't your first time here, is it?” Xia Zhiyi posed the critical question.
Hearing this, Jing Ruyu raised an eyebrow in surprise, then smiled. “This is my first time here.”
Xia Zhiyi said in surprise, “Then how do you know so much?”
Jing Ruyu replied calmly, “It's a secret.”
Xia Zhiyi: “…”
Jing Ruyu said with great reassurance, “Just trust me. For old times' sake, I won't lie to you or harm you.”
Xia Zhiyi looked down at her clothes.
Truthfully, it had never crossed her mind that Jing Ruyu would set her up; she knew her character.
Then she looked up at the Quest NPC ahead and her surroundings. Recalling Jing Ruyu's words and the death from her vision, it all still felt unreal.
It wasn't a dream, yet it was more illusory and bewildering than any dream.
They soon reached the storeroom. The servant raised a hand and pushed the door open.
With a monotonous, chilling creak, dust billowed out.
Xia Zhiyi covered her mouth and nose and took two steps back.
She peered inside. The room was windowless, dark, and gloomy. The light from the doorway revealed a jumble of things piled against the walls.
It was clearly a neglected place.
“This is it,” the servant stepped inside first, lit a lamp in the room, and said with a blank expression, “Hurry up and come in to tidy up, be quick about it.”
The two of them stopped outside.
Xia Zhiyi frowned and asked, “What will happen if we don't do the task?”
Jing Ruyu thought for a moment. “We'd probably trigger the death condition on the spot and be sent away early?”
Xia Zhiyi: “…”
That didn't sound like something worth trying.
They walked into the dark storeroom and, by the candlelight lit by the servant, took the rags and broom from his hands.
Xia Zhiyi also saw Jing Ruyu calmly brush the back of the servant's hand before composedly taking the rag.
“Young man,” Jing Ruyu suddenly spoke, “is there any water source nearby?”
The servant answered impolitely, “I don't know.”
Jing Ruyu asked again, “Have you never heard any strange sounds of water in this residence?”
The servant immediately frowned, showing impatience. “What nonsense are you talking about in broad daylight! No, no, I haven't heard anything. Hurry up and work!”
Jing Ruyu did not ask any further.
“You two sweep the floor, wipe the cabinets clean, and then put all the things on the floor back. There are many treasures in here, so be careful with your movements and don't be lazy.”
After the servant finished speaking, he picked up a rag and turned to get busy, muttering as he went.
“What nonsense… I don't know where the young lady invited these distinguished guests from. I'm afraid there's something wrong with their heads…”
Xia Zhiyi: “…”
Although she found it bizarre to be criticized by a minor instance character, she immediately realized what was happening—Jing Ruyu was asking about the Ferry Crossing.
The New World said that only by boarding the Ferry Crossing could you clear the instance.
The New World also said they had to do tasks.
Xia Zhiyi held the broom and looked around the room.
The room was lined with large display shelves on three sides. In the compartments, thick with cobwebs and dust, lay various items—scrolls, vases, and perhaps even unknown treasures.
The shelves on the left and right had an additional plank on top, where several large chests rested. They looked so heavy that even two people might not be able to lift them.
Xia Zhiyi didn't get it.
Why put such big chests in such a high place? Weren't they afraid they would collapse and smash the treasures below?
Just then, Jing Ruyu walked to her side and said in a low voice, “He's human. His hand was warm.”
Xia Zhiyi understood in an instant.
In this place with only one exit, it was naturally safer if everyone in the room was human.
Jing Ruyu said, “Let's get to work. Be careful, we don't know what might happen here.”
Xia Zhiyi nodded, remaining vigilant the whole time.
Although she had no real sense of this so-called New World, this place still made it impossible to let her guard down. The only person she could trust was Jing Ruyu.
It was very quiet in the storeroom; every subtle sound was amplified.
During the cleaning, Xia Zhiyi heard a rustling sound from above. Listening closely, it sounded like something was scraping against a wooden board, intermittent and fluctuating in the darkness.
As time went on, this sound became clearer and clearer, and the air gradually grew colder. The sound seemed to scrape at one's very bones, making one's scalp tingle.
Her nerves taut, she quietly moved to Jing Ruyu's side, then glanced back at the servant.
The servant was still diligently sweeping, his face blank, as if he hadn't heard it or was used to it, treating it as a common mouse.
She tightened her grip on the broom. No matter what, it was always right to be vigilant.
“Screee…”
The sound continued.
Jing Ruyu naturally heard it too, but hearing it was one thing; the task still had to be done.
While paying attention to the sound, she wiped the wooden box in front of her, then slowly opened it. Inside was a small dagger, which looked extremely sharp, capable of cutting through iron like mud.
“A fine item.”
She praised it softly, then sheathed it and slipped it away.
“I'm taking it.”
Xia Zhiyi, who witnessed everything: “?”
What kind of outlaw behavior was this???
Jing Ruyu glanced at the servant, who was still busy working with his head down and hadn't noticed her action.
Turning back, she lowered her voice, calm and composed. “We can't bring weapons from the real world, so we can only collect equipment in the instance for self-defense.”
“So, as long as you're not discovered, just treat this place as your own home. Don't be polite, take whatever you want from your own home.”
“Surviving is the most important thing,” Jing Ruyu said with a sweet smile.
Xia Zhiyi's face immediately showed a look of, You can do that? Lesson learned.
Understood. The New World turns people into outlaws.
The servant turned around and saw the two of them huddled together. He immediately said, “What are you two doing huddled together? Hurry up and work separately. This corner hasn't been cleaned yet!”
“You, come over here and sweep the floor!”
Xia Zhiyi had no choice but to go over and sweep the floor.
She quickly finished cleaning the area. As she passed the display shelf, a small box suddenly fell to the ground.
She instinctively looked back, feeling baffled—she hadn't touched the shelf at all.
The servant saw it, his face instantly showing displeasure. He walked over quickly to pick it up, scolding, “Clumsy! Be careful!”
Suddenly, Xia Zhiyi had a strong feeling that prompted her to look up.
The huge wooden chest had been pushed out at some unknown time and was now teetering on the edge of the partition. In an instant, it suddenly smashed downwards—
“Watch out!” Xia Zhiyi exclaimed.
“Bang—”
“Splat—”
Xia Zhiyi, who had instinctively dodged, leaned against a wooden pillar, watching everything in front of her with utter astonishment.
The sound of the wooden chest crashing to the ground was accompanied by the sticky sound of tearing flesh. Blood splattered everywhere, leaving shocking crimson stains on her cotton slippers.
A thick smell of blood instantly filled the air, constantly stimulating every one of Xia Zhiyi's nerve endings in the dim light, making her stomach churn.
He was dead…
Just like that, smashed to death right in front of them…
Xia Zhiyi subconsciously looked up and was instantly stunned.
Where the large wooden chest had been, there was a “person” with disheveled hair.
His face was deathly pale, his features twisted, and the nails on his ten fingers were long and sharp. He was currently gripping the edge of the partition tightly, leaning half his body out, as if admiring his smashed “masterpiece.”
Sensing Xia Zhiyi's gaze, his stiff head slowly turned towards her.
A moment later, he gave a sinister smile, the corners of his mouth splitting wider and wider, finally revealing a mouthful of sharp, terrifying white teeth.
Xia Zhiyi's gaze suddenly collided with his.
In the dim, uncertain light, she saw blatant malice and regret in those eyes.
The regret of not being able to smash her to death along with him.
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