IGSB – Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Entering the New World (Part 8)

---

Xiao Qiao left without hesitation, even covering her ears. Seeing this, Xia Zhiyi sighed, expressing her disappointment in the heartless Xiao Qiao.

She turned and walked towards Jing Ruyu: "She's ignoring me, and after I even shared a piece of the young lady's fruit with her yesterday."

Jing Ruyu patted her shoulder in agreement and comfort. "Don't be sad, she's the one being too cruel."

Everyone watched, stunned.

Gao Hui, who had witnessed everything, voiced the crowd's confusion: "Are you very familiar with the NPCs?"

Xia Zhiyi replied with a frank expression, "Not at all."

Everyone: "???"

So you're the legendary social butterfly???

Xia Zhiyi and Jing Ruyu discussed for a moment and, in the spirit of "we're all victims of the New World, so we should help if we can," shared the information they had with the others.

For instance, eating the food sent by the young lady might cause hallucinations, the ghosts wouldn't dare act recklessly when a quest NPC was present, and even that the Ghost King might be Master Gu.

However, since it was everyone's first time here, no one could be sure their information was one hundred percent correct.

Some players thanked them, some remained silent, and others still wore a dejected look.

Xia Zhiyi and Jing Ruyu exchanged a glance and returned to their room to eat their own breakfast.

Replenishing their energy was crucial. They had done what they could; regardless of the others, they had to ensure their own survival first.

Before picking up her chopsticks, Xia Zhiyi prayed very devoutly: "I hope we can find information about the ferry crossing today."

She couldn't stand to stay in this wretched world for another day.

...

After their meal, the two followed a young maid out.

On the way, Xia Zhiyi returned the jacket to Jing Ruyu and thanked her again.

Jing Ruyu put on the jacket and replied, "You're welcome."

The two "new acquaintances" continued to interact with such formality.

Just as Xia Zhiyi had thought, the garden was indeed very normal and bright. At least Master Gu wasn't deranged enough to grow flowers in a dim indoor space.

The Gu Residence's garden was vast, filled with all sorts of flowers, plants, and trees. According to the young maid, every part of it was arranged to their young lady's liking. Even the master couldn't interfere. Master Gu doted on his daughter, so he let her do as she pleased.

Xia Zhiyi felt it. This instance was trying very hard to tell them: Master Gu loves his daughter most, a doting father to the extreme.

More importantly, this doting father might also be a cannibal!

The two each received a shovel. The young maid said they needed to help plant a few new trees today.

"The saplings are just ahead, you'll see them when you walk over."

The young maid's eyes were smiling, and she spoke in a very friendly manner.

"Have our two honored guests eaten your fill? This is manual labor, it takes a lot of energy."

Xia Zhiyi and Jing Ruyu exchanged a look, immediately understanding each other's thoughts.

Xia Zhiyi took the initiative to speak: "Miss, I have a question. I was wondering if you'd be willing to help me with an answer?"

The young maid replied as she walked, "What question? Go ahead and ask."

She seemed much easier to talk to than the male servant who died yesterday.

"Have you ever heard the sound of water in the Gu Residence?"

"That? Of course. We have a large pond in the residence, and a well too."

"No, I don't mean those ordinary things. I wanted to ask if you've ever heard any unusual water sounds?"

"Unusual..."

The young maid turned her head, trying to recall.

She had to think hard about this.

Watching her back, Xia Zhiyi suddenly lost hope.

The New World probably wouldn't just give them information for free through an NPC, right?

It seemed they still had to find the ferry crossing in the residence on their own, the old-fashioned way.

Sure enough, the young maid shook her head. "No, I haven't heard any unusual water sounds."

Xia Zhiyi couldn't help but let out a long sigh.

The wedding was in just over a day, yet they didn't have a single clue.

What kind of wretched instance was this? How could they give so little time in a novice instance? How could they have the nerve to call this a novice instance!

Xia Zhiyi silently hurled a series of furious greetings at the New World in her mind.

But cursing the New World was one thing; finding clues and doing the work were two others she wouldn't neglect.

The young maid was good-natured. She didn't get angry seeing them rummaging around the garden, only asking, "Is what you're looking for very important to you?"

Jing Ruyu answered her seriously, "Yes, very important.

"Don't worry, we won't forget to help you with your work."

The young maid understood, nodded, and didn't stop them.

She felt it was the guests' freedom, as long as they didn't trample the flowers and plants.

"I'll go dig the hole first. You two have to come help me in a bit."

After speaking, she took her shovel and walked to the other side.

Xia Zhiyi and Jing Ruyu searched for a long time but couldn't find anything related to the ferry crossing, not even a ghost's shadow.

The shovel stuck in the dirt. Xia Zhiyi leaned on the wooden handle and looked out. In the entire vast garden, there was nothing.

After tomorrow would be the young lady's wedding day. She could truly feel the time pressure, which was even more suffocating than a work deadline!

She was already starting to think about how to delay things.

One or two days wouldn't be too many, three or four would be even better.

"Are you done looking!" the young maid called to them from behind. "Come help me plant the tree!"

The two turned around and suddenly noticed the young maid had chosen the darkest spot.

It was a corner of the garden, hidden in the shadow of a three-story building, surrounded by several large trees that blocked out the sun, completely obscuring the sunlight.

That place seemed to have been severed from the light, faintly emitting a chilling air that made one's courage falter.

The young maid stood at the border of light and shadow, sleeves rolled up, a hole behind her, waiting for them with an innocent face.

Xia Zhiyi: "..."

She had a bad feeling. This looked like a place Xiao Qiao would choose.

And then, her bad feeling came true.

A ghost with a deathly pale face suddenly emerged from a tree next to the young maid. Its arms were bluish-black and twisted like two branches, constantly writhing.

In the blink of an eye, it had already rushed towards the young maid!

"Watch out, it's dangerous!" Xia Zhiyi couldn't help but shout.

Jing Ruyu, beside her, had already acted a step ahead—

Puchi—

The short knife cut through the air, powerfully and mercilessly piercing the ghost's body, pinning the unprepared creature firmly to the tree.

A shrill scream suddenly erupted in the silent air.

"It hurts, ahhh—"

The young maid was so scared her face turned pale, and she even forgot to react.

Before they could relax, a ghostly hand suddenly burst from the ground, brutally grabbing the young maid's foot. A ghostly face followed, its smile full of triumph.

"Help me..." The young maid seemed to finally find her voice, her face suddenly contorting as she cried out, "Help me!!!"

In terms of agility, Xia Zhiyi was still not as fast as Jing Ruyu.

While she was still thinking about how to save her, she saw Jing Ruyu, like an arrow released from a bow, already rushing over with the shovel.

"Clang!"

The shovel, with the speed of lightning, slammed directly into the ghost's face.

The ghost was dazed from the hit, and the strength in its hand immediately loosened.

It was then hit twice more, each blow heavier than the last. It clutched its face in pain, unable to react.

The young maid quickly broke free and ran into the sunlight, terrified and shaken.

Just as Xia Zhiyi was about to marvel at her ex-girlfriend's speed, she saw that the ghost pinned to the tree had somehow pulled out the short knife and was preparing to attack Jing Ruyu from behind.

"Ruyu, behind you!"

Jing Ruyu's eyes flickered. Unflustered, she dodged to the side, her figure nimbly avoiding what was, to her, an incredibly clumsy attack.

The ghost didn't give her a moment's rest; in an instant, its branch-like arms were already attacking her!

Jing Ruyu's gaze sharpened. She used the gap to swiftly evade, slipping past the ghostly hands. Then she quickly picked up the nimble short knife from the ground, tossing the shovel aside.

Before she could even catch her breath, she had already taken the lead, raising her knife to fight!

The blade glinted coldly. Under the heavy shadows, the sharp knife grazed the ghost's bluish-black wrist, instantly breaking the skin, but in the next moment, it healed rapidly.

Jing Ruyu was slightly taken aback, only then realizing that the knife wound on its body had also healed completely.

—The terrifying ability of regeneration.

The ghost sneered contemptuously, and in an instant, it opened its blood-red maw and lunged to bite her!

But she was seen calmly and swiftly stepping aside. As the hem of her clothes fluttered, she flipped her wrist, not retreating but advancing, suddenly raising her knife to meet it, aiming straight for that bluish-black neck!

The ghost was startled, not expecting her to dare to attack.

In the space of a breath, a cold killing intent brushed past its skin, and the flash of the blade had arrived!

And then, a ghost's head fell off right in front of everyone.

But its face still wore a contemptuous smile.

It didn't care. As long as its body found it, it would heal!

But before it could even hit the ground, it was kicked by a flying foot, sent tumbling out of the tree's shade, and unexpectedly exposed to the scorching sunlight.

The smile on its face froze.

The sunlight shone on it continuously. The skin on its face burned with pain, so painful it began to melt, and white smoke billowed from its entire head.

It couldn't help but howl, its voice filled with disbelief: "You're not, you're not, ahhhh—I'm not reconciled, I'm not reconciled!!!"

The howling grew more shrill, then gradually weakened, until only a white skull remained.

Afterward, its body also turned into a pile of white bones, clattering down from mid-air, no longer able to burrow into the tree.

Jing Ruyu calmly brushed the dirt from her shoulder.

She was certain now. These ghosts weren't smart, their movements were restricted, they lost their ability to fight when attacked, and they would die under continuous exposure to the sun. They could be completely suppressed with force.

In the previous two tasks, due to various issues, she hadn't been able to test this. Now, she could finally be sure.

Hearing the scream, the ghost stuck in the ground finally lowered the hands covering its face.

And then it saw its partner-in-crime become a pile of white bones.

Ghost: "...?"

How did you evaporate the moment I looked away???

"Are you not reconciled either?"

A mature voice floated down from above its head.

At that moment, its neck became incredibly stiff, and even looking up seemed extremely difficult.

It saw Jing Ruyu standing next to it, one hand leaning on the shovel, the other toying with the short knife, her eyes bewitching, fearless and dauntless.

She still had a smile on her face.

Looking up from below, that smile seemed to hide a terrifying, malevolent aura, making one not dare to risk their life against her.

It couldn't help but swallow hard.

It seemed they really weren't on the same level...

Who knew what this kind of person was capable of when their life was threatened?

It didn't want to perish together.

A wise man submits to circumstances. It shook its head frantically: "No, no!"

Jing Ruyu lifted the shovel and slammed it into the ground, her presence intimidating. "Are there any other ghosts here?"

It replied quickly, "No more, just the two of us!"

Jing Ruyu nodded slightly, as if accepting its words.

"Well then, please make yourself at home, I'll be taking a nap, goodbye!"

With that, it shrank back into the ground and never came out again.

Xia Zhiyi and the young maid were both dumbfounded.

It was the first time Xia Zhiyi had seen her ex-girlfriend display such strong positioning and movement. It was so light and nimble, like a snake. She was clearly a trained fighter!

Jing Ruyu was about to call them over to do the task when she looked up and saw Xia Zhiyi and the young maid in a daze. She couldn't help but ask, "What's wrong?"

Xia Zhiyi, holding her shovel, walked over silently and gave a thumbs-up. "Awesome... How come I never knew you had skills like that?"

Jing Ruyu: "Because they're not needed in daily life."

Xia Zhiyi: "...That's true."

Seeing her looking foolish, Jing Ruyu couldn't help but smile.

Xia Zhiyi saw a leaf in her hair and subconsciously reached out to remove it, saying as she did, "I didn't see you show off your skills when we first saw a ghost yesterday..."

Jing Ruyu smiled with utmost sincerity. "It's my first time in a place like this too, I also need to adapt. Besides, the storeroom was too small, and it was up high, so I couldn't move freely."

Xia Zhiyi nodded again, still a bit dazed. "That makes sense..."

It was everyone's first time seeing a ghost; they all needed a process to accept it. Understandable, understandable.

It was the young maid's first time seeing a ghost. Recalling what had just happened, she burst into tears.

If this honored guest hadn't helped, she would have been a goner!

"Thank you for saving me," she sobbed, still shaken but not forgetting her thanks. "If it weren't for you, I would be dead now, wuwuwu..."

With that, she squatted on the ground and wailed.

Seeing this, Xia Zhiyi squatted down and gently comforted the girl who was crying her eyes out.

Jing Ruyu also patted her shoulder and offered a few words of comfort.

On the basis of being able to protect themselves, they couldn't just stand by and watch someone die.

This was a living person; they couldn't just watch her die.

It was just as the New World's saying went: Cherish life, it's everyone's responsibility.

...

After finishing the task, Xia Zhiyi and Jing Ruyu returned to the courtyard a little later than the others.

The food was already in their room; Xiao Qiao had left long ago.

The other players looked exhausted and didn't want to talk to each other.

Gao Hui had finished eating and was standing at his doorway looking at the sky when he happened to see the two of them.

Apart from some dirt on their clothes, the two of them were fine. Their condition was especially good; they looked refreshed and energetic, as if they hadn't experienced those terrifying things.

A little while later, he saw a young maid trot into their room.

It was the young maid who had been planting trees with them.

Xia Zhiyi and Jing Ruyu were both very surprised.

"What's wrong?" Xia Zhiyi asked curiously. "Did we come back late? Is Qiao-zi unhappy?"

Qiao-Qiao-zi?

The young maid paused for a moment, then waved her hands repeatedly. "No, no, Butler Qiao didn't send me, I came on my own! I'm really grateful that you saved me today. If it weren't for you, I definitely wouldn't be here now...

"So, to thank you, I helped you ask around about the water sounds, and I actually found something out. Someone said she really did hear strange water sounds!"

The gazes of both women instantly focused on her.

So, the act of saving someone could trigger such a surprise!

Xia Zhiyi asked with a face full of anticipation, "Really? Where?!"

The young maid: "The backyard!"

The two immediately looked overjoyed.

The young maid: "Outside the gate!"

Both of them froze: "?"

They fell silent.

A moment later, Xia Zhiyi turned to look at Jing Ruyu, her question difficult to ask: "If I remember correctly, outside the Gu Residence is all that... fog?"

Jing Ruyu nodded solemnly.

Xia Zhiyi: "..."

Thanks, New World. The pressure was now back on the players.

Previous Table of Contents Next

If you enjoy my translations, please consider supporting me!