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Bonus chapter! Thank you to Selkae for the donation! ^^
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Upon closer inspection, Ruan Qing could discern the steward’s attitude, becoming even more respectful.
Ruan Qing understood that even without surveillance, Yang Chenjin would never allow him to easily access that information. It was all just a ploy to lure him in.
If he insisted on seeing it, the steward would probably intervene. Or, if no one stopped him, Yang Chenjin might punish him for trespassing.
The outcome would entirely depend on Yang Chenjin’s mood at the time.
So, even though Yang Chenjin didn’t speak up earlier, Ruan Qing had no intention of actually trying to access that information. Once he viewed the data, he would essentially be handing Yang Chenjin a reason to blackmail him.
Following the steward downstairs, Ruan Qing, before leaving, discreetly noted the layout of the fourth floor.
The Yang family villa and the adjacent one were connected, but the door at the connecting point was closed.
The exit was also not the same.
However, the fourth floor was different, no longer connected to other villas. It formed an independent villa.
Besides the Yang family villa having five floors, the other adjacent villas mostly had three floors, and the fourth floor was rarely seen.
Clearly, this was unique to the legitimate lineage of the Yang family, a privilege that Yang Chenfeng, the supposed young master, did not have.
Ruan Qing now had some doubts about Yang Chenfeng’s identity; he didn’t seem like a true young master of the Yang family. Rather, he appeared more like a facade for external appearances.
However, with the current lack of clarity about the Yang family’s specific situation, Ruan Qing dared not draw hasty conclusions.
Descending to the fourth floor didn’t require permission again; there was a button next to the stairs, and pressing it would open the door.
Although referred to as a button, it seemed more like a mechanism.
If it weren’t for the steward pressing it, Ruan Qing wouldn’t have realized that the pattern on the wall could be pressed.
Ruan Qing discreetly observed and memorized the location of the mechanism.
After escorting Ruan Qing to the third floor, the steward politely bowed to him once again and left.
On the third-floor corridor, Ruan Qing glanced at the lobby; the players were nowhere to be seen.
The right approach now was to search for clues.
Ruan Qing discreetly roamed downstairs but couldn’t spot any trace of a player.
The Yang family villa was just too vast, making it akin to searching for a needle in a haystack without a specific target.
While it was tempting to enter the body of the player and instantly know their location, Ruan Qing gave up on that idea.
Considering it was only the first day of the game, expending a significant amount of his mental energy would leave him insufficient for later stages.
That would be like cutting off his own path forward.
It’s better to first search for clues on his own.
Most guests attending the funeral at the Yang family were currently trying to find a way out of the villa.
Ruan Qing initially intended to team up with any guest he could find when he spotted Shen Baiyue, who was carrying a doll, coming downstairs.
Shen Baiyue noticed the person standing in the hall and hurriedly approached Ruan Qing. She whispered, “Brother Yu Qing, are you looking for a way out of the villa?”
Ruan Qing nodded subtly, hesitated for a moment, and then asked, “Want to come with me?”
Shen Baiyue looked a bit uneasy, gently playing with the doll’s ears, and asked in a hushed tone, “Is it okay?”
Ruan Qing nodded again. “As long as you’re willing.”
Though they found each other to team up, Ruan Qing wasn’t keen on exploring what he considered more dangerous areas, like the fourth or fifth floors.
After all, neither he nor Shen Baiyue were formidable in combat, making them almost defenseless in case of trouble. Even running might not offer much escape opportunity.
To explore those places, he should rely on other players or wait for a more suitable chance.
The Yang family villa had numerous taboos written on walls or paper in various places, seemingly scribed by different individuals. Many of these inscriptions were hastily done, and some were incomplete, perhaps with only a few characters.
The hastily written notes seemed as if they were penned during a desperate escape, serving as a warning to others.
This was likely not the first time the Yang family held a funeral, and they might not be the first group of guests to visit here.
Shen Baiyue confirmed Ruan Qing’s thoughts. She pulled on the hem of his clothes when they were sure no one was around and whispered, “The Yang family loses a young master every now and then.”
Ruan Qing, upon hearing this, reflected on her words.
Apparently, this funeral might not be the main event; the main event was the Yang family’s skillful hosting of funerals to attract guests.
And the targets were these guests, including Ruan Qing.
So, his earlier speculation was correct: Yang Chenfeng might not be the legitimate heir of the Yang family.
Considering Yang Chenjin and Yang Chenyan, they didn’t seem like individuals destined to die soon. Moreover, Yang Chenjin mentioned that the entire Yang family was under his control.
Yang Chenfeng appeared to be a pawn destined for death, serving the purpose of attracting guests to the Yang family’s funerals.
What happened next during these funerals remained uncertain—perhaps some horrifying rituals, used as captive food, or sacrifices.
Ruan Qing looked at the words on the wall, “Do not speak loudly at night,” and took out his phone to capture the information. Although there was no signal, taking photos was still possible.
After snapping a photo, Ruan Qing took out a small pair of scissors and added a line beside it: “Leaving the room after midnight is dangerous.”
This was a warning given by Yang Chenjin, likely not a false one. However, Ruan Qing noticed many reminders but didn’t see this specific one, so he added it.
After inscribing the words, Ruan Qing, accompanied by Shen Baiyue, moved on to the next location. He intended to document the Yang family’s taboos to avoid unintentionally violating any unknown rules.
Ruan Qing spent the entire afternoon with Shen Baiyue. They recorded most of the taboos in the main villa.
The other guests were no different; after a busy afternoon, fatigue and unease were evident on their faces.
However, none of them found a way to leave the villa.
Some had even violated taboos and were thrown directly into the mist by the servants.
The piercing and miserable cries recounted the consequences of breaking the rules.
The guests were furious, but utterly powerless.
Within the Yang family villa, if they wanted to survive, they had no choice but to abide by the rules.
Ruan Qing’s physical condition was poor. After tirelessly walking for the entire afternoon, he began to struggle.
He found it hard to catch his breath, and his hands, and feet ached. He felt overall weakness, and even his forehead was warm.
Ruan Qing touched his forehead, realizing it wasn’t a hallucination.
It was indeed warm.
By noon, the sun was shining directly on the Yang family villa, raising the temperature considerably.
In other months, the weather might have been bearable, but moving around in such conditions was still quite hot.
Ruan Qing dared not continue walking. It was evident that his body couldn’t support such physical activity.
