She called out to the group, who were standing around awkwardly, “Aren’t you all going to rest? Today is the sixth day. Tonight, we’ll likely be facing the villa’s owner. If you don’t save your energy, you’ll be in trouble.”
Not only would they be in trouble, but they’d be risking their lives.
Seeing her relaxed, serene demeanor, the players were momentarily at a loss for words.
In the end, the players, full of restless thoughts, could only return to their rooms to try and sleep.
The villa soon quieted down. Within the vast mansion, only Gu Jiu and Lu Ji remained active.
During the day, ghosts wouldn’t appear—it seemed that the supernatural entities in the villa were bound by certain rules, like being unable to emerge during daylight.
As the sunlight began to fade, the players gradually awoke.
With their minds weighed down, they couldn’t truly rest. One by one, they drifted to the first-floor hall.
There, they saw Gu Jiu curled up on the sofa on the balcony, fast asleep, with Lu Ji standing guard nearby, covering her with a light blanket.
The group: “….”
An odd feeling of jealousy arose. They envied this young lady who could sleep so soundly even in such a place.
Perhaps sensing their collective gaze, Gu Jiu finally stirred awake.
She rubbed her eyes and reached around, searching. Lu Ji promptly handed her glasses.
Once she put them on, the world came back into focus. She smiled at Lu Ji, still wrapped in her blanket.
“Ah Ji, aren’t you going to sleep? Tonight will be busy; there won’t be any time to rest.”
Lu Ji replied, “I can’t sleep.”
Gu Jiu took a sip of water, then suddenly leaned close to the pale, frail-looking girl beside her, so close their breaths mingled. Just as Lu Ji’s ears began to turn red, Gu Jiu pulled back.
“You never seem to take care of yourself, which is why you’re always sick.”
Gu Jiu gently touched her cool, pale face and softly said, “Ah Ji, you need to take care of your health; it’s heart-wrenching to see you unwell.”
Lu Ji lowered her gaze, murmuring, “It won’t get better.”
“Hmm?”
But Lu Ji didn’t say anything more. Instead, she asked if Gu Jiu was hungry and offered to cook some instant noodles.
Gu Jiu slumped back onto the sofa, looking listless. “I don’t feel like eating.”
“You’ll be exhausted tonight. You won’t manage without a full stomach,” Lu Ji reasoned, using Gu Jiu’s own words against her.
“Just eat a bit.”
Reluctantly, the young lady sighed, “Fine, just a little.”
The others: “.…” Damn, they wouldn’t mind eating too—instant noodles sounded pretty good right now. How could she be so picky?
As Gu Jiu absentmindedly picked at her noodles, Qi Yuheng and a few others came down from the second floor.
Qi Yuheng settled on the sofa opposite Gu Jiu and asked, “Miss Gu, do you have any plans for tonight?”
The others perked up, eager to hear the two pros’ plans for the night. Their chances of surviving this most dangerous sixth night depended on them.
Gu Jiu replied, “No real plan—just adapt as needed.”
Qi Yuheng chuckled, then added, “I’ve brought along a few items. The ones I think could be useful are the Holy Light Talisman, the horror chainsaw, and the Fortress Talisman.”
Gu Jiu’s eyes sparkled as she looked at him. “Mr. Qi, you’re so loaded.”
Qi Yuheng was momentarily at a loss for words, and he began to wonder if Gu Jiu really was a newcomer to her second round, as she claimed. After all, a second-rounder would have very few points and wouldn’t be able to afford anything from the game shop.
He laid out his items for everyone to see, and the others gathered around to admire both the veteran player and the legendary items.
These were items they couldn’t afford themselves.
Gu Jiu glanced at the Fortress Talisman, which looked just like a piece of rope. She continued to eat her instant noodles slowly, exuding an elegance that seemed out of place yet fascinating, as though she were dining in a high-class restaurant rather than in the villa. Watching her made even the noodles seem tantalizing.
Gu Jiu asked, “Does anyone else have a Fortress Talisman?”
The seasoned players exchanged glances, embarrassed. The player who was a housewife blushed and admitted, “The Fortress Talisman was too expensive—I couldn’t bring myself to buy it.”
As a housewife, she was used to budgeting carefully and didn’t see much value in purchasing the talisman.
Gu Jiu raised an eyebrow. “This is a rare defensive item. Even if you don’t use it in this game, it could come in handy in future ones. If you have the points, why not get it?”
The players looked even more sheepish. Even the twin sisters exchanged guilty looks. They knew that with Qi Yuheng present, who was well-known for his wealth, they could rely on him to share his talisman, and they had planned to save their points for other essential items.
“Did you buy one?” someone asked Gu Jiu.
Gu Jiu replied nonchalantly, “No points—I can’t afford it.”
The others eyed her skeptically. From her conduct over the past few days, she seemed just as seasoned and well-prepared as Qi Yuheng; it was hard to believe she couldn’t afford a thousand-point item.
Those who knew her situation, like Qi Yuheng, thought to themselves, She genuinely can’t afford it.
Gu Jiu pushed aside her half-eaten noodles and said, “Alright, let’s divide up the tasks for tonight.”
Huh?
The players looked at her in confusion, wondering why the topic had suddenly shifted to assigning tasks.
Ignoring their puzzled looks, Gu Jiu turned to Qi Yuheng. “Mr. Qi, would you be willing to let everyone share your Fortress Talisman?”
Qi Yuheng frowned slightly, clearly reluctant.
The players understood his hesitation. After all, he had spent a significant amount of points on this precious item; it was natural he wouldn’t want to share it with everyone. However, since he was the only one with a defensive tool, they were keen to benefit from it somehow. Maybe they could band together and pressure him to hand it over…
“Fine, go ahead and use it,” Qi Yuheng said, taking out a handkerchief and meticulously wiping his hands, even though they were already spotless.
“But with so many people using it, it’ll get dirty. I don’t want anything filthy.”
The players: “.…” So, this germaphobe’s reluctance was actually due to fear of it getting dirty?
Ge Guang and the twin sisters exchanged amused looks. They could tell what the others had been thinking, and it amused them to no end.
Qi Yuheng was known for his generosity, but his fastidiousness was notorious as well.
Gu Jiu said, “Thank you for your generosity, Mr. Qi. If we all make it out of the game safely, and we meet again in Boundless City, you should all repay him for his help.”
The seasoned players nodded immediately. “Of course.”
As long as they could survive this dangerous game, gifting a few points in return wouldn’t be a big deal.
The newcomers also chimed in their agreement.
Qi Yuheng looked at Gu Jiu with a faint smile. He found this young lady rather intriguing—she seemed delicate and unreliable, yet when it mattered, she was surprisingly effective.
“Alright, Miss Gu, let’s discuss tonight’s tasks,” he suggested.
Gu Jiu nodded slightly.
—
When night fell, everyone gathered nervously in Gu Jiu’s room, waiting for the arrival of the notorious sixth night.
Suddenly, an intense feeling of being watched washed over them, and they instinctively looked toward the window, instantly startled.
A gigantic eye appeared in the window, its whites laced with blood vessels, giving it a terrifying appearance as though it had been wounded.
It was the same eye they’d seen outside the window on the first night—clearly belonging to the same entity.
But unlike that first encounter, this time the eye stared at them with a vicious, hateful glare, as if they’d done something unforgivable.
“So, it’s you again,” Gu Jiu’s voice sounded soft and calm.
“I thought I’d poked your eye out the first night.”
Everyone stiffened, turning to stare at Gu Jiu in disbelief.
So, the reason this eye now looked at them with such malice was because Gu Jiu had injured it on the first night, and it had returned for revenge?
For a moment, they wondered if gathering around Gu Jiu had really been the best choice. This young lady might be powerful, but she also had a knack for drawing the boss’s ire!
Just then, an urgent knocking came from outside the door, as if someone was about to break it down.
Qi Yuheng directed, “Ling Huan, Ling Le, go check what’s outside.”
The twin sisters hurried to the door, staring at it for about ten seconds before blinking their tired eyes and reporting, “There are six ghosts outside.”
Everyone understood: on the sixth night, the villa’s ghosts gained the power to kill players, and now they were here to do just that.
Players who had bought Holy Light Charms took them out, eyes fixed on the door with caution.
At that moment, a scream echoed from outside the window. They turned instinctively and saw Gu Jiu standing at the window, her blood-red nails, sharp as a demon’s claws, jabbing toward the giant eye.
The players: “.…”
Blood and tears flowed from the eye, but unlike the first night, it didn’t vanish. It seemed the ghosts’ strength had increased significantly by the sixth night, allowing them to withstand more damage.
Gu Jiu’s actions enraged the eye’s owner, who let out a furious roar.
The roar thundered over the villa like a storm, shaking the entire building.
Meanwhile, the six ghosts outside had already broken through the door, flooding the room with an icy chill as the lights flickered ominously, struggling to stay on.
Leading the group was the male ghost who’d previously been seen in the mirror. He let out a gleeful, sinister laugh, his expression filled with twisted satisfaction.
After being suppressed by this young lady for so long, the ghosts’ pride had taken a severe blow. Now, it was finally their chance for a comeback, and they intended to teach the troublesome young lady a brutal lesson.
The male ghost let out an angry howl and lunged at Gu Jiu by the window.
The other ghosts charged at the other players.
Gu Jiu, however, remained calm as she watched the male ghost rush toward her. She reached out, grabbed him by the neck, and swung him like a rag doll, hurling him toward the giant eye outside the window.
Male Ghost: “….”
It was clear: no matter the situation, a young lady with strength was still a young lady with strength. Even on the sixth night, when the ghosts were at their peak power, she could still make them bow and call her queen!
The other players, seeing the vengeful male ghost tossed like a little chick by the neck straight at the eye outside, felt a surge of confidence.
Once thrown out the window, the male ghost vanished into the darkness, leaving only a lingering scream in the air.
So much for revenge.
Then Gu Jiu reached for the second ghost—a pregnant woman ghost.
“Don’t grab me!” the pregnant ghost cried, backing away.
“I’ll jump myself!”
She moved aside from the other players, clutching her large belly, and promptly leapt out the window.
Players: “….”
Seeing this, the remaining four ghosts didn’t bother engaging the players at all. They quietly lined up and jumped out the window one by one, disappearing into the darkness beyond.
The players were dumbfounded, as they had never seen ghosts behave so obediently. It was as if they’d stormed in just to make an appearance, then retreated as soon as their part was done.
Ge Guang, incredulous, asked Gu Jiu, “What… what did you do to them?”
Gu Jiu replied with a serious expression, “Probably when I was wandering around the villa last night, I ran into these ghosts and had a little chat with them.”
Everyone: “….” Are you sure it was just a chat and not a threat?
This story is so good. Thank you!