This ancient town was called Wulin Ancient Town. The middle-aged man who greeted them was one of the local tour guides responsible for hosting visitors. People called him Lao Jiu Lin (Old Nine Lin), supposedly because he was the ninth among his cousins.
Lao Jiu Lin led them through several winding streets before arriving at a secluded alley.
In the alley was an inn named Xiao Qiao Guesthouse, which was where the players would be staying.
The Xiao Qiao Guesthouse was a quaint, three-story building. Upon entering, there was a small garden with a rock waterfall and a paved path made of green stone slabs, exuding a poetic charm. The first floor housed the lobby, kitchen, and staff rest area, while the second and third floors were guest rooms.
Lao Jiu Lin took the keys from the staff and handed them to the players. “You booked double rooms; there are a total of seven rooms…” He paused, looking puzzled. “Didn’t you say there were 14 people?”
The players exchanged glances, immediately understanding that 14 players should have entered this round, but one of them must have died in the haunted mansion.
Chai Yingying smiled and replied, “Oh, he went to explore the ancient town. He’ll be back later.”
Lao Jiu Lin didn’t think much of it and handed out the keys to the players.
After distributing the keys, Lao Jiu Lin smiled and said, “The town gets lively starting at 7 p.m. There’s not only food but also many activities. You should go check it out. But after dark, make sure you don’t leave the town. Wulin Ancient Town is in a remote location, with no nearby residents. The surrounding areas are all desolate mountains and wilderness. If you get lost, you might not make it back.”
It sounded like a well-intentioned warning.
The players nodded in agreement.
After emphasizing the precautions, Lao Jiu Lin left, saying he’d return at 8 a.m. the next day and that they could call his phone if they needed anything.
Once Lao Jiu Lin was out of sight, the players compared their keys to find their rooms.
Gu Jiu and her group’s room was at the far end of the second floor. At the end of the hallway was a large window that was wide open. Standing by the window, one could see the deep, winding alley outside.
Gu Jiu stood by the window, looking out.
Chai Yingying walked over to join her, gazing outside as well. She said, “This Wulin Ancient Town is quite large, with three main streets full of twists and turns. But the accommodations are all tucked away in more remote areas.”
That was typical of ancient towns. Most inns for tourists were located in quieter, less bustling areas.
Jiang Ze mused, “The activity range for players is quite large. I wonder what kind of death notices we’ll see next.”
Chai Yingying glanced at him and said exasperatedly, “LittlevJiang Ze, could you not ruin the mood with your ominous talk while I’m trying to enjoy the scenery?”
“Sister Chai, you’ve changed. You never used to say things like this.” Jiang Ze feigned shock. “You used to be the most proactive about finding clues in times like these.”
Chai Yingying rolled her eyes. “What clues? This ancient town looks perfectly normal. I doubt we’ll find anything here. We’ll have to rely on the information we get through our phones. When the info comes, that’s when we act.”
Lu Ji unlocked the door with the key.
The door had a very traditional design, with a copper lock and a wooden latch inside. It didn’t look very secure.
After inspecting the door lock, Chai Yingying said to Jiang Ze, “Little Ze, make sure to stay alert while you sleep tonight. This door doesn’t look sturdy at all.”
“Even if it were sturdy, it wouldn’t matter. No door can keep out ghosts,” Jiang Ze reminded her. Given the kinds of things they’d encountered in this game world, who knew how many man-eating ghosts were lurking out there?
True enough.
Chai Yingying nodded in agreement, deciding not to stress over whether the door was secure.
Once inside, Gu Jiu immediately began to change out of her wedding dress.
Although the wedding dress was quite beautiful, the thought of it being put on her by some unknown ghostly entity made Gu Jiu unwilling to keep wearing it.
Lu Ji, seeing her take it off immediately, seemed visibly relieved. He diligently helped her find something else to wear.
When she began undressing in front of him, he grew a little flustered and turned his back.
Gu Jiu glanced at him, smiling mischievously. “Back when you didn’t know I was a woman, you saw me many times like this. Why are you shy now?”
Lu Ji muttered, his tone muffled, “Did you do this in front of other girls before?”
“What do you mean ‘this’?” she teased him on purpose.
“Undressing…”
“Well, we were all girls. What I have, they have too. It’s no big deal.”
As expected, that was her answer. Lu Ji felt a pang of frustration but knew he couldn’t change her past. He could only focus on her present and future.
So he said with a hint of possessiveness, “You’re not allowed to do that again.”
The moment he finished speaking, he felt her presence behind him, soft as if boneless, pressing lightly against his back. Alarmed that she might fall, Lu Ji reached out to steady her. His hands met her smooth, soft skin, as delicate as the finest silk, and he froze in place.
“Ah Ji, why won’t you look at me?” she asked playfully, her voice sweet and teasing.
Slowly, he turned her around in his arms, his gaze fixed on her face, too nervous to let it wander lower.
The woman in his embrace was smiling radiantly, exuding warmth and beauty. Yet her mischievous nature was evident—she knew he couldn’t resist her, and she delighted in teasing him.
Gu Jiu laughed heartily, wrapping her arms around his neck and giving him a kiss. “You’ve already seen everything there is to see. What’s there to be shy about?”
He gave a low hum of acknowledgment and murmured, “I’m just afraid I won’t be able to hold myself back.”
Having a girlfriend as bewitching as Gu Jiu, who constantly tempted him to lose control, made him deeply worried about his self-restraint. If he ever gave in and let go, it was her who would bear the consequences. Seeing her in pain would hurt him just as much.
“Then don’t hold back!” Gu Jiu said nonchalantly. She reached out mischievously, giving his “beast” a playful squeeze. When it immediately showed signs of life, she laughed even harder.
But even so, Lu Ji maintained his composure, fetching her clothes and helping her dress like a proper gentleman, though his expression betrayed his struggle.
Honestly, Gu Jiu couldn’t blame herself for teasing him. With a boyfriend this self-controlled, she was genuinely worried he might suppress himself to the point of breaking.
Once dressed, Gu Jiu glanced at the wedding dress she had tossed onto the floor earlier.
What she saw wasn’t the wedding dress anymore. Instead, it had turned into two pieces of red paper, cut into the shape of a wedding gown. Though it had looked realistic before, its essence was now clear—it was made of paper.
She stroked her chin thoughtfully. “So… was I just walking around earlier in two pieces of paper?”
“Not exactly,” Lu Ji replied, his expression dark. “Once you put it on, it became a real dress. Only after you took it off did it revert to paper. It’s been enchanted with an illusion spell.”
If she really had been walking around in just two pieces of paper, he would have completely lost it.
Understanding this, Gu Jiu didn’t dwell on it. After all, with a boyfriend who cared even more than she did, there wasn’t much point in overthinking.
She sat down and sipped some milk, watching as her serious-looking boyfriend burned the paper clothes into ash with great care.
Only after he threw the ashes out the window did his face show a hint of satisfaction.
“Feeling better now?” Gu Jiu asked with a smile, taking his hand and kissing it lightly.
That kiss easily smoothed out all the irritation and darkness in his heart. A faint smile appeared on his face, and he said sweetly, “Ah Jiu, don’t casually wear wedding dresses or bridal gowns anymore. You can only wear them when we get married.”
Gu Jiu chuckled. “At that time, I just wanted to see what those paper figures were up to, so I pretended to fall asleep. I didn’t expect it to turn into a full-blown ancient wedding ceremony…”
Noticing the darkness in his gaze deepening, she wisely refrained from mentioning that the “groom” in the ceremony looked exactly like him.
As night descended, the ancient town became even more lively.
Gu Jiu decided to go out and find something delicious to eat.
Even though her bag was stocked with plenty of food, the town looked so normal that she didn’t see the need to deprive herself. Naturally, she would treat herself to something good.
Several other players made the same decision.
Across the hall, Chai Yingying and Jiang Ze stepped out of their room, having changed out of their ancient costumes back into their own clothes.
“Young Lady, did you notice anything strange about the clothes you just took off?” Chai Yingying asked without preamble.
“They turned into paper. Does that count?”
“It definitely counts!” Chai Yingying pointed at herself, then at Jiang Ze. “Ours did the same.”
She stared at Gu Jiu, noticing how calm she was about the situation. It was almost shocking—didn’t the young lady care that she had been walking around in paper clothes for most of the day?
Gu Jiu smiled and said, “The paper clothes were enchanted with an illusion spell. While wearing them, they were real clothes, so it’s no big deal.”
This explanation successfully eased Chai Yingying and Jiang Ze’s nerves.
When they ran into Tan Lan and the others who were also heading out, they inquired further and confirmed that all the players’ ancient costumes had turned into paper clothes after being taken off.
The realization that their clothes had become paper rattled the players. It gave them an unsettling feeling, as though they had been wearing something meant for the dead. They also couldn’t shake the worry that some unseen ghostly entity might have taken an interest in them, leaving them anxious about what might happen next.
With these concerns in mind, the players left the Xiao Qiao Guesthouse.
The ancient town at night was even livelier than during the day. Red lanterns hung overhead, illuminating the streets in a meandering line. Shops on both sides of the road were brightly lit, making it seem like daytime.
Many young men and women dressed in traditional costumes strolled through the town, enhancing its atmosphere.
As the players wandered through the ancient town, they observed their surroundings while grabbing snacks along the way, eating their way from one end of the street to the other.
Gu Jiu held a bowl of fish noodles, gracefully scooping the soup with a spoon, her elegance making her look like a living painting. Passersby couldn’t help but glance in her direction.
Lu Ji, carrying a plate of beef offal and a bowl of fresh meat wontons, noticed the stares from passersby. Without a word, he shifted closer to her, subtly blocking their view.
Chai Yingying, tugging Jiang Ze along to buy candied chestnuts, noticed this and commented, “Look how possessive he is.”
Jiang Ze retorted, “Would you dare say that to her face?”
Of course, she wouldn’t. So she could only grumble under her breath.
She sighed dramatically, “I never thought Lu Ji would be so possessive. With the young lady’s dominant personality, I’d have thought she’d be the possessive one. Who knew Lu Ji’s sense of ownership would be this strong? She’s on guard against everyone—men and women alike.”
Even she wasn’t exempt from Lu Ji’s vigilance, and Chai Yingying found it ridiculous. She was a straight woman and had no interest in the young lady.
By 10 p.m., the ancient town was still bustling.
The players, having filled their stomachs, continued to wander the streets with purpose, observing the town and waiting for any potential developments.
By midnight, the number of tourists on the streets had dwindled significantly. Most people had returned to their inns or guesthouses to rest. The players, having found nothing unusual, reluctantly returned to their accommodations.
Back in their room, Gu Jiu tugged on Lu Ji’s arm, pulling him toward the bathroom.
“Let’s shower together—it’ll save time,” Gu Jiu said with a playful smile, enjoying the sight of her boyfriend’s bashful expression.
However, just as she was about to help him take off his clothes, a ding-dong notification sound interrupted them.
“It’s the phone notification—another message,” Lu Ji said.
Reluctantly pulling his clothes back into place, he opened the bathroom door and walked over to grab the phone from the table, a hint of regret evident on his face.
Although all the players’ phones were of the same model, it was easy to tell whose was whose. When the screen lit up, the owner’s photo appeared as the lock screen—a rather ominous black-and-white portrait.
Gu Jiu took her phone from him, swiped the screen open, and saw the newly arrived message displayed on it.