The group silently returned to the Xiao Qiao Inn.
The night-shift staff at the inn, sitting drowsily behind the counter, was startled awake by the sound of the door opening. When he saw the players coming in, he couldn’t help but feel puzzled.
He glanced at the clock—it was 3:00 a.m.
Hadn’t these guests come back at midnight? When did they go out again?
Moreover, he’d been stationed here the entire time and hadn’t noticed them leaving.
Despite the staff’s growing curiosity, the players were in no mood to explain. They quickly headed upstairs, and the staff didn’t feel it was appropriate to call after them for more questions. Instead, he assumed they must have left while he happened to be in the restroom and missed them.
It was late at night, and none of the players felt like chatting. After exchanging goodnights, they each went to their rooms to rest.
—
Back in their room, Gu Jiu pulled her boyfriend straight to the bathroom to continue what had been left unfinished earlier.
Given the late hour, she didn’t feel like dragging things out further. After showering, she casually dried her hair and lay down on the bed, calling out to her sluggish boyfriend.
“Ah Ji, hurry up and get in bed.”
Lu Ji glanced at her, then picked up the hairdryer to dry her hair. “It’s better to dry it before sleeping.”
Gu Jiu responded with a cheerful hum and obediently sat there, letting him run his fingers through her damp hair and dry it.
His gentle movements and soothing scalp massage lulled her into a drowsy state.
Just as she was about to drift off, the sound of the hairdryer stopped.
“Gu Jiu, all done.”
Yawning, Gu Jiu lay down and patted the spot beside her. “Ah Ji, come up quickly.”
Lu Ji put the hairdryer away, tidied up the bathroom, and finally walked over. Under her urging, he slowly climbed into bed and turned off the bedside lamp.
The room plunged into darkness, with only a sliver of light slipping through the gap in the curtains.
Gu Jiu nestled into his arms, noticing his body was tense, as if he were holding something back.
“What’s wrong?” She kissed his chin, her voice husky with sleep. “Still hung up about what happened earlier?”
Lu Ji gave a quiet hum, rubbing his cheek against her neck and inhaling her scent. His eyes stared into the darkness, his voice tinged with grievance. “Why didn’t you let me kill him? Was it because he took my form?”
“Half of it, yes.”
“And the other half?”
Gu Jiu realized that if she didn’t give him an answer tonight, he might brood over it endlessly. Who knew what harm he might cause himself in the end? She would be the one to feel sorry for him then.
“He took your form—that’s one reason. The other has to do with those zombies tonight.”
Lu Ji immediately caught her meaning. “Because he made those zombies retreat, breaking the countdown to death?”
Gu Jiu nodded. “That shows the ghost groom in the palanquin is quite powerful. His abilities are not ordinary, and he can probably manipulate certain rules within the death notices.”
It was fascinating that a ghost from the first death notice timeline had managed to cross over into the second. Naturally, Gu Jiu wanted to unravel the connections between these death notices and uncover who was issuing them. Of course, she couldn’t let Lu Ji act impulsively.
Most importantly, she hadn’t sensed any killing intent from the ghost groom.
Or perhaps, the time for killing hadn’t come yet, and that was why he couldn’t harm her. This fact alone made it worth gambling on.
“You’re calling him ‘Ghost Groom’?” Lu Ji’s voice sounded displeased.
Gu Jiu put on an innocent expression. “That’s what Chai Yingying called him. I just went along with it.”
In her mind, it was better for her friend to take the blame than herself. She felt no guilt at all for throwing Chai Yingying under the bus.
Just when Gu Jiu thought she had successfully comforted her jealous boyfriend and began to drift into sleep, he asked in a low voice, “When you were in the shower earlier, was it because of him that you didn’t…”
His words were vague, but Gu Jiu quickly understood his meaning.
Oh my! The man who usually suppressed himself to the point of near suffocation was finally taking the initiative. Feeling that he deserved some praise, the young lady shoved her drowsiness aside, turned over, and pinned him down.
—
The next day, Gu Jiu didn’t wake up until noon.
The other players, however, were up early.
Even though they had gone to bed very late, their anxiety over the death notice on their phones kept them from sleeping soundly. They were afraid of oversleeping and missing any updates.
Unfortunately, after keeping watch all morning, their phones remained silent.
When Lu Ji returned from buying breakfast, he found Chai Yingying, Jiang Ze, and Tan Lan chatting in the hallway. As they noticed him carrying breakfast back, their gazes collectively fixed on him.
“For the young lady?” Chai Yingying asked knowingly.
Lu Ji nodded. “Ah Jiu likes the wonton noodles from this shop.”
Last night, when they were out looking for food, Gu Jiu had taken a liking to a traditional eatery’s wonton noodles and said she wanted to have them again for breakfast. Lu Ji had remembered and gone out early to buy some.
The group exchanged subtle glances, silently marveling at how attentive and endearing this “girlfriend” was.
Yet, as they looked at his face, they couldn’t help but recall the fleeting glimpse they had caught when the sedan curtain had been lifted by the night breeze. For some reason, they felt a strange sense of regret.
If Lu Ji were a man, he’d undoubtedly be handsome and charismatic—just like last night’s ghost groom. They had never imagined that Lu Ji’s face could be so versatile, equally fitting for both genders. As a woman, he was doll-like and beautiful; as a man, he was strikingly elegant and noble.
He could easily be mistaken for a ghost emperor.
Lu Ji cast them a cold glance and was about to leave when Chai Yingying stopped him.
“Boss Lu, about last night’s ghost groom…” She faltered under his piercing gaze and quickly rephrased. “I mean, the ghost in the sedan. He looked a lot like you. Do you think he’s part of this game world’s setup—a death trap for the young lady?”
Lu Ji replied, “Maybe.”
“I knew it!” Chai Yingying exclaimed excitedly. “I suspect the boss this time has already figured out the strengths of every player and tailored specific death traps for each of us.”
It was undeniable that Gu Jiu was an exceptionally powerful player. Chai Yingying had known her for a long time and still didn’t know the extent of her abilities. Gu Jiu was so strong and reliable that she gave others peace of mind. That’s why, upon entering the game world, Gu Jiu became a prime target. They gave her a ghost marriage, and the groom was a formidable ghost.
For someone to escort Gu Jiu to the Ghost Capital, the groom had to be at least at the level of a ghost king.
“So, when the ghost groom said he’d come in three days to take Gu Jiu to the Ghost Capital, was that true?” Chai Yingying asked, her voice tinged with unease.
“He wouldn’t joke about something like this.”
“This Ghost Capital must be a city of the dead, right? A living person entering a Youdu City… the outcome is obvious. It’s definitely a death trap.”
“…”
Lu Ji, observing the group of players buzzing with excitement, remained silent for a moment before turning and leaving.
—
Shortly after he left, Lao Jiu Lin arrived, smiling as he asked, “Do you have any plans for today?”
Lao Jiu Lin was the NPC guide assigned to them in the game world. Although he appeared to be an ordinary person, his actions and words were closely tied to the players’ mission.
Chai Yingying replied, “Not really. We were actually hoping you could make some arrangements for us.”
Lao Jiu Lin chuckled. “That depends on what kind of activities you’d like to experience. Yesterday’s old mansion visit went well, right? Your traditional outfits looked amazing, and a lot of people were asking about you.”
He was referring to tourists managed by other guides. These tourists had been awestruck by the players’ elegant appearance in traditional attire and had inquired about them, leading the other guides to ask Lao Jiu Lin for details.
The players gave polite smiles, not thinking much of it.
After becoming players, they had endured numerous life-and-death trials, trained diligently in Boundless City, and undergone refinement through spiritual energy. Their entire demeanor had transformed. Even the most ordinary-looking among them now had an air of distinction, let alone those with proper features.
For B-level players, anyone with decent looks could be elevated to above-average levels of attractiveness due to the spiritual energy’s influence in Boundless City.
It was no surprise that ordinary people would be captivated by their presence.
Today, Lao Jiu Lin offered them several activities, including a visit to an ancient tower, horseback riding, and boating, in addition to the old mansion experience.
However, the players, distracted by their lack of updates from the death notice on their phones, showed little interest. They told Lao Jiu Lin they preferred free time today and asked him to return tomorrow.
Once Lao Jiu Lin left, the players decided to go out and test the death notice functionality on their phones.
—
When Gu Jiu woke up, she found out that the other players had already left.
“Why didn’t you wake me up?”
Lu Ji replied casually, “There was no update on the death notice, so I didn’t bother. I figured you could use the extra sleep.” His gaze was fixed on her, restrained yet intense.
Gu Jiu, in the middle of dressing, turned to glance at him, her lips curling into a faint smile.
Lu Ji cleared his throat, his tone a little bashful as he asked, “Ah Jiu, are you feeling unwell? Do you need more rest?”
“I’m fine.” Gu Jiu finished dressing and added with a slight smirk, “Next time, don’t lose control.”
Lu Ji obediently responded with a soft “mm,” visibly relieved to see her moving around as usual.
Gu Jiu, too, was relieved. She felt that she was quite indulgent toward her boyfriend. Even when he was being overly dramatic, she didn’t mind and even allowed him to continue.
While Gu Jiu sat on the sofa eating her wonton noodles, Lu Ji sat beside her. Suddenly, he asked, “Ah Jiu, am I… not good like this?”
“You’re fine.” Seeing his lack of confidence, Gu Jiu reassured him, “Really, I like you just the way you are.”
A boyfriend being a little dramatic was part of the fun. She understood that.
Lu Ji smiled faintly, his expression softening as he pulled her into his arms, hiding the flicker of darkness in his eyes.
—
A bowl of wonton noodles was enough to take the edge off her hunger but not to fill her up. Gu Jiu pulled Lu Ji out to find more food.
After settling their lunch, the two wandered around the ancient town, holding hands.
At the center of the ancient town stood a seven-story tower. When they reached the site, they saw many young couples climbing the tower together. Inspired, they decided to go up as well.
As soon as they stepped into the tower, the faint ding of a message notification sounded from their phones, caught by their sharp ears.
Without drawing attention, the two moved to the side and took out their phones to check.
[Ghost Tower and Ghost Infant.]
The moment Gu Jiu saw the message on her screen, an icy wind swept past, chilling her to the bone. At the same time, she realized Lu Ji was nowhere to be seen. It was as if he had been separated by the crowd—or perhaps pulled into another timeline dictated by a different death notice.
Player phones often showed distinct death notices, meaning they could experience separate timelines and spaces.
It was clear that this time, both her and Lu Ji’s phones had triggered different death notices.
Gu Jiu slipped her phone back into her pocket and began observing the surrounding tourists.
The longer she looked, the more she realized these “tourists” weren’t human—they were ghosts.
Outside, the sky had unknowingly turned gloomy. Thick clouds blotted out the sun, casting an oppressive shadow over the area. Inside the tower, the light grew increasingly dim, and the air temperature dropped to an eerie chill.
Gu Jiu stood in place for a while, assessing the situation, before finally stepping forward to ascend the tower.
The ghosts around her seemed unaware that they were ghosts, nor did they notice the human among them. They continued to wander naturally, moving up and down the tower as if enjoying the sights within.
Gu Jiu climbed the tower level by level, carefully observing her surroundings. Yet, even after reaching multiple floors, she didn’t see any sign of the Ghost Infant mentioned in the death notice.