Gu Jiu didn’t return to her room to rest. Instead, she left the Xiao Qiao Inn.
It was close to midnight. Except for a few secluded alleys, the main streets of the ancient town remained bustling. The shopfronts on either side were brightly lit, and one particular street, known as the bar street, was at its liveliest.
Lu Ji followed her like a dutiful little wife. When he saw her heading toward the bar street, he asked softly, “Ah Jiu, where are you going?”
“Feeling hungry, going to find something to eat,” Gu Jiu replied nonchalantly.
Lu Ji glanced at the lively bar street, clearly skeptical.
The bar street in the ancient town was designed with a classical aesthetic. Walking along it gave one the illusion of being transported to ancient times, drawing many tourists.
The entrances were bustling with activity. Hosts dressed in a variety of traditional Hanfu greeted guests. Their faces were adorned with exquisite makeup, ranging from lovely and charming young women to handsome and strikingly youthful men, catching everyone’s eye.
Seeing several Hanfu-clad male attendants warmly invite Gu Jiu into their establishments made Lu Ji’s expression stiffen.
Fortunately, Gu Jiu waved them off, showing no intention of entering. The male attendants looked disappointed, watching her leave reluctantly, their gazes filled with tender affection.
Under the soft, hazy lights, she looked as beautiful as a classical maiden stepping out of a painting. Once one laid eyes on her, it was hard to look away.
It wasn’t just the male attendants who found it hard to part; even passersby couldn’t help but linger.
Lu Ji stood silently beside her, making an effort to convey to the world that they were a pair.
“Ah Jiu, didn’t you eat enough on the boat earlier?” Lu Ji asked cautiously, his tone tinged with disbelief.
Although he despised Ghost Emperor, he understood his own personality all too well. Ghost Emperor would have certainly prepared plenty of food she liked, even finding ways to make her eat—just like how he would usually coax her.
The thought of it darkened Lu Ji’s already pale face with a faint green hue.
Even though he knew that part of him was Ghost Emperor, he couldn’t suppress the jealousy surging within him. His insatiable possessiveness only allowed him to monopolize her; no one else was permitted.
“I didn’t eat much,” Gu Jiu replied casually.
“Why not?”
Gu Jiu stopped, turned to look at him, and with a faintly mocking smile, said leisurely, “I didn’t know the connection between him and you at the time, so naturally, I had to be cautious.”
This was a game world. She couldn’t let her guard down just because a boss showed no malice toward her, nor would she relax simply because of the unhidden affection in his demeanor.
It was as simple as that.
In an instant, Lu Ji’s heart bloomed with joy, and the suppressed emotions in his chest lightened. He pressed his lips together and smiled.
She was always so clear-headed, yet her clarity didn’t make her suspicious of the entire world. She managed to retain her beautiful disposition.
The two continued walking, one ahead of the other, but this time, Lu Ji’s steps felt light, his dark brows and eyes filled with ease.
Gu Jiu passed through the bar street and went to the food street, where she bought some food to take away. Then she turned into another street.
By 3 a.m., most shops on the streets had begun to close, and Gu Jiu finally stopped.
She ducked into a secluded alley and found two unconscious players there.
After checking their vital signs and confirming they were still alive, Gu Jiu asked Lu Ji, “Do you still have any Blood Pills left?”
“I have some.”
Lu Ji took out two Blood Pills and fed them to the unconscious players. When he saw Gu Jiu about to carry one of the male players, he quickly intervened. “Ah Jiu, no need to trouble yourself.”
Several paper dolls, each half-human height, appeared and hoisted the two players onto their backs.
The paper dolls carried the unconscious players as they followed Gu Jiu and Lu Ji out of the alley.
Fortunately, it was late into the night, and the streets were mostly deserted. Gu Jiu deliberately chose secluded paths to avoid drawing attention. Without any disturbances, they safely returned to the Xiao Qiao Inn.
Their arrival startled some players who had been staying up, waiting for death notice announcements.
When they opened their doors and saw the two unconscious players being carried back by the paper dolls, they were shocked. They hadn’t expected these two to survive, let alone be brought back by Gu Jiu and Lu Ji.
Judging by the players’ condition, they must have suffered from some overwhelming and terrifying force, just like others in similar situations.
The commotion woke up all the players in the inn, who gathered around the two unconscious individuals.
“Young Miss, did you go out just now?” asked Chai Yingying, surprised. “Did you go out specifically to find them?”
“I was hungry and went out for a late-night snack. I happened to see them, so I brought them back,” Gu Jiu replied casually.
The players stared at her. They didn’t explicitly say whether they believed her or not, but her actions undeniably earned their goodwill, making them feel a bit closer to her.
Gu Jiu took out the food she had packed earlier and offered it to everyone for a late-night meal.
Now fully awake, the group didn’t mind sharing a snack. They sat together, eating and discussing clues about the death notices.
Gu Jiu and Lu Ji sat to the side, quietly listening to their analysis without offering any opinions.
The two of them knew the truth about the game world all too well. However, it wasn’t something they could—or should—explain to the players. It was simpler to remain silent.
Suddenly, Chai Yingying leaned over and whispered to Gu Jiu, “Young Miss, I still can’t get over the Ghost Groom’s appearance. Why did he choose to look like Lu Ji?”
She paused and added internally, ‘And even gender-swapped into a man.’
She clicked her tongue in her mind, wondering if these ghosts were sexist or just disapproved of same-sex couples.
Still, the Ghost Groom’s strength was undeniable. She couldn’t help but wonder what role he played in this game world.
Gu Jiu responded calmly, “I don’t know either. Maybe when they first entered the game world, they couldn’t figure out Ah Ji’s gender.”
That explanation seemed plausible.
Chai Yingying let the matter drop and returned to analyzing clues with the others.
After the meal, the two unconscious players finally woke up.
After hearing everyone recount what had happened, the pair realized it was Gu Jiu and Lu Ji who had found them, brought them back, and fed them the Blood Pills. They were filled with gratitude.
They understood all too well that had they remained unconscious until the next death notice period, they would have been forced into it while still incapacitated, with dire consequences.
After expressing their thanks, they promptly transferred the required points for the Blood Pills to Lu Ji.
The Blood Pills were undeniably expensive, but nothing was more valuable than one’s life. Every player understood this clearly.
Gu Jiu stood up and said, “I’m heading back to sleep. You all can continue.”
Lu Ji silently followed her back to their room.
The other players bid them farewell and stayed behind. Feeling somewhat rested, they decided to pull an all-nighter, waiting for the next death notice period.
Back in the room, Gu Jiu went to take a shower first.
Lu Ji watched her expectantly, only to realize she had no intention of inviting him to share a romantic bath. Feeling a bit dejected, he hesitated for a moment but ultimately lacked the courage to approach her.
Once Gu Jiu finished her shower, Lu Ji quickly entered the bathroom and took a hurried “combat shower.” When he came out, she was already lying in bed, fast asleep. His disappointment deepened, tinged with a hint of grievance.
He climbed into bed and pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly. Pressing his face against her neck, he murmured her name like a dreamer, “Ah Jiu…”
Gu Jiu, deeply asleep, remained oblivious to his tangled emotions.
—
Since they had gone to bed relatively early, Gu Jiu woke up early the next morning.
Opening her eyes, she saw the man lying on his side, close to her. She reached out to touch his face and, as his eyes fluttered open, she asked, “Do divine beings need sleep?”
“Not really,” Lu Ji replied cautiously, “but I want to sleep with you.”
Gu Jiu let out a noncommittal “oh” and patted his face. “Get up. Let’s see if there are any death notices today.”
Death notices were inevitable. Even though the world’s boss was part of Lu Ji’s power, he still had to act according to certain rules. As long as the Ghost Emperor remained alive, he would continue to issue death notices to the players.
Either the players would die, or he would.
After getting dressed, the two left their room and found a group of players waiting in the hallway. They looked worn out, clearly having stayed awake all night. Already severely injured and lacking proper rest, even the most resilient players couldn’t endure such a strain.
“There was no death notice last night,” Chai Yingying said with a yawn. “If I’d known, I’d have gone to bed too.”
Gu Jiu suggested, “Why don’t you all go get some rest now? Even a few hours would help. If a death notice arrives, we’ll call you.”
“How will you call us?” someone started to ask. Before they could finish, Gu Jiu took out a stack of small paper dolls. As soon as they touched the ground, the dolls came to life, walking in small steps and following each player. Each player had one assigned to them.
“They’ll notify you,” Gu Jiu explained.
After their initial surprise, the players quickly relaxed.
Although some players had their own supernatural doll-like items to alert them when death notices arrived, they still felt uneasy, which was why they chose to keep watch themselves. Gu Jiu’s gesture provided a sense of reassurance, and her calm demeanor inspired confidence. They weren’t ungrateful and expressed their thanks before heading to their rooms to rest.
Gu Jiu and Lu Ji went out for breakfast.
The ancient town wasn’t as lively in the morning as it was at night, but many breakfast shops had already opened.
They chose a shop that served lamb stew, pairing it with fragrant and chewy fried flatbread. Gu Jiu managed to devour three large bowls of lamb stew and four plate-sized pieces of flatbread on her own.
To avoid alarming the ordinary townsfolk, she restrained herself and stopped after three bowls, promptly heading to another stall for more food.
After breakfast, Gu Jiu bought some snacks to take back. If other players had seen this, they might have thought she was treating the game world as a vacation getaway.
It was almost too leisurely.
By midday, all the players had woken up.
Their minds preoccupied with the looming danger, they hadn’t dared to sleep too deeply, and most stirred awake as soon as they felt somewhat rested.
The Blood Pills worked remarkably well; the players had mostly recovered, with no major issues remaining.
Seeing Gu Jiu and Lu Ji still in the inn, everyone was surprised.
“You’re not going out today?” Tan Lan asked curiously.
Gu Jiu stretched out her leg to hook a chair over and sat down in the hallway, smiling as she replied, “We’re staying at Xiao Qiao Inn today, keeping an eye on the timing of the death notice.”
Tan Lan and the others couldn’t help but recall yesterday’s Ghost Den, their faces showing a hint of fear.
However, the idea of venturing outside made them hesitant. The two players that Gu Jiu and Lu Ji had kindly rescued yesterday had also faced extremely dangerous experiences outside.
Perhaps it was Gu Jiu’s calm demeanor, or the trust that Chai Yingying and Jiang Ze clearly placed in her, that made Tan Lan and the others reconsider. After a moment of thought, they decided to stay as well.
If Xiao Qiao Inn turned into another Ghost Den, having so many players together might at least help share some of the danger.
As the players settled their nerves and prepared to have some food to fill their stomachs, the ding-dong of a notification sounded on their phones.
Everyone immediately perked up, hastily pulling out their phones to check the message.
[Haunted Maze.]