A group of players was wandering aimlessly inside the haunted house.
Whenever they encountered a ghost, regardless of how terrifying or powerful it was, the players only needed to do one thing: stick behind the young miss and watch her pummel the ghosts into submission.
It didn’t matter whether it was a ghost playing with a ball, an arsonist ghost, a hanging ghost, or even a ghost crawling out of a well—there wasn’t a single one that the young miss couldn’t beat up or make cry.
The players gradually realized that Gu Jiu must have awakened a unique talent exclusive to her spiritual seed. Not only was her physical strength superior to that of an ordinary B-rank player, but her retractable crimson nails were akin to claws of death. Every strike was precise and lethal, and no ghost could escape her grasp.
Watching her in action filled the players with a mix of admiration and relief.
Jealousy wasn’t even an option; after all, such special talents came from the innate power of a player’s spiritual seed and couldn’t be stolen. If one’s spiritual seed wasn’t strong enough to awaken such powers, there was simply nothing to be done about it.
Still, for those whose spiritual seed powers lagged behind, consistent effort could make up for the gap. It wasn’t entirely hopeless.
Gu Jiu led the group, methodically thrashing every ghost in the haunted house. Once all the ghosts were subdued, the haunted house vanished, and all the players returned to the Xiao Qiao Inn.
They looked utterly bewildered. When they heard the faint noise of the human world outside, they wore expressions that screamed disbelief.
“Wait, is the Death Notice phase over just like that?”
“Did we actually do anything significant?”
“So, we just have to beat all the ghosts into submission to escape the Death Notice phase?”
“Next time we’re in the Death Notice phase, we could do the same thing.”
“Assuming you have the ability to beat all the ghosts, of course.”
“…”
That last comment quickly sobered up the previously excited players. All eyes turned to Gu Jiu, and it was clear to everyone that without her, there was no way they could have cleared this phase so quickly. The sheer number of ghosts in the haunted house was overwhelming, and not just anyone could bulldoze through them like Gu Jiu.
From their experience over the past few days, every time they entered the Death Notice phase, the number of ghosts was countless. The idea of beating every single one into submission was simply impossible for most people.
“Honestly, I think the Ghost Den and the haunted house aren’t that bad,” Tan Lan said sheepishly. “At least the area is relatively contained. As long as everyone sticks together, there’s still hope of making it through.”
“I agree,” Tong Shen and Zhou Anmin chimed in.
Others nodded in agreement but silently turned their gaze to Gu Jiu.
As long as the young miss decided to stay in the room, they were all prepared to follow her lead.
Gu Jiu declared, “I won’t be going out before tomorrow night.”
The players lit up with joy, their minds already working.
It seemed like she had decided to stay in the room for a reason—perhaps it was connected to the ghost groom’s mention of the three-day deadline?
After narrowly surviving another Death Notice phase, the players were exhausted and decided to retire to their rooms for rest.
When Gu Jiu and Lu Ji returned to their room, Chai Yingying pulled Jiang Ze along to follow them.
“Young miss, let’s cut to the chase—do you already know how to clear the phase?” Chai Yingying asked bluntly.
Jiang Ze’s heart stirred as he fixed his gaze on Gu Jiu. While he didn’t know Gu Jiu as well as Chai Yingying did, he trusted Chai Yingying’s judgment. If she was making such a claim, it meant she had discovered something significant from Gu Jiu.
Gu Jiu sat on the small sofa and was about to pour herself a glass of water when Lu Ji handed her a cup of freshly brewed herbal tea.
She glanced at him, and he looked back. Though his expression seemed calm, there was a trace of apprehension in his eyes, as if fearing she might reject his gesture. Only when she naturally took the tea and sipped it did he finally relax.
“Yes.” Gu Jiu didn’t hide the truth.
Jiang Ze was both surprised and elated.
Chai Yingying, on the other hand, quickly processed the events they had encountered since entering the game world. Suddenly, her eyes widened. “The key to clearing the phase—is it the ghost groom?”
As she uttered the words “ghost groom,” her gaze instinctively shifted to Lu Ji. Sure enough, his expression darkened. She couldn’t help but let out an “Oops,” realizing that Lu Ji’s jealousy was much stronger than she’d expected.
Gu Jiu nodded, unsurprised that Chai Yingying had figured it out. She hadn’t tried to hide it, and given Chai Yingying’s sharp mind, it was only natural for her to connect the dots.
Jiang Ze also looked enlightened, finally understanding why Gu Jiu had said they wouldn’t be leaving the inn before tomorrow night unless something unexpected happened. So, it all boiled down to this.
Neither of them had expected the key to clearing the phase to be connected to the ghost groom. For a moment, they couldn’t tell whether Gu Jiu was incredibly lucky or deeply unlucky.
For ordinary players, being entangled with the boss of the game world right from the start was practically a death sentence. One careless mistake, and the boss might kill them outright. But for Gu Jiu, it seemed less like misfortune and more like a golden opportunity.
That’s just how capable the young miss was.
“Does this mean tomorrow night that ghost gr—” Chai Yingying caught herself and glanced at Lu Ji before tactfully omitting the word “groom.” “Does this mean he will really come to take you to Youdu City?”
Both Chai Yingying and Jiang Ze looked worried.
If the ghost groom was the boss of this game world and the mastermind behind the Death Notice phenomenon, his power was bound to be terrifying. Youdu City was his territory. Would players who entered it even have a chance of survival?
“Of course, I have to go,” Gu Jiu replied. “If I don’t, how can we clear the phase? Or do you want to keep getting dragged into Death Notice phases forever?”
Both of them quickly shook their heads. In just a few days, they were already on the verge of a mental breakdown from the stress of the Death Notice.
“Then that’s settled.”
Gu Jiu instructed the two to return to their rooms and rest. Until tomorrow evening, they should stay inside the Xiao Qiao Inn for safety.
—
The afternoon sun bathed the ancient town in a golden glow.
Wulin Ancient Town’s current climate was like a mild autumn—pleasantly cool in the mornings and evenings.
Gu Jiu sat on the balcony, basking in the warm sunlight with her eyes half-closed. She seemed to be resting, yet there was an air of attentiveness, as if she were listening to the faint strains of ancient music drifting up from the street. After a while, the sun’s warmth grew a bit too much, and she prepared to stand up.
Just then, a shadow fell across her.
She opened her eyes to see a familiar man silently sitting nearby, blocking the sunlight for her.
“Ah Jiu…” he called softly, his expression unusually cold.
If Gu Jiu weren’t so familiar with him, she might have thought he was upset with her.
“Why so serious?” she teased. “Smile for me.”
Lu Ji forced out a smile, but it was stiff and insincere. With his gothic, brooding style of dress, his attempt at smiling only made him look more sinister. Anyone faint of heart might have been terrified.
“That smile is way too fake,” Gu Jiu remarked.
Lu Ji silently dropped the smile and murmured, “I can’t smile.”
Ever since last night, she had been distant, avoiding intimacy with him. The ache in his heart was unbearable; how could he possibly smile?
Gu Jiu sighed softly and leaned in to give him a light kiss. Seeing him stare wide-eyed in surprise, his delicate features still adorned with his beautiful girl disguise, she couldn’t help herself.
She pulled him into her arms and kissed him more deeply.
“Wow~~”
Gu Jiu looked up, spotting Tan Lan and Tong Shen on the balcony next door, their mouths covered in exaggerated amazement. Noticing her gaze, they smiled back openly, clearly unbothered by what they had witnessed.
In the myriad worlds, players were incredibly accepting of all orientations.
Not wanting to put on a public display of affection, Gu Jiu tugged Lu Ji back into the room.
Lu Ji obediently followed her. When she pushed him onto the bed, he lay down without resistance, but she only gave him another kiss before stopping, leaving him visibly disappointed.
“It’s broad daylight. What are you thinking?” Gu Jiu chided with mock exasperation.
Lu Ji retorted quietly, “But in Boundless City, we—”
“Hmm?” Gu Jiu raised an eyebrow.
Lu Ji lowered his gaze. “Nothing.”
Seeing his pitiful expression, Gu Jiu’s heart softened once more. Unable to resist, she kissed him again to comfort him and said, “Don’t worry. I have no plans to break up with you for now.”
Lu Ji’s heart clenched tighter instead of relaxing.
For now? What about later?
Gu Jiu stroked his face, studying his features. She sighed, “It’s rare to find someone who aligns so perfectly with my aesthetic preferences. Did you do this on purpose?”
Thinking about how he was a god in the myriad worlds, even Gu Jiu found it unbelievable.
She had thought having a non-human boyfriend was extraordinary enough. Who could have guessed her boyfriend would turn out to be a god? Did that make her guilty of blasphemy?
“No, it doesn’t,” Lu Ji firmly clasped her hand and said earnestly, “There are no gods left in the myriad worlds. I’m not a god, either.”
“You’re not a god? Then what are you?”
He was… a destroyer born to end worlds, a monster rejected by existence itself.
In this world, there was no place for gods. The rules didn’t allow for their existence. The fall of the old gods proved this, and he was no exception.
Lu Ji remained silent, lowering his gaze further.
Gu Jiu’s expression gradually turned serious as she stared at him unblinkingly.
The silence between them was heavy, almost suffocating.
After a while, Gu Jiu broke it. “Fine, let’s just enjoy the moment while we can.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his tightly pressed lips. In a soft voice, she said, “Lu Ji, as long as I’m not tired of you, you must live well. Do you understand?”
Before he realized it, his arms had tightened around her, pulling her close.
He gave a soft hum and whispered, “Don’t worry. I can’t promise much, but I can promise to stay alive.”
Gu Jiu smiled, rewarding him with a passionate kiss. Her voice was soft and coaxing, “Good boy.”
—
From afternoon to evening, the players kept a wary eye on their phones, but no notifications came through.
They collectively breathed a sigh of relief.
The Death Notice phenomenon was like a grim prelude to a visit from the reaper. They suspected it would be a long time before they could look at their phones without a sense of dread.
—
In the dead of night, when dreams were at their sweetest…
Thump! Thump-thump! Thump-thump-thump!
It sounded like a drumbeat, faint yet intrusive, echoing through their sleep and disrupting it. The persistent rhythm made it almost unbearable, compelling one to cover their ears.
Lu Ji opened his eyes, immediately reaching to cover Gu Jiu’s ears as she stirred in his arms. Her brows furrowed, and her long, thick lashes fluttered slightly. Clearly agitated, she frowned even more deeply.
Just as Lu Ji was about to summon his paper doll to handle the disturbance, the person in his arms sat bolt upright.
Being rudely awakened in the middle of the night put the young miss in a terrible mood. Her face was expressionless as she got out of bed, slipped on her shoes, and stormed out of the room.
Lu Ji followed closely behind her, a touch of annoyance flickering in his chest as he regretted not acting sooner to prevent the interruption of her rest.
As soon as they stepped out the door, they saw that the other players were already up and about.
Holding their phones with grim expressions, the players were alarmed to realize that a Death Notice had arrived unexpectedly in the dead of night. Thankfully, none of them had been too deeply asleep, and the sound of the phone notifications had roused them just in time.
Seeing Gu Jiu and Lu Ji, the players hurried over excitedly. “Gu Jiu—”
But before they could finish speaking, the irritable young miss swept past them like a storm.
Perplexed, the players instinctively followed her.
Gu Jiu traced the source of the drumbeat to a storage room on the first floor of the Xiao Qiao Inn. Without hesitation, she yanked the door open and lunged toward a drum hidden among the clutter, her clawed hand striking out at it with precision.