Ruan Yuan and Lu Haidi walked out of their room and saw four people conversing in the hallway.
Both of them were slightly surprised. Ruan Yuan asked, “Miss, do you all know each other?”
Gu Jiu nodded slightly and introduced the two groups to each other.
After Gu Jiu’s introductions, the four quickly understood her intention: in this game world, they could trust one another and lend a helping hand when needed.
Although Qi Yuheng and Ge Guang didn’t have much interaction with Gu Jiu—neither even had her player ID—and their relationship barely surpassed that of strangers, Gu Jiu’s exceptional performance in the “Caged Bird” instance had left a deep impression. They respected her abilities and character, which had fostered a strange sense of trust toward her.
It was rare to meet her again in a C-level instance, and in just a moment, the group reached a tacit agreement to collaborate.
They also extended this trust to her teammates.
Ruan Yuan, being quick to grasp the situation, smiled at Qi Yuheng and Ge Guang as a greeting and said, “There are mermaid dolls in your room too, right? The butler mentioned a surprise earlier, and it turned out to be the mermaid dolls in our room. Did you notice anything odd about them?”
Ge Guang replied, “You mean how the more ‘intimate’ the couple is, the angrier the dolls seem to get?”
Ruan Yuan’s gaze wandered between Qi Yuheng and Ge Guang. To arrive at such a conclusion… could it be that the two of them were…
Feeling her scrutinizing gaze, Ge Guang shivered and quickly clarified, “Gu Jiu told us about it.” There was no way he and Qi Yuheng had done anything intimate as a couple—Qi Yuheng would definitely kill him first.
Oh, so it was the Miss’s observation.
Ruan Yuan glanced at Gu Jiu, whose expression was calm, and Lu Ji. She decided not to dwell on how Gu Jiu had come to this conclusion and said, “When we discovered the mermaid dolls, Brother Lu and I didn’t think much of it. But when we got a little closer, the dolls started to look visibly upset…”
They hadn’t expected the mermaid dolls to have any reaction. Initially, they thought they were just some kind of ghost dolls.
Later, since the dolls didn’t attack, they didn’t immediately drive them away. Especially when they saw how irritated the dolls became, Ruan Yuan decided to make the most of it. She deliberately acted even more affectionate with her boyfriend.
It was safe to say that the mermaid dolls in Ruan Yuan’s room were thoroughly infuriated by this couple.
“Miss, what do you think these mermaid dolls mean?” Ruan Yuan asked in confusion. “The players are supposed to play couples, and it’s normal for couples to show affection. Why would the mermaid dolls dislike it?”
Gu Jiu replied, “I’m not sure. Let’s observe more tonight.”
Hearing this, Ruan Yuan didn’t press further. It was understandable that there were too few clues available at this early stage of the game.
Upon knowing that Ruan Yuan and Lu Ji were already a couple, Qi Yuheng abandoned the idea of swapping partners with them. Since Gu Jiu wasn’t interested in switching, he had no choice but to endure, though his mood soured.
Ge Guang tried to comfort him. “Boss Qi, according to Gu Jiu, the mermaid dolls dislike excessive intimacy between couples. So maybe the challenge isn’t actually about couples at all.”
Qi Yuheng’s expression eased slightly.
Ruan Yuan interjected, “That’s not necessarily true. What if the actions of the mermaid dolls are completely unrelated to the Sea God’s trial?”
Gu Jiu said, “That’s also possible.” Until the truth was fully uncovered, anything was possible. She wasn’t arrogant enough to believe her guesses were absolutely correct.
Qi Yuheng’s face darkened slightly.
Ge Guang: “.…” Please, stop talking!
The six of them went downstairs and began familiarizing themselves with the villa’s surroundings.
The other players were doing the same—exploring the villa while searching for clues about the “Sea God.”
Anyone who made it to a C-level game arena wasn’t foolish. From the butler’s words, they had deduced that the “Sea God” was the key. To uncover the secrets of Love Island, they first needed to figure out exactly what the Sea God was.
On the surface, the villa appeared perfectly normal and revealed nothing unusual. With plenty of daylight left, the players stepped out of the villa to explore the surrounding environment.
The villa was built on seaside cliffs, backed by a dense forest that covered much of the island. The forest loomed dark and foreboding, the dim light between the trees deterring anyone from venturing inside.
Judging by its size, Love Island was no small place. The players couldn’t determine whether the Sea God’s trial would encompass the entire island.
Leaving the villa, they followed the winding path down the rocky cliffs. After about twenty minutes, they reached a golden beach. The sand was fine and clean—if this were the real world, the players might have spent the day swimming and relaxing by the sea.
Gu Jiu walked onto the beach, kicked off her shoes, and stepped barefoot onto the sand, letting the waves lap at her feet.
The weather was a bit muggy—perfect for playing in the water.
“Miss, what are you doing?” Ruan Yuan asked.
Without turning back, Gu Jiu replied, “We’re at the beach; might as well enjoy the water.”
Everyone else: “.…” Did she really think this game world was a vacation spot?
Though surprised by Gu Jiu’s carefree attitude, no one questioned her. Even Ruan Yuan caught her playful mood and joined in, splashing in the water. Lu Haidi, as her boyfriend, naturally accompanied her, indulging her every whim.
Qi Yuheng and Ge Guang, however, weren’t interested in playing in the water. They sat on a low rock not far away, staring out at the horizon.
On the vast beach, Gu Jiu and Lu Ji walked shoulder to shoulder, stepping in and out of the waves. Meanwhile, Ruan Yuan climbed onto her boyfriend’s back, and he ran across the beach with her, her carefree laughter ringing out along the shore.
After watching for a while, Ge Guang commented, “Boss Qi, you really don’t want to join them?”
This earned him a cold glare from Qi Yuheng.
Ge Guang shrugged. “Boss Qi, look at them. They really seem like couples. Gu Jiu and Lu Ji are both girls, but they have a kind of chemistry. They actually seem pretty compatible…”
Both young women were already instinctively performing the roles of a couple. So dedicated.
Qi Yuheng responded impatiently, “If you expect me to act like a couple with you, I’d rather die.”
Ge Guang: “.…” Forget it. He’d stop talking before Qi Yuheng lost his temper.
The six of them stayed on the beach for most of the day.
Other players passing by were stunned to see them playing in the water, unsure of what to make of it. Still, since they didn’t know one another, no one was foolish enough to comment. After all, in the game world, players were responsible for their own lives. What others chose to do was their own business.
As the day waned, the group finally returned to the villa.
“The water here is really clear. If we have time tomorrow, we should come back,” Gu Jiu said to Lu Ji, her tone lively. “It’d be great if we could go out to sea. I’d love to go boating.”
Since her vision had deteriorated, Gu Jiu hadn’t gone on any outings, let alone taken a cruise or gone boating.
What young woman didn’t enjoy a bit of fun? Gu Jiu was no exception.
But not wanting to worry her family, she always acted obediently. Beneath that facade, though, she had a rebellious streak. She knew how to have fun, and when she did, she played harder than anyone else.
Lu Ji said, “I brought some diving gear, so we could explore underwater. As for a boat…” She tilted her head, thinking for a moment. “There should be boats on this island. I’ll have my paper dolls go look for one.”
Gu Jiu smiled brightly, taking her arm. “Ah Ji, you’re the best.”
Lu Ji pressed her lips into a shy smile, looking modest and bashful.
The four others exchanged strange glances, secretly wondering if these two were actually a couple. Well… not that they had anything against same-sex couples. In the worlds of the Multiverse’s Games, no one cared if you were gay or straight. What mattered between players was strength; no one wasted energy judging such things.
—
When they returned to the villa, most of the other players had also come back.
The sun was nearly setting, and no one was sure whether staying outside at night would be dangerous. Unless absolutely necessary, players typically returned to the villa before dark.
As soon as they entered, the rich aroma of seafood filled the air.
The butler stepped forward and said, “Dinner is ready. Guests, please proceed to the dining room.”
The players exchanged surprised looks—they hadn’t expected the villa to provide meals for them.
Since the butler hadn’t explicitly mentioned that meals would be offered, they had assumed they’d need to fend for themselves. Now, seeing the butler personally invite them to dine, they followed him to the dining room with mild curiosity.
In the dining room, a long table was set up, laden with a variety of seafood dishes—so extravagant it rivaled a five-star seafood feast.
This good?
Just as they were marveling at the spread, a unique and tantalizing aroma wafted through the air, triggering a flood of saliva in their mouths.
The butler glanced at them, noticing their reactions. His lips curved slightly in a subtle smile as he said in a flat tone, “This is a meal specially prepared for you by the Sea God. You should be grateful for the Sea God’s generosity.”
With that, the butler left the room, not lingering to see whether they would actually eat.
The statement was like a bucket of ice water dumped over the players’ heads, snapping them out of the trance induced by the enticing aroma.
“It smells amazing…” Ge Guang muttered softly.
Lu Haidi couldn’t help but lean forward, trying to pinpoint the source of the irresistible scent.
The other players were equally compelled.
It didn’t take long for them to find the source—a sashimi platter placed at the center of the table.
The sashimi was stunning, its origin unknown. The flesh was a pale pink, with delicate lavender streaks running through it. Under the glow of the lights and the crushed ice it was laid upon, it exuded an almost dreamlike beauty.
The closer they got, the stronger the aroma became.
It lingered in the air like an enchanting siren, tempting the players and eroding their willpower.
Eventually, one player couldn’t resist any longer. He grabbed a piece and stuffed it into his mouth. His expression froze for a moment before his face twisted into a crazed frenzy. Within seconds, he dove back at the platter, shoving more sashimi into his mouth with wild abandon.
His actions triggered others, and three more players joined him, gorging on the sashimi.
The players who still had their wits about them watched this descent into madness. Despite being overwhelmed by the alluring scent, they bit down hard on their lips or used pain as a distraction to keep themselves from eating the mysterious meat.
What kind of fish could smell this good? they thought. It was clearly not normal.
A female player grabbed her companion, who was devouring the sashimi. “Are you insane? You don’t even know what this is, and you’re eating it?”
Her companion, still chewing, replied, “This is so delicious! Not eating it would be such a waste. Don’t worry—I’ve eaten some already. It’s just fish meat, nothing will happen.” As he spoke, he suddenly shoved a piece into her mouth before she could react.
The female player tried to spit it out, but her movements stalled. Before she realized it, she had already swallowed the piece.
In the end, she joined her companion in ravenously eating the sashimi.
Watching these five players’ crazed behavior, the remaining players frowned. Some, afraid they might lose control themselves, quickly left the dining room.
Gu Jiu pulled Lu Ji away from the table without hesitation.
Ruan Yuan also tugged at her boyfriend with all her strength. “Brother Lu, let’s go! That stuff looks really creepy. You’re not allowed to eat it!” she warned him sternly.
Lu Haidi glanced longingly at the sashimi in the middle of the table, clearly tempted to try a piece.
Even seasoned players found it hard to resist such an enticing aroma. The overwhelming scent muddled their minds, leaving them unsure of their own actions.
Qi Yuheng frowned and said to Ge Guang, “Let’s go. Don’t just stand there staring.”
Ge Guang, eyes glazed as he stared at the table, snapped out of it at Qi Yuheng’s words. He hurried to follow, not daring to look back.
It wasn’t until they had left the dining room that the lingering aroma finally faded.
Lu Haidi, now fully awake, looked back on his earlier impulse to dive at the table with a sense of dread. Rubbing the back of his head, he asked, “What do you think that fish meat was?”
“I don’t know, but it’s definitely not normal fish,” Ruan Yuan said decisively.