Chapter 39 A Wedding is Coming in the Village

"Break free! Break free! Hold the knife to her neck and ask her why these outsiders have broken in!"

The director's commands came through the "NPC's" headset.

The person lurking here was a young but thin man, not very tall, but agile. Nighttime was his time to perform; before that, he had been catching up on sleep in the small room downstairs. He was woken up by the director at the last minute, and felt like he was still groggy and hadn't reacted before being subdued.

But the NPC tried to break free and failed.

Yu Shuling used a clever technique, making the young man feel extremely awkward; any effort he made would be easily neutralized. Outside, Chuan Nai hurriedly knocked on the door, shouting loudly, "..."

How are you?

Yu Shuling answered her in the same loud voice through the door: "We caught someone!"

NPC: "..."

Unable to break free after being captured by Yu Shuling, the director's plan was scrapped. However, being a professional after all, he immediately had a flash of inspiration and improvised, letting out a cold snort to salvage the situation:

"A lawless outsider dared to trespass into a private house in broad daylight. If I hadn't been drunk..."

Yu Shuling had just stepped on something soft when, by the sliver of natural light coming in from outside, she saw that it was a straw rope. She bent down, picked it up, and quickly tied the person up, binding them very tightly. Then she pulled open the curtains and opened the door that automatically locked from the inside.

Bright light streamed in from outside, bringing with it a tense-looking Kawana. But when she saw the person tied up in the corner, Kawana's lips twitched.

She was already used to Yu Shuling's actions, but she was still a little taken aback, and there were some things she felt uncomfortable saying in front of the camera. Kawana calmly composed herself.

Did he say anything?

In the dark room with the curtains drawn, two rows of bright red lanterns swayed in the breeze, unlit, yet their presence in the empty house seemed eerie. One could only imagine the horrifying scene one would witness if they entered at night.

The young NPC was already in character, staring at them with hostility and displaying a stubborn "I'd rather die than tell" expression. Yu Shuling's gaze quickly swept around the room. Sensing something was wrong, the young man couldn't help but speak up:

What do you want to do?

Yu Shuling ignored him and instead looked at Kawana:

“It seems he won’t confess, but I can use force to make him talk.”

Seeing Kawana turn and walk out, Yu Shuling asked:

Where are you going?

Kawana's appearance, enhanced by makeup, is as delicate as a porcelain doll. Her natural light-colored eyes without colored contact lenses and her high nose bridge give her a strong mixed-race look, making her seem both innocent and elegant. As a foreign member, Kawana wasn't very talkative during the audition period, and she was the quietest one in Lyra's variety show. However, her looks and talent were so outstanding that her variety show performances weren't particularly outstanding.

But thanks to Yu Shuling's encouragement, she actually became more active on the show and didn't get criticized as "wooden" as many fans had worried. Kawana turned back at the door and said earnestly in her distinctive enunciation:

“I saw a stick at the door.”

Seeing the admiring look in Yu Shuling's eyes for her teammates, the young man's heart sank. The slight stinging sensation on his wrist made him truly afraid. Putting everything else aside, the rope Yu Shuling had tied was too tight. For the sake of realism, apart from knives that could easily cause injury, most of the props used by the production team were made of real materials.

Fearing that Yu Shuling might actually hit someone with a stick, he quickly said:

"No, I'll tell you!"

"Cough cough."

The director's violent coughing warning came through the earpiece. Of course, the NPC couldn't directly reveal the secret to the crew, so he played a trick and told them that it was still the same clue from 11 p.m.

After all, this clue runs through the whole story, and even those who didn't get the clue will be able to see it eventually; the only difference is whether they can notice it immediately.

But he had already learned from the director that they had obtained this clue before, and if the repetition was too high and nothing new was uncovered, they certainly wouldn't give up easily.

Kawana returned and stood next to Yu Shuling. The two beautiful girl group members were extremely pleasing to the eye, but standing side by side made the NPC feel a chill run down his spine.

He saw Yu Shuling slowly squat down, meeting his gaze as he sat on the ground, her voice cold and calm:

"What's your name? Why are you here?"

The NPC recited his own line of dialogue:

"My name is Wang Shangen..."

Wang Shangen is an orphan from Changshou Village who grew up relying on the kindness of others and knows everyone. These lanterns are for weddings; when someone in Changshou Village is getting married, he comes to help prepare the lanterns and hang them in this empty house first.

"Married?" Yu Shuling caught the key point. "When did that happen?"

“We don’t invite outsiders to our weddings in our longevity village; only villagers can attend. That’s why the village chief didn’t tell you about this,” Wang Shangen shook his head, his expression serious. “If you don’t believe me, go ask other people. This is our local custom, and it can’t be broken.”

In dilapidated mountain villages, old folk customs often remain. She had heard the dog emperor talk about traveling incognito, and that people often have their own rules, customs, and beliefs. Yu Shuling nodded, seeing that Wang Shangen's words didn't seem to be a lie, and not being able to get any more information from him, she stood up and gestured for Chuan Nai to come out with her.

They stayed in the room for a while. The sun outside was gradually moving westward and was about to set, so it wasn't so hot anymore. After walking a few steps, Yu Shuling turned back and looked at the empty house with only lanterns. The curtains were drawn back, and the room should have been bright, but because the walls were covered with black wallpaper, it felt very oppressive even in the daytime.

Most importantly, after she untied him, "Wang Shangen" stood at the window, watching them leave with a sinister gaze. The moment Yu Shuling turned around, he immediately turned back, so fast it was almost an illusion.

But Yu Shuling has always been very sensitive to gazes.

Kawana, too, as an idol, had to capture the camera's lens. She quickly realized it, patted Yu Shuling's hand, and her tightly pursed lips revealed the fear she had just felt, but she forced herself not to show it.

After spending time with her, Yu Shuling initially thought that Kawana seemed to have a rather indifferent personality, but later she realized that wasn't the case. She liked to hide her emotions too much and didn't want others to notice them. In fact, if Yu Shuling hadn't taken the initiative, Kawana wouldn't have been so close to her as a teammate.

But now was not the time to consider these things. Several thoughts flashed through Yu Shuling's mind, and she finally settled on one of them:

"Kawana, do you remember the route of that river?"

They encountered another clue today: the old man by the river clearly told them to go there around 11:30 pm, pointing westward. Yu Shuling then had a bold idea.

There are now more than one clue; besides them, other guests must also have them. Since the production team has set it up as an individual competition, there must be a reason.

She wants to split up with Kawana tonight.

-----------------------

Author's note: This is 100,000 words! Don't worry, this book won't be abandoned. I'll finish it!