Chapter 001: Eating Watermelons in Wanjing Garden (1)
"Welcome all guests to visit the 'Wanjing Garden'. I am Liu Tang, the exclusive guide of 'Guanjingren'." The young man said to everyone politely with a smile on his face.
The young man had a clear and pleasant voice and a handsome appearance. He wore an exquisite Chinese long gown with dark patterns and single-sided gold-rimmed glasses, which perfectly matched the majestic Chinese garden behind him.
In contrast, the nine people standing outside the door were dressed in modern clothes, which was out of tune with the quaint atmosphere here.
Under the cover of night, although the young man named "Liu Tang" was friendly and amiable, there was always a chilling weirdness in the dim light emitted by the lantern.
He stood on the steps in front of the garden gate, looking down from above, and patiently explained: "I will select a guest as the 'Mirror Viewer' and lead him to the 'Mirror Viewing Pavilion' to appreciate the exquisite works in the garden.
Other guests can freely roam the gardens, open the many treasure chests hidden throughout the gardens, and search for the key to the Mirror Pavilion to welcome this guest back.
After saying that, Liu Tang looked at the nine people with different expressions at the bottom of the stairs.
Directly in front of him was an exceptionally handsome young man, who was looking at him intently.
Although the other person was standing casually, he still looked upright.
When Liu Tang saw this, he couldn't help but exclaim in his heart:
[Wow, I've been working in the garden for so long, but I've never seen such a handsome guest.]
The idle young man calmly withdrew his gaze and looked at the other people on both sides, but he was shocked in his heart.
Because he also heard these words in his mind.
He was very sure that the other party did not speak, and the other people standing on both sides reacted normally, obviously not hearing him speak.
It seems that this is the other person's inner voice, and I can hear it.
The young man was not happy about being complimented on his appearance, nor was he surprised that he could hear the other person's thoughts. He just felt a little disappointed: "Little salted fish... don't you recognize me?"
Liu Tang's eyes did not linger on this idle handsome guy for long, and soon shifted his attention to the six people gathered on the left of the young man.
There were two families of three, two pairs of parents with their respective sons and daughters.
[Glasses suggest that these six people are closely related.]
[Choosing one of them to go to the Mirror Pavilion should encourage the remaining five to actively search for the key.]
[This way, even if others are slacking off, more than half of the people will still be actively taking action.]
Liu Tang thought about it and raised his hand to invite the youngest girl among the six people. He said, "Then please ask Miss Feng Xiansu to accompany me to the Mirror Pavilion."
The girl had light makeup on her face, and her originally bright and charming face was now a little distorted because of fear.
She wanted to refuse the other party's invitation, but her body involuntarily walked towards Liu Tang.
"I won't go! Dad! Mom! Save me!" the girl screamed.
Her parents wanted to step forward to stop them, but found that they could not move, and their foreheads were sweating with anxiety.
To the right of the idle young man, a short, red-haired teenager spoke to comfort him, "This is a mandatory plot for the dungeon. We can't resist. Don't worry, I've read the guide for this dungeon. The players who are taken away are the safest and easiest. He's just an NPC guide. You don't have to be afraid of him."
After hearing this, the girl's parents felt a little relieved, but their eyes were still worried as they watched their daughter's receding back.
The idle young man on the side pursed his lips and thought to himself, "You guys are still not happy. I want to go, but I haven't been selected yet."
Liu Tang led the 19-year-old Feng Xiansu and walked slowly in the corridor with green pillars and red beams.
It was dark, and the silhouettes of pavilions and towers could be seen outside the corridor, their shadows dimly visible among the rockery and pond.
Countless bronze mirrors are suspended on both sides of the corridor.
The bronze mirrors are finely crafted, and every time a girl passes through a mirror, her past "life experiences" will be reflected in it.
For example, at the age of 8, she stole a distant cousin's action figure; at the age of 10, she broke a room full of delicate dolls from her cousin; at the age of 15, she relied on her family background to form a clique to bully another girl in her class; at the age of 17, she complained to a waiter in a luxury store simply because the waiter's appearance did not suit her taste...
Liu Tang had seen people who were much worse than her, so she was not surprised by this.
However, the girl was frightened when she saw her past so vividly and vividly presented in the mirror, and recalled the system announcement "Welcome to the 18th level of hell" she heard when she regained consciousness.
Seeing this, Liu Tang kindly said to comfort him, "This is just a fixed procedure. You don't need to be afraid."
Unexpectedly, Feng Xiansu, like a cat with its fur standing on end, shrieked back fiercely but weakly, "I'm not scared! My parents... No, Brother Yangyang will definitely come to save me!"
Liu Tang pressed his stinging ear and said with a professional smile, "Being stubborn in the 18th level of Hell may not be a wise choice for you."
The girl was stunned by his words. When she came to her senses, she became even more angry and said, "Shut up! He's just an NPC guide, just a bunch of data. What qualifications do you have to lecture me?"
Liu Tang stopped talking.
He guessed that the girl might have seen his comfort as more of a mockery, which was why it backfired.
So he quickly forgave the other party's rudeness and continued to lead the way forward.
As for the term "NPC" which had just been mentioned twice by the guests, he was now accustomed to it.
When he first truly understood this word, he also struggled with his own existence.
Is he really just a string of code without a soul?
But when he found that as an "NPC", he could listen to the players' gossip more comfortably, he felt relieved.
He is just an NPC. Digging up gossip about players is a mandatory requirement of the dungeon rules, so you can't blame him.
Besides, he is just a string of code. What would happen if he knew the gossip?
So Liu Tang quickly accepted the fact that he was just an "NPC".
At the same time, from the customers' casual conversation, he learned that they were a group of "players".
They have died in the real world, and their souls have been loaded into a huge game world called "18th Level of Hell", where they need to complete a copy to gain "rebirth".
And he was in a copy called "Evil Mirror Hell Ding Ba Wan Jing Garden".
While his thoughts were drifting, Liu Tang had already led the girl into an attic with carved beams and painted buildings.
The attic was brightly lit, with a solid wooden bench in the middle.
The bench is thoughtfully covered with thick cushions, making it very comfortable to sit on.
Under Liu Tang's guidance, the girl Feng Xiansu sat on the bench impatiently.
Ever since she discovered that the other party accepted her scolding, Feng Xiansu became bolder.
In addition, the red-haired player told her not to be afraid of this NPC outside the garden, so she became even more unscrupulous, and her originally spoiled personality gradually revealed itself.
The girl tidied up her messy long hair and glanced at the layout of the attic with a displeased look. She found that there were exquisite bronze mirrors hanging on both the upper and lower floors.
The mirrors are like display screens, reflecting the scenes in every corner of the garden.
It seems that this is an all-round observation room with no blind spots, she thought.
It's really easy just to sit here and wait for someone to rescue me.
The red-haired man was right.
After Feng Xiansu figured this out, her tense body finally relaxed, and she slumped down on the bench somewhat exhausted.
Liu Tang stepped aside and stood, observing the scene in the mirror, his eyes shining with eagerness.
[Hahaha, I can finally start eating melon~]
He thought excitedly in his heart.
Outside the garden gate, the idle young man heard these words and curled his lips.
"You salted fish, you still like to watch the fun."
At this point, the remaining eight players had already listened to the detailed rules explained by the system.
The young man with dyed red hair is named Min Liang, and he is an experienced veteran player.
He quickly explained the general situation to the others and concluded, "As long as we find the key within an hour, we can rescue our friend who was taken away by the NPC."
When the girl's father heard this, he nodded firmly, supported his wife with one hand, and patted her clenched hand with the other hand to show his comfort.
They and another family of three are new players.
The two families have been friends since their fathers' generation and have been neighbors for many years.
This time we made a special appointment to travel together on a private jet.
Unexpectedly, they encountered a plane crash on the way, and all seven people in the group, including the pilot, entered the copy.
Among the two families, the son of the other family is named Zhou Songyang, who is called "Brother Yangyang" by the girls.
Although he looks ordinary, he is tall and strong, with a cheerful temperament and full of the brightness of a college student.
The two children have been childhood sweethearts, so they have always had a close relationship.
The boy's parents did not seem as loving as the Feng couple, and they stood apart with a somewhat awkward look.
The only thing in common was that both the Zhou and Feng families dressed very elegantly.
The four elders are well maintained. Except for the boy’s father, the other three even look to be in their early thirties. It would not be out of place to call them the younger generation’s brothers and sisters.
As for the female pilot who also died, she was now standing far away on the other side separated from the red-haired boy.
She was wearing a uniform, standing straight with a serious expression, as if she was thinking about something.
At this moment, the system broadcast rang in everyone's ears: "The 'Mirror Viewer' has been settled, and the 'Treasure Hunt Game' has officially begun!"
Among the new players, college student Zhou Songyang was the one who adapted to the current situation the fastest. After listening to the announcement, he couldn't wait to lead the two elders into the garden.
Red-haired Minliang and the idle young man followed closely behind, while the pilot was at the end.
As soon as he entered the door, the idle young man turned around and wanted to leave the team. Seeing this, the red-haired boy shouted: "Brother Mo, wherever you go, I will go with you!"
The young man replied leisurely, "Separate actions to improve efficiency."
But what he was thinking in his heart was, what was the most important thing, finding Liu Tang?
When Zhou Songyang, the college student walking in front, heard this, he stopped and looked at the two people who wanted to leave.
He knew that Red Hair and the young man were the only two veteran players here. If they left the team, leaving him and the new players alone, they would probably have no one to rely on if they encountered danger.
So he quickly walked over to the two of them and said, "This garden is so complex and intricate. If we get separated, it'll probably be difficult to reunite. It's better for us to stick together. It'll be safer. What do you think?"
The idle young man ignored him and continued to turn around, but was grabbed by the red-haired man: "Yeah, that's right, Brother Mo, just stay."
After that, he leaned over to the young man and whispered in his ear, "The guide for this dungeon says there's nothing worth exploring in the gardens, but there's something interesting to see in crowded places."
When the young man surnamed Mo heard this, he stopped and left.
If there is a good show to watch in a crowded place, Liu Tang's attention will definitely be on the crowded place.
"If I were in the crowd, he would at least notice me, right?"
The young man thought.
In this way, the eight people randomly chose a corridor and walked forward in a mighty manner.
In the garden, there are green bamboos and rocks nearby, and scattered pavilions in the distance.
This scene should be pleasing to the eye, but it seems particularly creepy because of the frequent appearance of bronze mirrors and dark light and shadow.
A cold wind blew, and the shadows of the bamboo swayed. Feng's mother, who was even more beautiful than her daughter, looked at the figure reflected in the bronze mirror and screamed in shock.
Only with her husband's comfort did she feel a little relieved.
Fortunately, they quickly found the first treasure chest at the corner of the corridor.
The treasure chest is small and exquisite, and is inlaid with cat's eye stones as decoration.
Zhou Songyang didn't want the two veteran players to look down on him and think he was timid, so he took the lead and stepped forward to be the first to try something new.
He picked up the treasure chest and found that the lock was a three-digit combination lock.
This advanced combination lock is in stark contrast to the simple and elegant style of the entire garden, making the atmosphere seem even more discordant and terrifying.
At this time, a bronze mirror slowly floated in front of Zhou Songyang.
Zhou Songyang was startled by his distorted reflection in the mirror and trembled slightly. He tried hard to restrain himself from falling to the ground.
He calmed down and saw clearly a line of calligraphy appearing on the mirror.
What is your sexual orientation?
886 men, 949 women, 748 men and women
The boy immediately understood the question and turned to the others in surprise, saying, "I understand! The password to the treasure chest is the number corresponding to the answer. I like girls, so the password to this treasure chest is '949'!"
Feng Xiansu, a girl in the Mirror Pavilion, said happily, "Brother Yangyang is so smart! He figured out the decryption method right away. I knew he would be able to rescue me!"
After saying this, she turned around with some pride and gave Liu Tang who was standing beside her a provocative look.
Liu Tang withdrew his gaze from the mirror and gave the girl a professional fake smile.
Feng Xiansu felt bored when she saw the other party's dull reaction, so she turned her gaze to the mirror and stared at Brother Yangyang's charming face.
Her dream since childhood was to marry this outstanding and handsome boy next door when she grew up.
More importantly, my brother has never had a girlfriend since he went to college.
The girl thought, he must be waiting for her to grow up and marry her!
In this world, apart from such a beautiful me, who else can be worthy of such an outstanding brother Yangyang?
In the maze, Zhou Songyang held the combination lock to his chest and turned it quickly.
He opened the lock at an angle where no one else could see, and fiddled with the numbers a few times before letting go.
When the others saw the lock was opened, they came forward happily.
Only the girl in the Mirror Pavilion had a slowly cracking expression.
Because she clearly observed from the mirror that the password used by Brother Yangyang to open the lock was "886".
male!
Brother Yangyang likes boys!
Feng Xiansu's girlish feelings said goodbye to her completely at that moment.
[Pfft, seeing how fast your fingers are, it must be hard to act straight in front of your elders.]
When Liu Tang saw this scene, he couldn't help but sigh in his heart.
It would be nice if there were some snacks in the Mirror Pavilion for him to eat while watching.
"This question is too easy. No wonder the guides say you can open treasure chests at will and there's nothing to pay attention to." The red-haired Min Liang said to the bored "Brother Mo" beside him.
The idle young man named Mo did not comment, because he had heard Liu Tang's thoughts just now and had a vague guess in his heart.
At the same time, Zhou Songyang took out a prop card from the treasure chest.
[Cue Card: After using, you can remove one wrong answer]
Several middle-aged men passed the exquisitely crafted metal card around curiously, while the other three players showed little interest.
Seeing that the first question was so simple, Zhou's mother, who was wearing a casual suit, smiled and said, "This card doesn't seem to be very useful. After all, the questions are not that difficult."
Zhou Songyang forced a smile at his mother, but his mind was not on the props.
His back was already covered in cold sweat.
The boy realized that the problem of opening a treasure chest might involve the secrets of the person who opened it.
Sexual orientation is not a big deal, but what I’m afraid of is uncovering deeper hidden problems.
He got away with it this time, but what about next time?
He can no longer open treasure chests in front of others.
Zhou Songyang came to this conclusion.
So he looked at the countdown displayed on the mirror, looked at the young man named Mo standing not far away with some embarrassment, and said, following the red-haired man's address:
"Brother Mo is right. We need to be more efficient. At the moment, it seems like opening the treasure chest isn't difficult or dangerous. Let's split up and search for it."
When the young man surnamed Mo saw Zhou Songyang's attitude change, he thought about the voice he had heard in his mind before and quickly understood the key.
He gave the other player a meaningful look, then noticed the other players' preoccupied expressions. He concluded that splitting up was necessary, so he nodded in agreement. "A wise choice."
After saying that, the young man immediately turned around and left. Before he had taken a few steps, he stepped back, looked at the others, and said, "Oh, by the way, my name is Mo Qianhe. See you later."
"Yi, see you later..." The other players were a little confused by his sudden self-introduction.
Only Mo Qianhe himself knew that at this time, Liu Tang must be observing everyone through the mirrors floating around, so he was not introducing himself to the players, but introducing himself to Liu Tang.
In the Mirror Viewing Pavilion, a close-up of Mo Qianhe's face suddenly appeared in the mirror right in front of Feng Xiansu.
The sharp eyebrows and the magnetic yet relaxed voice made her heart beat faster.
Although the girl has not let go of Brother Yangyang in her heart, this man is so handsome that it's unfair.
Even through a slightly distorted bronze mirror, one can still feel distracted.
Liu Tang, who was standing by, was also deeply moved by this scene.
I am completely obsessed with love without any image in my heart:
[He's looking at me! He must be saying hi! See you later! Handsome guy!]
In addition, Liu Tang seemed to feel a sense of familiarity with this sentence.
Like a memory that had been buried for many years, at that moment, it flashed slightly in his mind, crossing the torrent of time.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
