Chapter 53 The First Night
As the last rays of the setting sun were swallowed by the horizon, the fairytale town seemed to have been muted.
The daytime liveliness slowly dissipated, replaced by a suffocating silence and a gradually spreading chill.
The streets were deserted; even the NPC townspeople had long since retreated to their homes, their doors and windows tightly shut, and there was not a ray of light.
Darkness, like thick ink, permeated the entire town.
The three types of houses chosen by the players are scattered sparsely in the darkness, like a lone boat tossed about in a storm.
[Aesthetic] Inside the room, Elena and her two followers lit the sacred candles they had brought. The soft light dispelled some of the darkness, but could not dispel the invisible pressure in the air.
Han Chunhua nervously clutched the hem of her Lolita dress, her large eyes darting around anxiously.
“Do not fear, for the power of light will protect the devout.” Elena’s voice was ethereal as she held a holy book that emitted a faint glow in her hands and softly recited a prayer.
Two believers joined in the prayer, and a soft holy light rippled outwards from them, bathing the entire ornate interior in a sacred glow.
However, this peace was soon shattered.
Outside the window, a sickening scraping sound and a low, suppressed roar could be heard.
It was as if something was lurking in the darkness, probing the overly "beautiful" building with its sharp claws.
Suddenly, a distorted, bloodshot wolf face, as if forcibly elongated, was pressed against the window, its scarlet eyes staring intently into the room!
"Ah—!" Han Chunhua screamed in fright, instinctively activating her "Blooming" ability!
Suddenly, without warning, a vast expanse of dazzling flowers bloomed on the open ground in front of the [Beautiful] room, vibrant and full of life, creating an extremely eerie contrast with the surrounding gloomy environment.
However, this beautiful scene had no effect on the monster outside the window.
The shadow wolf merely tilted its head in confusion, then pounded on the window even harder, the glass groaning under the strain!
“A futile struggle.” Elena frowned and stopped chanting.
She raised her hand, and a purer, more dazzling holy light gathered at her fingertips, like a miniature sun.
"In the name of light, dispel darkness and filth!"
She gave a clear shout, and holy light spread out from her like ripples on water, instantly enveloping the entire [Beautiful] Room.
"Hiss—"
A sound like cold water dripping into hot oil came from outside the window. The shadow wolf clinging to the window let out a shrill howl, wisps of black smoke rising from its body. As if burned, it suddenly sprang back and disappeared into the darkness, not daring to approach again.
The other ghosts lingering around seemed to be extremely wary of the intense holy light and temporarily ceased their attacks.
Han Chunhua patted her chest, still shaken, as she looked out the window at the still-blooming but jarring sea of flowers. She then glanced at Elena, who stood solemnly surrounded by holy light, her eyes filled with relief and envy.
The chat in Han Chunhua's live stream showed the following:
"Sister Chunhua's flowers...are really blooming at the worst possible time, hahaha."
"Holy Light? Elena's awesome."
"With the saintess in charge of the beautiful room, everything's fine."
"Don't call her Saintess! Our Sylvie is the Saintess!"
"I'll scream, I'll scream, I'll make you mad!"
Inside the sturdy stone house, however, the scene is completely different.
Jun sat cross-legged on the stone bed inside the room, closing his eyes and regulating his breathing.
The silent monk sat at the door, still with that blank expression, as if any noise outside the door had nothing to do with him.
The other two players who also chose the sturdy stone house had already gone to rest early.
The thick walls and doors of the stone house faintly glowed with runic light, a result of Jun Xiangbei's reinforcement of the barrier during the day.
The howls and crashes of the monsters outside, as well as the faint sounds of battle coming from other houses, were mostly blocked out by this solid barrier, sounding dull and distant.
Jun could clearly hear the sound of holy light bursting from the direction of the [Aesthetic] room, and could also vaguely hear a kind of dull striking sound and strange hissing coming from the direction of the [Economy] room further away.
He slowly opened his eyes, a barely perceptible glint flashing in his pupils in the darkness.
As for Gu Yunqing... I don't know how things are going.
Can that witch Jueji stop it?
This inexplicable attachment prevented him from fully immersing himself in meditation as he usually did.
The aftereffects of the Heart Refining Tower always seem to surface unexpectedly.
[Economy] The thatched hut has now become the eye of the storm.
The dilapidated wooden walls and thatched roof groaned in the night's chilly wind, as if they might fall apart at any moment.
Wang Hu huddled in the innermost corner of the room, clutching a stick of incense tightly in his hand. When lit, it emitted a pungent yet slightly reassuring smell, and his face was even paler than during the day.
Gu Yunqing sat at the only broken wooden table, on which sat a simple teapot and teacups that she had redeemed from the system shop.
He was slowly pouring himself a cup of hot tea, the rising steam blurring his calm features.
Outside, the sounds of wailing and howling could be heard incessantly.
Twisted shadows surged in like a tide, taking on various shapes: some like skinned hounds, others like a mass of twisted vines, and still others like owl-like shadows hovering in the air, emitting piercing howls...
They frantically attacked the seemingly vulnerable thatched hut.
There was only one person standing behind that creaking, dilapidated wooden door that looked like it was about to be smashed open at any moment.
Wu Jueji.
He was still wearing a regular t-shirt and trousers, his hair was messy, and he had a noticeable stubble on his chin.
Faced with the chaotic scene outside, Wu Jueji even yawned out of boredom.
When the first Shadow Hound burst through the flimsy wooden door and lunged in with its gaping maw full of sharp teeth, Wu Jueji lazily raised his hand.
There was no brilliance, no imposing presence; it was simply a seemingly casual press forward.
"Bang!"
The ferocious Shadow Hound seemed to have crashed into an invisible wall, its forward momentum abruptly halted, and it was even sent flying backward at an even faster speed, knocking over several ghosts that were rushing in from behind.
The 50/50 situation unfolds silently.
Centered on Wu Jueji, an invisible force field enveloped the entrance to the thatched hut and a small area around it.
Any ghost or monster that enters this realm, regardless of its original strength, will be forcibly pulled by the rules to a level "equally matched" with Wu Jueji's current state.
Then, a bizarre scene unfolded.
The ferocious monsters rushed in, their claws tearing but only leaving shallow scratches on Wu Jueji's robes, their sharp teeth gnawing as if they were gnawing on the toughest alloy; their corrosive energy, when it landed on Wu Jueji, only made him frown, its effect greatly diminished.
Wu Jueji's counterattack was even more chaotic, and even somewhat... comical.
He was like a street thug, sometimes using his shoulder to push away a charging hound, sometimes using his elbow to deflect vines that were wrapping around him, and occasionally kicking away a shadow goblin that was trying to sneak up from the ground.
Wu Jueji's movements looked clumsy and awkward, always managing to cope at the last minute. His clothes quickly became tattered and covered with dust and some unknown slime.
But he just wouldn't fall.
Like a stubborn rock blown by a strong wind yet deeply rooted, or a drunkard besieged by countless people yet always inexplicably able to resolve the crisis.
Every attack that landed on him was inexplicably weakened, and every seemingly powerless counterattack he made always managed to interrupt the monsters' offensive at just the right moment.
He kept all the ghosts and monsters outside the door, and they fought fiercely with Wu Jueji. He held the entrance firmly, preventing any ghost or monster from breaking through the defenses and reaching the inside of the house.
Inside the house, Gu Yunqing seemed completely oblivious to the life-or-death battle raging outside.
He picked up the teacup, gently blew away the floating leaves on the surface, and sipped the tea.
The steam from the tea softened his face, making him appear exceptionally serene. Only when he occasionally glanced at the listless figure writhing and turning among the ghostly shadows outside the door would a faint hint of satisfaction flash in his eyes.
Wang Hu was completely dumbfounded.
He looked at the middle-aged man outside the door who seemed ready to be torn apart at any moment, yet remained standing, and then at Gu Yunqing leisurely sipping tea inside. He felt that his worldview had been greatly shaken.
The chat in Gu Yunqing's live stream room flashed with:
"My god, Uncle Wu's defense... is amazing."
"It looks like a really intense fight, but they just can't break through."
"Gu Yunqing is still drinking tea? Does she really trust Wu Jueji that much?"
"I'm impressed by their mental fortitude."
The first night finally ended at dawn, with all players surviving.
When the sun shone on the town again, the rampaging monsters receded like a tide, disappearing without a trace, leaving only devastation, especially in the areas where people had chosen the "affordable" housing.
[Aesthetically pleasing] The house was intact, and Elena's team suffered no loss except for expending some holy power.
The house was as stable as Mount Tai, and Jun Xiangbei and the Silent Monk rested the best.
[Economy] Inside the house, Wu Jueji looked disheveled, covered in dust and dirt, but he was not actually injured. The thatched hut was only damaged in terms of the door and some walls, but the core structure was still intact.
After waking up, Gu Yunqing looked at the mess outside and Wu Jueji leaning against the door frame, yawning again, and smiled slightly.
"Thank you for your hard work, Mr. Wu."
Wu Jueji waved his hand lazily, too lazy to even speak, found a relatively intact corner of the wall, slid down and sat down, closing his eyes to rest.
Watching this scene, Wang Hu's awe for Gu Yunqing and Wu Jueji reached its peak, especially for Gu Yunqing.
If Gu Yunqing can command a powerful figure like Wu Jueji, her strength should not be underestimated.
Jun pushed open the door of the stone house to the north, and the morning sunlight fell on him.
His gaze swept across the town, and immediately fell on the direction of Gu Yunqing's thatched cottage.
When he saw that the house, though dilapidated, was still standing, and Gu Yunqing was standing at the door with a calm expression, he felt a sense of relief.
Jun turned his gaze northward, the curiosity and inexplicable concern in his heart becoming clearer and more undeniable after this night.
The first night has passed, but the immense financial pressure and the possibility of even more dangerous nights to come still hang like the Sword of Damocles over everyone's heads.
The real test has only just begun.
Gu Yunqing, on the other hand, seems to have quietly taken up an extremely advantageous position in this test.
Author's Note:
I thought I'd have to take the day off today, but I still managed to update! [Please][Thumbs up] Also, please check out my novel, "I Made Myself Famous by Using Two Accounts," which starts next Monday! [Heart][Heart][Heart] By the way, this book is gaining popularity so fast! Did someone recommend it to me? [Question mark][Question mark][Question mark] I need to search for myself.
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