Chapter 016 Chapter 16
The musical on stage lasted for more than half an hour before it ended.
So, Xia Meng just watched her new colleague singing and dancing on the stage for more than half an hour.
Not only her, there were also hundreds of theatergoers in the audience.
It was tantamount to public execution.
Even at a distance that was not too far away, she could even see the changes on his face from panic, to speechlessness, to despair, and finally to a state of despair.
As for Xia Meng, she went from being confused, to being unable to bear it, to being numb, and finally she even started to find it a little funny.
"What a shame! I didn't bring my phone," she said regretfully, feeling in her pocket. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I should have taken a picture of it as a souvenir."
The stage came to an end, the curtain fell for the last time, and the headlights above the audience seats finally lit up.
Xia Meng raised her eyes and looked around.
I found that this theater looks quite retro and gorgeous.
There is no trace of modernization in the entire venue. The candles in the wall lamps and the flickering candlelight in the headlights above the theater all highlight the simplicity and primitiveness of this place.
The entire theater was dimly lit only by candlelight.
In the dim light, Xia Meng finally made out her attire—shirt, vest, and jacket. Wasn't it a perfectly Western-style three-piece suit? Furthermore, the garment was made of exquisite materials, with intricate tailoring and delicate patterns. Even the details evoked the ancient charm of European aristocrats from centuries past.
She looked at herself puzzledly for a moment.
What's going on?
It would be fine if Ou Xu was dancing on the stage in women's clothes, but how come she also had her gender reversed?
She looked up and observed her surroundings.
Sitting in the box next to her were two men and women who were also dressed elegantly and in aristocratic attire.
The woman was wearing an exquisite and gorgeous dress and was gently waving a fan in her hand.
The audience sitting downstairs were basically dressed similarly.
Xia Meng observed silently for a while, and finally came to a conclusion -
Either this mental image is some kind of immersive large-scale cosplay scene; or, this place is a simulation of a 19th-century European and American musical theater.
Judging from Xia Meng's overall impression of Huo Qingyu, it should be the latter.
——But the latter is also very strange!
Is it true that someone’s mental picture is like this?
After a brief moment of doubt, Xia Meng calmed down.
The world is so big that there are all kinds of strange things.
Existence is reasonable.
The fact that she couldn't understand it only meant that her knowledge was not extensive enough.
Maybe, artists like Huo Qingyu also have such rich and wonderful inner worlds?
Shortly after the theater lights came on, a high-pitched voice echoed through the air: "Today's performances are all over. Thank you all for visiting our Pandora Theater. Tomorrow evening at 7 o'clock, there will be a brand new performance. We look forward to seeing you again then!"
Xia Meng leaned on the railing and looked down, but found that no one in the audience seats downstairs stood up and walked out.
At this time, the voice said again: "Please take the key under the seat and find the room corresponding to the number on the key. Please have a good rest in the guest room tonight. See you tomorrow morning at 8 o'clock."
Only after this sentence was finished did people start to move one after another.
They all bent down to feel for the key.
Seeing this, Xia Meng also leaned over and reached out to touch, and sure enough, she soon felt a hard object under the seat.
She picked it up and examined it in the dim light.
There seemed to be only one key made of brass.
It is about half the size of a palm. The workmanship is not exquisite, but it is quite retro.
The key handle is hollowed out, and three Arabic numerals are bent in the middle with thin brass wire.
002.
A very high number.
Downstairs, some people were already getting up and leaving.
The two large doors at the back of the auditorium opened, allowing the audience to file out.
Xia Meng held the key in her hand and did not immediately follow the crowd to the guest room. Instead, she went downstairs quietly, walked around the crowded area, and headed towards the backstage of the stage.
She had to find Ou Xu first before she could make plans for the rest of the matter.
The performance had just ended and the backstage was still bustling.
All the actors were here, chatting while removing their makeup and changing their clothes.
The backstage was a bit messy, with a lot of stage props and clothes piled up in the corner.
It is very easy to hide your body when boxes are stacked together.
Xia Meng observed in the dark for a while, but did not see Ou Xu anywhere.
However, some women passing by noticed her and gave her a few affectionate and fragrant glances with smiling faces.
Xia Meng froze and could only smile at them slightly stiffly.
She couldn't tell what they were.
Is it the NPC in Huo Qingyu's mental image? Or is it the guard that Li Zhou mentioned?
It couldn't be that he was a living person who had strayed in by mistake, just like her and Ou Xu, right?
In short, don't alert the enemy before you figure out the situation.
Just as she was thinking this, she lifted the curtain and planned to look for something on the other side. However, just as she came out from behind the heavy curtain, she looked up and was met with an old face.
She subconsciously took a deep breath.
The man was probably over sixty years old, with wrinkled skin and gray hair, and a pair of dark and cloudy gray eyes.
He stood very straight, so he didn't look old. His clothes were a bit similar to Xia Meng's, and looked equally retro, but not as exquisite and gorgeous.
If Xia Meng was dressed like a noble, then he was probably a servant of a higher rank.
"Your Excellency," he said respectfully, "it's getting late. Please return to your room and rest as soon as possible. I will lead the way."
He spoke slowly and in a flat tone.
Combined with his expressionless face, there was an inexplicable sense of weirdness.
It seems that many European horror films begin with such a face and such a strange dialogue.
For a moment, many swear words flashed through Xia Meng's mind like a barrage of words.
That Huo Qingyu, with his thick eyebrows and big eyes, why is his mental image so terrifying?
It’s true that you can’t judge a book by its cover.
Who would have thought that such a gentle and refined person would have a horror movie playing out in his psychological safety zone all the time.
Fortunately, no matter how turbulent Xia Meng's heart was, she always managed to keep a calm expression on her face.
She stood up calmly, nodded to the old servant, and quickly entered the role of "My Lord Viscount" as he called her.
Viscount, to be clear, is indeed a nobleman.
For a noble to come to such a theater to watch a musical seemed very consistent with the context of the time.
Then, Ou Xu should have gotten an ordinary dancer role.
Do these two characters have any special meaning?
Xia Meng thought about it and followed the old servant along the corridor.
The old servant straightened his back, put one hand on his chest and the other on his lower back, and walked in a very methodical manner.
Xia Meng followed him, turning left and right, climbing two or three floors, and finally arrived at room 002 corresponding to the key.
The old servant stood at the door of the room with an expressionless face and saluted her respectfully: "We have arrived at the room, Your Excellency. Please rest well in your room and do not go out at will at night."
Xia Meng reached out and inserted the key into the keyhole. After hearing this, she casually asked, "What will happen if I go out?"
The old servant lowered his head and said, "It is said that ghosts haunt the theater at night. For your safety, please do not leave the room at will."
He extended his hand to her and said, "Please give me the key for safekeeping. I will pick you up at 7:30 tomorrow morning to go to the restaurant."
Wow, so tough?
In other words, this is a disguised way of confiscating her keys and forcibly locking her in the room?
Xia Meng was silent for a moment, staring at him silently.
Trying to force him back with a noble look.
The old servant didn't even flinch. He just laid his palms flat on the ground, staring at her with his cloudy grey eyes.
It seemed as if if Xia Meng didn't hand over the key, he would confront her here forever.
Xia Meng: “.”
Okay.
I'm new here and I'm unfamiliar with the place.
Be timid when you should be timid.
At worst, I can wait until she is alone and then make a long-term plan!
She opened the room and silently put the key in his hand.
Another hand pushed open the door.
The dry and dull smell in the room hit me.
Looking around, you can see a large European-style suite.
The space is very large, with leather sofas, dining tables and chairs, cashmere carpets, fireplaces, portrait paintings... basically all the necessary elements are available.
There is also a large bedroom and bathroom in the suite.
Xia Meng walked around the room and returned to the door.
She turned the doorknob, and as she had expected, the door was locked from the outside and could not be opened.
Oh, if only Li Zhou were here.
With his leg strength that can lift two floors, the door might break with just one kick.
never mind.
Xia Meng shook her head and gave up the idea of breaking through the gate from the front.
If the door doesn’t work, try the window.
She went to the window again.
When you push aside the thick curtains, you will see a floor-to-ceiling glass window.
Outside the glass window, you can see the cool moonlight shining on the small circular balcony outside.
Looking out over the balcony railing, all that was left was the pitch-black night.
If you look more closely, you will find that the night is like a thick fog that can swallow everything.
Xia Meng is very familiar with this thick fog.
At that time, in Fan Xue's... Oh no, it was also the same in Jiang Qiongran's mental picture.
Outside the teaching building, there was such thick fog.
Thick fog is the boundary of the spiritual picture.
It seems that Huo Qingyu's spiritual vision is limited to the scope of this theater.
The windows couldn't be opened.
Xia Meng withdrew her hand regretfully and looked back into the room.
It seems that we have to find another way.
What to do if I can’t get out?
Can I only wait in this room until tomorrow morning?
Is there going to be something weird happening in this room?
Will anything fly out of the fire in the fireplace?
Wouldn't the shadow on the wall move by itself?
And that dark red carpet with abstract patterns, could it be dried blood?
Also, is there any strange noise coming from under the bed in the bedroom?
At this moment, Xia Meng regretted very much why she watched so many horror movies when she had nothing to do.
In this situation, her extensive film viewing experience was like a huge Pandora's box, from which would pop up some material that made her feel uneasy.
Xia Meng felt that she would definitely not be able to sleep tonight.
She turned around, struggling to decide between sleeping on the bed or the sofa.
"Forget it, I'll just sleep on the sofa. That bed is weird." Xia Meng muttered to herself, wrapped her coat tightly around her, and lay down on the sofa with her clothes on.
Maybe she was overthinking it.
She thought, doesn't Huo Qingyu look quite normal? This place might just look scary, but nothing serious will happen.
He is not Jiang Qiongran.
Thinking of this, she finally relaxed a little.
At this moment, she suddenly felt a little extra weight on her stomach.
She opened her eyes subconsciously, and the hairs on her body almost stood up. She looked closely and saw a white little thing. Isn't this her Ergou?
"Huh... why did you come out?" Xia Meng breathed a sigh of relief and raised her hand to touch its head naturally.
Fortunately, the little guy is here too.
Perhaps it was because there finally appeared something familiar and belonging to her in this completely unfamiliar environment, Xia Meng's heart calmed down a little and her body relaxed as well.
She pinched the ferret's ears with both hands and whispered to it, "Don't your spirit bodies need rest? Then could you please keep watch for me tonight?"
The little guy tilted his head, as if thinking about what she said.
After a while, he raised his head and made a "squeaking" sound, then turned his head and snatched his little ear back from her hand.
It jumped off Xia Meng and walked around the room. When it passed by the window, it stopped and looked out.
Xia Meng sat up and was about to remind it that it couldn't go out. The next second, she saw it taking small steps and easily passing through the glass, and directly reaching the small balcony outside the window.
The glass windows seemed to have no effect in blocking it.
It just went through the wall and went out.
Xia Meng's eyes widened: "!"
Can it still be like this?
Xia Meng sat up in surprise and went to the window to look.
Sure enough, Ergou’s ability to pass through walls is perfect, and the glass window seems transparent in front of him.
If windows are OK, what about walls? What about doors?
So she picked it up and put it against the wall between the living room and the bedroom, motioning for it to wear one for her to see.
Ergou cooperated very well, as if he completely understood what she meant. As soon as his feet touched the ground, he went straight from one end of the wall to the other.
"Wow! Ergou! You are so awesome!" Xia Meng reached out and pulled some of its hair in surprise.
Now, even if she can't get out by herself, sending her spirit body will be the same!
There is always a bright future after a dark period!
Xia Meng quickly squatted down and started making plans with Ergou.
"Ergou! Listen! Help me find someone now. Ou Xu, you know him, right? My new colleague is a guide, a man, around 23 years old, about 1.8 meters tall, with a baby face..."
Xia Meng stopped talking halfway.
I vaguely felt that it was a bit funny that I was talking so eloquently to a ferret for so long.
Could it be that she kept talking for a long time but it didn't understand a word?
However, I heard that spirits usually communicate with their masters.
Xia Meng felt that it should be able to understand what she was saying.
She tentatively confirmed: "Ergou, do you understand what I'm saying?"
Ergou opened his big black eyes and nodded firmly at her.
Xia Meng felt relieved.
So he continued, "I don't know exactly which room he's staying in. My guess is that it's probably closer to the backstage area. Could you please help me look for it and see if you can find out which room he's staying in, and then check on him and see how he's doing."
After listening to this, the ferret nodded firmly at her again.
Xia Meng felt completely relieved.
Who would have thought!
One day she was able to communicate with a small animal completely without any obstacles!
She raised her hand and gave Ergou a somewhat uncharacteristic military salute, then said firmly, "This difficult task is now entrusted to you! Comrade Ergou! The organization believes that you will be able to complete the task perfectly!"
“Squeak, squeak, squeak!”
Then, Ergou walked out of the door with a vigorous and confident step.
Xia Meng lay down on the sofa.
Very good, now all we have to do is wait for Ergou to come back and report to her!
Xia Meng breathed a sigh of relief and was imagining what they should do after contacting Ou Xu. As she was thinking, she suddenly paused.
She frowned slightly, feeling as if she had forgotten something crucial.
What was it?
Um……
Is there any task that has not been assigned to Ergou?
Are there any logical loopholes?
Besides, Ergou is a spiritual body materialized by her mental power, so it is impossible for him to encounter any danger.
What else could be missing?
She stroked her chin and thought for half a minute: "It should be gone, right?"
So she lay down on the sofa with peace of mind.
I waited for about half an hour.
Ergou is finally back.
A flash of white light rushed in from the door and jumped onto the coffee table in front of the sofa.
Xia Meng sat up and faced Ergou, who was standing on the coffee table and panting.
She quickly stretched out her index finger and thumb, pinched them together, shook hands with them, and said, "Thank you for your hard work, Comrade Ergou! How's the situation? Have you found Ou Xu?"
Ergou raised his head, danced with joy, and reported loudly—
“Squeak, squeak, squeak!”
Upon hearing this, Xia Meng was shocked.
“Squeak, squeak, squeak!!”
Xia Meng's eyes were blank and vacant.
“Squeak, squeak, squeak, squeak!!!”
Xia Meng lowered her head and wiped her face with difficulty.
...What a mistake! She didn't understand at all!
Okay, now she knew what the key vulnerability was that she had overlooked before.
Xia Meng fell weakly on the back of the sofa.
"God wants to kill me... How can we communicate if we don't speak the same language?"
However, Comrade Ergou continued to gesture and show an attitude of wanting to have an in-depth exchange of information with her.
Xia Meng wiped her face, sat up again, and regained her spirits.
"Hehe, it's just communicating with small animals! Piece of cake!"
Comrade Xiaoxia! You can do anything!
She crossed her legs and raised her hand to signal Ergou to stop. "Wait a minute, let's take it slow. I'll ask you a question and you answer it, okay?"
Ergou calmed down after hearing this and squatted down on the table, imitating Xia Meng's posture.
Xia Meng rested her chin on one hand, thought for a moment, and then asked the first question: "Have you found Ou Xu?"
Ergou nodded.
Xia Meng: "Is he safe now?"
Ergou hesitated for a moment, then nodded.
Xia Mengxin wondered what was the reason for this hesitation?
But since it nodded, she temporarily assumed that Ou Xu was fine.
So she turned her attention to this mental picture.
Xia Meng asked, "Have you met anyone else here? People like me and Ou Xu who were accidentally pulled in?"
Today, Xia Meng saw at least a few hundred people in the audience, but she couldn't be sure whether these people were innocent passers-by like her who were pulled in from outside by Huo Qingyu, or whether they were natives who originally existed in this spiritual picture.
They looked so realistic that even Xia Meng couldn't tell them apart at a glance.
But Ergou is different.
The way the spiritual body determines the direction of the sentry is not based on observation with the naked eye, but purely on mental power.
The spiritual power of outsiders and natives is definitely different.
However, this question made Ergou hesitate.
It can't answer.
It can't tell.
Xia Meng understood what it meant, but it was not sure.
Well, it seems I can only wait until tomorrow to find an opportunity to confirm them one by one.
Xia Meng yawned.
Okay, let's deal with everything tomorrow.
She reached out and grabbed Ergou, holding him in her arms.
Closing her eyes, she fell into a deep sleep.
…
In Zhou Qi's office.
Li Zhou lay on the sofa, covering his face with his arms, and fell asleep quietly.
Zhou Qi was busy at his desk. He glanced up during a break and couldn't help feeling a little upset: "Hey, Li Zhou, how long are you going to lie in my office?"
The person on the sofa replied after a moment, "Until you're willing to let me check the Black Tower's global database."
Zhou Qi sighed.
Li Zhou's only request this time was to have the permission to view all guide information worldwide.
This is really asking too much.
Although the Black Tower's database is indeed connected to the global network, this involves personal privacy and the Black Tower's secrets. How can it be opened to anyone at will?
Even if Li Zhou is a super rare S-level, it won’t work.
Zhou Qi asked him why he wanted this authority.
Li Zhou always has only one answer.
"I want to find someone."
Zhou Qi sighed and put down the documents in his hand.
From the first day he met Li Zhou, he knew that Li Zhou was looking for someone.
I don’t know his identity, age or gender, I only know that he is a guide.
Li Zhou said that the man was his guide.
A few years ago, Li Zhou even searched all over the world to find that person.
For this purpose, I have visited almost every black tower in the world.
Unfortunately, several years have passed and there is still no result.
Now, there is only one way left.
That is to enter the Black Tower's global database and search for a needle in a haystack among the vast sea of tens of millions of people.
Zhou Qi wanted to say that it was not that he was unwilling to help, but that he really couldn't help.
What reason do I have to apply to the higher authorities?
Said that Li Zhou should find a guide by himself?
The higher-ups will probably think he's seriously ill.
Finding a matching guide for an S-class Sentinel is a big deal.
Candidates must go through layers of screening, from their family background to their own abilities and conditions, the Black Tower must first investigate everything thoroughly.
How could we let him do whatever he wanted?
Zhou Qi said helplessly: "Even if you lie here for the rest of my life, it will be useless. I——"
Li Zhou had just said half of his words when he suddenly sat up.
He frowned and tilted his head with a serious expression. He raised his hand and waved it lightly. The light blue mental power, carrying his perception, quickly spread towards the bottom of the black tower and disappeared under the floor in the blink of an eye.
Li Zhou's sudden change in expression made Zhou Qi startled.
Zhou Qi quickly asked, "What's wrong? What happened?"
Li Zhou diverted half of his attention away.
After a few seconds, he quickly raised his eyes and replied, "Xia Meng is in trouble."
Zhou Qi: “?”
Zhou Qi: "How do you know?"
Zhou Qi: "What did she do——"
Outside the office, the assistant answered a phone call and then knocked on the door in a panic. "Director! Another sentinel has been struck by a strange illness at the Guide Center downstairs. Two guides were also affected during the attack, and now all three are in a coma!"
Zhou Qi felt his eyelids twitch: "Who are those two guides?"
Assistant: "Xia Meng! There's also a newcomer named Ou Xu——"
Before he finished speaking, a black shadow swept past the assistant like a gust of wind.
Seeing this, Zhou Qi also stood up quickly and rushed out.
The assistant asked in surprise, "Director Zhou, are you going there too?"
Zhou Qi said with a dark face: "No, I have to stop him!"
…
The three people in the counseling room were found about half an hour later.
Generally speaking, the counseling time is between twenty and twenty-five minutes.
As a result, the three people did not come out for more than 30 minutes, and Ou Xu did not operate the system to register and extend the time. The colleagues outside realized something was wrong and knocked on the door to check, only to find that they were all unconscious.
The matter was immediately reported to Director Bai.
In order to prevent more innocent people from being dragged into the water, Director Bai sent several staff members without mental power to send Huo Qingyu into the isolation area.
As for Xia Meng and Ou Xu, they were temporarily placed in a nearby ward and were also cared for by dedicated staff.
When Li Zhou arrived, Director Bai was standing outside the ward sighing with his colleagues.
Colleague: "How could this happen? I thought the strange disease was under control."
Director Bai touched his smooth, round forehead, at a loss for words. "I'm afraid it's not that simple. Didn't we report this to Black Tower headquarters? What do they say now?"
Colleague: "There's been no response from headquarters yet."
Director Bai sighed.
He was really impressed by the work efficiency of those foreigners. It has been almost half a month since they reported it, but there has been no response so far. When asked, they said they are still investigating and asked him to be patient.
But dragging it on like this is not a solution.
Now their guide center is dwindling in population.
We finally got a promising new employee who might be very useful, but he quit on his first day, less than two hours after joining the company.
Director Bai almost burst into tears.
This life is really unbearable.
It's simply impossible to guard against.
Director Bai was wiping away tears when he turned his head and saw a figure flash past him.
Director Bai naturally knew Li Zhou. Seeing him quickly walk to the outside of Xia Meng's ward and raise his hand to open the door to go in, Director Bai quickly called out to him, "Wait, stop, stop. You can't go in now!"
Li Zhou paused and looked towards him: "Why?"
Director Bai briefly explained the strange disease and stopped him with a serious look, "In any case, you can't go in now, or you will be killed."
Seeing that Li Zhou was still trying to get in, Director Bai became anxious. "I'm not kidding! Those dozens of people who fainted earlier are all lying there! You're an S-rank, don't mess around! If anything happens to you, our entire Beijing Tower won't be able to bear the consequences!"
However, these words did not have any persuasive effect.
Li Zhou calmly pushed his hand away and asked calmly, "How can I be the same as them?"
Director Bai choked: "..."
Li Zhou pushed the door open and walked in without waiting for his answer.
As soon as the door opened, the people standing at the door subconsciously stepped back five meters.
They were afraid that the strange disease would spread through the air and affect them as well.
Director Bai touched his increasingly bald forehead and sighed.
How could this be!
One or two of them are so troublesome!
"Where's Li Zhou!?"
At this time, Zhou Qiren arrived before the voice.
Director Bai turned around and saw him striding towards him. As if he had finally found someone to complain to, he pointed at the ward door and started to tell on him, while at the same time trying to distance himself from the situation: "...I tried to stop him, but I couldn't!"
Zhou Qi: “…”
Zhou Qi rushed to the door and watched through the glass on the ward door as Li Zhou walked to Xia Meng's bed, pulled out a chair, and sat down with his back to the people outside.
Then it never moved again.
His assistant asked weakly, "Director, what should we do now?"
Zhou Qi also remained silent.
Zhou Qi and Bai Yizhu looked at each other. At this moment, both directors were overwhelmed.
It has come to this.
We can only take it one step at a time.
Director Bai was more optimistic than Zhou Qi. He patted his shoulder and said comfortingly, "Look at the bright side. With Li Zhou's strength and Xia Meng's good luck, they will be fine."
Zhou Qi looked at him silently: "Do you really think Xia Meng is lucky?"
How can it be considered good luck to be involved in such an unsolvable problem on the first day of work?
Now she has also lured his Li Zhou into it. Not to mention good luck, he even wants to suspect whether this girl has cast a spell.
Why is it that every time Li Zhou meets her, he always becomes mentally unstable?
Director Bai was speechless.
Zhou Qi sighed, turned around and said to the assistant, "Please help me contact the parents."
Assistant: "Parents? Whose parents?"
Zhou Qi: "The one from Xia Meng's family, Wang Xiangyi."
Assistant: "Do we need to contact Li Zhou's family?"
Zhou Qi shook his head: "He no longer has any relatives."
The people around were silent for a moment.
For a moment, no one knew what to say.
Only Director Bai sighed with emotion: "...It's not easy for anyone. I'll contact Lao Wang."
As he spoke, he took out his cell phone from his pocket, walked a few steps to the side and made a call.
…
Xia Meng slept until dawn.
It’s true, the sofa was so soft that she felt drowsy as soon as she lay down on it.
When I woke up in the morning, Ergou was gone.
Xia Meng is currently unable to skillfully control her mental power, so she cannot call Ergou out at will.
You can only wait for it to come out by itself every time.
She got up and went to the bathroom to wash her face.
At this moment, the sound of the lock being opened was heard at the door.
Then someone knocked on the door.
Xia Meng sat inside and listened, and found it really funny.
The door is already locked, why bother knocking?
You seem more polite, right?
I knocked on the door a few times, but there was no response from the person inside. It was quiet for a while, and then I started knocking again with perseverance.
Xia Meng had no choice but to get up and open the door.
The old wooden door creaked.
The gloomy white-haired servant from last night was standing outside the door again.
His posture remained straight and perfect, and he said in an old voice, "Good morning, Viscount. Breakfast is ready for you. Please go to the restaurant as soon as possible. I will show you the way."
Xia Meng pursed her lips and followed him.
The corridor is long and narrow, with doors passing by from time to time.
Occasionally you'd see someone open the door and come out.
The people who came out were also wearing retro clothes. They walked towards the restaurant without looking around. When they passed by Xia Meng and the servants, they nodded to Xia Meng with a little respect, and then continued walking forward.
It should just mean that ordinary commoners are paying respects to the nobles.
Xia Meng guessed that these people probably belonged to this spiritual picture.
Similar to NPCs.
Could it be that in this world, there are really only two "players" - her and Ou Xu?
She said nothing and walked all the way to the restaurant on the first floor.
Quite a few people have already arrived at the restaurant.
There were three extra-long tables in the empty restaurant, and everyone sat on both sides of the tables, eating quietly.
Xia Meng took a quick look and saw that there were at least two or three hundred people.
Her eyes swept over every face, and finally she saw Ou Xu's face at the end of one of the long tables.
He didn't notice her, he was staring at the breakfast in front of him with his head down.
After not seeing him for a long time, he looked much more haggard, with dark circles under his eyes.
But compared to yesterday, his outfit today looked much more normal.
The servant did not stop and took her to the innermost part of the restaurant.
As a last resort, Xia Meng had to reach out and pat Ou Xu when she passed behind him.
Ou Xu frowned and looked up, just in time to meet Xia Meng's side profile.
Ou Xu's eyes widened instantly: "!"
He instantly became excited: "Xia——"
Xia Meng raised her hand and placed her index finger on her lips, signaling him not to make a sound.
She turned back and walked all the way to the end of the long table without stopping.
There were already three or four people sitting there, both men and women. Some of them looked a little older and their clothes were more elegant than the others.
Seeing Xia Meng coming, these people stood up with smiles on their faces to greet her.
One of the men, dressed in fancy clothes and with a curly haircut, saluted Xia Meng and said, "My Lord Viscount, did you sleep well last night?"
Xia Meng was a little confused.
But it's still easy to pretend.
She nodded arrogantly: "Not bad."
At the same time, she was led by her servants to sit on the main seat.
Those people are still standing.
Xia Meng raised her hand and motioned for them to sit down.
These people sat down again.
The man who had just spoken introduced himself to her with a smile: "You arrived late yesterday, so I didn't have time to introduce you. These are the managers of the theater. Mr. Fairmont and Mr. Andrew. And this one -"
He pointed to the only woman present, "This Mrs. Gilly is in charge of the children who sing and dance."
Xia Meng nodded calmly.
Looking past them, I just happened to see Ou Xu peeking not far away.
Ou Xu was obviously very excited.
He originally thought he was fighting alone, but he didn't expect that he had companions.
This finally relaxed his nerves which had been tense all night.
She curled the corners of her lips and looked away.
The servants brought her silver plates one after another.
The breakfast was pretty standard, with bread, jam, ham, cream soup, and several kinds of fresh fruits.
Xia Meng noticed that the people sitting at the long table had much simpler food, only bread and thick soup.
Is this... edible?
There won't be any problem if I eat it, right?
But after a night, Xia Meng was indeed a little hungry.
When you are hungry, everything looks delicious.
Xia Meng struggled in her mind for a fraction of a second, then decisively picked up the knife and fork.
Only when you are full can you have the energy to think!
Other side!
Eat first!
When Xia Meng had almost finished eating, she looked up and saw that the entire restaurant was full.
At this time, the man with instant noodle hair sitting next to her stood up again. He held the silver fork and tapped the goblet lightly.
“Ding ding ding—”
The crisp and ethereal sound was particularly clear in the originally quiet restaurant.
"Good morning, everyone." The man with ramen hair said loudly.
Xia Meng then remembered that the voice that gave the speech after the performance last night was this person's voice.
The man spoke loudly to the hundreds of people in the restaurant, "Last night we presented you with a truly flawless performance of 'Carmen.' Today, our Pandora Theatre will be performing 'Swan Lake.' After breakfast, we'll begin the training and auditions for all the singers and dancers. Everyone has the opportunity to compete for a role. As long as your performance is outstanding, you can become the brightest star on the stage tonight!"
Xia Meng probably understood.
There are performances in this theater every night.
The plays performed are probably decided by the theater managers.
During the day, actors who will perform on stage that night will be trained and selected.
At present, the content of the training and the selection criteria are still unknown.
Xia Meng was in deep thought.
So... the chosen ones go on stage, and the unsuccessful ones become the audience?
Just that?
Before long, breakfast time was over.
Several managers indicated that everyone was free to go to the theater's three large dance studios. Madame Gilly and her assistants would be waiting in each studio. From 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., there was free practice time. After dinner, the selected performers would be announced.
Everyone filed out of the restaurant.
Xia Meng took the opportunity to find an excuse and left.
She blended into the crowd and just as she walked out of the restaurant door, she was pulled aside by a hand that reached out from the side.
She turned her head and saw Ou Xu's face.
Looking closer, Ou Xu looked even more haggard.
There was a dark tint under his eyes and his face was even paler, as if he had been ravaged by something all night.
Xia Meng was startled and looked him up and down: "Are you okay? What happened last night?"
Ou Xu also looked her up and down and found that she looked refreshed, almost the same as when she stepped into the guide center early yesterday morning.
...Comparing yourself to others will make you feel nauseous.
How can she be so successful?
Ou Xu recalled everything he had experienced last night and almost cried with anger.
People come and go around.
Xia Meng noticed that the old servant seemed to be looking at this side from a distance.
She raised her hand, grabbed his arm, and led him to the dance studio next door.
This dance studio is also very large, and there are already thirty or forty people inside.
Xia Meng pulled Ou Xu to the corner and asked in a low voice: "What happened last night?"
Ou Xu squatted down, wiped his face, and almost cried: "Last night...someone dragged me to practice dancing all night."
Xia Meng: “…”
She blinked in surprise, thinking she had misheard: "What?"
Ou Xu looked at her sadly: "You heard me right, I was forced to learn to dance."
Xia Meng: "...Who's holding you down?"
Ou Xu shook his head, tears welling up in his eyes. "I don't know. It was just a dark shadow. It only made sounds, but I couldn't see its face. It forced me to dance for nearly ten hours. I'm not a dancer! I'm just a lazy science student! I'm just a weak and helpless guide! I've never suffered such hardship in my life!"
Xia Meng couldn't bear to watch it: "..." It's too tragic.
Ou Xu looked at her with red eyes: "What about you? How was last night?"
Xia Meng: “…”
She... uh... slept well.
Ou Xu's eyes were filled with resentment: "...You don't have to answer me. You look radiant and energetic...Did you get enough sleep?"
Xia Meng coughed and said quickly, "That's not important. The most important thing now is to get out of this weird place as soon as possible."
Ou Xu sniffed, and although he was complaining, he was still very cooperative.
He said silently: "This is the first time I've encountered such a situation. This place is so strange. I have no idea what to do."
Xia Meng sat down beside him, looked at him and said, "I roughly know what's going on."
Ou Xu: "What is it?"
Xia Meng said truthfully, "You know I overturned Fan Xue's case, right?"
Ou Xu nodded quickly.
Xia Meng: "I'm not in a position to talk about the details of what happened, but I can tell you that I was accidentally pulled into her mental image, and that's when I discovered the clue. The situation then was a bit similar to now. If I'm not mistaken, this should be Huo Qingyu's mental image."
Ou Xu actually had a vague guess about this.
What kind of good person would set their mental image like this? Unless someone like Huo Qingyu, whose career is related to musicals.
Apart from Huo Qingyu, Ou Xu couldn't possibly know another person like this.
Xia Meng briefly recounted how she and Li Zhou escaped from Jiang Qiongran's mental image.
After listening to this, Ou Xu probably understood.
He said, "So I have to find a door?"
Xia Meng nodded.
Ou Xu understood.
In fact, he had learned all these when he was in Shaoxiang University.
How should a guide gain the sentinel's trust, how to break through the mental barrier, how to enter the sentinel's mental picture, and how to guide the sentinel's mental power in the picture and purify the mental black spots.
He had learned all this in school.
But this was the first time I was forced to come in.
This is the first time I have seen such a strange mental picture.
Even if he wanted to purify himself, he didn't know where to start. He had no idea at all.
From the moment he came in yesterday until now, everything here has left Ou Xu completely confused and he has no idea what to do.
Obviously, in this regard, Xia Meng has a little more experience than him.
She patted his shoulder calmly: "Don't worry, sister, I will definitely get you out safely. Come with me and take you to fly."
Ou Xu sniffed and nodded firmly.
After a while, he said seriously, "Sister, I have a small request."
Xia Meng said proudly: "You say!"
Ou Xu's eyes were filled with tears, and he pouted, "I don't want to dance anymore!"
Xia Meng: “…”
It's so tragic. I'm afraid this will be a shadow in his life.
Before Xia Meng could say anything, the dance teacher who was originally in charge of this dance studio came over.
He was a tall and thin man in his early thirties with freckles all over his face, holding a pointer in his hand.
The man stood in front of them, frowned, and asked, "Everyone is practicing, what are you two doing? Get up! Keep practicing!"
Ou Xu trembled reflexively and quickly shrank behind Xia Meng.
Xia Meng raised her eyes, put her hands on her knees, and stood up.
She stared at the dance teacher and asked slowly, "You want me to practice dancing?"
Xia Meng was very clear that her current identity was different from Ou Xu's.
In this theater, her aristocratic status should be the most useful pass.
Xia Meng showed off her aristocratic aura, and the man immediately became intimidated.
"Oh, it's you. Sorry, I got the wrong person. Please feel free to do as you please."
The man looked at Ou Xu behind her: "But he..."
Xia Meng said calmly: "I need him to help me with something, it shouldn't be a big deal, right?"
The man paused and said hesitantly, "It's really okay, but... if I don't practice dancing hard, it will anger the ghost."
It's that ghost again.
Xia Meng recalled that the first time she heard the word "ghost" was from the old servant last night.
He said that ghosts haunted the theater at night and locked the door for her safety.
Now, it's this ghost again.
Does this ghost care so much?
You have to control whether you sleep or not, whether you go out in the middle of the night or not, and whether you dance or not.
What?
Does this ghost think of himself as a father? Or a dean of studies?
Coincidentally, she was very adept at dealing with both her old father and the head teacher.
Xia Meng waved her hand nonchalantly and said, "Let it be angry, and let it come to me on its own."
Dance teacher: “…”
Ou Xu: “…”
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