When only twenty seconds remained on the countdown, Ye Xiaocen appeared with Zhou Que. Lin Lele arrived almost at the same time as them, jumping off the cable car—one looking more bedraggled than the other.
Su Er tilted his head back and gazed at the sky. “Finding a backer is a real art.”
The look Zhou Que gave him was filled with venom.
Ye Xiaocen said in a low voice, “Mind your words.”
Su Er suddenly understood Ji Heng’s earlier comment. Ever since entering the instance, he had been unable to restrain the murderous thoughts stirring in his heart. Normally, if he encountered someone like Zhou Que, he would have just laughed it off. But now, he was taking the initiative to escalate the conflict.
Glancing around at the gloomy mountains, he couldn’t help wondering if it was the oppressive environment at work, or some imbalance in his own mind.
At that moment, the beating of wings grew louder in the air, and vicious eagles suddenly swooped down toward them.
Birds of prey rarely gather in flocks—this scene was spectacular. Faced with their razor-sharp talons, everyone instinctively sought shelter behind obstacles. The eagles’ speed was terrifying; before the group could retreat even a few steps, the predators were already circling overhead. A few stiff feathers dropped down, carried off the cliff by the wind.
Just as Su Er was trying to figure out their intent, the eagles suddenly drew close, lowering their heads in a posture of reverence. Following the direction of their bowing, the group saw a stunningly seductive woman emerge, flicking her hair back as she walked toward them.
Lin Lele couldn’t resist sneaking a glance at the woman’s chest, then glanced down at her own before her eyes shifted to the woman’s snow-white thighs.
Chen Buqi gave a discreet cough, reminding her, “You’re staring more intently than any of us.”
Lin Lele snapped back to herself, confusion in her tone. “The host?”
“Welcome to the Reincarnation Resort. My name is Zhu Mei.” The woman’s professional smile didn’t waver. “The boss had an unexpected matter to attend to, so I’ll be your hostess.”
At first glance, attention was easily caught by her sultry figure. Soon, however, they all noticed that her outfit and hair accessories were more unusual.
Zhu Mei wore a cheongsam embroidered with lifelike oxen in threads of different colors. On her head sat a headband with tiny ox horns. Only her beauty allowed her to carry off such a bizarre mix without looking utterly ridiculous.
“Hmm…”
Her gaze lingered on Su Er’s skin, and she made a deliberate gulping motion.
Now there was no doubt—Zhu Mei was definitely not a host. That look was exactly like a beast eyeing prey.
Zhou Que smirked maliciously. Back then, Su Er had relied on his fine skin to earn an old woman’s favor and obtain high-grade items. Now, because of that same skin, he had caught the eye of some strange woman. Retribution, in a sense.
The longer Zhu Mei stared, the more entranced she became. At last she even reached out a hand to touch him, only to be stopped midway by the flash of a dagger.
Ji Heng said coldly, “Is this how you treat guests? Not very respectful, is it?”
Regretfully withdrawing her clawed hand, Zhu Mei looked at Su Er and murmured, “Your skin is exquisite.”
“You flatter me.”
At last, Zhu Mei tore her gaze away and led them deeper into the forest.
At the end of the stone steps ahead stood an ancient stone gate, half-hidden beneath layers of greenery, with only a corner of a building showing through. As they drew closer, they saw the gate split into two entrances. The left was inscribed with Past Life, the right with Present Life. The characters were painted in a wild, domineering hand, all in red dye.
Zhu Mei entered through the right-hand door. Ji Heng went left, and Su Er followed him.
Lin Lele, coming after them, hesitated. Normally, choosing Present Life would be safer—after all, throughout history, people had compared the past to smoke and clouds. But seeing Su Er and Ji Heng walk left with such certainty, she began to doubt.
Zhou Que sneered, “Maybe that’s the point—to mislead us.”
After a moment of hesitation, Lin Lele chose Present Life.
Chen Buqi also went through Present Life.
When it came to Zhou Que’s turn, his eyes darted as he prepared to go left.
Only a fool would risk his life just to be misled.
Ye Xiaocen pulled him back. “Something’s wrong.”
If those two really knew something, they would never have been the first to step through the door, personally giving the others a demonstration.
“Go right.”
“But—” Zhou Que said anxiously.
Ye Xiaocen cut him off. “Lin Lele and Chen Buqi chose it too.”
Zhou Que understood—if trouble arose, with Ye Xiaocen there, Lin Lele and Chen Buqi would suffer first.
The sound of high heels clacked sharply against the ground as Zhu Mei swayed her hips, taking the initiative to explain the history of the Reincarnation Resort.
Su Er listened patiently, meanwhile observing the resort’s layout. Looking back, he noticed the other players were lagging some distance behind, obviously delayed at the choice of doors.
Though walking ahead of them, Zhu Mei seemed perfectly aware of what had happened at the gate. In an enigmatic tone, she remarked, “Choices are very important.”
Su Er was unimpressed. “They’re all the same.”
Zhu Mei froze mid-step, then turned her head to give him a deep look.
Su Er met her gaze calmly.
A smile spread once more across Zhu Mei’s lips. “It seems you’ve already discovered part of the secret to making your stay more pleasant.”
Su Er didn’t think much of it. He and Ji Heng had come here seeking the truth—that meant the past, so of course they had to choose Past Life. As for the others, their situation wasn’t the same. Choosing Present Life would be more advantageous—perhaps it could even yield information about Deception or a dead-end instance.
Zhu Mei kept walking, reminding them: “For now, you’re the only guests. I suggest not choosing houses too far away.”
On the left was a row of two-story houses. They looked similar, the only difference being the carvings on the outer walls: some had oxen, others had sheep.
Ji Heng suddenly asked, “Is there a limit on occupants?”
“Of course not. Spending time with friends is part of the fun of a vacation.” Zhu Mei paused, then thoughtfully added, “You can decide how many share a house. If you’re dissatisfied before midnight, you can even switch.”
Just then, Ye Xiaocen and the others caught up. Zhu Mei blinked coquettishly, speaking in a suggestive tone: “If you feel lonely tonight, you’re welcome to come find me.”
Lin Lele immediately stood beside Chen Buqi, ready to share a place with him.
Seeing this, Su Er’s brows lifted slightly. Their interactions didn’t look like those of lovers, but they clearly knew each other—most likely, they had used a team-forming item. As for Ye Xiaocen and Zhou Que, that was even more obvious: same organization, captain leading members through an instance.
So from the moment they entered the instance, the six of them had automatically split into three groups.
Zhu Mei now had a ring of keys in her hand, spinning them around her fingers. “Have you decided? Which house will it be?”
Ye Xiaocen glanced sidelong at the eagles perched on a nearby tree, then chose a house with ox carvings. But before the key was halfway in the lock, an eagle landed on the eaves, its fierce eyes glaring at them.
Zhou Que whispered, “Maybe we should switch?”
Ignoring him, Ye Xiaocen walked straight inside.
Zhou Que could only grit his teeth and follow.
Ji Heng and Su Er exchanged a look, then also chose a house with ox carvings.
The instant Su Er pushed the door open, his expression shifted. He lingered in the doorway for two seconds, murmuring, “Quite… distinctive.”
Zhu Mei was still waiting on the path, as if to make sure everyone entered.
Su Er didn’t disappoint her. After a quick glance around, he stepped fully across the threshold.
It was nighttime. He didn’t switch on the lights right away, but the house wasn’t pitch dark either. He circled the first floor, noting there were no curtains anywhere. Both floors had massive floor-to-ceiling windows, so the lighting was overly bright. Even in the dead of night, the thin moonlight was enough to clearly see outside.
Once he had taken everything in, Ji Heng flicked on the lights—only to switch them off almost instantly.
Too bright.
Standing in the circle of light, one could even feel the heat. It was extremely uncomfortable.
Su Er sighed. “These lights could rival a heat lamp.”
Ji Heng rummaged through a cabinet and soon found a flashlight. With its glow, the two began exploring.
The wood of the stairs was thin; each step creaked loudly. Su Er instinctively lightened his tread. “Don’t we sound like thieves?”
The second floor had only one bedroom, with the bathroom down the hall.
Ji Heng raised the flashlight higher, shining it into one corner of the bedroom. “Thieves wouldn’t dare covet a place like this.”
The beam revealed a spread-winged eagle, as if ready to swoop down at any second.
Instead of flinching back, Su Er stepped closer. The creature didn’t move under the light—most likely a specimen. He touched it lightly: no warmth, the feathers were dry.
And it wasn’t the only one. The walls, under glass covers—eagle specimens were everywhere.
Ji Heng went to the floor-to-ceiling window and suddenly asked, “If it were up to you, which house would you pick?”
Su Er: “The same. One with ox carvings.”
“Reason?”
“I paid attention—the walls didn’t show ordinary sheep, but goats. In Western culture, goats often symbolize demons, even lust… Also, while Zhu Mei dressed like a half-woman half-ox, she actually had a faint smell of mutton. So better to choose ox for good luck.”
Catching Ji Heng’s look from the corner of his eye, Su Er shrugged. “Something wrong?”
“Your reasoning is… imaginative.”
Ji Heng pointed to an eagle perched on a tree outside.
“All the houses with ox carvings have eagles circling around them.”
Su Er immediately understood. “Earlier, the eagles delivered the invitations, brought players here. For now, they can be considered the side of light.”
Ji Heng nodded. “Still, don’t relax too soon. With so many eagle specimens inside, they might be suppressing something.”
Since all the specimens were gathered in the bedroom, that meant the room was either the most dangerous place—or the safest.
After discussing, they decided to sleep in the bedroom.
Even if something was sealed here, it was unlikely to break loose on the very first night without warning.
Before getting into bed, Su Er carefully checked the room again—and found a second anomaly: a statue.
On the bedside table sat a bust statue. The broad brim of its hat covered two-thirds of its face, but its head was turned to face the bed. Maybe it was just his imagination, but it seemed the center of the hat had moved slightly, as though the statue were peering through the brim to watch their every move.
Su Er tried using his Charm value to probe it—no response. Then he used the mysterious Eye within his body, but all he saw was a blurry mosaic. “This thing’s suspicious.”
Ji Heng also sensed no yin energy. After thinking for a moment, he said, “Let’s move it out.”
Smashing the statue on impulse was out of the question.
Su Er agreed—if a demon was sealed inside the statue, breaking it would be suicide.
He was quick to act, immediately rolling up his sleeves and hauling the statue downstairs.
The statue allowed itself to be moved, offering no resistance throughout.
Once he set it down safely, Su Er let out a breath of relief, not noticing that in the instant he turned away, the statue’s lips curled into a strange grin.
The start of this instance run was anything but easy. The cable car ride had already drained much of their strength. Back in the room, Su Er washed up briefly and then collapsed into bed. With Ji Heng nearby, he didn’t need to stay on constant alert, and for once slept deeply.
Half-asleep, he felt a draft brush over him, sending a shiver through his scalp. His eyes snapped open—the statue was staring straight at him.
“......”a
Anyone waking to that sight in the dead of night would be startled. Su Er jolted upright, waking Ji Heng in the process.
“What is it?”
Even before an answer, Ji Heng saw the statue.
Su Er hurried to check the door. He had made sure to lock it before bed, and it was still locked now.
It was as if the statue had appeared out of thin air.
Refusing to give in, he carried it downstairs again. Then he sat waiting in the room, but after a long while, the statue did not return.
Minute by minute passed, until Su Er couldn’t hold back a yawn.
Ji Heng glanced at the time. “Get some sleep.”
Su Er nodded, abandoning his watch. Yet no sooner had he closed his eyes than five minutes later, that strange wind whispered in his ear. Opening them again—there was the statue.
This time, prepared, he sat up calmly and crossed his legs on the bed, staring back at it.
Ji Heng sighed. “Sleep on my side.”
Su Er shook his head. “No use. I feel like I’ve been marked.”
Even if he switched sides, the statue would follow.
After a moment’s silence, he squared off against it again—carrying it downstairs once more.
But in the dark, a surge of danger swept over him. Suddenly, a pair of hands slipped silently up through the cracks in the floorboards, seizing his ankle.
Inside the room, Ji Heng immediately sensed the rise of yin energy and appeared at once, but the ghostly claws withdrew with frightening speed, leaving only a bleeding scratch before vanishing without a trace.
Ignoring the glare, Su Er switched on the hallway light.
The wound on his ankle wasn’t deep, but blood trickled out.
He set the statue aside. Before he could bend down, Ji Heng was already crouched in front of him, rolling up his trouser leg to examine the injury.
The ankle was a sensitive spot, and with a tall man kneeling in front of him to touch it, Su Er felt awkward. “I can do it myself.”
“Don’t move.”
The low, stern voice made him freeze instinctively.
Ji Heng quickly dabbed some blood and tested it with an item—no poison. A moment later, a soft glow swept across the wound, healing it instantly.
Su Er blinked. “Using an item for such a small scratch is a waste.”
Ji Heng stood, shaking his head, raising the small vial in his hand to show it hadn’t been used yet.
Their eyes met. Su Er suddenly looked at the statue. After a moment’s hesitation, he bit his fingertip and held his hand out to it—his skin healed at once.
“An item?”
Ji Heng: “Doesn’t seem like it.”
Thinking it over, Su Er stuck with his plan and moved the statue back downstairs.
Once he went back upstairs, the statue subtly adjusted its brim. If Su Er had seen the face beneath, he would have been shocked—it was the exact same face as the mysterious man who had brought him here.
In truth, the statue was a disguise of the host.
The mysterious man had asked Princess Tea Flower to mislead Su Er into thinking he wasn’t the real host, while he guided events from the shadows in another form.
This way, he could watch the players at all times, while also confusing them—especially Su Er. By fixating on the statue, Su Er was distracted from exploring the instance and could even be led to false conclusions.
Now, the mysterious man had achieved several goals with a single ploy.
He disrupted their rest, monopolized their attention, made them overlook other details of the room, and even created the illusion that the statue might be a powerful item.
He guessed that right now, the two were debating whether it was an item or a trap set by demons.
And indeed, events matched his prediction.
Inside the room—
Su Er rubbed his temples, a headache stirring from lack of rest. “This is… unnerving.”
Ji Heng inclined his head. “Agreed. Everything feels too coincidental.”
With a soft sigh, Su Er said suddenly, “I think I might have an idea.”
“......”a
Late at night, when everything was still, the mysterious man stared deeply out the window. While praising himself, he also lamented the stupidity of his peers—how could a host let himself get tricked by players?
Everyone knows an open attack is easy to guard against, but a hidden strike is hard to avoid. Why couldn’t those people learn to think differently and strike from the shadows?
Just then, noises came from the staircase. The statue instantly reverted to its rigid, unmoving state.
"I don’t want a repeat of last time."
That voice sounded somewhat familiar.
"Of course." Su Er’s tone carried a touch of flattery. "Last time was an accident. Even if I had ten times the guts, I wouldn’t dare use you as a shield again."
The Smiling Merchant, speaking matter-of-factly, said, "According to evaluation, in this instance I can only offer one trade. Any more and it risks upsetting the balance."
Su Er had no objections.
The Smiling Merchant left an item behind, but as he was about to depart, Su Er called out.
"Wait," Su Er said loudly. "I found a rare item and want to sell it quickly."
Normally, a host wouldn’t bother looking at ordinary items. But the Smiling Merchant was different—he co-ran the auction house with Gou Baopu—so he asked, "What item?"
Su Er ran downstairs, turned on the living room lights, and pointed at the statue. "This one!"
That thing was definitely a hot potato—possibly even a container sealing a demon. Smashing it wasn’t an option, but keeping it could also bring hidden dangers. After weighing his options, Su Er decided to trade it to the Smiling Merchant. If the merchant refused, at least that would prove the statue wasn’t an item.
After all, even the weakest healing item was mid-grade at the very least, and the merchant would have no reason to reject it.
The bright lights illuminated everything in the room.
The moment he saw the statue, the Smiling Merchant actually froze for once. "The item you mean… you’re referring to him?"
Through the stone hat, their gazes locked. The statue furrowed its brows. What was this merchant doing here?
Su Er nodded and muttered about its wonders. "Don’t be fooled by how ordinary it looks—it’s actually amazing! A flash of white light, and wounds heal instantly."
The Smiling Merchant had already seen through the statue’s identity at a glance. The corners of his mouth twitched. "How do you plan to sell it?"
Su Er only wanted to get rid of the strange thing as quickly as possible. Abandoning any thought of haggling, he said, "We’ve traded plenty of times before. This time I’ll take the loss—sell it cheap! Any price will do."
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