With twenty seconds left in the countdown, Ye Xiaocen appeared with Zhou Que. Lin Lele jumped off the cable car almost at the same time as them, looking more embarrassed than the other.
Su Er looked up at the sky: "Finding a backer is a technical job."
Zhou Que looked at him with particularly resentful eyes.
Ye Xiaocen said in a deep voice: "Please be more careful with your words."
Su Er suddenly understood Ji Heng's earlier statement. Ever since entering the dungeon, he had been possessed by an uncontrollable desire to kill. Normally, if he encountered someone like Zhou Que, he would have simply laughed it off, but now he was actively escalating the conflict.
Looking around at the gloomy mountains, I couldn't help but wonder whether it was a problem with the surrounding environment or a deviation in my personal psychology.
At this moment, the sound of flapping wings in the air became more and more intense, and the ferocious eagle swooped down towards this side.
Birds of prey rarely flock together, making the scene truly spectacular. Faced with the immense power of its claws, the crowd simultaneously sought shelter behind obstacles. The eagle's immense speed, before they could even take a few steps back, had already soared above the flat ground, circling. A few stiff feathers fell, carried by the wind to the cliffside.
Just as Sur was wondering what the eagle was going to do, they suddenly moved closer and lowered their heads in a respectful gesture. Looking in the direction where the eagle was lowering its head, an extremely charming woman came over with her hair lifted.
Lin Lele couldn't help but secretly glance at the other person's chest, then looked at his own, and then his eyes focused on the woman's snow-white thighs.
Chen Buqi coughed lightly and reminded her: "You are more engrossed than the rest of us."
Lin Lele came back to his senses, his tone revealing doubt: "Host?"
"Welcome everyone to the Samsara Resort. My name is Zhu Mei," the woman said, maintaining a professional smile. "The boss has something urgent to do, so I'll be in charge of welcoming you all."
At first glance, attention is easily focused on the hot body, but soon everyone realizes that the clothes and hairstyles are more worthy of attention.
Zhu Mei was wearing a cheongsam with lifelike cows embroidered on it with threads of different colors. She wore a small cow horn headband on her head. It was only because of her good looks that people ignored the incongruous outfit.
"Huh…"
Her eyes lingered on Soul's skin and she made an obvious swallowing motion.
Now it is certain that Zhu Mei is definitely not the host. The look in her eyes is just like an animal seeing food.
Zhou Que curled the corners of his mouth in a gloating manner. In the past, Su Er relied on his good skin to gain the appreciation of the old woman and got high-level props, but now he was coveted by a strange woman whose background he didn't know. This was retribution in this life.
Zhu Mei became more and more fascinated as she looked, and finally she couldn't help but wanted to touch it, but was stopped by a dagger halfway.
Ji Heng said coldly: "Isn't it disrespectful to treat guests like this?"
Retracting her claws regretfully, Zhu Mei looked at Su Er and said, "You have such a good skin."
"Thank you."
Zhu Mei finally shifted her attention away from him and led the way deep into the forest.
At the end of the stone steps ahead was an ancient stone gate, revealing a corner of a house hidden beneath layers of greenery. As they approached, they discovered that the stone gate split in two, forming two entrances. The left doorway was inscribed with "Past Life," while the right read "Present Life." The writing was entirely in red dye, with a bold and domineering brushstroke.
Zhu Mei entered from the right door, Ji Heng went from the left, and so did Su Er.
Lin Lele, standing behind them, was a bit undecided. Logically, choosing 'this life' would be more advantageous. People, both ancient and modern, have always liked to compare the past to smoke and clouds. But seeing how determined Su Er and Ji Heng were, she felt a bit unsure again.
Zhou Que curled his lips: "Maybe he is deliberately misleading us."
Lin Lele hesitated for a moment, and finally entered through the door with the word "this life" written on it.
Chen Buqi also left this life.
When it was Zhou Que's turn, he rolled his eyes and prepared to go through the left door.
Only a fool would risk his life and mislead others.
Ye Xiaocen pulled him and said, "Something's wrong."
If those two people really had some information, they would definitely not be the first to enter and demonstrate it to them in person.
"Go right."
Zhou Que said anxiously: "But..."
Ye Xiaocen interrupted directly: "Lin Lele and the others have also chosen."
Zhou Que understood that if there really was a problem, with Ye Xiaocen around, Lin Lele and Chen Buqi would definitely be the first to have problems.
The sound of high heels stepping on the ground was very loud. Zhu Mei twisted her waist and took the initiative to introduce the history of the Samsara Resort.
Sur listened patiently and observed the internal structure of the resort. He turned around and found that the other players were left behind for a distance, obviously delayed in choosing the gate.
Zhu Mei walked in front, her back facing them, but she seemed to know what was happening behind them. She said mysteriously, "Choice is important."
Su Er disagreed: "It's all the same."
Zhu Mei paused, turned around and looked at him deeply.
Sur let him look at him.
A smile reappeared on Zhu Mei's face: "It seems that you have already mastered some of the tricks to make vacation more enjoyable."
Su Er disagreed. He and Ji Heng had come here to seek the truth, which meant the past, so naturally they would choose their past lives. As for the others, unlike those two, choosing their present lives was more advantageous, as they might be able to gain information about fraud or a doomed situation.
Zhu Mei continued walking and reminded them, "You are the only guests here now, so I suggest you don't choose a house that is too far away."
On the left is a row of two-story buildings. They look similar in appearance. The only difference lies in the patterns carved on the exterior walls, which are divided into two types: cattle and sheep.
Ji Heng suddenly asked: "Is there a limit on the number of people?"
"Of course not. Gathering with friends is part of the fun of vacation." Zhu Mei paused and added thoughtfully, "How many people live in a building can be decided by themselves. If you're not satisfied before midnight, you can change it temporarily."
Coincidentally, Ye Xiaocen and others also rushed over at this time. Zhu Mei winked coquettishly and said in a suggestive tone: "If you feel lonely at night, you are welcome to come and play with me anytime."
Lin Lele took the initiative to stand with Chen Buqi and prepared to live together.
Seeing this, Su Er's eyebrows twitched. The interaction between these two people didn't seem like that of a boyfriend and girlfriend, but they knew each other, so it was likely that they were using a team prop. Ye Xiaocen and Zhou Que were even more out of place. They were from the same organization, and the captain led the team to clear dungeons.
It seems that from the moment they entered the dungeon, the six people automatically formed three groups.
Zhu Mei had a bunch of keys in her hand, twirling them around her fingertips. "Have you decided which building to choose?"
Ye Xiaocen glanced at the eagle in the tree to the side and chose a small building with a cow pattern nearby. The key was only halfway inserted when the eagle landed on the eaves, staring at them fiercely.
Zhou Que whispered, "How about we change to another building?"
Ignoring his suggestion, Ye Xiaocen walked straight in.
Zhou Que could only grit his teeth and keep up.
Ji Heng and Suer looked at each other and also chose the small building with a cow pattern.
The moment he pushed the door open, Su Er's eyes changed slightly. He stood at the door and pondered for two seconds: "Very individual."
Zhu Mei was still standing on the path, as if to make sure everyone went in.
Su Er did not disappoint her. He took a quick look and then crossed the threshold.
It was night, and Su'er hadn't turned on the lights immediately after entering, so the small building wasn't completely dark. He looked around to make sure there weren't any curtains hanging anywhere. And because both floors had huge floor-to-ceiling windows, the lighting was excellent. Even in the dead of night, he could still see clearly outside the house with the help of the faint moonlight.
After he had finished observing, Ji Heng turned on the power, but only for a moment before turning it off again.
It's too bright.
Standing under the aperture, you can still feel the temperature, which is very uncomfortable.
Su Er said helplessly: "This lamp is comparable to a bathroom heater."
Ji Heng opened the cabinet and rummaged around, and soon found a flashlight. Using the flashlight's light, the two began to explore the room.
The wood used to make the stairs was very thin, and it made a creaking sound when stepped on. Su Er subconsciously reduced the force of his shoes landing on the ground: "Do we look like thieves?"
There is only one guest room on the second floor, and the bathroom is located at the end of the corridor.
Ji Heng raised the flashlight a little higher and pointed it at a corner of the bedroom: "Thieves wouldn't dare to target a family like this."
The light source is focused on an eagle with its wings spread, as if it will pounce at you in the next second.
Sur didn't hide, but took a step forward. It didn't react to the light, indicating it was likely a specimen. He gently touched it with his hand, but it was cold and its wings were dry.
There are more than one similar specimens, they can be seen everywhere, on the walls, on glass covers...
Ji Heng walked to the French window and suddenly asked, "If you were asked to choose, which residence would you choose?"
Soul: "Same, a house with a cow pattern."
"reason."
"I've observed carefully, and the images on the wall aren't just ordinary sheep, but goats. In Western culture, goats often represent the devil, even implying lust and evil... And although Zhu Mei is dressed as a half-human, half-bull, she has a faint smell of goat, so choosing a cow is more auspicious."
He caught a glimpse of Ji Heng's expression and shrugged, "What's wrong?"
"The problem-solving ideas are very broad."
Ji Heng pointed to an eagle guarding a tree trunk outside.
"There are eagles circling around all the cow-patterned buildings."
Sur immediately reacted: "Eagle was responsible for delivering the invitations and bringing the players here. For the time being, he can be considered the bright side."
Ji Heng nodded: "Don't worry too soon. There are so many eagle specimens in the room, it's very likely that they are suppressing something."
All the specimens are gathered in the bedroom, which means that this is either the most dangerous place or the safest.
After discussing it, the two finally decided to sleep in the bedroom.
Even if it was really suppressing something dirty, it wouldn't be released without warning on the first night.
Before going to bed, Sur walked around the room carefully and found the second weird thing - the statue.
On the bedside table sat a statue of a human head, its wide hat brim covering two-thirds of its face, its face pointed squarely at the bed. He didn't know if it was his imagination, but the center of the hat seemed to move, as if the statue were watching their every move through it.
Su Er used his Charisma to absorb it, but there was no reaction. He used the mysterious eye in his body to see, but could only see a blurry mosaic: "There's something strange about this thing."
Ji Heng didn't feel the negative energy either. After thinking about it, he said, "Let's move out."
It is not advisable to smash the statue rashly.
Sur agreed that if the demon was sealed in the statue, smashing it would be tantamount to seeking death.
He was very active and immediately rolled up his sleeves and moved the statue downstairs.
The statue allowed itself to be moved without resisting during the process.
After successfully putting it aside, Suer breathed a sigh of relief, not noticing that the moment he turned around, a strange arc appeared at the corner of the statue's mouth.
The start of this dungeon wasn't easy, as the cable car ride had expended considerable energy. Returning to his room, Suer simply washed up and fell asleep. With Ji Heng right beside him, he didn't need to be constantly alert, and slept soundly.
In the dim light, a breeze seemed to blow in, and Sur felt his scalp tingling. He suddenly opened his eyes and saw the statue staring at him.
"…"
Anyone who encountered such a thing in the middle of the night would be frightened. Suer sat up with a start and woke up Ji Heng.
"What's wrong?"
After asking, Ji Heng saw the statue without waiting for an explanation.
Suer quickly got out of bed to check the door lock. He had locked it before going to bed, and it was still locked.
The statue seemed to appear out of thin air.
Unconvinced, he moved downstairs again, and then he sat quietly in the room waiting, but the statue did not appear for a long time.
As time passed, Soul couldn't help but yawn.
Ji Heng checked the time and said, "Go to sleep."
Sur nodded, giving up waiting. However, after lying down and closing his eyes for only five minutes, a strange breeze blew into his ears. He opened his eyes and saw the statue again.
This time he was mentally prepared. He stood up calmly, sat cross-legged on the bed and looked at it.
Ji Heng sighed: "Sleep on my side."
Su Er shook his head: "It's no use. I feel like I'm being watched."
Even if you move to the other side, the statue will follow you.
After a moment's silence, he argued with the statue and moved it downstairs again.
In the darkness, a strong sense of crisis came, and at the same time, a pair of hands silently emerged from the cracks in the floor and grabbed Sur's ankle.
Ji Heng sensed the increase of Yin energy in the room and appeared immediately. However, the ghost claw retreated very quickly. Its sharp claws left a trail of blood before it disappeared without a trace.
Regardless of the glare, Soul turned on the corridor light.
The wound on the ankle was not deep, but blood was oozing out.
Suer put the statue aside, and before he could bend down, Ji Heng had already helped roll up his trouser legs to check the injuries.
The ankle is a sensitive area, and being touched by a tall man squatting in front of him, Su Er felt embarrassed and said, "I can do it myself."
"Don't move."
A low and somewhat stern voice came, and Sur stopped struggling reflexively.
Ji Heng quickly dipped some blood into the wound and tested it with a tool to confirm that it was not poisonous. The next moment, a soft light flashed across the wound, and it healed automatically.
Su Er was stunned for a moment: "It's a waste of money to use props for such a minor injury."
Ji Heng stood up and shook his head, holding up the small bottle in his hand, indicating that he had not had time to use it yet.
Their eyes met, and Sur suddenly looked at the sculpture. After a moment of hesitation, he bit his fingertips and stretched out his hand in front of it, and it instantly returned to normal.
"Props?"
Ji Heng: "Not really."
Suer thought about it and continued with his previous decision to move the sculpture downstairs.
After he went upstairs, the statue adjusted the brim of its hat slightly. If Sur saw this face, he would be very surprised. This face was exactly the same as the mysterious man who brought him here.
In fact, the sculpture is a disguise for the host.
The mysterious man asked Princess Camellia to mislead Sur that he was not the host of the show, and to dominate the show in another way.
Firstly, it can observe the actions of players at any time; secondly, it can confuse them, especially Sur. When his attention is focused on the statue, it will delay the exploration of the copy and even lead to wrong judgment.
At this moment, the mysterious man has perfectly achieved several goals with one stone.
It not only affected the other person's rest, but also grabbed their attention, causing them to ignore other details in the room for a while, and created an illusion that they might be high-end props.
The mysterious man guessed that they must be discussing whether the statue was a prop or a trap set by the devil.
The facts are consistent with the predictions.
In the room.
Su Er rubbed his brows, a slight headache coming from not getting enough rest: "Things are a bit sinister."
Ji Heng nodded: "Indeed, everything is too coincidental."
Sighing softly, Su Er suddenly said, "I think I have an idea."
"…"
·
Late at night, in the stillness of the room, the mysterious man gazed out the window with a deep gaze. While praising himself, he lamented the stupidity of his colleagues. As a host, he was actually tricked by the players.
You know, it is easy to avoid a spear but difficult to guard against an arrow from the dark. Why can't those people learn to change their mindset and hide in the dark?
Just then there was movement at the stairs and the statue quickly returned to its motionless state.
"I don't want a repeat of what happened last time."
The voice sounded familiar.
"Of course." Su Er's tone was flattering: "Last time was an accident. I wouldn't dare use you as a shield again even if I had ten guts."
The smiling merchant said matter-of-factly, "Based on my assessment, I can only offer one trade in this dungeon. More than one will easily upset the balance."
Soul had no objection.
The smiling merchant left his things and was stopped when he was leaving.
"Wait," Su Er said loudly, "I found a rare item and want to sell it as soon as possible."
Normally, the props host wouldn't bother to look at it. The smiling merchant had a special status, co-operating with Gou Baopu in the auction house, so he asked, "What props?"
Soul ran down the stairs, turned on the living room light, and pointed at the statue: "That's it!"
This thing was definitely a hot potato. It couldn't possibly be a vessel for sealing a demon, so it couldn't be smashed. But it also looked like a prop... destroying it or keeping it would both create hidden dangers. After careful consideration, he decided to trade it to the smiling merchant. If he refused, at least it would prove the statue wasn't a prop.
After all, any healing item is at least intermediate level, and the other party has no reason to refuse.
The dazzling lights illuminated everything in the house clearly.
The moment he saw the statue, the smiling businessman was stunned for a rare moment: "The prop you mentioned... is he?"
Their eyes met each other through the stone hats, and the statue frowned. Why did a businessman come here?
Su Er nodded, muttering about its miraculousness: "Don't underestimate this ordinary human portrait; it's actually quite magical! A flash of white light can heal injuries."
Having already seen through the statue's identity, the smiling merchant twitched his lips slightly and asked, "How are you going to sell it?"
Su Er just wanted to get rid of the strange thing quickly and gave up bargaining: "After all, we have done many transactions before. This time I will suffer a loss... Sell it at a low price! Any amount is fine."