"Rules of Burial": Playing the Part Once in a While Felt Pretty Good
The room was larger than expected, perhaps because it had been unoccupied for a long time, and the furnishings were rather simple.
A carved wooden bed with a blue gauze curtain hanging above it, a square table with two chairs, a slightly worn wardrobe, and a Dressing Table with a bronze mirror on it by the window.
The windows were tightly closed, the window paper was yellowed, and very little light could get in.
Xu Xi didn't rush to check the room; instead, she first took out the phone she had swiped from the previous Dungeon.
His only intention was to see if the other functions of the phone were available in the Dungeon.
However, upon seeing those icons that remained grayed out, my anxiety finally subsided.
With a sigh, Xu Xi opened her camera and took a picture of the room.
Okay, there's nothing there.
He was about to put his phone away when he caught a glimpse of the lit call icon.
Um?
Xu Xi clicked on it and found that it could indeed be used.
Without hesitation, he dialed the number again.
But this time it was a disconnected number.
He wasn't surprised at all by this result.
After all, the background of this Dungeon is clearly set in the Republican era; it's no wonder it's impossible to clear.
He just wanted to try it out.
It seems that, in addition to the camera, phone calls can also be used within the Dungeon.
Putting away her phone, Xu Xi began searching around.
The bed was covered in dust, the wardrobe was empty, and there was nothing else in the drawers.
Finally, his gaze fell on the blurry bronze mirror.
Xu Xi has always had a strange sense of awe towards mirrors.
It's well known that mirrors are often the most sinister objects in both horror movies and horror games.
He stood in front of the Dressing Table, not immediately approaching, but carefully observing the exquisitely crafted bronze mirror from a few steps away.
The frame is made of brass and is engraved with intricate intertwined floral patterns. The Mirror Surface itself is not very clear, and the scene inside the room reflected in it has a hazy, yellowish filter.
After a moment's thought, Xu Xi stood in front of the blurry bronze mirror.
He reached out and gently wiped the Mirror Surface; it felt cold and slippery, but his fingertips were not stained with any obvious dirt.
After waiting for a while, there were no inconsistent figures in the mirror, nor did any bloody words or ghost faces suddenly appear.
Xu Xi withdrew her hand in disappointment.
Everything in this room is normal.
He had just turned around when he almost blurted out "Holy shit!"
The Young Servant who had led the way was standing beside the square table, holding a set of neatly folded clothes in his hands.
The other person gently placed the clothes on the table, their movements stiff and respectful, yet they never looked up, their tone flat and monotone. "Third Young Master, please change your clothes. It's almost dusk. The steward has instructed that once you've changed, please move to the front hall, and we'll proceed to the Ancestral Hall together shortly."
After saying this, he retreated to the doorway, standing silently with his hands at his sides, like a lifeless terracotta figure.
Holy crap! This thing scared me half to death without saying a word!
When did he come in? I didn't even notice.
[This house looks so oppressive, so gloomy, even the servants are like ghosts...]
Is it possible that they might be a charlatan?
[Will Xu Xi call the Bureau of the Anomaly Management Bureau every time he enters a Dungeon?]
[It's free to try, and what if it gets through? I'll definitely send it!]
[Wait, is this Mourning Clothes? Aren't Mourning Clothes usually white?]
[Oh right, why are the clothes this Young Servant brought purple?]
Xu Xi released the fruit knife from her pocket.
He wasn't scared.
He just suddenly felt like touching the hilt of the knife.
As I walked to the table, my gaze naturally fell upon the so-called Mourning Clothes.
He also discovered the problem.
Why is this dress... purple?
"Third Young Master," Young Servant's flat voice suddenly rang out from the shadows by the door, seemingly carrying a very subtle urging, "Please change your clothes quickly, time is of the essence."
But Xu Xi was still pondering the color of the clothes.
Who wears purple Mourning Clothes for a deceased person?
Is this a unique rule of the Shen Family?
His finger hovered above the clothes, but he hesitated to touch them.
A few seconds later, he turned to the Young Servant and asked, "What's with the color of this Mourning Clothes?"
The Young Servant kept his head down, his expression unreadable. "Replying to Third Young Master, this was specifically instructed by Seventh Concubine."
That Seventh Concubine who manages the backyard?
[Something's not right, it might not be a funeral shroud.]
I bet ten draws that there's definitely something wrong with it, and it's absolutely unwearable.
Xu Xi rubbed her fingertips together, then said calmly, "Go and change me into some Mourning Clothes of a normal color."
This was a blatant test.
The Young Servant at the door was visibly stunned upon hearing this. "This..."
Xu Xi deliberately lowered her voice. "What, aren't you going yet? Can you bear the responsibility if you delay the sacrificial ceremony?"
These words carried a hint of impatience, but seven parts of the "young master's" self-righteousness.
The Young Servant seemed to stiffen even more, and after a moment of silence, he stammered, "Third Young Master, please forgive me, I will go and fetch it for you right away."
As the other person's figure gradually disappeared outside the door, Xu Xi raised an eyebrow slightly.
I must say, it's actually quite fun to act in one of those occasions.
He's starting to get the hang of it.
In this mansion steeped in strict old rules, the status of "young master" itself has an advantage.
After all, they're all "young masters" now. Isn't it perfectly natural for them to order around a few servants, question unreasonable arrangements, or even cause trouble?
As for whether there's a problem with Mourning Clothes...
The Young Servant did not deny that there were indeed Mourning Clothes of normal color in the mansion, so why even ask?
I went to the Livestream Room of the other players, and everyone noticed that there was something wrong with the Mourning Clothes.
[That's normal, we all feel something's not right, let alone these experienced veteran players.]
Hey, guess what happened to that unlucky guy Hang Ze?
[What? He might be a bit unlucky, but surely it's noticeable?]
He did notice, but...
[I lost. That Young Servant had just handed him the Mourning Clothes a second ago, and the next second he was yelling about avenging his brother, pulling out a kitchen knife from his pocket and slashing at me.]
[? What]
[What the heck is this about avenging my brother?]
[Oh, it seems like the "Fifth Young Master" beat his brother to death for some reason before.]
[...]
[Was he the only one who encountered a vengeful Young Servant?]
Yes, just him.
Wow!
[Indeed, there's a reason for his good reputation.]
Xu Xi was unaware of the extraordinary ordeal her teammate had gone through.
He waited for quite a while before the Young Servant finally returned.
This time it's a plain white linen outfit with a normal color and fine stitches.
Without further hesitation, he deftly picked up the hemp clothes and put them on.
Seeing that he was dressed, the Young Servant said, "Now that the Third Young Master has changed, please follow me to the front hall. The other young masters and ladies should be arriving soon."
Xu Xi nodded, took one last look at the purple Mourning Clothes left on the table, and then followed the Young Servant out of the room.