Progress on the "Rules of Burial"? Don't Ask, I Walked Around
While the chatter in the Livestream Room had already put away his phone and stood up unhurriedly.
And so, they saw that familiar scene once again—
The young man walked through the corridor, around the artificial hill, paused briefly under a few ornamental trees, and then continued walking as if nothing had happened.
He seemed aimless, his pace unhurried, and his expression calm and composed.
The live chat fell silent for a moment, then exploded with comments.
Is Xu Xi "strolling around" again?
[Got it, 248's daily routine: eating, sleeping, and wandering around the house]
[What's the rush? They're not just looking at a house, they're looking at clues!]
[But to be honest, it really does look like my grandpa taking a stroll.]
Even if it's just a stroll, it's still a strategic stroll.
[Hey buddy, you can go for a walk first, I'll go check out some other Livestream Room and then come back.]
Many viewers began frantically switching screens, trying to find more clues from the perspectives of other players.
*
Claiming to be looking for the People Wearing White Flowers, Xu Xi, who was actually just strolling around, was currently standing in a small courtyard, staring blankly at a half-dried water vat in the corner of the wall.
The water tank wasn't large; a shallow layer of rainwater had accumulated at the bottom, reflecting the gray sky.
Occasionally a few withered leaves would drift down, but they wouldn't cause the slightest ripple.
Just like his mind right now.
He really didn't have any clear goals.
Therefore, he decided to continue the approach from the previous Dungeon.
In short, browse.
Before 5 PM, Hanging Flower Gate.
By the Xu Xi arrived, the others had already arrived one after another.
Yu Hao leaned against a pillar in the corridor, a folding fan appearing in his hand from who-knows-where, and fanned himself idly.
Upon seeing Xu Xi approach, he immediately straightened up.
"Everyone's here, let's share what we've learned."
There are still six people.
"Unfortunately, I couldn't find any trace of the guy with the earring, and there were no signs in his room either," Yu Hao sighed.
Everyone present knew exactly what this meant.
"In addition, several letters were found in the study, written by Master Shen before his death. Although the contents of those letters were vague, they all mentioned one thing."
Yu Hao paused, then lowered his voice:
"It seems the Shen Family encountered some crisis before, and in order to resolve it, they incurred a debt, which is related to the 'well'."
Xu Xi's expression remained unchanged, but a slight thought stirred within her.
The butler also said that what's in the well represents the Shen Family's debts, and that Master Shen had been trying to repay them during his lifetime.
"The specifics of the crisis and the debts incurred are unclear."
"Debt?" A thoughtful glint flashed in Lin Zuo. "A debt of life?"
Yu Hao shook his folding fan. "Who knows?"
He joked, "Anyway, it's definitely not some legitimate debt."
Lin Zuo suppressed his thoughts and continued, "We also found something in the kitchen. The Stove Hearth contained not only offerings, but also ashes, like some kind of burning document. Also—"
He looked up and his gaze fell on Shi Weiwei and Tang Shutong.
"There's a small door behind the stove, leading to a corner of the backyard."
Shi Weiwei's expression shifted slightly, and she nodded. "We've made progress on our end too; we successfully met with Seventh Concubine."
Yu Hao and the others immediately focused their attention on her.
The Seventh Concubine, who was "suffering from hysteria and whose words were not to be trusted," was in charge of the backyard. However, on the eve of the funeral, she prepared purple Mourning Clothes for each of her "returning children," which violated the rules and directly clashed with taboos.
This overly deliberate abnormality made it impossible for anyone to simply categorize her as an ordinary NPC.
"She..." Shi Weiwei seemed to be choosing her words carefully, "Probably in her early thirties, but her complexion was very poor, with heavy dark circles under her eyes, as if she hadn't slept well for a long time."
"Her first reaction upon seeing us was fear," Tang Shutong suddenly said, her voice low and hoarse.
Yu Hao realizing it. "Scared?"
"And then?" Xing Ge asked.
"She asked us for a favor." At this point, Shi Weiwei's usually calm tone became subtly affected. "She wants us to help her remove a name from the Clan Genealogy."
The rest of the people present were all taken aback.
Lin Zuo frowned slightly. "Whose name should be crossed out?"
Tang Shutong said calmly, "Her son, Shen Jiayang."
... the son of the Seventh Concubine?
The reactions varied.
Yu Hao asked curiously, "What's the specific reason?"
"All we know is that her son is under ten years old; she won't say anything more," Shi Weiwei shook her head.
The steward had said that the Clan Genealogy was only for members of the Shen clan to view, and that people with other surnames were not allowed to look through it. This was probably why the Seventh Concubine asked the player for help.
But why cross it out?
What does this have to do with the so-called debt owed by the Shen Family?
"Furthermore," Tang Shutong added, her expression carrying a hint of something enigmatic, "She said that Master Shen liked purple when he was alive."
The atmosphere fell silent for a moment.
Yu Hao exclaimed, "This Dungeon is quite difficult."
Something eerie was about it; there were problems everywhere.
The clues seem to be finally converging, but in reality, they are still full of mysteries.
"Speaking of Clan Genealogy, buddy, have you found one yet?"
Yu Hao looked at Xing Ge and asked with concern.
Xing Ge also shook his head. "No."
"How interesting, the Clan Genealogy isn't kept in the Ancestral Hall." Yu Hao rested his chin on his folding fan, raising his eyebrows in a sarcastic remark.
"I've looked everywhere I could, but there's one place I didn't search," Xing Ge continued.
Shi Weiwei suddenly asked, "That coffin?"
Xing Ge hummed in agreement.
Xu Xi, standing to the side, knew it was his turn to share information when he heard this.
Despite having explored almost the entire Shen Residence, he ultimately gained nothing.
Aside from the maidservant guarding the backyard, the People Wearing White Flowers did not see anyone else.
But he can't exactly say, "I've been wandering around for most of the day and haven't found anything," that would sound too much like he's slacking off.
... although they are quite similar.
So he was preparing to polish his words.
Just then...
Hanging Flower Gate, the butler appeared at the end of the corridor, still carrying a white paper lantern, walking towards them unhurriedly.
The time for offering incense has arrived.
"Hey buddy, any progress?"
As the steward drew closer, Yu Hao quickened his pace and asked Xu Xi in a low voice.
Xu Xi had no choice but to answer truthfully, "No."
"Oh..." Yu Hao's expression remained unchanged, revealing neither whether he believed it nor not; he simply waved his folding fan loudly.
[248: You ask what the progress is? Don't ask, I just took a walk around.]
[Xu Xi's reply was so confident and justified, hahaha. The rest of the group: Really? We don't believe it.]
[I don't believe it either; Boss Xu Xi must know something.]
[+1,248 always seems to be an observer when participating in multiplayer Dungeons; even when they manage to break through, it just seems like a casual move.]
[Yes, he always gives me the feeling that while other players are trying to survive in Dungeons, he's Dungeon sightseeing.]
[But he always manages to pull out crucial information in special moments.]
[Perhaps this is the difference in levels of understanding (lighting a cigarette. jpg)]
[Stop talking, I've reached the point where he finds everything suspicious.]
[Haha, who isn't?]
[So, how's that unlucky little guy doing?]
[I don't know, his Livestream Room went black, but he wasn't logged out, so I don't Item what happened.]