Rose Manor (VIII): Manor Breakfast

Putting on an aloof front, yet leaving himself completely defenseless in the details?

Qi Si raised an eyebrow slightly, and a few traces of curiosity appeared in his eyes as he went along with it.

Chang Xu said blandly, "This was a reward I received for perfectly clearing my first instance."

It seemed some items could be acquired in instances and brought into other ones.

Qi Si toyed with the [Pocket Watch of Fate] in his hand, his eyes crinkling as he smiled. "I'm jealous. A time-related item is perfectly suited to this instance."

Chang Xu did not respond. Two seconds later, he extended his hand expressionlessly. "Give it back."

Qi Si could only quit while he was ahead and placed the pocket watch, which had barely warmed in his hand, back into Chang Xu's palm.

Just from the name, it sounded like a good item. I really want it, but... Chang Xu looked like he could fight.

Though this guy was not particularly vigilant, as an experienced Player, he surely was not some fool whose item could be easily swiped.

Seemingly noticing Qi Si's covetous gaze, Chang Xu lowered his eyes to look at Qi Si's right hand. "If I'm not mistaken, the bracelet on your right wrist is a weapon-type item. Those are rarer and more useful in the early stages."

"Is that so?" Qi Si smiled politely. "Brother Chang, you have a sharp eye." He had seen through the bracelet's hidden secret at a glance.

To Chang Xu's ears, this meant Qi Si was saying he could spot an item's location at a glance.

He did not grow suspicious. He gave a slight nod, then went downstairs along the staircase.

Watching Chang Xu's back disappear around the stairwell, the smile on Qi Si's face faded.

The bracelet on his right wrist had been custom-made in the real world, so it naturally could not have anything to do with the Eerie Game. Why did Chang Xu think it was an item? Could it be...

Qi Si recalled that ever since entering the instance, not a single Player other than himself had carried a weapon.

At first, he had thought the other Players were as suspicious as he was and preferred hiding their weapons. But now that he thought about it, another possibility was that weapons from the real world, like phones and other electronic devices, could not be brought in.

Under normal circumstances, only items obtained within instances could be brought into an instance.

But then what is going on with my bracelet? Did the game bug out?

Qi Si considered countless possibilities, but now was not the time to think about them. With insufficient information, any judgment would only assume an answer beforehand and waste time.

He turned to Ye Zi beside him and smiled. "Chang Xu is a little less suspicious now, so let me ask you instead. Ye Zi, why are you certain Shen Ming won't die? Do you know something?"

Ye Zi crossed her arms over her chest and sneered. "How can you prove you and Chang Xu aren't together? You deliberately put on that little act just now. Don't tell me you were trying to clear his name and pin the blame on me."

It was an obvious attempt to turn the tables. Qi Si tilted his head, smiling sincerely. "Oh, you saw through it? That's right, it's exactly as you think. But what can you do about it?"

By now, he had reached a conclusion: Ye Zi and Shen Ming most likely knew each other in the real world.

During the initial introductions, they had pretended not to know each other while playing off one another, merely laying the groundwork to control the conversation and mislead the other Players.

Unfortunately, before their plan could be fully carried out, Shen Ming had died.

Ye Zi studied Qi Si's expression and listened to his tone. Knowing the young man was impossible to reason with, she simply pressed her lips together and said nothing more.

Information was the foundation of any game. In a zero-sum game, every word could be a lie, and every fact could be deliberately concealed.

There was nothing wrong with lying. If someone saw through it, that only meant you lacked the skill. There was no point dressing it up.

It was getting late, and the Players gradually gathered around the long table on the first floor, taking their seats one by one.

Even Lin Chen, who was terrified out of his wits, came downstairs before the clock chimed again, trembling as he obeyed the Rules displayed on the system interface.

Shen Ming's absence robbed the atmosphere of the liveliness it had held the previous evening. Ye Zi's gaze occasionally swept over the empty seat, and Lin Chen quickly realized what had happened. He pursed his lips tightly and remained silent.

The most experienced veteran among the six Players had died just like that, undoubtedly a bad omen. The growing web of suspicion among the Players was an even worse sign.

Amid the heavy silence, the Mechanical Clock in the corner clumsily chimed six times.

Miss Anna, dressed in a long black gown, emerged from the shadows, followed by The Butler, who looked like a mannequin.

The gaunt woman, long and thin as a Ghost Shadow, strolled to the head of the table and sat down gracefully. With her lips curved in a smile, she looked around at everyone, her gaze sliding over them like damp, half-rotted palm leaves after rain.

As The Butler pushed over the cart and set the table, her gaze paused on Shen Ming's empty seat. Then she covered her mouth and laughed. "My dear guests, I hope you had a pleasant night."

Her voice was immensely warm, like the polite pleasantries of a hospitable host, but in light of what had happened, it was brimming with schadenfreude.

Qi Si suddenly spoke. "It was indeed very pleasant. Thank you for your hospitality. But may I boldly ask you a few questions?"

The other Players were all taken aback, then pricked up their ears and listened intently.

In the silence, Miss Anna nodded in acknowledgment.

Qi Si asked directly, "Miss Anna, you like roses very much, don't you?"

"Yes, roses. I like roses." Miss Anna repeated with a smile. "The most beautiful thing in this world is a rose..."

"You like blooming roses and hate withered roses, don't you?"

A few traces of sorrow appeared in Miss Anna's smile. "Yes. When roses wither, they are no longer beautiful... I love beauty and hate ugliness..."

"You once had a beautiful older sister or younger sister, didn't you?"

"Yes, I once had..." Miss Anna got halfway through her sentence, then seemed to have her throat seized by some invisible force, forcibly cutting off the rest.

Her expression instantly turned panicked, like a creature of shadow suddenly exposed to sunlight, filled with bewilderment and resentment. She muttered incomprehensible words under her breath.

NPCs would not deceive Players with their words, but could they refuse to answer?

Qi Si knew he could not press any further.

If he triggered some special event, he did not know whether the others would die, but he was sure he would not survive.

Breakfast at the castle was rather simple: wheat bread, wine, and apples, a meal entirely unsuited to the tastes of the Players seated at the table.

The atmosphere had already been stagnant and oppressive because someone had died and the resulting chain of suspicion had surfaced. On top of that, Qi Si's questions had left Miss Anna wearing a vicious expression the entire time, and most of the Players could barely eat.

Qi Si had never been particularly picky about food. No matter how poorly the breakfast in the instance suited his tastes, it was still better than the meals he casually threw together in the real world.

He used his knife and fork to cut the bread into small pieces, putting them into his mouth and chewing slowly. From time to time, he lifted his wineglass for a few sips, looking especially relaxed.

Chang Xu, seated across from him, was likewise eating meticulously. His hamster-like mouth never stopped moving; perhaps he genuinely thought the manor's breakfast tasted quite good.

The two of them undoubtedly had an encouraging effect, and everyone else picked up their knives and forks and began eating as well.

After finishing his own breakfast, Qi Si picked up a napkin, wiped his mouth, and inconspicuously tucked it into his pocket.

He casually grabbed an apple, said, "Excuse me," then stood and walked toward the stairs. Standing at the edge of the shadows, he gave Lin Chen a meaningful look.

Lin Chen had already been sitting on pins and needles. Seeing Qi Si's urging gaze, he still hesitated uneasily, but ultimately followed.

Qi Si walked ahead without saying a word. After reaching the second floor, he stopped before the enormous Mechanical Clock.

Estimating that those downstairs could no longer hear him, he turned and looked into Lin Chen's eyes. In a low voice, he said, "There's something I forgot to tell you. The Eerie Game has a protection mechanism: after a certain number of Players die, the remaining Players can clear the instance safely and receive greater rewards."

He relayed the information Ye Zi had revealed, then sighed softly. "I suspect that among the five of us, someone may try to harm the others."

Military training in the morning, writing while eating lunch at noon. So sleepy. (If the logic is messy or there are typos, it's because the author is too sleepy.)