"Maybe there'll be some players you know in the villa." Su Bai's voice was calm.
"Very likely." Huo Lang smiled confidently, his tone carrying a note of certainty, as though he already knew he would meet old acquaintances in the villa. Clearly, he had great faith in his connections in Qingliu City.
The two walked side by side toward the brightly lit villa. Fountains bubbled gently along the way, water slipping down their carved stone basins with a soft, pleasant burble. The night breeze brushed past, and droplets glittered in the dim red moonlight. Sculptures stood scattered throughout the courtyard, each so exquisitely carved that it seemed the work of a master artist. At a glance, they could see mysterious goddesses in varied poses and angels poised to take flight.
Had this not been the Nightmare World, or had the red moon not hung in the night sky, this courtyard might have been worth stopping to admire.
But clearly, they were in no mood for that.
Su Bai sighed softly, his gaze sweeping once more over the scenery so out of place in the Nightmare World. Rather than linger, he followed Huo Lang toward the heavy doors.
Huo Lang, walking ahead, reached out and pushed the door open. Its metal hinges gave a low creak, like a bell signaling the start of a game.
Before the door swung fully open, Su Bai could still faintly hear indistinct voices inside. The intermittent murmurs sounded like a discussion, or perhaps the start of a meeting. But as the door opened, those voices stopped abruptly, as though cut off in an instant. Everyone inside the villa stopped what they were doing and turned their eyes toward the two men at the entrance.
The villa's hall was brightly lit, as bright as day. An