"Working together is no problem, of course, but how exactly do you want to do it?"
Bai Xiaoxiao crossed her long legs, lightly propped her chin on one hand, and blinked at Tang Jiao.
Tang Jiao seemed to dislike being scrutinized this way by Bai Xiaoxiao and frowned slightly.
Her instincts told her that Bai Xiaoxiao... was no newcomer.
And anyone who wasn't a newcomer was usually hard to fool.
"Working together... is simple enough."
"Our most urgent task right now is to find a way to survive this Blood Gate within six days."
"Before coming in, I assume we all received the hint on the Blood Gate. But that hint alone won't get us out of here alive. We need to gather more clues."
"And those clues... are at the village's sightseeing spots."
At this point, Tang Jiao swept her gaze over the silent group, her tone firm and brooking no argument:
"I suggest we split into groups of two or three and visit different spots. That way, barring any accidents, we can gather all the clues in a day or two!"
"This is the safest and fastest way to find a way to survive!"
"The sooner we find it, the fewer of us will die!"
As soon as she finished, another girl in the group timidly asked:
"Then... could there be... ghosts at those spots?"
Everyone looked over. The girl was the one who had been pushed in front of Ning Qiushui that morning. Her name was Zong Fang.
She was extremely timid and had spent the entire day in her room, never leaving the guesthouse except to eat.
Tang Jiao said flatly:
"This is the world behind a Blood Gate. What do you think?"
At those words, Zong Fang's face suddenly went deathly pale.
"Then... could I not go...?"
There was already a hint of tears in her voice, but Tang Jiao showed her no sympathy and said coldly:
"Of course."
"But if you don't want to go, we don't have to share the survival clues we risk our lives to find with you."
Hearing this, Zong Fang immediately panicked:
"No... I'll, I'll go! I'll go!"
Although she was a newcomer, she had already made it through her first Blood Gate. She understood what survival clues meant, and what would happen without them...
Inside a Blood Gate, everyone was doomed to die!
Only by finding a way to survive did they stand a chance of living!
Seeing that no one objected, Tang Jiao nodded in satisfaction.
"Since everyone agrees, let's form groups and go look for clues... It gets dark here around seven in the evening, but don't worry. As long as we get back to the guesthouse before midnight, we probably won't run into much danger!"
In fact, by now, everyone who intended to team up had already done so. The remaining two or three people simply formed a group of their own.
"There are eight of us left, in three groups. We already went to Fangcun Pond and got the clue there, so none of you need to go."
"That leaves four spots. Discuss it among yourselves. Each group will visit one today. If we get back late, we'll meet in the dining hall tomorrow to exchange clues."
As soon as Tang Jiao finished, Bai Xiaoxiao drawled:
"We also visited one of the spots and obtained an important clue."
"Oh? Where did you go?"
"The Binding-Evil Shrine."
The moment Bai Xiaoxiao said this, an odd glint flashed in Tang Jiao's eyes, and she made a highly unreasonable demand:
"In that case, you should visit another important spot this afternoon to look for clues."
At those words, Liu Chengfeng could no longer sit still. He glared at her:
"Why the hell should we?!"
"Why don't you go?"
Tang Jiao folded her arms and said coldly:
"You want to know why?"
"Fine, I'll tell you why-"
"First, the clue I obtained was at Fangcun Pond, the place farthest from the guesthouse. The round trip takes nearly two hours, which means there's the greatest chance of something going wrong along the way. It's the most dangerous journey!"
"Second... we were already planning to check out the Binding-Evil Shrine this afternoon."
"I've already taken the lead in doing the most dangerous thing, and I'm going to help check whether you missed anything... Asking you to visit one more spot for clues isn't unreasonable, is it?"
Liu Chengfeng wanted to argue back, but Ning Qiushui held him back.
Ning Qiushui signaled for him to stay quiet.
Bai Xiaoxiao, however, smiled with pursed lips.
"Not unreasonable... not unreasonable at all."
"Then it's settled."
After some discussion, Bai Xiaoxiao decided to visit the Everlasting Well that afternoon.
That well had never dried up during the great drought all those years ago, and its water had kept the entire village alive.
Aside from Fangcun Pond, it was also the sightseeing spot farthest from the guesthouse, less than half a kilometer from the pond.
Only after everyone dispersed did Liu Chengfeng grumble:
"Why should we?"
"That woman calls it cooperation, but she orders everyone around. Just looking at her pisses me off!"
Bai Xiaoxiao said:
"Do you want to live or die?"
Liu Chengfeng replied:
"Live, obviously!"
Bai Xiaoxiao said:
"Then stop wasting words and come with me."
Liu Chengfeng's eyes widened:
"Seriously, are you two just going to take this? Being afraid of ghosts is one thing, but even people..."
Before he could finish, Ning Qiushui interrupted him:
"That woman, Tang Jiao, lied."
Liu Chengfeng's aggressive bluster faltered, and he froze:
"Huh... lied? How could you tell, buddy?"
Ning Qiushui's gaze was sharp:
"Keep track of the time. Once we've gone to the Everlasting Well, you'll understand."
Liu Chengfeng stared at his watch, and suddenly it clicked.
"Buddy, you mean... that woman Tang Jiao never went to Fangcun Pond at all?!"
Bai Xiaoxiao spoke up as well:
"Think about it. When would she have had the time?"
"The round trip takes almost two hours, and that's without anything unexpected happening."
"We spent the entire morning just visiting the Binding-Evil Shrine. Do you think Tang Jiao went to Fangcun Pond in the dark last night?"
"If she didn't, then she had no time, because we saw her outside the guesthouse when we went out for breakfast after eight this morning!"
Now Liu Chengfeng understood completely. This woman, Tang Jiao, had lied to everyone and intended to use them as pawns!
"Fuck... she's fucking using us?!"
With his explosive temper, Liu Chengfeng immediately burst out cursing.
"I'm afraid it's not that simple. This probably isn't the only thing she's lied to us about or concealed..."
"There's something seriously wrong with that woman!"
Bai Xiaoxiao's icy words sent a shiver through the two men beside her.
Liu Chengfeng swallowed:
"Xiaoxiao, what else did you notice?"
Bai Xiaoxiao shook her head, then broke into a smile:
"What if I told you that the three people who died at the Binding-Evil Shrine and went to the mountain behind the village were probably all acting on her instructions...?"
Liu Chengfeng's pupils constricted, his eyes filling with utter shock.
"Fuck... that vicious bitch!"
"Why would she do that?"
Before you continue