"Please don't let the candle in your hand go out, or your adventure challenge will be considered a failure."
Jiang Nuo took the last lit candle from one of the show's NPCs.
What a strange mission requirement. Even stranger than the monsters' clear conditions in the instances.
He grumbled inwardly and headed toward the ancient mansion's entrance.
Six guests were already standing there, clearly waiting for Jiang Nuo.
The first person Jiang Nuo noticed was standing off to the side.
Such dense spiritual energy.
The handsome man before him was surrounded by spiritual energy, his air of refinement entirely natural. He just didn't look very healthy.
Perhaps Jiang Nuo's gaze was a little too obvious, because Si Yan looked back. There was no emotion in his eyes. He merely stared at Jiang Nuo's face for a few seconds before looking away.
When Jiang Nuo finally reached the entrance, the guest closest to him couldn't quite hold back any longer.
"Did something happen? Why were you late?" Shi Lezhi's tone was unpleasant.
"Late? Me?"
Jiang Nuo gave an "Ah" and took out his phone to check again. "No, the production team told me to meet here at nine twenty. I'm even ten minutes early."
He leisurely showed his phone screen to the camera, then looked at the displeased Shi Lezhi. "Speaking of which, you guys were really quick. You actually got here before me."
"True model workers of the entertainment industry!"
Jiang Nuo gave them a thumbs-up.
Shi Lezhi: "..." This guy really had something wrong with him.
The barrage of comments that had been about to curse him out:
[Okay, okay, okay. The production team sure knows how to manufacture drama.]
[Just so everyone knows!! We're viewers, not idiots who attack whoever you point at!]
[Damn production team! You made our Si Jiaojiao stand in the sun for so long! Si Yan won't be taking part in any more activities like this!]
Behind the camera, director Chen Xianyu: "..."
He clicked his tongue and rubbed his bald head helplessly.
"Didn't they say Jiang Nuo was like a block of wood? He looks pretty calculating to me!"
Beside him, the assistant director quietly said, "Could it be that you made it too obvious?"
On camera, Yun Kang, the oldest guest in this episode, had already begun organizing introductions.
There were seven guests in the first episode.
The most talked-about and popular was Si Yan. At just twenty-five, he already had twenty years of acting experience, and rumor had it that his family background was extraordinary, too. With the dual buffs of acting talent and good looks, he had risen to become Hua Country's youngest nationally beloved film emperor.
But because of his exceedingly fragile constitution, his fans had dubbed him Si Jiaojiao.
There was the model-turned-celebrity Shi Lezhi, idol group member Tian Dong, cute girl singer Yang Xiaoxiao, actress Xu Jing, and the oldest of them, variety show regular Yun Kang.
And Jiang Nuo, plagued by scandals and countless anti-fans.
The insincere round of introductions soon ended, and the mansion's gates had opened.
The moment he stepped through the gates, Jiang Nuo sensed a particularly distinct ghostly aura, flickering in and out.
The production team was impressive. They had actually managed to find such an abnormal place in a world that looked so normal.
As he marveled inwardly, he caught sight of Si Yan out of the corner of his eye, also trailing behind.
Jiang Nuo quietly shifted his steps, drawing closer and closer to Si Yan.
Only when he could absorb the abundant spiritual energy out of thin air did he continue forward in satisfaction.
Being able to nourish his soul even in this world was simply wonderful!
It was even more exciting than robbing the monsters in instances!
Noticing his little movements, Si Yan turned his gaze toward him. Surprise surfaced in his eyes, but it vanished in an instant without showing, and he offered no resistance either.
Beyond the gates lay the mansion's courtyard.
It was no longer maintained and was overgrown with weeds. The most eye-catching thing was a well in the courtyard.
Not a blade of grass grew around the dry well.
To Jiang Nuo, it was a gathering place for resentment, emitting black mist.
Shi Lezhi, the most energetic among them, hurried forward a few steps and craned his head to look.
"Could there be clues at the bottom of the well?"
His words piqued the others' interest. They were just about to follow when Jiang Nuo, who was closer to him, quietly spoke.
"Careful you don't fall in."
"Ah!"
Shi Lezhi suddenly let out a small cry and pulled his head back, his face pale.
"What happened? What happened?"
Yang Xiaoxiao thought there was something at the bottom of the well. She was curious but didn't dare look.
Shi Lezhi's camera operator also cautiously aimed the camera down the well.
[Aaaaaah, don't scare me! I'm not even a guest!]
[Shit, shit... huh? There's nothing there!]
Just as they could see, it was merely a dry well.
"Nothing. Jiang Nuo's voice just startled me."
Shi Lezhi's smile was somewhat strained.
He suppressed all his fear and confusion, successfully shifting the attention to Jiang Nuo.
Jiang Nuo watched the thing behind the man grow stronger after absorbing the resentment. His left eye briefly flickered, and he didn't argue.
He was handsome, and when his petal-like eyes curved, it was inexplicably hard to be angry with him. But that couldn't overcome the commenters' utter loathing for him.
[Exactly! Why was Jiang Nuo trying to scare someone?!]
[Why is Jiang Nuo jumping at shadows?! Lunatic!]
[Uh... I don't like Jiang Nuo either, but can one sentence really scare someone that badly?]
After that little incident, everyone was on alert as they continued farther inside.
That was where the filming location for the start of their adventure actually was.
Jiang Nuo fell half a step behind the group again, tilting his head as he studied the mouth of the well thoughtfully.
He seemed not to notice Si Yan's gaze landing on him, eyes probing as he looked at him several times.
[Si Jiaojiao, rein it in. Even if you're the ultimate sucker for a pretty face, remember who you both are...]
[We know you love good looks, but the road is beneath your eyes, not on Jiang Nuo's face!]
Every time the camera cut to Si Yan, his fans, the Ink Girls, began howling, terrified that their Jiaojiao would get hurt on the show.
After all, this was someone who could mysteriously get injured just going out for a walk!
They finally entered the room, and everyone perked up to search for clues to open the door.
But the moment they opened the door, a cold gust blew toward them. Tian Dong, who was at the front, let out a "Whoa!" and hurriedly shielded his candle.
Everyone finally got a clear look at the room.
There were no lights inside. Their only illumination came from the candles each of them held. All kinds of ancient paintings hung around them, but they were badly damaged and covered in cobwebs.
Yang Xiaoxiao quickly covered her mouth, afraid she might cry out, and stuck close to Xu Jing. After all, they were the only two female guests.
Tian Dong beckoned them over. "There's a door here! We should look for clues to open it."
As a popular idol, his fans were the most active apart from Si Yan's, and the comments immediately filled with praise.
Jiang Nuo looked over too and gave a puzzled hum. He rubbed his left eye, but what he was looking at was beside the door, right where the ancient paintings were displayed.
"How did we end up with yin and yang doors?"
He muttered so softly that even his camera operator didn't hear, yet it drew Si Yan's gaze again.
Now Jiang Nuo couldn't pretend he hadn't noticed.
"What are you looking at?"
Taking the opportunity to move closer again, he questioned Si Yan, half joking and half probing.
Si Yan hadn't expected him to approach, but he didn't avert his gaze.
He seemed to be confirming something.
It wasn't cold anymore.
Si Yan considered this.
He even took another half step forward under Jiang Nuo's surprised gaze, until the distance between them had crossed the boundaries of personal space between strangers.
Now their interaction thoroughly captured both their camera operators' attention, and the cameras aimed at this sudden exchange from different angles.
Si Yan looked solemn, an aura of cold gloom surrounding him that made people shrink back. But in Jiang Nuo's eyes, a gigantic mobile reserve of spiritual energy was approaching him of its own accord!
Who could resist that?!
Jiang Nuo kept his head tilted as he looked at Si Yan, patiently waiting for him to speak.
Yet Si Yan merely settled beside him and did nothing else. He didn't join the other guests in solving the puzzle either, instead starting to space out as though it had nothing to do with him.
Jiang Nuo: "..."
All right! Quite the personality!
At this distance, he could get a clear look at Si Yan, and then he noticed something unusual.
Whenever a fake NPC emerged in the room to scare them, Si Yan frowned in displeasure. He also avoided the exceptionally energetic Shi Lezhi whenever he could.
Jiang Nuo felt he had figured something out.
With his back to the camera, he furtively asked, "Are you scared, Si Yan?"
He acted very familiar.