Can the Sacrifice Not Escape?

"Tie me up."

Shen Niannian held out both hands of her own accord.

The paper servant stood in front of her.

The red cord in its hands was trembling even more than she, the sacrifice, was.

[Current status: terrified]

[Current status: afraid to make contact]

Shen Niannian: "..."

(￣ー￣)

Anyone who didn't know better.

Would think it was the one about to be sent off as a sacrifice.

The paper servant shuffled forward a step, as if gritting its teeth.

But with every inch it drew closer.

The red cord in its hands trembled even harder.

The reason was simple.

The chilling aura of an A-rank anomaly emanating from Shen Niannian was far too oppressive for a paper construct that didn't even count as a proper anomaly.

And the first to erupt-

Weren't the players backstage.

It was the livestream chat.

Ever since Shen Niannian had changed into the Nightfall Lolita.

The chat had already gone completely out of control.

"?????"

"Wait! Where did she get that outfit?!"

"If I remember right, that's not what she was wearing when she entered the instance, is it?!"

"There was a flash of black light just now, and she changed clothes instantly?!"

"That's definitely an anomaly item! Normal clothes can't appear out of nowhere!"

"A black-and-red Lolita dress with silver hair and red eyes... no, that suits her way too well, doesn't it?!"

"Is whether it looks good the point? Didn't you see how the paper figure reacted?!"

"Holy shit, you're right! The paper figure is scared of her!"

"Her aura has changed too, hasn't it? Even through the livestream, I can tell she feels different!"

"Did Shen Niannian get equipment from the last instance?"

Only then.

Did many viewers truly realize.

The S-rank rating from the Lightless Train.

Clearly wasn't just a nice-looking letter.

Shen Niannian-

Had received a tangible reward!

And this reward.

Didn't look like an ordinary anomaly item, no matter how they looked at it.

On the livestream.

The black-and-red skirt hung softly around her.

Long silver-white hair fell down her back.

Paired with those ruby-like eyes.

If she were cropped out on her own.

She wouldn't look anything like a human player who had entered an instance to survive.

Instead, she looked like a certain high-level little anomaly who had always belonged in the theater.

"Now I suddenly understand why that paper figure's hands are shaking."

"Shen Niannian: I'm the sacrifice."

"Paper figure: Say that again. Who's whose sacrifice?"

"What exactly does that outfit do?!"

"The bureau is probably analyzing it like crazy already."

And backstage.

Ye Qinglan was also taking her first serious look at Shen Niannian's current appearance.

That instant when she had changed clothes.

She had seen it clearly.

An anomaly item.

And its rank was definitely not low.

Most importantly-

It seemed capable of changing Shen Niannian's aura.

Ye Qinglan didn't ask directly.

The effects of a player's anomaly items were important trump cards.

Pressing someone about their abilities at a time like this would be very tactless.

She remembered only one thing.

This silver-haired girl.

Already had an A-rank trump card.

The paper servant ultimately completed its part in the plot.

It carefully wound the red cord around Shen Niannian's wrists.

Lightly.

Very lightly.

It even left a gap wide enough for two fingers.

Shen Niannian looked down.

(・ω・)

Very good.

The Nightfall Lolita couldn't help her escape the plot.

But at least it could make the thing responsible for carrying out the plot-

Show some manners.

[Preparations for Delivering the Sacrifice are complete.]

New blood-red characters emerged on the wall.

[The master, madam, eldest daughter, steward, servant, and sacrifice, please proceed to the Chen family's front courtyard.]

[All other actors, please follow the directions on your tickets to your respective positions.]

The fifteen players were formally separated for the first time.

There were six players in Shen Niannian's Delivering the Sacrifice procession.

The youngest daughter.

The eldest daughter, Ye Qinglan.

The master.

The madam.

The steward.

The servant.

There was also a paper servant who had replaced Wu Lei's character.

The side door slowly opened.

A long corridor hung with white lanterns appeared before them.

The group didn't linger.

They quickly entered.

The wooden backstage door shut automatically behind them.

The scene ahead changed as well.

Gray-brick courtyard walls.

White banners for summoning souls.

Spirit money scattered all over the ground.

The Chen family compound didn't look as though it was preparing for a sacrifice.

It looked more like a whole houseful of people had already died.

And in the very center of the courtyard.

An open black coffin stood in plain sight.

Beside the coffin.

Lay a small red wedding dress.

Shen Niannian's steps faltered.

(｡ŏ_ŏ)

A coffin.

A wedding dress.

A sacrifice.

The good news.

All the elements of death were in place.

The bad news.

She was the sacrifice.

The theater ticket in her hand suddenly grew hot.

[Youngest daughter's current plot updated]

[The Chen family's youngest daughter has been frail since childhood and has been chosen as tonight's sacrifice to appease the wrath of the ancestral spirits.]

[The sacrifice may cry out, struggle, and refuse, but may not leave the Chen family compound of her own accord.]

Shen Niannian quickly read through it.

Her gaze shifted slightly.

It still didn't say-

The sacrifice had to die.

That was the path to survival.

As long as she ensured she remained the "sacrifice."

And allowed the first act to proceed normally.

She might not actually need to give up her life.

Ye Qinglan also said in a low voice, "My plot requires me to escort you into the ancestral hall and prevent outsiders from taking the sacrifice away. At least until we enter the ancestral hall, our goals align for now."

Shen Niannian nodded.

"Then let's finish the first act and see what's actually inside the ancestral hall."

The moment the two finished speaking.

New lines had appeared on the wall.

[Master: Change her into the wedding dress. The auspicious hour is almost upon us.]

The expression of the middle-aged man playing the master changed slightly.

The red wedding dress also slowly rose into the air.

And flew toward Shen Niannian.

"This is an explicit part of the plot. I have to carry it out."

"Wait a moment."

Shen Niannian raised her hand.

The Identity Archive had already opened.

[Target: wedding attire for Delivering the Sacrifice]

[Category: anomalous item]

[Danger level: B-rank]

[Purpose: sacrifice's attire]

[Current status: awaiting wear]

Immediately afterward.

Information available at level 1 access appeared.

[Environment-related information: once the wedding attire for Delivering the Sacrifice is fully put on, the Chen family's ancestral spirits will formally recognize the wearer as the sacrifice.]

Shen Niannian's expression changed at once.

Formally recognize.

Those two words.

Were clearly a problem.

Her current status as the "sacrifice" was just a role in the play.

But once the Chen family's ancestral spirit formally recognized her-

She might actually become the sacrifice!

The livestream chat was growing tense too.

"Why did she stop?"

"Did she realize something was wrong with the bridal gown?"

"But the wall explicitly says she has to change into it!"

"Wu Lei just died because he refused to follow the plot!"

"Putting it on might kill her, and not putting it on might kill her too. This is only the first act!"

Ye Qinglan noticed Shen Niannian's expression.

"You can't put it straight on?"

Shen Niannian lowered her voice. "Once I put the whole thing on, it might trigger a deeper level of sacrificial status, but we can't outright refuse when the plot explicitly calls for it."

Ye Qinglan understood immediately.

"Then don't refuse outright. Resist within the limits allowed by rule two."

Right.

Rule two was perfectly clear.

[Characters may be afraid, resist, and cry.]

Shen Niannian immediately took a step back.

Her little face quickly showed resistance.

"I won't wear it! I don't want to go to the ancestral hall!"

The player acting as the master reacted just as quickly.

His face immediately darkened.

"You don't get to be willful about this today. You must change into the bridal gown, and you must be sent to the ancestral hall on time."

Shen Niannian took the opportunity to hide behind Ye Qinglan.

"Sis, I'm scared!"

Ye Qinglan immediately got into character.

She stood in front of Shen Niannian and said to the master, "Father, she's too distressed right now. Forcing her into the full bridal gown will only delay us past the auspicious hour. Let her wear the outer robe for now, and we can discuss the rest after she's been sent to the ancestral hall."

There were no set lines.

They were free to improvise.

Everyone waited for the theater's judgment.

One second.

Two seconds.

Three seconds.

There was no punishment.

Instead, the bridal gown floating in midair separated on its own.

The outermost red robe drifted down.

It settled over Shen Niannian's shoulders.

[Plot adjustment complete.]

[Sacrificial attire for Delivering the Sacrifice completed: partial.]

Shen Niannian's eyes lit up.

(✧ω✧)

Success!

Sure enough, the rules of this instance didn't require them to act everything out word for word.

What they really couldn't get wrong

were their roles and the direction of the plot!

The details could be changed!

The player acting as the master visibly breathed a sigh of relief as well.

Just then,

a piercing suona suddenly sounded outside the Chen family's main gate.

Wooo-

Wooo-

Four faceless bearers slowly carried a white paper sedan chair into the courtyard.

At the very front

was an old woman with corpse powder caked all over her face.

She smiled as soon as she entered.

"Master Chen, the auspicious hour has arrived. We've come to collect the sacrifice."

Ye Qinglan's gaze instantly turned cold.

Her task requirement stated clearly-

[Do not let outsiders take the sacrifice away.]

These things

weren't members of the Chen family!

The old woman was already looking at Shen Niannian.

She first saw the red robe over her shoulders.

She nodded in satisfaction.

Then

her gaze fell on the black-and-red Nightfall Lolita beneath the robe.

Her smile slowly froze.

The next second,

she sensed the A-rank eerie aura rushing toward her.

[Target: sacrifice-collecting matchmaker]

[Danger level: B-rank]

[Current status: puzzled]

[Current status: terrified]

The old woman was silent for a full five seconds.

She glanced at the master of the Chen family again.

Finally, she managed to speak.

"Master Chen, forgive me for asking.

"When your Chen family worships its ancestors now...

"Are you already so extravagant that you use an A-rank eerie as a sacrifice?"

The entire front courtyard of the Chen family

fell silent in an instant.

The livestream chat also paused for a second before-

Bursting into wild laughter.