Arc 1: Nursery Rhyme Requiem Town
Chapter 2: Encounter
Source: https://www.jjwxc.net/onebook.php?novelid=5039729
This translation was originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com
The way of Heaven in the cycle of life and death is fair. Heaven spares no one. As Qin Dongwan was being transported, this classic phrase suddenly appeared in her hazy consciousness.
From the beginning of reading this novel, she did not really like the female lead. She even mocked the female lead for getting the "difficulty adjustment upgrade" as soon as she entered the story. Now, she had ended up with the same fate.
The mechanism of this game was still friendly to beginners. At least after passing the beginner levels, three to five people could bind together to form a fixed group and continue clearing levels together.
The mechanism of this game is quite friendly to novices. At least after passing the novice level, three to five people can be bound into a fixed group to complete the level together.
The original character in the novel was set as a green tea bitch¹. She encountered Ji Yun in the first level and saw that she looked easy to talk to, so she firmly bound herself to the female lead in the first few levels. So even if she did not want to team up with the female lead later, she still had to enjoy this "European spirit"² together at the beginning.
¹ 绿茶婊 (Lǜchá biǎo) used to describe ambitious women who pretend to be very innocent
² buzzword for someone/thing with full of luck or wealth. It comes from the fact that, in games (particularly those Chinese idle gacha games), people with good luck/wealth are white-faced Europeans.
Before Qin Dongwan could continue thinking, she was interrupted. She suddenly appeared in the low sky and was thrown down mercilessly. Before she could even scream, it was blocked by the softness.
In the softness... there seemed to be a faint fragrance. It seemed to be a certain perfume from xnel. She was a perfume enthusiast. Once she smelled it, she never forgot that scent. Qin Dongwan sniffed carefully again and became more convinced of her thought.
“Hmm...”
Before she had time to savor the refreshing scent, Qin Dongwan felt a pain in her neck. The feeling of suffocation spread instantly.
She suddenly opened her eyes and met the other person's cold gaze. Her pupils were like wine soaked in ice, and the deep look revealed an aura of unapproachability.
The slender jade hand increased its strength again. The Death God’s invitation loomed in the darkness before her eyes. Qin Dongwan's thoughts halted instantly, and she barely managed to maintain her sanity.
Her gaze quickly swept across the girl's face. Qin Dongwan did not have time to be surprised that the development had already changed from what she had seen. She hurriedly pulled the corners of her mouth into a slightly awkward, ingratiating smile.
"Newbie Qin Dongwan, Miss Luo Shu, please guide me."
She suddenly felt the restraint loosen and took a sharp breath. She sat dazedly in place, her hands had nowhere to go at this moment. Under the girl's probing gaze, she guiltily hid them behind her back.
Under the girl's not-so-thick bangs, a pair of beautiful grape-purple eyes were clear and calm, yet filled with a probing look.
Luo Shu's features were exquisite. Her complexion appeared even more fair as snow against the dark demon earrings on her earlobes. Her long hair was a very deep purplish-red, tied into twin tails. Despite her very petite figure, she seemed to carry an astonishing strength, which was extremely mismatched with her luxurious little dress.
Qin Dongwan looked up again. The layered lace trim on the hem of the dress led to the suddenly tightened corset at the waist. Further up, a rose pinned on her chest was particularly eye-catching.
However, the rose could not compare to the girl's extraordinary brightness and charm. She was like a fully bloomed poppy, clearly possessing deadly poison, yet inexplicably attracting people into her deep gaze.
She suddenly remembered the girl's fate of falling into the abyss. The male supporting character's heroic and touching infatuation led to the tragic death of the person in front of her. Her heart ached slightly, and her gaze shifted from pure fear to include a bit of pity.
In this kind of dog-blood* novel, supporting characters who did not belong to the main cast rarely had a good ending. No matter how strong Luo Shu's martial prowess was, the moment she fell into the endless abyss, she would also experience the despair and fear bestowed by fate.
*狗血 (gǒu xiě) in Chinese slang refers to something that is exaggerated, sensationalized, or overly dramatic, often to the point of being unrealistic or absurd
After Qin Dongwan's emotional gaze lingered for a while, Luo Shu felt a bit awkward. She spoke coldly and directly, getting straight to the fatal rhythm:
"I never expected to be matched to a newbie who knows me, but... you've disturbed my sleep."
Qin Dongwan landed on a bed, hitting Luo Shu squarely. Fortunately, she wasn't very heavy, and she hadn't fallen from a great height. Otherwise, if she had hurt this ancestor*, there won't be good fruit for her to eat.
*a spoiled brat or someone despite their young age is stubborn or strong-willed that other people around them just let them have their way and treat them as an elder. Depending on the context, it can be used as term of endearment, a joke, or a derogatory term
Qin Dongwan fell silent, thinking about the softness she had just touched, her face suddenly flushed.
But before she could speak, the beauty's gaze shifted past Qin Dongwan to another spot, noticeably more fierce this time, as if it signaled her patience was running thin.
Luo Shu pushed Qin Dongwan aside, rolled off the bed, and the sound of high heels echoed throughout the luxurious European-style princess room.
At the same time, the seemingly sturdy door suddenly swung open heavily. A tall, expressionless man in military uniform stood at the doorway, almost like a statue, staring straight ahead.
"Ladies, please gather your belongings and follow me to the accommodation area. I will escort you there in ten minutes."
His voice had no fluctuations, just narrating a matter unrelated to himself in a business manner. Luo Shu stared at him without any extra reaction, as he repeated expressionlessly. But just as he was halfway through, it was abruptly interrupted by a sudden "clang."
With a swift kick, the sound stopped. Luo Shu withdrew her leg from where she had just kicked the door and nonchalantly walked back to Qin Dongwan's side, as if the person locked outside was not an NPC in the game but an insignificant nobody.
A villainess is indeed a villainess. Qin Dongwan was dumbfounded.
****
Source: https://www.jjwxc.net/onebook.php?novelid=5039729
This translation was originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com
Exactly ten minutes later, Qin Dongwan finally explained to the other party how she knew her name as a newbie, and also managed to soothe the irritable girl who was annoyed at having her sleep disturbed.
The two of them were now walking side by side across the suspension bridge leading to the ancient castle. Rose vines twisted upward, and below was a pitch-black abyss. The night wind blew lightly, sending a chill across their skin.
Qin Dongwan occasionally turned back to look at the small house they had left behind. It was where the participants stayed temporarily upon arriving in this world. As the last person walked out, the night fog gradually enveloped it, as if the shadow of death was beginning to spread.
This instance was called "Nursery Rhyme Requiem Town." The villa they stayed in was splendid, like something out of a fairy tale. Everyone played an original fairy tale character, each with an identity card that held their own story. They had to read their stories to avoid their nemesis. It sounded simple, but in reality, it was quite confusing.
Among them, one person would turn into a ghost. Only by finding that abnormal person could they clear the level. This enhanced beginner dungeon wouldn't be particularly difficult, but it definitely wouldn't be easy either.
With all sorts of strange supernatural events and ghosts, demons, and monsters, if there were no hints, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that this should be a later stage level.
Across from the small house was a castle, hidden in the eerie forest. The leafless branches, stripped bare by wind and frost, stretched towards the sky like thin, gnarled claws emerging from the earth.
A faint crescent moon hung high above, casting a shallow silver glow on the perched crows. These crows were like stiff corpses, refusing to move their wings, occasionally emitting hoarse, mournful cries.
For those of timid disposition, this not-so-short journey felt like an ongoing nightmare.
Without time to consider what would happen next, Qin Dongwan hurriedly reached out to grab Luo Shu's hand.
Looking around, the only one who could offer her some support in this circle seemed to be this ruthless and beautiful villainess. Not to mention how Luo Shu had treated her before, at least she hadn't done anything particularly outrageous. For now, she could temporarily treat her as an ally.
Moreover...
A crow that had been hanging half-dead on a branch suddenly raised its head and let out a piercing, eerie cry. Following its lead, the intermittent cries gradually echoed through the entire forest, as if they were a soul-stirring chant from hell.
Qin Dongwan's body was covered with goosebumps, while at the same time, Luo Shu felt her delicate wrist gently grasped by someone. Instinctively, she wanted to pull away, but hesitated when she saw the clear panic in the nearby girl's eyes, allowing herself to be held by her.
Looking at Qin Dongwan's pale face, Luo Shu could only explain it as an occasional act of goodwill on her part. She lowered her head again, the dangling earrings brushing against her snowy skin with a hint of irony.
….
Ten minutes later, the two arrived at the castle unharmed.
Qin Dongwan felt rejuvenated as she pushed the door open first. Leaving behind the biting cold winds, all blocked by a single door, the participants in this instance were few, but their extravagant costumes were uniformly exaggerated, making people laugh or cry.
As the door creaked open, several pairs of eyes turned towards them, focusing on the stark contrast between the two beauties—one tall and one short.
In the castle hall, the lighting was soft, just enough to clearly see the arrivals: one in a noble and gorgeous pure black dress, and another in a complex-patterned princess gown, making walking quite inconvenient.
This dungeon was originally difficult, and adding to the challenge was the long skirt that couldn't be easily taken off, adding another obstacle to escape.
Before she could react further, Tang Zihang, the original owner’s childhood friend, rushed over again. He was dressed like an emperor, which, combined with his punk hairstyle, looked particularly odd. His gaze swept over Luo Shu with just a glance, then fixed directly on Qin Dongwan.
"Dongwan, you've finally arrived. You've missed a lot of news; we've already allocated the rooms over here!"
"Acquaintance?"
Because the dungeon was randomly matched, the several people who were later grouped together didn't know about their relationship. Seeing this, they were still surprised and cautiously kept their distance from the two.
After all, in such a game, having an acquaintance meant that the two could help each other without conflicting in factions, which was disadvantageous to others.
Qin Dongwan glanced around. Apart from Tang Zihang, there were familiar faces in the crowd, such as the Princess delinquent girl who challenged death and a very beautiful girl standing alone on the side. Everyone wore luxurious clothes, but the charm exuded by the girl wearing them was distinctly different.
She felt this person looked somewhat familiar, so she decided to check the other's information using points. Before the system could announce anything, the faint light in the castle suddenly went out, plunging the entire world into a disquieting darkness.
The moon buried in the clouds, through the deep forest, the hoarse voice of crows played an ominous melody, like a requiem played prematurely.
Author's Note:
What's it like burying in the villainess chest?
Qin Dongwan: Online emergency, it's quite scary.
