Arc 1: Nursery Rhyme Requiem Town
Chapter 3: The Nemesis Appears
Source: https://www.jjwxc.net/onebook.php?novelid=5039729
This translation was originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com
[Name] Ji Yun
[Cleared Levels] None, "Nursery Rhyme Requiem Town" is in progress.
[Reminder to the player, viewing this costs 2 points, you have 28 points remaining.]
After the subtitles appeared and before she could continue thinking, the system in the game bombarded her again:
[All players have arrived, this beginner level has begun. A reminder once again, each person plays a role that must evade pursuit from the nemesis within three days. Please identify the enemy yourself. Additionally, there's a ghost hidden among you, possessing a human. Due to this being a beginner level, we are giving a hint.
This hint is: When something is out of the ordinary, there is something wrong.
You can freely explore the castle within three days. As long as you trigger the key plot through your own items, you can find a way to eliminate the nemesis or kill the attached ghost. Additionally, please note that finding the ghost is a condition to clear the level.
If a player is possessed by the ghost, killing the ghost will also count. Next, please return to your rooms and wait for the NPC to issue tasks. We wish you a happy game.]
The system repeated it a second time, as usual, without getting tired of it, while Qin Dongwan's thoughts began to drift away.
Opposite her, a girl in a princess dress had a straight nose and red lips, a small melon-seed-shaped face, and skin like creamy jade. Her demeanor was elegant and cold. Her features were flawless at a glance.
Under her right eye, a tiny tear mole added a touch of worldly beauty to her otherwise ethereal face.
The person in front of her was Ji Yun, the heroine with the biggest golden finger, countless handsome men in her harem, who abused all the scummy supporting characters, and finally returned home with the male lead.
Qin Dongwan remembered in the novel how the original owner opposed the heroine because she liked the male lead, and after various eye-catching manipulations, ended up being shot to pieces by the heroine. Her mood immediately soured. After the announcement was repeated three times, the lights in the castle returned to their original brightness, making her eyes hurt slightly.
The cleaned stairs extended to the second floor, covered in red carpet. Despite the European castle architectural style, Qin Dongwan keenly detected the smell of disinfectant that should not have been there. Doubts gradually spread like particles in the air until they filled her entire heart.
Things were getting more and more wrong.
"By the way, you said the rooms are assigned, so only two rooms are left for me and her?"
Seeing no one speaking, Qin Dongwan broke the silence again. Tang Zihang, who had been dazedly recalling the system's words, seemed to come back to his senses at Qin Dongwan's reminder:
"The... the rooms are already assigned, only two are left. It looks like you two girls will have to make do together."
Qin Dongwan was stunned and instinctively looked over at Luo Shu.
If there was anyone in the original book that you absolutely could not offend, besides the invincibly strong heroine in the later stages, it was this main villainess, Miss Luo Shu. Ji Yun might have had reasons for her killings in the later stages, but Luo Shu, as a villainess, had no bottom line. If she was in a bad mood or did not like you, she would beat you up without hesitation.
In fact, in the original book, she only carefully read the first level and then only paid attention to Luo Shu's parts before jumping to the end to see the conclusion. While Ji Yun's growth could be attributed to those men or her inherent golden finger, Luo Shu relied entirely on her own strength. Killing without remorse, ruthless, and evil-hearted, were all synonyms for Luo Shu.
Yet, she still had the innocent appearance of a harmless lolita, her bright eyes seeming like night goblets filled with wine, intoxicating anyone who saw them.
The stark contrast between her appearance and her formidable strength greatly facilitated Luo Shu's acts of violence. In short, she was a somewhat black-bellied, cute yet ruthless master. It was precisely because of this charming contrast that she gained a following of fans with discerning tastes.
However, 2D and 3D still need to be discussed separately. Even though Luo Shu is the only character she likes in this dog-blood novel. Qin Dongwan says she can't afford to take a lucky spot and risk her life to share a room with her, and even wants to run away.
Moreover, this plot was completely absent in the original book, making her suspect that her crossing over might have directly caused some changes in the settings.
As Qin Dongwan voiced her questions, it seemed like others had just realized the situation and began walking toward the accommodations on the second floor. Luo Shu, seemingly having some objections to sharing a room with her, gave Qin Dongwan a displeased glance.
Qin Dongwan's survival instinct was strong: "A'Shu, rest assured, I promise not to kick the quilt or move around, absolutely will not cross the '38th parallel' even by an inch."
Tang Zihang chimed in from the side, "Oh, what do you two girls care about? Dongwan, you wouldn't want me pitifully squeezing with someone else in a room, what if I get killed by a strong, burly man in the middle of the night?"
Luo Shu lifted her long, thick lashes upward, her bright eyes shimmering as she lightly opened her cherry lips and spoke sharply, "If you dare touch me, your hand will be hanging at the door of the room tomorrow."
...Qin Dongwan suddenly felt a chill down her spine and nervously backed away. Although this petite girl didn't seem very threatening, as a former fan of Luo Shu, she knew she indeed had that capability.
It seems that she should tie her hands before going to bed at night to avoid being chopped off as a warning to others.
There weren't many people in the hall to begin with. After the others left scatteredly, only the three of them remained.
Luo Shu, in her 5-centimeter high heels, strode ahead with vigorous steps. Qin Dongwan followed closely behind. Immediately, she sensed the strong, pungent smell of disinfectant filling her nostrils again, a scent she hated so much.
****
Source: https://www.jjwxc.net/onebook.php?novelid=5039729
This translation was originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com
After all preparations were completed and the rooms were inspected again, it was already late into the night, with the sudden rain ceasing and the moon hanging high. Outside the castle, the weather was unpredictable, but few cared why.
Inside the bathroom, there was the sound of splashing water. Milky white steam curled within the small room, partially obscuring the tall figure behind the glass door.
As if casually glancing towards the bathroom, perhaps to prove her innocence, Luo Shu quickly turned her head and looked out at the dark night through the window.
Occasionally, faint flickers of firelight shimmered in the dense darkness, casting shadows that resembled "ghostly hands". The tree trunks here, weathered by countless frost and rains, had shed their verdant hues long ago, leaving only thin, bare branches steadfastly holding their ground.
They rose towards the sky in a similar form, seeming to grasp for something, appearing quite eerie.
But Luo Shu had passed many levels in this desperate game, so she was used to such gloomy scenery and paranormal events. As for others, she wondered if they would have the same composure.
The bathroom here appears luxurious, but in reality, there isn't even any shower gel which left Qin Dongwan feeling quite helpless.
Fortunately, she isn't obsessive about cleanliness. After a quick rinse, she began changing into the silk pajamas she had already prepared in her room. She raised her hand to wipe away the mist on the mirror, revealing her delicate oval face.
Her features combined to form a very pleasing look. High nose bridge, neatly trimmed eyebrows, and almond-shaped eyes that weren't large but looked lively on her face. Her slightly curled chestnut hair cascaded neatly behind her head, still damp with droplets dripping down.
The silk pajamas were of a simple design, snugly outlining her slender figure. The only accessory Qin Dongwan wore was a heart-shaped necklace around her neck, the center of which was pale pink on a white background, she liked to wear it even when taking a bath.
But no matter how she looked in the mirror, she still looked the same, even the heart-shaped necklace was no different. Qin Dongwan frowned slightly and reached out to touch the hanging necklace in confusion.
It truly was hers, even the scratch on it identical.
Each player's room had a rule card detailing tips on their archenemy's role. Over the next few days, they not only needed to uncover the ghost hidden among the crowd but also kill their own archenemy.
Qin Dongwan plays the role of a fallen princess who ultimately perished under the dagger of her malicious older sister. As she reminisced and pondered, she absentmindedly raised her hand and made a gesture, her fist appearing in the mirror.
She closed her palm, and the girl inside also moved with her action. In the misty haze, the palm opened wide, revealing delicate lines on the fair skin, blurred by the mist in the center.
She slowly moved her hand again, sweat already starting to trickle down from her forehead.
Just now, the gesture she made... Was it scissors or rock?
……
The mirror's surface rippled as if with shimmering water, dispersing the mist, and revealing another woman's dazzling features.
Though she wore a smile, it didn't reach her eyes; her lips seemed coated with a lipstick made of blood, which was dripping down. As her form materialized in the mirror, a chilling glint flashed from the glass.
Before the sound of shattering glass could register, a blood-soaked hand suddenly thrust out from the mirror!
In an instant, fear froze Qin Dongwan almost into paralysis on the spot. She could even discern the vague details of the bloody, blurred arm emerging from the mirror — the veins bulging and the skin peeled, a mix of vivid red and deep purple hues entangled on the arm, the gray claws sharper than usual aiming straight for her head.
“Dodge!"
The girl's sweet voice was obviously mixed with a bit of urgency. Only then did Qin Dongwan react and lean back with the help of her flexible body from long-term yoga practice, barely avoiding the attack.
Unaware of when she had already rushed to the bathroom door, Luo Shu's face unexpectedly showed excitement as she greeted her. She struck swiftly, viciously stabbing the opponent's palm with sharp shards of broken glass she found on the spot. Accompanied by a piercing scream, thick liquid instantly flowed across the entire table, a pungent smell of blood spreading through the air.
The outstretched hand quickly withdrew, and the image of the Snow Queen on the mirror also disappeared without a trace. The smooth surface reflected the diverse expressions on both girls' faces.
She looked at Luo Shu, whose chin was slightly raised in victory from the battle, the graceful curve of her profile making her heart skip a beat. It took her a moment to regain her composure.
"Thank you."
As soon as the words of thanks came out, the system that Qin Dongwan was bound to, jumped out, with a tone of regret: “Error, error! How can the thanks be so weak? It’s a life-saving grace, and you should repay it with your body!"
"Get lost, you didn't warn me there's something wrong with the mirror, what are you trying to say in hindsight—”
Of course, beauty was beauty, but she still didn't know why this villainess, who had done all kinds of bad things in the original book, would suddenly come to her aid. It was better to be cautious. The ghost appeared very quickly just now, and she still felt something was off with her body, but she couldn't detect it immediately.
The system was heartbroken: [The big villainess turned around to help you, and you are still suspecting if she has other intentions. Don’t you feel even a bit moved?]
Before she had time to respond, Luo Shu's expression changed. The dagger she carried with her instantly unsheathed. Her gaze turned ruthless in a flash, and she stabbed towards her head without hesitation!
Author's Note:
Qin Dongwan: I have to be afraid. In the original book, she hung me up and beat me!
P.S. Qin Dongwan used her own body to transmigrate into the book.
