Arc 1: Nursery Rhyme Requiem Town
Chapter 9: They Are Here
Source: https://www.jjwxc.net/onebook.php?novelid=5039729
This translation was originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com
The castle's hall was lit, and the people seated around the table wore different expressions. The only one standing was Tang Zihang, who had already walked to the door. A young girl saw him about to open it, hesitated for a moment, then stood up and followed.
"Um, Tang, Tang Zihang… are you sure you want to go into the forest now?"
The rain fell lightly, mixing with the earthy stench and the foul odor of rotting corpses. The little delinquent girl in red was dead, killed by the claws and fangs of wolves. This was something everyone already knew. Even so, the fact that he still wanted to go into the forest at night puzzled Ji Yun.
After Qin Dongwan and Luo Shu left, a strange noise suddenly came from the villa. This commotion caused the already nervous people to gather on the first floor, unwilling to stay alone in their rooms. The bright lights illuminated the girl's beautiful face as Ji Yun took a step forward and gently grabbed Tang Zihang's sleeve:
"Wait a little longer. Maybe your two friends just went out to have a look. They might not go into the forest, right? You know how dangerous the forest is at night... You should know that."
The more she spoke, the softer her voice became. Her face, slightly tilted upward, showed a pitiful expression. The beautiful girl’s face, showing such a look, was hard for the young, hot-blooded boy to resist. Tang Zihang’s expression softened, but then he suddenly remembered something, shaking his head vigorously like a rattle:
"No, Xiao Yun, you saw it too, there was no one in their room. They must've gone out. I know Dongwan; she's usually cautious and wouldn't go to such a terrifying place as the forest. But that little girl would definitely dare. Don't be fooled by her small size, her courage is huge!"
The "little girl" Tang Zihang mentioned was undoubtedly Luo Shu. Her pair of beautiful purple eyes had left a deep impression on everyone present. Especially when the words "huge courage" were mentioned, a man, who had looked terrified, suddenly stood up from his seat. The chair screeched loudly against the floor.
"It's her, yes, it's that woman! Look at her, so cute and petite, yet incredibly strong! You’re still going to look for her? Stop dreaming. Why are we sitting here right now, if not to save ourselves? And you still want to find someone? You're really a fucking saint!"
"Crack, crack... crack, crack..."
A woman, unfamiliar to the group, was clearly on edge. She kept scratching the table, trying to calm her anxious heart, unable to pay attention to their conversation. Seeing everyone else indifferent, Tang Zihang was infuriated, grabbed his umbrella, and turned to leave. But just as one foot stepped out the door, Ji Yun pulled him back.
"Wait, I’ll go with you."
The girl's voice was clear and soft, but it lacked decisiveness. It was obvious that she was summoning all her courage. She glanced worriedly at the curtain of rain outside, then grabbed Tang Zihang's sleeve. Feeling the warmth through the thin fabric, she felt slightly calmer.
"We can’t just stand by and do nothing, and I can’t let you go alone. Let’s go together; at least you’ll have some help."
"Huh? You’re just a girl..."
"Enough, let’s go."
Before the two could continue hesitating, Zuo Chu, who had been sitting by the dining table with furrowed brows, listening closely to the sounds, suddenly stood up. He pushed his chair forward and strode over with his long, straight legs. His voice was cold and low, yet carried an undeniable authority. He stepped forward and pushed the two hesitating at the door aside and casually grabbed an umbrella from the ground, and opened it:
"Sitting here won't make the clues come to us."
Unnecessary explanations never left his lips. He let out a faint snort, shifting the umbrella slightly over Ji Yun's head.
"The forest."
***
There were no living creatures as far as the eye could see. Only the skull on the ground shocked Qin Dongwan when she entered the door. Luo Shu kicked it away expressionlessly and licked her dry lips, and the candlelight reflected into her clear purple pupils, seeming to sparkle.
Unlike Qin Dongwan's nervousness, Luo Shu, who had come from a high-level game instance, was much bolder. Without even looking, she began rummaging through cabinets and drawers. Her two small, fair hands always carried a destructive power that didn’t match her appearance. With a loud "clang," she overturned the drawer cabinet placed in the corner, crouched down, and felt along the floor beneath it.
"What are you doing?"
The tension brought on by the dark and oppressive forest environment was somewhat eased by Luo Shu's violent dismantling actions. Remembering that she was still next to her favorite "raging loli," Qin Dongwan felt a bit braver, though she still occasionally kept a careful eye on her surroundings to avoid missing anything.
The room was simply furnished, almost entirely open. She recalled the description from the novel, walked to the window, and sure enough, she saw a small "death" character clearly imprinted on it.
"There were clues hidden under the table in the previous level. I want to see if there's anything here."
The result was clearly unsatisfactory. Luo Shu snorted lightly, stood up, and kicked the cabinet. "What a piece of junk."
"Wait, let's try opening the drawer and see?"
In the original book, it was Zuo Chu who came here. Afterward, he shared the clue with Ji Yun, saying the key item was there but the cabinet key was missing. She remembered the key she had taken from the little delinquent and immediately walked over, crouched down, and inserted the key into the lock. With a "click," the lock gave way, leaving a noticeable mark of loosening.
Qin Dongwan pulled it gently, and the dazzling array of items inside were eye-catching.
Source: https://www.jjwxc.net/onebook.php?novelid=5039729
This translation was originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com
Daggers, bottles, ropes... along with flowers and herbs, all sorts of things were piled inside, looking very much like the props Zuo Chu had mentioned. Qin Dongwan suddenly remembered the story on her identity card. "She" should have been killed by the evil sister’s dagger. The dagger in the drawer had a short handle with intricate patterns, and its sharp blade gleamed coldly in the candlelight. It really did resemble the description to some extent.
"This must be it!"
What she thought would be a dangerous journey turned out to be so simple that the prop was in her hands almost effortlessly. It was so simple that Qin Dongwan found it hard to believe. But when she thought about it, it was mainly thanks to Luo Shu's prowess and the fact that she knew the plot in advance. Although the advantage had weakened significantly after the first level, she still made good use of it when necessary.
"The rules for this round require us to avoid being killed by our nemesis. Each of our identity cards contains the information of a nemesis. A'Shu, take a look and see if there's any weapon here that your nemesis might use."
"Yes."
Luo Shu casually picked up a bottle, turned it around, and indeed found a poison label on it. The corner of her mouth curled up in delight. At the same time, a distant call, mixed with the sound of the wind and rain, reached their ears. The voice, a mix of male and female, seemed to be identifiable as Tang Zihang.
"Be careful of auditory hallucinations!"
Having learned from the previous lesson, Qin Dongwan immediately put on the makeshift earplugs she had crafted. She then crouched down and slipped to the bottom of the window, peering outside. The rain outside grew heavier, the torrential downpour swallowing the sounds, leaving only faint traces that reached her ears.
The cold air seeped through the window frame into the room. She and Luo Shu had clear roles—one watching the outside and the other keeping an eye on the inside. Qin Dongwan's nose itched, and she raised a hand to cover it, barely managing to suppress the sneeze that almost escaped.
The heart that had relaxed now seemed to be suspended again by a fine thread. She feared that what was approaching was a ghostly creature, one that human strength could not combat. Even the dagger she had found earlier was gripped tightly in her hand. Such a tool might be useful against a ghost, and she dared not make a sound. With bated breath, she focused and gazed outside.
"Qin Dongwan—Dongwan—"
"Is Qin Dongwan there?"
The closeness of the voices made them clear even through the rain. Clearly, they had noticed the light from the small cabin, and Tang Zihang was the first to walk this way excitedly.
"Why is there light here? Let me take a look."
"Be careful, don't come directly—"
It is undoubtedly Tang Zihang and Ji Yun.
Before she could finish speaking, Tang Zihang rushed towards this side as if he were stepping on burning coals, panting heavily. The tension in Qin Dongwan’s heart gradually eased, and the muscles that had been stiff with anxiety relaxed. She let out a breath and motioned for Luo Shu to quickly put the items away.
Luo Shu hurriedly stuffed them into a backpack, slung it over her shoulder, and shot a sharp look at Tang Zihang as he entered.
"What are you two doing here?"
"We came to find you!"
He walked in casually, completely unconcerned with Luo Shu’s displeased expression. "Did you find anything? Why did you suddenly come into the forest? Can we leave soon? I feel like something's going to happen if we stay here too long."
They had indeed found something, but both Qin Dongwan and Luo Shu were unwilling to discuss it. It was one thing that Tang Zihang came alone, but it was clear that Ji Yun, Zuo Chu, and another unfamiliar person were waiting outside.
"Come over and take a look at the clue. We can discuss the information when we get back."
Tang Zihang was easy to deal with. After hearing just one sentence from Qin Dongwan, he stopped asking questions. He handed his umbrella to her and took shelter under the unfamiliar man’s umbrella. When Qin Dongwan stepped out and closed the door, she learned that only a few of them had initially come out, and the man, named Zhong Lin, had caught up afterward.
She recalled there was indeed such a cannon fodder character in the story. Qin Dongwan nodded, dismissing the thought, as the group trudged through the wet, soft mud, struggling to move forward.
The howling wind tore through the forest with destructive force, shaking every blade of grass and tree. The downpour blurred their vision, making it hard to see. Unconsciously, Qin Dongwan reached out to grab the girl beside her. Luo Shu, who had initially flung her hand away, suddenly stepped into the mud and nearly got stuck. Only then did she reluctantly agree to hold hands.
Tang Zihang and Zhong Lin brought up the rear, while Zuo Chu and Ji Yun walked ahead. The two girls in the middle were sandwiched in the safest spot. The rain, like a curtain, swallowed their breathing, and even the faint sound of conversation was reduced to a faint rustling. Qin Dongwan suddenly realized that the umbrella from the castle was a bit too small; it barely accommodated the two of them.
One side of her shoulder was soaked by the rain, cold enough that she nearly sneezed. She barely held it back, but the discomfort was evident. Qin Dongwan glanced back instinctively at the two men huddled together behind them, but to her surprise, there were no two people in sight. Tang Zihang, holding the umbrella, staggered forward with a dazed expression, looking half-asleep, like a wandering corpse.
“Tang Zi…”
Before she could finish, the boy stumbled and fell toward her.
Author's Note:
Tang Zihang: This forest is definitely my nemesis!
