The dilapidated temple hadn't been cleaned in a long time; cobwebs hung in the corners of the rooms, the floor was covered in dust, and fragments of the smashed mountain god statue were scattered everywhere. It was certainly impossible to sleep in such an environment.
Since they had decided to use this dilapidated temple as a temporary base, they definitely needed to clean up the mess inside. Yu Hanjiang looked around, then turned and went to the back of the house to pull up a bunch of long, wild grass, making two brooms.
The four of them quickly tidied up the house.
After cleaning the house, Xiao Lou found some dry grass and spread it on the ground to make a large, simple bed. Everyone slept on the grass, which was better than having their backs directly in contact with the cold ground.
At this moment, the timer bar in the floating frame above the four people's heads had changed to "[ Liuxi Village Day 1, 3:00 AM]".
It was extremely quiet around them. The other Challengers had already left the ruined temple. The four of them sat on the hay. Xiao Lou considerately asked, "Since entering Liuxi Village, none of you have eaten, right? Shall we get some late-night snacks?"
They were thrown into the village at dusk. The villagers were wandering around, and everyone was hiding to carefully observe the situation in the village, completely forgetting about eating.
At this moment, Xiao Lou brought it up, and everyone realized that their stomachs were growling with hunger.
Ye Qi rubbed his rumbling stomach and said, "We have no food on us, and this is a secluded little village. Even if CEO Shao has a million in his account, we can't withdraw it. Sigh, it's a real pity to have money but nowhere to spend it!"
Xiao Lou smiled and looked at him: " After clearing Spade 3 Secret Room, didn't you get a supply pack as a reward?"
Ye Qi remembered the card and immediately took out the card [Supply Pack].
Upon opening it, it indeed read "You can get Mineral Water ×1, Compressed Biscuit ×1, Instant Noodles ×1", but the card also had a restriction at the end - it can only be used once per Secret Room World.
Ye Qi couldn't help but complain: " Ace of Spades is so stingy, only giving us this little bit of food, and each room can only be used once. If we use it up today, we won't be able to use it again for the next six days."
Xiao Lou said, "This is an emergency supply pack. It's for when we can't find food. For example, Ace of Spades might dump us in a desert or snowfield where it's hard to find food. This supply pack can save our lives then."
Ye Qi nodded: "That's true. Finding food in this world isn't too difficult, much better than deserts or snowfields. At least, we don't have to worry about drinking water, there's a mountain spring right next to us."
Yu Hanjiang said, "Keep the supply card for now. You can find a bamboo tube to collect spring water to drink. As for food..." He turned his head to look at the moonlight outside the window, stood up and said, "I'll think of a way."
Xiao Lou followed, puzzled: " Captain Yu, do you want to go hunting in the mountains?"
Yu Hanjiang said, "Isn't there a pond on the north side of the village? Let's go see if there are any fish. There might also be fish in the stream." He paused and said, "We can use the cards we drew. I remember Ye Qi has a guitar card that can put people to sleep in a certain area when played. It should work on these animals too, right?"
Ye Qi's eyes lit up: "Hmm, it's a pity that my guitar is an A-grade card, which isn't very strong. It can only put you to sleep for three seconds."
Yu Hanjiang said, "Three seconds is enough."
Shao Qingge chuckled and stroked his chin: "No wonder the locals always say that we ' outsiders ' have magic powers, can play the guitar, and can make fish fall asleep. It all sounds unbelievable... I'll go and see for myself."
The four of them went down the mountain together to the pond.
The pond was about a kilometer from the village. At three in the morning, the villagers were all fast asleep, so Ye Qi could play the guitar softly without worrying about attracting their attention. Xiao Lou had prepared dozens of rings in advance and chained them together to make a makeshift fishing net.
Yu Hanjiang held a sharp twig in his hand, staring intently at the clear pool water.
Under the moonlight, there were indeed some fish swimming quickly in the pond. When Yu Hanjiang saw this, he winked at Xiao Lou, who immediately threw the ring into the pond, trapping several fish. Ye Qi then took out the guitar and gently strummed it a few times.
The fish, which had been darting around aimlessly after being trapped, fell into a deep sleep upon hearing the music and collectively sank to the bottom.
Yu Hanjiang, quick-witted and agile, grabbed a tree branch and plunged it into the pond, accurately catching two fish.
Ye Qi gave a thumbs up: "This fish is really fat!"
Yu Hanjiang said, "Continue."
The three worked together seamlessly and in the blink of an eye, they caught more than ten plump and fresh fish.
Shao Qingge couldn't help, so he stood by and watched the show. He couldn't help but think that even if he were thrown into the wilderness, he probably wouldn't starve. They could catch fish in this way and wipe out all the fish in the pond.
Sixteen were caught in total. Yu Hanjiang, seeing that he had done his job, told everyone to return to the dilapidated temple.
The four returned home laden with their loot.
Back at the dilapidated temple, Ye Qi glanced at the string of large fish that Professor Xiao had lifted with a ring, scratched his head, and said, "These fish are all raw, how are we going to eat them?"
Xiao Lou smiled slightly and summoned Bai Juyi.
The Old Charcoal Seller, in any world, can generate a ball of charcoal anytime, anywhere.
Ye Qi stared wide-eyed at the charcoal fire in front of him: "No wonder Captain Yu said he wanted to catch fish, we can roast wild game right here!"
Xiao Lou laughed and said, "Xiao Ye, you don't have to worry about going hungry if you come with us. Tomorrow, Captain Yu and I will go into the mountains to catch some pheasants and rabbits and roast them for everyone."
Ye Qi: "..."
Are you here to complete a challenge, or to have a vacation in the mountains?
Ye Qi, who once survived by eating tree leaves in the Nightmare Secret Room, was so moved by the fact that she could eat barbecue anytime, anywhere thanks to the expert, that her mouth watered.
Although the charcoal fire generated by Bai Juyi only lasts for 30 minutes, there are many dry branches around. By collecting these branches and using them as firewood, the fire can be kept burning until it goes out.
Yu Hanjiang cleaned and gutted the fresh fish. He was clearly skilled in wilderness survival techniques. He found some bamboo tubes, stuffed the fish inside, and roasted them over a fire so that the fish skin wouldn't burn.
A moment later, the aroma of grilled fish filled the air, mixed with the fresh scent of bamboo leaves. Yu Hanjiang took the bamboo tube and handed it to everyone, saying, "It's cooked, eat up."
Ye Qi's eyes lit up as he ate the fresh grilled fish with great satisfaction, and suddenly the dilapidated temple felt incredibly welcoming.
After the four of them had eaten and drunk their fill, they grilled a few more fish as a food reserve before finally going to sleep around the charcoal fire.
The other Challengers sleeping in the mountains shivered in the cold night wind. The four of them slept soundly in the dilapidated temple, with soft dry grass under them and a warm charcoal fire burning beside them. They even had a fresh bamboo-tube grilled fish for supper. It was an incredibly comfortable night's sleep.
***
The next morning at eight o'clock, all four of them woke up at the same time.
A notification appeared in the floating window: " Liuxi Village Day 1, 8:00 AM, Number of gems remaining: 5."
The message startled all four of them, and their drowsiness vanished instantly.
Ye Qi said in disbelief, "Two gems have already been found? Did these people not sleep at all last night?"
Xiao Lou frowned slightly: "There are only seven gems, and there are more than 20 Challengers. That means that, barring any unforeseen circumstances, this secret room can only be cleared by a maximum of 14 people. With more monks than porridge, it's natural to feel more at ease as soon as we find the gems."
Shao Qingge pinched his brow helplessly and said, "But going directly into the village to search last night was too risky, wasn't it? Especially the Tibetan Mastiff at Grandma Qin's house. If it were disturbed, it could wake up the whole village."
Xiao Lou thought for a moment and said, "It doesn't necessarily have to be in the village to look for them. Maybe there are gems outside the village—like in this dilapidated temple."
Ye Qi was taken aback: "But we thoroughly cleaned the dilapidated temple last night and searched every corner, but we didn't find any gems."
Yu Hanjiang said with certainty, "The gems in the dilapidated temple have probably already been taken."
Ye Qi quickly realized: " Captain Yu means that the girl with the Lightness Skill from yesterday actually found a gem in the ruined temple? That's why she rushed to leave when she saw us come in, afraid we would steal her things?!"
Yu Hanjiang nodded: "It seems so."
Upon reflection, the girl was actually very clever. She used "human bones" to change the subject, drawing everyone's attention to the human bones in the backyard and causing them to overlook the fact that since the dilapidated temple contained important clues, it was highly likely that it also contained the gems needed to complete the level.
In his search for the gem, Challenger digs through the strange ground. While searching for the gem, he discovers a large crater where the dead are buried.
She likely found the gem first, then discovered the human bones. She used the homing lantern to lure the Challengers, and the bones to divert everyone's attention. Next, all she needed to do was hide and avoid being caught by the other Challengers to successfully complete the level.
She has a card that allows her to fly using trees, making her very difficult to catch. Furthermore, the exact effect of her disguise card is still unknown; last night she disguised herself as a little girl in a red dress. If she could disguise herself as Villager, she could easily win the game.
Ye Qi regretted his actions and said angrily, "We were all deceived by her. If we had known, we shouldn't have let her go so easily last night."
Yu Hanjiang turned to look at him: "You want to steal her jewels?"
Ye Qi immediately shook his head: "No, how can four grown men bully a little girl and steal her things? I just want to see what the gem looks like so it will be easier to find later."
Shao Qingge looked at Ye Qi with a half-smile, sizing her up from head to toe: "Four grown men? Including you?"
Ye Qi was stunned: "Doesn't that include me?"
Shao Qingge said with a smile, "You're not a grown man, you're more like a little boy in every way."
Ye Qi realized that he was mocking his immaturity, so he decided to ignore CEO Shao and turned to Xiao Lou: " Professor Xiao, where should we go to look for gems next? Where do you think the chances of finding gems are higher?"
Xiao Lou said, "Grandma Qin's family should have one."
When playing single-player RPGs, you're almost guaranteed to find items in the homes of NPCs who are on higher difficulty levels. Old Mrs. Qin keeps a huge, ferocious Tibetan Mastiff; her home will likely contain either gems or important clues.
Ye Qi said with a headache, "That Tibetan Mastiff has an extremely keen sense of smell. If we don't deal with it, we won't be able to go in and search at all."
Yu Hanjiang walked to the window, glanced at the clear blue sky outside, and said, "It's a sunny day today, the Villagers will definitely be out and about. We'll sneak in when Grandma Qin goes out to walk her dog. We can use the Invisibility Cloak we got from Heart 3; half an hour of invisibility is enough for us to search her house."
Ye Qi guessed, "She took the dog out for a walk yesterday evening, so will she wait until evening to walk the dog again today?"
Shao Qingge suddenly interjected: "People who own dogs usually walk them at fixed times, and after dinner is the best time."
Ye Qi turned to look at him: " CEO Shao, you..."
Have you ever owned a dog?
Shao Qingge said, "I once owned a Samoyed."
Ye Qi's eyes lit up: "You mean those beautiful dogs that are pure white and always look like they're smiling?"
Shao Qingge nodded: "That's right, you also know about Samoyeds?"
Ye Qi said, "I love dogs. I used to have a little Teddy."
The two started talking about dog breeds, from Samoyeds to Huskies. Unable to get a word in edgewise, Xiao Lou turned to find Captain Yu.
The villagers of Liuxi Village seem to be used to fetching water at night, so the mountains are quite quiet in the morning. Yu Hanjiang looked down the mountain and said, "During the day, the villagers are easy to spot if they move around. We can only act in the evening."
Xiao Lou nodded in agreement: "After Grandma Qin leads Tibetan Mastiff out the door, we'll put on the Invisibility Cloak and search her house."
Yu Hanjiang said, "Also, have Ye Qi put the eavesdropping device at the village chief's house, Niu Niu's house, and the doctor's house."
Xiao Lou turned to look at him: "You mean, these few companies might have clues?"
Yu Hanjiang said, "Do you remember what happened when we entered the village yesterday? A woman and a man were talking and she mentioned that her daughter, Niu Niu, had caught a cold from being caught in the rain and she was going to her mother-in-law to get some medicine. After Grandma Qin discovered the strangers, she also asked a young man to notify the village chief. These people whose names and identities are mentioned should be helpful in solving the mystery."
If it were simply a Spade Secret Room, they would only need to avoid the Villager.
But since it's hearts When Spade collaborates with an escape room game, the names and identities of the characters need to be considered. Having experienced Heart 3 and Red Heart 4, Xiao Lou knows that those whose names are specifically mentioned in the escape room's storyline are definitely not without purpose.
Sick Little Girl Niu Niu, along with the village doctor and the village chief, might be able to help them unravel the mystery of the village's massacre thirty years ago.
Xiao Lou smiled and said, " It seems that Ye Qi's eavesdropping device will be of great help this time."
Yu Hanjiang said, "Since we have nothing to do now, why don't we go into the mountains and find some wild game? We can improve everyone's meals."
Xiao Lou nodded and followed him.
Last night, most of the Challengers rested in the mountains. As the two of them walked along, they saw some people secretly fetching water from the spring, some using slingshots to shoot birds in the trees, and some climbing trees to find bird eggs. Everyone relied on their own abilities to find food, and they tacitly refrained from interfering with each other.
The fish caught last night were enough to last three days, but eating fish all the time would get boring. Since they couldn't go into the village during the day anyway, Yu Hanjiang led Xiao Lou deeper into the mountains to hunt some pheasants and rabbits.
Although Yu Hanjiang had a gun, it was daytime, and if he used it rashly, he might lure Villager up the mountain. Therefore, Yu Hanjiang decided to use a ring to hunt.
Xiao Lou handed the Compass card to Captain Yu to play.
The two hid behind a tree and waited patiently.
A moment later, a gray hare hopped and skipped across the grass to forage for food. Yu Hanjiang kept a close eye on it, and the moment it stopped, he suddenly manipulated the Ring to snare it accurately!
The captured rabbit was panicked and unable to move, so Yu Hanjiang went over and pulled it up.
Just then, everything went black before Xiao Lou's eyes.
The dizziness in his head felt like the cerebral ischemia caused by suddenly standing up after sitting for a long time. Xiao Lou immediately reached out to hold onto the tree next to him, but everything went dark. His right hand touched nothing, and he tripped over a stone, about to fall.
The next moment, she suddenly fell into someone's arms, and Yu Hanjiang's deep, steady voice sounded in her ear: "Are you alright?"
Xiao Lou smiled wryly: "I might be affected by the blindness buff; I can't see anything."
When a normal person suddenly goes blind, and everything goes dark, it's natural to feel fear. Just now, Xiao Lou almost tripped, but luckily Yu Hanjiang caught him in time.
Xiao Lou calmed down and realized that he was in Yu Hanjiang's arms. He could clearly feel Captain Yu's strong chest muscles and steady heartbeat.
He already liked men, and when Yu Hanjiang hugged him so gently, Xiao Lou's breath hitched. He quickly and calmly steadied himself, his heart pounding.
Yu Hanjiang didn't notice anything unusual about him. He waved his five fingers in front of Xiao Lou's eyes and found that Xiao Lou's clear eyes didn't react at all.
Yu Hanjiang frowned and asked, "Did you suddenly go blind without any warning?"
Xiao Lou nodded: "Yeah, I felt a sudden dizziness, and then I couldn't see anything."
Yu Hanjiang pondered: "It seems the warning we received when we entered Liuxi Village was correct—every Challenger goes blind for 3 hours at random times each day. You can't see anything for the next 3 hours. Let's go back first."
Xiao Lou nodded and asked, "What about the rabbit from earlier?"
Yu Hanjiang said, "I caught it, I'll roast it for you when we get back."
After he finished speaking, he stretched out his right arm and let Xiao Lou's hand rest on his arm, his voice low and gentle: "Don't worry, I'll take you with me."
Suddenly blind, with the world in complete darkness, and being in the mountains, Xiao Lou was understandably nervous, worried that he might fall and tumble down.
But Yu Hanjiang was very considerate, helping him walk slowly and reminding him, "Watch your step, this is downhill, there's a step."
Xiao Lou hummed in response, her fingers tightening slightly as she gripped Yu Hanjiang's right arm.
The man's arm was muscular and firm. Normally, blindness is a terrifying prospect, but after taking a few steps while supporting Yu Hanjiang's strong arm, Xiao Lou's emotions gradually calmed down.
Xiao Lou knew that even if he went blind, with Yu Hanjiang by his side, he had nothing to worry about.
Yu Hanjiang would proactively clear away the branches in front of him to prevent him from getting scratched; when crossing the steps...
When it's wet, she'll remind him in advance to prepare to take a step; when they encounter slippery ground, Yu Hanjiang will gently put her arm around his shoulder and lead him along...
Xiao Lou was plunged into darkness and could only cling tightly to Captain Yu's arm.
After he grew up and discovered that he liked boys, he would deliberately keep his distance from other men. This was the first time he had been so close to a man.
Xiao Lou discovered that she wasn't at all averse to Captain Yu's approach; on the contrary, she really liked the reassuring and calm aura he exuded.
Author's Note: Xiao Lou is going blind, so Captain Yu needs to take this opportunity to show off!
The romance is progressing slowly, but plot-driven novels can't be rushed, so let's take it slow:)