Chapter 15: Class A Yellow, Lotus Lake (Part 4)

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Kong Yueming asked in surprise, “How did you know?”

“I’m from Haicheng University,” Ge Hua said suspiciously. “You’re not, by any chance?”

Chen Diandian scratched her head. “I’m a freshman.”

Ji Xianxing did not feel like speaking and merely nodded.

Fang Xiaoyi smiled. “I’m not. I’m a guidance counselor.”

The five university students immediately widened their eyes and stared at her, each silently rejoicing that she was not their counselor.

Xu Yiliu thought, Just as I expected.

No wonder everyone was so easy to communicate with. If this had been a group of those worldly old schemers, each one would have looked down at others from the corners of their nostrils, and the whole place would probably have descended into chaos by now.

Only people from a school would be this obedient. If told not to wander off, they truly would not wander off.

Their shared affiliation with the same university brought the strangers somewhat closer. Even sitting down to eat together no longer felt quite so oppressive.

Although none of them said so aloud, all six still finished their meal as quickly as possible, leaving the maids and servants to clear everything away.

While the maids and servants were absent, the six of them discussed matters carefully and decided to act in pairs, with the three people who had completed Class B and Class A missions leading the other three. This would minimize unnecessary casualties as much as possible.

Xu Yiliu felt there was another reason as well.

Those who could complete Class B missions or higher might not excel in every respect, but at least they had enough sense not to die too quickly. If the person they were leading happened to die by accident, the other person might still obtain some useful information.

Of course, she knew her thoughts were rather dark and would never say them aloud.

The moment Kong Yueming heard the arrangement, she tried to claim Xu Yiliu. “I’ll team up with her!”

“Then I’ll be with the teacher.” Chen Diandian smiled at Fang Xiaoyi and said ingratiatingly, “I’m very obedient. Just point me at something, and I’ll hit it.”

Fang Xiaoyi nodded gently.

Ge Hua pushed up her glasses. “Then, then we…”

Ji Xianxing did not respond. She remained silent and did not even nod.

The atmosphere grew awkward. Xu Yiliu tugged at Kong Yueming, preparing to make her escape, and said, “There must be something strange about Lotus Lake. It would be too dangerous to investigate at night. While it’s still light, I’m going to take a look at the lake first. Are you coming?”

Fang Xiaoyi thought for a moment. “Why don’t we split into three groups? One group goes to Lotus Lake, another makes contact with the acrobat troupe, and the last goes to question the steward about the estate. How does that sound?”

Ge Hua glanced at Ji Xianxing’s expression. No matter how reserved she was by nature, she still had to steel herself and ask, “Sis, shall we go find the acrobat troupe?”

“Mm.” Ji Xianxing seemed extremely reluctant to speak.

Fang Xiaoyi also breathed a sigh of relief.

After only half a day together, anyone could tell that Ji Xianxing was difficult to communicate with. They certainly could not entrust her group with questioning the steward. Fang Xiaoyi was indeed the most suitable person for that task.

Xu Yiliu spotted Kong Yueming’s maid, Jixiang, coming out and tugged at her. “Let’s go.”

The group dispersed just like that.

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As they walked, Kong Yueming’s nerves gradually tightened again. She clung firmly to Xu Yiliu’s arm and refused to let go.

Xu Yiliu, however, remained calm. On the data panel, her emotional value stayed steadily at ninety-eight, with barely any fluctuation.

This mission was difficult, but it was not as fraught with danger as the shopping mall had been. The half-month time limit was generous as well. Her instincts told her that fretting, trembling, and fearing the worst would accomplish nothing. All she could do was speak carefully and act cautiously.

After all, she still had not figured out how Ruyi had died.

Lotus Lake was not small. The entire area behind the estate stretched out beneath its waters, vast and rippling, with lotus flowers and leaves growing thickly across the surface.

When the two of them reached the bridge, Kong Yueming gazed at the lake, as if lost in thought, and murmured, “A lake this large ought to have a pavilion in the middle.”

There was no pavilion. Only a wooden bridge stood at a relatively narrow and hazardous point along the shore—the very place where they were now standing.

A faint sense of strangeness arose in Xu Yiliu. “A pavilion in the middle of the lake?”

Kong Yueming looked at her blankly. “What pavilion?”

“You just mentioned it.”

“Huh? Did I say something?” Kong Yueming stared at her in confusion.

A breeze blew across the lake, chilling Xu Yiliu’s fingertips. She turned her gaze away and said, “Nothing. I must have misheard you.”

She glanced back. There was no one behind them.

Jixiang, the maid, was standing a little farther away, waiting quietly.

“How deep do you think this lake is?” Kong Yueming suddenly asked.

Xu Yiliu did not answer, but she shifted her steps slightly away from the water.

The woman beside her leaned over the wooden railing and looked down at the lake. “It’s pitch-black. I can’t swim. If I fell in, would you save me?”

Xu Yiliu considered her answer. “That would depend on whether I happened to be there.”

If she was not there, she would not save her. If she was there, she would not save her either.

Kong Yueming said fearfully, “I’m so afraid of drowning. I heard it’s incredibly painful. I don’t want to die like that. If you’re going to take a boat, I won’t go. I’ll just watch you from the shore. I’ll watch you…”

The more she spoke, the harder her hands began to tremble.

Smack!

Xu Yiliu slapped her.

Not across the face, but on the shoulder.

She had not held back. The pain finally brought Kong Yueming back to her senses, and she stared blankly at Xu Yiliu.

Xu Yiliu gripped her shoulder and looked into her eyes. “What’s wrong with you?”

Kong Yueming clutched her own arm in terror. “I don’t know. I keep feeling that someone is secretly watching us—watching me. I’m terribly frightened.”

“What’s your emotional value right now?”

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Although Xu Yiliu had expected it to be low, she had not imagined that Kong Yueming’s number could fall this far.

Thirty-four.

Kong Yueming’s lips trembled. “The system note says… auditory and visual hallucinations. What does that mean?”

“It means you’re probably frightening yourself right now.” Xu Yiliu did her best to steady her. She could hardly tell her that something might deliberately be trying to scare her.

She repeatedly thought back over the journey. She and Kong Yueming had been walking together, had not spoken much, and had not come into contact with anyone else. When, exactly, had Kong Yueming fallen under the influence of whatever this was?

Kong Yueming hurriedly nodded. “Right. Auditory and visual hallucinations. They’re all fake. I’m frightening myself.”

Clinging to that thought, she finally calmed down considerably.

A few scattered vendors came and went beside Lotus Lake. They were said to be families from the nearby villages. They knew there was a lotus lake here, and many people came to take boats for amusement whenever they had nothing else to do, allowing the villagers to earn a little money.

However, Xu Yiliu and the others could travel only between the estate and Lotus Lake. They could not see anything beyond that area and had to rely solely on the vendors’ descriptions.

Xu Yiliu slipped silver to the vendors as she gathered information, while keeping an eye on Kong Yueming’s every movement.

In some ways, what happened to Kong Yueming was even more worthy of attention.

Yet as the afternoon passed and dusk gradually approached, Xu Yiliu had finished asking the vendors everything she needed to know. She had learned nearly all there was to learn about the lake’s surroundings and the boat rentals, while Kong Yueming had caused no further trouble. She merely seemed distracted, as though lost in thought.

Xu Yiliu took note of it but deliberately said nothing to frighten her. She only smiled and said, “Let’s go back. It’s probably nearly time for dinner. Are you hungry?”

Kong Yueming nodded. “A little.”

The two of them headed toward the main hall. Along the way, Kong Yueming kept turning around, as though searching for something.

Xu Yiliu followed her gaze twice but saw nothing.

Kong Yueming hesitated. “I still feel as though someone is following us.”

“Whether it’s a hallucination or not, you’d better not wander off alone.” Xu Yiliu did not want to make a cynical remark, but that was all she could say.

Whether one lived or died could be helped along by others, but ultimately, one still had to rely on oneself.

Before entering the main hall, Kong Yueming caught hold of Xu Yiliu’s sleeve. “Can I stay with you tonight?”

Xu Yiliu looked back at her and did not refuse immediately. “I’ll think about it. I suggest you think about it too. Moving rooms carries its own risks.”

Kong Yueming nodded hesitantly. “Mm.”

Xu Yiliu did not try to persuade her further.

She had said what needed to be said. Whether Kong Yueming listened was her own affair.

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