Chapter 20: Hide and Seek

Mini-game?

Chen Mu pondered carefully. In his memory, he couldn't recall ever seeing a mini-game in the Mist Museum.

He had visited once before, but it was already past eight in the evening, and the Duke’s banquet had started immediately.

Could it be that arriving earlier meant different tasks at different times?

That was a possibility!

Led by the old butler, Chen Mu arrived at the Duke’s living room.

The living room was converted from the first floor of the museum.

Inside the museum were various exhibits: medieval short swords, knight helmets, yellowed parchment... every corner exuded an ancient charm.

The entire first floor was bathed in a dim yellow hue, the space shadowy, with only one or two fireplaces burning faintly, casting a soft amber glow.

At that moment, four others were already waiting in the hall.

They stood in the center beneath a European-style chandelier.

All of them looked around warily and curiously.

When the old butler arrived, their gazes immediately fixed on him, as he was clearly the mini-boss of the mission in their eyes.

But what happened next left them dumbfounded.

The old butler led Chen Mu to an antique sofa, inviting him to sit with a smile and asked, “Mr. Chen, would you like something to drink? We have hot water and black tea.”

“I’ll have the black tea,” Chen Mu replied calmly.

“Very well, please wait a moment.”

After a short while, the butler returned carrying a tray with a teacup.

He placed the cup beside Chen Mu, lifted the lid, revealing steaming black tea.

Chen Mu took a sip. This was meant for drinking, not some strange concoction, so it tasted quite pleasant.

The others were stunned. Chen Mu leisurely sipping tea on the sofa made it hard to tell if he was here for a life-or-death mission or a vacation.

The butler’s service was so attentive? And there was tea?

Yet, no one else saw the butler come over to ask what they wanted.

It seemed the butler’s courtesy was reserved solely for Chen Mu.

Everyone here was on a dangerous mission; why such disparity?

Ten minutes passed, Chen Mu finished his tea, and the butler returned, addressing the group:

“Dear guests, the Duke’s banquet is still being prepared.

To help pass the time, the Duke has arranged a mini-game for you.

The game is called ‘Hide and Seek.’

To ensure everyone enjoys the game, please strictly follow these rules:

1. The game will begin in five minutes and last for two hours, after which it will end automatically.

2. Once the game begins, security guards will patrol the museum. They will kill intruders. Do not let the guards find you.

3. During the game, do not leave the first floor of the Mist Museum. Leaving this area will result in death.

4. If you are spotted by guards, do your best to evade them. However, while hiding, do not touch any exhibits.

5. Apart from the floor and walls, all immovable objects are the Duke’s exhibits.

6. Exhibits must not be moved or touched. Anyone who dares will face the Duke’s punishment.

These are the game rules. Please prepare yourselves; the game will start soon.”

After speaking, the butler gave them a strange smile and left the first floor.

The vast museum was now left with only Chen Mu, Wang Dafu, a woman, a green-haired man, and a yellow-haired man.

The mechanical clock on the wall ticked steadily. The group fell silent, carefully memorizing the butler’s words.

The atmosphere grew eerie; the air’s temperature slowly dropped, the floor dampened, as if something was about to appear.

The woman clung tightly to Wang Dafu, hoping he could save her.

But Wang Dafu himself was barely holding on, sweat beading on his forehead. He admitted this game was far more thrilling and tense than any business battle he’d faced, because now the stakes were his life.

The green-haired and yellow-haired men fared no better. They had heard that in these strange missions, rules must be obeyed.

They also knew that sometimes, the key to survival lay hidden within the rules.

If one could find the path to survival, even the hardest missions could be breezed through.

But such insight was no easy feat.

Especially at the start of a bizarre apocalypse, when everyone was a novice, discovering the path to survival was like climbing a mountain.

“Brother, this old butler is ruthless. The rules are so harsh, it seems like he never intended to let us live,” the green-haired man said, his voice full of fear.

“Yeah, I can accept not touching exhibits. But everything immovable except the floor and walls is an exhibit?

Doesn’t that mean we can’t even touch cabinets or sofas when hiding?

How is this supposed to be playable?” the yellow-haired man said, looking grim. The mission’s rules were brutally strict; he even suspected the butler was targeting them.

In contrast to their anxiety, Chen Mu appeared calm.

He wandered the museum, thinking deeply, taking the opportunity before the game started to scrutinize his surroundings.

This was the hallmark of an expert: rather than wasting time whining, better to observe and increase one’s chances.

Though the butler promised Chen Mu would leave alive, Chen Mu was still searching for a way out.

He knew well that if he stopped thinking, his experience would quickly fade.

If he faced a brutally difficult rule later, his prospects would be grim.

Chen Mu reflected on the rules, acknowledging their severity and oppressive nature.

Not touching exhibits meant he couldn’t fight back with nearby items when facing guards—he could only passively hide and had to be careful not to bump into tables or chairs.

Under these conditions, hiding for two hours seemed nearly impossible.

No, there must be a way out.

From his experience, sometimes the path to survival was hidden precisely within the strict rules!

If one failed to see it, the harsh rules would lead only to death.

But with enough wisdom and insight, the harsh rules could instead help one survive.

So what were these harsh rules trying to hint at?

As Chen Mu pondered deeply, the clock on the wall suddenly sounded a heavy chime.

Five minutes had passed!

A chill swept through the air!

A faint white mist began to form within the museum. In the swirling fog, it seemed something was about to emerge.

The game had begun.