56: Chapter 56: The Festival of Sacrifice (Part 1)

"Welcome to Changsheng Village. We will begin a pleasant week-long journey here."

Qian Ye had just regained consciousness when she heard these words.

Ah, she had already entered the game.

Hehe, her three-bedroom apartment was waiting for her just ahead.

Accidentally, the excited Qian Ye let out a laugh, and instantly, the gazes of everyone around her converged on her.

"Hehe, sorry, I'm just a bit excited."

Qian Ye flashed a brilliant smile at everyone.

Some players looked at her strangely; was this person an NPC or a player?

Seeing her lack of tension and the aura of joy she seemed to radiate, she looked more like an NPC. Any player entering would be in an exceptionally tense state.

For a moment, Qian Ye didn't realize she had been categorized as an NPC by them; those people shot her a wary look.

They were in a team-based dungeon, and their priority was to identify the players to form an alliance as quickly as possible. For the final reward, everyone wanted to make it out alive.

Twilight was falling. Where they had parked, dense forests lined both sides of a small path covered in gravel. It seemed endless and exceptionally deep at a glance.

Qian Ye calmly observed her surroundings—the unchanging, gloomy gray weather, not a breath of wind, and a hint of decay in the air.

Behind the group stood a vehicle covered in mottled marks; one could faintly identify it as a Tour Bus.

The group consisted of about twenty people, all dressed differently. Some wore bright, youthful, and energetic outfits, while others looked more mature, mostly wearing trench coats.

"We're still some distance away from the actual Changsheng Village."

"The road ahead is difficult. For the rest of the journey, we'll have to go on foot."

"Don't forget your luggage, everyone."

As soon as the Tour Guide's voice fell, a chorus of wails broke out.

"This is too hard. I have so much luggage."

"Yeah, that's not what was said at the beginning. Why do we have to carry our own luggage?"

The first to speak up were the brightly dressed young NPCs. Some NPCs went straight to grab their luggage, while those still standing still were clearly players. Without a script and afraid to act rashly, they remained in a wait-and-see state.

While they were busy looking for players to form an alliance, Qian Ye had already mingled her way over to the Tour Guide.

"Tour Guide, I like to follow local customs. Can I choose not to bring any luggage?" Qian Ye looked at him with a smile, her face looking well-behaved and clever.

The Tour Guide froze, turning his head mechanically. His face twisted as he glared at her, gritting his teeth, "Fine."

He never expected such an answer.

The NPCs easily found their luggage, but the players couldn't be sure of their identities. The remaining luggage was all mixed together, and they weren't sure which was theirs, leading to a temporary stalemate.

"What are you doing? Hurry up and grab your luggage, we need to get moving!"

"Right, it'll be dark in a bit."

The players glanced at each other. Qian Ye looked up lazily and said, "It doesn't say you have to take your own. Whoever is stronger can help carry the heavier ones."

This single sentence gave them a hint. Some players looked at Qian Ye in surprise; it seemed this person wasn't an NPC.

Following Qian Ye's hint, the taller ones chose the larger pieces of luggage. They quickly resolved the luggage issue, and the group followed the Tour Guide deep into the path.

The gravel on the ground caused a lot of trouble for those dragging luggage. Dragging the luggage increased the friction, making it more tiring and harder to walk.

"Ugh, I'm not going any further. I'm exhausted. This isn't a tour, it's torture. I'm not going, take me back."

"Xie Hong, are you crazy? You're the one who insisted on coming, and now you're the first to regret it."

Stared at by everyone around her, Xie Hong's face turned ashen. "If I'd known it would be this much trouble, I wouldn't have come."

"Mei Mei, stop it. How about I carry her luggage for her?"

Mei Mei was the one who had snapped at Xie Hong.

Hearing her boyfriend offer to help another woman with her luggage, Mei Mei instantly exploded. "Song Hao, are you my boyfriend or hers?" She was carrying her own luggage; it was one thing that he didn't help her, but now he wanted to help another woman.

Qian Ye had somehow blended in beside Mei Mei and said casually, "Oh? I thought Song Hao was Xie Hong's boyfriend. After all, only a boyfriend would think of helping his girlfriend with her luggage~"

After saying that, her gaze casually fell on the many bags Mei Mei was carrying.

At this, Mei Mei's face turned red with anger as she glared at Song Hao.

"Who are you? I don't even know you. Stop making sarcastic remarks." Song Hao glared at Qian Ye and quickly turned to coax his boyfriend.

"Qian Yes assumed NPC identity, why are you meddling in their business?"

"If you cause any more trouble, go back." The speaker was a woman in a trench coat with a high ponytail, looking quite heroic, but her eyes held deep dissatisfaction as she looked at Qian Ye.

Qian Ye was very surprised; the ones calling her name were those NPCs mostly dressed in trench coats.

She had thought that being so young and beautiful, she belonged to the youthful and energetic faction, but she was mistaken.

Having learned her name, Qian Ye shrugged, lost interest in watching the drama, and made her way over to the group of NPCs in trench coats.

Including her, there were ten people in this group. Seeing the luggage in their hands while she was empty-handed, Qian Ye seemed to realize—was the identity she was playing actually that of a pampered young lady?

No one said anything was wrong with her not carrying luggage.

The nearby players were dumbfounded. Seeing how quickly she found clues, her moves were amazing. For a moment, they were all tempted to act but lacked the courage, fearing they might accidentally trigger a death rule.

"Mei Mei, I'm just afraid she'll slow us down. It's almost dark, after all."

"Hmph."

"Stop arguing. If we don't leave now, it'll be dark." The Tour Guide in front turned around, looking at the noisy group with a gloomy gaze. Perhaps it was the backlighting, but his face was hidden in the shadows, and something seemed to be wriggling on it.

Qian Ye blinked, and when she looked at him again, his face appeared normal.

"If you don't want to go, you can choose to go back on your own."

Qian Ye suddenly stepped forward and patted the Tour Guide's shoulder. "Hey, Brother Tour Guide, that's not right. You'll get reported for this."

"This could affect your career."

Qian Ye held down the Tour Guide who wanted to reach out and continued, "Since I can't stand to see a beauty suffer, I'll carry it for the beauty sister. Brother Tour Guide, just lead the way properly, okay?" She looked at the Tour Guide, emphasizing the word "properly."

Qian Ye meant what she said about helping; she went to Xie Hong's side and picked up the luggage at her feet.

"Qian Yes assumed NPC identity, the Boss has been carrying your luggage the whole way, and now you turn around to help someone else with their box? Since when are you so kind-hearted?"

"I already told the Tour Guide, I like to follow local customs, so I won't be bringing a suitcase, hehe."

"If you insist on carrying them, then I'll just... say thanks." Qian Ye curled her lips, playing the pampered role to perfection.

"I just can't stand to see a beautiful sister sad and upset."

"Since you've been carrying it for me the whole way anyway, might as well keep going."

"You..."

"Zhang Yan! Shut up."

So the one who had been annoyed with her was named Zhang Yan. She looked at the man who spoke; he appeared to be in his thirties, and his gaze toward Zhang Yan was full of threats. He must be the Boss she mentioned.

Rolling her eyes at her, Qian Ye looked at Xie Hong with a smile and asked, "Beautiful sister, can we continue our journey now~"