Chapter 41: Orphan Resentment (Part 1)

Xiao Muyu returned in less than an hour. Since there were less than ten hours left before the third instance, they tacitly agreed to rest and have a proper sleep to recharge.

Although Shen Qingqiu’s alluring nature was evident, after Xiao Muyu moved in, she kept her word and behaved modestly. In fact, she was as orderly as a normal roommate, which surprised Xiao Muyu.

However, this was what she wanted. She also knew Shen Qingqiu was the type to take advantage of any situation, so she didn’t mention this sudden behavior change.

That day, the two each went about their respective tasks. When there was only an hour left, Xiao Muyu suggested going out.

“You’re going to Wangliang Street?” Shen Qingqiu asked in surprise when Xiao Muyu briefly mentioned her encounter there after the first instance.

“Yes.”

Shen Qingqiu sneered. “Do you know why it’s called Wangliang Street? It’s full of demons and monsters. Ordinary people going there is like a plump little lamb delivered to the slaughter. You can’t expect to come out unscathed.”

Xiao Muyu nodded, recalling the strange man she encountered there last time and the amulet he gave her. She replied calmly, “I know most things there are fakes, trinkets meant to scam people. But it doesn’t mean there aren’t any genuine items. I just want to verify something; I won’t fall for their tricks.”

Shen Qingqiu knew Xiao Muyu was smart enough to spot any hidden dangers. If she still wanted to go, it meant… Thinking back to the amulet stuck to her when she was trapped in an illusion, Shen Qingqiu suddenly understood. “You bought that old triangular amulet there, didn’t you?”

“Mm.” Xiao Muyu did not mention Shen Shiyi. She still hadn’t let down her guard around Shen Qingqiu, which she found incredulous. Even though they could entrust their lives to each other, she was still stingy with this small amount of trust.

When Shen Qingqiu accompanied Xiao Muyu out of that street, she had a paper talisman in her hand.

“You sure you need so many?” Shen Qingqiu looked skeptically at the crudely made paper talisman in Xiao Muyu’s hand. It had cost 800 gold coins, and that was after bargaining.

“Honestly, no. However, I noticed the calligraphy and craftsmanship on this one are similar to the triangular amulet I had before. It seemed like the same person made it, so I just wanted to verify it. Let’s go.”

The triangular amulet had limited power, but it did provide hints when ghosts approached or tried to confuse her. That was enough. Unfortunately, she had exhausted its use, so she thought of finding another.

There were only fifteen minutes left. Just as the two reached the street corner, they got teleported into the small room. This time, though, they appeared as a team before Arbiter No. 003.

No. 003 was also a beauty, slightly older than 002, probably in her twenties. When she saw the two, she smiled and gestured for them to sit.

Since they were a team, there was now an extra chair in the room.

“I will now verify player information.” Like last time, No. 003 announced their names, ages, the instances they cleared, and their scores.

Xiao Muyu had two S rating clearances, while Shen Qingqiu had S ratings for all three instances. She hadn’t lied to Xiao Muyu.

No. 003 glanced at the two, her voice soft and sweet as she addressed them. “You are both strong. Teaming up will probably make you even more formidable.”

“I’m looking forward to seeing your performance.”

With that, she beckoned them forward, and a row of intricately carved plaques appeared. Behind each plaque was a scenario for the game in this turn.

In a B-level instance, the system randomly selects the scenario, giving the players no choice. The two watched as one of the wooden plaques flew out, and a blinding white light flashed before their eyes.

“Loading file, decompressing, loading complete. Start!” The familiar mechanical voice sounded.

Xiao Muyu felt a sense of weightlessness. When she opened her eyes again, a lightning bolt streaked across the sky, followed by a thunderclap overhead!

Instantly drenched to the bone, Xiao Muyu wiped the rainwater from her face and looked around indifferently. The expected unpleasant start left her in a foul mood.

Shen Qingqiu wasn’t by her side. They must have gotten separated. At this moment, she stood alone on a deserted road. There was only a tilted signpost with peeling paint on the roadside.

The soaked clothes clinging to Xiao Muyu’s body felt cold and damp in the pouring rain. The droplets hitting her face made it hard to keep her eyes open, and the mist rising from the road obscured her view. She couldn’t see where the path led. Worse, night was falling.

Xiao Muyu crouched in front of the signpost. Peering through the rain, she tried to make out the blotchy characters. The wooden board had the words “Charity Orphanage” painted in dirty, dark red paint that remained in the grooves, looking like dried blood as rain washed over it.

“Orphanage” was never a warm word. The place meant to convey human compassion was a concentration camp of misery and helplessness. Just mentioning it brought to mind all kinds of unpleasant things.

Xiao Muyu was aware that a place like this appearing in a game instance could not be anything good.

The rain came down harder, quickly filling the road with puddles. Birch trees along the roadside, with their drooping foliage, resembled rows of ghostly figures in the dim light.

It was a chilling and desolate scene.

Xiao Muyu hunched slightly and hurried through the rain in the direction the signpost had directed.

*Crack!*

A bolt of lightning split the sky, illuminating the darkened surroundings. Amidst the rain and mist, the pale light added an extra layer of terror and eeriness.

The pitter-patter of the rain, the unexpected booming of thunder, and footsteps splashing through the water intertwined, creating a cold, wet, and lonely symphony.

After walking for about ten minutes, Xiao Muyu finally saw the outline of a building in the darkness. Its red roof was faintly visible through the rain, while the rest was shrouded in a haze.

As she drew closer, the building’s appearance slowly emerged through the rainy curtains. It was an old structure, its gray stone bricks now worn with age. The timeworn building stood alone in the vast expanse, facing the road that curved toward it, which was odd.

From what little she knew about feng shui, having the main entrance directly facing a road was considered ‘road conflict’, a bad omen.

She approached and saw the sign next to the main gate read “Charity Orphanage”. It was the only building within a few miles. She hadn’t seen a single car or person on the way here.

Xiao Muyu glanced back, but there was still no one in sight. After checking her items, she hesitated before heading toward the orphanage.

The main entrance was an iron fence gate. Through its narrow gaps limited, she could vaguely distinguish the structure beyond.

Xiao Muyu reached out and pushed. The loose gate creaked but didn’t open. It was locked from the inside.

She observed for a moment and then leaned closer to see if there was any movement inside.

As this orphanage was the only place around, Xiao Muyu was certain this was their destination for the game. Shen Qingqiu was in the same instance and might already be inside.

When Xiao Muyu leaned closer to peer through the iron gate, the orphanage’s building suddenly vanished from the foggy view.

Deep, cold eyes stared back at her through one of the gate’s gaps.

The brown irises and whites of the eyes were right in front of her. One could imagine how shocking it was.

Xiao Muyu recoiled as if electrocuted. Her heart pounded like a hammer, and she felt chills.

The person on the other side remained motionless. Those eyes seemed frozen behind the iron gate, staring directly at her. A moment later, the eyes glanced behind Xiao Muyu, and a gruff, grim male voice spoke up: “Why are there five more people?”

Xiao Muyu saw irritation in those dull, rigid eyes and caught two pieces of information from his words.

The word ‘again’, subtly chosen, suggested someone had gone in. ‘Five’ made Xiao Muyu quickly turn to look behind her, but no one was there.

However, the owner of those eyes didn’t seem to be lying. Through the iron gate, she could make out a man with graying hair, appearing to be getting on in years. He wasn’t using an umbrella despite the rain and simply stood there.

As Xiao Muyu observed him, the sound of frantic footsteps suddenly broke through the pattering of the rain.

Looking back again, she found four more people had suddenly appeared behind her. Three men and one woman, all dripping wet.

Unaware of how they had gotten so close, Xiao Muyu instinctively took a cautious step back and stared at them.

The four looked at each other as if waking from a dream, faces betraying their fear. Among them, the girl in the dress was shivering from the cold. Her voice shook just as much. “Are you… are you all human or ghost? How did you suddenly appear?”

The others let out a sigh of relief when she spoke. At least they could confirm she was human.

“Welcome, players, to Instance No. 003: The Orphanage¹. You must explore the quest and methods to clear this instance yourself. Please be sure to pay attention to the clues within the instance. The time limit is five days!”

The system announcement confirmed their suspicions. The instance would take place in this orphanage.

Xiao Muyu quickly sized up the four. With the rain still pouring outside, their top priority was to get indoors. Besides, she hadn’t seen Shen Qingqiu yet, which left her uneasy.

So, ignoring the others, Xiao Muyu walked up to the man. Looking him straight in the eye, she said solemnly, “Hello, we are hikers from out of town. We’ve lost all our belongings in an accident. After walking for so long, we finally found this place. It’s still raining; we’re cold and hungry. Could we rest here for a while and shelter from the rain?”

The four people who had appeared mysteriously also saw the man standing behind the gate. They looked miserable and desperate, with pleading eyes fixed on him. One of the young men, with dyed blond hair, flashed an ingratiating smile and clasped his hands together. “Please, uncle, have mercy on us. We’re about to freeze to death.”

The man inside did not respond immediately and stared at them with those deep eyes. The iron gate obscured most of his face and body, leaving only his eyes visible.

As Xiao Muyu looked into his eyes, she sensed something strange. His gaze seemed indifferent, yet there was also pity, before it turned to apathy the next moment.

He opened his mouth, and Xiao Muyu thought he was about to refuse them. But then he tilted his head, as if seeing something, and eventually moved silently to open the gate.

The old gate, rusted from years of disrepair, let out an ear-piercing screech. The rain had done little to lubricate its corroded joints. Once the gate swung open, Xiao Muyu finally got a clear look at the man inside.

He appeared to be around sixty years old, dressed in a brown raincoat but without a hat. His graying hair, soaked by the rain, clung to his head, making his already gloomy face look even more sullen.

“Thank you!” the five of them quickly expressed their gratitude.

Ignoring them, the man closed the gate before leading them toward the house. Despite the desire to confirm the situation with other players, they kept quiet for now, shifting their focus to the layout and surroundings.

It was not a sizable orphanage. Once they passed the main gate, a stone path led them straight to a three-story building. The entire structure was of gray stone bricks, which looked drearier in the rainy weather. The only contrast was the red-tiled roof, which stood out brightly and seemed out of place. What was usually a warm color felt strangely unsettling in this setting.

The man leading them inside didn’t utter a single word. He communicated only through gestures and eye contact.

Since the other four hadn’t heard what he said to Xiao Muyu earlier, they whispered to each other in the back, wondering if he might be mute.

After leading them to a lobby with a long red meeting table, the man finally stopped and spoke hoarsely. “Wait here. I’ll go find the director.”

The other four exchanged glances, as if saying, “So he’s not mute after all.”

The man took a couple of steps before stopping again. He turned to look at the five of them, his bluish-purple lips moving slightly as he spoke quietly, “You’d better not wander around.”

His voice sounded hoarse and stiff, as if he hadn’t spoken in a long time. His words echo chillingly in the empty lobby, making the shivering group feel colder.

The four tense people let out a breath after he left. The young man with dyed blond hair and seemed more outgoing was the first to break the silence. “Don’t tell me there are only five of us in this instance.”

The other three shook their heads. A tall, middle-aged man scanned their surroundings. “I don’t think so. Although this is only a B-level instance, five people seem too few.”

“Agreed. By the way, since we’ll be clearing this instance together, let’s introduce ourselves. I’m Huang Junfeng, and this is my third instance,” said the blond young man.

“I’m Zhang Yangfeng, also on my third instance.” The middle-aged man replied without hesitation. The remaining stern-faced man introduced himself as Liu Pei, while the girl was Yang Rui. Xiao Muyu noticed that the girl seemed withdrawn. She stood slightly apart from the group, behind Zhang Yangfeng.

When all four looked at her, Xiao Muyu finally spoke, “Xiao Muyu, also my third time.”

Huang Junfeng, wringing water from his clothes, leaned against the long table and frowned, “This weather is seriously over the top. I’m freezing and starving. And isn’t this supposed to be an orphanage? We didn’t see a single kid on our way in. Not even a peep. Too creepy.”

The others also felt something was off, but the cold, damp feeling on their bodies was too uncomfortable to ignore. They bent over to wring out the water from their clothes.

Xiao Muyu’s expression remained tense. Fingers fidgeting, her gaze landed on the spot where the man had left. She seemed to be waiting for something.

Silence descended upon the group until a sudden giggling echoed in the lobby. Everyone stopped their movements.

Zhang Yangfeng slowly lifted his head. His sharp eyes locked onto the table in front of them.

Xiao Muyu remained still, her gaze fixed on the same spot.

While everyone was staring at the table, a messy-haired head suddenly emerged from the edge, facing them. When the five got a clear look, their hair stood on end!

It wasn’t a human head. It was a doll with pale skin and large eyes, its long, blonde strands falling in disarray. Its gray pupils held a hint of a smile as they stared straight at them. Moreover, its body was trembling, and that giggling was coming from it, sending chills down their spines.

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Footnotes:

1. 1. Some might be wondering, but there’s a reason why the name here is “The Orphanage” instead of “Orphan Resentment”.
   
   The players think they heard 孤儿院 (The Orphanage) instead of 孤儿怨 (Orphan Resentment), because it’s already established in their minds that the main stage is an orphanage; also, 怨 and 院 are both pronounced as yuàn. So, they’d naturally assume it was 孤儿院 (Orphanage).
   
   They’ll figure this out in later chapters, but you readers have the advantage because you can see the arc/instance title. ↩︎