The Ancient Well cannot be touched, the Seventh Concubine cannot be seen, and the Ancestral Temple cannot be returned to.
Xu Xi felt this instance seemed a bit like it was countering him.
——
【??Where's the path? Where's my big Ancestral Temple?】
【Ghost wall?】
Seeing that the paper figures in the Ancestral Temple had only changed positions for now without any other strange movements, Ji Yang switched the perspective back to Xu Xi's live stream, just in time to witness this scene.
He pondered and said, "This probably isn't a simple ghost wall."
"The rules of this instance might have certain behavioral permissions. While the rules are in effect, certain areas, like the Ancestral Temple, are in an 'unreachable' state for players without specific identities or under non-specific conditions."
【So, does that mean only players with identities like Xing Ge, who has the Keep Vigil identity, can enter and exit the Ancestral Temple?】
Ji Yang nodded, giving an example: "Just like the Rear Courtyard. 248 and the others, being male, can't easily enter, but female players like Shi Weiwei and the other can enter effortlessly."
"248's attempts are very valuable. He verified that the mandatory nature of the rules far exceeds what's on the surface."
【To put it bluntly, it's an identity issue】
【Then does this instance place a lot of emphasis on cooperation? After all, this way many clues become inaccessible】
"That's right." Ji Yang affirmed the live stream comment that suggested cooperation was needed. "Each player's identity in this instance should have points that can be utilized. The perspectives are too scattered; cooperation is the best choice."
【Master Xu Xi seems to be preparing to go back, huh】
【What else? He can't go anywhere. Stay here and catch a cold breeze?】
【By the way, there's still the Ancient Well. Master Xu Xi actually isn't planning to go check it out】
【Don't even mention it. That thing sounds like a perfect place for dumping bodies/sealing/suppressing】
【248 not going definitely has his reasons. Maybe the timing isn't right】
【But I always feel Master Xu Xi won't obediently wait until dawn...】
——
Inside the instance.
Was Xu Xi preparing to go back?
Originally, yes.
But three setbacks once again stirred up his rebellious spirit.
He suddenly realized he was still being too obedient.
Even though he had previously thought about actively using his reload ability, once inside the instance, facing the layered and seemingly indisputable rules, he subconsciously still chose the safest observation and probing.
Even though he appeared to be acting recklessly quite a bit and had reloaded many times during the probing process, at its core, he was still following the rules.
If we treat the instance's rules as a wall, the him who wasn't yet accustomed to reloading would walk around the wall. Later, after learning to actively use reloading, he chose to look for cracks in the wall.
And now, what he wants to do is chisel open that wall.
After all, rules are meant to be broken.
A sense of eager excitement suppressed the slight frustration brought by repeatedly hitting walls earlier.
So, the more Xu Xi thought about it, the more motivated he became. Under the confused gaze of the live stream comments, he turned his steps and headed for the Rear Garden.
Why go there again? Because he suddenly remembered he forgot to take a photo of the Ancient Well.
Since that phone could capture things invisible to the naked eye, there was no reason not to give it a try.
Arriving at the Ancient Well again, Xu Xi pulled out his phone. The screen's light illuminated his face in the darkness. He aimed the camera at the well opening and pressed the shutter.
"Click."
In the preview image, the well opening was churning with black mist so thick it was almost tangible. The black mist seemed to possess life, slowly squirming.
Just as expected.
He glanced at the photo, put away his phone, turned, and left.
Although he didn't know what the thing in the well was, he knew someone who did.
——
【Master Xu Xi really went to the Ancient Well... uh, to take a photo?】
【So strange. It feels like the master originally didn't plan to go】
【Maybe he suddenly remembered on the way that he could go take a photo (just kidding)】
【This phone camera should be able to capture some invisible things. I saw Master Xu Xi also took photos in the room】
【Where is the master going now?】
Ji Yang was also somewhat puzzled.
Even he found it hard to keep up with Xu Xi's action patterns.
The other's train of thought was always very jumpy, yet it faintly exuded a sense of certainty, a feeling of "I know what I'm doing."
On the screen, the young man did not return to the East Wing Rooms. Instead... he went to find the Steward??
This was beyond everyone's expectations.
*
Xu Xi went back towards the Rear Courtyard and asked the maidservant wearing the white flower about the Steward's residence.
Before leaving, he looked back at the Moon Gate she was blocking and thought to himself:
You are the target for the next reload.
The Steward lived in the servants' quarters near the main meeting hall. He also had a separate room.
Passing through the silent and deserted front courtyard, one could see the main meeting hall standing dark and imposing in the center. The upturned eaves and bracket sets were reduced to ferocious silhouettes against the night sky.
To the right rear was a row of low-lying side rooms. Each door was tightly shut, and not a sliver of light came from behind the window paper. The white lanterns hanging under the corridor eaves were the only light source in this area.
Xu Xi stopped in front of a door that looked quite ordinary. He raised his hand, bent his fingers, and knocked on the door three times, neither too lightly nor too heavily.
A few seconds later, the door creaked open a crack from the inside.
The Steward's slender figure appeared behind the door.
His gaze fell on the young man at the doorway. There was no surprise in his eyes as he asked calmly, "Third Young Master, the Zi Hour is approaching. Instead of resting in your room, what brings you to find this old servant?"
"Click."
Xu Xi looked at the freshly taken photo on his phone.
In the photo, the old man looked slightly taken aback, but there was nothing else abnormal.
"Third Young Master, you are..."
Xu Xi acted as if he didn't hear, getting straight to the point: "Steward, what is that thing in the Ancient Well?"
The Steward was taken aback, then an extremely quick, strange flicker passed through his eyes.
"Third Young Master," he said slowly, "This old servant has said before, the Ancient Well in the garden has been sealed. Do not approach it. You... approached it?"
He didn't answer Xu Xi's question. Instead, he threw the question back, his tone carrying an unquestionable interrogation, even hinting at a trace of dangerous aura.
The air instantly tensed.
Xu Xi's expression remained unchanged: "I was just passing by and saw black mist rising from the well opening. Shen... ahem, my father's death, does it have something to do with that well? What is in that well?"
The Steward looked at him silently.
After several seconds, he slowly spoke: "The thing in the well... is the Shen Family's debt. While the master was alive, he was always trying to repay the debt."
Debt? What debt?
Just as Xu Xi was about to continue asking, he heard the other speak coldly: "Third Young Master, seeing, hearing, asking... all must be repaid."
Before Xu Xi could react, his vision suddenly went black. When he opened his eyes again, he was back to the moment before knocking on the door.
"..." He hated riddlers.
The next second, he raised his hand.
"Knock, knock, knock."
This time he asked even more directly: "What debt does the Shen Family owe?"
The Steward was stunned, then his expression suddenly darkened: "Third Young Master! Some things cannot be asked."
Dead.
*
【Huh? Why is Master Xu Xi standing motionless in front of the Steward's door?】
【Wasn't the master here to find the Steward?】
【San Shui, stop spacing out. Hurry up and analyze】
"..." Ji Yang pulled at the collar of his windbreaker and ruffled his hair.
What could he analyze? He didn't know either.
Then, together with the netizens in the live stream, he watched as the young man on the screen stood in front of the Steward's door for a while, then returned to the Moon Gate connecting to the Rear Courtyard.
Then, he and the maidservant with the white flower in her hair stood facing each other in silent confrontation for a while, before he finally returned to the East Wing Rooms.
【? (Wanting to speak but hesitating, hesitating but wanting to speak.jpg)】
【Is the master... taking a stroll? (very softly)】
【No, I think he's scouting the location, or maybe testing something?】
【So, what is he testing?】
【...If I knew, I'd be the master】
Ji Yang stared at the screen while his mind also raced at high speed, trying to understand this series of seemingly aimless actions by the young man.
He always felt it wasn't that simple.
"Maybe he's testing the binding force of the rules on these NPCs?"
After thinking for a long time, this was the only logic he could come up with.
But he still felt it wasn't right.
【Sigh, it's not the first time 248 has done inexplicable operations. You all should just accept it】
【Please let me experience the joy of having a brain, even for just one second】
【Seeing the streamer as confused as I am, I feel balanced】
However, the next moment, Ji Yang suddenly straightened up: "I got it!"
【Holy crap, you scared me】
【What did you get this time?】
Ji Yang asked in return: "Don't you think he's like he's doing a jigsaw puzzle?"
A flood of "Huh?" filled the live stream comments.
Ji Yang continued on his own: "Constantly picking up scattered fragments, then looking for the connection points between them, and then sketching out the relationship network of this instance."
"The reason 248 returned to his room is that, under the current combination of fragments, the 'safe probing' he can do has temporarily reached its limit."
"What he needs to do next is wait for new fragments to appear and continue completing the puzzle."
【...Sincerely asking, are you guys even human?】
【Suddenly reminded of Brother Luo's three-step model theory】
【I don't understand. Request plain language explanation】
【Forget the rest, who stole my smart brain!】
【It's San Shui (confirmed)】
Ji Yang smiled, ignoring the teasing in the live stream comments: "The next fragment might be after the Zi Hour."
He also didn't believe Xu Xi would passively wait until dawn.
*
Xu Xi sat by the square table, staring blankly at the oil lamp on it.
The Steward in the front courtyard was a tight-lipped gourd, his whole body screaming "cannot be spoken, cannot be asked."
The maidservant in the rear courtyard was impervious to reason. Attempting to force his way through only greeted him with reloads.
Miscalculation. This wall was truly quite hard.
Xu Xi unconsciously tapped his fingertips on the table, feeling somewhat frustrated for once.
However, it wasn't a complete loss.
At least he now knew the Shen Family owed a "debt," and Master Shen's death was most likely also related to this "debt."
He just didn't know what the so-called "debt" was, why it was in the well, and whether it would be the key clue to clearing the instance.
Xu Xi pondered for a long time but really couldn't come up with more leads.
He planned to go out again after the Zi Hour to see what would happen. Perhaps that would be a new breakthrough.
Anyway, he didn't believe that honestly obeying the rules and enduring for seven days would guarantee survival.
