Though Viola seemed somewhat reserved, her eyes were filled with unconcealed joy.

Wu Heng lightly patted their backs and said with a smile, "Alright, starting tomorrow, you all will follow in cultivation. Those practicing the Body Refining Technique will go with Lilith to the volcano, while those refining the Creation Scripture will stay near the camp, especially Shanaela..."

He intentionally paused, then gently pinched her on the hip, "You have to keep working hard."

Shanaela's cheeks flushed slightly as she mumbled in response, "I know...!"

After letting them familiarize themselves with the environment briefly, they dispersed to conduct their own cultivation.

...

As dusk settled, lights began to illuminate the camp.

Wu Heng finished a day of cultivation and returned to camp using the Teleportation Technique.

By now, the place had become quite lively.

Upon entering the main hall, he saw Philippa, Rebecca, Annette, and the wood elf 'Silvien' seated around the long table, intently staring at a game board emitting a glow at the center.

Around them, Mini, Viola, and others watched quietly.

Wu Heng took a few steps closer, gazing upon the game board, his eyes narrowing.

[Jigai's Game Board (Special Item)]

This was the special item previously belonging to the dwarf leader, which the association later awarded him as a First-Class Merit.

Wu Heng always felt this item was eerie and dangerous, so he never used it, eventually leaving it with Viola for safekeeping.

After all, the game board's effects were quite remarkable, able to pull heroes into the game, forcing completion.

This alone made it a high-level control type special item.

Yet he hadn't expected that they truly treated this thing as a recreational toy.

At the head of the long table, a semi-transparent male ghost hovered, serving as the game host.

Wu Heng fixed his gaze on the ghost, who seemed unresponsive, his attention always on the game board, as if he were merely a phantom born of the rules.

But Wu Heng distinctly remembered, the last time he used this game board, this ghost host had used the rules to provoke, leading to the religious leader's demise.

Wu Heng always suspected he had independent thought.

"Why did you think of playing this?" Wu Heng asked Viola softly beside him.

"Nothing to do in the evening, Philippa wanted to play, so I gave it to her," Viola explained quietly.

"Not afraid of danger?"

Not far away, sitting on the sofa, Lilith casually swirled her wine glass, responding with indifference, "This special item isn't as dangerous as you think. When it was in Bruno's hands, it was often used for games too. With you and me here, even if there's an accident, it can be handled."

Her implication was that even if someone died, they had the means to revive them.

With Lilith saying so, Wu Heng couldn't say much more.

He nodded slightly, then turned toward the game.

The ghost host slowly began to speak, his tone drawn out.

[The team slightly dresses up and boards the carriage heading to the ball! Destiny Dice, start rolling...]

"This Duke definitely has issues!" Philippa whispered with eager eyes, "If there's a chance, let's just take him out!"

"The game isn't that free," Robey replied helplessly, "you can't do whatever you want."

"Silvien!" Philippa turned to the wood elf, "Your attributes are high, seize the chance and do it!"

Silvien's lips curled into a smile, "Alright, I don't think he looks like a good person either."

The host continued narrating, his tone calm yet carrying a hint of coldness, [You arrive at the ballroom. Splendid, crystal chandeliers burn on, guests in magnificent attire wear exquisite masks, eternally dancing the graceful waltz.]

[However, their laughter is hollow, eyes behind masks devoid of spirit, much like those upright skeletons you are familiar with.]

[You are swept by the music, helplessly merging into the dance floor.]

[One after another, men invite you to dance, their steps perfect, fingertips cold.]

"Definitely problematic! I've read the entire collection of the Great Detective Story, I'm familiar with this plot!" Philippa continued her eager analysis.

[At the close of the dance, the Duke suddenly spoke softly, attempting to probe your intentions and the secrets within your hearts.]

[Adventurers, you've been subjected to 'Lie Detection'.]

[Charm 44 points, immunity to this damage.]

[The graceful wood elf not only evades damage, but also weaves lies to counter, bewildering the Duke.]

[The rest of the dull-witted followers remain oblivious but luckily escape thanks to their companion.]

[Fortunately, the wood elf acquires the [False Kiss Badge] from the Duke, Charm +2.]

[Note: After the game ends, all temporary attribute bonuses disappear.]

[Take a brief rest, the music resumes! Destiny Dice, roll again...]

[The obtuse followers still wish to dance, while the wood elf places the badge before him.]

[The Duke stands by the window, 'appreciating' the forever unchanging false moonlight. He turns around, his face smooth with no features.]

[In the hall, all the guests suddenly still, revealing themselves to be luxurious garbed corpses with limbs and heads suspended by threads, dancing like marionettes.]

[He noticed the wood elf's terrified expression and the hostility she exuded.]

[He reached his hand out to you, and all the 'guests' in the ballroom turned towards you, pale light igniting in their hollow eye sockets.]

[All 'people' launched an attack on you.]

[Adventurers, you were ambushed.]

[Strength 35 points, damage immunity.]

[The battle-hardened wood elf once again led her cumbersome teammates to break through the encirclement.]

"You're the cumbersome one!" Philippa couldn't hold back anymore and spat back.

"You just concoct this plot to insult us, don't you?" Catwoman Robey also complained.

"Exactly, my strength should be 35, right!" Annette chimed in.

...

Wu Heng walked over to sit beside Lilith.

"Any leads on that divine light sphere recently?" Lilith asked softly.

"No, there's really no place to look up that sort of thing." Wu Heng took a sip of tea.

"The historical records of your world should be more complete than ours," Lilith contemplated, "A 'divine spirit' causing a global plague shouldn't be unrecorded."

Wu Heng shook his head, "There are many legends, but compared to Lady Nuwa, those spreading plague viruses barely even qualify as spirit monsters, let alone anything more."

"Indeed! It's been such a long time." Lilith remarked, then turned the topic: "How much longer until you break through to Hero?"

"Soon! Then, we can go together to bring back Xiao Xiao." Wu Heng reached out and gently held her hand.

Lilith smiled and grasped him back, comforting in her tone: "Don't worry, Xiao Xiao is so clever, as long as she wants to hide, even the gods would struggle to find her."

As long as a divine spirit doesn't personally hunt her, a regular hero couldn't possibly track a Level 20 Ghost.

"I know." Wu Heng nodded.

"Do you have a photo of her mother? I'd like to see." Lilith suddenly asked.

"I stored it in an old phone." Wu Heng thought for a moment, "It's on the forums too, she's the archbishop of this world."

The two leaned together as Wu Heng took out his phone, scrolling to find a photo of Zhao Yanqiu.

...

Not far away, the game board continued its play.

The ghost host's slowed speech became fluent again.

[You killed the evil duke and obtained a key.]

[Climb to the top floor and use the key to open the attic door.]

[Inside the room, a giant spinning wheel weaves countless glowing threads, sprawling across the floor and walls—the source of the strings controlling the corpse puppets.]

[The spinning wheel senses its prey and launches an attack on you.]

[Agility 31 points, damage immunity.]

[In battle, the nimble little thief grabbed a torch from the hallway and threw it precisely into the spinning wheel's rolling mechanism. Flames engulfed the wheel instantly, taking the mansion along with it in the blaze.]

[Congratulations, you completed this adventure.]

"It's over! I said from the start the duke wasn't a good person!" Philippa boasted.

"I feel the creepiest was still that old butler from the first chapter, a human who insisted on drinking blood to imitate the blood clan...," Annette laughed.

"They're all pretty creepy... anyhow, we won, so it's resolved okay." The wood elf chimed in.

Philippa then said, "Next time, don't let the level gap be so big; Silvien's attributes were way too high."

"Having high attributes to lead isn't bad, it avoids real danger."

As the group laughed and discussed, the ghost host's voice continued unabated,

[After the fire, you begin searching the ruins for loot and find a piece of parchment that wasn't burned by the flame, on which a line of small letters is written!]

[Intelligence 37 to decipher.]

[The wise wood elf understood the crooked text and read it out quietly.]

[Heard you are investigating the legend of the Plague God! He can bring world-ending disaster. With sincerity, I can tell you some insider news!]

[What will you choose to do?]

The words fell, and the four restored their actions, looking at each other in bewilderment.

"What did that line mean just now?" Philippa looked confused, "Is the plot not over yet?"

And not far away.

Wu Heng and Lilith simultaneously raised their heads, their gaze sharply fixed on the game board.

The last whisper didn't sound like a game line.

As if... it was meant just for them to hear.

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