Chapter 145
Chapter 145
No one remained alone in their rooms for long. The group of two men and one woman went to the kitchen to see if they could draw any information from Kojima.
The other players took the opportunity to explore the castle and search for discoveries.
The castle looked enormous, but its pointed upper structure meant it didn’t actually contain much usable space.
It had four floors. The highest was an attic used to store miscellaneous items.
Qi Jiajia climbed up to inspect it. Everything appeared normal, and there were no strange smells.
The third floor contained the owners’ bedroom, the painting studio, and the doll workshop, but all were private rooms and their doors were locked.
They didn’t yet know the taboos, so no one wanted to act rashly.
The disturbing oil painting hung throughout the castle, and many dolls stood everywhere, creating an intensely uncomfortable atmosphere.
But the castle’s owners were a painter and a dollmaker. There seemed to be nothing strange about displaying their own work inside their own home.
Cheng Miao noticed Ge Hui, the man from the young couple, staring at a painting in the corridor. He even reached out and gently felt the painted surface.
She approached and asked politely, “Have you discovered something?”
“No, no.” Ge Hui withdrew his hand and waved somewhat sheepishly. “I used to work in the arts and know a little about painting. This might look bizarre, but it has considerable artistic value.”
Artistic value?
Cheng Miao looked at the painting and met the woman’s unsettling eyes before shifting her gaze away.
Ge Hui nodded and explained to the players who had gathered around. “It isn’t difficult to make a flat painting frightening, but making every viewer feel uncomfortable requires a certain level of skill.”
Cheng Miao understood. Different people were frightened by different things. Many found Kayako terrifying, while many others did not.
Yet all eighteen players here found this painting deeply uncomfortable, proving it touched a different source of unease in each of them.
Curious after hearing her boyfriend’s explanation, He Xin touched the painting too. She sniffed her hand and detected only a faint paint smell. “There’s nothing wrong with the pigment or canvas.”
She wiped her hand on her clothes and complained in a half-petulant tone, “There was another instance involving paintings before. It was disgusting. The canvas was made from human skin.”
Cheng Miao thought of her lantern instance and nodded in wholehearted agreement.
Jiang Chen stepped forward and blocked Cheng Miao’s view of the painting. “Let’s go downstairs. It’s almost time to eat.”
Cheng Miao nodded and followed him. Qiudong hung back by one step behind Cheng Miao, taking Qi Jiajia’s usual position.
Seeing Qi Jiajia bristle as if she wanted to bite someone, Qin Musong had no choice but to pick her up and let her torment Lin Zhu as a distraction.
“What do you think, Miaomiao?” Jiang Chen’s deep voice strangely suited the castle. His exceptionally gentlemanly and elegant air made the place feel less frightening to Cheng Miao.
“The paintings and dolls are strange, but neither is made from humans. Their materials probably aren’t the problem. I suspect they’re meant to convey information.” Cheng Miao thought back over everything since her arrival and added another point.
“Kojima didn’t come into the forest to guide us here as a host. That makes it obvious there are other threats outside. Kojima isn’t a vengeful ghost either, so Kojima himself, as an NPC, probably won’t harm us.”
Jiang Chen nodded with a smile. “A good analysis, but everything has only just begun. Any conclusion is still speculation. Don’t take it for granted.”
Cheng Miao nodded seriously. Jiang Chen could feel the gaze burning into the back of his neck. Only then did he turn with a smile, grab Gu Jian, who was trying to stuff his head into a vase, and carry him to the other side.
With the irritating man finally gone, Qiudong stepped forward and took Jiang Chen’s place beside Cheng Miao, accompanying her to the first floor.
The first floor was enormous. Besides the foyer, it had a vast living room furnished with a piano and gramophone, making it easy to imagine a ball being held there.
The dining room lay on the other side. Candlesticks had already been arranged on the long table. Seeing the three-person team sitting there with poor expressions, Cheng Miao guessed they hadn’t managed to learn much.
Gu Fan, the only woman in the team, brushed back her short hair and spread her hands at the approaching players. “We couldn’t get anything out of him. All we know is that Yuko caught a cold because of the weather, and the couple lives in this isolated place because their art requires it.”
Ah Qi, the young man with a crew cut, continued, “We did clarify our identities. Apparently, we’re devoted fans of Yuko’s paintings and Kojima’s dolls. We won a lottery that allows us to tour their creative environment and celebrate Yuko’s birthday.”
Cheng Miao nodded and told the trio what Ge Hui’s group had discovered about the painting’s materials being harmless.
The three visibly relaxed. Clearly, they had also been disgusted by similar instances in the past.
“That’s good. It means we can tour the locked rooms.” Xiao Yan sat beside Brother Lü. He had wanted to ask if Kojima needed help, but when none of the other players moved, he didn’t dare go alone.
“In any case, the paintings and dolls may be the key to solving this. Pay close attention when we tour the rooms.” Cheng Miao looked at the dining-room wall, where the same painting hung. Honestly, the longer she stared at it… the more frightening it became.
The sky gradually darkened. Large numbers of candles burned inside the castle, keeping it from appearing dim.
Cheng Miao watched Kojima approach with a serving cart and deliver dinner to everyone.
Cheesy mashed potatoes with salad. Some players began to believe Kojima truly was only a background NPC. This was probably the best food treatment they had ever received inside an instance.
The food was good, and they didn’t have to worry about strange ingredients.
Cheng Miao sat close to the head of the table. As she ate, she listened to Kojima explain that he and Yuko had planted the potatoes in the garden when she was healthy.
Apparently, there was no rule against talking while eating.
Cheng Miao swallowed and asked as if the thought had occurred casually, “Mr. Kojima, these dolls and paintings represent your and Miss Yuko’s life’s work. We’ve only just arrived and don’t understand many things. Why don’t you put them away so we don’t accidentally damage them?”
Kojima smiled and regarded Cheng Miao with appreciation. “You have a point, but there are too many paintings and dolls. Even the storage room can’t hold them all. If they make you uncomfortable, you may put them away yourselves. Just don’t damage them.”
Cheng Miao’s smile faded slightly. Kojima was so considerate of the players that it made her uncomfortable instead.
After dinner, Kojima retired early and invited the players to use the first and second floors as they pleased.
“The area hasn’t been safe recently. Brown bears have appeared in the forest. You are guests I invited, and I would blame myself terribly if anything happened. It would be best to keep the front gate locked these few days. Please don’t try to leave the castle.”
Cheng Miao watched Kojima disappear into the stairwell, her gaze dark.
If Kojima wasn’t a threat, they couldn’t seize the key through violence.
Their only option was to survive until after Yuko’s birthday celebration and then find a way to open the gate.