Chapter 2401: Seven Doors and Windows
The players were constantly shifting positions along with the moving rooms and corridors. Even though they tried their best to steady themselves or stay together with other players, they ultimately failed after dozens or hundreds of flips. The players were forced to scatter, including that old man surnamed Ma and the young people he was leading.
On Xu Huo's side, the Painting Woman had jumped onto his back to avoid being thrown off. As the room flipped, she seemed to see something and kept patting his shoulder, urging him to jump into a certain shifting space.
Xu Huo looked toward that spot multiple times, but all he saw were constantly flipping floors and walls. The overly rapid changes and overlapping patterns had exceeded the limits of human vision, making it impossible to stare for long.
"Let's try going in." Carrying the Painting Woman on his back, he leaped forward with force, but unexpectedly collided head-on with the gem earring man who had flipped out from the middle.
Neither side could avoid it, but the collision activated the passive defense device on the gem earring man. The suddenly expanding barrier sent Xu Huo flying several meters back—limited by the space, he only retreated a few meters before crashing into a wall that was rapidly closing in from behind. Catching sight of a small recess that appeared after a nearby window shifted, he grabbed hold of it, then used the leverage to leap toward the spot the Painting Woman had indicated. There, a corridor, a door, and a window had combined to form a square entrance, layer upon layer, like a deep well.
The moment he jumped in, the gem earring man followed from behind. The man turned off his device and barely managed to grab the edge of the well opening, but the next second, a wall moving in from the side slammed into him hard, pinning him and his arm device at the well's mouth. Fortunately, the wall didn't cut straight through but changed direction and flipped toward the area beneath his feet, sparing him from having his hand severed.
Xu Huo turned back and pulled him up. After hauling the man up, the three of them slid together deeper into the well.
About ten seconds later, the spatial shifting suddenly stopped, and they landed in a room—or more accurately, multiple rooms.
The spot where they stood seemed to be pieced together from several spaces. The gaps in the floor appeared stable at first glance, but in reality, they flowed like quicksand along the seams. However, there wasn't much sensation of movement on the ground. Several cracks divided this open area into fan-shaped sections, each facing a door or window. The connections between these doors and windows and the walls were still slowly flowing, their destinations unknown.
"So amazing." The gem earring man observed the cracks on the floor for a moment before standing up. "A space item can reach this level? It's probably more precise than an instrument. Otherwise, there wouldn't be no chaos at all after such rapid spatial shifts."
"Is the castle a space location item?" Xu Huo asked. "If it's an item, it's probably hard for you to take it away."
The gem earring man smiled instead. "Falling in together is fate. I won't hide it from you—my companion and I aren't here for the item. Since the item belongs to the Fish Feast, ordinary people can't take it away. But with naturally born items like this, similar items often appear within them."
"Can you see how fast the space is shifting here? That means a considerable amount of spatial energy has accumulated in this place. Items being born naturally is accidental, but there's also inevitability. If one such item can be born, a second one can be born too."
Xu Huo understood. "As you say, there's space everywhere here. Even if there really are other space items, they'd probably be hard to find."
"That's why we're here to try our luck." The gem earring man said. "It'd be great if we find one. If not, no big deal."
"To us, we've seen all kinds of high-level items and instruments. Even super items are often handled. This is nothing."
He was flaunting his family background, but in reality, he was subtly telling Xu Huo that there was no need to target him or even kill him over an item.
Xu Huo gave him an ambiguous smile, then looked around at the surrounding doors and windows. "Seven doors and windows, seven entrances. I doubt each one hides an item. If we're not careful, we might lose our lives. Do you have any tools to do some elimination?"
The gem earring man nodded slightly and took out a detection instrument. Its appearance was similar to the one Shi Sanjiu had used in the Water Cube instance—flowing metal that could detect the strength of spatial power, but only give a rough estimate.
The castle was filled with chaotic spatial power everywhere. Without a clear comparison, it was impossible to tell which door or window was more reliable.
"No more reliable method?" Xu Huo waited a moment before saying. "The strength of spatial power doesn't determine what's behind the door either. Can't we just open a spatial portal and take a peek inside?"
The gem earring man probably hadn't expected his instrument to be completely useless. Somewhat frustrated, he said, "I should have brought a better instrument."
"Isn't the game channel still open? It's not too late to ask your family to send one." Xu Huo suggested.
The gem earring man pretended not to hear him and jumped back to the previous question. "Cross-space instruments are mostly consumables. Who knows how many spaces are cut off here? Without precise positioning, using them would be a waste."
"Then can you still guarantee a smooth exit channel?" Xu Huo looked at him suspiciously.
"Don't worry about that. We've already pinpointed the Fish Feast's location, and the instruments are carried with us. Even if the game channel is closed, it's no problem." The gem earring man regained some confidence. "Besides, this state of the castle won't last long. When it stabilizes again, we'll have time to get out."
Xu Huo raised an eyebrow and said nothing more. He walked around the several doors and windows, then returned to the center and began pointing randomly. He eventually chose a door inlaid with large pieces of green gemstones of varying shades.
"Isn't that too hasty?" The gem earring man exclaimed in surprise. "Don't you want to think it over carefully?"
"Unless I can see through space, thinking is useless." Xu Huo lifted his chin. "Get your teleportation item ready. If there's danger behind the door, we'll escape back to the Fish Feast first."
The gem earring man's expression stiffened. "The instrument is with Uncle Ma."
"Then what use are you here?" The Painting Woman, who hadn't interrupted until now, seized the opportunity to deliver a soul-searing question.
The gem earring man's family background was indeed good, but having a good family didn't mean every family member could get the best resources and treatment. Otherwise, why would they need to travel together?
But he didn't get angry at the Painting Woman's public humiliation. Instead, he smiled. "When Uncle Ma comes to find me, I'll be sure to bring you along."
Neither of the two present gave him any special treatment because of his promise. They gathered around to study the door.
The Painting Woman pressed her ear against the door, then knocked on the door panel. Next, she grabbed the door handle, looking like she was opening a safe, and twisted hard:
"Crack!" The door handle actually broke off!