Chapter 2751: Gaze
"So they clearly know we're not players in this instance, yet they're still trying to pry into our situation." The Botanist frowned. "Could it be that this instance has designated opponents for the players?"
"It's probably just that we've been inadvertently included in the instance." The Gourmet said. "Our side quest is related to Mr. Wen. From the literal meaning, we should be protecting Mr. Wen. If it were just about stealing some things from the manor, there's no way it would generate an instance like this. The instance players' tasks must also be related to Mr. Wen. Some of them might even be targeting him specifically."
Instances like this easily create two opposing sides—one attacking, one defending. In this scenario, Xu Huo and his group could also be considered unstable elements threatening Mr. Wen.
"Of course, we can't rule out the possibility that they're investigating us to eliminate us."
"From what we've seen so far, these players haven't made any moves yet." The Photographer said. "But the scope of their inquiries is too broad. Every player attending the banquet is their target, as if anyone will do. They also don't seem interested in forming alliances with others."
"That's a bit unusual." The Scholar said. "Even in combat-type instances, wherever players gather, some will inevitably form alliances. It's the survival strategy of the weak. Completely ignoring that possibility suggests this might be a single-survival type instance."
In other words, only one person can clear the instance in the end, reducing the likelihood of players cooperating to the minimum.
"Only one person clears?" The Botanist raised an eyebrow. "Wouldn't that mean they'll be tearing each other's throats out?"
"Just one possibility." Xu Huo interjected. "We'll know by tonight."
When the banquet ended and the remaining guests were gradually led to their rooms by the servants, the manor finally quieted down. In the dead of night, when players were most active, Xu Huo and his group were slightly surprised to find that instead of scouting the manor's layout, these instance players started killing on the very first night.
Within just ten minutes, three players had died at the hands of others in coordinated attacks. Even the bodies and traces of battle were cleaned up spotlessly, as if all the players had reached a silent understanding—anyone caught alone would become a target for everyone else.
Throughout this process, not a single word was exchanged. Everything proceeded in complete silence.
Xu Huo sat quietly in his room for a while. Only when he heard no more footsteps outside did he open the door to go out. At this moment, the corridor looked vastly different from daytime. The dimly lit areas gradually faded into darkness, seemingly endless, and his field of vision couldn't penetrate them.
"Don't move." Just as he stepped one foot out the door, a warning voice came from not far away. At the same time, a thread-thin blade blocked his path. It seemed like a mere warning, but in the next second, another person suddenly attacked from the opposite side, charging straight at him.
Xu Huo stood still, merely glancing at the approaching figure. The player who had almost reached him abruptly halted his movement and quickly retreated. But the path behind him wasn't clear either—Space Ray Blades had already sealed off half the corridor. To get through, he would have to use interference items or forcefully break through... At such close range, he had no chance to divert his attention, so he could only freeze in place in the corridor.
Without any intention of continuing the fight, Xu Huo simply raised his hand slightly. "Go back to sleep. Don't come out again tonight."
Before this player could move, the one who had been lying in ambush on the other side suddenly launched a sneak attack instead.
Blocking the flying item, Xu Huo directly grabbed that person and pulled him into the corridor. Looking at him, he said, "Didn't you hear what I just said?"
This person clearly hadn't realized his situation yet. He unleashed several items in quick succession to buy himself a chance. As both offensive and defensive items shot toward Xu Huo simultaneously, he still chose to attack the other player from the same instance across from him!
But in an instant, Xu Huo, who should have been forced back by the items, passed through the defensive barrier unimpeded and appeared directly behind him. His right hand, now stripped of its glove, gripped the side of the man's neck.
At that moment, this player felt as if thousands of blades were pressed against him. Boundless killing intent sealed his movements. Forget using items to save himself—he felt that even breathing too deeply might cost him his life...
"Don't kill me..." His voice was very small. "I'll go back to my room right now..."
Xu Huo raised his eyes to look at the person across from him. That person immediately promised as well, "I'll go back right now. I absolutely won't come out tonight!"
Satisfied, Xu Huo withdrew his hand while simultaneously deconstructing the spatial entities around him. Then he stepped past the two and headed downstairs.
The two instance players quickly vanished from the corridor, along with several other players who had been watching nearby. With a few faint clicks, doors in different positions opened and closed, then fell into complete silence.
Xu Huo walked outside the manor. The night breeze carried the fragrance of flowers, and the air was heavy with moisture—it would probably rain soon.
Lady Tihui happened to be coming over from the greenhouse. She didn't look surprised to see him, only reminding him that it was about to rain and he should go back to rest soon.
Xu Huo nodded. He was about to say something when he suddenly felt a chilling, hair-raising sensation of being watched. He jerked his head up, but the feeling vanished just as quickly, impossible to pin down. He immediately looked at Lady Tihui beside him and saw her just lowering her gaze.
Lady Tihui glanced at him again, said nothing, and walked away.
Xu Huo frowned slightly. He didn't continue investigating where that gaze had come from but quickly went upstairs and returned to his room.
Once the instance began, the rooms blocked all external detection. He could only sense the area near his own bedroom. After he returned, some players passed by his door, but he couldn't follow what happened next. Because of his interference, the instance players had all avoided this floor.
But when they counted heads the next morning, they discovered that eight players had died during the night.
The Photographer and the others had rooms scattered in different places. When they compared notes, they only knew the circumstances of four of the deaths. The other four had either entered a certain room or left their floor and never reappeared.
"None of these players are particularly strong. It wouldn't be easy to silently hunt down four of them." The Scholar said. "Could it be someone from the instance doing the killing? The butler? Or Lady Tihui?"
"Lady Tihui went out to check on the greenhouse last night and then returned. She didn't come out again." The Photographer said with certainty.
"The butler didn't come out either." The Botanist added. His target was in the garden, so he had been keeping an eye on the person who moved around the manor most frequently—he had already marked the butler.
"A minor boss in the instance wouldn't just appear out of nowhere." The Gourmet said. "Unless this manor itself can eat people, there's only one possibility left."
It was the manor's owner, possibly even the instance holder... The one doing the killing was Mr. Wen.