CH 19

Victims had already begun to appear and so everyone’s mood became very bad. After inspecting the corpse, Yuan XueMing announced: “It’s better to start the task as soon as possible otherwise I’m afraid there will be more and more victims.”

Xu RenDong took out the compass: “This may be useful, I found it in the kitchen yesterday.”

With a compass, they won’t get lost in the snow when they go out to explore. Everyone’s tension eased slightly but Lian Qiao glanced at Xu RenDong thoughtfully. He only said that he found the compass but he did not mention the matryoshka. Lian Qiao thought a little and then he understood.

Under Xu RenDong’s guidance, everyone quickly found the dolls and the elevator in the hidden room in the church. In the process, although realizing that some people will inevitably be sacrificed, finding the elevator was still equivalent to having half succeeded. So everyone’s emotions gradually stabilized. In addition, they found several dolls very quickly this time and so even though there were only four days left, their mentality was very optimistic. They were convinced that they would be able to get out.

Only Xu RenDong knews that as time went on, everyone would become more desperate day by day, because he would no longer know where the next doll was. If they can’t find new clues then they could only watch the time pass just like the previous time, until the end of the seven days when the rabbit would appear and wipe them all out.

On this day, everyone followed Xu RenDong as usual and explored everywhere. Although nothing was found this afternoon, everyone’s morale was still high and they talked about tomorrow’s plans.

Only Xu RenDong remained silent, holding the compass and walking alone at the forefront of the team. Obviously there were so many teammates around him but he still looked like he was walking alone in the snow, alone and helpless. Lian Qiao followed, looked at him silently and finally couldn’t help catching up to him and crying out: “Brother RenDong.”

Xu RenDong: “What’s the matter?”

Looking at his beautiful light brown eyes, Lian Qiao’s heart inexplicably palpitated. He felt that he had no words to say but just wanted to strike up a conversation. But he had already been seen through and all the topics he had prepared dried up in his throat.

Xu RenDong looked at him quietly, without rushing him or looking irritated. Lian Qiao suddenly found that Xu RenDong’s eyes were very focused when he looked at people and he even turned his head slightly as if he were listening carefully. It can be seen from this little action that he respects others very much. Moreover, this is not an arrogant attitude and instead he was unconsciously revealing a good upbringing.

There are two sources of nurturing, one is from the parent’s teaching and the other is from the person’s innate qualities. Xu RenDong was an orphan and Lian Qiao thought most likely the orphanage would not be so careful when teaching him. So obviously, his upbringing is the result of his own self-discipline.

At this point, Lian Qiao’s favorability for him soared. He felt that although Xu RenDong looked a bit cold, he was not actually an arrogant or rude person. He felt a little happy suddenly.

He settled down his feelings and said, “Do you think that the doll that was buried in the snow just now is a bit strange?”

He was talking about the doll which contained a twisting monster that killed at first sight. 

Xu RenDong nodded: “I understand what you mean. If the remaining dolls are as hard to find as this one and there are monsters hidden in them, then we are really in a bad spot and I’m afraid we will all die here.”

Lian Qiao: “So you also think the same as me. It’s strange though. Do you remember that when the rabbit came to release the task on the first day, he accidentally said the word “player”?”

Xu RenDong: “Do you still think this is a game?” “

Lian Qiao: “Yes. There are NPCs with missions and tasks, monsters that guard treasures, traps, and time limits for escaping from the dungeon…. These settings are too similar to a game. Other than that, the most critical point are the rules.”

Xu RenDong was puzzled: “What rules?”

Lian Qiao: “Any game must have rules, otherwise it cannot be called a game. For example, in flying chess you can only take off after six o’clock. If two planes of different camps meet in the same grid, one will crash. In the end, the party that reaches the end first with all planes wins. This is the rules of flying chess and the entire game is based on the rules. Otherwise you can’t play the game. Rules are the most important component of a game. Don’t you think that the death condition mentioned by Brother Yuan is actually a rule?” {I’m not sure about this game flying chess so I could only translate the rules approximately. If anyone knows better please tell me.}

Xu RenDong had always believed that Lian Qiao’s thinking about the world of ghosts and monsters as a game was a naive idea. After all, people were really dead so it was beyond the level of playing games. But now listening to his analysis like this, it did sound interesting. 

Xu RenDong: “Go on.”

Lian Qiao said: “Then let’s treat this ghost world as a game for the time being. There are two rules that we know of: one is to find all the dolls and give them to the rabbit within a time limit of seven days. The second is that if you don’t have a doll, you will be killed by the rabbit. But the problem now is that finding all the dolls is almost impossible. In fact, all games must follow a basic rule, which is that the game cannot be unwinnable. It can be difficult, it can set up obstacles for you, but there can’t be no way to solve it. And don’t you remember, the rabbit said “find a gift” and not “find the dolls”. And also in fact, the rabbit never promised that after we find the dolls, that we can leave. So I think perhaps our assumptions were wrong from the very beginning. Maybe the condition for escape is not finding all the dolls?”

Xu RenDong finally understood and nodded: “Yes. Our real goal is to find the elevator and the button but the question is where is the button?”

Lian Qiao pondered for a moment and said, “I want to go back to the stele and see if Brother Sledgehammer is still there.”

Xu RenDong nodded, “I’ll come with you.”

Lian Qiao was surprised that he agreed without the slightest hesitation and asked in astonishment: “Don’t you want to ask me why I want to go back? After all, Brother Sledgehammer is quite dangerous…”

Xu RenDong said: “I know you have good instincts and I trust your judgment.”

Lian Qiao turned his head to look at him and smiled with curved eyes.

Dinner is still Leba and milk. Xu RenDong was tired of eating it a long time ago, and now he feels sick just by seeing these two things. But because of their plan that evening, he forced himself to eat some to replenish his strength.

But if he doesn’t get out this time, he is afraid that he’ll go crazy. Not only will he be crazy but he will also be constipated. That would be extremely inelegant.

After everyone went back to the room to rest, Xu RenDong and Lian Qiao quietly put on their coats, equipped the crowbar and stepped into the forest again.

The small road in the forest has long been covered by thick snow. Fortunately, Xu RenDong has walked back and forth several times on this road and can roughly remember the direction. After walking for an unknown amount of time, the two finally came to the clearing area where they saw the standing stone stele from a distance, as well as the tall figure walking back and forth near the stele.

At this time, four days have passed since they took away the matryoshka but Brother Sledgehammer was still wandering in place. There have been several snowfalls in the past few days and Brother Sledgehammer was already covered with snow. It kept falling as he walked. There was even ice on his eyebrows and hair, which looked pitiful.

Xu RenDong was a little surprised and gently said to Lian Qiao on the side: “You guessed it, he is really still there.”

Lian Qiao took out the smallest doll and said thoughtfully: “Look, doesn’t this look like an egg?”

Xu RenDong was taken aback. This doll is round and colorful and if you ignore the weird smiley face pattern, it really looked similar to the shape of an egg. Xu RenDong doesn’t quite understand: “What do you mean?”

Lian Qiao whispered: “I have been thinking these days, why is rabbit not willing to tell us what the holiday will be in seven days? I’m guessing that it is Christmas or Easter, Easter is more likely. But why does the rabbit refuse to admit it?”

Xu RenDong nodded, this is also a question he has been thinking about.

Lian Qiao said: “So I guess that this ‘festival’ may be a clue to clear the instance so it’s not willing to tell us easily. Do you remember that in the elevator that sent us here, “matryoshka” was written in Russian? This should also be a clue for clearing the instance but because we immediately found a doll, everyone did not pay attention to it. I also did not think about it until today, when one of the dolls contained a trap, and I suddenly understood. These matryoshka are actually not dolls, but eggs.”

Xu RenDong was a little surprised: “Like easter bunny eggs?”

Lian Qiao: “Yes. The significance of an easter egg is a surprise. Didn’t we always think that matryoshka were positive items before? As a result, a ghost came out this time and we were all truly surprised.”

Xu RenDong thought for a moment: “I think your explanation is a bit far-fetched, and the easter egg concept seems a bit forced.”

Lian Qiao smiled and said, “From one point of view, it may indeed seem far-fetched. But there is another point… Did you know that the matryoshka was made to celebrate Easter in the beginning?”

Xu RenDong was startled.

Lian Qiao said: “The original Russian matryoshka were not a set of small dolls within larger dolls but a hen within a crown, an egg within a hen, a yolk within an egg and the innermost layer contained a piece of chocolate. Later on, a painter called…” He suddenly got stuck, thinking for a while, scratching his hair a little embarrassingly, “It’s over, I forgot what the painter was called.”

Xu RenDong said helplessly, “It’s not important, continue. “

Lian Qiao:” Well it doesn’t matter anyway, after a series of changes and improvements, matryoshka has become what it is today. I guess the tip of the elevator being in Russian was to emphasize the importance of the origin of the nesting dolls, which is the key to the puzzle – the matryoshka is not just a matryoshka but also an Easter egg. So…”

Lian Qiao stared at the giant hammer in the hands of Brother Sledgehammer, his expression suddenly excited: “I have a bold idea.”

Xu RenDong smiled: “I do too.”

Lian Qiao didn’t expect Xu RenDong to go along with him. He was a little surprised and a little bit overjoyed. He looked at Xu RenDong with a gentle smile in his eyes: “But this is very risky. If there is really nothing inside this doll, then it’s the equivalent to destroying a key prop and then all of us are doomed…. “

Xu RenDong comforted him: “It’s fine. We’re all already doomed anyway. “

Lian Qiao: “…… What you say also makes sense.”

Xu RenDong: “The question is, how do you plan to get the sledgehammer off him?”

Lian Qiao raised the corners of his mouth slightly: “Let me ‘seduce’ him.” 

… Seduce him?

Xu RenDong looked at the big-waisted Big Hammer, and then at the thin-skinned and tender Lian Qiao. Suddenly a lot of bad associations occurred. He frowned, grabbed the eager Lian Qiao and said in a deep voice: “You can’t go.”

Lian Qiao: “Huh?”

Xu RenDong said displeased: “I didn’t expect you to be this kind of person. For this kind of small thing, you’re going to betray your body? What will your parents think?”

Lian Qiao: “…” He finally realized that Xu RenDong had misunderstood and couldn’t help laughing out loud. “No, no, no, I mean to bait him and make him run after him. Then can you help me put the doll on the stone tablet? Then I will lead him back over to the stele then dodge his attack so that he will use his hammer to smash the matryoshka. ‘Seduce’ is a game term, I usually say it casually so I didn’t realize what it sounded like.”

Xu RenDong: “…” He silently turned his head, there was a moment of silence, and he managed to say the word “oh”.

He thought he was the other person having nasty thoughts, but didn’t expect it was actually him that was thinking too much. He was wrong to accuse others. Xu RenDong now felt so embarrassed his face hurt.

Lian Qiao added fuel to the fire: “Oh, I also didn’t expect you to be this kind of person…”

Xu RenDong’s ears reddened at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Lian Qiao looked at Xu RenDong who was embarrassed that he turned stiff, and only thought he was so very cute. Suddenly wanted to tease him and even wanted to boldly touch his ears.

Lian Qiao faintly knew that this was not good and that Brother RenDong might get angry. But he couldn’t control himself. When he reacted, his hand was already reaching Xu RenDong’s earlobe and was only a thin distance away from the small and soft tender skin.

Gu-dong.

Lian Qiao swallowed nervously and excitedly.

***  

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