Chapter 6

Chapter 5: Changming Town 5
The silence of the northern garden was completely broken; a large number of servants poured in.

The lanterns in their hands lit up the entire garden like sparks; they were all there looking for Jiang Wan’er.

From this, the seriousness of the situation was clear.

When they were discovered, Zuo Sanqiu was sitting side by side with Shi Zong on a swing, enduring goosebumps and a chill.

He even raised a hand, reaching over Shi Zong’s neck, lightly resting it on his shoulder. Shi Zong tilted his head slightly toward him. At first glance, the two looked like a very affectionate couple.

The swing was located in the northeast corner of the garden, directly opposite the medicine room in the northwest corner.

They had hurriedly maneuvered to get there while avoiding everyone and pretended as if they had never gone northwest.

“Found them! Miss Jiang is here!”

“The Young Master is here too! The two of them are together!”

…

After finding Shi Zong and Zuo Sanqiu, the people spread the news. After a while, a man of about fifty walked over.

He was already bald, but his face looked relatively young. He had upturned eyes, a flat nose, and thick lips—ugly to the point of being unsettling.

Silver words appeared above his head for a few seconds.

Apparently, an important NPC—

【Identity: NPC】

【Name: Elder Gong】

【Role Info: A highly respected elder in Changming Town, officiant of Jiang Wan’er’s three weddings; also hosting this wedding】

Elder Gong had three deep lines on his forehead, just one more would form the character for “king,” giving him a commanding presence.

As he walked toward the swing, the surrounding servants automatically stepped aside to make way.

Shi Zong carefully observed their expressions; all of them had immediately stopped smiling and looked very serious.

It was clear that everyone respected Elder Gong greatly.

Some even seemed fearful; their hands trembled.

Elder Gong’s surname was Gong; he was not part of the three major families and had no real power in Changming Town.

Yet if he were merely “the most respected person” and “officiant,” why were these people so afraid of him?

In the night, Elder Gong walked slowly and scrutinizingly toward the two, hands behind his back, fixing his gaze on Jiang Wan’er. “May I ask, Miss Jiang and the Young Master, why are you here?”

Zhang Ye spoke first: “I really like Wan’er, can’t bear to leave her for a moment. Besides, she hasn’t had a proper walk around here yet, so I wanted to bring her to enjoy the moon in the garden. Elder, is there a problem?”

“Hmm, the moonlight in this garden is indeed beautiful.”

Elder Gong’s expression darkened slightly. “Which places did you visit?”

“We came straight here to swing. Haven’t had time to go anywhere else. I just…”

Although still very fearful, the real-life script game had trained Zuo Sanqiu’s acting somewhat. He gritted his teeth and said, “I was momentarily unable to control my feelings, and got intimate with Wan’er… I… um, Elder, there are so many people here, I’m embarrassed to say.”

“You didn’t go anywhere else?”

“No.”

“That’s good. Recently there have been ghost disturbances. You two must not wander around. I’ll escort Miss Jiang back first. Young Master, you should return as well. After the wedding, she will be yours. No need to rush.”

After speaking, Elder Gong indeed “escorted” Jiang Wan’er back with a group of servants.

During the earlier conversation with him, Zuo Sanqiu remained calm and composed, but inwardly felt some fear.

At first, Shi Zong didn’t take him straight back to the room, and he had not understood why. Now it seemed every step Shi Zong took had been calculated perfectly.

Elder Gong’s earlier questions were simply to find out whether they had been to the medicine room.

Now it was clear this could not be revealed to him.

But what should be done next?

Jiang Wan’er had already left the side room once; Elder Gong would certainly reinforce security. The side room might be surrounded completely until the wedding concluded.

Yet this wedding must not take place.

Otherwise, they could die—Shi Zong too.

Thinking this, Zuo Sanqiu did not immediately return to his room, instead following the servants to Jiang Wan’er’s temporary side room.

Sure enough, it was surrounded by heavy forces, almost impossible for even a fly to escape.

There was a stone table in the courtyard outside the side room.

Elder Gong sat by the stone table, apparently intending to guard personally.

A personal maid named Ah Hua followed him. Suddenly, Elder Gong coughed a few times, and Ah Hua quickly took out her water jug and poured him a cup respectfully.

After drinking, Elder Gong cleared his throat, had Ah Hua pour another cup, and finally nodded in satisfaction.

Zuo Sanqiu observed all this and guessed the jug contained pear water or some other drink for soothing the throat.

Suddenly, he noticed Elder Gong glance toward him.

Whether due to the love spell or not, Zhang Ye clearly could not let go of Jiang Wan’er.

Thus, Zuo Sanqiu being here was not OOC; in fact, it was very reasonable.

Elder Gong saw him but said nothing, only waved his hand impatiently. “Go back quickly!”

“Eh, understood.”

Zuo Sanqiu replied but glanced toward the side room again.

Candlelight revealed Shi Zong’s profile. He seemed to be sitting by the window.

Earlier, when Shi Zong rose from the swing, he had quietly said to him: “Try to come to the window later and see me.”

Thinking of this, Zuo Sanqiu felt somewhat frustrated.

The wedding was only 40 minutes away.

In this situation… what plan could break the situation?

He wanted to set the hall on fire.

But he couldn’t.

As a player, he knew about the love spell. Zhang Ye’s character likely didn’t know. Acting rashly could result in OOC death.

Another possibility: acting according to the “devoted admirer” role, setting a fire per Jiang Wan’er’s request.

But that also seemed inappropriate.

First, Jiang Wan’er might OOC. Second, if others noticed, they might think she discovered a plot and execute her.

Zuo Sanqiu was desperately thinking of a solution when he saw a scene that completely stopped him from wanting to set fire—

In midsummer, a plane tree in the courtyard had cicadas calling nonstop.

Elder Gong, sitting on the stone bench, frowned, then took out a bright yellow long strip of paper—a blank talisman.

He tossed it, and it floated in the air.

Raising his right hand, index and middle fingers together, he struck the talisman, drawing a symbol in midair.

After drawing, he snapped his fingers, and the talisman ignited on its own.

When the talisman burned out, a rustling sound like falling leaves was heard.

Zuo Sanqiu looked toward the sound and saw cicada corpses falling like rain.

“They’re too noisy.”

Elder Gong yawned and said this in an extremely indifferent tone.

Indeed, it was a variant script.

This elder could use magic?

This was terrifying.

He and Jiang Wan’er could be killed in an instant.

What to do?

Cold sweat soaked Zuo Sanqiu’s back.

In the real world, Jin City, backstage at Jinshui Grand Theater.

A male dan actor, fully made up, drank water to soothe his throat while listening to his assistant report on Changming Town.

The system strictly forbade spoilers for scripts players had played.

But minor unrelated information could be disclosed.

This was when guilds were very useful.

They collected scattered information from players, integrated, reasoned, and reconstructed it. While it didn’t reveal the full story, it helped members avoid risks.

For Changming Town, they didn’t know the full story or the murderer, but they knew Jiang Wan’er’s role was the default death role—very dangerous.

Thus, when recruiting new members into the instance, they used tools to help them avoid Jiang Wan’er.

“Boss Li, here’s the situation.”

The assistant said, “This is a variant script. Jiang Wan’er is like an ordinary person, no abilities, but there’s a very powerful sorcerer in it.

“That sorcerer is a big boss, specifically guarding Jiang Wan’er. But Jiang Wan’er is skillless. How can she survive? She’ll probably die.

“From our data, Jiang Wan’er will die immediately after marrying Zhang Ye.

“All other players and NPCs want to kill her. The differences are in how players handle details, which affects the cause of death and murderer!

“Some players realized they shouldn’t marry, tried to escape, but the big boss caught them and they couldn’t escape, dying horribly.”

The male dan called “Boss Li” silently drank half a cup of pear water, then said: “Check all information on Innkeeper Shi Zong since birth.

“I want to know how he obtained his current ‘identity.’”

In-game. In the brightly lit courtyard, Zuo Sanqiu clenched his fists, thinking of strategies, when suddenly he saw a side room window pushed open.

Shi Zong

“Elder Gong, is it alright if I speak a few words to Zhang Lang through the window?”

Elder Gong’s brows tightened, and he immediately looked at Shi Zong.

He said, “I don’t want to be apart from Zhang Lang for even a moment. Of course, rules must be followed. I won’t go out to see him again. But I thought of a way to relieve his longing for me.”

Imagining a man saying this to himself gave Zuo Sanqiu another chill.

Then something even more chilling happened—

Shi Zong actually took out a bright red item. It was a red bellyband.

He shook the red bellyband in his hand for a moment, then put it down.

“Elder, I’ll give this to Zhang Lang and let him keep it in his pocket. It’s like I’m with him. Is that alright?”

Elder Gong looked at him several times with a stern expression but nodded in agreement.

Shi Zong then looked toward Zuo Sanqiu from afar and waved to him. “Zhang Lang, come over. Something like this, you can’t let anyone else touch it; you have to take it yourself.”

Shi Zong’s smile was gentle, his tone soft, perfectly blending with Jiang Wan’er.

However, after getting Elder Gong’s permission and walking to the window, Zuo Sanqiu met Shi Zong’s cold, icy gaze. “Why haven’t you acted yet?”

This person’s face changed too quickly.

And those eyes… so terrifying.

Under Shi Zong’s stare, Zuo Sanqiu obediently answered, “I just saw something, got a bit nervous, delayed… I’ll find another chance to tell you what I saw.”

Hearing this, Shi Zong handed the bellyband to Zuo Sanqiu. “I hid a package under the swing earlier. My hair is in the lining of the bellyband. Take the hair, go over, and dig out that package.

“The package contains the herbs and prescriptions I took from the medicine room. Follow the prescription and make the medicine; just in case, make a bit extra. Before the wedding, you need to find a way to get Elder Gong to take this medicine.

“After that, prepare some high-purity white liquor.”

Zuo Sanqiu understood Shi Zong’s instructions.

After understanding, he was a bit shocked—

What do you do when faced with a boss you can’t beat?

Of course… make him fall in love with you.

Put a love spell on Elder Gong?

Shi Zong’s move was insanely bold.

And the liquor… what for?

Could it be that if the love spell on Elder Gong fails, the plan is to burn the wedding venue?

Zuo Sanqiu swallowed hard. “I understand. But… are you sure I won’t go OOC if I set the fire?”

Shi Zong glanced at Elder Gong not far away, then fixed Zuo Sanqiu with an emotionless gaze. “Zhang Lang, under such fine scenery, why don’t we—”

Zuo Sanqiu: “I won’t ask. I understand. I’ll go immediately. Please let me off.”

Author’s note:

Remark: Standard mystery refers to what can happen in reality, while variant mystery goes beyond reality, adding elements like fantasy.

In the context of script murder games, this corresponds to standard scripts and variant scripts.