Chapter 13: Adult Fairy Tale

……

Midnight, 00:00.

In the hall, the lights had gone out at some unknown time, leaving only sporadic electronic candles that burned steadily in the darkness.

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Suddenly, a beam of light shone, illuminating the high-backed throne.

Handbook Article 11: During a performance, the light is the stage!

A "King" sat upon the throne.

Zhu Jie held a scepter, wore a crown, and his face was covered by a white, majestic mask.

He spoke:

"Uh, that..."

He had stalled...

"..."

The whole room was silent for a few seconds, then Zhu Jie secretly pulled a slip of paper from his pocket—on it were the lines the group had just discussed.

After a glance, he stammered: "My...

"Where is my Queen?"

In the darkness to the side where the light could not reach, Ding Mo and the others frowned as they watched.

No emotion, no acting skills, he couldn't even remember a simple line.

But at least he was keeping the performance going.

"I am here, my dear." Dong Xiaoyu walked out from the side, her gorgeous purple-black long dress emitting a charming luster under the light.

Combined with her graceful figure, she truly looked like a young Queen.

She also wore a mask on her face.

Dong Xiaoyu walked to Zhu Jie's side, feeling somewhat uncomfortable, and sat down.

Zhu Jie glanced at the slip of paper again:

"Where is my Princess, as white as snow?"

Leng Rourou, standing tall and graceful like a blooming white lotus, stepped forward upon hearing this.

Just as she was about to walk into the light, she was surprised to find the light shining right on top of her head!

This accident also caught the others by surprise.

The lights were not actually controlled by them, but by some unknown person in the shadows once the performance time arrived.

Uh, hopefully that guy is a person.

"I am here, Father King." After realizing what happened, a gentle and sweet voice came from Leng Rourou.

She moved with poise and sat down gracefully.

The light followed her as she moved.

Up to now, besides the "Main Stage," which was the area around the throne, she was the only one enjoying an independent spotlight.

Seeing this, Chu Chenfeng, who was next to Ding Mo, pondered slightly, as if he had sensed something.

As for the others, they were more surprised by Leng Rourou's acting.

If Dong Xiaoyu's beauty was enough to qualify her as "Queen," then Leng Rourou had completely mastered the role of "Snow White"; in her words and actions, there was both royal nobility and a daughter's expression of love for her father.

This beautiful, mellow voice made Zhu Jie, who had been staring intently at the "Queen," unable to help but let his gaze fall upon her.

The lecherous gaze made Leng Rourou unable to help but frown slightly, but constrained by her Identity, she ultimately gave him a sweet smile.

Seeing this, Zhu Jie was actually stunned for a moment,

And then a fire ignited in his heart!

Until on his retina:

【Threshold: 100%】 → 【Threshold: 95%】

Zhu Jie changed immediately, only then realizing that because of his distraction, the performance had stalled.

"Serve the food, serve the food quickly." Zhu Jie said hurriedly:

"Someone! Serve the food quickly!"

Ding Mo and Chu Chenfeng looked at each other, then picked up the trays placed on the ground and walked into the light.

The King's family banquet officially began.

Moreover, everyone had now walked into the light. The surrounding darkness compressed the activity space of the entire hall, leaving only a pitifully small area around the throne.

After serving the food, the two Guards, Chu Chenfeng and Ding Mo, stood below the throne, playing the role of Guards well.

At this moment, Ding Mo finally had time to check the information on his retina:

【As a lowly Guard, you looked directly at the King and Princess, Threshold -7%】

【You completed the King's order and set out the delicacies, Threshold +5%】

【You stood guard in the palace and performed your duties as a Guard, Threshold +1%, Threshold +1%...】

【Threshold: 142%】

Not bad, Ding Mo's Threshold anomaly had still not disappeared, and he had also sounded out Chu Chenfeng; no one else's "Threshold" could increase.

What did this mean...

Clang, clang! The sound of tableware and porcelain bowls colliding rang out—some of these props were brought by them from their own rooms, and some had been prepared by someone unknown at the performance site.

The group silently enjoyed the banquet, while Dong Xiaoyu toyed with the fake meat and fake vegetables on her plate, her eyes constantly scanning the surroundings.

She was also someone who had survived one Task, and she understood that when the "Threshold" started to change, it meant some "things" had noticed them!

If his guess was correct, those things were the "Audience" of this performance!

Therefore, everyone is currently relaxed on the surface, but inwardly extremely tense,

terrified that something might suddenly walk out of the vast darkness where the surrounding lights cannot reach,

or that it might not walk out.

After a short while,

Leng Rourou gave Zhu Jie a look.

Zhu Jie was stunned for a good moment before he understood.

He immediately stood up and waved his scepter:

"I... no, your King is tired!"

He glanced at Chu Chenfeng,

"Escort your King back to the palace!"

At this moment, he seemed to have adapted, and his delivery of the lines finally had a bit of emotion.

But not much.

"Yes, great Majesty!" Chu Chenfeng responded while holding his chest.

His acting was also passable.

Once the two left the light and disappeared into the darkness, Dong Xiaoyu put down her cutlery and looked toward Leng Rourou.

Next... the main point is coming!

Ding Mo's gaze tightened.

……

In the Hotel, inside a certain Actor suite.

It is worth mentioning that the space here is very large, actually much larger than the "King's" room.

However, at this time, the lights here are the same, all extinguished. Only one television remains, playing the footage of Ding Mo and the others performing.

It's just that the footage seems to be from a camera's perspective, not only fixed in place, but the sound is also very difficult to hear clearly.

The light from the television spills onto the bed opposite, vaguely reflecting the silhouette of a person.

The figure sits silently on the edge of the bed, motionless, just quietly watching the "King" in the footage leave, and then the Queen, acting as the Stepmother, begins to "argue" with Snow White,

until she orders the Guard to take the Princess into the forest and kill her.

"Kill her, then bring back her internal organs as proof!"

The figure watches silently, expression cold, watching "Snow White" and the remaining Guard, who is Ding Mo,

as they follow the guidance of the lit lights and leave, walking all the way until they reach a small patch of woods outside the Hotel.

"So... that's how it is, the forest... is real?" the figure mutters to himself.

A few minutes later, he suddenly lowers his head, as if he has noticed something.

"What a nuisance..." He pulls out a tissue and wipes his lapel, as if some dirty thing had stained it.

The next second, it seems as if the performance has ended.

The lights in the room suddenly turn on!

As the clear light falls, the tissue in the figure's hand is actually covered in bright red blood!

The red shadow reflects on the head of the bed, on that comical "Dwarf" Mask,

revealing a hint of ferocity!

……

Over here,

In the vast light of the Hotel, all the Actors have finished their performance and returned to their rooms.

Due to the advice in the "Handbook", they dare not stay outside for too long.

Dong Xiaoyu throws the internal organs Ding Mo brought back out the window, a look of disgust appearing on her face.

These internal organs are real; they are props given by the Prop Team. Therefore, they have already started to stink, and the smell is extremely unpleasant.

"Hey, hey!" Zhu Jie has just come out of the bathroom at this moment, and he laughs:

"It's your turn to shower."

His voice carries a hint of anticipation.

Dong Xiaoyu's expression changes, and she lies down on the sofa, ignoring him.

"..." Seeing this, Zhu Jie's smile vanishes, and he snorts coldly, lying down alone on a large bed in the room.

Stinking bitch! I'll make you pay sooner or later!

Turning off the lights, Zhu Jie's mind is filled with images of debauchery.

The "female companion" he had acquired some time ago, that newcomer, did not enter the Task with him this time,

so, accustomed to nightly revelry, he is now extremely lonely.

He wants to find a "replacement" as soon as possible.

Damn it! This cursed Task; if he doesn't find a woman soon, he is going to go crazy!

A trace of madness appears in Zhu Jie's eyes.

Even soldiers who have retreated from blood-soaked battlefields have psychological trauma,

let alone those who have experienced all sorts of bizarre occurrences that completely defy the laws of physics and are still alive today?

In the hearts of some of them, they have long since become extremely twisted...