Chapter 144: Stroll Game

"Boss, help! Any experience to share? I've never played a puzzle game before! Can you tell me how to find the clues?"

The person who said they liked it was enthusiastic and replied directly: "Just observe carefully; don't skip any information. The main point is not to miss any data, gather everything together, and you can usually solve it. Finding information is the key; typical examples are the seemingly random graffiti on the wall, a stopped clock, and so on. Just be meticulous."

"Thanks!"

"There are still many good people! I'm moved to tears!"

"True affection still exists in the world! Today I finally saw it!"

"You wouldn't kill a boss like this, would you? There's nothing, just pure informational value! It must be safe, right?"

"Safe? No way. Right now there's nothing, but once the Instance launches, everything will be used. This person is so powerful, they'll definitely get a good ranking, and the system's rewards are still plenty! Boss, be careful; someone is already after you."

"Is there a chance that if you don't speak up, no one would even think of this place!"

"Haha, thanks a lot, I've noted this boss's ID; you'll definitely achieve a good result."

"That's enough!"

"Stop talking about that; haven't you paid attention to the difficulty distribution? It's actually allocated according to the Wealth Ranking and the Mileage Ranking!"

"How normal. If we don't use these two authoritative lists, would it be random? As an ordinary person, entering a Hell‑level Instance would leave me no choice but death."

"If that's the case, Wuya Dalao must have already given up on the Hell‑level, right?"

"Why do those bosses only lose 1000 Game Coin when they fail? That's totally unfair! It should be deducted proportionally! If it's 100% deduction, then everyone should lose 100%!"

"Those upstairs, take care of yourselves first."

Cheng Shuili wasn't monitoring the regional channel; just now Ailin sent a message that the person had been dealt with, and, incredibly, the card had dropped.

Cheng Shuili held the card in silence for a moment, then shook her head. She wanted a fair trade, but someone always treats her as a sucker; with things blown up like this, she has nothing more to say.

The Instance is a speedrun Instance; if you finish quickly, you can use the reward, just in time to stock up on food before the famine hits.

Cheng Shuili carefully stored the card and quietly waited for the Instance to start.

Her gaze fell on Su Rui; if she can join the Instance, she'll go in, and if not, she can run mileage outside—either way, the benefit is significant.

These past days, Cheng Shuili has repeatedly affirmed her decision at the time; it was truly worth it!

If she gets another chance to go to the black market, she plans to buy another servant, though she hasn't decided what that servant will do yet.

The system's countdown reset to zero precisely at 8:30.

Cheng Shuili closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, she was inside a dim room. She hesitated, moved slightly, and the damp, musty smell immediately filled her nostrils.

【Instance "Labyrinth Gate" has opened】

【Current participants 8546/8546】

【Instance rule supplement: 1. This Instance ranks by time used; the less time, the higher the rank. 2. This Instance no longer determines victory by average. 3. This Instance lasts eight hours; completing the puzzle within eight hours counts as success!】

They actually gave eight hours?

With that much time, the difficulty is obvious.

Su Rui isn't present; it seems the servant won't follow the master into the Instance.

Cheng Shuili frowned and surveyed the surroundings.

It's a cramped room under ten square meters; the walls are covered with mottled mold, and a half‑torn cobweb hangs in a ceiling corner, trembling slightly in the cold draft seeping in from somewhere.

Clearly, no one has lived here for a long time.

The only light in the room comes from high on the right wall, where a palm‑sized vent lets in sunlight, though it's not bright.

When Cheng Shuili lifted her foot, she felt an inexplicable sticky sensation.

She stepped into the sunlit area and saw the floor covered with a half‑dried dark stain, resembling spilled red wine or dried blood.

The room suddenly sounded a tick‑tock.

Cheng Shuili spun around sharply and found a ceramic washbasin in the corner.

The rusted faucet was dripping; a layer of murky liquid pooled at the basin's bottom, and black, fluffy matter floated on the surface, strikingly like human hair.

Cheng Shuili involuntarily shivered, then quickly composed herself.

The system is playing a psychological game this time; the atmosphere is indeed terrifying, but it's just self‑induced fear. She needs to stay calm.

Cheng Shuili walked around the room once, just as she was about to look for clues, she noticed a locked oak door.

An antiqued bronze keyhole was exposed on the oak door, the requirement laid out plainly; Cheng Shuili must find, using the room's clues, a key that can open this door.

But…

She actually has a key in her hand.

Cheng Shuili stared at the keyhole for a while, then pulled the Universal Key from the Abyssal Ring.

Since it's not an electronic lock, this key of hers… should work, right?

After obtaining this key, it's still her first time using it in an Instance; she hopes it will be useful.

Cheng Shuili inserted the Universal Key into the keyhole; metal against metal produced a faint sound that amplified in the silent room, sounding especially intrusive.

She held her breath and gently turned the key.

Click.

The sound of the lock core springing open rang especially clear in the quiet room.

Cheng Shuili's mouth twitched upward; it really opened—truly worthy of being called the Universal Key!

She carefully pushed the door; the hinge emitted a tooth‑aching creak, as if it hadn't been opened for years.

Behind the door was a narrow corridor; the walls were covered with faded floral wallpaper, some sections peeled away, exposing moldy plaster behind.

At the end of the corridor stood another door, ajar, with a faint light leaking through the crack.

Cheng Shuili drew a long sword from the Abyssal Ring and stepped forward slowly.

The system says this Instance poses no life‑threatening danger, but this one is definitely Hell‑level; who knows if it differs from a normal Instance?

Anyway, caution comes first!

The floor beneath Cheng Shuili's feet moaned under strain; each step seemed to test the old house's load‑bearing limit.

When she walked to the door, a scent mixing disinfectant and a foul, rotting smell rushed into her face.

Cheng Shuili hesitated for a moment, then raised her hand and pushed the door open.

In front of her was an old bathroom, the bathtub filled with water, its surface covered by a layer of white foam.

The most chilling thing was that a figure seemed to lie in the tub, only a pale face and a hand draped over the tub's edge visible, the hand's nails an unnatural bluish‑purple.

Cheng Shuili wasn't sure whether this thing was a person.

She didn't dare approach, standing aside to observe the surroundings; the room also had a wooden door, like the one before, with a bronze‑colored keyhole.