The door to the room was suddenly knocked upon. Jing Minghe quickly exited the bathroom and found, as he had expected, a single bedroom. Against the window was a rather large single bed.
On one side of the bed was a dressing table, cluttered with various cosmetics. A prominent crack, made by something being smashed, marred the inlaid vanity mirror on the wall. Figures in the mirror seemed on the verge of being torn apart.
Beside the dressing table stood a wardrobe, its door ajar, revealing little of its contents.
Jing Minghe walked to the window and pulled back the curtains, discovering the window was sealed shut and unopenable. Outside was pitch darkness, devoid of any light.
As Jing Minghe leaned in for a closer look, the knocking at the door resumed, reminding him that someone was looking for him outside, the sound a persistent rhythm.
"Alright," Jing Minghe sighed, "let's figure out what this instance is about first."
"Stop knocking, I'm coming."
Jing Minghe walked over and opened the door. Standing outside was a young man in a butler's uniform, a name tag on his chest reading "Waiter."
How simple and straightforward.
Jing Minghe gave a slight smile, about to greet him, but the waiter spoke first.
"Mr. Jing, the banquet will begin shortly. The boss has asked you to go down as soon as possible."
Banquet? Boss?
Jing Minghe hesitated. This waiter was clearly an NPC. Before any plot points were triggered, he likely wouldn't be able to glean any useful information.
"Okay, I understand," Jing Minghe replied. "I'll get ready and be right down."
Upon hearing his response, the waiter turned and left directly.
Jing Minghe returned to the room and opened the wardrobe. Indeed, there were other clothes inside, both formal wear and casual attire, as well as pajamas. However, the outfit he was currently wearing seemed intended for the banquet the waiter had mentioned. Jing Minghe decided it was best not to change for the time being.
Stepping out of the room, Jing Minghe realized he was in what appeared to be a conical tower. The entire structure was brightly lit, with no dark corners left forgotten.
Across from Jing Minghe's room was a staircase. His room was located in the middle section of the tower. The stairs were spiral; looking up from the staircase, one could see the pointed spire, and looking down revealed the grand hall below.
Perhaps due to the banquet, three large round tables draped in dark grey tablecloths were arranged in the center of the hall. The tables were laden with rich pastries and drinks, though the bright red carpet looked quite jarring.
Jing Minghe's overall impression of the setting could be summarized in four words: incongruous and bizarre.
There were already a few people in the hall. Since everyone had changed their clothes and hairstyles, he couldn't recognize anyone at first glance.
Passing by the second floor, he happened to run into Chi Hao, who was just coming out of his room, ready to descend.
Seeing Chi Hao's attire, Jing Minghe couldn't help but burst out laughing.
A suit and trousers were ordinary enough, but what made it stand out was the woolen coat draped over his shoulders, a grey and white scarf around his neck, a gentleman's hat on his head, and sunglasses. If he hadn't known Chi Hao relatively well, he wouldn't have recognized him at first sight.
Chi Hao walked over to Jing Minghe. Jing Minghe placed a hand on Chi Hao's shoulder and laughed heartily until he could laugh no more.
"Had enough laughing?" Chi Hao narrowed his eyes, his tone cold, yet his expression held a hint of helplessness.
"Mm," Jing Minghe didn't remove his hand from Chi Hao's shoulder. "Um, you're not angry, are you? I didn't mean to laugh at you, I just couldn't help it."
"Let's go down."
On their way down, Jing Minghe observed and said, "This instance, on the surface, seems to have no danger. I wonder what the conditions for clearing it will be."
"No rush."
They reached the hall. Jing Minghe spotted You Mi in the distance and waved, calling out, "Sister You Mi."
Hearing Jing Minghe's voice, You Mi looked over and, pulling Qi Meiyuan, who was with her, walked towards Jing Minghe and Chi Hao.
You Mi and Qi Meiyuan's formal wear looked quite normal.
You Mi wore a vibrant red evening gown with three flowers, red, blue, and yellow, arranged side-by-side on her left shoulder. Qi Meiyuan's gown was pink, with four flowing ribbons at the back.
As You Mi approached, her gaze swept over Jing Minghe and Chi Hao. "You're finally down. This instance is a bit perplexing."
Jing Minghe glanced around the hall. He and Chi Hao were indeed the last to arrive.
"Did you find anything?" Jing Minghe asked as they walked.
"No," You Mi sighed. "Before you came down, a few of us searched the entire hall separately and found nothing."
Jing Minghe hummed. "No need to worry. It probably requires triggering some plot points. Although this instance looks quite glamorous on the surface, it's likely more difficult than Evernight Town. We won't get clues that quickly."
You Mi nodded. "Let's go over there first."
"Minghe!"
Tong Zheng, who was talking to Yan Xiaoxi, saw Jing Minghe approaching and greeted him enthusiastically. However, his expression faltered slightly as his gaze fell upon Chi Hao.
Tong Zheng was wearing a floral shirt and casual pants, his hair a slight yellow curl. Yan Xiaoxi was in a green dress with purple petals printed on the hem.
The attire and styling of everyone gave Jing Minghe a feeling that it was all tailored to someone's specific taste.
Jing Minghe smiled and responded to Tong Zheng.
His gaze swept across the others. Apart from optimistic individuals like Tong Zheng, everyone else bore traces of worry on their faces.
They all understood in their hearts that the more outwardly dazzling a place was, the deeper the hidden dangers. A single misstep could lead them into a death trap.
Eleven people, no more, no less, gathered in the first-floor hall. For the moment, there seemed to be no immediate danger, yet no one was in the mood to enjoy the food and wine on the tables. Su Dan Novel Network.
Except for Jing Minghe and Chi Hao.
The two walked to a round table, each picked up a glass of champagne, leaned against the edge of the table, and, with their gazes sweeping left and right, drank their champagne while observing their companions.
The main door on the first floor was locked. To the left and right, sofas for resting were placed against the walls. Opposite the main door was a small doorway with the words "Public Restroom" written on it.
Jing Minghe saw Yue Yang and Guo Wei sitting on two sofas to the left of the main door, heads bowed as they whispered in discussion.
Chen Mu stood alone in a corner, observing his surroundings with a serious expression. The moment his gaze met Jing Minghe's, he paused but showed no intention of greeting him.
The girl named Lin Ling stood not far from Chen Mu, her hands twisting together, looking somewhat nervous.
After observing his side, Jing Minghe turned to look in the direction Chi Hao was facing. His eyes immediately landed on the man named Guan Wei, who was dressed in a white suit, but with a pure black peony pinned to his lapel.
When they were in the resting area, Jing Minghe had heard Tong Zheng mention that Guan Wei worked as a bodyguard for an entertainer outside. Although he was generally serious, he wasn't difficult to communicate with.