Days had swiftly passed by.
The incident with the Xia family hadn't caused much of a stir, after all, the news was suppressed, and those who had wanted to make trouble were already behind bars.
After the event, Old Master Xia opened the safe left by his wife, only to find it contained the gift he had given her when they were first married.
The most significant issue was the sudden unconsciousness of Young Master Xiashi from the Xia family, who, it was said, had been so frightened at the banquet that he fell into a coma.
As for Gu Wuji, although he caused a ripple, he believed that with time, everyone would forget his identity.
Those in the Xia family eager for the heir's position tried to forge a connection with Gu Wuji, but they neither knew his real identity nor could they locate him.
Only Xiayang Shuo, who knew Gu Wuji's true identity, kept it tightly under wraps. Others thought he was shamelessly hoarding information because of his close relationship with Gu Wuji, but only Xiayang Shuo knew...
Master Gu was actually a man! The task proposed by Old Master Xia was doomed to be unachievable by anyone.
Despite causing a huge commotion in the Xia family, Gu Wuji afterward spent quite a leisurely period, continuing his work and occasionally sharing game experiences with teammates he had met in the virtual world.
Of course, Gu Wuji's experiences were of no reference value whatsoever.
At that time, Lu Yuanchou, who had previously teamed up with Gu Wuji for two instances, came to invite him once again.
"This time I've come to you with great news!" Lu Yuanchou said excitedly, feeling he finally had something good to bring to Gu Wuji.
After the completion of the previous instance, the conflicts between Lu Yuanchou and his organization had become irreconcilable, leading him to leave.
Of course, Lu Yuanchou planned to join a new organization, and by chance, he came across a rather formidable one, rumored to have high-level players among its upper ranks.
Mid-level players, after completing certain instances, would inevitably be arranged by the system to undertake promotion instances. Only by fulfilling specific requirements in these could they advance to high-level status. Otherwise, even if one survives by clinging to stronger players, they would still have to face promotion instances.
And these promotion instances were notoriously mysterious and challenging, instilling fear in many. If one could team up with an experienced high-level player, the task would undoubtedly become much simpler.
Lu Yuanchou was also nearing his promotion instance and thus was determined to join this organization.
However, entering such an organization was not easy. It required passing through certain trials, and during his preparations, Lu Yuanchou immediately thought of Gu Wuji, who was still unaffiliated.
In his view, Gu Wuji's strength was formidable, and having caused so many sensational incidents, he was more than qualified to pass the trial and enter the organization.
Gu Wuji was intrigued upon hearing Lu Yuanchou's proposal and inquired about the details of the trial.
"It's not too complicated," Lu Yuanchou explained. "You just need to enter a specified mid-level instance and retrieve a certain item."
Of course, there was a certain risk involved, but then again, no instance could guarantee complete safety. It was better to seize this opportunity.
"This shouldn't be a problem," Gu Wuji nodded, showing interest in both the instance and the organization.
As long as he wasn't sent to a world like the previous instance, Gu Wuji was fine with it. After all, returning to such a scenario wasn't just courting death; it was outright suicide. He had no desire to be surrounded by vengeful spirits again.
After making their plans, Gu Wuji once again used the method from last time and entered an instance with Lu Yuanchou.
...
Upon regaining consciousness, Gu Wuji found himself in a large hall. The hall was stark white throughout, devoid of any furnishings, epitomizing simplicity. There was only an entrance and an exit, with a door that seemed impossible to force open, requiring fingerprint identification.
He noticed he was dressed in a white lab coat, clean and neat, giving off the vibe of a doctor or a researcher.
The few people standing around were similarly dressed, all wearing serious expressions. According to Lu Yuanchou, they were all there for the same reason—to retrieve that certain item and thereby gain entry into the organization.
However, it seemed that there was only one item available, allowing at most two people to join the organization together. Therefore, even during the initial introductions, a sense of competition was already palpable among them.
Most of these people appeared to be well-known, though Gu Wuji recognized none of them... After all, his knowledge of other players was limited, preferring to spend his time studying new scripts and character development over watching others' gameplay videos.
When Gu Wuji introduced himself under the alias Sun Shi, the others looked at him with surprise, clearly aware of his involvement with the mountain god... Though his last instance was more explosive, its latter half was shrouded in darkness, leaving outsiders privy only to earlier events.
This caused some to underestimate Gu Wuji, thinking him famous but not quite on par with the others present.
Lu Yuanchou nodded at Gu Wuji upon seeing him, then quickly adopted an indifferent demeanor as if they were strangers.
Before entering the instance, they had agreed to pretend not to know each other, allowing them to assist one another if necessary.
[You are high-paid specialists hired by a major family, sent to a secluded research institute on a cliff by the sea. Officially, you're there to study a rare creature, but the institute has been the subject of unsettling rumors, and none of you have any prior knowledge or experience in this field. Worse still, there are tales of researchers leaving the institute either mad or disappearing altogether.]
[Despite your doubts, your task is simply to fulfill your duties, as the institute's payment is critically important to you.]
[Trigger the main quest: Complete the assigned tasks of the institute.]
The introduction of the instance didn't seem to surprise anyone much; they had somewhat anticipated the background through various means. Yet, it was unexpected that the instance outright acknowledged their lack of research knowledge...
Gu Wuji had also sought clues about this instance beforehand. Typically, many instances have been cleared by numerous players , with plenty of videos and testimonials available, offering insights and strategies.
However, this instance remained enveloped in mystery, with no information available in the public domain. Such instances do exist... After all, the game's instances are continuously updated. While old instances may disappear for various reasons, new ones emerge regularly.
To Gu Wuji, the ever-changing roster of instances, often introducing new challenges and narratives, seemed natural given the game's dynamic world filled with supernatural elements.
The clue he purchased from the system mentioned the story of the "Daughter of the Sea," which intriguingly ended just after the Little Mermaid received a dagger from her sisters, hinting at something significant.
With the research institute located by the sea, Gu Wujie had already begun to form a guess about the content of this game.
Could the entity being studied in this game be a mermaid?
Or perhaps it was about trying to save someone, who then ends up being captured and studied in this institute, driven by resentment to retaliate against humanity.
Thinking this way, it all seemed quite plausible. Gu Wujie decided to wait until they got inside before trying to find out more.
Soon after, the doors to the main hall opened, and a handsome young man with light golden hair hurried in, introducing himself as the director, who would then assign their tasks.
Contrary to what everyone had expected of a serious researcher, his clothes were sloppily draped over him, with water stains on his white shirt, and his hair was a mess, giving off a casual vibe that made him appear very approachable.
"Sorry for being late. I had a little trouble with a test subject just now." The blond young man offered an apologetic smile. "I'm Fiona. Feel free to call me whatever you like."
However, the group was keenly aware of the mention of a "test subject" in the NPC's speech, giving them quite a bit to think about.
Upon entering through the main door, Fiona pressed his fingerprint on the lock next to the door and then said in a relaxed tone, "Your fingerprints have also been entered into the system. But since you've just arrived, you don't have much access. If you want to leave, you'll need to come to me."
Hearing this, the others sensed trouble. According to Director Fiona's statement, they were almost as good as imprisoned here, unable to leave. If they were to encounter any fatal danger later on, it would be a huge problem.
"Of course, as long as you work well and don't cause any trouble, your access will be quickly upgraded," Fiona said, as if knowing what they were thinking, smiling as he spoke.
Hearing this, many were already considering the possibility of kidnapping this NPC to open the door if push came to shove. But such actions were a last resort, as no one knew whether this NPC was friend or foe. Accidentally capturing a boss would be akin to courting death.
The research institute was considerably large, with only the top layer visible from the cliff's edge to the outside world, yet it housed several more layers within.
As the group entered the institute through the elevator embedded in the cliff, they had not even had a chance to listen to Fiona's introduction before several staff members, pale-faced and covered in blood, rushed out looking utterly disheveled.
"Director Fiona, the subject in that area has lost control again!"
Hearing these anxious words, Fiona remained calm, smilingly informing the group that she had matters to attend to before assigning a random researcher to give them a tour of the institute.
Compared to Fiona, who was both charismatic and approachable, the other staff members were cold and indifferent, giving off an air of reluctance to interact with the players... However, this demeanor actually reassured the players more, as Fiona's personality was the one that aroused suspicion.
Someone tentatively inquired about the accident mentioned by the researcher.
The researcher simply responded with indifference, "It's just a typical case of a subject losing control. Nothing out of the ordinary."
"But that blood looked terrifying. Could someone have been hurt...?"
"Those injured are sent out for treatment. Moreover, we have comprehensive medical facilities and experienced doctors within our institute, so there's no need to worry about such issues."
Despite the group's various attempts to probe further, they couldn't glean much information.
The accommodations for the players were single rooms. While not as luxurious as a hotel, the conditions were quite good. Though they couldn't contact the outside world, entertainment options like watching TV, movies, and playing games were available.
Meals were served in the staff cafeteria, where abundant food was brought in from outside. They could request specific dishes, and chefs would prepare them on demand. For those who preferred convenience, nutritional drinks were also an option.
Besides, the institute offered facilities like a gym, making the benefits quite generous.
Additionally, there was a high annual salary and bonuses, with substantial compensation for the families of staff members in case of accidents.
Apart from the lack of freedom and inability to communicate with the outside world, the job seemed perfect. However, it was clear that this was no ordinary research institute.
According to Fiona and previous information received, the institute existed to study a rare species... Based on past experiences, the subjects of research here were likely monsters or even ghosts.
The players couldn't possibly work here indefinitely; something was bound to change within a few days. If they couldn't find more clues while completing their tasks in a few days, they would probably perish in an upcoming accident.
Moreover, they had no experience in this field, suggesting that the institute's staff had brought them here just to meet their demise.
Gu Wuji was assigned to organize documents in an office. Other players were also assigned various tasks, but initially, these tasks had no direct relation to the researched creatures.
If this were reality, people would surely criticize the institute's backers for their seemingly irrational expenditure on hiring talents for unclear purposes.
Upon arriving at the office, Gu Wuji was shocked by the simplicity of the job, which required nothing more than basic literacy and common sense. Besides him, there was a taciturn woman with brown hair in the office.
The brown-haired woman had pale skin and was occasionally breaking out in cold sweats, appearing as if she were ill.
Gu Wuji attempted to communicate with the brown-haired woman, greeting her tentatively, "Hello? You don't seem well, do you need to rest?"
However, she showed no interest in talking, only giving Gu Wuji a few extra glances when her eyes swept over his face.
After all, admiring a handsome man was a pleasure for the soul.
Seeing her disinterest in communication, Gu Wuji began to carefully review the documents, hoping to uncover some clues.
But reality was harsh. Gu Wuji couldn't understand the data at all, realizing he needed to find an NPC in the game to help him interpret it.
The brown-haired woman, observing Gu Wuji's focused demeanor, suddenly spoke, "You're here for more than just work, aren't you?"
"What?" Gu Wuji turned towards her.
"I've seen many like you, sneaking into this game, thinking they can find something to make a name for themselves, only to end up dead here," the brown-haired woman said softly, her eyes coldly fixed on Gu Wuji, "...You'll become one of them."
Gu Wuji: "Thanks for the warning."
"I'm not warning you," the woman frowned and continued, "I'm just telling you not to get too comfortable with the tasks here... It's better to find a chance to escape, the farther, the better."
After this, no matter what Gu Wuji asked, the brown-haired woman didn't speak again, her complexion growing worse as if she was feeling increasingly uncomfortable.
Of course, Gu Wuji couldn't leave. He was well aware of the dangers here, but even without the main mission's constraints , Gu Wuji's character was such that he would stay to uncover the truth. The first day was merely for acclimatization, and soon it was time to leave work. As Gu Wuji was about to leave his room, he suddenly thought he heard the sound of water flowing past his ear, but when he listened carefully again, he heard nothing.
"What is that..."
In reality, he might have doubted his own hallucinations, but in the game, every detail has its significance.
The brunette woman behind him noticed Gu Wuji's odd behavior and looked at him in astonishment, "You heard it?"
Gu Wuji immediately felt something and asked the brunette woman closely, "Do you know what that was?"
She shook her head immediately, as if recalling something extremely terrifying, "I don't know, I don't know anything." She picked up her bag and hurried out the door, passing by Gu Wuji, a whisper barely audible arose: "If you... see him, you must never..."
Gu Wuji didn't have the chance to stop her before the figure of the brunette woman had already disappeared around the corner.
"What did she mean by that?" Gu Wuji became even more puzzled.
Gu Wuji arrived at the employee cafeteria, where most of the others were also hanging around. He casually took a seat diagonally across from Lu Yuanchou, and the two exchanged brief talks about the day's events as if they had just met.
"My task was to clean a certain room." Lu Yuanchou frowned, his complexion looking quite unpleasant, "There was a huge tank in that room, but it was empty, and the stuff inside was difficult to clean, some of it looked like internal organs and flesh... Of course, that was probably feed for some creature."
In such a supernatural game, this so-called feed inevitably led to wild speculations.
If it wasn't for Lu Yuanchou's vast experience and relatively strong mental fortitude, he might have developed a psychological shadow upon seeing that scene.
"I see." Gu Wuji nodded, then shared his encounter with the brunette woman.
As for the others, it was unclear if it was because everyone was competitors, or if they already knew something, but they all seemed to refuse to share information, showing a confident demeanor. After all, they believed this was just an ordinary intermediate game, and they were certain to pass without issue.
This attitude made Lu Yuanchou scoff, not to mention an intermediate game, even if these intermediate players were to attempt a low-level game, accidents could easily happen... These people would eventually pay the price for their arrogance.
Gu Wuji was indifferent. If others didn't want to talk, then they wouldn't, and it didn't have much to do with him.
Everyone was quietly eating dinner when suddenly, a researcher at the next table's face changed drastically, and he collapsed to the ground, clutching his ears, his expression filled with utter panic, occasionally letting out screams and wails.
"It's not me, it's not... Don't come looking for me!!"
People around immediately tried to soothe him, but to no avail. The researcher's emotion became increasingly frantic, and in the end, he grabbed a knife from a nearby table, meant for cutting food, and plunged it into his own heart.
As blood sprayed out, the researcher's face finally showed a look of relief, and his expression at the time of death was surprisingly peaceful.
The expressions of the others around him were complex. Rather than sympathy, they seemed more concerned about themselves, and amid their fear, there was even a hint of envy.
This discovery made the players shudder. What were they envying? Could it be that for these people, death was some kind of release?
The researcher's body was quickly taken away, and the scene was cleaned up thoroughly, everything returning to calm astonishingly fast. The other researchers also appeared numb, as if the person who had just died was not a human being.
The sudden turn of events made the players' expressions become solemn. From the attitudes of these people, they could deduce that such incidents must have happened many times before, which is why these people were so numb to it.
At this moment, Director Fiona hurried over, quickly soothing everyone, promising them a bonus, while also expressing regret over the death of the researcher, and finally saying, "Maybe it's because of staying in a confined space for too long, causing some psychological problems. Everyone must be careful, and if there's anything uncomfortable, you can tell me."
Everyone nodded with a smile on the surface, but what they were truly thinking, no one knew.
After washing up, everyone was arranged to rest in their own rooms.
Gu Wuji lay down in his room, having nothing else to do, he closed his eyes and prepared to sleep.
In a state of half-sleep, he suddenly felt as if he were being submerged in water, the flow covering his body, causing Gu Wuji to involuntarily hold his breath.
He wanted to open his eyes, but felt as if his eyelids weighed a ton, completely immovable. In contrast, a song that had started at some unknown time became clearer and clearer in his ears.
The voice was gentle and pleasant, not at all like something a human could produce, more like it was coming from a creature that shouldn't exist in this world.
The song carried a deeply seductive intent, making those who heard it gradually lose consciousness, as if sinking into the deep sea along with the song.