Infinite Peculiar Games

Guess?

Lin Chen had not expected Qi Si to be in the mood for jokes in this place.

Before he could say anything else, Shen Ming intervened to defuse the situation. “Don’t mind him; Lin is new here and doesn’t know much. His question was a bit abrupt.”

Qi Si smiled at Shen Ming, then grabbed another apple from the table and started polishing it, as if unconcerned with the ongoing conversation.

His earlier remark was delivered with a playful tone, leaving room for multiple interpretations.

Typically, when someone made a teasing remark, he would naturally brush it off, preferring to share obvious conclusions.

However, at present, the seasoned players seemed accustomed to his concealments, adopting the attitude that “sharing openly is a matter of camaraderie, while keeping secrets is a matter of duty”. This left him no choice but to harbour suspicions.

Did the instance really demand players to unite and cooperate? Was cooperation really the optimal strategy for clearing dungeons?
Huh, no wonder Ye used the phrase ‘getting screwed over by someone in the instance’…

In the deathly silence, the butler appeared as if on cue—like a ghostly presence—and addressed the players, “Ladies and gentlemen, it’s getting late. Allow me to arrange accommodations for you.”

He paused, his face contorting into an uncomfortable, insincere smile. “Please forgive our negligence; it’s simply because the night is unsuitable for venturing out. When morning comes, you are free to admire the roses you’ve been eagerly anticipating.”

As Qisi listened, his mind automatically extracted the key information.

Firstly, “the night is unsuitable for venturing out” aligns with the hint【Do not leave the castle at night】in the rules.

Secondly, after dawn, players are free to explore the rose-filled garden.

On the system interface, the phrase【Be cautious of the roses】seemed ominously treacherous.

There is a high probability that danger lurks within the roses; however, the mechanism of its operation remains unknown.

Nevertheless, the idea of perishing by roses was quite intriguing…

The butler maintained the same steady pace, meticulously leading the way ahead and guiding the group upstairs step by step.

The steps, constructed from stacked stones, were uneven and rough, with tiny plant roots growing in the crevices. It was as if the steps were originally solid stone but had been forcibly torn apart by stubborn roots.

The players cautiously trod on the broken steps, reaching the second floor of the castle in silent anticipation.

An area of about two hundred square metres lay before them, revealing its entirety. The grey walls were marred by dirty water stains, while moss and ferns crept along the edges.

Three ominous brown doorways were set into the walls, their broken panels adorned with a mishmash of wooden pegs of varying ages and materials, creating a disjointed array of colours.

Similar to the ground floor, a large, heavy mechanical clock sat in the corner, always informing players of the approximate time.

Time was indeed crucial in this instance.

The butler unclasped three keys from his waist and handed them to the leader, Shen Ming. “Please try to avoid leaving your rooms at night. Each room accommodates only two people. Make sure to keep the keys safe; they might save your lives at crucial moments.”

His voice dropped as if sharing a secret, casting a momentary, eerie atmosphere.

The players instinctively shifted their gaze and cautiously scanned their surroundings. As expected, there was no sign of a second staircase.

If the staircase they ascended was blocked off once they were upstairs, they would be easily trapped inside, like cornered prey in a dead end.

Qi Si turned to the butler, politely inquiring, “Sir, may I ask where lovely Miss Anna stays?”

The butler’s eyes crinkled with a smile at the mention of “lovely,” seeming quite pleased.

He cheerfully replied, “Miss Anna stays on the third floor… Oh, I almost forgot to tell you, Miss Anna doesn’t appreciate guests prying too much into her life. If she catches you on the third floor, she’ll be very upset.”

So, as long as they are not caught, they will be fine?
It seems like a trip to the third floor is a must after all.

Qi Si stroked his chin, deep in thought.

Meanwhile, all the players received a system prompt.

【Rule deciphering progress has been updated.】

【New rule refreshed.】

【9. Please avoid going to the third floor. If you do go, make sure not to be caught by Miss Anna.】

Being able to accurately ask questions that trigger new rules is also a skill, whether intentional or accidental.

At that moment, the gazes of the seasoned players towards Qi Si carried a hint of scrutiny.

Under everyone’s gaze, Qi Si remained composed and continued asking, “Mr. Butler, where do you stay? Where can we find you in case of need?”

The butler twisted his head, joints creaking like a rusty machine in motion.

He smiled and pointed to the ground, his dark eyes almost bulging out. “I live… underground. It’s very cold, very dark… underground.”

Underground? But the castle clearly does not have a basement…

The seasoned players took it in stride, but Lin Chen’s face turned pale as if he were on the verge of fainting.

The butler turned around stiffly and headed towards the stairs with rigid steps, descending the steps one by one.

Only when his figure was completely obscured—by the shadowy corner formed by the stairs and the wall—did Shen Ming speak hoarsely, “What do you guys think of this new rule and the third floor?”

“Thankfully, Qi Si asked about it in advance; otherwise, someone might have broken the rule before it surfaced,” Zou Yan said with a smile, gesturing towards Qi Si, who broke away from the group.

She paused momentarily before continuing, “If we want to unravel the worldview, we’ll definitely need to explore the third floor for more clues. But if we just want to clear the instance, then we don’t need to bother with the third floor; we just need to strictly follow all the rules.”

Lin Chen nodded in agreement. “Let’s prioritise survival for now and consider the worldview later.”

No one objected. It was only the first day of the instance, and they did not know much about the situation yet. Further discussions would not yield much either.

The mechanical clock struck seven times; it was late.

Ye pulled Zou Yan’s hand and said with a smile, “I’ll room with Sister Zou! Please take good care of me, Sister Zou.”

It was only natural for the two women to stay together. Now, the question was how to divide the four remaining men.

Shen Ming looked at Lin Chen, wearing a troubled expression. “Lin, since you’re new here, who do you want to room with?”

His eyes revealed a hint of hesitation. “To be honest, I’m not an official like you guys. I’m a reserve whirling around in the novice pool. My skills may not necessarily be much stronger.”

Lin Chen froze in place as he was suddenly singled out.

Of course, he knew that being a newbie made him somewhat undesirable in the eyes of others.

Insufficient experience meant he could not offer much help; if he died, it would even raise suspicions. In a deadly game like this, being new undoubtedly meant a high mortality rate and trouble.

Shen Ming seemed to be giving him a choice, but it was actually a way of avoiding responsibility via speech tactics.

No matter who he chose, that person would have reason to ignore him, accusing him of choosing blindly, of wishful thinking.

Qi Si saw Lin Chen’s distressed expression and sighed, offering a reassuring smile. “Lin Chen, if you trust me, we can share a room.”

People usually believed only the weak would form alliances; the strong would go solo.

But he deeply understood the principle of limited individual strength and never let himself be bound by stereotypes.

He will not hesitate to form his own league through various means, but the authority has to remain in his hands.

In simple terms, it was about using others.

With half-closed eyes, Qi Si’s lashes cast a shadow on his eyelids like raven feathers. “I certainly don’t have as much experience as Brother Shen, but as long as you follow my lead, I’ll do my best to keep you from dying at the hands of ghosts and monsters.”

Lin Chen was stunned.

Ever since Qi Si triggered the new rule earlier, he had assumed this young man, despite his age, was a leader.

And this leader did not hesitate or act coy at all; he was willing to extend an olive branch to him in his most helpless moment…

In this crisis-ridden and bizarre game, could there really be such a kind-hearted person?

Shen Ming gladly ditched the tricky issue and immediately agreed: “Lin, you should team up with Qi Si. I don’t think he’s any less capable than me.”

Lin Chen felt like he had woken up from a dream, nodding vigorously like a chick pecking at grains. “Th-thank you, Brother Qi! I’ll try my best not to hold you back.”

Qi Si looked at his temporary roommate, who appeared extremely grateful, and his eyes and eyebrows curled into a smile.

The so-called room assignment essentially divided the six-person team into three small groups temporarily.

He did not expect much from his teammates from the start; as long as they were obedient and convenient to use, it was sufficient.

Lin Chen was the only one who barely met his criteria.

Shen Ming naturally roomed with the remaining player, Chang Xu.

A teammate who appeared strong would undoubtedly be a welcomed presence in an instance fraught with danger. Chang Xu, standing over six feet tall, surely provided a sense of security.

With the groups nearly sorted, Zou Yan walked confidently up to Shen Ming, selected a key, and, with a graceful “goodnight”, headed towards Room 1 on the right side of the staircase.

Qi Si observed everyone’s reactions, then took the key labelled “2” from Shen Ming’s hand and led Lin Chen to the far end of the corridor.

In a game of mutual distrust, the sooner you controlled more pieces, the easier it was to gain a greater advantage.

Alone in the instance, he lacked the experience and accumulated points of other players. To achieve an unexpected victory, he had to make the most of every playing card.

What he needed to do now was quickly turn Lin Chen into a complete “ally.”

(End of Chapter)

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