Chapter 10: The Widow in the Mansion

Yu Deng’s lips were beautifully shaped, neither too thin nor too full, perfectly suited for kissing.

Their usual healthy pink hue had turned a deep, moist crimson from the fierce kiss moments ago. Upon closer inspection, a tiny cut could be seen at the corner of the mouth.

Holding the photo, Yu Deng pressed her lips together gently, then called out, “Cheng Chaolin… that’s quite a nice name.”

“Huh? Why does it feel a bit cold?” she wondered aloud, looking around the room.

There was no movement or sound. The curtains were half drawn, and the room was brightly lit—rarely did it feel this safe.

[What’s going on? I think the livestream flickered just now.]

[Not an illusion, I felt the energy shift too.]

[Energy or not, I only know my wife’s lips are swollen and bruised from all that kissing.]

[During the meeting earlier, Bad Dog was grinning so happily. Tsk, I’m not jealous—really, not jealous at all.]

“There’s nothing here. Maybe I imagined it… hmm?” Yu Deng trailed off, suddenly covering her mouth with a startled expression.

How strange—she felt as if someone had just touched her lips.

She tentatively touched her mouth, uncertain of what had happened. After a moment, the odd sensation did not return.

Was it just a trick of the mind?

Yu Deng examined the photo carefully, then suddenly caught a crucial detail. She flipped it over and scrutinized the two sets of birth data on the back.

She painstakingly converted the top birth date into numbers, calculating for a long while, and realized Cheng Chaolin had only been thirty-one at the time of his death.

“That’s not right. Cheng Xiao was around eighteen, and Cheng Chaolin just a little over thirty…” Yu Deng’s face darkened with disdain. “He was doing that sort of thing at such a young age?!”

The air seemed to freeze, an indescribable stillness filling the room.

At that moment, a breeze blew in from outside. Books on the bedside table fluttered, the top one revealing a stack of loose papers.

Yu Deng waited for the wind to die down, then carefully picked up the yellowed sheets.

The handwriting varied, belonging to different people—several fashionable autograph books.

— “Chaolin, you really have it made. So young and already running a thriving business, truly admirable.”

— “The professor said he regrets you didn’t continue in academia, but Cheng Ge, you’re amazing at business. Growing the family enterprise is what counts.”

— “Cheng Ge, we’re all getting married one after another. Haven’t you found the right girl yet? When can we attend your wedding?”

Huh? Cheng Chaolin had always been single?

Yu Deng pondered for a few seconds, suspecting she might have misjudged her late husband.

Perhaps there was some hidden truth—like the stepson not being a biological child?

“Host,” the system finally spoke, unable to hold back any longer, “please examine the clues carefully.”

Yu Deng acknowledged this with a hum, scanning through all the autograph books again before picking up the photo once more.

Let me calculate… oh, the remaining birth date must be his own.

Tilting her head, she jotted this down to study further later.

While she searched for more clues, the subtle shift in energy had quietly dissipated. Moments later, a notification chimed.

[Ding! The special power of this sub-level has been unlocked.]

Yu Deng looked up in surprise. “What power? Show me!”

[Once fully charged, player Yu Deng can assimilate into the spirit realm and create a domain within a limited area, lasting five minutes.]

Yu Deng was baffled. “What is the spirit realm?”

[Originally, spirit realm refers to yin and yang. In this sub-level, it specifically means that you, the host, a living person, can gain the power of the afterlife.]

She thought hard and realized this meant she could become a ghost.

What? The power she unlocked was precisely what she feared most?!

Feeling uneasy, she rubbed her arm, both scared and a little excited.

This power sounded formidable. If she truly needed to use it to compel Cheng Xiao to cooperate by startling him into signing a contract with the system, wouldn’t that complete the mission smoothly?

She glanced at the personal panel the system displayed—the power charge was only at one percent. Oh, still a long way to go.

...

After thoroughly searching the room and recording clues, Yu Deng planned to learn from other players and gather more information.

Just as she headed downstairs, she ran into Cheng Xiao coming out of the study, and they ended up walking together, half by chance.

Cheng Xiao’s good mood persisted, his gaze frequently drifting toward Yu Deng’s lips.

Yu Deng looked out at the gray sky and spoke softly, “Why do you think they don’t want to invite the police?”

“Probably because they’re afraid their secrets will be uncovered,” Cheng Xiao replied casually.

Only when everyone harbors secrets would they fear the symbol of judgment—the police—so much that they’d rather risk the killer continuing than face investigation.

Yu Deng couldn’t understand just what secret could be so terrible to make them take such risks.

Together, Yu Deng and Cheng Xiao questioned several servants and a barely noticeable concubine, confirming some details.

Time within the sub-level seemed to speed up unnoticed. As night fell, players exhausted every means to piece together alibis without angering the NPCs.

Master Cheng was murdered around four in the afternoon yesterday.

The old madam spent the entire day chanting in the ancestral hall.

Cheng Chaoxia was busy with wedding arrangements, her maid testified she stayed in her room.

Cheng Wenhao and Lin Zhiyue went to sleep after exercising at three; both claimed they woke only after the incident. A servant guarding the first floor verified they hadn’t come downstairs.

As for the concubines, the deceased fourth concubine was chatting in the garden, and the fifth, seemingly unwillingly married into the Cheng family, was making desserts in the kitchen, all witnessed.

Piecing everything together, everyone indeed had no time to commit the murder.

The only blank was the five minutes before Master Cheng was killed. A servant left to fetch something, leaving the mansion, and no one could confirm Master Cheng was alone.

So who struck in those brief five minutes?

The livestream audience, fond of following the plot, was thoroughly entertained.

[No bloody battles, but watching the players deduce together is quite interesting.]

[Don’t you think it’s odd? Even in a beginner’s sub-level, players this united is rare.]

[And no real losses yet… seems like something big is being held back.]

Night quickly fell, marking the second night of the sub-level.

That night, Cheng Chaoxia’s family kept vigil.

Yu Deng, having barely rested during the day or night, glanced once at the spirit hall, secured the doors and windows, and lay down to sleep.

...

Night deepened, and all was silent.

Mist thickened over the Cheng estate. In the most secluded corner, a tall figure slowly took shape above.

The features and torso of the figure became clearer, yet the figure was completely transparent.

The dark moonlight passed right through it, casting no shadow—no one could see it.

It opened its hands, grasping lightly a few times. “Too bad, still invisible to others.”

The figure paid no heed to its own form, nor did it look toward the Cheng family. Its goal was clear—it entered the room it knew well.

The room it had lived in for decades, now inhabited by its young wife.

Yu Deng lay in the center of the bed, restless and somewhat uneasy, brows slightly furrowed.

A thin mist poured into the room with the figure’s arrival, deepening Yu Deng’s sleep.

The figure gazed at Yu Deng, its expression shadowed, as if harboring countless emotions.

In the end, the question it most longed to ask was—

“Who… kissed you?”

A hoarse, irritable voice whispered in Yu Deng’s ear.

The tone was actually pleasant, but slow, as if long unused to speech.

“You little ungrateful one.”

The transparent shadow leaned over, staring intently at the person in bed.

Wrapped in a gray fleece blanket, Yu Deng’s half-hidden face was pressed into the pillow, cheeks flushed red. After most of the day, the swelling had subsided somewhat, but the marks were still visible.

The figure’s fingertip pressed against Yu Deng’s lips, gently dragging over them, as if trying to erase the mark left there.

Yu Deng shivered, frowning in discomfort and turning away, but ended up facing it directly.

Under the thick mist, Yu Deng slept deeply, mouth slightly parted, breathing softly revealing a glimpse of pink tongue.

Though still in deep slumber, her movements were mere physiological reflexes, yet the unintentional display was irresistibly seductive.

The figure’s cold, slender finger slipped into Yu Deng’s mouth.

Warm, moist, soft—so unlike the icy stiffness of the finger.

It idly toyed inside.

“Mm…”

Yu Deng ground her teeth against the cold intrusion, annoyed and wanting to spit it out, but her strength was no match while asleep.

When the finger withdrew, it was coated in bright saliva.

The transparent shadow stared at its fingertip silently, then bent down and, without hesitation, pressed its lips to Yu Deng’s.

Unaware, Yu Deng lay back, soft lips and tongue sucked, eyes tightly shut with tears welling at the corners.

Anyone witnessing this would cry out in shock.

A pitiful beauty, trapped and kissed by an unseen presence, moaning softly, utterly powerless to resist.

The scene was eerie and chilling, yet laced with a strange sensuality.

The faint sound of wetness was swallowed by the darkness.

So close, the shadow’s lips and tongue warmed, inevitably absorbing Yu Deng’s scent.

It kissed for a long time, awkward at first, then skillful.

Only when Yu Deng’s breathing grew rapid did it mercifully end the kiss.

Silently watching Yu Deng’s now swollen lips, it leaned down again and pulled open her collar.

Cold air poured into Yu Deng’s neck, making him shiver and murmur discontentedly.

The shadow’s gaze roamed over his pale skin, and seconds later, it bit into his delicate collarbone.

Yu Deng winced in pain and cold, arching his waist, grumbling unhappily.

The bite left a clear mark—a deep crimson teeth imprint, revealing the owner’s blatant possessiveness.