Chapter 8: The Widow in the Mansion 8

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The so-called “land graves” refer to those who died unexpectedly and could not be buried in the ancestral tombs; they were usually interred on their own land, also called “watching the land.” For a prestigious family like the Chengs, it was unthinkable to bury their own casually in the fields, so it was no surprise that they had specially designated an area as a land grave.

Yu Deng let out a soft “Ah, I see.” The deceased Cheng family members who met untimely ends... Yu Deng only knew at that moment that her husband, whom she had never even met, had died. Could they be referring to her late husband?

“Let’s go in and take a look first,” Cheng Xiao said, putting an arm around Yu Deng’s shoulders. Just as they were about to enter, they saw Sister Tong, an experienced player, returning with a grave expression.

“My detector just went off,” Sister Tong said seriously. Her tool, which could detect murder weapons, was signaling that the weapon was nearby—most likely at the scene of the NPC’s death.

They followed the panicked crowd into the house and up to the second floor, where they saw a beautiful woman lying face down on the dressing table, a long, sharp silver hairpin piercing through her throat from side to side.

The brown table surface was splattered with blood.

“I was told by Madam last night to wake her at dawn,” the flustered maid stammered. “But when I went in... when I went in, I saw her like this...”

The butler hurried over and had the deceased Fourth Concubine gently laid on the imperial chair.

Yu Deng peeked over Cheng Xiao’s shoulder to observe. The concubine’s eyes were closed, making it hard to read her emotions, but her face was calm, not contorted in pain or horror, and her clothes were neatly worn.

“Stepmom, look, it seems she never struggled during the whole ordeal,” Cheng Xiao whispered in Yu Deng’s ear.

Was it that she didn’t struggle, couldn’t struggle, or didn’t dare to?

Yu Deng tried to analyze rationally following Cheng Xiao’s lead, but deduction was not her strong suit; after a while, her head felt dizzy.

Most of the Cheng family members had gathered there by then; Cheng Chaoxia’s complexion was paler than the day before. She ordered the hairpin to be removed.

“Wait, this hairpin looks familiar. Isn’t this the same one my sister used to wear?” one concubine suddenly said. Her “sister” referred to the principal wife of Master Cheng.

The matriarch glanced at her indifferently. “I lost it last month.”

“That’s just your excuse! The master favored her most in recent years, always had her serve him, and even agreed to divide property for her son. You’ve been jealous from the start, haven’t you?” The concubine pressed on aggressively, “I bet you had something to do with the master’s death, right?”

Yu Deng listened intently.

Could the murderer really be the matriarch? Was it really that simple?

“I was chanting Buddha’s name all day yesterday and didn’t see him at all. Last night I wasn’t here either,” the matriarch sneered. “I’m practically at death’s door. If I wanted to act, why wait till now?”

The butler, having examined the hairpin, hesitated before saying, “This hairpin has blood stains of a different color at the tip. It seems... to have dried for over half a day.”

“I told you! The master was killed by this thing!” another concubine sneered sarcastically. “If it wasn’t the madam, then it must be the eldest miss. Didn’t she keep complaining about not being able to inherit the Cheng family because she’s a girl and argue with the master many times?”

Cheng Chaoxia snapped angrily, “Auntie, watch your words!”

Taking a deep breath, she continued, “I did have disagreements with my father, but now that Chaolin is gone, do I really have reason to harm him? It’s you, Fifth Auntie, who didn’t come willingly into the Cheng family. Aren’t you suspicious?”

Cheng Wenhao tugged at his mother’s sleeve, urging her to calm down.

Nearby, Yu Deng was stunned, his mind racing to record the information, feeling like his CPU was about to overheat.

[So much information, I’m dizzy already. Can anyone analyze this?]

[Wow, even several players watching the livestream couldn’t get this much info. Now the NPCs are actually talking on their own.]

[Must be because it’s reached a plot point + difficulty balance? After all, it’s a beginner dungeon; the hard mode shouldn’t jump so many levels.]

[Yu Deng’s expression right now is hilarious—looks exactly like me when I’m completely stumped.]

If one keeps a good mindset and treats the dungeon like a game, then what’s happening feels like a cutscene.

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The NPCs revealed quite a bit of information—though vague, the players finally had a direction for investigation.

The various branches of the family each held their ground, suspecting each other, unwilling to admit guilt. After a long quarrel, they parted on bad terms.

...

Yu Deng, having listened to the Cheng family’s tangled grievances with growing confusion, returned to the mansion where he was staying.

Halfway there, Yu Deng recalled the electronic voice he heard during a side quest.

“Oh right, System, last night during the mission, I heard that Cheng Xiao is my current mission target.”

[Yes, he is the player who needs to be restrained in this dungeon,] System 01 replied. [Host, since this is your first dungeon and there are newcomers among the players, the system took some time to lock on.]

Only when a new player clearly shows intent to disrupt the dungeon can the main system lock onto a target. Cheng Xiao, who wanted to set fire to the mansion, was caught this way.

[If your mission target is an experienced player, the system will analyze their past behavior and lock on, usually informing the host at the start of the dungeon.]

Yu Deng nodded, understanding. “What about NPC targets?”

[When you encounter them, the system will provide hints or guidance.]

“Oh... so how do I complete the special mission?” Yu Deng had yet to consider this and hurried to ask.

“And what exactly is the special power?”

Yu Deng pondered the system’s initial explanation carefully.

Some of the small advantages he currently enjoyed stemmed from his special status. But what about the power?

[You need to restrain the target and prevent them from damaging the dungeon. If necessary, you will have to act on behalf of the system to negotiate contracts with them.]

Though puzzled as to why he had to intervene, Yu Deng nodded absentmindedly.

[Because every dungeon’s mode and background differ, the unlocking period for special powers and the powers you receive will vary.]

[This dungeon has not yet reached the unlocking period. Please note, the temporarily granted abilities are not infinite. Once consumed, you must accumulate them again.]

Yu Deng could understand this—it was just like a mana bar in a game.

So his current task was to watch Cheng Xiao and keep him from recklessly ruining the dungeon?

Yu Deng frowned, feeling something was off. He was a player, yet asked to help maintain the evil dungeon, which made him feel like the villain.

But a rather dim-witted villain.

Still, failing the mission would mean death... He’d take it one step at a time.

Shaking his head to end the inner turmoil, Yu Deng returned to the mansion.

“Who got hurt just now?” Cheng Xiao asked the players who stayed behind.

Surprisingly, the tall, slender veteran player who hadn’t gone to the vigil shook his head. “Nobody.”

“Then what happened just now?”

The tall player pointed wordlessly at someone in the group. “This guy tripped going down the stairs and shouted so loud I thought something had happened.”

Yu Deng looked toward the man nearby.

The man looked like a weary office drone beaten down by life, and Yu Deng didn’t recall hearing him speak yesterday. His eyes were tired yet apologetic as he said, “Got too lost in following clues. Sorry about that.”

He floated over lightly and asked what they had discovered.

The players exchanged a few words. They had planned a meeting in the morning but with an NPC incident and the Cheng family in chaos, it was the perfect time to search for clues.

They agreed to look around during the day and postpone the meeting until noon.

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Cheng Xiao was noncommittal, saying he had kept vigil all night and needed to rest. Yu Deng quietly slipped back to his room.

Once inside, Yu Deng glanced at the mirror and noticed his face was smudged with dirt and his clothes stained, carrying a faint scent of incense ash and candle smoke.

Frowning, he roughly wiped the dirt from his face and raised a hand to brush dust off his clothes. Suddenly, pain shot through his arm, tears welling in his eyes.

Ah, the injury from last night’s side quest—he hadn’t treated it due to circumstances.

No wonder the pain had come in waves...

His gaze swept the room but found no ointments or medicine.

Besides, the wound was near his shoulder blade, where he couldn’t reach.

Asking the butler for help was out of the question.

Sitting quietly for a moment, Yu Deng knocked again on his stepson’s door.

“What is it?” Cheng Xiao opened the door. Behind him, the room was somewhat messy, a huge suitcase spread on the floor, and many items on the desk.

Cheng Xiao paused for a moment, seeming to consider, then gestured for Yu Deng to come in.

“Do you have medicine?” Yu Deng asked, making a rubbing motion. “For bruises and sprains.”

Cheng Xiao nodded. “Yes. You got hurt, Stepmom?” He picked up a jar of ointment from the desk and handed it to Yu Deng.

Clutching the ointment, Yu Deng looked up. “Help me apply it—I can’t reach.”

Cheng Xiao hesitated. “What?”

Yu Deng glanced at him, pursed his lips, and turned his back, lifting his pure white cotton-linen shirt.

A slender, soft waist was revealed.

The skin was even whiter than the shirt—not pale, but luminously beautiful. The elegant curve of his back flowed down to two small dimples above the waist, and then the line was concealed under long pants.

Cheng Xiao knew Yu Deng was thin—he had already embraced him upon entering the dungeon.

One hand could easily encircle him.

But now, seeing this with his own eyes, Cheng Xiao realized just how white and delicate Yu Deng’s waist truly was.

“Stepmom, you...” Cheng Xiao locked the door behind him and took a few steps toward Yu Deng.

Oblivious, Yu Deng maintained his shirt lifted, turning his head with a hint of complaint, urging, “Hurry up, it hurts so much. My arm’s getting sore holding it up like this.”

Cheng Xiao remained silent.

Yu Deng muttered softly, “Can you see the wound? It’s below the shoulder blade. My lower back hurts a bit, too.”

Cheng Xiao understood why it hurt.

Yu Deng had bumped into the stair railing yesterday, leaving a small bruise.

Pitiful yet somehow stirring a fierce, nameless fire within Cheng Xiao, rapidly burning through his limbs and bones.

Yu Deng stood in the cluttered room like a painted masterpiece, or perhaps a dangerously alluring poison inviting ruin.

With eyes lowered, Cheng Xiao’s fury surged from his heart, engulfing his entire being.