After connecting with Tan Zao Zao, Ruan Nan Zhu quickly determined the clue regarding Tan Zao Zao's door. It was Tan Zao Zao's third door overall, and the difficulty level wasn't too high, but they still needed to be careful. The clue this time was just four words - Girl in the Rain.
Before giving out the clue, Ruan Nan Zhu had already done his homework and briefly told Lin Qiu Shi about the general information regarding the Girl in the Rain. The Girl in the Rain was a portrait painted by a Ukrainian artist, depicting a girl wearing a black hat with a haggard pale face. The girl had her eyes closed, with raindrops rolling down her cheeks and hat brim. Wearing black clothes, she looked as if she had just attended a funeral, with an emotionless winter-cold face.
Lin Qiu Shi had also seen the painting, of course it was a replica. Although the girl in the painting had her eyes closed, if observing carefully, there would be an illusion that she had opened her eyes. The overall color tone of the painting was very gloomy, carrying a dampness unique to rainwater.
The background of this painting was also unique - it had gone through three buyers, but all three buyers eventually chose to return it. They claimed that after buying the painting, they were followed by a girl in black everywhere as if their shadow, even in their dreams they were not let off.
The girl kept getting closer and closer to them until they couldn't stand the situation anymore. In panic, they returned the scroll to the artist.
Indeed, this painting wasn't very likable. After reading about it, Lin Qiu Shi closed the webpage.
Sitting beside him, Ruan Nan Zhu handed him a silver bangle and told him to wear it on his wrist over the next few days. But he needed to pay attention to one thing - take it off immediately upon entering the door and not let others see it.
"Is it to prevent people from other organizations from discovering it?" Lin Qiu Shi asked.
"Yes." Ruan Nan Zhu replied. "That's one reason, but there's actually another one."
"What is it?" Lin Qiu Shi asked.
Ruan Nan Zhu glanced at the bangle. "Because this bangle is a cursed object."
Lin Qiu Shi: "..."
Ruan Nan Zhu added: "Oh yes, your earring is also cursed, just not as powerful."
Lin Qiu Shi reflexively touched his ear with the earring, as Ruan Nan Zhu had forcefully pierced it on him earlier. He hardly noticed its existence usually. Hearing what Ruan Nan Zhu said now made him a little surprised. "A cursed object?"
Ruan Nan Zhu said, "Don't worry, it's basically useless now. It can only be used to locate people."
Hearing Ruan Nan Zhu say this, Lin Qiu Shi nodded in relief.
However, regarding the cursed notebook that Ruan Nan Zhu had brought back from the door, Lin Qiu Shi still hadn't figured out how to use it. The only thing confirmed was that the notebook couldn't record anything, as whatever was written would mysteriously disappear.
Ruan Nan Zhu said, "Don't rush, the notebook's functions can be figured out slowly."
Lin Qiu Shi responded with an "Okay."
Over the next few days, Lin Qiu Shi focused his energy on the clue about the Girl in the Rain. But there wasn't much information. The painting was now banned from exhibition, with the reason being that many viewers had experienced emotional fluctuations, hallucinations and auditory hallucinations when it was displayed. As for the original artist, he had also developed serious mental problems. Of course, the official statement was that the artist had used drug-contaminated materials and canvas when painting - whether this was true or not, no one knew.
Currently, no one knew the whereabouts of this painting either, but it was likely kept hidden away.
Tan Zao Zao also knew about the clue regarding her door. She was very relaxed, a complete opposite from Xu Xiao Cheng who would burst into tears inside the door at any slight disturbance.
When asked about this, Tan Zao Zao attributed it to her acting skills. Hearing this, Ruan Nan Zhu scoffed.
"What are you laughing about?" Tan Zao Zao was a little annoyed.
"What, I'm not even allowed to laugh now?" Ruan Nan Zhu replied.
Tan Zao Zao humphed and said, "Are you going to cross-dress this time?"
Ruan Nan Zhu answered, "No cross-dressing."
"Why no cross-dressing...." Tan Zao Zao seemed rather disappointed.
Ruan Nan Zhu said plainly, "No reason."
While they were talking, Lin Qiu Shi was silently eating ice cream beside them. Tan Zao Zao turned her gaze to him and pleaded coquettishly, "Lin Lin, persuade him to cross-dress, 'kay?"
Lin Qiu Shi: "...Is there some kind of rule about this?"
Tan Zao Zao sighed. "What a waste not to cross-dress with such good looks."
Lin Qiu Shi: "..." He somehow felt Tan Zao Zao had ulterior motives.
Soon, it was almost time to enter the door. As this was only the third door, Tan Zao Zao's control over the timing wasn't very good either. So one night as Lin Qiu Shi was sleeping in bed, he suddenly jerked awake, sensing a feeling of fright, as if his familiar bedroom had turned into somewhere else.
Sure enough, when Lin Qiu Shi opened his eyes, instead of walls he saw twelve doors surrounding him in a circle with him at the center.
He got out of bed, quickly changed his clothes, found the third door and took a deep breath before pulling open the door handle.
The scene changed instantly.
After a spell of dizziness, his surroundings completely transformed.
Lin Qiu Shi was now looking at a tall, aged castle standing among lush bushes, surrounded by dense iron railings.
He stood at the side of the bushes. There wasn't a single person around. After entering, he remembered Ruan Nan Zhu's instructions and the first thing he did was take off the bangle on his wrist.
This was his first time alone after entering a door. Fortunately, upon first entering a door there usually wouldn't be overly frightening scenes. As Lin Qiu Shi observed his surroundings and walked towards the castle, he heard wailing coming from inside.
"Help, help--" the voice belonged to a young girl. She seemed to have completely broken down, her cries were miserable and hoarse, heartbreaking to hear.
"Can you stop crying already, you've been crying for over an hour!" Someone spoke impatiently, clearly fed up. "If you really can't believe it, go out yourself and see if you can leave! Do whatever, just stop annoying us with your crying!"
The girl's cries halted. Seeing the man's fierce expression, she forcefully held back her tears although her face was flushed red.
Facing such a scene, everyone else pretended not to see anything. Actually, accepting reality early was the smart thing to do. Unfortunately when faced with tremendous changes in their environment, most people found it very difficult to adapt quickly.
Lin Qiu Shi pushed open the castle door and walked inside.
At this time, there were already five people gathered inside the first floor main hall, either standing or sitting. They didn't greet Lin Qiu Shi when seeing him enter, their expressions held coldness and suspicion.
Lin Qiu Shi randomly found a place to sit and started observing those around him. Soon, he located who he was looking for among the people.
Sitting in a corner was a handsome man wearing a T-shirt and jeans. Although sitting in the corner, he still attracted a lot of attention with his looks - he had an exceedingly beautiful face, especially the teardrop mole at the corner of his eyes that added to his charm. Despite his cold demeanor and aloof temperament that made him seem unapproachable, people still couldn't help casting glances at him.
Lin Qiu Shi vaguely understood another reason why Ruan Nan Zhu would cross-dress. Gorgeous women were common, but such a handsome man would easily garner others' notice, even unnecessary attention.
Ruan Nan Zhu also noticed his gaze and gave Lin Qiu Shi an icy look before withdrawing his eyes.
The wailing girl was obviously new. Having just arrived in this bizarre world, she couldn't accept the abnormal circumstances and could only vent through crying, tears flowing nonstop. From time to time, she would shoot the people around fearful distrusting looks. "Where is this place, can you please let me go? Is this a TV show? I don't want to play anymore, I beg you--"
"I told you, it's not a TV show! Are you annoying or what, bawling as soon as you get here, crying till everyone gets a headache. If you really can't stand it, go cry somewhere else! Go wherever, up to you, just don't pester us!" The young man couldn't stand her wailing anymore and yelled fiercely, stunning the girl into momentary silence although her face remained red, forcibly swallowing back sobs.
Facing such a scene, the rest turned a blind eye. Actually, accepting reality early was the wise move. Unfortunately, when encountering tremendous changes in their circumstances, most people found it very difficult to adapt swiftly.
More people trickled into the castle.
Tan Zao Zao was the last to enter. She wore an orange dress with a white corsage on her chest, her expression pitiful as she sobbed softly from time to time. Unfortunately, her act was already taken by the bawling girl who had wept for over an hour but showed no signs of stopping. After being shouted at by the young man, she at most kept quiet for five minutes before sniffling again, the sounds grating on Lin Qiu Shi's ears.
There were ten people total in the castle, half men and half women. Among them two were new, one being the tearful girl, the other a frightened black-haired youth cowering in a corner.
After everyone had gathered, muffled gongs echoed within the castle. From a bend in the stairway appeared a man dressed in a black butler suit.
He walked over to them and revealed a kind smile. "Everyone has arrived. My master has been waiting for you for a long time. This way, please."
After speaking, he turned and headed upstairs.
Those experienced understood this meant they were about to receive a clue. They hurriedly followed, and the two newcomers also didn't dare fall behind, blending into the group as they climbed up the very long stairs to the second floor.
The castle was massive. Just the flight of stairs was exceptionally long. After the long stairs was an extended corridor, illuminated by faint oil lamps hanging on the walls. Behind the oil lamps were bizarre oil paintings.
They were bizarre because the content of these paintings was almost indiscernible - like scenery, yet also like people. The colors on canvas formed twisted shapes, giving a very uncomfortable feeling.
The thick carpeted floor muffled everyone's footsteps. The entire corridor was silent except for the faint flickering lights.
At the end of the corridor was a half-opened wooden door. The butler walked over to it, bent down and pulled it open, making an inviting gesture.
Ruan Nan Zhu walked over first and entered the room. Lin Qiu Shi followed right behind, also seeing what was inside.
It turned out to be a dining room. At the center was placed an enormous dining table set with all kinds of food. At the end of the table sat the master the butler had mentioned - a woman wearing a black hat and long black skirt, with a long thin face and very pale complexion, nearly paper-white. Below her disproportionately large eyes in the dim lighting were two deep bottomless black holes. Her lips were painted a bright red, slightly parted now in a smile - if it could even be called a smile.
This scene truly made one uncomfortable. Everyone quieted down. Even the bawling newcomer girl stopped her sobs, frightened into silence.
"Please." The butler's voice sounded again. "Everyone, enjoy this fine meal."
Ruan Nan Zhu moved first as usual, randomly taking a seat and using the prepared hot towel to wipe his hands.
Lin Qiu Shi sat down beside him.
The rest also gradually took their seats. After everyone was seated, the female master shook the bell in her hand, signaling the start of the meal. From beginning to end she didn't utter a word, her expression unchanged. She silently picked up knife and fork and slowly started eating the dishes on the table.
From the corner of his eyes, Lin Qiu Shi observed her. He noticed her hands seemed disproportionately large, joints protruding. Her fingernails were a dull, lifeless gray. Those gigantic hands carefully pinched the icy cutlery, lightly cutting into the bloody steak on her plate. Then she would spear the steak and place it into her crimson mouth.
This scene was too uncomfortable to witness. After watching for a while, Lin Qiu Shi even began suspecting whether this female master was human at all. He shifted his gaze and noticed Tan Zao Zao beside him was also staring dazedly at the woman...as if spellbound.
Lin Qiu Shi gave a light cough, pulling Tan Zao Zao's attention back.
"Eat." He said softly.
"En." Tan Zao Zao also noticed something amiss with herself. Nodding, she didn't dare look again and lowered her head to cut her steak.
The meal itself didn't taste too bad. Whether it was the appetizers, main course or desserts, the flavor was quite authentic. Unfortunately in this kind of environment, no one was in the mood to enjoy the cuisine.
As always, Ruan Nan Zhu had a steely heart. From start to finish he showed no discomfort, cleaning every dish spotless without leaving even the fruits behind.
Towards the end, everyone was watching him eat instead. After finishing his meal, he dabbed his mouth and put down his utensils, before the last person stopped eating.
The female master stood up and headed outside.
The butler said, "Please, everyone. My master wants to show you what you've been looking forward to."
They hastily followed the woman, trailing her up the winding stairs, seemingly without end.
No one knew exactly how many floors the castle had. As Lin Qiu Shi climbed, he counted the levels until the female master finally stopped on the seventh floor.
She walked over to the end of the seventh floor corridor and opened a door, entering the room.
No one dared enter directly, choosing to observe from the door entrance first.
The room seemed to be an art studio, placed with many tools used for painting. But what attracted their attention the most was the object in the room's center covered by a white cloth. The butler's timely voice sounded from behind them. "There are still a few days left. The painting everyone anticipates will soon be completed. Over the next few days, please restrain your excitement temporarily and appreciate the other scenery in the castle. When my master completes the painting, she will certainly let everyone admire it properly."
Hearing this, Lin Qiu Shi understood their roles. They were probably appearing as admirers of the female master's painting skill. They needed to endure here for a few days until the woman completed her painting. And from current information, the key to exit likely had some relation to the finished painting.
"Please do not disturb my master's continued creation." The butler said. "Today is already very late, everyone please return early to rest."
He then led them back downstairs.
Their lodging was on the third level, one room per person with keys given out randomly. The numbers on the keys corresponded to each person's room.
Luckily Lin Qiu Shi and Ruan Nan Zhu got rooms directly opposite, while Xu Xiao Cheng was more unfortunate, assigned to a corner room and grumbling dissatisfiedly for quite a while with key in hand.
The rooms were spacious and furnished beautifully. Whether it was the shockingly huge bed or the intricately styled dresser, they exuded a sense of history.
Like the female master enjoyed painting, each room's center held a painting. Lin Qiu Shi entered and saw that his also depicted the castle exterior amidst rain, tones gloomy. He took one look before removing it from the wall and placing it on the floor.
With the clue being the Girl in the Rain, Lin Qiu Shi felt something would likely happen regarding paintings.
After washing up, he lay in bed and routinely checked his phone, unsurprised to see no signals.
Lying in bed, he stared blankly at the exquisite crystal lamp hanging from the ceiling. He knew he should sleep but strangely couldn't fall asleep no matter what. Trying hard to empty his mind, his awareness instead grew increasingly clear.
The wind outside grew stronger, and Lin Qiu Shi smelled the fishy scent unique to rainwater, the crispness when raindrops landed on parched earth. This smell was normally very faint but now increasingly pungent, even pervading his nasal cavity with dampness.
His unwavering gaze at the ceiling suddenly froze. At some point, an obvious water stain had appeared on the pristine white surface, extremely eye-catching. He rubbed his eyes forcefully but the water stain remained...this wasn't an illusion.
But how could there be leaks when his room was on an upper floor? Sensing things were amiss, Lin Qiu Shi dared not remain in bed and hurriedly got up to turn on the lights.
Under illumination, Lin Qiu Shi looked again but the ceiling was perfectly dry...nothing whatsoever.
A hallucination? Or a hint? Lin Qiu Shi tried turning off the lights again. Sure enough, in darkness, the black water stain reemerged, now even bigger than before. It also started morphing into a strange pattern, resembling...the side profile of a woman's face.
Lin Qiu Shi turned the lights back on.
He looked around the room, then went to the window. Opening it, he pulled down the latch and locked it tight.
Outside, rain was starting to fall, not heavily but the sounds were very clear - pitter-patter on the leaves, tapping out a crisp rhythm.
Through the rain, Lin Qiu Shi gazed towards the garden. At the garden's furthest depths, there seemed to be a black figure standing silently amidst the bushes, wearing a raincoat and round black hat, staring at the castle ahead as if a guest, yet also like a returning person.
But when Lin Qiu Shi looked again, it had reverted to just a tree's shadow, merely his overwrought illusion.