"Go, send Mr. Chen some more pastries," the old butler instructed the servant. When it comes to treating friends, just serving tea is not enough; of course, good pastries must be offered. Thus, in the misty museum, this scene unfolded: Mr. Chen sat leisurely on the sofa, a steaming cup of tea on his left and a plate of exquisite pastries on his right. He looked so relaxed that one might mistake him for being on holiday! As for those eerie security guards, they had wisely chosen not to disturb Mr. Chen again. After all, they worked under the duke's authority, and daring to bother the duke's esteemed guest was asking for trouble!
Mr. Chen's days were easygoing, but others were not faring so well. On the other side of the museum, Huang Mao and Xiao San had formed an alliance, hiding and trembling as they avoided the security guards. Wang Dafu, with his portly figure, was also cautiously skulking about. It was clear that none of these individuals had found a way out.
As time passed, the intensity of the search by the security guards decreased. If it had been as strict as at the beginning of the game, apart from Mr. Chen, everyone else would have perished. The difficulty level of the museum task was not that extreme. After half an hour of hiding, when no security guards appeared anymore, Huang Mao and Xiao San's hearts finally eased a little. In their eyes, the most difficult moment of the task had passed, and now they could relax and wait for the task to end.
After relaxing, Huang Mao started scheming. He had been coveting Xiao San for a long time, and now that they were together, having just experienced the stress of the task, Huang Mao needed to release some tension. Xiao San understood what Huang Mao wanted and, to ensure her survival in the upcoming tasks, she was willing to cooperate. After all, she had experience in such matters. However, Xiao San did not tell Huang Mao that she had played too many games and contracted several diseases. Whether or not Huang Mao would become infected was up to fate.
Since the security guards were appearing less frequently, the museum was unusually quiet at the moment, with even the sound of a needle dropping to the floor echoing clearly through the air. Therefore, even though Chen Wood was quite a distance away, he still heard the commotion between Huang Mao and Xiao San. Even with his extensive experience, Chen Wood was greatly shocked by their actions. How could these two people be so brainless as to engage in such activities during a mysterious task? Were they asking to die faster? To know, this task was a first-pressure type. This meant that at the beginning of the task, there would be intense pressure, with many strange security guards present, making the task very difficult. This phase would last about ten minutes. Then, for over an hour, the task difficulty would suddenly decrease, and the strange security guards would rarely appear. At this point, even if a player lay on the ground and fell asleep, they would not die upon waking. But do not think that this was because the mysterious world had shown any mercy. On the contrary, this was a very cunning move. The real trap was at the end of the task—ten minutes before the end, the task difficulty would suddenly increase, even surpassing the initial difficulty level! A large number of strange security guards would appear, and because players had let their guard down, they often died. This was the insidious and cruel aspect of the task!
With each passing minute, the end of the task drew nearer. Sure enough, as Chen Wood had predicted, the difficulty spiked! Wang Da Fu was hiding in a corner when, thanks to his vigilance, he noticed a black figure emerging from the mist behind him. A strange security guard! Without hesitation, he sprinted away in the opposite direction. Huang Mao and Xiao San, however, were not so lucky. Xiao San lay in Huang Mao's arms, still flirting and trying to get Huang Mao to take care of her. Huang Mao readily agreed, having made such promises many times before without any cost. Suddenly, Xiao San screamed in terror as she saw a strange security guard behind Huang Mao. "What's the matter? Why are you so startled?" Huang Mao asked impatiently. He glanced behind him and froze in horror. A strange security guard! "Run!" Huang Mao shouted, attempting to rise and flee. But to his dismay, he realized that due to his momentary relaxation, he had not even put on his pants. The few extra seconds cost him dearly! As the strange security guard drew closer, Huang Mao looked back at Xiao San, who had been betrayed. "Why are you doing this?" Xiao Mao cried out in disbelief. She stumbled and fell at the feet of the security guard. "If someone has to die, it can't be me." Having put on his pants, Huang Mao ran off without looking back. Xiao Mao never thought that in just two hours, she would be betrayed by two people. She looked up to see the security guard standing over her with a look of mockery on his face. The next second, blood splattered everywhere. Ten minutes of time felt like an eternity for Chen Ming and Wang Dafu. Finally, with the heavy tolling of a bell, two hours had passed. The hiding game had ended! The white mist gradually dissipated, and the temperature in the museum rose slightly, while the damp water stains on the floor began to evaporate. Wang Dafu and Huang Mao returned to the hall exhausted. In the hall, Chen Ming finished his last sip of tea and took the last bite of pastry, looking calm and composed. There was no denying that the duke's taste was impeccable; the tea and pastries were delicious and made for a perfect afternoon tea. Watching Chen Ming enjoy his post-tea refreshments, Wang Dafu and Huang Mao looked at him jealously. We almost died, yet you leisurely ate a nice afternoon tea! Is there any justice in the world? We all participated in the mysterious task, so why should you be so comfortable? Chen Ming looked at Wang Dafu and Huang Mao and silently calculated in his mind: Apart from him, there were four people who participated in the hiding game. Clearly, only two survived. With a 50% survival rate, this mysterious task was already considered dangerous. Chen Ming ignored their jealousy. Their misfortune was not his fault, and if they had to blame anyone, it should be the mysterious apocalypse. Moreover, neither of the survivors were decent people who had betrayed their teammates. Only the despicable could survive in the mysterious apocalypse. This was the corruption brought by the mysterious apocalypse. At that moment, although Chen Ming did nothing, his identity became particularly mysterious in the eyes of the other two. They looked at him with suspicion and fear. Not only that, but there was also mistrust and vigilance in the gazes exchanged between Huang Mao and Wang Dafu. No one mentioned forming a team again, each guarding against the other, afraid of being betrayed next. Just then, the old butler arrived. He looked at the disheveled Wang Dafu and Huang Mao, as well as the composed Chen Ming, and slowly said, "Gentlemen, the game has ended. Did you enjoy the hide-and-seek game? The duke has prepared a sumptuous dinner on the second floor for everyone. Once you've eaten, you can leave. Follow me; the banquet is about to begin."