Chapter 107: It seems that bad luck can sometimes be a good thing
Question marks floated in the “Integrity First” live broadcast room.
[?]
[???]
[What the heck?!]
[What kind of operation is this?! What are you trying to do, you dog liar!]
Wen Jianyan raised his eyes and carefully examined the woman in front of him from top to bottom. His expression was serious and solemn, as if he completely ignored her lack of clothing, maintaining a scientific and rigorous focus, scanning her body inch by inch.
He sighed:
“Flawless jade with a slight flaw, a blemish in perfection.”
The woman was taken aback and subconsciously lowered her head, looking at herself.
“Your skin condition is excellent, fair and smooth, without any wrinkles. Your body is well-maintained, with beautiful curves and no excess fat. Obviously, you have a good grasp of skin care techniques.”
Like an experienced beauty expert, Wen Jianyan carefully and sincerely complimented her, subtly praising her while commenting on her appearance. Then he abruptly changed the tone of his speech.
“But even the most meticulous person sometimes overlooks some small details.”
Based on her previous behavior and the questions she asked, it was apparent that she possessed independent intelligence and communication abilities.
Wen Jianyan observed the woman not far away, subtly guiding her into his own rhythm.
The story of ‘Bloody Mary’ has many versions. Based on the previous clues, it’s already clear which version this project is using. This ‘Bloody Mary’ is the one who slaughtered young girls and bathed in their blood, seeking eternal youth and beauty as the Duchess.
Her slaughtering was not for perverse pleasure; on the contrary, this Lady Mary was an absolute pragmatist.
The massacre was not the end goal, but a means to an end.
What she truly loved and was willing to obtain at all costs was eternal beauty and youth.
To possess someone’s desires is to control their weakness.
And this happened to be Wen Jianyan’s expertise.
“What?”
The other person couldn’t help but inquire further.
“I’d like to ask…”
Wen Jianyan raised his eyes, his gaze cunning, “Do you usually lie in the bathtub and soak your skin?”
He estimated that he was at least seventy to eighty percent correct based on the condition of the corpse he had examined just now.
Even if he guessed wrong, he had a way to steer the conversation back.
The woman was taken a back for a moment, completely unaware that she had been led by the nose by the other party:
“That’s right.”
Very good, she took the bait.
“As expected.”
Wen Jianyan nodded solemnly and sighed slowly.
“What do you mean?” The woman’s attitude became eager. She stared intently at the young man in front of her, intrigued by his ambiguous attitude, and unconsciously asked, “What’s going on exactly?”
Wen Jianyan glanced at the countdown timer above his head discreetly.
[02:03]
Only two minutes left.
He continued to speak without changing his expression:
“With your soaking posture, you always press a small patch of skin at the back of your neck, right? Over time, not only will that patch of skin become rough, but your posture will also be affected, causing your neck to tilt slightly forward.”
As Wen Jianyan spoke, the woman couldn’t help but extend her soft and delicate fingers, uncontrollably touching the back of her neck.
Wen Jianyan subtly moved a few steps to the side and pointed to the mirror.
“If you don’t believe me, you can look in the mirror and feel it for yourself?”
While the woman turned her head to look at her reflection, Wen Jianyan moved two steps closer to the bathtub.
As he moved, he casually said:
“However, this is not irreversible. If you’re willing, I can tell you how to improve it…”
“Really?!”
Mary’s eyes lit up, and she turned to look at the young man in front of her.
“Of course, these are secret techniques passed down in my family…”
Wen Jianyan calmly spun his tale while carefully observing the blood in the bathtub from the corner of his eye.
Since earlier, he had noticed that despite the bathtub being filled with a basin of fresh blood, there was no hint of a bloody smell in the room.
Combined with what he saw in the dressing table mirror just now, it was evident that the contents of the bathtub were definitely not blood but something similar to frog eggs, densely packed together.
However, the color of the mucus was different from what he remembered…
An instance rarely provides entirely useless clues.
Especially in such a small and enclosed map.
“You first lift your left hand and press on the right side of your neck; yes, don’t turn your head-”
Wen Jianyan talked nonsense as he took another small step toward the bathtub.
A familiar smell reached his nose.
…greasy, like melting fat.
Wen Jianyan was taken aback and subconsciously looked at the mirror on the dressing table. In the bathtub, the squirming frog eggs were surrounded by a light yellow, sticky liquid.
They had skipped the first task, so there was no fresh blood in the bathtub.
Instead, there was another bodily fluid—
Fat.
Wen Jianyan’s eyes brightened.
Look.
The instance wouldn’t set up a situation that led to certain death.
Since he wasn’t allowed to use props, it meant that there must be a way to solve this side task without them. A seemingly hopeless situation must hold a glimmer of hope.
“…”
She didn’t know when, but the other person’s voice disappeared.
Mary couldn’t help but become anxious. “Why did you stop? What comes next?”
“Crack.”
Suddenly, a faint friction sound echoed in the narrow and enclosed room, inexplicably making people’s hearts tighten.
Mary’s pupils contracted as she abruptly turned her head to look behind her.
The young man had somehow moved to the side of the bathtub. He stood tall there, his lips slightly curved, and his fair and slender fingertips pinched a matchstick. The golden-red flame flickered at his fingertips and in his eyes.
“What comes next?”
He smiled lightly and loosened his grip on the matchstick.
“Next is to make your beauty shine.”
The burning matchstick twirled in the air, slowly descending; everything seemed to be in slow motion.
“No—”
A desperate scream escaped from the woman’s throat. She seemed to be clawing at the wall with sharp nails, her once beautiful face twisted and grotesque, as she rushed towards Wen Jianyan.
But she was still a step too late.
The burning matchstick brushed against her fingertips and lightly fell into the large bathtub.
In that instant, everything seemed to freeze.
The next moment, with a loud “boom,” the entire bathtub suddenly burst into flames! The golden-red flames soared several meters high, directly engulfing the woman.
“Aaaaaaaaahhhhh—!”
Her piercing and sharp screams echoed, filled with resentment and anger.
As if the frames of a videotape were interrupted, the scene in front of him switched rapidly.
One moment, it was frog eggs bursting open in the high-temperature grease, and the next moment, it was a pool of boiling fresh blood.
One moment, it was a voluptuous and beautiful woman, and the next moment, it was a terrifying, struggling, dry corpse. Both were burning fiercely.
“No, no—aaaaaaahhhh—”
The dry and scorching air surged as if it would ignite Wen Jianyan as well.
He subtly took two steps back, putting some distance between himself and the raging fire in front of him.
The moment he moved, the woman abruptly turned her head to look at him.
Half of her face was withered and charred like an evil spirit, while the other half remained beautiful and enchanting. Her expression was hideous and terrifying as she rushed towards him, her body burning in roaring flames: “Liar!!! You deceitful scoundrel!!!”
“I’ll bite off your throat and bathe in your blood!!!”
[00:08]
The chase battle had only eight seconds left!
Wen Jianyan hurriedly retreated, but there was no way he could match the woman’s speed. Soon, his back hit the cold, smooth mirror.
The woman’s ghostly face was close at hand.
“Liar? Indeed!”
In the blink of an eye, Wen Jianyan raised his voice and spoke in a decisive tone, “But there is one thing I said without a trace of falsehood!”
[00:03]
His amber pupils reflected the blazing flames, revealing a kind of wild, intense, and passionate beauty that was breathtaking.
The burning, dry corpse before him involuntarily hesitated for a moment.
[00:02]
“You don’t need to worry at all.”
The handsome young man lowered his eyes, gazing at the hideous corpse before him with a gentle expression, as if he was looking at a deeply beloved lover.
His voice was tender, like a sigh carried by the wind.
“You are indeed the most beautiful woman I have ever seen in my life.”
[00:01]
“…”
The dry corpse hesitated and raised its hand, as if trying to touch its own face…
The next moment, the fire vanished.
[00:00]
Familiar mechanical sounds rang in Wen Jianyan’s ears.
【Ding! The hidden branch is complete!】
Wen Jianyan breathed rapidly, his chest involuntarily rising and falling. Whether it was the woman, the dry corpse, the fresh blood, or the frog eggs, everything had disappeared completely, leaving only an empty bathtub and the extinguished candles on the dressing table.
Except for the lingering smell of burnt flesh in the air, everything else vanished without a trace.
“…”
Wen Jianyan felt the tension in his body gradually relax. He realized that he had been sweating profusely without knowing when, and his fingers were twitching slightly under the intense nervousness. His stomach was churning.
It’s over.
Wen Jianyan’s body went weak, leaning against the mirror behind him.
In the “Integrity First” live broadcast room:
[What the heck…]
[What the heck!]
[What the heck!!!]
[What do you mean by deceiving people with sweet words and telling lies with your eyes open!!!! (50 reward points)]
[Damn it, all his sweet talk is just a scam! The words of a host, the tricks of a devil! (50 reward points)]
[It’s so tragic… It’s really tragic… But why do I feel like I could be fooled too? Damn it! (100 reward points)]
[So, you all understand now! Don’t trust a single word this anchor says! Everyone, step back and let me handle it! (100 points tipped)]
[Hey, do you guys see something shimmering in the bathtub?]
[It seems like it!]
[Damn, it’s a hidden item!]
[Oh my god, I’ve never seen any anchor release this item before!]
[Then what if it happens? Who would have such bad luck to enter a side quest and be prohibited from using props?! Normal people wouldn’t be bored enough to burn the bathtub for fun!]
[Hahaha, this is hilarious! It seems like having bad luck sometimes can be a good thing!]
Wen Jianyan also noticed the faint light shimmering in the bathtub.
…What could it be?
He raised an eyebrow and propped himself up on the mirror to stand up.
But the next moment, the cold surface under his palm suddenly disappeared!
Wen Jianyan: “???!?!”
His pupils contracted.
What the heck?!
No way?!!!
Without warning, he lost his balance and fell backward into the mirror.
In the “Integrity First” live broadcast room:
[…]
[…]
[…]
[Sorry, I take back what I said just now. No matter when, having extremely bad luck is not a good thing.]
Chapter 107: It seems that bad luck can sometimes be a good thing
Question marks floated in the “Integrity First” live broadcast room.
[?]
[???]
[What the heck?!]
[What kind of operation is this?! What are you trying to do, you dog liar!]
Wen Jianyan raised his eyes and carefully examined the woman in front of him from top to bottom. His expression was serious and solemn, as if he completely ignored her lack of clothing, maintaining a scientific and rigorous focus, scanning her body inch by inch.
He sighed:
“Flawless jade with a slight flaw, a blemish in perfection.”
The woman was taken aback and subconsciously lowered her head, looking at herself.
“Your skin condition is excellent, fair and smooth, without any wrinkles. Your body is well-maintained, with beautiful curves and no excess fat. Obviously, you have a good grasp of skin care techniques.”
Like an experienced beauty expert, Wen Jianyan carefully and sincerely complimented her, subtly praising her while commenting on her appearance. Then he abruptly changed the tone of his speech.
“But even the most meticulous person sometimes overlooks some small details.”
Based on her previous behavior and the questions she asked, it was apparent that she possessed independent intelligence and communication abilities.
Wen Jianyan observed the woman not far away, subtly guiding her into his own rhythm.
The story of ‘Bloody Mary’ has many versions. Based on the previous clues, it’s already clear which version this project is using. This ‘Bloody Mary’ is the one who slaughtered young girls and bathed in their blood, seeking eternal youth and beauty as the Duchess.
Her slaughtering was not for perverse pleasure; on the contrary, this Lady Mary was an absolute pragmatist.
The massacre was not the end goal, but a means to an end.
What she truly loved and was willing to obtain at all costs was eternal beauty and youth.
To possess someone’s desires is to control their weakness.
And this happened to be Wen Jianyan’s expertise.
“What?”
The other person couldn’t help but inquire further.
“I’d like to ask…”
Wen Jianyan raised his eyes, his gaze cunning, “Do you usually lie in the bathtub and soak your skin?”
He estimated that he was at least seventy to eighty percent correct based on the condition of the corpse he had examined just now.
Even if he guessed wrong, he had a way to steer the conversation back.
The woman was taken a back for a moment, completely unaware that she had been led by the nose by the other party:
“That’s right.”
Very good, she took the bait.
“As expected.”
Wen Jianyan nodded solemnly and sighed slowly.
“What do you mean?” The woman’s attitude became eager. She stared intently at the young man in front of her, intrigued by his ambiguous attitude, and unconsciously asked, “What’s going on exactly?”
Wen Jianyan glanced at the countdown timer above his head discreetly.
[02:03]
Only two minutes left.
He continued to speak without changing his expression:
“With your soaking posture, you always press a small patch of skin at the back of your neck, right? Over time, not only will that patch of skin become rough, but your posture will also be affected, causing your neck to tilt slightly forward.”
As Wen Jianyan spoke, the woman couldn’t help but extend her soft and delicate fingers, uncontrollably touching the back of her neck.
Wen Jianyan subtly moved a few steps to the side and pointed to the mirror.
“If you don’t believe me, you can look in the mirror and feel it for yourself?”
While the woman turned her head to look at her reflection, Wen Jianyan moved two steps closer to the bathtub.
As he moved, he casually said:
“However, this is not irreversible. If you’re willing, I can tell you how to improve it…”
“Really?!”
Mary’s eyes lit up, and she turned to look at the young man in front of her.
“Of course, these are secret techniques passed down in my family…”
Wen Jianyan calmly spun his tale while carefully observing the blood in the bathtub from the corner of his eye.
Since earlier, he had noticed that despite the bathtub being filled with a basin of fresh blood, there was no hint of a bloody smell in the room.
Combined with what he saw in the dressing table mirror just now, it was evident that the contents of the bathtub were definitely not blood but something similar to frog eggs, densely packed together.
However, the color of the mucus was different from what he remembered…
An instance rarely provides entirely useless clues.
Especially in such a small and enclosed map.
“You first lift your left hand and press on the right side of your neck; yes, don’t turn your head-”
Wen Jianyan talked nonsense as he took another small step toward the bathtub.
A familiar smell reached his nose.
…greasy, like melting fat.
Wen Jianyan was taken aback and subconsciously looked at the mirror on the dressing table. In the bathtub, the squirming frog eggs were surrounded by a light yellow, sticky liquid.
They had skipped the first task, so there was no fresh blood in the bathtub.
Instead, there was another bodily fluid—
Fat.
Wen Jianyan’s eyes brightened.
Look.
The instance wouldn’t set up a situation that led to certain death.
Since he wasn’t allowed to use props, it meant that there must be a way to solve this side task without them. A seemingly hopeless situation must hold a glimmer of hope.
“…”
She didn’t know when, but the other person’s voice disappeared.
Mary couldn’t help but become anxious. “Why did you stop? What comes next?”
“Crack.”
Suddenly, a faint friction sound echoed in the narrow and enclosed room, inexplicably making people’s hearts tighten.
Mary’s pupils contracted as she abruptly turned her head to look behind her.
The young man had somehow moved to the side of the bathtub. He stood tall there, his lips slightly curved, and his fair and slender fingertips pinched a matchstick. The golden-red flame flickered at his fingertips and in his eyes.
“What comes next?”
He smiled lightly and loosened his grip on the matchstick.
“Next is to make your beauty shine.”
The burning matchstick twirled in the air, slowly descending; everything seemed to be in slow motion.
“No—”
A desperate scream escaped from the woman’s throat. She seemed to be clawing at the wall with sharp nails, her once beautiful face twisted and grotesque, as she rushed towards Wen Jianyan.
But she was still a step too late.
The burning matchstick brushed against her fingertips and lightly fell into the large bathtub.
In that instant, everything seemed to freeze.
The next moment, with a loud “boom,” the entire bathtub suddenly burst into flames! The golden-red flames soared several meters high, directly engulfing the woman.
“Aaaaaaaaahhhhh—!”
Her piercing and sharp screams echoed, filled with resentment and anger.
As if the frames of a videotape were interrupted, the scene in front of him switched rapidly.
One moment, it was frog eggs bursting open in the high-temperature grease, and the next moment, it was a pool of boiling fresh blood.
One moment, it was a voluptuous and beautiful woman, and the next moment, it was a terrifying, struggling, dry corpse. Both were burning fiercely.
“No, no—aaaaaaahhhh—”
The dry and scorching air surged as if it would ignite Wen Jianyan as well.
He subtly took two steps back, putting some distance between himself and the raging fire in front of him.
The moment he moved, the woman abruptly turned her head to look at him.
Half of her face was withered and charred like an evil spirit, while the other half remained beautiful and enchanting. Her expression was hideous and terrifying as she rushed towards him, her body burning in roaring flames: “Liar!!! You deceitful scoundrel!!!”
“I’ll bite off your throat and bathe in your blood!!!”
[00:08]
The chase battle had only eight seconds left!
Wen Jianyan hurriedly retreated, but there was no way he could match the woman’s speed. Soon, his back hit the cold, smooth mirror.
The woman’s ghostly face was close at hand.
“Liar? Indeed!”
In the blink of an eye, Wen Jianyan raised his voice and spoke in a decisive tone, “But there is one thing I said without a trace of falsehood!”
[00:03]
His amber pupils reflected the blazing flames, revealing a kind of wild, intense, and passionate beauty that was breathtaking.
The burning, dry corpse before him involuntarily hesitated for a moment.
[00:02]
“You don’t need to worry at all.”
The handsome young man lowered his eyes, gazing at the hideous corpse before him with a gentle expression, as if he was looking at a deeply beloved lover.
His voice was tender, like a sigh carried by the wind.
“You are indeed the most beautiful woman I have ever seen in my life.”
[00:01]
“…”
The dry corpse hesitated and raised its hand, as if trying to touch its own face…
The next moment, the fire vanished.
[00:00]
Familiar mechanical sounds rang in Wen Jianyan’s ears.
【Ding! The hidden branch is complete!】
Wen Jianyan breathed rapidly, his chest involuntarily rising and falling. Whether it was the woman, the dry corpse, the fresh blood, or the frog eggs, everything had disappeared completely, leaving only an empty bathtub and the extinguished candles on the dressing table.
Except for the lingering smell of burnt flesh in the air, everything else vanished without a trace.
“…”
Wen Jianyan felt the tension in his body gradually relax. He realized that he had been sweating profusely without knowing when, and his fingers were twitching slightly under the intense nervousness. His stomach was churning.
It’s over.
Wen Jianyan’s body went weak, leaning against the mirror behind him.
In the “Integrity First” live broadcast room:
[What the heck…]
[What the heck!]
[What the heck!!!]
[What do you mean by deceiving people with sweet words and telling lies with your eyes open!!!! (50 reward points)]
[Damn it, all his sweet talk is just a scam! The words of a host, the tricks of a devil! (50 reward points)]
[It’s so tragic… It’s really tragic… But why do I feel like I could be fooled too? Damn it! (100 reward points)]
[So, you all understand now! Don’t trust a single word this anchor says! Everyone, step back and let me handle it! (100 points tipped)]
[Hey, do you guys see something shimmering in the bathtub?]
[It seems like it!]
[Damn, it’s a hidden item!]
[Oh my god, I’ve never seen any anchor release this item before!]
[Then what if it happens? Who would have such bad luck to enter a side quest and be prohibited from using props?! Normal people wouldn’t be bored enough to burn the bathtub for fun!]
[Hahaha, this is hilarious! It seems like having bad luck sometimes can be a good thing!]
Wen Jianyan also noticed the faint light shimmering in the bathtub.
…What could it be?
He raised an eyebrow and propped himself up on the mirror to stand up.
But the next moment, the cold surface under his palm suddenly disappeared!
Wen Jianyan: “???!?!”
His pupils contracted.
What the heck?!
No way?!!!
Without warning, he lost his balance and fell backward into the mirror.
In the “Integrity First” live broadcast room:
[…]
[…]
[…]
[Sorry, I take back what I said just now. No matter when, having extremely bad luck is not a good thing.]
