Chapter 11: Escaping Death by a Thread

Prince Huai’s Bedchamber

Ren Ye stood side by side with Lian’er, both gazing intently at his quarters, their expressions tense.

The internal dynamics of Prince Huai’s residence were highly complex. Even the smallest incident could spark chaos or worse—cost someone their head. The servants in Zhu Zigui’s chambers were all seasoned veterans of the household, well-acquainted with its intricacies. There was absolutely no chance of someone “accidentally” wandering into the prince’s private quarters.

The fact that all three strands of hair Ren Ye had placed as a marker had been broken indicated that someone had entered his chambers while he was meeting the princess consort.

Just as Ren Ye was lost in thought, Second Fool, who had been inside inspecting the room, emerged silently, startling him.

“Your Highness, there’s no one inside,” Second Fool reported.

“Have you searched everywhere?” Ren Ye asked cautiously.

“No one’s there, for sure,” Second Fool replied, his usual simple demeanor replaced by a serious, focused expression. “But we should still conduct a thorough search to ensure no traps or hidden devices were left behind.”

“I’ll summon someone to assist,” Lian’er interjected.

Ren Ye glanced at her. “Be sure to call only those you trust. No need for many—three to five will do.”

“Yes, Your Highness.” Lian’er bowed and left quickly.

Standing at the doorway, Second Fool rested his hand on his sword, Inviting Moon, and asked curiously, “Your Highness, how did you know someone entered your chambers?”

Ren Ye, maintaining his composure, replied flatly, “That’s for me to know.”

Second Fool was unaware of the hair marker Ren Ye had set, as he had done it discreetly.

Having worked for years on the frontier, participating in several undercover operations, Ren Ye had become adept at surviving in dangerous environments. Many of his habits were instinctive, such as placing hair markers, keeping his phone completely clear of data, and avoiding apps that could reveal personal habits.

Ren Ye considered these habits to be a kind of paranoia—a sickness, even—of seeing potential threats everywhere. Yet this “sickness” had saved his life on more than one occasion.

Standing under the flickering lamplight in the corridor, Ren Ye began sifting through Zhu Zigui’s memories, searching for any recollection of hidden valuables or significant items in the room.

After a careful review, he came up with nothing noteworthy.

If the intruder hadn’t come to steal, what was their purpose in entering the room?

Footsteps echoed down the corridor as Lian’er returned with four trusted eunuchs.

“Greetings, Your Highness,” they bowed in unison, their movements respectful and precise.

From Zhu Zigui’s memories, Ren Ye knew that this group of personal eunuchs and maids were among the few people he could trust. However, even this trust wasn’t absolute, as the possibility of betrayal always lingered.

Ren Ye gave a faint nod in acknowledgment and gestured silently to Second Fool.

“Come with me,” Second Fool commanded, gripping his sword as he led the four eunuchs into the room.

The main doors to the bedchamber swung inward, and Ren Ye and Lian’er remained in the corridor, observing cautiously without stepping inside.

Second Fool, along with the four nimble eunuchs, conducted a meticulous search. They examined every corner of the room, including hidden nooks and crannies. Not even the teapots were spared, each tested with silver needles for traces of poison. Yet, no abnormalities were found.

Standing in the center of the room, Second Fool raised his head to inspect the beams and carefully instructed, “Check for marks in the dust—be thorough.”

“Yes, sir.”

One of the eunuchs on the left wiped the sweat from his brow, then got on his hands and knees, inching along the floor as he carefully inspected the bookshelf for any signs of disturbance.

Near the bed, a clean-cut eunuch, no more than sixteen or seventeen years old, dutifully removed his shoes and outer robe before cautiously climbing onto the prince’s bed.

This task was particularly risky. In ancient times, strict hierarchical protocols demanded absolute respect for personal spaces, especially in royal households. If something overly personal or incriminating was found on the prince’s bed, the consequences could be severe. For lowly eunuchs like him, with no ties to the court or powerful patrons, a mistake could easily cost them their lives.

No matter the era, it’s never easy for the “little people” to survive.

The young eunuch trembled with fear but didn’t dare neglect his task. Before long, beads of sweat dotted his forehead.

Second Fool silently landed from the beam and approached Ren Ye to report, “Your Highness, there’s no trace of an intruder hiding here. I believe—”

Bang!

Just then, the young eunuch on the bed accidentally stomped on the bed frame with his right foot while lifting the crimson quilt, causing a dull thud that drew everyone’s attention.

“You clumsy fool…!” an older eunuch scolded sharply.

“Huh?”

The young eunuch’s body stiffened as he knelt on the bed, staring beneath the quilt in surprise. There, he spotted a soft, nameless fleshy creature unfurling its coiled form.

Second Fool spun around, an overwhelming killing intent radiating from him.

Swish!

His blade, Inviting Moon, was drawn from its custom sheath as he shouted, “Don’t…!”

Splat!

The fleshy creature emitted an eerie black light and shot up like a bullet, piercing straight into the young eunuch’s forehead.

Everything happened in the blink of an eye, leaving no time to react. From his spot in the corridor, Ren Ye only caught a glimpse of the black flash before the young eunuch fell backward from the bed.

“Ahhh!!!”

A blood-curdling scream followed. The young eunuch clutched his forehead, convulsing and writhing on the floor in agony. “The… the bug burrowed into my skull… Your Highness, help me…!”

The other three eunuchs, recovering from their initial shock, instinctively rushed forward to assist.

“Stop!” Second Fool charged into the room, stopping them.

Ren Ye and Lian’er followed closely behind, with Ren Ye frozen in disbelief. “Second Fool, save him!”

“I can’t, Your Highness! Stay back!” Second Fool shielded Ren Ye with his body, muscles taut as he held his blade, ready to strike at any moment.

“Help… save… me…”

The young eunuch’s screams grew sharper as his body twisted and contorted. He writhed in agony, clawing at his forehead.

“It hurts so much… pfft!”

Suddenly, he flipped onto all fours and let out a guttural roar, spewing black flames from his mouth.

Ren Ye was utterly stunned. Though he stood at a safe distance, he could feel the intense heat radiating from the black flames. The stone floor beneath the eunuch began to smoke.

Boom!

Flames burst from the eunuch’s crown, engulfing him in a black inferno. Within mere seconds, his entire body was consumed, burning from the inside out.

The others retreated to the corridor in panic, wide-eyed and helpless as they watched the horrifying scene unfold. There was nothing they could do.

About ten breaths later, the black flames dimmed and finally extinguished.

What was once a cautious and vibrant young eunuch was now reduced to charred skeletal remains and a stench that permeated the entire chamber.

In just a few moments, he had been incinerated to nothing.

Ren Ye stood dumbfounded, staring at the humanoid outline and scattered bone fragments on the ground. Cold sweat trickled down the back of his neck.

Though he had encountered countless corpses and gruesome crime scenes during his career, his tolerance far surpassing that of the average person, this moment filled him with a deep sense of fear and dread.

If not for his habitual act of tying three strands of hair to the door, it would have been him on the bed. Unprepared and caught off guard, he knew he wouldn’t have survived the encounter with that “flesh worm.”

The young eunuch, with his delicate features, had unwittingly taken the fatal blow meant for Ren Ye.

Even the mere thought of it sent chills down Ren Ye’s spine, his legs feeling like they were filled with lead.

“Your… Your Highness!” Second Fool shook Ren Ye’s shoulder forcefully, calling out loudly.

Ren Ye snapped out of his daze, his mind clearing. Almost instinctively, he asked, “Someone tried to kill me?”

Second Fool was genuinely surprised that his master hadn’t wet his pants from fear. Based on his impression, Zhu Zigui should have broken down emotionally by now.  

“Your Highness, wait here. I’ll investigate further,” Second Fool said before stepping back inside with his blade.

He circled the scorched remains and used the tip of Inviting Moon to prod at the fragments on the floor. Finally, his gaze settled on a long, charred husk of what appeared to be the flesh worm’s remains.  

“Your Highness, I was born in the southern regions and have witnessed many strange and unexplainable phenomena,” Second Fool said, cupping his fists as he turned to Ren Ye. “If my guess is correct, this flesh worm is part of a long-lost Southern Gu sorcery known as Soul-Controlling Gu.”  

Ren Ye’s greatest strength was his exceptional emotional control. Though he was shaken, it didn’t hinder his ability to think. “Gu? What’s the purpose of this type of Gu?”  

“The Soul-Controlling Gu comes in pairs. The male Gu captures the soul, and the female Gu manipulates it,” Second Fool explained after recalling the details. “If an ordinary person is afflicted by this Gu, they’ll become a corpse puppet, completely controlled by another. If I’m not mistaken, the flesh worm just now was a male Gu.”  

Ren Ye’s eyes widened slightly as he quickly grasped the key point. “Are you saying someone intended to control me with this Gu? But why did the eunuch self-immolate after being infected by the worm?”  

“Every person’s soul is unique. This Gu was specifically refined for Your Highness. Naturally, that eunuch couldn’t withstand it,” Second Fool reported honestly. “The Gu can only be used once. If it infects the wrong host, it self-destructs.”  

Ren Ye fell silent for a long moment before asking, “What would have happened if the Gu infected me?”  

Second Fool hesitated, lifting his head slightly, his lips trembling.  

“Speak truthfully.”  

“You would become a corpse puppet, your soul bound. When the Gu leaves, you’d meet the same fate as the eunuch,” Second Fool said with his head bowed.  

A monster!  

Ren Ye cursed inwardly. Who could be so cruel and malicious?  

There were ten other players within the Star Gate. On his very first night in this new place, he had nearly ended up with a worm burrowing into his skull. Was there a connection between the two?  

Tap, tap, tap…  

The hurried footsteps of servants echoed through the corridor as they rushed to the chamber after hearing the eunuch’s agonized screams.

Hearing this, Ren Ye turned and immediately instructed Lian’er, “Stop them. Tell them Xiao Xuzi made a mistake while assisting me with bathing and dressing and was punished with flogging. Go! Tonight’s events must not spread.”  

“Yes!”  

Lian’er responded promptly and left in a hurry.

Second Fool, after a moment of contemplation, bent down and asked, “Your Highness, with someone capable of using Gu in the residence, it’s impossible to guard against. I think you shouldn’t stay in the bedchamber anymore.”  

Ren Ye’s gaze sharpened. “No. The one using Gu is far less concerning than a traitor.”  

“Hmm?” Second Fool was stunned.  

“The bedchamber is in the inner courtyard, far from the other wings of the residence,” Ren Ye said, enunciating every word clearly. “I was away for only an hour, visiting the princess consort. Have you considered who could have entered my bedchamber so freely, planted the Gu, and left just as easily? Was there enough time?”  

“Your meaning is…?”  

“There’s a traitor. Or rather… the one using Gu is someone close to me,” Ren Ye declared almost bluntly.  

…

In a secluded courtyard within Prince Huai’s residence, inside a certain side chamber…  

“Chirp, chirp…”

A crude wooden box rattled as a flesh worm twisted and writhed inside, emitting sorrowful cries.  

By the dim light of the lamp, a woman’s eyes widened as she noticed a black line emerge on the worm’s body before it suddenly snapped.

“?!”

The woman shot to her feet in disbelief.

Bang!

The black line’s rupture caused the flesh worm to explode into powder, dispersing into the air.  

The female Gu, connected by threads, was not inherently poisonous.  

However, the woman stood frozen, her face a mix of shock and terror.

A cold, mechanical voice rang in her ears, and her complexion turned an alarming shade of purple-red.  

[Task failed. Mission 2 is now over. You will be penalized.]  

[Gentle reminder: Dear player, please cherish every mission opportunity. Think carefully. Think carefully…]