As it turns out, Jiang Xi really did have amazing luck.
Not only did they find the North District, but they didn’t run into a single NPC along the way.
Even Wu Bei glanced at her in surprise and laughed, “Jiang Xi, your skill is incredible!”
Jiang Xi adjusted her glasses and gave a polite smile without responding.
She didn’t know why, but she kept feeling like she was being treated as a human GPS.
This was also her first time realizing… so that’s how her skill could be used.
The houses in the North District were easy to recognize.
Not only did they look more luxurious than the others, but there were also fewer windows.
“This place is way too gloomy…” Yi Xian muttered. “Are we sure the stuff inside won’t be all damp and moldy?”
Mu Chengsi looked up, and whatever she saw made her expression stiffen slightly. “I don’t know if the stuff inside is moldy, but I do know…”
“We might be in trouble.”
As she spoke, she pointed to several pitch-black surveillance cameras around the villa.
In the dim corners, the indicator lights on the machines were clearly blinking — it was obvious they were active, and that oppressive red glow gave off an inexplicable sense of dread.
Everyone followed her line of sight, and a wave of tension hit them all at once when they saw the cameras.
Jiang Xi’s pupils shrank in shock as she muttered, “That’s full 360-degree coverage without any blind spots.”
Also, why would this kind of camera even exist in an instance…!?
Wu Bei was examining the cameras too, frowning. “Strange… I didn’t see cameras anywhere else, but this place is packed with them.”
Almost like someone is under constant surveillance.
But compared to the cameras, their current situation was even trickier.
Mu Chengsi’s face was grim. If there were cameras by the front door, that meant… their movements had likely already been exposed.
Sure enough, just as the group hesitated at the entrance, a soft, smiling woman’s voice suddenly came from behind them.
“How did you all end up here, classmates?”
That sweet and gentle voice sounded like a silent death sentence.
It was the height of summer, but everyone broke into a cold sweat.
They whipped their heads around — the woman they had seen that morning was now standing not far away.
She had changed into a black spaghetti-strap dress. The shawl draped over her shoulders was light and thin, and the lace trim made her pale chest stand out even more.
Her hair fell in jet-black waves, and the black lace hat veil covered part of her face, making it hard to get a clear look at her features.
Beside her, the maid was holding up an umbrella, a large black sun parasol that blocked out the sunlight.
The shadow it cast made the woman look even more mysterious.
She tilted her head slightly and curled her lips. “This really isn’t a place you guys should be visiting, you know.”
As she spoke, her gaze subtly swept toward Bo Jingmo, whose eyes were already locked on her.
There was a murky emotion in his eyes — repressed, restrained, hard to decipher.
Seeing this, Yu Li let out a silent, helpless smile.
Sensing the warning in the woman’s tone, Wu Bei stepped forward first, wearing a courteous smile. “Apologies, we were just walking around and happened to come this way. We didn’t know this was Aunt Lina’s residence.”
“Oh? Just happened to come this way?” the woman chuckled. “What a coincidence.”
Seemingly missing the hidden meaning in the NPC’s words, Mu Chengsi asked, “Aunt Lina, this is your home? Does that mean Youyou lives here too? Can we see her?”
NPCs weren’t just threats — they were also key sources of clues.
The dangerous plot hadn’t fully triggered yet, so as long as they didn’t cross the red line, they had to be bold and ask.
Yu Li folded her arms, her voice relaxed. “Youyou, huh… she doesn’t live with us.
After all, I’m her stepmother. She’s never really liked me, so she doesn’t stay here.”
“Then where does she live?” Mu Chengsi’s tone faltered slightly. “To be honest, we asked Steward Wang before, but he said Youyou didn’t want to see us.
Still, we really do want to see her.”
“Is that so? What touching classmates you are.” The woman covered her mouth with a light sigh.
But that was all — she didn’t answer their question, just walked around them toward the large gate.
Then she turned and smiled at them. “Well, since you’re here, come in and have a seat.”
Mary, beside her, quietly reminded her, “Madam…”
But Yu Li’s smile didn’t falter in the slightest. She kept addressing the players.
“You’re all Youyou’s classmates. If I don’t treat you well and that girl finds out, she’ll be mad at me again.”
Since the players had taken action, as the NPC, she had to provide them with proper clues.
As the heavy doors opened, the dark hall suddenly lit up with a sharp “click.”
The space inside was lavish — high ceilings adorned with intricate carvings and luxurious chandeliers that glowed with soft brilliance.
Every corner had tasteful decorations or precious collectibles, creating an elegant and dignified atmosphere.
The players followed behind Yu Li, glancing around the room, momentarily distracted by the opulence.
By the time they came back to their senses, the woman had already stepped inside and turned back to them. “Come in.”
They exchanged looks, then stepped through the door.
Compared to the other homes they’d been to, which were full of servants, this place, though big, felt oddly empty.
From start to finish, only Mary the maid stayed by the woman’s side.
“Mary, go check on my pet. Don’t let it out and scare them,” the woman said lazily as she sat down on the sofa.
Mary paused, then quickly realized what “pet” the woman meant.
She lowered her gaze, subtly scanning the group.
Watching the maid leave, the players seemed a bit tense around the woman on the sofa.
The woman, on the other hand, didn’t seem shy at all.
In fact, she was surprisingly easygoing. She stood up with a smile.
“There’s a large pet at home — it doesn’t behave well and bites people.
Didn’t want to scare you guys, so I didn’t let it out.”
Mu Chengsi’s eyes flickered. A naïve smile appeared on her face, eyes curving in curiosity unique to college students.
“Then why not just put it down? Isn’t it a safety risk to keep such a pet? Why even keep it around?”
Yu Li walked over to the bar counter and, hearing this, turned to glance at her.
Behind the sheer curtains, her blood-red eyes narrowed slightly, a trace of intrigue in her gaze.
Mu Chengsi — sharper than expected.
Yu Li curved her lips. “After all, it’s been with me for years.
It’d be a shame to let it die just like that.”
Leaning casually on the counter, her voice carried a lazy smile.
“And besides, that thing once swallowed something very important to me.
Its value now isn’t what it used to be.
To just put it down like that… would be letting it off too easy.”