Chapter 256 Bodyguard
[Did this NPC protect his head beforehand? He did it even before the other NPCs appeared?]
How did he know the NPC was going to come out from the front? It's so dark, how could he see it?
When that hand reached out from behind Su Wuli, I got goosebumps. It was so swoon-worthy.
Startled by the scream, Lin Luchi pressed himself against the wall, his back slamming hard against the brick surface, and his head hitting the wall with a dull thud.
He covered the back of his head and reached out a hand to grope in the air a couple of times.
He touched Chen Kai's shoulder and then gripped it.
Chen Kai was pulled to the side and his foot stepped on something.
Lin Luchi gasped for breath, "How come he's not afraid at all?"
As he spoke, he looked at Yu Chen, who was walking at the back, with eyes that had adapted to the complete darkness.
The comments section was filled with laughter.
[Lin Luchi bumped into a wall, hahaha.]
"He's not afraid at all; this phrase could be made into a banner and hung above this NPC's head."
[Other guests: swaying precariously. Su Wuli: steady and composed. Her bodyguard: expressionless.]
[I was dying of laughter when Wen Yan screamed just now; her voice was louder than an NPC's.]
[Chen Kai's calm speech at the beginning was then suddenly swayed off course; this turn of events was brilliant.]
Yu Chen withdrew his hand, and Su Wuli began to move forward slowly again.
Knowing that Yu Chen was always behind her, she walked more steadily than before.
He kept watching her.
Feeling Yu Chen's gaze in the darkness, Su Wuli was stunned for a moment.
This feeling was somewhat similar to being stared at by that unknown person before Yu Chen appeared.
At the end of the completely dark passage was a narrow staircase.
As you ascend the stairs, the candlelight spills down from above.
My feet creaked as they stepped on the wooden steps, bouncing back and forth in the passageway.
The footsteps of several people overlapped one after another.
After walking up a dozen or so steps, the corridor began to widen, and murals started to appear on the walls.
Large patches of color have faded, making it difficult to discern what was painted on.
All I could see were patches of dark red, like splashed paint or dried blood.
The mural stretched from her feet all the way to her head, and Su Wuli's gaze swept over it as she walked away.
I could only sense that many faces were hidden within those dark red hues.
But they weren't human faces; they were all animal faces.
Its mouth was open, revealing white teeth that flickered in and out of view in the candlelight.
She subconsciously quickened her pace, while Yu Chen's footsteps followed behind her at a leisurely pace.
At the end of the stairs is an open stone door.
Stepping into the study, the candlelight was much brighter.
The sudden candlelight made Su Wuli squint.
Yu Chen walked in from behind her and stopped half a step away.
His gaze swept across the study before returning to his own.
Others are already studying that study.
Su Wuli and the others opened their eyes only after their eyes had adjusted to the light.
The room was small, with bookshelves on three walls, displaying various objects.
There are also several statues whose material is indiscernible.
On the table in the very center was a painting of a general on horseback.
It looks very similar to the one in the hallway before, but the colors of this one are well preserved.
The general's face was now clearly visible; his features were regular, and there was a chilling aura between his brows.
The name Chen Chongyuan is quite fitting.
Chen Kai was the first to walk up to the painting and bend down to examine it.
After looking at it for a while, he tilted his head and took two steps back to look again. "Isn't this painting hung upside down?"
Lin Luchi also came over and peeked out from behind Chen Kai's shoulder.
"No, the horse's head faces right, it usually faces left."
Wen Yan stood next to Su Wuli and asked in a low voice, "What do you think this painting is hiding?"
Su Wuli did not answer.
Looking at the general's eyes in the painting, I always felt that those eyes were looking at something.
She couldn't help but take a step toward the painting.
Yu Chen followed and stood behind her.
The candlelight flickered between the two, casting her shadow on the table, while his shadow overlapped hers.
My goodness, this NPC is practically inseparable from me.
[It would be more accurate to call him a bodyguard or stand-in.]
[You don't even need to look at their faces; their poor physiques alone make them a perfect shipper.]
Does anyone know the name of this NPC? I want to come up with a couple name for them.
[It's obvious nobody knows; it's too mysterious.]
Wen Yan looked away from the painting and couldn't help but steal a glance at Yu Chen.
The man stood there, his face covered except for his eyes.
Those eyes weren't looking at the painting, but at Su Wuli.
Wen Yan's doubts deepened, fearing that she might make them too obvious.
He then turned his gaze away, pretending to study the patterns on the general's armor in the painting.
"Are there any words on this painting?" Lin Luchi pointed to a blurry ink mark on the edge of the scroll.
The ink stain is very faint; you can't see it at all unless you look closely.
Chen Kai's expression turned serious, and he leaned in to look at it for a long time.
"This is probably written in cursive script; I can't recognize it."
If even Chen Kai can't recognize it, then it's indeed difficult to identify.
[Hidden characters in a painting are a classic riddle; it's probably an acrostic poem.]
Wen Yan spoke up unhurriedly from the side, "Don't you even know the character for 'funeral'?"
"I—" Chen Kai choked for a moment, speechless.
[Holy crap, I'm dying of laughter! Wen Yan's been waiting here.]
[Chen Kai can't answer this now, hahaha.]
I'm dying of laughter.
The atmosphere in the study was relaxed for a moment, then returned to seriousness.
Su Wuli stared at the ink blot for a while, but she really couldn't recognize a single character.
The strokes are too messy.
Thinking of something, she couldn't help but turn around and glance at Yu Chen.
He stood behind her, only his eyes visible.
He merely glanced at the painting, then slightly raised his chin, indicating the direction of the bookshelf.
The movement was so subtle that Su Wuli wouldn't have noticed it at all if she hadn't been looking directly at his face.
Upon receiving the message, Su Wuli quickly turned around and walked to the bookshelf.
The bookshelf has three shelves, each displaying different items.
They are arranged in a pleasing, staggered manner, and very tastefully.
It's like... something that was carefully arranged.
Su Wuli raised her hand to the first floor, but Yu Chen shook his head.
Then she went down to the second floor, and Yu Chen blinked.
Su Wuli immediately focused her attention on the second floor.
On the far left was a small porcelain bottle with a blue and white lotus pattern on its body.
It looks very similar to the one on the stone gate.
Su Wuli picked up the porcelain bottle, and there was a piece of paper underneath.
She unfolded the paper, inside which was a brass key.
The key handle is engraved with the character "密" (secret).
The comments scrolled by faster and faster than the last.
Holy crap, they found the key?!
So fast? So easy?
What happened? I didn't see clearly.
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