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Chapter 97: The Degree of Bewitchment

“Hao Wen’er, don’t scare people by saying that the NPC is like the big boss behind the scene and has been watching us.” Wei Dong sped up his breakfast, hoping the other people’s analysis wouldn’t affect his appetite.

“The NPC definitely isn’t the big boss.” Qin Ci finished his cup of milk. “But, the NPC must be able to represent the boss. At the very least, it must be the boss’ personal follower. Thinking back to the settings in the previous paintings, weren’t they all like this?”

“What you mean is that if the NPC can’t show up, the big boss behind the scenes also can’t show up? They are completely different from us,” Shi Zhendong said.

Many people heard this sentence, but no one could give a clear answer about the relationship between the shadow and the physical body.

“This time, the focus of our search is still near the maze,” Qin Ci looked at the remaining seven people. “Without the four people who have to stay behind and work, there will be only three people left who can go and look for the signature.”

“Since time is tight, it can only be so,” Shi Zhendong said. “I am already familiar with the essentials of the work. I’ll stay this morning and try to finish all three cans.”

Miao Zipei also took the initiative to say, “Dr. Qin has experience. I’ll stay and work. I’m already familiar with the storage of those berries.”

Wei Dong also took the initiative to take over the work in the purple room.

Ke Xun didn’t have anyone to modestly decline the work, and so he could only look pitifully at Mu Yiran and said, “Then you all go. Please pay attention to safety.”

Mu Yiran lowered his eyelids. When he raised his eyes, he said, “As the workers, you all must remember not to be alone in the hall. Even if you go to the restroom, you must take at least one companion with you.”

They nodded silently. Ke Xun looked at Mu Yiran with bright eyes, and from his heart came a bullet screen with the words: You have to be careful too. Remember to pick flowers for me. Don’t allow your body to get dirty–

Ke Xun shuddered fiercely. Why did he suddenly become so internally witty and effeminate just now? Mu Yiran evidently became “softened” by his eyes, and he even forgot to put on a cold expression…

Ke Xun was momentarily baffled. Just now, there was something wrong, but he couldn’t tell what it was.

Now that time was running out, no one wanted to delay for even a minute. Soon, they divided themselves into two groups. Four people went to the workroom, while three people went outside to the maze to look for answers.

Ke Xun finally said to the other three workers. “We must stay alert. I feel like I was almost bewitched by something just now. If someone wants to go to the toilet later, it’s better to shout at the door. Once someone responds, you both can then go together.”

When it came to the matter of being bewitched, no one dared to take it lightly. The others nodded and remembered clearly before returning to the rooms to work.

Although Ke Xun was preoccupied with other thoughts, it didn’t affect his work efficiency. After all, he was the only one left in this room. He had no choice but to complete the task faster than the others.

The strange idea earlier remained a mystery to him. Thinking about it carefully, it was clearly an idea that came out from him, but upon closer inspection, there was something very wrong about it.

He removed the berries from the leafy branches, carefully recalling the situation earlier. That explicable and coquettish remark was indeed a voice that came from his heart, as if there was someone hiding there, suddenly revealing a secret to him.

If it were a person less determined, that person might have revealed something on his face–Ke Xun smiled shamefully. At that time, the expression in his eyes had indeed slightly revealed some of his innermost thoughts.

Ke Xun carefully thought about where he was a moment ago. At that time, there were still many people in the hall, and he wasn’t alone. Why was he still bewitched? Had his position and behavior violated any implicit conditions?

As he carefully listened to everyone’s analysis, he was sitting facing the wooden cabinet that stood against the wall. There was nothing strange about that cabinet. It was made entirely of pure wood and stained glass, and there was no color on it.

Ke Xun’s inner lights flashed, as if he’d captured a hint of an epiphany. At this moment, he suddenly heard Shi Zhendong’s voice come from outside, “Does anyone need to go to the bathroom? I’ll go with you.”

Ke Xun had no thoughts to accompany Shi Zhendong to the toilet. He was still chasing after that epiphany. Then he heard Miao Zipei from next door replied, “Let’s go together.”

It was reassuring that there were two people going together.

He restlessly continued the train of thoughts about the cabinet just now, that hand-made wooden cabinet placed against the wall. The cabinet’s door was bright glass, and through the glass, one could see the exquisite tea set inside.

The shiny glass was reflecting the light, and if the angle was just right, one could even see one’s own image on it.

Shadow.

The reflection in the glass or mirror was also a kind of shadow.

Ke Xun suddenly had a flash of insight, clearing away the muck. He recalled that someone had been bewitched while alone in the hall before. What’s more, Mu Yiran had analyzed that, because there was a separation between the shadow and its material body, the boss could manipulate other physical bodies through their shadows.

Was the strange words in his heart earlier caused by his reflection on the glass cabinet door? But why use those strange words to bewitch him?

Ke Xun really didn’t dare to think about what would happen if he had also become bewitched. Thinking back to Xin Beibei’s jealousy and Guo Lixia’s violence and savagery, was his weakness tender looks and false femininity?

At that time, Mu Yiran had unexpectedly given him a slightly touched look. Thinking about it now, this was clearly an illusion that only he could see, and it was also one of the means by which the shadow was attempting to bewitch him!

He was very glad that he wasn’t successfully bewitched…

After thinking about this, he suddenly remembered the two people who had just gone to the restroom. Ke Xun hurriedly opened the door to remind them to be wary of the glass cabinet. But after opening the door, he saw that Shi Zhendong and Miao Zipei were sitting at the table in the lobby, talking.

Shi Zhendong was frowning as he told Miao Zipei, “Every holiday, I often go to many art museums all over the world. Some foreign art museums are very distinctive. A few museums had strangely shaped containers that held candies the same weight as the painter. I think this style is mind-blowing, as if the painter’s inspiration and artistic sense were rendered to everyone.”

Even Ke Xun thought that this style was very good. Why didn’t the art museum that he visited give out sugar?

Miao Zipei raised his gaze and saw Ke Xun. Smiling, he beckoned him over with an enthusiasm that made Ke Xun somewhat uncomfortable.

Although Miao Zipei liked to talk about art, he rarely speaks, much less makes such an enthusiastic greeting.

Ke Xun exchanged glances with Shi Zhendong, and then smiled at Miao Zipei. “Although I’m a little bit resistant to places like art museums, what you just said sounds pretty good.”

“Many successful painters are absolutely devoted to art. In the early days, some painters had even used their bodies to make paint, and some painters had even sacrificed their own relatives…”

Ke Xun couldn’t listen anymore. “People sacrificing themselves for art is a personal choice, but to sacrifice their own relatives for art is nothing short of extreme selfishness and cruelty.”

Miao Zipei just smiled faintly and continued, “Have you heard the story of the famous Japanese painting called ‘Infernal Transformation’? In order to better depict the image of a carriage burning in hell, the painter put his beautiful daughter in the carriage and set it on fire. He watched as his daughter burned to death in that burning carriage, watching until the carriage fell into the cliff…But the painter was able to create the ‘Infernal Transformation’ that made everyone feel frightened and full of despair.”

Ke Xun was about to respond when he saw that Shi Zhendong had given him a light glance. He nodded, saying nothing.

It was best not to become the target of the person bewitched; otherwise, he himself might become the target of that person’s sneak attacks. Therefore, it was better to maintain normality.

In the end, Shi Zhendong’s age had afforded him some experience, and so he smiled and said to Miao Zipei, “We still have a lot of berries to store. Everyone should hurry up and return to work.”

Miao Zipei was the first to return to his yellow room.

Ke Xun wasn’t in a hurry to go back. Seeing that Shi Zhendong had pulled a chair aside for him, as if he wanted to tell him something, he sat down and listened.

“You can see it too? Xiao Miao has some problems,” Shi Zhendong whispered.

Ke Xun subconsciously glanced at the glass cabinet facing him some distance away and hurriedly withdrew his gaze. “How did Miao Zipei end up alone in the hall when you both went to the restroom together?”

“He’s pretty fast, and he wasn’t used to waiting for people in the bathroom. After washing his hands, he went to the hall. The time between him leaving and me coming out was within a minute.” Shi Zhendong’s expression made me a little panicked. “Could it be that the shadow is more powerful now? It seems to have gotten better at bewitching people.”

“We all need to be more careful.” Ke Xun clenched his fist, not saying anymore.

“Why does it seem like your complexion is very bad. Are you okay?” Shi Zhendong had strong observation skills.

Ke Xun shook his head. “It’s nothing. I just feel that we’re running out of time. Three nights had already passed, and the painting didn’t seem to have the patience to give us our full seven days. If Miao Zipei has really become bewitched, then the yellow he represents is exactly the color the boss urgently needs.”

“Let’s try our best to protect ourselves. As for Xiao Miao…If he really began to engage in suicidal behavior that would pollute his color, then I’m afraid we wouldn’t be able to stop him.” Shi Zhendong sighed.

After this, they no longer chat, and both went back to their respective rooms to work.

Ke Xun deliberately sped up his work, making his arms extremely tired, until he was finally able to finish storing three big jars of berries before noon.

As he worked, Ke Xun didn’t stop thinking, and so he was finally able to figure some things out.

He gently pushed the door open and soon arrived at the door of the purple room. He made a soft whistle—this had been a secret signal between himself and Wei Dong for many years. When they were young, this was how they secretly made appointments to meet each other by their windows and go to the Internet cafe to play games.

Wei Dong quickly opened the door. “I’m exhausted…”

“Dongzi, listen to me carefully,” Ke Xun’s expression was solemn, making Wei Dong immediately quiet down to carefully listen.

Ke Xun’s voice was very quiet. Although he was standing at the door of the purple room, only they could hear what he said. “You return to the room right now and quietly bar the door from the inside. I’ll run out yelling, but don’t open the door until we come back and tell you to open it.”

Although Wei Dong didn’t understand what was going on, Ke Xun was the person he trusted the most. So, he closed the door and barred it from the inside with a table and chairs.

Ke Xun tried not to look at his reflections in the hall, and he rushed out the door with a single stride.