There were a total of ten doors, and Ning Wei was unsure what lay behind the rest, only that she had seen maids and servants enter and exit through different ones.
Ning Wei did not hesitate for long, as time was running out.
She placed her hand on the doorknob of the first door and gently pushed it open.
Inside was pitch black, with only the scent of flowers in the air.
She called out softly into the darkness, "Wu Qing."
There was no response. Ning Wei thought for a moment, then closed the door again.
She moved to the second door, took a deep breath, and opened it to reveal rows upon rows of beds. On them lay maids as beautiful and delicate as porcelain dolls, dressed in maid outfits, their chests unmoving on the pristine white sheets.
Ning Wei also discovered male servants beneath each maid's bed, all with their eyes closed and showing no signs of breathing.
Although she didn't know their origins, Ning Wei believed these maids and servants were once in the same position as her, brought here by the bus to play a game.
The difference was, they were more foolish, and thus perished here, naturally remaining to be commanded by the witch.
Since this was the domain of the maids, Wu Qing would certainly not be here.
Ning Wei realized that Wu Qing was a person who valued status. As the housekeeper, her room would be her own, and she wouldn't be crammed in with these servants.
Exiting the second room, Ning Wei proceeded to the third.
The third room was a laboratory that seemed to have seen better days. Inside, she found a bottle full of a green special effect potion.
As the saying goes, "Geese leave their tracks," so Ning Wei, without any hesitation, poured several doses into her clothes and hid them.
This room was a marvel, but Ning Wei did not understand the machinery, nor did she dare to randomly touch the various pills displayed on the wall.
Wu Qing had mentioned poison earlier, and Ning Wei was certain it existed.
Closing the door of the third room, she opened the fourth.
This room was a kitchen, spacious and bright, filled with an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables.
Ning Wei, having battled the werewolf leader fiercely the previous night and being famished, found this to be a timely blessing. She ate heartily, filling her stomach before leaving the room.
She then entered the fifth room. It was dim inside, but moonlight filtered in, making it somewhat visible.
This appeared to be a forest, vastly different from the preceding rooms. The door behind it seemed to lead to another location entirely.
A whimpering sound echoed in the air. Ning Wei followed the sound, and under the cold moonlight, she saw a furry cluster on the grass—little werewolves.
Ning Wei raised an eyebrow. After looking around and confirming the presence of only young werewolves, her courage grew significantly.
Werewolves, being a hybrid of wolf and human, all possessed long tails.
With a mischievous glint, Ning Wei picked up a small werewolf and, meeting its teary eyes, transformed into a witch under the moonlight.
She flicked the little werewolf's head fiercely and said, "No eating people! Otherwise, the old witch will come and smack your head every night!"
The little werewolf's eyes widened in fear, too terrified to make a sound.
The other little werewolves played dead, their demeanor vastly different from their adult counterparts.
Ning Wei warned them all individually before happily leaving the fifth room.
As she stepped out, she let out a soft sigh.
She had initially assumed werewolves were transformed humans, not realizing they were a distinct species.
Ning Wei opened the sixth room. Inside was a small wooden cabin, and she had a premonition that she had found it.
Witches lived in cabins, so she was certain Wu Qing resided here.
Bathed in moonlight, the small cabin looked precarious, undoubtedly a dilapidated structure.
Ning Wei approached the cabin door and peered through the gaps in the wooden planks. She could vaguely make out figures moving inside.
"Wu Qing, are you in there?" Ning Wei asked, feigning ignorance.
"Come in." Following Wu Qing's reply, the wooden door creaked open slowly.
Ning Wei stood at the entrance, first observing the cabin's furnishings. Unlike the opulence of the castle, this place was so simple it hardly seemed like a housekeeper's dwelling.
Besides a wooden bed, there was only a wobbly table. On the table sat a flower that had long since withered, rotted beyond recognition.
This flower was like Wu Qing. Ning Wei had observed Wu Qing closely; from her features, it was evident she had once been a beauty.
But Ning Wei wondered what she had endured to now resemble the witch from fairy tales.
"If the guest finds this place too simple, perhaps you should return to the castle," Wu Qing said sarcastically as Ning Wei lingered.
Ning Wei cleared her throat and took a step inside.
The wooden door immediately closed. A piece of glass in the ceiling of the small cabin allowed a beam of moonlight to shine down, illuminating the withered flower.
"This flower is so beautiful," Ning Wei said, her words completely false yet uttered without a blush.
Wu Qing let out a cold snort and cut to the chase, "It's late. Why has the guest come to my place instead of resting in her room?"
Ning Wei glanced around the room. She was not one to inconvenience herself, so she strode to the bed and sat down abruptly.
She hadn't expected the bed to be so flimsy. The moment her backside touched it, the bed swayed twice, startling her into grabbing it for support.
Wu Qing's lips twitched, and she remained silent by the table.
Once the bed was stable, Ning Wei wasted no more time. She directly addressed Wu Qing, "You must be aware of my abilities, and the situation in the castle is under control. I've come to make a deal with you."
"What kind of deal do you want?" Wu Qing asked drily.
"I want to know all the game rules. In exchange, I can complete one task for you!"
Although Ning Wei had identified all the ghosts, she was not reassured, fearing that undiscovered rules might still exist.
To leave this place safely and without incident, she needed to be absolutely certain.
Bai Yang, as the first ghost, undoubtedly knew something. However, judging by her behavior over the past few days, Ning Wei doubted she would tell her the truth.
After much deliberation, Ning Wei decided that cooperating with Wu Qing was her only option.
Wu Qing had been here for a long time and surely knew the game rules better than anyone.
Ning Wei was convinced that if the price was right, Wu Qing wouldn't refuse her.
To her surprise, Wu Qing scoffed, "You cannot fulfill my request. Please leave."
"How will you know if you don't try? Don't forget I have this ring."
Ning Wei presented the ring to Wu Qing, offering her greatest sincerity.
Wu Qing certainly recognized the ring's unique properties. She didn't even glance at it. Although it was a rare treasure, it wasn't the most important thing to her.