Wu Qing chuckled, "You guessed right, little girl. You're adorable."
Though no one had seen a werewolf before, everyone knew what bones looked like.
After speaking, Wu Qing turned and began walking toward the ancient castle. Her feet were hidden within her enormous black robe, and her peculiar gait made it seem as though she were gliding. Since she claimed there were werewolves, it was highly likely true.
Everyone followed her, no one daring to fall behind, lest they be snatched away by the legendary werewolf.
The moment the grand doors opened, a creaking sound echoed, only to fade away as they swung completely open. Wu Qing stood to the side, her gaze sweeping over everyone entering the castle. Those she looked at felt as if something were clinging to their backs. Though invisible, it evoked a visceral sense of disgust and revulsion.
Once the last person stepped inside, Wu Qing closed the doors once more. All the others watched her do so. Ning Wei's eyes, however, were fixed on Wu Qing's hand. The visible part of her palm was like that of an old person, with only wrinkled skin, her fingers seemingly unable to straighten, like a chicken's claw.
As soon as the doors were shut, Wu Qing delivered her first warning: "Only I can open this door. Anyone who tries to sneakily test it will face the consequences."
Zhu Yilian whispered to Wang Jing, "This must be a hidden rule."
"Then how do we leave here?" Bai Yang asked Wu Qing, her voice trembling like a frightened rabbit.
Wu Qing looked at her with a half-smile, "Those who survive until the end can leave safely."
While they were talking, Ning Wei had already taken in the layout of the castle. In the center stood a long table, adorned with three exquisite silver candelabras, their candles pure white. Above them hung a massive crystal chandelier, casting a dim yellow light, the primary source of illumination. Although there were tall floor-to-ceiling windows all around, not a sliver of moonlight could penetrate.
Everyone couldn't help but gaze curiously at the castle's interior. It was their first time here, and such curiosity was understandable. But it remained to be seen if they would retain this appreciation once people started dying.
A wolf howl echoed from outside. Peering through the floor-to-ceiling windows, they could see the dense forest they had just passed. Now, pairs of red eyes glowed within its depths. Being inside the castle, their reactions were somewhat muted.
Wu Qing explained, "These are the werewolves I mentioned. If you don't enter the designated safe rooms according to the rules, the werewolves will search the castle for you all night until they catch you." Her chilling voice startled the other group. The timid girls huddled together.
Wu Qing observed everyone's reactions, then glanced at the old grandfather clock on the wall. "It's almost midnight. You must enter your rooms before twelve. Each person gets one room, and you cannot switch once you're inside."
"Alright, esteemed guests, please retire to your rooms. Our werewolf knights will soon be entering the castle to play a game of hide-and-seek. Good luck!" With that, Wu Qing slowly retreated to a corner and vanished from sight in the blink of an eye.
"What do we do?"
Hearing that voice, Zhu Yilian knew it was a newcomer. She mentally sighed. With only twenty minutes until midnight, the red eyes outside the windows appeared to be closer to the castle.
"Let's go upstairs. We're running out of time," Tang Tang said to everyone.
The first floor was mainly the grand hall, with many small doors around, but being newcomers, they dared not explore freely. To the left and right of the first floor were spiral wooden staircases, painted a deep vermillion, appearing both ancient and exquisite. Looking further up, from the second floor onwards, were the rooms. There were five floors in total, with four entire floors dedicated to rooms, and ten rooms on each floor.
Ning Wei and her group ascended the left staircase. Due to the time crunch, the other team took the right staircase. Ning Wei's group had seven people, plus Bai Yang, making eight in total. A single floor's worth of rooms was enough for them. They hadn't planned on splitting up, and now their concern was that the opposing group wouldn't take rooms on different floors, forcing them to separate. The werewolves outside were more terrifying; if they couldn't be in the same room as their teammates, being on the same floor would at least be a comfort.
Everyone arrived at the second-floor corridor. Ning Wei directly addressed the leader of the other group, "There are twelve of you. I'll let you choose the floor first, with one condition: our group must stay on the same floor."
The other leader agreed without issue and very courteously let Ning Wei's group choose first. Ning Wei didn't stand on ceremony and led her companions further up, choosing the third floor, neither too high nor too low. If danger arose, they could escape both up and down, making it an ideal location.
"There are ten rooms here. No one knows the layout inside, so choose for yourselves. Remember, you only get one pick!" After reminding them, Ning Wei leaned against the wall, appearing completely relaxed.
Mei Nan and Song Zhi, with perfect tacit understanding, chose the first and eighth rooms respectively. As the only two men in the group, they felt responsible for protecting the others. By guarding the rooms at the ends, they could quickly come to their aid if any situation arose.
Tang Tang glanced at Ning Wei, then casually pushed open a door. However, the scene within made her involuntarily step back. The room was filled with dismembered bodies and dried blood, permeated by the distinct stench of decay. The open door acted like a ventilation shaft, allowing the foul odor to flood the corridor, making everyone turn away and retch.
Ning Wei looked at Tang Tang expressionlessly, "Can you handle it?" She was Tang Tang's anchor. Coupled with Wu Qing's earlier warning, Tang Tang knew she had no second chance. She resolutely told Ning Wei, "I can!"
Ning Wei nodded casually, "Then go in. If you encounter any danger, just shout, and we're all here." With Ning Wei's words, Tang Tang felt reassured. Under everyone's worried gaze, she took heavy steps and slowly walked into the room. Once a person entered, the door would automatically close. Seeing the scattered limbs, Tang Tang instinctively reached for the doorknob, but recalling Ning Wei's firm and calm eyes, she took a deep breath and boldly continued further inside. She kept telling herself, "Don't be scared, don't be scared. This place isn't even a tenth as bad as the hotel banquet hall. Tang Tang, you're the strongest, you're the best."